Hey guys! 10th chapter, whoop whoop! Exciting stuff! Sorry for the wait, I got insane writers block, and the end of this chapter went in a slightly different direction than I'd planned for this story, but oh well, it comes with the thrill of writing! I hope you enjoy, and don't mind that this is another very dialoguey chapter. Hopefully the next couple should be a little more exciting, fingers crossed! Anyway, hope you enjoy this chapter, and feel free to leave your reviews! P.s ewa 100, you can rest assured that I know where Poland is ;)
Disclaimer: I don't own Night World, that wonderful creation is all down to L.J Smith.
"You didn't tell her, did you?"
I looked at my cousin, but her eyes weren't focused on me. Instead they followed the movements of my soul mate as she conversed jovially with Jade. Looking at her like this, I could almost believe that nothing was wrong. It made me hopeful that the curse wasn't there after all.
"No," I replied. Only now did Thea tear her eyes away from Mare, staring at me with an emotion I couldn't place. But I'd seen that expression on her face before. She would look at Blaise the same way whenever she got them kicked out of another school, after pulling some dangerous stunt, resulting in a magnitude of casualties.
"What?" I asked defensively, uncomfortable under her stare. She sighed and looked away, shaking her head minutely. "It's only a matter of time before she finds out. I think it would be better for her to hear it from you, and as soon as possible. The longer you leave it, the worse it will be."
I nodded my head in understanding. Thea was right; it was only a matter of time. I was pretty sure that Mary-Lynnette already suspected that there was something I wasn't telling her. The only thing that had saved me from her questions earlier, had been her relief that nothing was wrong. How could I take that relief away from her?
"Who else knows?" I pulled Thea gently by the crook of her elbow, guiding her so that we were out of view of the doorway. Even though I didn't think anyone was listening, I kept my voice low.
"No one apart from us," Thea replied, peeking over her shoulder cautiously, as if she too, was worried about being over heard. "But Gillian knows that something is up. She didn't see the mark, and she hasn't been practicing magic long enough to sense this sort of thing. But she's a good witch, Ash. She can tell something isn't right."
That was bad news. If Gillian suspected something, there was a very real possibility she'd tell Mary-Lynnette. I didn't know the young witch well, but knew enough to tell that she wasn't big on keeping secrets. Unlike most of us here, she hadn't grown up with the knowledge of the Night World. She hadn't adapted to keeping things hidden.
"How long do you think it'll be until she susses it out?" I asked urgently. Thea shrugged her shoulders, shaking her head. "I don't know. The mark has completely faded, so there's no chance of her finding out because of that. But honestly Ash, Gillian isn't your biggest problem."
I frowned at that. If Gillian wasn't my biggest problem, what was? How else would Mary-Lynnette find out, if not by Gillian? "What do you mean?" I asked Thea, my brows furrowing in confusion.
"Me and Gillian aren't the only witches in this mansion, Ash," Thea started, staring at me intently as if waiting for me to catch on. When I didn't, she continued. "Winnie's out on a mission with Keller and Nissa at the moment, but she'll be back in less than a week. I'm telling you now, the second she walks through the front door she'll be able to tell something's off."
"Really?"
"Yes, Ash. Winnie isn't like Gillian who's only just coming to terms with her powers. She's a seasoned witch, one who's been part of circle Daybreak for even longer than I have. Winnie's specialty is using her magic to fight, whether it be vampires, dragons, or other witches. That means she's made it her business to know what she might be up against. If this curse is as dark and dangerous as I think it is, Winnie will be able to spot that sort of power from a mile off."
I nodded my head as the wheels of my mind starting churning. Of course Winnie would be able to spot this sort of thing. After being around her for so long and seeing how sweet and innocent she was, it was easy to forget that she was a fighter. And like Thea had said, that meant Winnie was able to sense any sort of dark magic within close proximity. Once Winnie was back from her mission, the game was up.
A new idea sparked in my brain. "If Winnie is as good as you say she is, then maybe she can find a way to help. Maybe she'll know what to do."
"Maybe," Thea answered, but I could tell both from her tone, and from her expression, that she was doubtful. I immediately felt my own hopes drop. After a few moments of silence, Thea spoke up again.
"You need to tell her, Ash. Whether anyone else finds out or not, she deserves to know."
I groaned, running my hands through my hair, before pressing my palms against my eyes. I'd been through this debate over and over again in my mind, weighing the benefits and drawbacks of telling Mare the truth. "I can't," I muttered. I knew it was a lame excuse, but I couldn't come up with a better one.
"Yes, you can," Thea said firmly. I took my hands away from my eyes to see her stern expression. I let out a humourless laugh. What did she know about telling the one you loved that they were cursed? It was easy enough for her to dictate my actions when she wasn't the one who'd have to deal with the after math.
"I can't," I repeated, putting more force behind my words. I could see that she was about to argue my point again, but I cut her off before she could. "Thea, you don't understand. Do you think I like keeping things from her, especially something as big as this? Do you think this is easy for me, to pretend that nothing is wrong? Hell, this whole situation is tearing me up inside! You don't know what Mary-Lynnette has been through this past year, the things she's had to do, the things she's faced just to keep those she cares about safe. So forgive me if I think she deserves just a little bit of peace." I stopped to take a breath, realising that my voice had risen as I'd spoken. I carefully looked around to see if anyone had heard, but thankfully no one was around.
Looking toward Thea, I could see that her mind was still set. Although her features had softened, showing her sympathy, it was clear nothing was going to change her mind. "I get it, Ash. We've all been through so much just to get to the position we're in at the moment. You're not the only one who has been faced with life threatening obstacles. But keeping her from the truth won't protect her from this."
"If you were in my position, and Eric was the one with the curse, would you tell him? I've seen how happy you two are together, could you take that away?" I saw slight hesitation in her eyes before she answered. And whatever words came out of her mouth, I knew from that brief pause that she wasn't as certain as she made out to be. "Yes," she said firmly, unwavering.
I lifted an eyebrow in questioning, but she didn't rise to my bait. She stood solidly, unmoveable in her beliefs. I had to admire her morals, even if they weren't what I wanted to hear right now. "Well I can't," I whispered, looking away from the girl in front of me. She wasn't the one I wished was here right now.
Gazing down the empty corridor, the distance between Mary-Lynnette and I seemed enormous. Though she was only down the hall, I already found myself missing her. I had no idea how I'd gone six months without her. It seemed impossible now. I never wanted her to disappear from my life again.
"Hey," Thea said softly, touching my cheek gently to get my attention. I slowly drew my eyes away from what felt like a great chasm that was between me and Mare. I didn't say anything, just stared at the witch, waiting for her to continue. In truth, most of my mind was somewhere else anyway. "I know this is hard," she said, and I tried my best to focus solely on her. "I'm not trying to make this any more difficult by pushing you into something you don't want to do. But believe me when I say that telling her is the right thing. She'll find out eventually and the longer you leave it, the worse it'll be." I couldn't argue with that. I knew that if Mary-Lynnette ever found out through someone else, or knew that I'd kept this from her, she'd never trust me again. All my work to prove myself to her would be for nothing.
"We still don't know that she's definitely cursed," I began, trying desperately to come up with a new argument. I don't know why, but I needed any excuse I could think of to delay giving Mare the dreaded truth. "I don't want to worry her over nothing. I promise that once I know for certain that the curse is real, I'll tell her. You have my word."
Thea didn't looked convinced, and I could tell that she knew I was fishing for time. I didn't care; time was what I needed. And who knew, maybe there wasn't a curse after all. "You said Winnie would be able to tell, right?" I asked. Very reluctantly, Thea slowly nodded her head agreement, as if it physically pained her to do so.
"Then it's settled. Once Winnie gets back, we'll know for definite. If it's real, I promise that I'll tell her. If it's not, then there's no harm done." I couldn't help but smile at my logic. I'd thought of a solution, a way to stall, and a way to see if the curse was truly there or not.
The look on Thea's face wasn't what I'd hoped for, but I knew she'd never change her mind, no matter what I suggested. She'd just have to deal. "You know as well as I do what we both saw. No matter how much you want to believe otherwise, Ash, this thing is real, and it's not going to get better. I just hope you know what you're doing."
"I do," I replied firmly. Deep down I knew she was right, that what my eyes had seen could only lead to one thing, but I couldn't bring myself to give up hope. Until I had firm proof that some witch had cursed Mare, I wouldn't put that weight on her shoulders. Thea wasn't wrong when she'd said Mare deserved the truth, but I also believed whole-heartedly that she also deserved peace. The happiness and relief that had radiated off of her when I'd told her nothing was wrong was imprinted on my mind. I dreaded the day that I had to take that smile away. I'd let her live in that blissful ignorance for as long as possible.
"I don't know much about curses, but if you spot anything out of the ordinary, tell me. If she's unusually tired, or energetic, if you see anything wrong, like unexplained scars or bleeding, it could be a sign of the magic working into her system. Also any personality changes or mood swings could be signs. Just keep a look out." Thea sighed, seemingly resigned to follow my lead in this. I smiled gratefully, both for her advice and her co-operation.
"Thanks," I said, "I'll keep my eyes peeled." She nodded her head, offering a small, sad smile. "I know you will," she replied, before backing off down the corridor. I watched her retreating form as she probably went to find Eric.
I made my way back to the kitchen, eager to keep an eye on Mary-Lynnette. When I got there, she was talking to Rowan, deep in conversation. She looked well enough, showing no signs of what Thea had told me to keep a look out for, which was good news, right?
Instead of intruding on the conversation between my soul mate and my sister, I looked around the kitchen for other friendly faces. To my disappointment, neither Rashel nor Quinn were in sight. I made my way over to Hannah who was chatting animatedly with Illiana. "Hey," I said, tapping her on the shoulder. She turned around in her seat, offering me a big smile. She didn't seem to mind that I'd interrupted. "Hey, Ash. I was going to come and talk to you earlier, but you disappeared. How's Mary-Lynnette? After seeing her last night in the state she was in, it's a little unbelievable that she's up a raring to go so soon."
I knew Hannah's words were harmless, but they sent my mind into overdrive. Wasn't too much energy one of the symptoms Thea had described? Was it a sign of the curse? I shook my head to rid myself of such thoughts. I was just being overly paranoid. Mary-Lynnette had never been one to sit still whilst everyone else was up and doing something.
"Yeah, she's good. Thea said she looked worse than she was because of all the blood. But yeah, I was surprised to when she said she wanted to come down so soon, but then again, she's stubborn. Not even a vampire attack can keep her down."
Both Illiana and Hannah laughed good-naturedly at that, and I smiled along with them. "So," I began, returning to the reason I'd originally come over here for. "Where're Quinn and Rashel? I thought they'd be here." In fact, I was a little hurt that they hadn't shown up to meet Mary-Lynnette.
"Oh, I thought you knew," Hannah said with a frown. "Know what?" I asked sharply. Was something wrong? I should have known there'd be a good reason why they didn't show.
"There's been a lead on the last wild power. Someone called in saying they'd spotted the blue fire, and Thierry sent Quinn and Rashel to go check it out. Keller, Winnie and Nissa have gone to confirm the reliability of the source, whilst the other two are scouting for a location." I raised my eyebrows in surprise that I hadn't heard about this sooner. A lead on the last wild power was big news.
"You were so busy with Mare that no one thought to fill you in, sorry," she added, seeing my confused look. I gave her a reassuring smile. "It's okay. I was just wondering where they were, that's all."
With that I left the two girls to return to their conversation. Looking around, I didn't know what to do with myself. My feet seemed to work of their own accord as they took me to the back door and out into the garden.
The morning sun bounced off of every leaf, petal and stem, giving the garden a heavenly effect. The blooming flowers and fish filled pond were new additions to the mansion garden. Upon finding out that she couldn't leave the mansion, Illiana had discovered a new hobby for gardening. Unlike Jez, who'd put all of her efforts into escaping the confines of the house, Illiana had put her energy into making a rather glorious sight with the plants. I wasn't any Alan Titchmarsh but even I could tell that she'd done a hell of a good job.
"Hello, brother, fancy seeing you here. I never thought you were one to appreciate the fine art of floriculture." I turned to see my least favourite sister leaning against the brickwork of the house, her golden eyes staring me down.
"I could say the same about you, Kestrel. I'm surprised you're even here. Aren't there any unsuspecting humans you should be preying on right now?" I quirked an eyebrow in her direction. She shook her head, her blonde hair falling around her in a veil. A rueful smile played at her lips as she replied. "You would think so wouldn't you? But it turns out all the fun is happening here. What with Mary-Lynnette getting attacked, and then that curse and all. I wouldn't miss all of this drama for the world."
Immediately I felt my body stiffen at her words, every muscle standing on edge. "How do you know about that?" I asked harshly, taking a threatening step towards her. Thea had said she'd told no one, how the hell had my sister found out about the curse?
My reaction seemed to be exactly what Kestrel was looking for, as a small victorious smile lit up her face. She straightened up at my advance, turning from a casual posture, to a ready one. Kestrel and I had been in too many fights to think that this wouldn't end in confrontation. Unlike normal siblings, we both knew that neither of us was against using violence.
"Touchy subject?" She asked, her voice sweet and full of innocence. The dangerous glittering of her eyes gave her away though. There was nothing innocent about my sister; she didn't know the meaning of the word. Out of all of my siblings, she was the most like me.
"How do you know about the curse?" I repeated in a hiss. When she didn't answer, clearly enjoying keeping me in the dark, I felt something in my mind snap. I may have been trying to rid myself of the old Ash Redfern, but Kestrel seemed to bring out the worst in me. Grabbing her arm in a vice like grip, I snarled in her face. "Kestrel, answer me."
Whatever pretence of civility she'd had disappeared the second my hand touched her arm. Baring her fangs, she looked truly terrifying. If I hadn't grown up with such displays, I may have been scared. Letting out a catlike hiss, she wrenched her arm forcefully out of my grip. "I don't take orders from you," she said, leaning into my face. "I don't take orders from anyone."
I took a step back, trying to force my anger back into its cage. Getting frustrated and angry would get me nowhere. "Kestrel, please," I began, starting on another route. "Just tell me where you found out about that. Who else knows?" I urgently looked towards the back door, nervous of who could be listening. She snorted a laugh at my worry. "Calm it, Ash. I overheard you and Thea talking earlier. You never did learn how to keep your voice down."
I sighed in nervous relief. I was glad that the curse wasn't a widely known thing that someone had told Kestrel. But on the other hand, if she had overheard, who else had?
"Did you really have to be so stubborn in giving me your answer?" I asked, shaking my head at Kestrel's antics. She laughed, returning to her leaning position against the wall. "I couldn't resist the opportunity to see you all wound up," she said, her tone surprisingly light after what had just went down. But that was the thing about mine and Kestrel's relationship, it didn't take long for things to get violent, but it also returned to normal again incredibly quickly. Well most of the time it did.
Mimicking her relaxed posture, I took a seat opposite her on an ornate garden bench. Leaning forward and resting my elbows on my knees, I looked over to her. "Did you really follow me out here just to taunt me, or was there something else you wanted?" I asked, raising my eyebrows.
She gave me a shocked expression, crossing her arms over her chest. "I was out here first I'll have you know, you're the one stalking me if anything. So no, there's nothing I want, although taunting you was fun. We should do it again sometime," she said, flashing me a smile.
I shook my head, half in amusement and half in exasperation. What went on in Kestrel's head really did baffle me. The day I called snarling in my sister's face whilst she hissed and bared her fangs 'fun', was a day I would sincerely regret.
"So if you didn't come out here in hope of having such marvellous company, why are you out here? Are you here to admire the flori-thingy?"
"Floriculture," she supplied, after my failed attempt at remembering the word. "And not that it's any of your business, but I'm out here on such a divine morning because you Daybreakers are surprisingly against smokers." She brandished a pack of cigarettes, pulling one out and lighting it up.
I didn't even bother to ask about the new development, I assumed she'd picked the habit up while I'd been gone. This sort of thing from Kestrel really didn't surprise me anymore; she was always looking for a way to show that she was more powerful than humans. This latest fad was just a new way to rub her perfect health in their faces.
Blowing out a puff of smoke, she looked up at the mansion she was leaning against. "What's up with all this, anyway?" She asked, returning her attention back to me. "I never thought that this was your type of scene. Smokey basements with dodgy poker games: yes. Large mansions with a load of do-gooders: no."
I shook my head in disbelief. "You knew that I was trying to prove myself to Mare. This is part of that, and I surprisingly get on very well here. You didn't think I'd really be able to do it, did you? You didn't believe that I could change."
She gave me a sympathetic face, but looked in no way guilty for her doubts in me. I hadn't expected a pat on the back from my sister, but I'd at least thought she'd had a little faith in me. "I've known you too long, Ash," she said, tapping on her cigarette, the embers falling to the floor. I winced; Illiana would not be happy about that. Kestrel was unfazed as she continued. "I've seen what you were like first hand, I know what you're capable off. People don't just come back from that sort of thing. You may have everyone else fooled, but I remember what you've done."
I hung my head in shame, letting my hair cover my face so that she wouldn't see the look of guilt that resided there. I knew I could never make up for the things I'd done, or for the person I used to be, but I was on the right path now, even if Kestrel didn't believe it. But then she'd never had a soul mate; she didn't know what that sort of connection could do to a person.
"You're wrong," I replied, still not lifting my head. I didn't trust the emotions that would be showing in my eyes. "I have changed," I continued. "I'd do anything for Mary-Lynnette, and for her I can leave behind whatever it is I've done. You may not believe people can change, but I've seen first hand how others here have turned their life around."
There were a few minutes of silence as we both pondered our own thoughts. After what felt like forever, I heard feather light footsteps as Kestrel came to sit on the bench next to me. I tilted my head to look at her, and found her eyes boring into mine. Her expression wasn't cold exactly, just closed off. It wasn't a look I was used to on her, but I'd noticed it a few times when I'd first showed up at Briar Creek.
"Jade and Rowan may have forgotten," she began, and I perked up a little, interested in what she had to say. "They may have even forgiven you, but to me it's still crystal clear why we were on the run in the first place. They've overlooked the reason you showed up in Briar Creek, to drag us back to the Island, kicking and screaming. You are the reason we lived in fear, looked over our shoulders at every turn, jumped at every shadow. I won't forget that. I'm not as forgiving as they are and I'm sure as hell not as accepting of this "new you". I'm not fooled by this charade, and I'll be watching you."
I closed my eyes, resting my head in my hands. If there was one thing I regretted more than anything, it was causing my sisters to live in terror, but I'd moved on. I knew Rowan and Jade had forgiven me, Jade especially, but I still felt guilty. Kestrel had every right to be mistrusting.
"Look, Kestrel, I mean it when I say all of that's behind me. I promise that I will never let anything happen to any of you. You're safe," I said, willing for her to believe me.
She tapped me lightly on the shoulder, pushing herself up from the bench. "Yeah, you keep telling yourself that," she muttered walking back to the door. I watched as she disappeared back into the house, leaving me slightly hollow inside.
After staring at the closed door for what must have been a half hour, I found the motivation to go back indoors. More than ever, I felt as if I needed Mary-Lynnette by my side.
The kitchen was almost empty when I got back in, only David and Eric stand at the sink, mucking around whilst doing the washing up. I rolled my eyes at their childish behaviour as I passed them. "Do you know where Mary-Lynnette is?" I asked, running a hand through my hair. Hopefully she'd seen sense and gone back to bed.
"Uhhh, I think she's in the living room," Eric replied, only half taking notice of what he was saying. He was far more interested in using a plate to shield himself from David's attack of soapy water. "Thanks," I muttered, turning to leave. Before exiting I called over my shoulder, "You do realise Hannah will actually kill you guys if you make too much of a mess."
Their worried mutterings faded into background noise as I made my way to the living room.
Upon entering, my eyes immediately began their search for Mare. It wasn't hard to spot her, as the room wasn't too busy. Delos and Maggie were lounging in the corner, whilst Morgead was aggressively flicking through channels on the TV. He was pressing the remote buttons so hard that I was sure he was going to break it.
My eyes, as if guided by some hidden force, gravitated towards where Mary-Lynnette lay on the couch. I idly wondered where my sisters had gotten to, and found myself getting a little angry that they had ditched her. After last night, I would have thought they'd be more cautious about leaving her by herself. Of course she was safe while at the mansion, but still.
As I drew nearer to my soul mate, I could see that she'd rested her head against the armrest of the sofa, and her eyes had drifted closed. I smiled smugly to myself. I knew she'd needed to rest. Was that because of the attack and the left over remedies in her system, or was it because of the curse?
I gently settled myself down beside her, trying not to wake her. At the movement her eyes fluttered open. "Sorry to wake you," I said softly, reaching out to tuck a stray lock of hair behind her ear. I let my hand linger on her cheek for a moment longer that necessary, savouring the touch. She leaned into my palm, using my hand as a pillow. A content sigh escaped her lips as she looked up at me, her gaze full of love and warmth. It was a nice change from Kestrel's hard stare. "S'okay," Mary-Lynnette said groggily, still waking up from her snooze.
"You want to go back to bed? You look like you need the rest," I said, stroking her hair lightly. It felt soft between my fingertips, smooth and silky. She shook her head no, causing me to roll my eyes. "I'm not tired," she said adamantly, even though I could already see her eyelids beginning to droop. I couldn't help but smile at her stubbornness and her blatant lie.
Shaking my head in exasperation, I leant back against the couch cushions, knowing any attempt to convince her to go back upstairs would be futile. Besides, I was happy enough to let her rest here if it kept her content.
"Where are Jade and Rowan?" I asked curiously. It seemed like an effort for her to keep her eyes open, but she did so anyway as she answered. "Jade went off with Mark, and Rowan said she was going to catch up with some cousin of yours."
I frowned, thinking which cousin she meant. "Thea?" I asked, hoping that she wasn't going to talk to one cousin in particular. I hadn't gotten around to making things right with Poppy in James, I was too nervous to approach them. But in my defence, they hadn't exactly made an effort either.
Mare shook her head, resting her eyes closed once more. "Jez?" Another shake of her head. "Delos?" I asked, before realising that he was in the room behind me. Luckily he didn't seem to notice that his name had been spoken. I'd barely said two words to him since I'd been here, spending most of my time with Rashel and Quinn. For some reason Rashel didn't get on with Delos, probably for something that happened before I got here. He seemed like a decent enough guy from what I'd seen, but Rashel's dislike must have started from somewhere.
As Mary-Lynnette shook her head again, a cute crease formed between her eyebrows. "You have a lot of cousins," she said, nestling into the cushion behind her. "The Redferns are a big family," I replied.
By process of elimination, there was only one cousin left that lived in the mansion. I dreaded asking, but did anyway, already knowing the answer. "She didn't go to speak with James did she?"
Mare's features brightened up at that as her eyes snapped open. "Yeah that's the one! Rowan said they hadn't spoken in ages, and she heard he'd found his soul mate."
"Yeah," I said nervously, trying to keep a cool mask. On the inside all I could think was, oh shit. Rowan without a doubt would find out about what I'd done to Poppy, which would as a result get back to Mary-Lynnette. What would she think of me once she found out that I'd tried to get my own cousin's girlfriend executed? I'd done some pretty bad things in my time, but that had to be one of the worst.
"What?" Mary-Lynnette asked, seeing my look of dismay. Pushing herself up into a sitting position, she gave me a firm stare. "Nothing," I replied hastily, too fast to be convincing. It seemed I could lie effortlessly to anyone but her.
"Ash Redfern, there is clearly some reason why you've gotten your knickers in a twist, so spill. Why don't you want Rowan to speak with James?" I was about to offload another load of half thought out excuses, but one glance at Mary-Lynnette's hard expression, made me think otherwise. Honesty was the best policy, right? Maybe if she heard the story from me, it wouldn't sound so bad.
"Well, James and I aren't exactly on the best of terms," I began hesitantly. How could I make this story sound like I was doing the right thing at the time?"
"What did you do?" Mary-Lynnette asked sternly, and my hand flew to my heart in mock hurt. "Why do you assume it was me who did something wrong?" I replied defensively, at which she just raised her eyebrows in answer.
I held up my hands in surrender, shaking my head. "Okay, okay, it was me."
"I thought it was. Now what did you do to James, Ash?" She repeated her question sternly, and I gulped before launching into the story. "Well, it wasn't anything I did to James directly. It was more of what I was going to do to his soul mate, Poppy." Looking towards Mare to see if she was following, she nodded her head, urging me to continue. "Well, you know how it's against Night World law to tell a human about the Night World?" I asked, and she let out a 'hmmm' of agreement. "Well James told Poppy about it, and then turned her into a vampire. And he'd also fallen in love with her, so technically he was breaking all the rules. I was well within my right to turn them in."
"Why did he turn her if he knew it could get them both in trouble?" Mare interrupted. She knew full well what the consequences of breaking Night World law were, and although she looked displeased that I'd tried to turn them in, so far she'd seemed understanding enough. This was why I was reluctant to let go of this next piece of information.
'Well… Poppy had…uh…terminal cancer," I said, observing Mary-Lynnette's reaction. Her face remained still for a few seconds before a look of disbelief coloured her features. "So let me get this straight," she said, looking me in the eye. "Your cousin turned his dying girlfriend into a vampire as the only way to save her life, and you, instead of offering your support like any normal relative, decided to turn them into the council to be punished." She looked at me, silently asking if I'd missed anything.
"Yeah, I think you got it in one," I replied cheerily, glad that I'd gotten the truth off of my chest. I felt incredibly light. That was until I saw Mary-Lynnette's stormy expression. "Ash, have you apologised to them? What you did was terrible."
"Hey," I said defensively, feeling the need to justify my actions to the girl I loved. "He was the one involved in illegal activities! I was just being a good Night World citizen by enforcing the law!"
"He was saving his dying soul mate!" She responded in an incredibly high-pitched voice. I knew no matter how much I argued my case; I couldn't get her to side with me. "Yeah, well, he was still breaking the law," I responded sulkily, resting my chin on my fist.
To my surprise, I heard the girl in front of me let out a small, exasperated chuckle. I looked up, stunned at her reaction, and at the lack of anger on her face. "Oh, Ash," she said, her eyes twinkling. She leant forward so that her forehead was resting against my chest. I wrapped my arms around her, bringing her closer, revelling in the contact. I could feel faint vibrations of laughter travelling through her, making me smile.
"You really are one of a kind," she said, her voice muffled by my chest. Placing my chin on the top of her head, relief flooded through me. She wasn't angry; she wasn't disgusted or terrified by what I'd done. Things couldn't have gone better.
"You still need to apologise though," she added, lifting her head slightly, so that she could look at me in the face. "I will," I agreed, and I truly meant it. I'd find Poppy and James tonight and sort things out. But for now, I just wanted to enjoy this moment with Mary-Lynnette.
The moment was short lived when Myles came crashing through the door, Thierry and Hannah in his wake. Each wore worried and angry expressions. "Morgead," Myles said, addressing the boy in front of the TV. Immediately sensing the urgency of the situation, the vampire shot to his feet, covering the room to the door in two long strides.
Maggie and Delos also stood, although hovered in the corner. Mary-Lynnette and I looked on with interest, but I was becoming increasingly worried by the situation.
"What is it?" Morgead demanded, looking past Myles to Thierry. It was Maggie's brother who replied though. "It's Jez," he said. Everyone in the room listened intently, panic buzzing through the air. Morgead looked as if he was going to throw up.
"She's gone."
I just thought I'd let you know that Quinn and Rashel will be back in the next chapter, and introductions between them and Mare will be made! I miss those two already and it's only been a couple of chapters :'(