Disclaimer:See Ch1. Lyrics used are In My Name by The 69 Eyes, as such the Helsinki vampires own every line of it.
Under The Rose
Chapter 10: The Land Shark
Through these eyes I've seen so much of pain
And through these eyes I've seen blood staining the rain
Written in the prophecy is my name
If you wanna follow me
It's not all game
I was having this wonderful dream, involving Criss and a bowl of cherries. Just as Marek burst in to kill us, something awoke me.
In shock, I threw the something off me. Turned out the something was really a someone, a Niyessa to be exact. Said blonde vampire was now lying against the wall, a little wide-eyed.
"Was there a need to go all Gun-ho on me?"
"Sorry, weird dream turned bad, thought you were someone else. What the hell are you doing up, what time is it?"
"A little after noon. Now c'mon, throw something on!" she demanded, bouncing on the bed. This was too weird. Niyessa was not a morning person, or an afternoon person, or really just an anytime out bed person.
"What the hells gotten into you?" I asked as I pulled on pair of comfy pants.
"Pool table! Just got here an hour ago. Its all set up and everything!"
Ah, now it all made sense. Niyessa and I are pool addicts, entirely Bryces fault. We had ordered a table a few weeks before my arrival in Vegas. Its such a perfect outlet for frustration and a great idea tap for us.
"Babe, as much fun as that sounds, Ive got investigating to do. Which I gotta get ready for now so I can have lunch with Criss." The thought made me smile, it couldn't be helped.
"Your not going."
"To lunch?!"
"No! Your not going to Bryce's. Doyle and I talked, and agreed you need a day off. If you get too wrapped up in this your gonna go nuts. A break from the case will help you clear your head and then tomorrow you'll be able to think more objectively."
"I don't have a choice in the matter do I?" I asked, grinning at my Sanguine friend.
"Nope!" she replied, smiling back, flashing fang. Niyessa is the only vampire Doyle or myself has ever met that has natural fangs. Even before her Ascension, they were always there.
"Alright, but you know what this calls for, don't you?" I asked cocking an eyebrow at her.
"Oh yeah,"
Criss
Something was up. I knew that the moment I called, because Doyle answered the phone. He answered Tara's cellphone. Only to tell me to head on over because she was taking the day off. Her entire mindset was devoted to finding this killer. Naturally, I was intrigued.
I stepped inside to hear laughter, music, and a loud crack of two objects colliding. When I moved into what was once the dining room, my questions were answered. Tara and Niyessa were playing pool, listening to what I was pretty sure was the Undercover Brother soundtrack. My beautiful love was dancing around her que stick seductively to Shes A Bad Mama Jama, laughing all the while.
"Hey, Niiiyy," she teased as her friend was trying to set up a combo.
"Shut up Tara, it won't work,"
"Alright fine. Dean!"
Apparently the name had some effect, because it caused her friend to slice completely, and scratch.
"Oh yeah, I totally win."
"Fine fine, but I'll have my revenge!" she declared as Tara began to aim for the red solid.
"Yeah, you and what army?"
The blonde laughed, tossing her hair back and smiling with a roguish grin.
"I don't need an army, just the power of one name", Niyessa paused, waiting for just the right moment before adding, "Criss!"
I couldn't help but laugh as Tara not only sliced, but knocked in a stripe in as well.
"Thanks babe!" replied her friend with an innocent smile, before turning to me.
Tara did as well, her eyes growing wide.
"Oh dear Aradia, how long have you been there?"
Tara
"Long enough to know that your dancing just gets better with props. Maybe you should put a pole on stage."
Oh. Dear. Goddess. I have never been embarrassed in my life, not once. Until now.
"I think it might ruin my image, just a leetle bit."
I let my lucky pool stick lean against the wall before rounding the table towards him.
"And I thought you were supposed to call first,"
"I did, Doyle said I could just come over. Something about you having the day off?"
Walking towards my bedroom, I replied, "Yeah, they have forbidden me to work on Bryce's case today. Still kinda pissed about it, but now you're here!" I turned back towards him as I spoke the last, not holding back the infectious smile on my lips.
"So that instantly makes it all better?"
"Pretty much." I laughed, "Just gimme a sec to change into something halfway decent."
Criss
Nodding with a grin, I left her to change. Deciding a sweet tooth was better then gnawing the inside of my mouth, I headed to the kitchen. There I grabbed another Lemon Cola from her massive bag of Chupa Chups. I almost felt bad, it was the last one. Then I saw she still had two more bags. My kinda girl.
"How the bloody hell was that even possible?"
Apparently Doyle was losing at pool. I looked over and guessed he must have been solids, seeing as they outnumbered the stripes by about 5 to 1.
"Its really easy, you just really suck."
The elder vampire glared at her, only succeeding in making Niyessa laugh harder.
"That's it. Next time you're on that interweb, purchase a fencing set. Then it is I who will be doing the laughing."
She leaned over to take aim, trying to sink her last solid before taking on the magical 8-ball.
"Fine. But just so you know, I know the Zorro movie by heart. Don't say I didn't warn you."
A warm laugh from behind me announced that Tara had returned. She looked beautiful as always, dressed in blue jeans with the usual flare, and a black keyhole halter top. The usual midnight black silk curtain of her hair was pulled back in a ponytail.
"Ready to go?"
"Yeah, just let me get something. I wasn't gonna, but now seeing you and I need one!"
At first I didn't understand, then I heard her rustling through the kitchen. Ah, the lollipop.
Tara
Fishing around, I settled on a cherry-vanilla. My raspberries were all gone and I never open a new bag till the other is completely empty. Despite my present company, the case kept coming to mind. Yes, I had come to call it the case. As dealing as I was, his name still brought this pain to my heart, like someone had it in a vicegrip for a second or two. The less I said it, the better.
Criss being around helped as well. I couldn't quite explain it, but this morning more then ever just his being near me made me calm, safe. Maybe it was love. Just maybe.
What the hell did that message mean though? Bryce would have never said it for nothing.
"Hey, its your day off. No investigation talk."
What the HELL?! Even Niyessa had stopped her owning of Doyle via pool in shock.
"I didn't."
"What do you mean?"
"I didn't say it, I thought it! You can read my mind and you didnt tell me?! Oh my Gods, this is not happening. What did you hear last night?"
"I….I don't remember,"
Did he honestly think I was going to buy that?
"Oh bullshit you don't remember! That's it, I'm calling Adrian!"
"You cant," Doyle stated before I could even speed dial my cell. "He's asleep."
Oh yeah, vampire, daytime. Fucking Criss and his messing with my head!
"Fine! I'll call Katriel."
"I don't think that's a good idea", my manager added.
"Why the fuck not?!"
"Well did you ever stop to think that she could be a suspect? She's got the power, and the motive."
Ho-shit! He had a point, a really really good one. I should have considered it a long ass time ago.
"Good thinking. Why didn't I realize that?"
"Same reason you need this day off", Niyessa replied, flopping down on one of the comfy chairs.
"Alright, I see your reasoning. Everyone park your ass on something because this is going to be one of those long drawn out conversations and I am not standing that long,"
Criss chuckled at this while I claimed a section of the couch. Doyle took the left, and my boyfriend was on my right. Was he my boyfriend? Were we officially dating? Hell if I knew.
"Well, something obviously happened with you two last night. What exactly occurred on the roof last night?" Doyle asked, serious and sincere. The man was completely oblivious to the grinning Niyessa in the background, waggling those golden eyebrows suggestively.
"We kissed! Thats all! And, well, we talked obviously."
Doyle locked at the two of us now, his inquisitive chess-match stare.
"Tara, you haven't stopped touching him since he got here,"
"Hey!"
"Now hold on just a…" I began, raising my right hand to find it entwined with Criss own.
"What the duck?!"
"I think I know what's going on here", he began, trying to stop the smile. I didn't like that smile though. It was the condescending one, the cryptic grin, "but your not gonna like it."
"I don't care, just flipping tell me!"
"Your bound."
I thought it, moments before Criss said it.
"We're what now?!"
Criss
"You, calm down," her manager commanded me before turning to my girl. "Tara, can you read his mind?"
"I, hell, I dunno, maybe? Oh my Gods."
"Tara, breathe," demanded Niyessa, now standing beside the coffee table to reassure her friend.
"Yeah baby, oxygen good," I added.
"I cant," she whispered, barely audible.
"Are you trying?" Doyle asked.
"Of course I'm freakin trying!! That stupid wall thingy is still there."
"Alright," The elder vampire spoke, looking fairly relieved. "Thats good, depending on how you look at it. It means the bond is only halfway complete. Criss, you must have dropped your wall, Tara didn't."
My wall? I have a wall now?
"No surprise there," the blonde spoke, as plainly as if describing the outcome of a football game.
"He didn't though, theres still a wall!" Tara spoke out. Glad to know we were both confused for once.
"Babe, shhhh, let Doyle 'splain," Niy comforted, complete with Ricky Ricardo impression.
"Yeah, someone explain because Tara can't turn people! Right?" I asked, trying not to sound desperate and lost.
"Correct, this isn't a turn. Somehow, she's begun to bind you to her, as a human servant."
"Don't get all defensive on us now!" Tara's almost sister quickly added. "It doesn't make you lesser or anything than us. What it does is, when its complete, it binds you to her for life. Aside from probably gaining some of her powers, you'll live as long as she does, age as little as Tara,"
"But its not permanent?"
"Until the bond is complete, no."
"The strange thing is, the gain here is more like a lifemate. See, since you dropped your mental barriers Criss, pretty much opening yourself up for Tara, you gained the ability to read her thoughts. Since she didn't, your mind is still impervious."
"Yeah," Tara shot back, "Thats the ONLY strange thing here D. This is too effing effed up! Which is it, life mate or human servant?"
"I'd say both, apparently for you they're one and the same."
"But, a human lifemate, thats impossible!"
"Well Tari, this is your we're talking about here," countered Niy. "You defy the normal boundaries of our people all the frigging time."
Tara
She has a good point there.
"Yeah she does," Criss replied with a grin.
How could he be so non-chalant about all of this?!
"Why aren't you freaked out? You should be freaked out!"
"Well for one, Katriel was right. And two, this solves all of our problems."
"It solves a few of mine, yes, but creates even more! For you in particular mister! You think your family isn't going to notice when 10 years go by and you haven't aged a day?"
"I'll cross that bridge when I get to it."
"But, still!"
My desperation only earned a chuckle from the MindFreak.
"C'mon honey, lets go to lunch. We can finish this talk there."
Criss
"Alright mister, but remember this is all your-" but her sentence was left unfinished, due to a knock at the door.
"Who the effing hell is that?" she asked.
"Katriel's guy?" I suggested.
Niyessa held up the charm to be delivered, a black suede pouch. Apparently, not.
I watched, as Tara got to her feet, unsure of what to do next. Her first thought was to grab one of her knives, and then reprimanded herself for not being armed in the first place.
"Umm...Who is it!?"
"Land shark!" spoke the voice from behind the door.
The same thing Tara had told me when I was the one outside. Apparently this is the person she picked it up from. Her eyes were wide with shock as she moved towards the door, pulling it open without a single pretense or fear.
"Oh my Goddess, Dad?"
finally found the time and energy to update, plus more and more people keep adding this story to their favorites that finally my guilty conscience forced me to write. Thanks so much, leave a review if you desire more!