Disclaimer; I own Faylinn Lorien and Angel (she'll show up eventaully) and everyone else and all other places belong to Rachel Caine.
If anyone would like, I'm trying to get an account on -id love it if you guys would read some of my work once I got it up there.
(Faylinn/Claire POV)
"Well, I think I'll be heading down to Bishop now-Amelie, Sam, Frank; it's been a pleasure." I nodded to them, standing up from the table. There was a gasp from the couch, which turned out to be a flustered and struggling-to-get-free Alyssa. She flew at me, nearly knocking us both over as she made contact. I hugged her back and squeezed one last time before I let go.
"Why are you two hugging, 'Lyssa's coming with us." Sam said as he, too, stood up and gave Amelie a light peck on the lips. He then grabbed his watch and pressed the button on the top, causing Francois' form to appear in his place. "Are we ready?" Came that French accent. I couldn't contain the giggle that escaped me, receiving me strange looks from Eve, Michael and Shane.
"Yes." I said awkwardly to him, turning away from the three and led the way towards the door; we weren't allowed to use the portals-it could tip Bishop off about Amelie.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" Came my love's voice. I cringed, and slowly turned back towards him. He was walking toward 'lyss and I. "Alyssa, be careful. That's an order. I will not allow you to die...again. And as for you-" he turned on me. "-I was serious when I said I was going to help bring Bishop down."
"As was I when I told you 'no'." I snapped back, getting ready to leave, again. His arm shot out infront of me, stopping me in my tracks. For a moment, with the look in his eyes, I actually thought he was going to hold me.
"We're not done talking about this."
"I say we are...What would you say if I told you that Claire didn't want you out there, fighting Bishop?" I asked, expecting him to back down and let me pass.
"I'd say 'too bad' and get on with my life. I want to avenge the woman I love, is that such a crime?" He burst out at me, causing me to jump. Alyssa nudged me aside, only to get up in Shane's face.
"Hey! Asshole! She said you stay out of it. That means back the hell down and do it now!" She screamed at him, catching him by surprise. Yet, he was up-to-date almost immediately.
"Yeh? And if I don't? Are you gonna do somethin' about it?" This, of course, was the point where Frank jumped up and headed towards his fighting kids.
"Yeah. Yeah, I am. I owe everything to this woman here, so I will not stand around as you scream at her. She didn't do anything to you." He shook his head with a laugh.
"Ha! Lorien...a woman? Right! She's a little girl!" He continued to laugh. Alyssa held her tongue, but I knew what was going through her mind-the same thing that was going through mine; You just called me a woman, though. The woman you loved...Loved? Was it really pass-tense? No, surely he still loved me. Maybe.
"Hey! Collins! My name is Faylinn and you better not forget it!" I nearly yelled, my anger getting the better of me. I could feel everyone's eyes on me, especially since half of them knew who I really was. "You're not going to help-you're going to stay the hell out of my plans, understood? We've lost many to Bishop; mostly vampires. We're not gonna lose a human to him as well. You want something to do? Visit Jason Rosser. He's down at the Police Station and I bet he doesn't even know you three are back." I ordered fiercely, as my anger and desperation to keep the man I loved safe increased. Michael now stepped into the conversation.
"Yeah. We know. Where the hell else would he be? Look, we're not interested in talking to some dangerous kid through bars." I gasped and shook my head, taking slow steps towards the three.
"Is...is that what you all really think?" I stuttered in surprise and understanding. Eve nodded.
"Um, duh!" I shook my head, again.
"He's at the Police Station, but he's not the one in jail-he's the one putting people in jail; he's a cop. One of the best we have left." I explained. It was their turn to be surprised now. "Oh, and uh, if I were you-"
"Which you're not." Shane interrupted.
"-I'd cut him some slack. He is the one whom found and tried to save Claire after Bishop...you know." I could tell that they were all even more surprised and rethinking their opinions of Jason.
With this, Alyssa, Sam and I all slipped out the door and headed to Sam's car. He ran quickly, covered by a black cloak, as 'Lyss and I leisurely walked, climbing in and settling ourselves.
"Alright. Next stop; Bishop's." He said in that French accent. It always made me giggle listening to the accent after I'd spent a while listening to his normal voice. I was still pretty worried that Shane would act out and try something, but more hopefull that he and the other two would finally visit Jason today. I knew it would make Jason happy to see them, especially since it was I whom had sent them. Jason was probably one of the ones that had changed the most in these last six years. One of his biggest changes, I wasn't very comfortable with; he was in love with me...and not ashamed of it. He'd never claim otherwise. To anyone. I didn't feel the same way, but that didn't stop or alter his feelings. This was, in a way, a relief, as well as depressing. Here I was, already not in love with him, then shows up Shane Collins-me falling in love with him...well, having already loved him-thus, making it even more impossible for me to ever be with Jason. And he was okay with it. That's what hurt the most.
"Claire, are you alright?" Asked Sam, bringing me back to the present. We were almost at the town square now. Alyssa looked concerned for me, as well.
"Yes." I nodded. "Just got lost in thought." I admitted. 'Lyss nodded and put her hand over mine.
"Look, about Shane-" she started to say, but I stopped her.
"Don't worry about it. He's got reason to hate me. I'm lying to him afterall."
"Not that he knows. And that doesn't excuse the way he acts. It's okay, though. His outlook on you will change when he finds out you're Claire."
"If we ever bring Bishop down." I sighed, looking longingly out the window.
"We will." Came Sam's firm accent. "And you'll no longer have to wear that stupid bracelet-you'll get to entirely take it off, even." Alyssa looked confused now.
"You-you mean you haven't even taken it off?" She stuttered in surprise and disbelief. I shook my head, but it was Sam whom answered.
"Amelie won't let her. She feels it would be too much of a risk. Which, in a way, it would." He sympathesized lightly, not taking his eyes off the road.
"Truth be told," I told her. "-I haven't seen myself in months. I have no clue what I look like now. How blue my eyes are, how long my blonde hair has become-if I have any zits." I said casually, breaking the awkward atmosphere. Sam and Alyssa began to laugh and I joined in.
We now pulled up to the gate and the gaurds checked the three of us inside the car, then waved us through, hurrying to keep safe from the sun's rays. We curved up smoothly to the entrance of the Town Hall and flitted through the double-doors, making our way to Bishop. We knew very well that if we didn't get there quick enough, he'd do something drastic. Bishop was all about power. He used every opportunity to show that he had complete power over every one of us-which, he didn't, but none of us would ever tell him that. He gave out the death warrants, afterall.
We entered the throne room, to be audience to a very strange scene. Bishop was sitting at the throne with a sexified Ysandre purring lightly as he petted her exposed thigh. It had been years since he'd shown her any affection. The affection had been given to me-true, not like this...except for that time...
They both looked up as they noticed our entrance. Bishop nodded to us once, then continued to pet Ysandre. A dark laugh came from the corner of the room. The three of our heads snapped over to that corner. There she was. I was beginning to wonder where she'd wandered off to. Monica Morrel.
"Looks like 'lil Fay is no longer Bishop's favorite." She said with a sick edge. Ah, yes. Monica. I'd been informed of her after I had woken up with my Amnesia. We'd been sworn enemies from Day 2, after I had insulted her knowledge during my first 6 weeks here when I'd first entered Texas Prairie.
"Yes, well, neither are you, so I'm not worried." I said loud and clear.
"Mmmm. I don't know. He is favoring Ysandre-and you know how much she hates you." She hinted.
"True, but I'll take my chances; as long as he's not favoring me like that." I gestured to the way he was so obviously wanting to ravish his sex kitten. And she, teasing him, wanted it too, as long as it made him favor her over me. She could have him. I, in no way, wanted that part of him. I wanted the attention and liking of Bishop. Yet, having come to being had by Bishop, secretly made me angry with him-furious-as well as scared; scared he'd do it again. Whether he wanted to get rid of me or just wanted me.
The only thing that could end that fear was Bishop's ultimate death and Shane's comforting arms.