"She is not your puppet," Rose said clearly, her voice echoing around the room as Kre'anta spun rapidly to face the woman still on her knees. "None of them are."
The raven haired woman snarled, her face distorted by a grimace as she balled her fists and glared at Rose but she didn't flinch. Then, so slowly it looked almost impossible, Rose began to move. Inch by inch, she brought her arms down, not taking her eyes from Kre'anta. Her breath was coming in huffs that sounded painful and strained but Nikola watched with fascination as her previously stiff limbs began to work once more.
Kre'anta snarled again, her glare deepening as she stepped forward, clawed hand outstretched but Rose took hold of her wrist before she could lay a finger on her, drawing a terrified and shocked gasp from the other woman. Nikola felt rather than saw Helen shift behind him, loosening her grip on him as she moved around so that she was further from the action. Again he felt confused but tried to remain still, resisting the urge he felt to grab her in relief.
"None of them are your play things," Rose said, her voice fiercely determined as her gaze floated towards where John lay, barely breathing. "And I was right to try and kill you all those years ago. If you can take advantage of a man's guilt for the death of his daughter then you are no better than the monsters you so vehemently fought against."
Kre'anta's eyes flew open wide as she looked to John, obviously hoping to make him move in some way with her mind. Then she looked at Nikola and Helen, narrowing her eyes momentarily before hissing in displeasure turning back to Rose.
"You will not kill me," she growled, voice slightly panicked. "I survived for centuries in that disgusting abomination of a city, locked away like a criminal unable to move or speak and you will not take this freedom away from me. You owe it to me."
"I owe you nothing," Rose said. "You are the single greatest threat to humans and abnormals I have ever met and, as per the old laws, your punishment for disregarding both human and abnormal li-."
"NO!" she shrieked, jerking away from Rose but she held tight, slowly struggling to her feet.
"You took advantage of Druitt," she said calmly, releasing Kre'anta before stepping closer to her. "You used your abilities to manipulate him against his will. You killed without discrimination and you are the reason that the vampires had to be wiped out."
Without warning, Rose kicked out, catching Kre'anta in the stomach and sending her flying across the space. Rose was on her before she could get up, grabbing a fistful of her hair and tossing back towards the circle of light.
"We were so close to peace," she roared with a vicious kick to her head. "You were the reason that they mistrusted us. You were the reason that they all died. You!" She punctuated her words with kicks up and down the now shivering woman's body.
Briefly Nikola wondered how someone who had been so strong and confident was now quivering on the ground, taking a truly vicious beating without even trying to defend herself but then Helen's hunched form caught his eye. He watched as she knelt over John's still unmoving body, only the steady rise and fall of his chest giving any indication that he was still alive. She wasn't hovering, she was searching, her hands, carefully patting down his body before drawing out a thin, familiar blade with a grimace. She paused for a second, hand lingering on the man's back before she straightened and stepped back to Nikola's side, not meeting his eye as she held her head up high.
Ignoring that for the moment being, Nikola turned back to where Rose had apparently given up on kicking Kre'anta into submission. Now she was standing back, face grim as she took heavy breaths.
"That is what you did to all those people," she hissed. "You took away their ability to fight back. Do you understand now? Do you get what you're doing? I tried to make it easy, I killed you because it was better than you deserved!"
"How?" Kre'anta croaked, lifting her head from the cold ground as a small trail of blood snaked down her cheek.
"I am stronger than you ever understood," Rose replied, her voice tinted with sadness. "Our gift wasn't about control, sister, it was about empathy and you never understood that."
Suddenly, Kre'anta gasped, eyes widening in alarm as Rose gave her back control of her body. In a second Rose was standing in front of Helen and Nikola, her back to them as Kre'anta struggled to her feet.
Snarling, the beaten woman glared at them, lurching towards Rose who caught her easily, wrapping her hands around the other woman's arms and hauling her away from the others. Now able to fight, Kre'anta tore away, spinning around with a hiss. Her back fluttered with transformation before her top ripped further, allowing ratty, almost moth-eaten looking wings to burst forth. Her nails grew and Nikola assumed her teeth too but he wasn't quite focusing on the two women locked in combat, instead focused on the way Helen grabbed his wrist, holding his palm open towards her discreetly. He tried to catch her eye but other than a ragged sigh, he got no response.
He turned back just in time to watch Rose toss Kre'anta to the ground after receiving a sound blow to her chin. Kre'anta was back on her feet in seconds, wobbling towards Rose. Her eyes flashed, glancing up towards him and then he felt himself flying forwards, Helen at his side with blade raised. Rose struggled with Kre'anta, spinning her so that she could hold her back to her chest, looking to Helen almost desperately.
Before Nikola could react, he felt the cool slice of the blade through his palm, cutting deep and spilling lots of blood. He yelped and went to pull away but with Rose's mental guidance and Helen's physical, his hand was brought to Kre'anta's struggling form, smearing against her cheek until he felt her sharp teeth slice against his palm.
Then she stiffened, body spasming a few times as her eyes grew wide in horror, bright red tears building in the corner of her eyes as his hand was forced against her open mouth. The blood trickled down from her eyes, mixing with the small bits that escaped her lips and Nikola's heart clenched momentarily as he watched the terrified young woman squirm and scream beneath his palm. She was almost sobbing, the sounds muffled by his hand but as her cries grew softer and the kicking of her limbs less pronounced, he felt his palm fall away, leaving her face a gruesome mess of blood, her own tears tracking through it, leaving oozing welts in their wake as the substances mixed.
Kre'anta's whimpers continued still as she sobbed, fighting Rose's tight embrace. Rose, for her part, had her eyes closed, bright tears slipping down her cheeks as she held her sister. Nikola thought for a moment he heard her shushing the distraught woman kindly but then he became aware of Helen falling against him and his attention was focused solely on her. Her body crumpled into him and he grabbed her, making sure to hold her gently before stepping back a way and lowering her to the floor, pillowing her head in his lap. Quickly he wiped his hand off on his pants before brushing the hair from her face. She was breathing but only just, shallows sucks of breath making Nikola's insides clench.
"Helen," he whispered softly, propping her up slightly and breathing a sigh of relief as her eyes fluttered open. She spluttered slightly but he quickly sat her up, being careful not to move her too quickly.
He heaved her into his lap, cradling her despite the weak protests she gave before looking over to where Rose had lowered Kre'anta to the ground.
"It's O.K," she crooned softly, cradling the now shaking body to her chest. "You'll be fine. It's all right, just rest. Rest now, shush. Rest." Her words were broken and raw with emotion but her voice was soft and soothing. She was so different to the vengeful, angry woman of a few moments ago, instead a softness echoed throughout the room, emanating from her.
Red tears were running down her face as she slowly began to rock back and forth. "Shh, now. Sleep my dear. Just sleep. I promise it will stop. I promise. I'm sorry." She started to stroke the raven coloured hair, her hands smoothing it down as she cradled the dying body of her sister.
"I.. I…" Kre'anta gurgled out and Rosie began to cry harder, her body shaking with the effort of keeping herself quite.
"I know, I know. I'm sorry. I'm so very sorry my dear. I'm sorry. I'm sorry," she whispered against the still shuddering woman's body. Everyone stood, silent as they watched the exchange.
"Why…" Kre'anta managed to choke out.
"Because I had to," came Rosie's tearful response. "I know it hurts, just sleep. Just sleep darling. It will all be over soon. I'm here. It's O.K, let go, just let go." Slowly, Rosie lowered her sister to lie on her lap, smiling down through her tears. The other woman gaped up at her, tears beginning to leak from her eyes. Her lips were covered in blood as she tried to breathe through the liquid forming in her chest.
"You're not alone," Rose whispered, resting her forehead against the other woman's. "I'm here, just sleep. You're not alone. You were never alone."
Kre'anta's breathing seemed to even out and the tremendous shaking in her limbs eased.
With a soft smile, Rosie stroked her sister's cheek softy.
Nikola couldn't take his eyes off the pair though it felt incredibly inappropriate to witness the moment. Helen slowly eased herself from his grasp, walking on unsteady legs over to where Rose was sobbing softly against the shoulder of her still sister. The wings that had stood almost proudly from the other woman's back were now disintegrating, yellowed feathers scattering with the soft breeze that lifted the stale air.
With a shuddering sigh, Rose looked over to Helen, eyes clouded with bloodied tears.
"What was that song?" she asked softly, her voice cracking a little. "The one Ash liked."
"I..." Helen tried, her body shaking slightly in Nikola's arms.
"She and Henry used to sing it," Rose continued, sniffling pitifully. "At Christmas."
Nikola felt Helen shudder violently and curl into his arms.
"Baby, It's Cold Outside," she whispered, sympathy clear in her voice.
Rosie smiled tumultuously before turning back to the pale, limp body in her arms.
I really can't stay
I've got to go 'way
The evening has been
So very nice
Softly, so softly that it took Nikola a moment to place the sound, she began to sing, her voice thready and distorted with emotion. The song wasn't familiar to him but he knew enough and even though it sounded strange without the other half of the duet, there was something sweet if not haunting about her words.
My mother will start to worry
And father will be pacing the floor
So really, I'd better scurry
Well, maybe just a half a drink more
Helen whimpered softly in his arms, a single tear forming in the corner of one eye. The sound was barely audible but it made Nikola tighten his grip.
The neighbours might think
Say, what's in this drink
I wish I knew how
To break this spell
Slowly she pushed herself from his arms and he let her go, to a point, making sure to keep her close just in case. Helen seemed to welcome the contact, allowing the hand on her waist. Together they stood, Nikola working to support her shaking legs. He thought for a moment she'd try and walk over to where either Rose was crouched and John still lay prone, breathing shallowly but she remained by his side and though he knew it shouldn't have, his heart swelled a little.
I oughtta say no, no, no sir
At least I'm gonna say that I tried
I really can't stay
Oh, but it's cold outside
Rose's voice, as the song went on picked up volume and confidence, the bittersweet song reverberating around the frosty warehouse. The sun had partially disappeared, clouds blocking what had been brilliant light as the cool air swirled around them.
I simply must go
The answer is no
The welcome has been
So nice and warm
"It was Ashley's favourite," Helen murmured and Nikola felt her body weaken ever so slightly. It was only on rare occasions that he got her to mention her daughter let alone by name.
There's bound to be talk tomorrow
Helen's voice was strong but quiet as she cut in with the answering line.
Well, think of my lifelong sorrow
At least there will be plenty implied
If you caught pneumonia and died
I really can't stay
Get over that hold out
Oh, but baby it's cold outside
Their voices cut off abruptly, John's choked sob interrupting them. Rose sniffed once more and Nikola felt Helen's eyes flick to John but she surprised him by not moving an inch.
"It wasn't his fault," Rose murmured, not looking up from where she was smoothing down Kre'anta's hair.
"She..." he croaked, voice barely audible. "She saved... me."
Helen stiffened against Nikola, her hand seeking out his.
"Breathe, Helen," he whispered, squeezing her hand softly. "It'll be all right."
I know this is early but today is plane day for a certain someone and I'm just too excited :P Also, sorry for this chapter being super, unbearably corny, but I promise the corny is over and we'll get back to the hardcore angst in the next chapter :P
Thank you to all the wonderful people who reviewed, I'll admit I didn't realise there were still so many of you reading! Very nice shock :) And a big thank you to the lovely anon who reviewed a few hours ago; you made me all tingly and happy and I would reply but, well, this is the best I can do.
xx