An:
1. I wrote a J/S one-shot, set after the events of Revelations. You can find the story on my profile, titled: Near To You. It's rated M. So proceed with caution.
2. A shout out to FirstWarmSummerBreeze. Thank you for your reviews, and even bigger thank you for the song rec. It fit the theme and tone of the recent chapters perfectly. Especially Schuyler's point of view of the Blue Blood system. I've been listening to this song on repeat, while writing the next chapter. The title of this chapter is a line taken from the song. There is also a line in this chapter that uses lyrics as well. ("We are" by Ana Johnsson)
Alrighty, enough rambling...
Chapter 29 - Lining Up for Execution
Schuyler sighed and settled deeper into sleep. The stale air of the loft in Brooklyn was cold. But the warmth collected underneath the sheets lulled her to a peaceful sleep. She had almost a whole hour of sound sleep, no scary images or nightmares. Dawn was breaking and she could see the faint sunlight beginning to rise.
Jack laid still next to her on a cramped couch. Mimi had taken the only spare bed in the one bedroom apartment. And Oliver slept soundly in the love seat next to them.
There was only the sound of dripping water. It gave away the leaky faucet in kitchen which was adjoined to the living room they were sleeping in. The loft itself was fairly sized and nicely furnished. It wasn't grand by any Force measure, but it felt more like home than ever.
Schuyler woke up again, she had stopped counting the times. And every single time she opened her eyes, the quiet loft greeted her or the occasional sounding sirens of an ambulance speeding by. She should be angry that she was not getting any sleep. Truth was, her mind kept replaying the events of last night. Each nightmare was as vivid as the next.
Jack took a deep breath and Schuyler could hear the air entering and escaping his chest. He held her tighter, as if he could feel her uneasiness. It did little to calm her nerves.
"I should get up. I can't sleep." Schuyler admitted as she untangled herself from Jack's embrace. I have to get up, I can't stand another dream.
Jack sat up, his air a wild mess. A yawn escaped him as he stretched, reaching out into the air for something not quite there.
Schuyler couldn't help but notice as his shirt pulled up and revealed a glimpse of his abdomen. "Don't get up. I didn't mean to wake you."
A lazy grin formed on his lips. Schuyler prayed he hadn't caught any of her current inappropriate thoughts. "I'm awake. I don't need that much sleep." He eyed her up and down before staring straight into her gaze. What was he doing, challenging her?
Schuyler flinched and had to look away. Damn him for his mind reading! Turning around toward the kitchen island counter, she pretended to inspect its contents. "So what time is it?"
Jack followed closely, stepping behind her. His touch didn't surprise her. It was light caress on her elbow, then is traveled further down until his hand covered hers. "I'm not sure. Maybe eight?"
Schuyler exhaled the breath she had been holding, "It can't be that early." She eyed Mimi's cellphone at the edge of the island. Her efforts to be sly was in put in vain, as she caught his gaze on the phone as well.
She reached out as quick as her vampire abilities let her. But her hand hit an empty counter. She thought she heard a victory chuckle from Jack.
Jack leaned in closer as he examined the screen of Mimi's phone. "Hm..." He pursed his lips and looked a little disappointed.
"I win?" She asked hopefully. He didn't respond, "Jack?"
"Oh, right." He turned the phone toward her and it read: 8:47 am.
They had only been asleep for a couple hours. The meager handful of hours was not worth the nightmares she had to relive through. "What's wrong?"
Jack sighed and waved the cellphone slightly. "Charles hasn't called. I'm just worried."
A rustle of heavy foot steps filled the decrepit castle halls as Bliss Llewelyn stalked through them. A small gang of Silver Bloods tail her, eyes glowing red in the dim light. Her eyes give off a faint glow as well, but not as bright. As they round off the corner, two others are waiting for the at the end of the hall.
Dylan Ward shifts uncomfortably. Seeing Bliss like this was saddening. The Silver Blood next him also fidgets, but more from fear than a breaking heart.
"Report." Bliss ordered as she walks past them. Dylan joins in on their march into the large war room, once used for medieval battles, now used for a supernatural one.
"Intel is still coming in. But we believe the Blue Bloods are scattered without a chain of command. Our spies are still working on recruitment, it seems Blue Bloods can easily be won over with the right threats."
"And the Archangel?" Bliss sneered.
Dylan cleared his throat on this one. "We lost Michael in the scurry last night. There are witnesses who saw him earlier this morning, alone. No report on where Abbadon and Azrael are either."
And now the final question. "And the half-blood?"
Dylan would have winced. This was not Bliss anymore. The Bliss he knew was best friends with Schuyler and would never refer to the girl as such. "She should be with Abbadon."
Bliss' eyes now glowed fully red, frighteningly bright. "She is with them?"
"Yes, mistress."
Bliss snatched the Silver Blood by the neck. "She was suppose to lead us to them. If she is with them and we lost her, what use is she now?"
"We lost them after a few blocks of following." The Silver Blood gasped for air.
"Most likely planning an attack." Bliss sniffed.
"I'm not so sure. If Michael is with them, they'll run." An elderly Silver Blood spoke up, he was formerly a Blue Blood Committee member. Loyalties have definitely shifted after last night's attack. Bliss had made her move, showing her hand.
"Regardless. The half-blood is too hopeful. She'll be coming back for Lawrence."
"They wouldn't risk it, would they?"
"If Michael is not with them, they very well just might." Bliss smiled.
It had only been an hour or so before the rest of the apartment got up. Metal clanging of the large shaft door that separated the bedroom from the rest of the loft gave away to Mimi's entrance. As the metal divider rose it revealed bare feet, then a pair of toned legs in some over sized shorts. Mimi had changed out of her dirtied designer jeans, but apparently couldn't find a top because she was still wearing last night's blouse.
"Any word?" Mimi wasn't one for smiles and 'good mornings'. What came next was a strategy session that had Schuyler dazing in and out, so she opted to take advantage of the empty bathroom.
By the time she came out of the shower, Oliver was about and about, looking thoroughly tired. "Morning."
Oliver yawned and waved a pathetically tired hand. While grooming himself, he found a sickening blood stain on his side. It wasn't his blood. He grunted, "This is what I get for hanging out with vampires."
Jack looked up from his palm pilot, "You can take bedroom, go back to sleep."
"A shower will do you some good." Mimi sniffed.
Oliver ignored her. "Doesn't matter, my mind is still reeling from last night."
"Has Charles called yet?" Schuyler went to the fridge, not really expecting anything in it. To her surprise, there was a new carton of orange juice and cream cheese. On the counter was a brown paper bag with a swirly coffee cup logo on it.
"No." Jack sighed, he went back to scrolling through his palm pilot.
Mimi shrugged, thoroughly annoyed with their current situation. Schuyler easily deduced it wasn't Mimi would was thoughtful enough to make the trip for breakfast. Sky grabbed the carton and brought glasses to the kitchen island. Oliver helped himself to a glass of juice, his eyes never strayed from the glass after that. An uncomfortable silence filled the room, once again the drippy kitchen faucet was the only audible thing in the room.
"Make your decision. I'm going to shower." Mimi muttered to Jack. With her back already turned, she managed to murmur, "There better be some hot water left."
Schuyler suppressed an eye roll. "What decision?"
"Mimi wants to make a run for it. Daddy Force is on his own, and so are we." Oliver answered. Jack still didn't look up.
"Jack?" Schuyler looked at him expectantly. They knew she wanted to go back to the castle.
"We're not running." Jack was certain of that. "I've been trying to contact survivors. No one is responding. We need to regroup, we have strength in numbers."
"What if they don't want to respond." Oliver added in. "I know I wouldn't. What happened last night doesn't really instill trust in anyone."
He was right. There was no order, it was every Blue Blood for himself.
Schuyler shook her head in disappointment. "I want to go back to the castle."
Jack looked up apologetically. His phone rang and it startled her. "Hold that thought. Sorry." He grabbed his phone, answering. "Go ahead." Before walking out, he gives her shoulder a reassuring squeeze.
Schuyler watched him walk out of the loft to take the phone call, her spirits down. When she glanced at Oliver, he just gives her an innocent shrug. "We'll be alright. Bagel?"
They were alone, in an extravagant bedroom-or what was left of one. Bliss had changed into a tight-fitting leather ensemble. It was outfitted with leather padding through out the weak points on her body. She was dressed for battle. Her wild red hair fell loose on her shoulders.
Dylan watched her get ready, uncertain of her intentions of bringing him in here.
"You still have feelings for me." She was confidant, and spoke the words so simply.
When he said nothing, she turned around and smiled. Sauntering over to the bed he was on, she crawled over to him. "You don't have to put on that act. I want you too." Her fingers trailed up his thigh, nearing dangerously close his crotch.
His Adam's apple bobbed as he swallowed. "No." His voice was shaky and gave him clearly away.
She smiled again and for a split second she looked like her old self. He nearly lost consciousness when her hands put firm pressure slowly at first, then began to massage him through his jeans. It felt good. Dear God.
"God's not here." She leaned into his ear, licking a trail on his outer lobe. Her lips found his and she kissed him relentlessly.
This should have been better. He had imagined this before, but with the Bliss he knew and fell in love with. He froze, his mind reeling.
With an annoyed grunt, Bliss pushed him down and rolled on top of him. They were still clothed, but she moved in such a deviant way. All sorts of tantalizing noises escaped her. It was like he was stuck on some suspended reality. His body was saying this was good, it felt amazing. His other half was begging him to stop it.
Like someone has thrown a bucket of cold water on him, he snapped back to reality. Her eyes were glowing bright red. She was not Bliss, no matter how much he wanted it to be true. He gripped her hips firmly, tugging at her. At first she thought he was finally participating. But when he was only pushing her away, an grim frown formed on her lips.
He didn't let her stop him. When he was free from the bed, he ran.
A slight shuffle of noise reverberated out into the night. Her skin crawled as they entered the castle. "I don't like leaving Ollie back there, unguarded."
"He'll be fine." Mimi waved her off.
For some reason, Schuyler didn't believe her. But it was the right thing to do, this was no place for him.
"He can take care of himself, Sky. I had job for him anyways. He'll be busy." Jack reassured her. He had actually asked Sky to stay back as well. If he thought that it would work, he didn't know her at all. Of course, he wasn't really trying all that hard to convince her. After the first no, he just shrugged and walked off to talk with Oliver.
The castle was abandoned, soundless and as eerie as ever. A few light torches still hung burning off whatever was left. The unsettling feeling in the pit of Schuyler's stomach grew larger. Something wasn't right.
"I have a bad feeling about this." Mimi stalked lowly. "I'll go look for any stranglers." With that, she walked off in the other direction.
Jack and Schuyler walked toward the dungeons in silence. The holding cells for captives were all unlocked. "I don't get it. Why did they just leave. And let the prisoners out?"
"I don't think they let them all out." Jack answered gravely.
After passing a few empty cells, Schuyler had her answer. There they were, bodies hunched on the ground in pools of their own blood. A morbid and stomaching churning sight, and every few cells had them. Schuyler's heart started racing, hoping with each one it wasn't someone she recognized. "I don't understand."
Jack held her hand, walking beside her. He gave her a steady squeeze. "They killed the ones who refused to help them."
They switched sides? No heroes amongst Blue Bloods. By the looks of it, there were more empty cells than not. But those who did refuse... they died believing they were doing good. The lot of them, lined up for the grand illusion. Why were they in this mess in the first place? Now here they were, worst time to decide to muster up courage. No one claiming responsibility, but willing to die for it.
Sky felt Jack flinch, his taller frame obscured her view from the cell. She tried to pull at his arms, but they didn't budge. She resorted into twisting her arms free, rubbing them in pain. What she saw hurt more than anything she had ever felt.
Lawrence laid on the ground, propped up against the back wall. His dead eyes stared back at her. His mouth left open, a last breath of agony. His neck was gashed open, blood cover all of his right side.
Schuyler just stood there, tears pooling. "No." It barely escaped her quivering lips. "No!" This time it was more pleading, like Lawrence would hear her and wake up.
Jack stopped her from entering the cell, holding her still. She didn't remember much after that. She might have tried to break free from his hold. She did. He asked her to walk away, asked her to breathe. She ignored him. A bloody hand reached out, closing Lawrence's eyes. It wasn't her blood, but his.
Schuyler sniffed, trying to pull herself together. She leaned down and whispered reverently, "I'm sorry." I should have done better.
Jack's head snapped up, listening to something Schuyler couldn't. It was Mimi. He frantically looked around. He walked over and tossed a straw mat, revealing a block wrapped in packaging tape with a blinking red light. Dashing over to Lawrence, he pulled him away from the wall. Lawrence slumped down onto the dirty cell floor.
Schuyler gasped pathetically at Jack's carelessness with the body. Underneath Lawrence was a similar package with the same blinking red light.
A loud explosion shocked Schuyler's senses. The heavy stone walls shook, cracking under pressure. That can't be good.
Jack snatched her up, ordering her to run. She couldn't run, Jack was dragging her. They met up with Mimi, she had a couple cuts and was covered in dust.
Mimi didn't need to ask. She just looked at Schuyler and actually looked apologetic. "It's a trap."
"I gathered as much." Jack grumbled.
Schuyler felt a second explosion, this one was from the dungeons. A series of smaller bangs followed. The cells were all lined with bombs and now they were going off one by one.
"Go!" Sky screamed. She ran as fast as she could, Jack and Mimi followed suit. Her sense finally coming to her, she pushed herself, willing herself to move faster. Focus!
She couldn't lose it now. Then his death would have been for nothing.
To be continued...
