Parting
The rain continued to pour, as Malachi sat at his solitary post on the roof, the low rumble of thunder actually soothed him, Selene had just left, probably for the best he thought to himself. Allowing himself to become lost in thought he was startled as the roof door opened again, and a series of footsteps, more delicate than the falling rain approached him. "You should go back inside, it's cold out here." He told his companion, with a sense of genuine concern in his voice.
"I'm sure I'll be fine." Nina smiled sweetly, as she sat down next to him, her skirt becoming soaked by the now drenched roof "I don't know why I even bothered bringing this." She grinned as she attempted to shelter under her small umbrella "Everything okay?"
"Storm's coming angel." He told her wearily.
"I'd say it was already here."
"I'm not talking about the weather." He said shaking his head.
"Neither am I Malachi." She said sternly, or as close to stern as her voice could manage "How bad is it?"
"Viktor's an Elder, he is the Covenant, it's pretty bad."
"Can you win?" She asked
"Viktor and I have been playing a game ever since he got here, a game of chess; we've been taking each others pieces."
"What do you mean?" She asked intently, shivering a little.
Malachi got up and wrapped his coat around her petit frame, so that the pixie like vampire was almost lost in it, then sitting back down he pulled her close to him and continued "We know Viktor came here with a plan, to get back his coven; he took his first piece before he even revealed himself to us."
"The hybrid." She answered as she leant her head against his chest."
"Exactly, at that point in time we were giving the hybrid sanctuary, he was our most powerful weapon. Then of course, he started trying to get Selene back on side, there goes your next most powerful immortal. He then dealt us our biggest blow, when Holtz was illiminated…"
"You think Viktor was responsible for that?"Nina asked in disbelief.
"I would imagine his boy Dracon played his part in it. Which takes us nicely onto the fourth piece of ours he's taken, the Viceroy."
"No…" Nina choked "That was Senator Cain, that was the Lycan's."
"Oh come on Nina…" He sighed "… You think Owen's lot cold have got to Eli, it must have been Dracon, with the Senator's help."
"But… that means that…"
"That Dracon wasn't Abigail's only traitor."
"How do you know?!" Nina demanded
"Before the attack on the plantation, a CIA agent by the name of Washington called me… and told me the code to Abigail's safe room door. Now the only government ally the Lycan have… is Senator Cain. I would imagine his brother and the Mandrake corperation were in on it as well."
"Why?" Nina gasped
"I can't say for sure." Malachi sighed "I would imagine that once Andre died, the Cain brothers wanted to secure their investment with the Lycans. Perhaps they didn't think that Owen and Abigail were the ones to deliver."
"What are you going to do?" Nina asked nervously
"I'm sick of playing Viktor's game, I've taken enough pieces from him, Alexei, Chastity and with Selene gone he's lost another… now I'm going straight for the checkmate. I'll worry about any loose ends afterwards."
"When?" She asked with her eyes shut, as if the truth were too much to bare.
"As soon as you're out of harms way." He said dryly
"Oh no…" she snapped "I'm not leaving you…"
"Yes you are." He told her firmly "Nina I can't do this with you here, I need to know you're somewhere safe."
"Where could I be safer than at your side?" She asked desperately as she clung to him.
"There is a Ziodex facility in the North Atlantic, it's on an oil rig."
"Facility 56… the weapons lab." Nina interrupted "I'm not going!"
"You'll be safe there, there's a small team of Ziodex guards, you can only access it by helicopter, plus… you'll be taking the whole of Casper's team with you."
"But… that would… leave you on your own." She mumbled
"No Casper's team is going with you, but he's staying here. I'll be fine… now we're going to get off of this roof, you're going to get your things together, you're going to get your pet, and then you are going to go!"
"Malachi… please…." She began to sob, as she looked up at him with tear filled eyes "If you… if you love me you'll let me stay."
"I can't angel." He whispered "Now lets go."
"Five more minutes." She wept into his chest, as the rain bouced of them both "Please."
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Abigail lay carefree in Daniel's arms, she had come to like to her prison; ironically it had offered her more freedom than her home ever had. "I love you." She whispered to Daniel as she cuddled against him.
"And I you Abigail." The onyx eyed warrior spoke softly, however suddenly Daniel shot upright and jumped into a defensive position.
"Daniel what's going…" before Abigail could answer, she could hear the sound of her door being kicked in, and as she jumped off of the couch, she saw Malachi and Casper enter her room, accompanied by two Death Dealers and one of Casper's men. "What's going on?!" She demanded. Her question was answered by the sound of the Death Dealer's cocking their weapons.
"Say your goodbyes." Malachi told them coldly.
"I love you!" Abigail yelled as she placed a passionate kiss on Daniel's lips.
"Take him back to the crypt." Malachi ordered the Death Dealers; Daniel simply let out a low growl "Do not resist!" Malachi told him firmly.
Abigail watched in horror as the two Death Dealers led Daniel back to the crypt, she was literally heart broken. She turned to Malachi and with an empty hollow voice pleaded with him "Why? Why do you hate me so much?"
Malachi said nothing, he simply nodded to Casper's mercenary who stepped forward, and gently spoke the words "This way my lady." Completely broken, Abigail did as she was told, until she was stopped by a voice she did not expect.
"Abigail!" Malachi called after her "For what it's worth, I'm sorry."
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"My name is Leon." The mercenary accompanying Abigail told her.
"I don't care." She told him "Are you taking me to die?"
"Quite the opposite, in fact." Leon told her as he guided her to a part of the mansion she had never seen before; he opened the door and led her into what looked like a garage. Abigail had never seen so many cars, dozens of them, however there were four cars with their engines running, all of them jet black with tinted windows; two four by fours, a Mercedes sports car and a limousine. Leon led Abigail to the limousine and opened the door for her. When she climbed into the back seat, she saw Nina, legs curled up into her chest, rocking backwards and forwards slightly, it was obvious she had been had crying.
"Nina?" Abigail asked nervously as Leon shut the car door "Where are we going?"
"Somewhere safe" Nina whispered, as the tears once again flowed from her sapphire blue eyes.
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Malachi watched from Abigail's window as the jet black motorcade sped through the gates of Amelia's estate, carrying a most precious cargo to safety. He placed a hand on the glass pane of the window and felt his bottom lip begin to quiver slightly as his love was taken away from him. He brought his hand to his mouth in an attempt to control himself; "You okay boss?" Casper asked him.
"Get out now." Malachi hissed menacingly, as soon as he heard the door close behind Casper he lashed out and punched a hole through the wall. "Nina" he whispered as he closed his eyes and allowed a single teer to roll down his ivory white cheek.
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After taking several minutes to compose himself, Malachi finally left Abigail's room, to find his mercenary waiting outside for him. "What now boss?" Casper asked.
"Get Chastity up to my office now." Malachi ordered him "Then put phase one of the plan into action… I'm going to see Amelia."
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Malachi knelt before his mistress as he entered her luxurious chambers, she was dressed for bed it would be daylight soon. He rose and stood humbly before her, "I've sent Nina away My Lady."
"I see" she nodded "Where?"
"That's not important."
"Okay then… why?" she asked him
"You're aware of the atmosphere between me and Viktor?"
"Of course." She replied, half with a sigh and half laughing "I am not blind."
"It ends tonight…" He began coldly "Viktor, means to kill me Amelia, he means to replace Nina, and he means to force you into hibernation… I can not allow that."
"You are mistaken" she hissed at him "He is my oldest ally."
Malachi said nothing for a moment "I believe the Viceroy was killed by a Lycan named Dracon… he's working for Viktor."
"Eli…" she choked "…You lie!"
"Why would I?"
"What do you plan to do Malachi?" She goaded him "You are an errand boy compared to Viktor… he is unbeatable."
Malachi allowed himself to grin a little "Selene beat Viktor on his home ground… you think he stands a chance against me on mine? In an hour the some comes up, this mansion locks itself down… no one in, no one out. And I know every inch of this house."
"I'm glad you mentioned Selene…" Amelia began cynically "… she is a loose canon; you do not know how she feels for Viktor from one moment to the next."
"Selene's gone." Malachi told her "Gone to Europe… to find Kraven's remains and offer him peace."
Amelia allowed herself to laugh a little "If only she knew the truth."
Malachi just shrugged his shoulders "I couldn't bring myself to tell her that we've had is head in our freezer for fifteen years."
"Do not do this Malachi." Amelia pleaded "Viktor is too strong."
"I'm doing this as much for you as I am for me."
"I can not help you." She sighed "I will not fight Viktor."
"I'm not asking you to, just go to bed and let me handle this, by the time you wake up everything will be fine. And by the time Nina gets back… everything will be back to normal."
"Nina…" Amelia sighed "Why her Malachi?"
"I love her."
Amelia gave him a sad smile "You loved me once… before I refused you, you wanted…"
"Don't do this!" Malachi hissed at her "Not now! Not more than a century after it happened!"
"You want me stop" she teased him "Fine, I'll stop. Just as soon as you tell me you haven't wanted me from the second you saw me… just as soon as you tell me that everytime we're parted your blood doesn't scream my name."
"Good night Amelia." He said coldly as he turned away from her and headed to the door.
As the door opened Amelia called after him "She is not like us Malachi!"
"No My Lady" he grinned, as he looked over his shoulder slightly "She's not a monster."
As the heavy wooden door slammed shut Amelia felt like she had been kicked in the gut, she pressed herself against the door so as to hear every one of his footsteps "I love you so much." She whispered.
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Malachi had a face like thunder as he strode through the mansion towards his office, he flung the door open, causing the waiting Chastity to jump a little, he said nothing as he slumped down into his chair. Casper could tell this was more than just a bad mood, and poured him a glass of whiskey as Chastiy waited patiently. "Thank you." Malachi nodded, as he downed it in one "Is phase one complete?"
"Absolutely" Casper replied eagerly
"Good" Malachi nodded, turning his attention to Chastity "I've got a job for you."
"Really?" She asked with a wide smile "What kind of job?"
"Go to Switzerland, follow Selene, and report all of her movements to me."
"Are you sure that's a good idea?" Chastity asked a little nervously "I don't think Selene likes me."
"She doesn't" Malachi told her "But Selene's the best there is, no matter who I send after her she is going to know she's being followed. However, she won't kill you."
"How can you be so sure?" Chastity asked with a raised eyebrow
"Because she's your big sister, now go, and don't let me down."
"I won't boss." She smiled eagerly
"And kid, be careful." Malachi told her with a genuine concern.
"You think she'll be alright?" Casper asked him as she closed the door behind herself.
"She learnt from the best." Malachi answered him
"Viktor?" Casper asked with a raised eyebrow
"Me" Malachi smiled proudly "Now come along Casper, time for phase two."
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The Death Dealers had mistreated Daniel when they had chained him back up, beaten and humiliated him. They had left him on his own now, he wasn't sure what to do, he just hoped they would allow him to see Abigail, but maybe this was just part of the torture, let him see her, only to have it snatched away again. He liftet his head with a start as the crypt doors slid open, "You!" he hissed, as Malachi and Casper came into sight. Malachi walked slightly ahead of Casper, he held his walking cane in his left hand, yet his right hand was held behind his back as if he were concealing something. "Where is she?" Daniel asked wearily.
"Things are probably going to get messy around here." Malachi told Daniel straight "So I have sent her and Nina away together, somewhere they can both be safe."
"Why do you care about her?" Daniel asked, "She's just a Lycan, like me."
"No, not like you Daniel, she's an innocent, my attonement, you're just my dog."
"What are you going to do with me?" He asked, without a trace of fear in his eyes. Malachi said nothing, he simply nodded to Casper, who produced something from his pocket, something silver; a knife? No, Daniel thought to himself, it was a key. The mercenary began to unlock the chains around Daniel's neck wrists and ankles allowing the Lycan to stand tall before Malachi "Why?" he asked suspiciously.
Malachi did not answer the Lycan, he simply removed his right hand from behind his back to reveal what he was holding, a battleaxe, his battleaxe. Malachi dropped the formidable weapon at the Lycan's feet, and watched as Daniel picked it up and inspect it with a grin "Welcome to the team." Malachi said coldly.