(A/N: Hey guys, thanks for reading up to this point! Glad you're enjoying the story so far, or sorry if you're hating it? Which brings me to this: I greatly appreciate any reviews you might want to leave, Negative or good, I want to know what everyone thinks to ensure I'm going in the right direction with this story and portraying the characters as everyone would have them portrayed. So if you have a minute, how about leaving a review? :) Thanks for coming to my ted talk, AND ENJOY THIS CHAPTER!
Disclaimer: I unfortunately do not own the Night world series, I am merely an avid follower/fan)
"This is a joke, right?"
That was all Kestrel could muster to stay as she looked at what was supposed to become her new home. Just looking at it you could tell that it was run down. It was an old farm house, probably over a hundred years old, with nothing but land for miles all around it. "There can't be enough rooms for everyone. Does this place even have running water?" Kestrel demanded as she looked around to the rest of the group. Ash looked equally as disgusted as her, though he seemed to be the only other person shocked about these conditions. This only further served to annoy Kestrel, as there was little to nothing that annoyed her more than agreeing with her arrogant, obnoxious, self obssesed brother. Unfortunately for her, it seemed that despite how often they argued, they agreed with each other far more often than not.
"Oh I'm sure it's fine. It just needs to be dusted off a little! Come on, Mark and I have first dibs on rooms!" It was none other than Jade who excitedly began rushing towards the house, pulling Mark's arm along with her. Kestrel couldn't help but to roll her eyes as Rowan was close on their heels. "Now wait just a minute Jade! You two can't share a room, you're too young!" Rowan could be heard calling after their baby sister.
"Real funny Tobias, Rashel, Haha you got us, Now let's go to the real safe house, I'll just be waiting in the car!" Ash called as he slung his bag over his shoulder and headed back to one of the two large SUV's that had brought them to the dump before them. It wasn't until they began the drive that any of them realized that Rashel and Tobias had been the only ones that knew exactly where they were going. It wasn't until Ash had slammed the SUV door shut behind him that Rashel began towards the house herself. "No joke, this is one of the safest houses that Thierry has, you're all lucky to be here." She stated seriously though didn't seem inclined to check and see if Ash had heard her or not.
"So We're stuck here...in the middle of nowhere, with none other than the guy who tried to have my soulmate murdered, and the sisters from hell. Oh and let's not forget the mass murderer, slave trader. Should be real fun." It was James that spoke this time as Kestrel glared at the back of his head. She'd had the misfortune of being forced to share the car with him and who Kestrel had learned to be his soulmate, Poppy, on the way there. It had been her, Tobias as the driver, Poppy, James, and Rowan, while the other car held Rashel as the driver, Quinn, Ash, Mary-Lynette, Mark and Jade. The reason for this division? Because poor James couldn't stand to be in the same car as Ash, or Quinn. Oh but of course, Ash had to be with Mary-lynette, and Mary-Lynette was insistent on babysitting Mark. And Mark? Oh well he just couldn't let poor 'defenseless' Jade be alone without him to stand up for her.
However James seemed to have no aversion to Rowan, and that made Kestrel a nessicary evil as it seemed it was either deal with Kestrel alone, or deal with everyone else together. So James picked the lesser evil it seemed. Luckily, his Soulmate Poppy wasn't completely horrible. Kestrel did find herself getting annoyed at times, she was fairly chatty, however Rowan seemed happy enough with her. It was actually from her that Kestrel actually heard of what happened between James, Ash, and her. It didn't come as a surprise that Ash would mercilessly toy with Poppy in such a way that could even get her killed, though Kestrel did wonder if Ash's was inent was to have Poppy turned in all along. She didn't doubt at all that had Poppy been caught and killed, Ash wouldn't have cared. But Kestrel wasn't so sure that he had the full intent to actually turn Poppy in. In any case, it was pretty clear exactly why James was so against Ash. From bullying James in childhood, to nearly having his lover murdered, it didn't sound like James had any reason to like Ash. And in turn, thanks to Kestrel's extensive history in helping Ash pick on James, sometimes taking things too far, she could at least see why James had nothing to say to her on the entire ride to their new destination.
That was just fine with Kestrel though. Honestly a lot of times she preffered the silence to hearing meaningless talk. She liked to make it clear that she wasn't someone who intended to have any kind of heart felt interaction with anyone. So it was thankful that Rowan was there to sit in the back and chat and laugh with Poppy. At least Rowan seemed to get along with everyone. Not that this was shocking. Rowan always got along with everyone.
"I should have jumped the fence when I had the chance." Kestrel muttered, causing Tobias to give a small, quiet laugh from behind her. There it was again, those butterflies. Kestrel turned and narrowed her eyes at Tobias. "You should have let me." She added sharply, even accusingly at him. After all, it was Tobias that had gotten suspicious when Kestrel seemed to be taking too long to get her things back at the mansion. He'd found her just in time too. Kestrel had actually already threw her bag over the fence that bordered Thierry's mansion, and had just been about to jump over it when Tobias grabbed Kestrel from behind, pulling her back so hard that they'd both fallen to the ground. That left Tobias to hug Kestrel as tight as he could around her waist as she struggled for freedom, though she'd become dazed enough from him shocking her repeatedly that it slowed her down just long enough for Val to spot what was happening and come out to help Tobias get Kestrel back into the house and even into the car while Tobias then lingered behind and got her bag.
Kestrel still wasn't convinced that she was any safer here than on her own. But at least now she could watch over Rowan and Jade. And she supposed Mary-Lynette and Mark if she absolutely had to, though she mostly planned to let Ash take care of that on his own.
"And deprive everyone of your shining personality? How could I let that happen." Tobias replied sarcastically. He seemed to be catching on to the fact that Kestrel was never anyone's favorite character. Still she couldn't help but to turn her head just slightly in order to shoot him a side glare. "Come on, it won't be so bad. A house full of young adults and teenagers, this whole trip will be a party. You won't even notice you're being held captive." Tobias then added with a mischevious grin before heading to the door of the house and disappearing inside.
Kestrel had decided not to unpack her things. She had decided that the moment she could make a run for it, she was going to. Unfortunately, her roommate seemed to be keeping an annoyingly close eye on her. And by annoyingly, she meant he was sitting across from her on his bed. Arms crossed and staring her down while she did the same to her. She just couldn't understand how of everyone that she could have shared a room with, somehow she got stuck with Ash. "Can't you share a room with someone else? What about Quinn. He seems to like you for some reasont he rest of us can't fathom?" Kestrel asked venomously.
"Oh and get kicked out every night so he and Rashel can do the dirty? I don't think so. I'm not happy either. If I had my way you'd be sleeping in the barn in the back with the rest of the animals." Ash replied, his voice just as cold as hers had been. Still, shots had been fired, and he couldn't get away with that jab.
"Oh but if I got put out there, they'd have to build you your own dog house." Kestrel shot back. "And it's not my fault that everyone else, your soulmate included, finds you repulsive. I don't see why I'm being punished by having to share a room with you."
"She does not!" Ash snapped back, tightening his arms around his chest in defense. "She just didn't think it was appropriate for Mark and Jade to share a room, and doesn't trust Quinn or Tobias to bunk with him...though he is the one that didn't want to share with me." Ash added almost sheepishly before his eyebrows furrowed together as he glared at Kestrel once again. "Besides, at least that's only one person that wouldn't share with me! No one wanted to share with you!" Ash shot back causing Kestrel to scowl, though she did get pretty quiet. After all, he was right. Jade had flat out refused to share with Kestrel, as did Mark and Mary-Lynette. Rowan had seemed willing enough to share with Kestrel, until Jade insisted that she be the one to share with Rowan. Seeing as since Mark and Mary-Lynette were siblings, and if she didn't want Mark sharing with Jade, it only made sense for them to share a room while Jade and Rowan shared.
Quinn and Rashel didn't even join the conversation of deciding on a room, as they'd seemed to already decide that they should share one, as did James and Poppy. That left Tobias, Ash, and Kestrel. Tobias of course had offered to share with Kestrel, however Kestrel didn't really like the mischevious grin he got when he said it. Okay, that was a lie. She didn't like it. No, she loved it. And for the briefest moment she could feel the corners of her own mouth pull up into a smirk. It was that which annoyed Kestrel. She didn't even know the guy, and sure she'd had a few flings since she left Briar Creek, but those were different. But she'd only had three flings. And all three had been with human guys. She'd use them in bed, then take blood from them, before dumping them on the sidewalk a few miles away from wherever she was staying. After she slipped their wallets from them, she opted to just leave them alone to wake up dazed and confused on their own. But alive.
Tobias was a different situation though. Sure he was good looking, and something about that mischevious look he got made her wonder what he'd be like if she could get him alone. But he could become complicated. Especially now that she felt like she might actually have a small crush on him. He was a player, and he was here to do a job. He wasn't someone she could just sleep with and ditch on the side of the road and never see again. No, she was trapped in the house with him. And she didn't know when any of them would be able to leave. It was best to keep her distance. So Kestrel had been forced to suck it up and share with Ash. This left Tobias happy with his own room, and it meant that she might be able to keep these pesky feelings under control.
Just as she was about to respond to Ash's retort, there was a loud BANG followed by the giggling of several girls. Kestrel could recognize three of them, Jade, Rowan, and Mary-Lynette, however the third was still new to her. She sort of recognized it as Poppy from the car ride. That aside, Rashel didn't seem like the giggling type. "Do you hear that Ash? All the other women are having fun...without you. Maybe you should rejoin them while I redecorate the room?" Kestrel suggested with a grin. Ash narrowed his eyes at her. "Oh like I'm gonna fall for that. And come back and find that you shoved jelly in all the pockets of my jeans? Or that my pillow mysteriously turned into a few books? Like I'm gonna let that happen again." He stated before pulling his feet onto the bed and laying down on his side with his back to Kestrel. He never did forget anything. Honestly he was such an incredibley big baby, Kestrel was stunned that he and James weren't better friends. "Besides, they're down there trying to cook for the residents that don't live off blood. Jade insisted on making them a desert, and I don't wanna be anywhere near that trainwreck."
He had a point. Briefly Kestrel flashed back to Briar Creek when Jade had attempted to make hamburger helper. Before that she truly hadn't been aware that food explosions like that could happen outside of what she saw in cartoons. And why had there been so much? That didn't really matter now. Those questions would remain unansewered, however it was enough of a memory to know that didn't want to be anywhere near that either. "Fine. I'm going out then." Kestrel said as she stood and walked to the window, opening it before stepping through onto the roof above the back porch. "If anyone asks, tell them not to come find me. I just want to go see the barn." she added before sliding the window shutting and jumping from the room.
The sun was setting, it was about to be her favorite time. Hunting time.