Chapter Eight
"Yes, I'll make sure they get to school in the morning. Thank you for letting them stay over for the night – Quinn's wanted to hang out with Sayu for a while now. Schoolwork during the holidays kept him busy." I leaned against the countertop, surveying the lounge. Sayu rested her back on her brother's legs as she listened to my brother play his newest composition. He'd asked her to name it. The three had decided that lights weren't necessary for tonight; they sat in darkness with the bright lights of Tokyo outside spread in a blanket of golden and white stars reaching to the horizon as their illumination.
"Get Sayu to bed by ten, please. She's been staying up too late watching Hideki Ryuga lately."
"Of course. I think she's already tired." Indeed, Sayu's eyes were closing every few seconds and it seemed as though she was waging an internal war to keep them open.
"Have a good evening, then, Minvera-chan."
"You too, Sachiko-san. Enjoy your dinner with Soichiro-san."
"I told you not to bother with the -san. You're too much a part of our family by now."
"And I'm forever grateful. I don't know what Quinn and I'd have done without your family. You've been a blessing to us." Ryuk gave a raspy chuckle in my ear. I suppressed a jump and smacked him in the arm. My hand passed right through.
"Oh, Soichiro is waiting. Good night, Minerva-chan."
"Good night."
I hung up the phone with a smile on my face. Sachiko was one of the most lovely people I had met. My words to her were the truth; she, Soichiro and Sayu had been wonderful supports when Quinn and I were surrounded by the cultural clashes that kept arising from our English-Canadian upbringing and Japanese normalcy.
Light . . . he was sort of a special case within the Yagami clan.
I sat down on the couch next to him, ruffling Sayu's hair as I did so. She leant into my touch and I caught her by the shoulders when she began to tip. The girl was fast asleep.
"Light," I murmured. He noticed and picked his sister up, carrying her to the guest bedroom we had set up in the back for her. Light had insisted on staying on the couch. I believed it was to have some privacy with Ryuk - and didn't that sound odd - but did not raise my opinion.
"Quinn, you should go to bed too. There's still school tomorrow." He nodded, picking himself up and waving to me with a quiet, "Night, V." I waved back.
Light returned, running a hand through his copper hair, and threw himself onto the couch. He wrapped his arms around my waist, pulling me into him while staring out the main windows. Most of the time he didn't seem to notice the times he touched me, like it was second nature. It amazed me that this relationship or whatever it was had lasted so long.
No. Don't think about it not being real. You'll break.
"How long has it been since your parents last had a date?" I asked for lack of anything else to say. Amusement spread over Light's face at my inane question.
"Over a year, I believe. Dad's work doesn't leave him much time off." He gave me a sidelong glance, unusual good humour sparkling in his eyes.
"What is it?" I asked warily.
"Nothing." His gaze returned to the windows. "I just feel bored."
I was on my feet in an instant, walking over to the fridge. "Hey, Ryuk, you hungry?" The Shinigami perked up in excitement and hovered after me like a gruesome puppy. He was practically panting as I opened the refrigerator door.
"Ignoring me now?" asked Light from the couch.
"Ryuk once told me that you picked up the Death Note because you were bored. I don't feel like dealing with another one of your mad schemes when the last one turned you into Kira. Here you go, Ryuk." I picked the juiciest, reddest apple I could find. "Go long." I threw it across the room. He flew after it faster than a tornado, grabbing and stuffing it in his mouth just before he phased out the front windows.
Light got up, stretching his arms above his head. I averted my eyes from his abdomen, exposed by his school shirt riding up. He smirked and I swear I saw a flash of red within in his eyes. A sinking feeling hit my stomach - maybe sending Ryuk from the room had been a bad idea.
He stalked towards, his feet as silent as a cat's. I silently marvelled at his ability to move with such grace without any of the training. It had taken me half a year to learn to move through the hunting grounds in Canada without snapping a twig. Quinn hadn't ever bothered, too focused on his music. I had envied, and still did, his ability to lose himself in his craft every single time. It was too easy for me to find myself reliving some event I would rather forget when I painted without thinking. Hence the numerous trips into the undergrowth to avoid my past.
"Where are you?" came a whisper in my ear. I flinched, my back hitting the fridge with a loud thud. Light's eyes widened in surprise. His hands came around my shoulders, steadying me as I evened out my breathing.
It took a moment to regain my composure. Gently, I tried to ease myself out of his grasp. His fingers pressed into my shoulders harder.
"What was that?" he demanded, a sibilance appearing in his voice I hadn't heard before.
"Nothing."
"You're lying."
"I swear, it was nothing." Only that Light apparently still had the ability to freak me out like nothing else could. He wouldn't appreciate the sentiment.
He pushed my chin upwards with two fingers. The red was gone, replaced with natural brown, veiled by the bright bronze of his hair. Without thinking I reached up and brushed the strands from his forehead, irritated by the way they fell in his eyes. A sigh escaped him.
His lips were inches from my own when I blurted out the thing that I had pushed to the edges of my mind what seemed like an age ago.
"Would you sacrifice me?"
Light jerked back, stepping away. For once his emotions were clear on his face. Surprise, wariness, worry and the slightest bit of shame. The way his thoughts were racing was almost visible. On his legs his fingers tapped, beating out a frantic pace with no discernible rhythm.
"Who have you been talking to?" he asked. I raised my eyebrows.
"Why would I be talking to someone? Who would believe me?"
He muttered something under his breath, and it sounded suspiciously like 'L', but he didn't pursue that line of questioning. Instead he walked to the windows, running his fingers through his hair, shoulders hunched. Gait still that of a predator.
Quiet mumbling issued from his lips and I was sure that, had Ryuk been here and not me, nothing would've stopped him from ranting about his arch-nemesis to his heart's content. Unfortunately, all he had was me, and I wasn't about to say I knew L better than he could imagine.
A hoarse mutter was loud enough for me to hear. "Why? Why would you ask me that?"
In all honesty, I had no idea. To stop him from trying to kiss me? To figure out where his real loyalties lay? Most likely it was to discover how attached I should be to him, how much of the fear lurking in my chest was justified, whether I should take Quinn and run.
Whether I should tell L now and save the Yagami family from what could only be a world of pain if Kira's plans escalated dangerously.
None of those were things I could say to Light. He would draw away from me, or manipulate me more than he was already to ensure my loyalty. Or, well, kill me to stop me talking. That was always an option.
Eventually I settled on deflecting. "Would you sacrifice any of us? Are we essential in your perfect world?"
A shudder ran through Light's body. He was more out of control than I'd thought he would be.
"No," he said.
"No to what?" 'No' could give two very different replies.
"No . . . I wouldn't sacrifice you." It sounded like a lie. It felt like a lie. His fingers tightened into fists and I knew it was a lie. Something in my chest snapped.
"Oh -" my voice cracked. "Okay."
A strained, tension-filled silence fell upon us as I fiddled with a pencil from my pocket. I'd always known I was expendable in the grand plan of Kira, but to hear it right from him made it a little more daunting.
So, turns out Light was more Kira than I had feared and all Kira cared about was himself. None of us were essential.
Suddenly, a memory came to mind, from the week before when we had started this 'relationship'.
"If you are lying to me, you will never see me again."
Well, if I was anything, I was a woman of my word. See you around, Light Yagami. Quinn and I weren't coming back.
Quietly, I went to my bedroom, intending to examine what could be packed quickly and what would have to be left for Quinn and I's relocation. Miss Hisashi could take my finished paintings to her sister and the rest would have to be boxed up. Too bad we had only finished unpacking two days ago. There should be enough in the bank to find us a new place to stay.
I could ask L. He said we should stay at the House again.
There was always that option. Mello should have grown up by now. And . . . BB wasn't there anymore. I swallowed roughly. Bad memories of that place resurfaced and I shoved them down with a ruthless force of will.
I would have to apologise to the Yagami family. Hopefully Light would never have to sacrifice one of them but I couldn't hang around and try to offer what meagre protection I could when I had Quinn to look out for. Light had already made it clear he didn't care about me the second he lied. My words held no sway over him.
As I began putting paint brushes back in their cases my cell phone rang. Absently I took it out of my pocket and wedged it between my ear and shoulder.
"Hello?"
"Valerie?" I dropped the brushes in my hands.
"What is it?"
"There's been an accident at the Yagami house. It's on fire."
The house burned fiercely, like the building was a poison that had to be purged. Sparks singed our hair, smoke made our eyes water and the flames were so bright we had to turn away. The walls of the house were charcoal, glowing red amongst the black. Light's room had caved in - the firefighters said that was where the fire started.
Thick black clouds billowed into the air without a breath of wind to blow them apart, a signal to all. Here a family's life is destroyed. Here is where life as they know it ends. Here is death.
The Yagami family car was on the drive. This was a funeral pyre.
"Dad! Mum!" Sayu screamed, trying to push her way through the watching crowd who were gathered to see a family break apart. A fireman snatched her around the waist before she could run into the flames. Quinn's fingers entwined with my own. He pressed himself into my side, shaking. The tremors made my own worse.
This was too similar to my nightmares, to those times I thought I was remembering what had happened to my own parents. I would never wish such a fate upon anyone, and now it was happening to Sayu and Light. Sayu's innocence was being taken right before my eyes.
I glanced up at Light. A hand covered his face. His shoulder shook. I pretended he was in distress - I pretended my words to him earlier had made an impact, that the death of his parents were causing him to shake with what could be sorrow, horror, anguish.
With one hand I zipped Light's bag closed, hiding his Death Note from sight.
"Quinn, take Light and Sayu home. I've got to talk to someone."
Quinn stared at me shrewdly, his fingers tightening in mine. I almost didn't have to look down anymore. He'd grown so much in the last month we were nearly eye to eye.
"Who?" he asked. I blinked, but I should have expected the question.
"You know who."
He pursed his lips, nodded, and pulled me into a tight hug that lasted only a second. "Come home quickly."
"I will."
I watched as the three of them walked off, Light shooting me glances over his shoulder but otherwise not protesting. Sayu was too distressed for him to be openly interrogative. She needed her brother, and for that I was thankful as it took him off my hands.
With a deep breath, I walked towards the park near the Yagami house where I'd spent some time with Sayu and Sachiko during the holidays. It was deserted, which should have been a warning, but I was too concentrated on working up the courage to take out my phone to pay attention to my surroundings. Grasping every bit of strength left to me after such a night, I re-dialled the last number on my calls list.
"Valerie?"
"Hello."
"What is it?"
"Light and Sayu. Their parents are dead. They have no one else to stay with. Any relation is overseas. What will you do?"
There was a long pause. I shuffled anxiously, taking out my pencil and twirling it between my fingers. Away from the fire the cold night air of mid-winter was biting and dug its claws into my exposed hands. Why hadn't I put on gloves? There was a single line of trees ringing the grass park and they offered no shelter from the chill.
"We can find an apartment for them. What will you do?"
"We -" Could I run now? Could I take Quinn and flee and leave Sayu grieving with no one but her older, disturbed brother for company? Sure, he could put on a believable act, but would my conscience allow it?
"I suppose we'll stay."
"You were going to leave?"
"I was thinking about taking up your offer of the House. I don't suppose you would let Light and Sayu stay too?"
"No."
"Thought so."
"Where are you? We need to talk in person."
"Hah. Never thought I'd hear the great L say that."
"Valerie."
"Sorry. I'm just . . . strained, is all. Can you pick me up?"
"Where are you?"
"The park close to Light's house."
"Alone?" he asked sharply.
"Yes. Why?"
There was a hurried conversation on the other end, muffled by what had to be L's hand over the microphone. A door slammed. "There have been reports of a biker gang in the area. They prey on young women. You need to find shelter, quickly. Watari will be there in approximately six minutes."
Oh. Right. I forgot about them. The tall trees around the park seemed a lot more menacing all of a sudden. My left leg twinged in phantom pain.
"L?"
"Yes?"
"Could you tell Watari to hurry?"
"Stay on the phone."
"Even if I have to run?"
"What? Why?"
"Because I can hear engines." And they were very badly tuned. Hoots of laughter filled the air, coming nearer every second. Catcalls and shouting sent shudders running down my spine. The lights of a motorcycle rounded the corner of the street in front of me, blinding even through the trees.
"Hey, lookie here, boys. I found one!"
"Hey, wait a minute, I remember her!"
"Sorry, L," I said. "Gotta run. I hope you can track my phone." With that I snapped it shut, shoved it in my pocket and waited. Several of the men jumped off their bikes and stormed through the treeline, shouting insults and obscenities. The others circled around the park, their lights flashing past the tree trunks. I waited until there were only a few metres between me and the closest biker, his leer making my skin crawl. Those on the bikes had just finished passing behind me. Without warning, I sprinted for the back of the park, dodging under one man's arm and sending a swift kick into the stomach of another. It was a straight shot to the alleyways of the suburb beyond.
I barrelled past the trees and onto the street, feeling my heart lift when the lights of the streetlamps illuminated the ground in front of me. Almost there.
There was a screech of tires and a grey bike cut off my path. The rider wore a grey helmet. He snatched me around the waist and pulled him onto the bike in front of him, unheeding of my screams.
"LET GO!" I screeched, struggling with all my might. He held my hands to my chest with one arm of steel and sped off. Wild shouts followed us, congratulating their gangmate on grabbing me. The roars of their engines drowned out each of my cries. The bike was moving so fast I didn't dare wrench myself away from him. I'd seen enough quad bike accidents to know that at this speed I wouldn't live in a crash.
Watari, where are you!?
Corner after corner, street after street. Where was he taking me? Back to base? No, please no. If they were willing to rape a woman in the middle of a street, what would they do to me in the privacy of their own turf?
There was a terrified shriek from behind us. The biker holding me threw down the brakes, sliding to a halt with a screech, swinging the bike around. A black car faced us. A shot rang out. The front wheel of the bike exploded in a shower of hot rubber. A scream tore itself from my throat even as I jerked myself from the biker's grip and stumbled towards the headlights of the car. Another crack of the gun, so loud my ears rang. From behind me came a strangled groan.
"Watari?" My voice was curiously weak.
"Good evening, Miss Minerva. Would you please step inside? The police are on their way."
"Oh. Good." The moment I sat down in the back I slumped over, exhaustion pushing all the adrenaline from my limbs and leaving them quivering. I passed out just as the engine restarted.
TOWRTA: Well today is Wednesday of week one of my holidays. I can safely say you guys will have more updates from me within the next two weeks, but I'm not sure how many. I have a rather busy life as it turns out (who knew?).
Don't know whether this counts as a cliffhanger or not but it's certainly a plot twist. Soichiro and Sachiko are dead? Oh no! (hehehehe)
Have a good day, people. Thank you for the reviews and follows and favourites and don't forget I will always reply, even if I'm not always prompt.
I want to know what you all thought of this twist! (whatever will Sayu and Light do now? Where will they stay? Where is Minerva going with Watari? Will Quinn ever grow to her height!? So many questions!)
Next chapter: aftermath