Yes tonight was the ritual she was sure of it, the house was completely dark but her mind, hyper alert as it was, told her one woman and twenty unformed minds were in the house. She turned to Ash *Stay behind me for as long as possible* he shrugged but a battle light was in his eyes and she shook her head *Throw away all that Circle Daybreak zeal, think back to your years of assassinations, you're my secondary you need to do what I tell you!* he nodded and his eyes shifted from bright silver to a kind of pewter, her own remained a fixed gold.
Lynx gently removed one of the knives from her boot and slipped it under the window latch, when the lock had undone she turned back to Ash and handed him two carved pieces of metal *Charms, one is for invisibility the other lightning* she watched his face as he accepted them *I'll be able to see you until we enter the house* Ash looked at her despite the hunting light in his eyes there was concern in his face and she read it *I don't need charms Ash, I'm going in to kill her* *Couldn't you just stab her from behind under and invisibility ward?* she shook her head sarcastically amused *No Ash, that's not the way I play the game* he looked at he for a moment *Your not as evil as you make out* she raised an eyebrow at that but answered just before she slipped into the house through the now open window *No Ash, I'm worse, what's more terrifying seeing your death laughing down at you or merely feeling it?* and then she was gone.
She could feel Ash's confusion but it was no longer important. Nothing was now except her target. This was why she was not only highly regarded amongst paying customers but amongst her peers too, single minded concentration. The Night Blade hadn't been sheathed, it was a glowing part of her body now and if anyone else had been with her as she stalked at a peculiar half run down the corridor they almost would have heard it breathing in time with her. Then she was in the doorway and crouched there, she felt a rush of wind move past her and suspected it was Ash going to the line of children on the floor; three already lay on the stone altar their tiny throats ripped out and their blood gathered in an onyx bowl. And there in the middle of the room stood the woman she had been sent to kill, one of the highest prices in the Night world and one of Lynx's mothers best friends Digitalis Darlde. She was completely nude and at thirty nine it should have been a frightening prospect to any woman, but she was a witch and she knew how to use her powers. She was stunningly beautiful, and as her full name stated a dark childe indeed.
Long black hair streaked with midnight blue tumbled in waves to mid thigh and huge black eyes which she supposed could have been dark blue but the pupil was so distended it was unknowable. Her body would have been perfect if not for the terrible scars that covered her torso; her sources said they were from a mad axe attack. And the blood of course. Lynx stepped out of the doorway and into the flickering candle light just as Digitalis turned to take the next child. "Hello Digitalis" it was no more than a slight whisper but the other woman froze as if she had sounded the heavenly clarion call. Then she turned back, there was little recognition in her eyes but then there was little of anything; she had obviously tired of running along the thin line between sanity and madness and had leapt straight in at the deep end.
"What do you want, little vampire?" her voice was a pure melodic soprano but had little effect on Lynx, she was as well trained in music as her Grandfather could have made her and she recognised the tell tale signs of a good vocal coach. She merely shrugged her shoulders and placing its tip on the floor leant on her blade. "Just to watch, after all it isn't everyday we 'little vampires' get to see a new Lamia line created" it had been uttered in tone of such crushing sarcasm Lynx was sure she would be attacked but the woman merely smiled and looked at her and murmured "Liar" she wasn't taken aback, she had seen this before, someone so insane they looked and acted as if they were lucidly sane. Her Grandfather had been one and her mother, she expected that eventually she would be one too. So Lynx nodded instead "I'm afraid that's true" Digitalis nodded and made a patient hand motion as if to say 'go right ahead then' "You see I've come to kill you"
There was a pause while the witch simply stared at he and then she laughed "You can't kill me" Lynx raised her eyebrow "No?" then she considered for a moment "Well I suppose you could kill me instead, but I must warn you that I'd fight back" the woman looked at her with black eyes and then shifted her eyes to her blade and a momentary flash of lucidity lit them "Lynx Redfern? Night Blade" Lynx's eyes shifted to a bright harsh silver "Bingo" "I knew your mother, before she died" Lynx inclined her head but her eyes never left the insane witch. "Yet you'd still murder me in cold blood?" Lynx shook her head but there was mercy in her eyes or softening to her posture "No, I'd assassinate you, that's my job, murder is such a messy word."
Lynx thought she might have finally pushed the woman over the edge but she still hung back so with a sigh she threw an iron knife at her. It bounced. Digitalis smiled evilly and seemed slightly surprised when Lynx returned the gesture and then flung one of the small vials at her. When the shield disputed in a shower of black sparks the witch started to look just a little panicked and turning grabbed one of the children; Lynx's mental shoulders slumped, oh Ash. "You wouldn't stab me through a baby would you?" A moment later the knife Lynx had kept hidden from everyone down the centre of her back was standing just above the babies shoulder and buried in the mad witches heart. As she toppled backwards the last words she heard were in Lynx's mocking tone "Bet, you, didn't know I was a good shot"
Ash re materialised looking sheepish but Lynx wasn't concerned with him she was concerned with the young girl of about seven standing in the doorway; by the angle she could see Ash but not her. "What did you do to my mother?" Ash didn't move but his mental plea for instruction was vast, she didn't give any. So he knelt to be on the child's level and tried to reassure her. Lynx continued to watch quiet and still until the child finally turned in her direction. Then she walked forward the Night blade in her hand and calmly ran her through.
The room was now, she thought absently, completely covered in blood. "Why Lynx" she turned back to Ash for a moment she had forgotten he was there "Did you notice, Ash, that the child didn't seem bothered by any of this?" "She asked..." "What did we do to her mother, not why did we kill her mother not why were we here not even why the room was covered in blood" she waited for this to sink in then she flicked the child over with the toe of her boot. There clasped in a tiny white hand was a long wooden dagger. Ash looked at it and Lynx in horror "Remember where we are Ash, here and in other renegade towns, survival is everything"
Then she ushered him out of the room and out into the street where she handed him a mobile phone "Call Theirry, tell him that Circle Daybreak adoptions need to find homes for seventeen children, two third's of which are probably Night world." She paused for a moment tucking the Night Blade into her belt loop "Then I want you to go home" he looked at her eyes disturbed "What will you do?" she smiled but her eyes blazed like all the fires of hell had been lit there "I'll collect my reward" Ash looked at her for a moment more and then with a graceful shrug began to punch buttons into the phone. He felt a whisper of lips over his skin as Lynx kissed his cheek and then she turned away and disappeared into the night. She doubted he'd leave but he'd stay out of her way and that was all she needed.
Lynx gently removed one of the knives from her boot and slipped it under the window latch, when the lock had undone she turned back to Ash and handed him two carved pieces of metal *Charms, one is for invisibility the other lightning* she watched his face as he accepted them *I'll be able to see you until we enter the house* Ash looked at her despite the hunting light in his eyes there was concern in his face and she read it *I don't need charms Ash, I'm going in to kill her* *Couldn't you just stab her from behind under and invisibility ward?* she shook her head sarcastically amused *No Ash, that's not the way I play the game* he looked at he for a moment *Your not as evil as you make out* she raised an eyebrow at that but answered just before she slipped into the house through the now open window *No Ash, I'm worse, what's more terrifying seeing your death laughing down at you or merely feeling it?* and then she was gone.
She could feel Ash's confusion but it was no longer important. Nothing was now except her target. This was why she was not only highly regarded amongst paying customers but amongst her peers too, single minded concentration. The Night Blade hadn't been sheathed, it was a glowing part of her body now and if anyone else had been with her as she stalked at a peculiar half run down the corridor they almost would have heard it breathing in time with her. Then she was in the doorway and crouched there, she felt a rush of wind move past her and suspected it was Ash going to the line of children on the floor; three already lay on the stone altar their tiny throats ripped out and their blood gathered in an onyx bowl. And there in the middle of the room stood the woman she had been sent to kill, one of the highest prices in the Night world and one of Lynx's mothers best friends Digitalis Darlde. She was completely nude and at thirty nine it should have been a frightening prospect to any woman, but she was a witch and she knew how to use her powers. She was stunningly beautiful, and as her full name stated a dark childe indeed.
Long black hair streaked with midnight blue tumbled in waves to mid thigh and huge black eyes which she supposed could have been dark blue but the pupil was so distended it was unknowable. Her body would have been perfect if not for the terrible scars that covered her torso; her sources said they were from a mad axe attack. And the blood of course. Lynx stepped out of the doorway and into the flickering candle light just as Digitalis turned to take the next child. "Hello Digitalis" it was no more than a slight whisper but the other woman froze as if she had sounded the heavenly clarion call. Then she turned back, there was little recognition in her eyes but then there was little of anything; she had obviously tired of running along the thin line between sanity and madness and had leapt straight in at the deep end.
"What do you want, little vampire?" her voice was a pure melodic soprano but had little effect on Lynx, she was as well trained in music as her Grandfather could have made her and she recognised the tell tale signs of a good vocal coach. She merely shrugged her shoulders and placing its tip on the floor leant on her blade. "Just to watch, after all it isn't everyday we 'little vampires' get to see a new Lamia line created" it had been uttered in tone of such crushing sarcasm Lynx was sure she would be attacked but the woman merely smiled and looked at her and murmured "Liar" she wasn't taken aback, she had seen this before, someone so insane they looked and acted as if they were lucidly sane. Her Grandfather had been one and her mother, she expected that eventually she would be one too. So Lynx nodded instead "I'm afraid that's true" Digitalis nodded and made a patient hand motion as if to say 'go right ahead then' "You see I've come to kill you"
There was a pause while the witch simply stared at he and then she laughed "You can't kill me" Lynx raised her eyebrow "No?" then she considered for a moment "Well I suppose you could kill me instead, but I must warn you that I'd fight back" the woman looked at her with black eyes and then shifted her eyes to her blade and a momentary flash of lucidity lit them "Lynx Redfern? Night Blade" Lynx's eyes shifted to a bright harsh silver "Bingo" "I knew your mother, before she died" Lynx inclined her head but her eyes never left the insane witch. "Yet you'd still murder me in cold blood?" Lynx shook her head but there was mercy in her eyes or softening to her posture "No, I'd assassinate you, that's my job, murder is such a messy word."
Lynx thought she might have finally pushed the woman over the edge but she still hung back so with a sigh she threw an iron knife at her. It bounced. Digitalis smiled evilly and seemed slightly surprised when Lynx returned the gesture and then flung one of the small vials at her. When the shield disputed in a shower of black sparks the witch started to look just a little panicked and turning grabbed one of the children; Lynx's mental shoulders slumped, oh Ash. "You wouldn't stab me through a baby would you?" A moment later the knife Lynx had kept hidden from everyone down the centre of her back was standing just above the babies shoulder and buried in the mad witches heart. As she toppled backwards the last words she heard were in Lynx's mocking tone "Bet, you, didn't know I was a good shot"
Ash re materialised looking sheepish but Lynx wasn't concerned with him she was concerned with the young girl of about seven standing in the doorway; by the angle she could see Ash but not her. "What did you do to my mother?" Ash didn't move but his mental plea for instruction was vast, she didn't give any. So he knelt to be on the child's level and tried to reassure her. Lynx continued to watch quiet and still until the child finally turned in her direction. Then she walked forward the Night blade in her hand and calmly ran her through.
The room was now, she thought absently, completely covered in blood. "Why Lynx" she turned back to Ash for a moment she had forgotten he was there "Did you notice, Ash, that the child didn't seem bothered by any of this?" "She asked..." "What did we do to her mother, not why did we kill her mother not why were we here not even why the room was covered in blood" she waited for this to sink in then she flicked the child over with the toe of her boot. There clasped in a tiny white hand was a long wooden dagger. Ash looked at it and Lynx in horror "Remember where we are Ash, here and in other renegade towns, survival is everything"
Then she ushered him out of the room and out into the street where she handed him a mobile phone "Call Theirry, tell him that Circle Daybreak adoptions need to find homes for seventeen children, two third's of which are probably Night world." She paused for a moment tucking the Night Blade into her belt loop "Then I want you to go home" he looked at her eyes disturbed "What will you do?" she smiled but her eyes blazed like all the fires of hell had been lit there "I'll collect my reward" Ash looked at her for a moment more and then with a graceful shrug began to punch buttons into the phone. He felt a whisper of lips over his skin as Lynx kissed his cheek and then she turned away and disappeared into the night. She doubted he'd leave but he'd stay out of her way and that was all she needed.