He dreamed for the first time in almost a month of Lynx Redfern, and the sword which had haunted him since it had been forged all that time ago. Lynx had haunted him before but the sword had never been with her, however much his subconscious hated him it had never put the two 'women' in his life together in one dream. Until now. They were so close together that they looked like one twisted artefact a dark melding of metal and flesh. But they weren't one yet. Then they turned to look at him and he flinched at the lifeless golden eyes; but she wasn't looking at him she was looking through him. It was the young woman who stepped away from her who was looking at him.
She was almost recognisable something in his subconscious recognised her but his dreaming mind was struggling. "Do you like our creation FallenStar" he saw gleaming golden eyes in a fifteen year old face and his sleeping mind catapulted him awake. "That has to be impossible" the image remained imprinted on his eyes though and he climbed out of bed pulling on a pair of boxer shorts before walking into his study. There was a large easel bearing a half finished commission of one of the more prominent citizens of Ryars valley but next to it was a smaller one on which rested a half completed portrait. It was Lynx, but she wouldn't know herself if she saw it. The woman in the picture wore a yellow dress and a relaxed though thoughtful expression but the eyes held all the secrets of her world.
It had been an obsession this painting, although he had tried many times to put it aside and work on something else. Obsession in a professional artist was a bad thing but it returned to haunt him. This was how his soulmate should look, this was HIS Lynx Redfern. He shook his head an oddly rueful smile on his face, this is what he'd like his Lynx Redfern to be but she never would be, even the suggestion of a dress would have her re planning her weaponry furiously. Most of all however he had always found this portrait helped him think, but not tonight. He took a piece of cartridge paper and sketched out the elfin little face that had partnered Lynx's and a chill of recognition slid down his spine "Oh, tortured spirit" and for a second his eyes flashed green fire human disgust displacing Draconian soul even now.
Bran had a suspicion that his dream hadn't been completely a dream as his hand flew over the paper tracing the familiar curves of Lynx's face close, so close, to being entwined with the sword. Then he looked back at it and swore "Shit" and began pulling objects from his desk draws in an almost frantic search for something.
***
Lynx woke up her chest heaving from the remnants of an old nightmare to find Ash sitting on the edge of her bed her voice flew out "Duck!" he didn't question just threw himself on the floor and looked up to find her standing over him. "Clothes" he choked out "Clothes Lynx" she shrugged her shoulders and there was a knife at his throat "Why are you here cousin" Ash looked up into pitiless eyes and swallowed once "I want to help you" her brows rose but there was no real change of expression "I told you to go" he held her eyes as he answered "You need my help, remember" she shook her head "Not for this Ash, you don't have the lack of moral fibre that I do to manage this" he continued to stare at her "I went to the same school you did" Lynx's lip curled "For what, a whole three weeks?" Ash made no movement to correct her so she strode across the room and pulled a throwing knife out of the wall "Next time I won't warn you" he grinned taking this as acceptance of his presence standing before she turned around .
In her hand was a long length of steel cored bast "So before I have to face the prospect of killing one of the three Redfern's I can appreciate, I'll truss you up like a turkey and send you back to Daybreak" Ash's eyes widened and he backed up a single step so that he was against the bedpost staring at her "You wouldn't" Her eyes were blank and dangerous "Oh yes, I would" and at that moment Ash wasn't sure whether she meant killing him or merely humiliating him. "I'll go" he stalked to the door and for the first time in well over two years looking like the Ash she had known in the trade turned back to her "But if you die, I'll never forgive you" Then he slammed out of the door and a few seconds later she heard his motorbike roar out of the motel parking lot.
She was awake now, not a single vestige of sleep haunted her. Tomorrow. Today, she intended to move against her soulmate so she and the sword had to finish laying their cards on the table "Ruby?" the young woman's shade came from the sword in a flare of black fire "You called" Lynx looked at her, sizing her up as a potential opponent "Yes I did, I know what you get out of this demons bargain were making but what do I get?" the ghost looked at her for a moment taken aback and then smiled "Simple, the Night Blade will be at full potential like I was at Texas"
Lynx had to take a moment to work out Ruby's split personality but the reference to Texas took no time at all. Three separate bidders bid for her to take the same job, like so all good business women she took all three contracts for absurd amounts of money. The whole thing had been a set up, they had meant her to die, and at sixteen she hadn't been ready to die. So what the bidders had meant to be a final blow out for the Night Blade had turned into a bloodbath, The Night Blade itself had taken a hand after the first six were dead and Lynx's blood was running over the hilt.
Backlash, the place had filled with spinning shards of, well everything, for a second and then the sword had glowed with caustic black flames which hurt the eyes and by the sound of screaming they burned into cuts like vinegar and salt. She was to learn later that the cuts never healed. Lynx's smile turned feral even now in the present at the memory "Done" Ruby's shade smiled almost a mirror of Lynx, bloodlust and terror waiting to happen; as with a shake of her hair Lynx ran her hands along the blade until blood flowed and Ruby's chanting filled the air.
She was almost recognisable something in his subconscious recognised her but his dreaming mind was struggling. "Do you like our creation FallenStar" he saw gleaming golden eyes in a fifteen year old face and his sleeping mind catapulted him awake. "That has to be impossible" the image remained imprinted on his eyes though and he climbed out of bed pulling on a pair of boxer shorts before walking into his study. There was a large easel bearing a half finished commission of one of the more prominent citizens of Ryars valley but next to it was a smaller one on which rested a half completed portrait. It was Lynx, but she wouldn't know herself if she saw it. The woman in the picture wore a yellow dress and a relaxed though thoughtful expression but the eyes held all the secrets of her world.
It had been an obsession this painting, although he had tried many times to put it aside and work on something else. Obsession in a professional artist was a bad thing but it returned to haunt him. This was how his soulmate should look, this was HIS Lynx Redfern. He shook his head an oddly rueful smile on his face, this is what he'd like his Lynx Redfern to be but she never would be, even the suggestion of a dress would have her re planning her weaponry furiously. Most of all however he had always found this portrait helped him think, but not tonight. He took a piece of cartridge paper and sketched out the elfin little face that had partnered Lynx's and a chill of recognition slid down his spine "Oh, tortured spirit" and for a second his eyes flashed green fire human disgust displacing Draconian soul even now.
Bran had a suspicion that his dream hadn't been completely a dream as his hand flew over the paper tracing the familiar curves of Lynx's face close, so close, to being entwined with the sword. Then he looked back at it and swore "Shit" and began pulling objects from his desk draws in an almost frantic search for something.
***
Lynx woke up her chest heaving from the remnants of an old nightmare to find Ash sitting on the edge of her bed her voice flew out "Duck!" he didn't question just threw himself on the floor and looked up to find her standing over him. "Clothes" he choked out "Clothes Lynx" she shrugged her shoulders and there was a knife at his throat "Why are you here cousin" Ash looked up into pitiless eyes and swallowed once "I want to help you" her brows rose but there was no real change of expression "I told you to go" he held her eyes as he answered "You need my help, remember" she shook her head "Not for this Ash, you don't have the lack of moral fibre that I do to manage this" he continued to stare at her "I went to the same school you did" Lynx's lip curled "For what, a whole three weeks?" Ash made no movement to correct her so she strode across the room and pulled a throwing knife out of the wall "Next time I won't warn you" he grinned taking this as acceptance of his presence standing before she turned around .
In her hand was a long length of steel cored bast "So before I have to face the prospect of killing one of the three Redfern's I can appreciate, I'll truss you up like a turkey and send you back to Daybreak" Ash's eyes widened and he backed up a single step so that he was against the bedpost staring at her "You wouldn't" Her eyes were blank and dangerous "Oh yes, I would" and at that moment Ash wasn't sure whether she meant killing him or merely humiliating him. "I'll go" he stalked to the door and for the first time in well over two years looking like the Ash she had known in the trade turned back to her "But if you die, I'll never forgive you" Then he slammed out of the door and a few seconds later she heard his motorbike roar out of the motel parking lot.
She was awake now, not a single vestige of sleep haunted her. Tomorrow. Today, she intended to move against her soulmate so she and the sword had to finish laying their cards on the table "Ruby?" the young woman's shade came from the sword in a flare of black fire "You called" Lynx looked at her, sizing her up as a potential opponent "Yes I did, I know what you get out of this demons bargain were making but what do I get?" the ghost looked at her for a moment taken aback and then smiled "Simple, the Night Blade will be at full potential like I was at Texas"
Lynx had to take a moment to work out Ruby's split personality but the reference to Texas took no time at all. Three separate bidders bid for her to take the same job, like so all good business women she took all three contracts for absurd amounts of money. The whole thing had been a set up, they had meant her to die, and at sixteen she hadn't been ready to die. So what the bidders had meant to be a final blow out for the Night Blade had turned into a bloodbath, The Night Blade itself had taken a hand after the first six were dead and Lynx's blood was running over the hilt.
Backlash, the place had filled with spinning shards of, well everything, for a second and then the sword had glowed with caustic black flames which hurt the eyes and by the sound of screaming they burned into cuts like vinegar and salt. She was to learn later that the cuts never healed. Lynx's smile turned feral even now in the present at the memory "Done" Ruby's shade smiled almost a mirror of Lynx, bloodlust and terror waiting to happen; as with a shake of her hair Lynx ran her hands along the blade until blood flowed and Ruby's chanting filled the air.