Detached and whole all at once, it was almost like the soulmate connection that slight feeling of invasion followed by oneness, but it wasn't a complete oneness and it hurt. Lynx opened her eyes the Night Blade was in her hand and the black flames should have been scorching her. They had last time. But now they felt like a tongue against her hand. The detachedness had come almost as soon as her consciousness had returned as if the world couldn't quite touch her. Them. Ruby was there at the back of her mind like her conscience it was like balancing between insanity and pain on a greased wire.
She finally moved over to the mirror, was the change in her noticeable? She had to know. Oh yes it was, if only to her. Her competence remained the same it showed in her stance, her hair still shone dark blood red free now and curling in tangles but her eyes; oh yea gods and little fishes her eyes no longer shone golden ice, they carried all the fires of hell. Lynx hardly felt her knees give way *What have you done?* *Done?* Ruby's mental voice was impartial as she stared at Lynx out of Lynx's eyes. *I've done what we both want, give me control* Lynx submitted warily to the dead witch and felt as if she had become even more disconnected as a black fireball danced into existence on the tips of her fingers.
She slipped back into her space at the pilots seat and the fire disappeared. "What have you done" the question was whispered this time but it gave no appearance of insanity, Lynx continued to stare into the mirror robbed of her usual composure by shock. *You were bonded to the blade, all I've done is allowed us both a little more equality in this partnership* Assassins ice cascaded down Lynx's spine "You mean we have one soul?" her own head shook *No, we have one body. Try and let go of the sword* Lynx bit her lip and uncurled her fingers.
Pain. It rocked her world, blood boiled and her heart threatened to burst she was being ripped apart inside until self preservation fisted her hand around the swords hilt again. Peace reigned in the motel room all was quiet except for the ragged gasp of Lynx's breathing. *One soul* she pulled herself to her feet wiping blood from the corners of her nose and mouth. And stared at the raging golden fires that were now her eyes "Till death us do part" it should have been funny but there was only antipathetic loathing in her tone; but Ruby still laughed. *Exactly, we are more wed than any puny mortal ceremony could make us there can be no betrayal in this*
There it was set out in those seven words. There can be no betrayal in this. It told her why she had literally bargained with her demons and sold her soul. She licked her lips and a familiar silver sheen appeared in her eyes, Ruby's presence retreated. She had the gist of it now, in acceptance she gained control. She would take him tonight, she had almost an hour to kill before she had to prepare and had to leave time to remember the final time she had seen him.
She had been little more than a child in the affairs of the heart, not in sex she had been using that as part of her arsenal since she had turned sixteen. Love however was a totally different ball game. It was the last day she could afford to spend playing hooky before her Grandfather came looking for her, she had to see Bran and tell him that there would be no more meetings for a while. Soulmate principle or no he wasn't a Lamia and he wasn't going to let himself be council controlled so her Grandfather wouldn't like him.
She had dressed easily in white cotton shorts and a black halter top and her usual sarcastic smile was playing around her mouth. Her hair was loose concealing the only weapon she ever wore to their meetings, the Night Blade strapped by two leather thongs to her back and belt. Lynx Redfern was learning, albeit slowly to trust.
Then she had knocked on the door of the friends house he was using while he was holidaying there in Tampa. With a light hearted grin he had opened the door, as always his smile had stolen something from her. Poetically she had once assigned it a piece of her soul now she just suspected rampant lust. But even Ruby agreed now in her memories he was a fine figure of a man, the hair and eyes had flashed at her when they'd first met in the dark alley. She'd gone to knock him out, and had still been standing there when he came around wanting to see if slapping him had the same effect on her metabolism.
She should have seen the blackness in the dark of his eyes that evening as he had asked her once again, nonsensically, to give up the blade she had won with sweat blood and tears. She refused. How could she do otherwise, even then the Night Blade had been a part of her soul, part of who she was. He had accepted with a shrug and had gone into the kitchen.
After that her normal danger sense deserted her the next thing she knew was the feel of a bast garrotte around her throat. How she had pulled free was a mystery, how she had managed to get to Vegas from Florida wasn't. She had killed three witches to get to Aradia and had demanded to be sent to Theirry, The woman who was to become maiden in the next year had done as she was told. Which had been sensible of her. The rest was history, history and nightmare.
To her surprise the moon was rising outside as she looked from the window. She wouldn't need much though. Herself, the Night Blade and the Witchblade Ash had given her. Ruby was overjoyed as Lynx pulled on her all black outfit that had been first worn to Theirry's what felt like only hours ago, but her mind told her it had been days. The Night Blade it seemed could be parted from her when both of them were in agreement, she unbuttoned the collar of her shirt to leave the white scar showing as a mark of pride; and pulled her braid up so that it coiled around her head and into that she inserted the Necromancers stone.
She walked out unconcernedly through the reception area the Night Blade spreading black fire from her in a sort of halo. It seemed oddly suitable to her tonight for surely she if not Ruby would be sitting at Satan's right hand tonight for her misdeeds, as she strolled down the road towards Bran's home she abandoned all her usual constraints and smiled; and echoing in her head was Ruby's maniacal laughter.
She finally moved over to the mirror, was the change in her noticeable? She had to know. Oh yes it was, if only to her. Her competence remained the same it showed in her stance, her hair still shone dark blood red free now and curling in tangles but her eyes; oh yea gods and little fishes her eyes no longer shone golden ice, they carried all the fires of hell. Lynx hardly felt her knees give way *What have you done?* *Done?* Ruby's mental voice was impartial as she stared at Lynx out of Lynx's eyes. *I've done what we both want, give me control* Lynx submitted warily to the dead witch and felt as if she had become even more disconnected as a black fireball danced into existence on the tips of her fingers.
She slipped back into her space at the pilots seat and the fire disappeared. "What have you done" the question was whispered this time but it gave no appearance of insanity, Lynx continued to stare into the mirror robbed of her usual composure by shock. *You were bonded to the blade, all I've done is allowed us both a little more equality in this partnership* Assassins ice cascaded down Lynx's spine "You mean we have one soul?" her own head shook *No, we have one body. Try and let go of the sword* Lynx bit her lip and uncurled her fingers.
Pain. It rocked her world, blood boiled and her heart threatened to burst she was being ripped apart inside until self preservation fisted her hand around the swords hilt again. Peace reigned in the motel room all was quiet except for the ragged gasp of Lynx's breathing. *One soul* she pulled herself to her feet wiping blood from the corners of her nose and mouth. And stared at the raging golden fires that were now her eyes "Till death us do part" it should have been funny but there was only antipathetic loathing in her tone; but Ruby still laughed. *Exactly, we are more wed than any puny mortal ceremony could make us there can be no betrayal in this*
There it was set out in those seven words. There can be no betrayal in this. It told her why she had literally bargained with her demons and sold her soul. She licked her lips and a familiar silver sheen appeared in her eyes, Ruby's presence retreated. She had the gist of it now, in acceptance she gained control. She would take him tonight, she had almost an hour to kill before she had to prepare and had to leave time to remember the final time she had seen him.
She had been little more than a child in the affairs of the heart, not in sex she had been using that as part of her arsenal since she had turned sixteen. Love however was a totally different ball game. It was the last day she could afford to spend playing hooky before her Grandfather came looking for her, she had to see Bran and tell him that there would be no more meetings for a while. Soulmate principle or no he wasn't a Lamia and he wasn't going to let himself be council controlled so her Grandfather wouldn't like him.
She had dressed easily in white cotton shorts and a black halter top and her usual sarcastic smile was playing around her mouth. Her hair was loose concealing the only weapon she ever wore to their meetings, the Night Blade strapped by two leather thongs to her back and belt. Lynx Redfern was learning, albeit slowly to trust.
Then she had knocked on the door of the friends house he was using while he was holidaying there in Tampa. With a light hearted grin he had opened the door, as always his smile had stolen something from her. Poetically she had once assigned it a piece of her soul now she just suspected rampant lust. But even Ruby agreed now in her memories he was a fine figure of a man, the hair and eyes had flashed at her when they'd first met in the dark alley. She'd gone to knock him out, and had still been standing there when he came around wanting to see if slapping him had the same effect on her metabolism.
She should have seen the blackness in the dark of his eyes that evening as he had asked her once again, nonsensically, to give up the blade she had won with sweat blood and tears. She refused. How could she do otherwise, even then the Night Blade had been a part of her soul, part of who she was. He had accepted with a shrug and had gone into the kitchen.
After that her normal danger sense deserted her the next thing she knew was the feel of a bast garrotte around her throat. How she had pulled free was a mystery, how she had managed to get to Vegas from Florida wasn't. She had killed three witches to get to Aradia and had demanded to be sent to Theirry, The woman who was to become maiden in the next year had done as she was told. Which had been sensible of her. The rest was history, history and nightmare.
To her surprise the moon was rising outside as she looked from the window. She wouldn't need much though. Herself, the Night Blade and the Witchblade Ash had given her. Ruby was overjoyed as Lynx pulled on her all black outfit that had been first worn to Theirry's what felt like only hours ago, but her mind told her it had been days. The Night Blade it seemed could be parted from her when both of them were in agreement, she unbuttoned the collar of her shirt to leave the white scar showing as a mark of pride; and pulled her braid up so that it coiled around her head and into that she inserted the Necromancers stone.
She walked out unconcernedly through the reception area the Night Blade spreading black fire from her in a sort of halo. It seemed oddly suitable to her tonight for surely she if not Ruby would be sitting at Satan's right hand tonight for her misdeeds, as she strolled down the road towards Bran's home she abandoned all her usual constraints and smiled; and echoing in her head was Ruby's maniacal laughter.