Jal turned to him and her eyes were so different from when he had first seen them

Okay...first of – thank you *so* much to all of you who have commented through the story – I appreciate the time you've taken to tell me what you think, to help me out with what's wrong and for all your encouragement :-) You have been absolutely, totally amazing – thank you from the bottom of my heart.

Thanks to those of ye angels who reviewed last time round:

Persephone (I try to do the unexpected :-) I hope it worked out! Thank you for all your comments – you've been wonderful. The story about Blue comes after Remember.)

Dead Flower (I was rather in a life sucks sort of mood when I wrote it. ::grins:: Ah Lisa, and Cern...you've seen my cunning plan...thank you for all the comments. You're always refreshingly honest.)

Disappointed Again (Well, I'm glad the story made you react...if you want to hate it, fair enough, that's your prerogative. Thanks!)

Dwayberry (I just wanted to writesomething that wasn't happy, y'know? I get really sick of happiness sometimes :-) And it was definitely a challenge!)

Diomede (Chatoya and Blue are coming up after I'm done with Remember :-) There is soemthing called SAD – seasonal affective disorder, which means you get down when the weather is bad :-) Thank you so much!)

Starwisher (Thanks! Well, yeah…I really couldn't see how Jal could survive in the modern world.)

Me (I kind of like sadness :-) Some of my favourite songs are sad ones. Thank you for all your comments :-) )

Dark Angel (Thank you! I find writing sad endings difficult, so I'm glad that it worked! Thanks!)

Myst (It was a bit of a tragedy, I know! I didn't mean for it to get this long. The next one is aiming to be a little angsty...what I write is basically how I feel. Thank you for all your comments!)

Your Peachiness (I have got the epilogue – it's here J Thanks!)

And thanks to everyone else who's commented – Cece, Dee, Eyrien, Katherine, Galli-vi, Ice Princess, Kate, Kirsty Marie, Millennia, Nixa, Ria, Sapamfa, Starrika, Taito's Child, Water Angel, Wind Dancer and :o) – you've all been wonderful, I have been totally knocked out!

Comments would be adored like summer days - revelled in, cherished, and fervently wished for! Please tell me what you think - I love hearing, all your comments and criticisms make the story what it is :-)

Nightfire Epilogue

No, no, no, no, this couldn't be happening, not to him, not to her, not to them...he was burning in a haze of fire, turning into ashes and powder. But then he realised it wasn't him, it was her, oh dear gods, it was her, why couldn't it be him? Better that, better he should die than she.

But it was her, and she was leaving him here.

The wolves clung to Cern Akafren as he tried to get up, shouting her name, trying...why, please, why wouldn't they let him go to her? Why?

And the pain snapped out, leaving him in a floating golden haze. But he could feel the link, still breathing and pulsing.

A husky, unsteady voice. "Open your eyes, witch boy. Your darlin' wants you."

He felt the wolves back away, whining. Something was...wrong. It broke through the numbness, and he obeyed that voice.

For a moment, he saw nothing but blurred outlines. Then...a silvery form, kneeling before him.

Jal.

Jal, with her face smooth and young and heartbreaking. Saying words that he couldn't understand, and maybe that was always how it had to be. And then she reached for him, her touch a cool flame on his skin, and kissed him.

A wash of cold, and for one moment he *was* Jal, screaming in a temple, running through a wood, sobbing in his arms, dying for his love.

Breathe out, feel a part of himself drawn into her. Breathe in, a rush of energy sinking into that part of him that was not physical but spiritual. Breathe for breath, life for life, heartbeat for heartbeat.

There was only the ocean-wash of their breath and touch, the tremulous touch of her mouth, the fevered clutch of her hands that tried to cling to him and failed because they were inches apart, but worlds away.

Her love sank into him, melded with his spirit as surely as she once had, as if he were a dream-catcher and she the nightmare, destined to dissolve as his memories did.

And as he watched, she began to fade, the sunlight catching through until she was only shimmers and gold.

He felt her slip away, and felt anguish as a part of himself was cut away and taken with her, doomed to trail hopelessly ever after the ghost of a golden girl with sweet and sad crystal eyes. Part of him, condemned to call for a girl who would give no answer, to wake up reaching for her and sleep yearning for her.

Only the remnants of her love were bitter in his soul.

* * * *

Two weeks on:

Shadows.

They were so soft, so mysterious. Regarded as darkness, yet without light they would never exist. They lay between the night and the day, ghostly insubstantial things that grew and changed with the movement of the world.

It amused Blue Malefici that so few people realised that they were shadows.

He was watching one of them. Sitting among her friends, with that long black hair as tightly controlled as her emotions as she plaited it carefully.

"Malefici."

He half-turned at the voice, and nodded to the boy who sat down. "How goes life?" he inquired lazily. "And more importantly, death. Enjoying the summer?"

"Not as much as you," the boy chimed eagerly. His eyes fixed on Blue with a hungry, morbid interest. "Did it scream? Did you burn it slowly?"

Blue flicked his eyes to the boy for an instant and it was enough to shut Aspen Martin up. Of the pair, he could pass as human most easily, with only his eyes giving him away. They changed colour from moment to moment but...both eyes were different colours. "Yes and no."

"Pity," Aspen said, sounding disappointed.

The vampire was known for his attitude. While Blue was considered easy going, fun, a people person, Aspen's crazy, uncontrollable moods had alienated everyone he had hit. About half the school.

It was ironic, because of the pair of them, they both knew Blue was the most dangerous.

He shrugged. "Pain stimulates some creatures. I didn't want to find out if that girl was one of them. How goes Pursang?"

Aspen beamed. "Good as ever. Another three Daybreakers dead, and the Asian Nightworld split by civil war. God, their screams sounded so *go-od*..." There was a wildness to his eyes, something that spoke of a rabid animal. "Don't need to ask what Nightfire's been up to. Reckon I could have done it better though."

"As I recall," Blue drawled, "when Pursang did come across Ms. ap Ganra, you stopped to paint a portrait of her. And left a considerable amount of information."

"Not my fault," Aspen put in, rearranging his brown hair so the three blond streaks sweeping back from his forehead showed better. "That information was lost long before I ever got to the top. Anyway, what about K'Shaia? They practically gave her tea and bloody biscuits!"

"Keep your voice down," Blue advised coolly. "Therese doesn't want the name of her business spread all over town."

"Whatever," Aspen said carelessly. "What does it matter if they know? We can just kill them."

"Metaphorically speaking," the lamia added, a warning in his voice as people looked over. His eyes froze over, and Aspen gulped, looking away.

"Yeah, well, that information on ap Ganra or whatever the name was," he continued quietly, "was lost before I came to power. If I find out who has it—"

"I think you'll find that's a vampire by the name of Darkstar," Blue cut in, his face serene and innocent.

Aspen's drifting eyes focused for a moment. "One day I'll find out how you do that," he remarked. His voice was carefully neutral. "I'll bet even you react to torture."

"Play enough Backstreet Boys and I'll tell you almost anything," Blue agreed dryly.

Aspen Martin traced a circle in the grass with his index finger. Where it touched the ground, it left a charred black trail. "I have some people near Darkstar's offices," he murmured. "I'll send them in. So," he said in his light voice. "What is your unhealthy interest with Circle Strange, that little group of outcasts?"

Blue smiled. "One of them defied me."

Aspen stared. It was a rare day when Blue surprised him. It was time to start wearing body armour when he did it twice.

"What?" Aspen said, his fangs baring. "Very funny, Malefici, now what do you really want with them?"

Blue turned his brilliant, disturbing smile on him. "No joke. I warned her what would happen if she did. I gave her my word."

Aspen's eyes glinted, hands bracing his body as he leaned forward. The hungry look was back. "Can I watch while you tear her apart?"

He felt the power swell from Blue. "Over your dead body."

"Pity." The other vampire looked over at the group. "Which one is it? The dragon? She's powerful. Or maybe the Ochai girl...sure you don't want any help?" he pleaded, turning his large liquid eyes to Blue. He couldn't quite meet the icy breaches.

"Oh no." The velvet dark in his voice was soft, alluring. "This one is in for some very special treatment."

"Friends share," grumbled Aspen. "There's no one round here you can torture."

Blue glanced at him. "What about all those Nightpeople that have been going missing lately? Aren't they enough for you, Aspen?"

The madness dimmed in his eyes. "That's not me. Wish it was...whoever's killing them's doing a *fine* job." He drew out the 'fine', his voice a sigh. "I found a body...but they're hiding the rest well. It stank of human. Can't we hunt them down? Maybe this weekend? I have a garrotte I want to try out..."

Blue's eyes were shut as he relaxed. "I can make some time."

He would destroy Chatoya Irkil.

And the best part of it was that she would see what he was doing, but she would be powerless to stop him.

* * * *

"Oh gods, what happened to *you*?" Ria exclaimed in horror when Jepar turned up. He had stitches in his head, and a graze all long one side of his face.

"Let me guess," Cougar said. "Either you and Tali have been having S and M fun, or you told her about that stunt Ruby pulled."

The shapeshifter sat down, unsmiling. "You'd think she would have been a bit more forgiving," he remarked. "But she's okay with it now. After I showed her that there wasn't a lot I could have done to stop it." He frowned. "Whatever it was."

"How did you manage to get near enough?" Ria appeared to be trying not to smile. Chatoya was relieved. There hadn't been much to smile about lately.

Jepar's green eyes glittered briefly. "Well, after she hit me with the silver candlestick – which I'm melting down incidentally – she thought she might have killed me, so she kind of leant over me, and I being the 'immoral, scheming blond' I am, took advantage of the fact she wasn't holding a weapon."

"She knows you so well," was Cougar's input. "Don't suppose you saw Akafren on your way over?"

The cheetah boy shook his head, his face darkening. "Nope."

None of them had seen Cern.

A fortnight since Jal had died and everything had changed beyond Chatoya's comprehension. They had waited, waited for him, then waited for a message, then waited for anything. Finally, Donna Ares had appeared at their door, with her face detached and hard.

"Think there's some things I better explain," she said, hovering outside the door, her sense of territory keeping her out of Circle Strange's space. Even when they beckoned her in, wanting to hear anything about what had happened since Cern left, chasing Blue and Jal, she shook her head. "We're looking after your witch boy now."

"You?" Cougar had been openly sceptical. "No offence, Donna, but we're his friends."

"Friends with soulmates, most of you. If it was you, would you want to be here?" The emerald eyes had softened with compassion as she saw their faces. "Oh, I don't reckon it'll be forever. But he needs to be somewhere to think. There's wolf blood in that boy, and he's closer to it now."

"Hunting helps," Jepar chimed in. She remembered how the cheetah shifter had disappeared when his sister died, setting free his anger in the only way he could. "Maybe it'll be good for him. For a while."

But a while had come and gone, and a week had stretched into two weeks, and they hadn't even caught a glimpse of him.

Now, Jepar paused, then said softly, "but I saw Lisa."

"How is she?" Chatoya said. What had happened to Cern had hit Lisa harder than the rest of them. They had always been close and this...it was crucifying her. It worried her to see the sadness in Lisa's face, and the strange look that was in her eyes sometimes.

Jepar considered his answer for a moment. "Angry. Seriously, completely furious."

"What? *Lisa*?"

The shapeshifter shrugged. "All she said was 'why won't he see?' and then stormed off."

Why won't he see...it sparked an idea that had been floating around Chatoya's head for some time now, but she dismissed it. Lisa had never been shy about showing her affections. Like the rest of them, she was just worried sick.

* * * *

Lisa saw him falling apart and could do nothing.

"Bring him back to us," she prayed. Bring him back to me, she whispered in the depths of her soul.

She had met with the Pack so often lately, trying to understand how she could help. But the Pack themselves were worried, under that hard exterior and defensiveness. They saw him as Pack now, but they weren't his Pack. She was, and Circle Strange was, however Cern might deny it.

The Pack had helped in the only way they knew. Donna would try and haul him into the vibrant arguments she so often had. Felicity would cook for him, and pretend she didn't see the weight he had lost, the way he seemed almost translucent now. The only part of him that held any substance was his eyes.

They were the eyes of someone letting themselves drown.

He didn't look at them anymore, but right through them. She had loved his smile once, fresh and startling. Now she had to cling to the memory of his smile, because he was wreathed in sorrow. Becoming a ghost, a ghost of a person, chasing after a girl with the sun in her hair and the night in her heart.

And she had had enough. It hurt to be near him, but it hurt even more to be far from him and to know he suffered so.

The Pack nodded to her as she strode into their woodland haunt, which looked something like a kid's den, only on a large scale. "Try the clearing," Donna said briefly. "But I don't think he'll listen to you. He ain't listening to us."

Well, he'll damn well listen to *me*, Lisa thought. She had left him alone, and she knew that a fortnight was scarce time to mourn, but this wasn't mourning. This was suicide. He was killing himself slowly, and she wouldn't stand back this time and let it happen.

She found him staring at the scorched ground, all that remained of Jallakri ap Ganra. She caught her breath at how pale he had gotten, how lean his face was now.

"What are you doing?" she said aloud, sadly.

He didn't turn. "Go away."

"No." Silence, long silence while she walked to stand beside him. "Please stop this."

"Stop what?" he said bitterly.

She turned and looked at his eyes, that soft bruised colour, and hurt. "Don't play games with me. You think Jal would have wanted this?"

"You didn't like her," he said with startling perceptiveness. That rock-hard stare turned on her, but she met the pain of his stare. Lisa found herself off-guard, without a glib answer or an easy diversion. "Why?"

She floundered. What to say? The old lies wouldn't spring to her mind under his eyes. Finally, she could only answer with the truth, because he would know anything else was a lie. "I knew what she was."

Raw shock made his face gaunt. "What? How? Why didn't you..."

"The same way Donna knew you were a werewolf when you met her," she answered. "The same way Tali can know other dragons. It's just like they say...it takes one to know one."

"You're..." She had startled him from that numbness, and was glad, even though it tore savagely at her to see that what replaced it was horror.

"Not exactly," she said calmly. "But we're both creations of Nightfire. We're only what we're made to be."

"But you're thirty," he whispered, the first quiver of life rippling through his eyes. If the confession of her very soul would bring back his smile, she would bare it to the world.

"I lied."

"Why?"

"The same reasons Jal did. I was scared. I didn't know what she was exactly until the hunter's moon. But I knew she was...like me. Someone changed her soul a long time ago with magick." She dropped her eyes. Still the same shame for what she was. "I...escaped. I was lucky. Others weren't." She looked at him and what she saw made her press a hand to her mouth so he wouldn't see she was trying not to cry. "Please don't hate me."

"I couldn't hate her," he murmured and smiled tiredly. The anguish was there. "How can I hate you?" He fell silent for a moment, but then said, "I'm just lost without her. Why does it hurt? How can anything hurt like this? Did I just forget? I remember how it was when Becky died, but..."

"It's not just her this time," she said. "it's you too. Please, Cern...don't stay with the Pack. Even if you don't want to see any of the others, they're worried. If it hurts to be around them, at least see the rest of us."

He looked at his friend, who was pleading with him, begging him, and thought of what Jal had said to him. He had tried not to think about her, because it only brought back those moments that fell away like a castle of sand beneath the tide.

~ There's peace for you, ~ she had said. ~ You just didn't see it. ~

So here he was. With this choice again. She had chosen the dark. And he could choose that too, and hope...hope she would be there, waiting. Standing on the desert sands, like he dreamed her every night, with her hair loose and wild in the wind, waiting for him. But he knew it was never real. It was never her, only the wishes his mind made

Or this. He knew what Jal would have wanted.

He walked out of the clearing that day, and back to his Pack. And he hoped that somewhere, that girl who had once told him that he was her moon, that she would howl for him in the endless night, that girl was watching him, and smiling.

That night, he dreamed he saw her, running across a desert land with a pack of wolves, beautiful and brilliant in the endless night. It was her, he felt her spirit, clean and strong in the world she belonged to.

Wolves that ran towards safety, towards the shelter from the morning sun. He called her name and she stopped, drawing away from the Pack, her body rippling felinely until the girl with the sunfire hair and ice-crystal eyes stood on the sands.

She turned and looked towards him and it seemed that she smiled and in that moment, she was his, only and always his.

And then the sun rose.

She threw her head back and screamed as the sands leapt up around her and became flames. He understood that he would always lose her this way, she would always be consumed by the sun's fire. That she would never be his for longer than that fleeting moment.

She was gone.

He would never forget her.

* * * *

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