Author's notes: the fic is actually completed, it's just taking a little longer than I thought to post it. It depends how often I can get to an Internet connected computer. Please be patient with me. All parts WILL be posted.
Part 4
Zeke didn't know what he was doing, he hated himself for hurting Seraphin's feelings by just walking away and leaving her...but...
He had always assumed the soulmate principal was just a load of soppy crap the Daybreaks liked to blab about. But...the mind link thing...it had happened. It was true then.
Seraphin was his soulmate. He had to admit he'd known there was something about her the minute he'd laid eyes on her that first day. Her Gothic look had been very attractive, he couldn't understand why people would want Topaz rather than her.
Of course, if Topaz knew about this, she'd be even more furious than she was already. His fling with her had ended a century ago. He'd had no idea she'd be here, in Denver right now.
He wasn't exactly sure why he'd decided to start high school again in Denver. But...it had seemed almost like a compulsion to come here, something drawing him here. What, he'd had no idea.
He seemed to have settled in pretty well, Seraphin still fascinated him. He smiled, thinking of her, her dark locks, so soft, her features, so perfect. In his opinion, she was more beautiful than Topaz would ever be.
Topaz had just been a fling, she was a Wolf, a Night World species he'd never tried before. He'd had allsorts of girls, panther shifters, coyote shifters, even a girl who was a snake shifter. Witches, and other vampires...never a Wolf or a werewolf.
Topaz had been new at the time, and fun, and had seemed mysterious and attractive...before he'd found out how much of a bitch she was, and had given up with her. For some reason, she had never been able to let go. She'd been hounding him ever since.
For the past twenty years or so, he'd managed to avoid her, hiding in small towns, Night World enclaves...
And then for some reason, he'd decided to venture out into the world and try high school. He'd never really been fond of school before, but, one advantages was, high school was full of people.
Zeke couldn't help smiling a nasty smile. Full of meals. Human girls were so easy to seduce. And then Seraphin had come along, and for some reason, he'd decided to pay attention to what was happening around him, rather than think about himself and his own needs and pleasure.
He hadn't told her about himself, or about the Night World. He knew she could sense something different about him, but that didn't matter. There was no way he had planned on telling her the truth.
He'd been planning on leading her along for a while, and feeding on her over a period of time, that way her death would be slow and sweet. But the attraction he'd felt for her made him reconsider. The more he got to know her, the more he found himself falling in love with her.
Love...oh god. Love was a pain. But he hadn't been able to help himself this time. He was in love with Seraphin, she was his soulmate, and he was going to break all the rules that had been ingrained into him since birth.
He opened the door to his apartment, and found Topaz sitting on his couch, waiting for him.
This couldn't mean anything good.
"What do you want?" he said bluntly.
"You're insane, you know that?" she answered, a scowl darkening her pretty features.
"Don't frown, you might get wrinkles," he said whimsically, moving to close the door. She slapped him. The force of the blow was strong, especially for a girl. Strong enough to send him staggering back. She smiled a little at the stunned look on his face.
"You can't love her, you know."
Zeke scrambled to his feet, his murky eyes blazing with fury. "How did you - "
Topaz gave him an alluring smile. "You're lousy and shielding your mind, you know that?"
Zeke just stared, for once completely at a loss for words. Was there nothing he could do to be rid of her. Well, there was the obvious...
"Don't go there," she said. "You really don't want to know who I can call if I feel threatened."
"And you don't want to know what *I'll* do to you if you harm a single hair on her head," he hissed.
She laughed, completely unaffected. "Ooh, Zeke getting in touch with his old bad self. That's more like it. She's human, you know."
"So?"
"So you're breaking the law."
"Your point?"
Topaz moved forward, so close he could feel her breath on his face. "So, you know what happens when you break the law."
And with that, she left. Despite any sort of threats he made, and whether he carried them out or not, she would kill Seraphin in a second. She didn't even need to be in the room to do it. He knew her witch talents, stronger than any Midnight witch he'd ever met.
Seraphin was doomed.
* * *
Topaz was annoyed. What the hell was wrong with Zeke? She was well aware he was a ladies man,. Very flirty, always hitting on girl after girl. But a human? It was just absurd. They should be together. He was gorgeous and powerful, as was she.
What did Seraphin have that she didn't? The girl had nothing! Nothing! No powers, no looks, no personality, at least not in Topaz's views. She had no particular talents either.
Her mind was about as blank as a brook wall, and just as thick, easy to get around, easy to see what the little dummy was thinking. Bitch. How dare she infringe on Topaz's love life like this.
For the project, despite the fact that Seraphin was obviously a wuss and hated the Aztecs, she seemed to have taken over the bulk of the work, and that obviously impressed Zeke.
Well, Topaz's dark lips curved. As far as she was concerned, there was only one way to deal with Seraphin.
Kill her.
The only solution. No Seraphin, no fixation for Zeke. Zeke would be morning, and need comfort. Topaz was beginning to get the uncomfortable feeling that Seraphin Zeke were maybe more than just friends.
Naughty little Zeke. Loving a human was against the rules. The Council should know about this, and she wasn't just going to inform the Blackthorn branch of the council. She was going right the way up.
She spied Seraphin walked down the hall, and fell into step with her. "I think we should talk."
"Maybe I don't want to talk to you." For such a small girl she had a big mouth.
Topaz grabbed her arm and jerked her into a dark corner beneath the stairs. Her amber eyes were blazing, but they seemed to be having no effect on Seraphin. She looked completely unimpressed and rather annoyed.
Which made Topaz even more angry. "You don't know what you're doing, getting yourself involved with Zeke. If I were you, I'd keep away from him."
Seraphin's dark eyebrow raised. "You think you can scare me?"
Topaz smiled a little. "I'm not trying, I'm telling you the truth for your own good. Zeke is dangerous. He's part of something...different. Darker. You get involved with him, you could be putting yourself in danger."
Seraphin snorted. "You're not scaring me at all. I think you're just jealous 'cause it's the first time you've wanted a guy who doesn't want you back!"
Topaz controlled the urge to shift and rip her guts out then and there. Someone would notice if there was a wolf roaming around the halls. She sighed. "Your risking your life, here, and I'm not kidding. I guess I'm just going to have to show you what I mean."
Seraphin sighed and jerked her arm a way, Topaz's words just brushing over her. "Get a life Topaz." And she walked off into the mainstream of students heading for class.
Topaz was so angry she felt if she didn't get out of the girl's presence she would do something everyone would regret. She stormed out the school building, heading down the front steps ehe snatched up her phone and dialled the personal number for Trinity Harman-Redfern the Council leader. The most powerful half-breed in all the Night World, with powers of vampire and witch combined.
"Is this important?" Trinity's voice was cold. Not friendly. She was not someone you wanted to see mad.
"If it wasn't important, then why would I bother wasting your time?" Topaz snorted.
Trinity sighed. "Hello Topaz, what is it this time? Who's bothering you now?"
Topaz smiled a little. If she had a problem with someone, she made sure it was known. She had to admit she'd needed the council's assassins more than a few times.
"I know someone who's broken the law."
That got Trinity's attention. "Who? What law?"
"The one about falling in love with a human. I like the guy, I just don't like the girl. I want him left alone, so I can have him, but I want her taken care of. Get me someone like Aurelia Wolf. She's mean. She'll call the little bitch some pain she won't forget."
"I'm afraid Aurelia's unavailable. She's off on another assignment. But I'll get you Monica Stephens. She's just as good."
Topaz was not impressed. "That sounds like a human name."
Trinity laughed, a chilling sound. "It's meant to. That's how Mon does her work. She blends in with the human crowd. It's easier for her to hunt down her target."
"I hope you're right. What is she?"
"A shapeshifter. A rogue Drache."
"She'd better be as good as you say she is."
"She is, don't worry. Your problem will be solved within a few days."
Topaz was smiling as she hung up. The Council had never let her down with their assassins, and she doubted they were going to this time.
Well Seraphin, Topaz thought. You can't say I didn't warn you.
* * *
What is Topaz's problem? I can't understand why she doesn't just give up. Why can't she just accept that Zeke likes me more than her. And I still can't believe she threatened me!
I shook my head annoyed as I sat through class, but I still found myself pondering what Topaz had said. Was Zeke really dangerous. No. No he couldn't be. Maybe he was a little moody sometimes, but...dangerous?
How well did Topaz know Zeke? She had obviously known him longer than I had. Was she really concerned that Zeke might hurt me? Somehow, I doubted it. Topaz would probably be thrilled if something bad happened to me.
If somehow, Zeke did hurt me, and my life really was in danger, I can just see her as the type to stand on my grave and laugh, saying, "I told you so!"
I was confused, and upset. I decided not to mention any of this to Zeke. Or maybe I should. My lip curled if Zeke was really dangerous, then maybe I should tell him, and he'd be pissed, and turn his wrath on Topaz instead of me. That could be fun.
I would much rather concentrate on the way Zeke had kissed me. It had been so wonderful. And that strange white light. What *was* that? I found it strange and fascinating, and I wanted to experience it again.
But Zeke had been afraid. He obviously knew what it was, and wouldn't tell me. He wouldn't tell me a lot of things.
I sat there in class, not really paying attention, since I was too busy trying to solve the unsolvable mystery that was Zeke Blackthorn.
* * *
Part 4
Zeke didn't know what he was doing, he hated himself for hurting Seraphin's feelings by just walking away and leaving her...but...
He had always assumed the soulmate principal was just a load of soppy crap the Daybreaks liked to blab about. But...the mind link thing...it had happened. It was true then.
Seraphin was his soulmate. He had to admit he'd known there was something about her the minute he'd laid eyes on her that first day. Her Gothic look had been very attractive, he couldn't understand why people would want Topaz rather than her.
Of course, if Topaz knew about this, she'd be even more furious than she was already. His fling with her had ended a century ago. He'd had no idea she'd be here, in Denver right now.
He wasn't exactly sure why he'd decided to start high school again in Denver. But...it had seemed almost like a compulsion to come here, something drawing him here. What, he'd had no idea.
He seemed to have settled in pretty well, Seraphin still fascinated him. He smiled, thinking of her, her dark locks, so soft, her features, so perfect. In his opinion, she was more beautiful than Topaz would ever be.
Topaz had just been a fling, she was a Wolf, a Night World species he'd never tried before. He'd had allsorts of girls, panther shifters, coyote shifters, even a girl who was a snake shifter. Witches, and other vampires...never a Wolf or a werewolf.
Topaz had been new at the time, and fun, and had seemed mysterious and attractive...before he'd found out how much of a bitch she was, and had given up with her. For some reason, she had never been able to let go. She'd been hounding him ever since.
For the past twenty years or so, he'd managed to avoid her, hiding in small towns, Night World enclaves...
And then for some reason, he'd decided to venture out into the world and try high school. He'd never really been fond of school before, but, one advantages was, high school was full of people.
Zeke couldn't help smiling a nasty smile. Full of meals. Human girls were so easy to seduce. And then Seraphin had come along, and for some reason, he'd decided to pay attention to what was happening around him, rather than think about himself and his own needs and pleasure.
He hadn't told her about himself, or about the Night World. He knew she could sense something different about him, but that didn't matter. There was no way he had planned on telling her the truth.
He'd been planning on leading her along for a while, and feeding on her over a period of time, that way her death would be slow and sweet. But the attraction he'd felt for her made him reconsider. The more he got to know her, the more he found himself falling in love with her.
Love...oh god. Love was a pain. But he hadn't been able to help himself this time. He was in love with Seraphin, she was his soulmate, and he was going to break all the rules that had been ingrained into him since birth.
He opened the door to his apartment, and found Topaz sitting on his couch, waiting for him.
This couldn't mean anything good.
"What do you want?" he said bluntly.
"You're insane, you know that?" she answered, a scowl darkening her pretty features.
"Don't frown, you might get wrinkles," he said whimsically, moving to close the door. She slapped him. The force of the blow was strong, especially for a girl. Strong enough to send him staggering back. She smiled a little at the stunned look on his face.
"You can't love her, you know."
Zeke scrambled to his feet, his murky eyes blazing with fury. "How did you - "
Topaz gave him an alluring smile. "You're lousy and shielding your mind, you know that?"
Zeke just stared, for once completely at a loss for words. Was there nothing he could do to be rid of her. Well, there was the obvious...
"Don't go there," she said. "You really don't want to know who I can call if I feel threatened."
"And you don't want to know what *I'll* do to you if you harm a single hair on her head," he hissed.
She laughed, completely unaffected. "Ooh, Zeke getting in touch with his old bad self. That's more like it. She's human, you know."
"So?"
"So you're breaking the law."
"Your point?"
Topaz moved forward, so close he could feel her breath on his face. "So, you know what happens when you break the law."
And with that, she left. Despite any sort of threats he made, and whether he carried them out or not, she would kill Seraphin in a second. She didn't even need to be in the room to do it. He knew her witch talents, stronger than any Midnight witch he'd ever met.
Seraphin was doomed.
* * *
Topaz was annoyed. What the hell was wrong with Zeke? She was well aware he was a ladies man,. Very flirty, always hitting on girl after girl. But a human? It was just absurd. They should be together. He was gorgeous and powerful, as was she.
What did Seraphin have that she didn't? The girl had nothing! Nothing! No powers, no looks, no personality, at least not in Topaz's views. She had no particular talents either.
Her mind was about as blank as a brook wall, and just as thick, easy to get around, easy to see what the little dummy was thinking. Bitch. How dare she infringe on Topaz's love life like this.
For the project, despite the fact that Seraphin was obviously a wuss and hated the Aztecs, she seemed to have taken over the bulk of the work, and that obviously impressed Zeke.
Well, Topaz's dark lips curved. As far as she was concerned, there was only one way to deal with Seraphin.
Kill her.
The only solution. No Seraphin, no fixation for Zeke. Zeke would be morning, and need comfort. Topaz was beginning to get the uncomfortable feeling that Seraphin Zeke were maybe more than just friends.
Naughty little Zeke. Loving a human was against the rules. The Council should know about this, and she wasn't just going to inform the Blackthorn branch of the council. She was going right the way up.
She spied Seraphin walked down the hall, and fell into step with her. "I think we should talk."
"Maybe I don't want to talk to you." For such a small girl she had a big mouth.
Topaz grabbed her arm and jerked her into a dark corner beneath the stairs. Her amber eyes were blazing, but they seemed to be having no effect on Seraphin. She looked completely unimpressed and rather annoyed.
Which made Topaz even more angry. "You don't know what you're doing, getting yourself involved with Zeke. If I were you, I'd keep away from him."
Seraphin's dark eyebrow raised. "You think you can scare me?"
Topaz smiled a little. "I'm not trying, I'm telling you the truth for your own good. Zeke is dangerous. He's part of something...different. Darker. You get involved with him, you could be putting yourself in danger."
Seraphin snorted. "You're not scaring me at all. I think you're just jealous 'cause it's the first time you've wanted a guy who doesn't want you back!"
Topaz controlled the urge to shift and rip her guts out then and there. Someone would notice if there was a wolf roaming around the halls. She sighed. "Your risking your life, here, and I'm not kidding. I guess I'm just going to have to show you what I mean."
Seraphin sighed and jerked her arm a way, Topaz's words just brushing over her. "Get a life Topaz." And she walked off into the mainstream of students heading for class.
Topaz was so angry she felt if she didn't get out of the girl's presence she would do something everyone would regret. She stormed out the school building, heading down the front steps ehe snatched up her phone and dialled the personal number for Trinity Harman-Redfern the Council leader. The most powerful half-breed in all the Night World, with powers of vampire and witch combined.
"Is this important?" Trinity's voice was cold. Not friendly. She was not someone you wanted to see mad.
"If it wasn't important, then why would I bother wasting your time?" Topaz snorted.
Trinity sighed. "Hello Topaz, what is it this time? Who's bothering you now?"
Topaz smiled a little. If she had a problem with someone, she made sure it was known. She had to admit she'd needed the council's assassins more than a few times.
"I know someone who's broken the law."
That got Trinity's attention. "Who? What law?"
"The one about falling in love with a human. I like the guy, I just don't like the girl. I want him left alone, so I can have him, but I want her taken care of. Get me someone like Aurelia Wolf. She's mean. She'll call the little bitch some pain she won't forget."
"I'm afraid Aurelia's unavailable. She's off on another assignment. But I'll get you Monica Stephens. She's just as good."
Topaz was not impressed. "That sounds like a human name."
Trinity laughed, a chilling sound. "It's meant to. That's how Mon does her work. She blends in with the human crowd. It's easier for her to hunt down her target."
"I hope you're right. What is she?"
"A shapeshifter. A rogue Drache."
"She'd better be as good as you say she is."
"She is, don't worry. Your problem will be solved within a few days."
Topaz was smiling as she hung up. The Council had never let her down with their assassins, and she doubted they were going to this time.
Well Seraphin, Topaz thought. You can't say I didn't warn you.
* * *
What is Topaz's problem? I can't understand why she doesn't just give up. Why can't she just accept that Zeke likes me more than her. And I still can't believe she threatened me!
I shook my head annoyed as I sat through class, but I still found myself pondering what Topaz had said. Was Zeke really dangerous. No. No he couldn't be. Maybe he was a little moody sometimes, but...dangerous?
How well did Topaz know Zeke? She had obviously known him longer than I had. Was she really concerned that Zeke might hurt me? Somehow, I doubted it. Topaz would probably be thrilled if something bad happened to me.
If somehow, Zeke did hurt me, and my life really was in danger, I can just see her as the type to stand on my grave and laugh, saying, "I told you so!"
I was confused, and upset. I decided not to mention any of this to Zeke. Or maybe I should. My lip curled if Zeke was really dangerous, then maybe I should tell him, and he'd be pissed, and turn his wrath on Topaz instead of me. That could be fun.
I would much rather concentrate on the way Zeke had kissed me. It had been so wonderful. And that strange white light. What *was* that? I found it strange and fascinating, and I wanted to experience it again.
But Zeke had been afraid. He obviously knew what it was, and wouldn't tell me. He wouldn't tell me a lot of things.
I sat there in class, not really paying attention, since I was too busy trying to solve the unsolvable mystery that was Zeke Blackthorn.
* * *