Disclaimer: The Night World and all its characters belong to LJ Smith. The characters of Pandora Blackthorn, Richard Borcharde, Willow Silverthorne, Jewel Redfern, Flame Redfern and Rose Harman belong to me. Please ask me if you wish to use them. Inspired by a Lydia Lunch song from the album Windowspeak.
Summary: Pandora Blackthorn is a former Night World assassin now turned Daybreaker. Richard Borcharde is a human, fascinated by Night World. Due to his hatred for humanity, the council have given him the task of acting as a spy in Daybreak to kill Pandora for betraying them. Should be easy...if they weren't soulmates.
Prologue
When you saw her coming, you knew to get out of her way as fast as you could, unless you wanted to end up very dead, very fast. Everyone knew Pandora Blackthorn was dangerous. You didn't cross her and live.
The Night World loved her, she was one of their best assassins, cold, cruel and ruthless, she killed anything and everything, for the right price, of course.
Even the whisper of her name sent a shiver of fear through those who knew her. Pandora was tall, dark and deadly, her skin the colour of marble, her hair the colour of the night sky, occasionally with the odd flash of silver high lights, her eyes, a chilling red, like a demon's, which suited her really, as a demon she was.
A vampire, an unholy creature with the thirst for human blood that powered her need to kill. There was nothing like the thrill of the hunt, chasing down your victim, feel the delightful smell of their fear. Fear of others could be such an enticing thing, depending on who you were terrorizing, occasionally the fear could be erotic.
But even the best falter sometimes, everything comes to an end eventually.
Most people don't see the end coming. It strikes when you least expect it, catching even the most observant unawares.
Pandora didn't see the end coming for her, maybe if she thought of something other than her own pleasure for once, she might have. But all Pandora was concerned about was herself, now and the moment was all that mattered, and how to make herself all the more better. Survival was everything.
But they all fall in the end. Pandora fell. Fate can be cruel sometimes.
* * *
Part 1
The end for Pandora began as any other day would for her. She had no idea of what was in store for her. She sailed into the mansion on the outskirts of Vegas, the headquarters for the Night World council. Dark and scary, endless shadows and twisting corridors, the human slaves moved around like robots, nothing behind their eyes, only blank orbs that stared at the floor, never raising to meet the more important people above them.
Their fear hung in the air, wrapping around Pandora like a blanket, making her feel all warm and fuzzy inside. She smiled brilliantly, tossing back her shawl of midnight hair and strode into the office of the council head, Flame Redfern.
Flame Redfern sat behind a marble desk, red hair the colour of blood cascading around her shoulders, eyes like fire burning from a face that could belong to a high fashion model. Full red lips smiled as Pandora entered, taking a seat without being invited.
"You called who'd you want dead?" Pandora said cheerfully.
Flame chuckled slightly. "What a twisted person you are, you really enjoy this, don't you?"
Pandora smiled again. "Of course I do," she said. "Why else would I do it if I didn't enjoy it? There's nothing like killing a person to make you feel better."
Flame smiled herself. "I knew there was a reason I liked you," she said. She handed Pandora a dossier. Pandora took it and opened the folder, finding herself looking at a picture of a pretty girl with pale gold hair, and violet eyes seemed to shimmer from the picture. She frowned. "And...? Rose Harman is one of your best witches."
Flame had stopped smiling, her face had turned into an ugly mask of rage and hatred. "That's what I thought too, she's one of the most powerful Circle Midnighters I've ever met." Her voice was poisoned with deadly fury. Anyone else would have run screaming in terror. When you heard that tone in Flame's voice, you knew you were doomed.
Pandora eyed her, wondering. "But...?"
"But, it turns out, our little Rose here is a secret Daybreaker. She's been relaying info about us to them, and they have assassins of their own after us, you and me particularly."
Pandora didn't say anything. Even she was surprised. She would have never expected that from Rose. Rose had been her best friend for over ten years. She had never expected she would turn against them, betray her Night World heritage.
And the fact that Daybreak had assassins after them, why should that surprise her? It wasn't as if they had the slightest hope of being successful.
"And it's your task, to hunt her down, and make her pay." Flame smiled again. "I know you won't let me down."
Pandora didn't speak. Flame knew Rose was her friend. This was a test. She just nodded, took the dossier and left the office.
Friend or not, Rose was a traitor. She deserved to die. Pandora loved to kill people. That was what she did, who she was. She couldn't have any second thoughts. It was kill or be killed, the rule of the jungle. Survival was everything.
Kill Rose quickly, and be done with it. She squared her shoulders and walked out the mansion. Prepared, I'm ready, I can do this, she thought.
She refused to acknowledge the sinking feeling beginning deep inside her. Once in her car, she folded her arms over the steering wheel and rested her head on her arms.
God, she was falling apart. What was she going to do?
* * *
Part 2
Pandora shook her head, pulling herself together. No. She wouldn't let this effect her. This was her job. So what if the target was once a friend. A friend that was now a traitor. She let herself focus on that. Rose was a traitor. She had betrayed her heritage. She deserved to die.
She felt a cold smile stretched her lips, and a shell of ice grow over her. Nothing could penetrate her now. She put the car in gear and headed over for Rose's apartment. Rose lived with her sister, who was out of town on vacation with her boyfriend right now. A stroke of luck for Pandora.
She parked and headed up the steps, knocking on the door. Rose answered, dressed in a black body wrap that seemed to emphasise how slender she was. A silver chain with a pentagram on hung around her neck, flashing against the silky material of the dress. Her blonde hair hung around her, shimmering in the twilight.
"What's up?" Rose asked casually.
Pandora opened her mouth, but her words died. She could feel her hands trembling on the semi-automatic concealed in her purse. "We need to talk," she got out in a cracked voice.
Rose stood aside, a frown marring her pretty features as she gestured for Pandora to come inside. The place was in darkness, lit by some burning candles, creating twisting, eerie shadows. A strange smell met Pandora's nose, making her eyes water.
"What the hell is that?" she asked.
"Incense," Rose said, shutting the door. She blew the candles out and put the overhead lamp on, soft yellow lighting illuminated the room.
When Rose turned to glance at her, Pandora had finally taken her gun out. "New gun?" she asked.
"Yes." Pandora could feel her hand trembling as she pointed it at Rose's forehead.
Rose froze where she was, staring at Pandora in surprise. "What's going on?"
"You're a traitor," Pandora whispered, she could feel the tremor in her voice. She tried to pull herself together, showing weaknesses for friends was not allowed. This was her job. Her whole life. It determined who she was. She couldn't fuck it all up now.
Rose was staring at her with those innocent violet eyes, shimmering with tears. "Go ahead," she said simply. "If you really think I'm such a traitor. Kill me, like Flame's good little obedient puppy."
Pandora's fingers clutched the trigger tightly. But she couldn't bring herself to pull it in, and sent the bullets home. "Why?" she asked finally. "Daybreak? You? You were one of our best."
Rose stared down, and Pandora could see the light glinting off the tears now spilling down her cheeks. "They murdered my soulmate, well, Flame did," Rose said softly.
"Soulmate?" Pandora asked, feeling disgust. "That's just mushy Daybreak bullshit."
"You wouldn't know, you haven't found yours," Rose said, her tone cold. She lifted her head, meeting Pandora's eyes directly. She seemed a lot more brave than Pandora felt at the moment.
"They killed him," Rose continued. "He was human. Daybreak of course, I didn't believe him at first, up until I saw how cold the Night World really was. So..." She spread her arms wide, "kill me, then."
"I..." Pandora shook her head. She could feel tears of her own now. Rose had been her best friend for years while she was growing up. She had been the one Pandora turned to, since no one else seemed to pay her any attention. Her parents had never really wanted her. Rose had been like a mother to her, as well as a friend.
Pandora was shaking. She dropped the gun, and fell to her knees, shaking her dark head. She couldn't do it. Not to Rose. She felt Rose drop down beside her, felt her comforting hug.
"Now what?" Pandora whispered. "Flame's going to kill me, now."
"I think we both know," Rose said with a smile.
Pandora groaned. "A week ago I would have thought Daybreak was a fate worse than death. But do you really think they'll accept me?"
"They accepted me."
Pandora stood up, unable to believe the turn her life had taken. She had been so sure of who she was. She had been so proud. She had thought she could handle anything. But now she had learned harshly even the best could falter. What would Daybreak be like? She shuddered, unsure she really wanted to know. But she didn't really have a choice. It was Daybreak or be killed slowly and painfully by Flame. She wasn't sure which one she'd prefer...
* * *
Summary: Pandora Blackthorn is a former Night World assassin now turned Daybreaker. Richard Borcharde is a human, fascinated by Night World. Due to his hatred for humanity, the council have given him the task of acting as a spy in Daybreak to kill Pandora for betraying them. Should be easy...if they weren't soulmates.
Prologue
When you saw her coming, you knew to get out of her way as fast as you could, unless you wanted to end up very dead, very fast. Everyone knew Pandora Blackthorn was dangerous. You didn't cross her and live.
The Night World loved her, she was one of their best assassins, cold, cruel and ruthless, she killed anything and everything, for the right price, of course.
Even the whisper of her name sent a shiver of fear through those who knew her. Pandora was tall, dark and deadly, her skin the colour of marble, her hair the colour of the night sky, occasionally with the odd flash of silver high lights, her eyes, a chilling red, like a demon's, which suited her really, as a demon she was.
A vampire, an unholy creature with the thirst for human blood that powered her need to kill. There was nothing like the thrill of the hunt, chasing down your victim, feel the delightful smell of their fear. Fear of others could be such an enticing thing, depending on who you were terrorizing, occasionally the fear could be erotic.
But even the best falter sometimes, everything comes to an end eventually.
Most people don't see the end coming. It strikes when you least expect it, catching even the most observant unawares.
Pandora didn't see the end coming for her, maybe if she thought of something other than her own pleasure for once, she might have. But all Pandora was concerned about was herself, now and the moment was all that mattered, and how to make herself all the more better. Survival was everything.
But they all fall in the end. Pandora fell. Fate can be cruel sometimes.
* * *
Part 1
The end for Pandora began as any other day would for her. She had no idea of what was in store for her. She sailed into the mansion on the outskirts of Vegas, the headquarters for the Night World council. Dark and scary, endless shadows and twisting corridors, the human slaves moved around like robots, nothing behind their eyes, only blank orbs that stared at the floor, never raising to meet the more important people above them.
Their fear hung in the air, wrapping around Pandora like a blanket, making her feel all warm and fuzzy inside. She smiled brilliantly, tossing back her shawl of midnight hair and strode into the office of the council head, Flame Redfern.
Flame Redfern sat behind a marble desk, red hair the colour of blood cascading around her shoulders, eyes like fire burning from a face that could belong to a high fashion model. Full red lips smiled as Pandora entered, taking a seat without being invited.
"You called who'd you want dead?" Pandora said cheerfully.
Flame chuckled slightly. "What a twisted person you are, you really enjoy this, don't you?"
Pandora smiled again. "Of course I do," she said. "Why else would I do it if I didn't enjoy it? There's nothing like killing a person to make you feel better."
Flame smiled herself. "I knew there was a reason I liked you," she said. She handed Pandora a dossier. Pandora took it and opened the folder, finding herself looking at a picture of a pretty girl with pale gold hair, and violet eyes seemed to shimmer from the picture. She frowned. "And...? Rose Harman is one of your best witches."
Flame had stopped smiling, her face had turned into an ugly mask of rage and hatred. "That's what I thought too, she's one of the most powerful Circle Midnighters I've ever met." Her voice was poisoned with deadly fury. Anyone else would have run screaming in terror. When you heard that tone in Flame's voice, you knew you were doomed.
Pandora eyed her, wondering. "But...?"
"But, it turns out, our little Rose here is a secret Daybreaker. She's been relaying info about us to them, and they have assassins of their own after us, you and me particularly."
Pandora didn't say anything. Even she was surprised. She would have never expected that from Rose. Rose had been her best friend for over ten years. She had never expected she would turn against them, betray her Night World heritage.
And the fact that Daybreak had assassins after them, why should that surprise her? It wasn't as if they had the slightest hope of being successful.
"And it's your task, to hunt her down, and make her pay." Flame smiled again. "I know you won't let me down."
Pandora didn't speak. Flame knew Rose was her friend. This was a test. She just nodded, took the dossier and left the office.
Friend or not, Rose was a traitor. She deserved to die. Pandora loved to kill people. That was what she did, who she was. She couldn't have any second thoughts. It was kill or be killed, the rule of the jungle. Survival was everything.
Kill Rose quickly, and be done with it. She squared her shoulders and walked out the mansion. Prepared, I'm ready, I can do this, she thought.
She refused to acknowledge the sinking feeling beginning deep inside her. Once in her car, she folded her arms over the steering wheel and rested her head on her arms.
God, she was falling apart. What was she going to do?
* * *
Part 2
Pandora shook her head, pulling herself together. No. She wouldn't let this effect her. This was her job. So what if the target was once a friend. A friend that was now a traitor. She let herself focus on that. Rose was a traitor. She had betrayed her heritage. She deserved to die.
She felt a cold smile stretched her lips, and a shell of ice grow over her. Nothing could penetrate her now. She put the car in gear and headed over for Rose's apartment. Rose lived with her sister, who was out of town on vacation with her boyfriend right now. A stroke of luck for Pandora.
She parked and headed up the steps, knocking on the door. Rose answered, dressed in a black body wrap that seemed to emphasise how slender she was. A silver chain with a pentagram on hung around her neck, flashing against the silky material of the dress. Her blonde hair hung around her, shimmering in the twilight.
"What's up?" Rose asked casually.
Pandora opened her mouth, but her words died. She could feel her hands trembling on the semi-automatic concealed in her purse. "We need to talk," she got out in a cracked voice.
Rose stood aside, a frown marring her pretty features as she gestured for Pandora to come inside. The place was in darkness, lit by some burning candles, creating twisting, eerie shadows. A strange smell met Pandora's nose, making her eyes water.
"What the hell is that?" she asked.
"Incense," Rose said, shutting the door. She blew the candles out and put the overhead lamp on, soft yellow lighting illuminated the room.
When Rose turned to glance at her, Pandora had finally taken her gun out. "New gun?" she asked.
"Yes." Pandora could feel her hand trembling as she pointed it at Rose's forehead.
Rose froze where she was, staring at Pandora in surprise. "What's going on?"
"You're a traitor," Pandora whispered, she could feel the tremor in her voice. She tried to pull herself together, showing weaknesses for friends was not allowed. This was her job. Her whole life. It determined who she was. She couldn't fuck it all up now.
Rose was staring at her with those innocent violet eyes, shimmering with tears. "Go ahead," she said simply. "If you really think I'm such a traitor. Kill me, like Flame's good little obedient puppy."
Pandora's fingers clutched the trigger tightly. But she couldn't bring herself to pull it in, and sent the bullets home. "Why?" she asked finally. "Daybreak? You? You were one of our best."
Rose stared down, and Pandora could see the light glinting off the tears now spilling down her cheeks. "They murdered my soulmate, well, Flame did," Rose said softly.
"Soulmate?" Pandora asked, feeling disgust. "That's just mushy Daybreak bullshit."
"You wouldn't know, you haven't found yours," Rose said, her tone cold. She lifted her head, meeting Pandora's eyes directly. She seemed a lot more brave than Pandora felt at the moment.
"They killed him," Rose continued. "He was human. Daybreak of course, I didn't believe him at first, up until I saw how cold the Night World really was. So..." She spread her arms wide, "kill me, then."
"I..." Pandora shook her head. She could feel tears of her own now. Rose had been her best friend for years while she was growing up. She had been the one Pandora turned to, since no one else seemed to pay her any attention. Her parents had never really wanted her. Rose had been like a mother to her, as well as a friend.
Pandora was shaking. She dropped the gun, and fell to her knees, shaking her dark head. She couldn't do it. Not to Rose. She felt Rose drop down beside her, felt her comforting hug.
"Now what?" Pandora whispered. "Flame's going to kill me, now."
"I think we both know," Rose said with a smile.
Pandora groaned. "A week ago I would have thought Daybreak was a fate worse than death. But do you really think they'll accept me?"
"They accepted me."
Pandora stood up, unable to believe the turn her life had taken. She had been so sure of who she was. She had been so proud. She had thought she could handle anything. But now she had learned harshly even the best could falter. What would Daybreak be like? She shuddered, unsure she really wanted to know. But she didn't really have a choice. It was Daybreak or be killed slowly and painfully by Flame. She wasn't sure which one she'd prefer...
* * *