Part 20
Ivory's first instincts were to panic. It didn't seem to matter how loud she screamed no one seemed to be coming to save her.
Something was happening between her and Drake. It was like fire and lightning all in one massive explosion inside her head.
She didn't understand it. Her skin was pricking with intensity. He could feel his lips pressed against hers, his body pressing heavily on top of her. He didn't understand it anymore than she did.
Ivory wanted the feeling to stop, but there didn't seem to be a way to break the connection. She resigned herself to letting go. And as she relaxed, the less painful the feeling was.
Something white sparked, and was slowly growing, a bloom of impossible light, dragging her closer to Drake. But it wasn't a physical sensation.
It was something that was happening inside her *mind*. Her mind was being pulled into his.
It was an experience she couldn't describe in words if she'd tried, what it was like to be inside someone else's head, to see what they saw, the feel what they felt.
Drake seemed to be sheathed in darkness, with a faint reddish tinge, shadows were everywhere. Yet it didn't frighten Ivory. It fascinated her. How could anyone like in such darkness?
The Night World was the only world he knew. Its rules, laws, history, were everything to him. How he had survived by following them. He had been raised to believe humans were the enemy. They were only useful for food and slave labour.
Ivory couldn't believe it. What was so bad about humans? And what was so good about Night People that made them better? So they had some more powers, that didn't mean they had to be...she searched for a word. Bad, was all she could come up with.
Despite her wonder and fascination, Drake was terrified. He hadn't expected this at all. He had wanted to talk to her, something about her had drawn her to him from the beginning, and she was all he thought about.
~I didn't know that~ she thought.
~*Get out!*~ It was Drake's voice inside her head.
~What is this?~ she asked him. Strange how she had known how to do that without even thinking about it.
~I don't know!" The voice was loud and panicked, and clearly lying. Drake knew what this strange thing was, he just didn't want to believe it was really happening.
Suddenly the connection was severed. Ivory blinked, forced into stark reality again, pulled out of Drake's mind.
Drake was on his feet, backing away from her. Ivory stood up slowly. Drake was staring at her, ragged and panting...
Ivory was surprisingly calm. "What *was* that?" she demanded. Drake didn't answer right away. He just stood there, glaring at her. "And don't lie," Ivory added. "I'll know.""
Drake sighed. "It's called the soulmate principle. It's the idea that there's one and only one true love for everyone on earth, and when you find that person you know they're the one you're meant for."
Ivory didn't know what to say. She didn't know if she was thrilled by the idea or terrified by it. Drake didn't seem too happy about it.
Drake frowned, looking around, as if he was hearing something Ivory wasn't. She opened her mouth but he held up his hand. Ivory remained quiet.
A minute later Ivory heard it too.
Footsteps.
"Run," Drake told her. "Down the corridor, turn left, go down the stairs, that's the basement."
Ivory started at him. She opened her mouth to protest.
"*Go!*" he snapped at her,
Ivory ran.
* * *
Part 21
Ivory didn't know where she was going, she was just running blindly, vaguely following the directions Drake had given her. She wondered why he had let her go. He had had every opportunity to grab her and drag her back to Asfixia and her cohorts.
He could have just killed her in the heartless, brutal way he'd killed Mace. The prophecy said clearly *Four less one*. All the Night World needed to do was kill her and their victory was ensured.
So why hadn't they?
Or had they just been planning on doing it when she'd least expected?
She stumbled down a flight of stairs into a large, dank room. The basement. She found herself relieved the light was off. She realised she didn't want to see what the Night People kept in their basement.
She pushed her way around objects, trying to hold her breath against the smell of death and decay. She spotted a window high up in the wall, with several boxes piled up beneath it.
She scrambled up the boxes, praying they wouldn't collapse on her. She didn't want to be trapped down here, especially not injured.
After a brief struggle she shoved the window open and scrambled out. She was panting now, she could feel cold tears streaming down her cheeks. She was bleeding and her clothes were torn but she was *free*.
Out of the mansion. But being out of the mansion wasn't really much better than being inside. Chaos was exploding. Figures in dark uniforms were running around. People were creaming, shouting, loud curses were echoing all around.
To add to the atmosphere thunder boomed, lightning flashed and rain poured. Ivory looked around desperately for somewhere to escape.
A large brown wolf was tearing through the crowd, biting and tearing at the dark figures.
"Venus get the fucking car *now*!"
The loud shout caught Ivory's attention. It was Alina. She was fighting two of the black figures at once, and clearly losing.
A flash of red shot by Ivory. Venus? She wondered vaguely where Tala was. She wanted to help, but didn't know what to do. She was panicking, and the panic was turning into a slow, burning heat inside.
So hot she couldn't contain it any longer.
The blue fire shot out of her in a stream of power obscuring her vision. When it cleared a white limo was racing through the empty space where the Night People had been.
Ivory dived into the conveniently open door soon followed by Alina and Tala who had seemingly appeared out of nowhere. Venus sped away from the mansion before anyone could follow.
Ivory collapsed back on the seat, panting heavily. When she had regained her breath she looked to see how badly damaged she was. She was amazed to see there wasn't a single cut on her. Alina was looking at her with awe, her wounds had been heeled as well.
"You really are the Wild Power," she whispered.
"Where did you come from?" Ivory asked Tala, not really sure what else to say.
Tala smiled faintly. "I was the wolf."
"What happened to Mace?" Venus's voice asked from the driver's seat.
Ivory frowned. "Mace is dead. They killed him." She decided not to mention the soulmate thing with Drake. They didn't need to know about that.
There was an uncomfortable silence. A thought occurred to Ivory. "What were you guys *doing* there, anyway?"
"We're the good guys," Tala explained. "We've been keeping in contact with Mace, on how to help you escape from the Night World."
"So where are we going now?" Ivory asked.
"We're going back to the Circle Daybreak headquarters," Alina said, recovering from her shock. "You'll be safe there, and there's some really important people who are looking forward to meeting you."
Ivory just nodded, sitting back. She was safe for the time being, but it wouldn't last. She knew the Night People would try to get her again.
It wasn't over yet.
Not by a long shot.
* * *
Part 22
Asfixia was pacing. She was more angry than she could remember being in a long time.
Mace becoming a traitor was bad enough. But at least he had paid for it. But to lose their only chance of winning. To let that damn Wild Power slip right through their hands...
She turned her wrath on the remaining group of Night People that had survived the blast of blue fire that had helped those stupid Daybreakers escape. "You're all pathetic," she sneered at them. "You're all weak, stupid and useless."
The remained silent and sullen, looking anywhere but at her. She could smell their fear. Drake and Sherry stood off to one side, with Elle, who had arrived back the evening after the battle.
"I just can't believe you lost one little witch! Was she too much for you to handle?!"
She stalked around the room, finally sitting down at her desk. "Get out of my sight. You're all worthless." Grumbling, they moved silently out the room.
Asfixia glared. "You three stay," she snapped. When the room was cleared of all but Sherry, Drake and Elle, she was somewhat calmer. "Find her," she ordered. "I don't care what you have to do, but *find her*."
She didn't need to say what would happen if they failed.
The Night World would be over. They would be destroyed.
Asfixia shuddered at the thought. She had lived for over two thousand years. She had seen some of the most important events in both human and Night World history.
Failure now was *not* an option.
~God help me I'm turning into GI Jane~ she thought sourly. "Drake, go away so we can talk about you."
Drake left the room without question or complaint.
"What's *his* deal," Elle asked, irritated.
Asfixia sighed. "I don't know."
Something was up with Drake, There had been something up with him ever since he and Sherry had arrived with Ivory Blessingway. He'd been different. It was almost as if he was *in love* with the girl.
"Keep an eye on him," she told them. "If he looks like he's going to be a problem, kill him."
She didn't need anyone else turning into a traitor right now. Sherry and Elle nodded, leaving the room. Asfixia sank back in her chair, closing her eyes.
Things were going from bad to worse. There had to be *something* they could do to win.
Something...
* * *
Part 23
Ivory sighed, not really up to being in another strange place with more strange people all interested in this strange blue blasty thing she could do.
She wanted to go home and forget all about it. She wanted it all to be a bad dream. She could wake up in a few minutes and forget all about it. Everything would be normal.
But deep down inside Ivory knew that nothing would ever be normal again. So she would have to find a way of dealing with it.
To distract herself she thought about the weird connection she shared with Drake. He called it soulmates. He said it was the idea there was only one and one true love for everyone one earth.
Drake was supposed to be the one person who was perfect for her?
But he was nothing like her! He was cold and distant. Remote and unfriendly. How could he possibly be anyone's one true love?
She felt nothing for him. Nothing.
~If that's true, then why can't I think of anything but him?~ she thought sourly.
Was that was this soulmate thing meant? She could never be truly happy without him?
"Ivory?"
Ivory blinked, realising someone was talking to her. "Huh? What?"
"You didn't hear a word of that, did you?" Alina snapped at her, annoyed.
"What planet is your brain on?" Tala muttered, smiling a little.
Ivory flushed, embarrassed. She had been so engrossed in her own thoughts she hadn't noticed anything going on around her.
They had arrived at Daybreak headquarters now. Dawn was just breaking over the horizon. Reds and pinks, golds and yellows were spreading across the cloudless sky.
The Daybreak mansion was almost exactly the opposite to the Night World mansion. Where Asfixia's house had been dark and creepy, full of creaky floor boards, dark figures and cobwebs, everything here was marble and white.
The house was huge and spacious. People were bustling about, despite the early hour. Ivory just couldn't get over how different the atmosphere was here. She couldn't find the words. Everything was just...
Alina was stopping in front of a double set of wooden doors. She knocked once and went in.
The office was warm and homely, everything was decorated in light wood panelling and soft colours instead of stark black and white.
The guy who stood behind the desk was tall and blond, with deep set dark eyes. Something about those eyes sent shivers running up Ivory's spine. The girl who stood beside him was almost as tall as he was, her eyes a strange grey, as if they light shining from underneath them. There was a birthmark slanting just above her left cheekbone, as if she'd made a mess with blusher. She was smiling brilliant.
"This is Thierry and Hannah," Alina said, her tone respectful. "They're our leaders."
Ivory just nodded, not sure what she was supposed to say.
"This is Ivory, the Wild Power," Alina was going on.
"You don't know how much it means to us to have you here," Hannah said. Her grin was getting too big for her face.
Ivory wondered why she couldn't share their enthusiasm. All she could manage was a weak smile of her own. Maybe she was just tired. It had been an extremely long day. So much had happened.
"This must all be al little overwhelming for you. Why don't you get some rest before we go any further," Thierry suggested gently.
Ivory nodded, wishing she could think of something to say. She followed Alina up the elegant marble staircase to one of the enormous rooms upstairs.
This time, she noticed, they didn't lock the door once she was inside. She was finally alone. It didn't really make her feel much better,
Before she fell asleep her thoughts once again returned to Drake. ~I need you~ she thought, her eyes closing.
He'd come for her.
Wouldn't he?
* * *
Ivory's first instincts were to panic. It didn't seem to matter how loud she screamed no one seemed to be coming to save her.
Something was happening between her and Drake. It was like fire and lightning all in one massive explosion inside her head.
She didn't understand it. Her skin was pricking with intensity. He could feel his lips pressed against hers, his body pressing heavily on top of her. He didn't understand it anymore than she did.
Ivory wanted the feeling to stop, but there didn't seem to be a way to break the connection. She resigned herself to letting go. And as she relaxed, the less painful the feeling was.
Something white sparked, and was slowly growing, a bloom of impossible light, dragging her closer to Drake. But it wasn't a physical sensation.
It was something that was happening inside her *mind*. Her mind was being pulled into his.
It was an experience she couldn't describe in words if she'd tried, what it was like to be inside someone else's head, to see what they saw, the feel what they felt.
Drake seemed to be sheathed in darkness, with a faint reddish tinge, shadows were everywhere. Yet it didn't frighten Ivory. It fascinated her. How could anyone like in such darkness?
The Night World was the only world he knew. Its rules, laws, history, were everything to him. How he had survived by following them. He had been raised to believe humans were the enemy. They were only useful for food and slave labour.
Ivory couldn't believe it. What was so bad about humans? And what was so good about Night People that made them better? So they had some more powers, that didn't mean they had to be...she searched for a word. Bad, was all she could come up with.
Despite her wonder and fascination, Drake was terrified. He hadn't expected this at all. He had wanted to talk to her, something about her had drawn her to him from the beginning, and she was all he thought about.
~I didn't know that~ she thought.
~*Get out!*~ It was Drake's voice inside her head.
~What is this?~ she asked him. Strange how she had known how to do that without even thinking about it.
~I don't know!" The voice was loud and panicked, and clearly lying. Drake knew what this strange thing was, he just didn't want to believe it was really happening.
Suddenly the connection was severed. Ivory blinked, forced into stark reality again, pulled out of Drake's mind.
Drake was on his feet, backing away from her. Ivory stood up slowly. Drake was staring at her, ragged and panting...
Ivory was surprisingly calm. "What *was* that?" she demanded. Drake didn't answer right away. He just stood there, glaring at her. "And don't lie," Ivory added. "I'll know.""
Drake sighed. "It's called the soulmate principle. It's the idea that there's one and only one true love for everyone on earth, and when you find that person you know they're the one you're meant for."
Ivory didn't know what to say. She didn't know if she was thrilled by the idea or terrified by it. Drake didn't seem too happy about it.
Drake frowned, looking around, as if he was hearing something Ivory wasn't. She opened her mouth but he held up his hand. Ivory remained quiet.
A minute later Ivory heard it too.
Footsteps.
"Run," Drake told her. "Down the corridor, turn left, go down the stairs, that's the basement."
Ivory started at him. She opened her mouth to protest.
"*Go!*" he snapped at her,
Ivory ran.
* * *
Part 21
Ivory didn't know where she was going, she was just running blindly, vaguely following the directions Drake had given her. She wondered why he had let her go. He had had every opportunity to grab her and drag her back to Asfixia and her cohorts.
He could have just killed her in the heartless, brutal way he'd killed Mace. The prophecy said clearly *Four less one*. All the Night World needed to do was kill her and their victory was ensured.
So why hadn't they?
Or had they just been planning on doing it when she'd least expected?
She stumbled down a flight of stairs into a large, dank room. The basement. She found herself relieved the light was off. She realised she didn't want to see what the Night People kept in their basement.
She pushed her way around objects, trying to hold her breath against the smell of death and decay. She spotted a window high up in the wall, with several boxes piled up beneath it.
She scrambled up the boxes, praying they wouldn't collapse on her. She didn't want to be trapped down here, especially not injured.
After a brief struggle she shoved the window open and scrambled out. She was panting now, she could feel cold tears streaming down her cheeks. She was bleeding and her clothes were torn but she was *free*.
Out of the mansion. But being out of the mansion wasn't really much better than being inside. Chaos was exploding. Figures in dark uniforms were running around. People were creaming, shouting, loud curses were echoing all around.
To add to the atmosphere thunder boomed, lightning flashed and rain poured. Ivory looked around desperately for somewhere to escape.
A large brown wolf was tearing through the crowd, biting and tearing at the dark figures.
"Venus get the fucking car *now*!"
The loud shout caught Ivory's attention. It was Alina. She was fighting two of the black figures at once, and clearly losing.
A flash of red shot by Ivory. Venus? She wondered vaguely where Tala was. She wanted to help, but didn't know what to do. She was panicking, and the panic was turning into a slow, burning heat inside.
So hot she couldn't contain it any longer.
The blue fire shot out of her in a stream of power obscuring her vision. When it cleared a white limo was racing through the empty space where the Night People had been.
Ivory dived into the conveniently open door soon followed by Alina and Tala who had seemingly appeared out of nowhere. Venus sped away from the mansion before anyone could follow.
Ivory collapsed back on the seat, panting heavily. When she had regained her breath she looked to see how badly damaged she was. She was amazed to see there wasn't a single cut on her. Alina was looking at her with awe, her wounds had been heeled as well.
"You really are the Wild Power," she whispered.
"Where did you come from?" Ivory asked Tala, not really sure what else to say.
Tala smiled faintly. "I was the wolf."
"What happened to Mace?" Venus's voice asked from the driver's seat.
Ivory frowned. "Mace is dead. They killed him." She decided not to mention the soulmate thing with Drake. They didn't need to know about that.
There was an uncomfortable silence. A thought occurred to Ivory. "What were you guys *doing* there, anyway?"
"We're the good guys," Tala explained. "We've been keeping in contact with Mace, on how to help you escape from the Night World."
"So where are we going now?" Ivory asked.
"We're going back to the Circle Daybreak headquarters," Alina said, recovering from her shock. "You'll be safe there, and there's some really important people who are looking forward to meeting you."
Ivory just nodded, sitting back. She was safe for the time being, but it wouldn't last. She knew the Night People would try to get her again.
It wasn't over yet.
Not by a long shot.
* * *
Part 22
Asfixia was pacing. She was more angry than she could remember being in a long time.
Mace becoming a traitor was bad enough. But at least he had paid for it. But to lose their only chance of winning. To let that damn Wild Power slip right through their hands...
She turned her wrath on the remaining group of Night People that had survived the blast of blue fire that had helped those stupid Daybreakers escape. "You're all pathetic," she sneered at them. "You're all weak, stupid and useless."
The remained silent and sullen, looking anywhere but at her. She could smell their fear. Drake and Sherry stood off to one side, with Elle, who had arrived back the evening after the battle.
"I just can't believe you lost one little witch! Was she too much for you to handle?!"
She stalked around the room, finally sitting down at her desk. "Get out of my sight. You're all worthless." Grumbling, they moved silently out the room.
Asfixia glared. "You three stay," she snapped. When the room was cleared of all but Sherry, Drake and Elle, she was somewhat calmer. "Find her," she ordered. "I don't care what you have to do, but *find her*."
She didn't need to say what would happen if they failed.
The Night World would be over. They would be destroyed.
Asfixia shuddered at the thought. She had lived for over two thousand years. She had seen some of the most important events in both human and Night World history.
Failure now was *not* an option.
~God help me I'm turning into GI Jane~ she thought sourly. "Drake, go away so we can talk about you."
Drake left the room without question or complaint.
"What's *his* deal," Elle asked, irritated.
Asfixia sighed. "I don't know."
Something was up with Drake, There had been something up with him ever since he and Sherry had arrived with Ivory Blessingway. He'd been different. It was almost as if he was *in love* with the girl.
"Keep an eye on him," she told them. "If he looks like he's going to be a problem, kill him."
She didn't need anyone else turning into a traitor right now. Sherry and Elle nodded, leaving the room. Asfixia sank back in her chair, closing her eyes.
Things were going from bad to worse. There had to be *something* they could do to win.
Something...
* * *
Part 23
Ivory sighed, not really up to being in another strange place with more strange people all interested in this strange blue blasty thing she could do.
She wanted to go home and forget all about it. She wanted it all to be a bad dream. She could wake up in a few minutes and forget all about it. Everything would be normal.
But deep down inside Ivory knew that nothing would ever be normal again. So she would have to find a way of dealing with it.
To distract herself she thought about the weird connection she shared with Drake. He called it soulmates. He said it was the idea there was only one and one true love for everyone one earth.
Drake was supposed to be the one person who was perfect for her?
But he was nothing like her! He was cold and distant. Remote and unfriendly. How could he possibly be anyone's one true love?
She felt nothing for him. Nothing.
~If that's true, then why can't I think of anything but him?~ she thought sourly.
Was that was this soulmate thing meant? She could never be truly happy without him?
"Ivory?"
Ivory blinked, realising someone was talking to her. "Huh? What?"
"You didn't hear a word of that, did you?" Alina snapped at her, annoyed.
"What planet is your brain on?" Tala muttered, smiling a little.
Ivory flushed, embarrassed. She had been so engrossed in her own thoughts she hadn't noticed anything going on around her.
They had arrived at Daybreak headquarters now. Dawn was just breaking over the horizon. Reds and pinks, golds and yellows were spreading across the cloudless sky.
The Daybreak mansion was almost exactly the opposite to the Night World mansion. Where Asfixia's house had been dark and creepy, full of creaky floor boards, dark figures and cobwebs, everything here was marble and white.
The house was huge and spacious. People were bustling about, despite the early hour. Ivory just couldn't get over how different the atmosphere was here. She couldn't find the words. Everything was just...
Alina was stopping in front of a double set of wooden doors. She knocked once and went in.
The office was warm and homely, everything was decorated in light wood panelling and soft colours instead of stark black and white.
The guy who stood behind the desk was tall and blond, with deep set dark eyes. Something about those eyes sent shivers running up Ivory's spine. The girl who stood beside him was almost as tall as he was, her eyes a strange grey, as if they light shining from underneath them. There was a birthmark slanting just above her left cheekbone, as if she'd made a mess with blusher. She was smiling brilliant.
"This is Thierry and Hannah," Alina said, her tone respectful. "They're our leaders."
Ivory just nodded, not sure what she was supposed to say.
"This is Ivory, the Wild Power," Alina was going on.
"You don't know how much it means to us to have you here," Hannah said. Her grin was getting too big for her face.
Ivory wondered why she couldn't share their enthusiasm. All she could manage was a weak smile of her own. Maybe she was just tired. It had been an extremely long day. So much had happened.
"This must all be al little overwhelming for you. Why don't you get some rest before we go any further," Thierry suggested gently.
Ivory nodded, wishing she could think of something to say. She followed Alina up the elegant marble staircase to one of the enormous rooms upstairs.
This time, she noticed, they didn't lock the door once she was inside. She was finally alone. It didn't really make her feel much better,
Before she fell asleep her thoughts once again returned to Drake. ~I need you~ she thought, her eyes closing.
He'd come for her.
Wouldn't he?
* * *