This is taking a while due to my regular incarceration in a place known as 'school'. *shudders*. Thanx to all u great ppl who gave reviews, anymore advice or comments will be gratefully received and plus u will get a really good feeling inside!
Unless this sucks. It might be kinda slow or confusing. If so, sorry! Its the way I am. I think. Well, cautious, rather than slow. More chapters coming soon so dont lose patience...
disclaimer- i own darcas and jasmine. any others dont matter.
CHAPTER TWO
Glossy scarlet nails impatiently tapping on the rough bark, piercing vampiric eyes locked on the entrance, Jet Hemlock stood behind the tree, watching the procession of chattering, mindless vermin pour out of the high school like rats from a sewer.
Her full lips twisted in disgust. Elders know why he'd want to be here, pretending he was one of them, the weak little vermin.
She couldn't imagine anything more mind numbing.
Him and his stupid pride, just because Hydra hadn't sent him on this task again.
A nerdy human boy gawped at her as he stumbled past.
Well, why wouldn't he?
Jet Hemlock was a model Night Person. She was gorgeous, perfect, a ruthless vampire. Lustrous raven black hair tumbled down her back to her waist, her figure was full and elegant, her cat shaped eyes a soft, gleaming aquamarine colour, and her mouth looked full and inviting. Dressed in sleek, black silk designer clothes that clung to every curve, long legs in high heeled boots, she was easily the most beautiful, sophisticated girl this hick little town would ever see.
In her opinion.
But why would she want to waste time having some loser vermin looking at her? Jet glared at him coldly.
"Get the hell out of my face," she snapped. He practically ran from her. Vermin. She snorted in contempt. What good were they except for killing or eating?
Then just as she felt as though she couldn't stand another minute skulking in this decrepit little rat nest, she saw him. Finally, she thought irritably.
He was pacing lazily out of the school entrance and he stood out like a hunting jaguar in a herd of deer. His gaze slowly drifted around... and then locked with hers. Jet lifted her chin a little, feeling a little, pleasant chill over her arms, as always.
At first she thought he was going to walk away, but then Daniel strolled over to her instead until he was standing only a foot away.
Jet swallowed hard. She half closed her eyes sweetly and gave him her most gracious, lavish smile. "Darcas. Why, what a surprise."
His mouth, the only part of his hard chiselled features that revealed emotion, quirked in a sort of furtive smile but his eyes remained unreadable as always. "Isn't it just. And I don't like to be called that, anymore."
Jet pretended to be chastised. "Oh, that's right, you like vermin names nowadays. My my, how droll." She leaned in a fraction closer, eyes playing hungrily over his face. "So, how've you been?" she whispered softly.
The hard gray eyes bored into her own. "Cut the crap, Jet."
Jet hid her annoyance and leant back with a fake smile. Why'd he have to be so goddamn stubborn? She was every male's dream and she was infuriated he was the one man she couldn't charm, couldn't have. They'd been together briefly, once, until he'd left her for some whiny shapeshifter bitch. If he wasn't so good looking and unattainable she would have had him killed a long time ago...
"Bosses wanted to know what you were doing. They had a hunch you weren't going to keep out of this task like you were told so they sent me to check you were following orders like a good vampire. I had a feeling you weren't, too. I'm glad I was right, though... It's been a while since we've seen each other. Missed me?"
Darcas - Daniel, she reminded herself- didn't rise to her insinuating smile. A chilling lightning-flash quick look of anger crossed his face and she straightened with a sigh. Stubborn cold bastard.
"The two guys they sent couldn't have fought their way out of a wet paper bag. I was the obvious choice for this task."
"Where are the two assassins?"
"Dead, of course," he said with icy malice. "I did us all a favor. Plus, they had the bad judgment to argue with me."
She sighed again. "The bosses....well, they're not going to be happy. Hydra sent you before and you failed."
"This was my assignment in the first place. I don't like dancing to Hydra Redfern's tune."
"Hmm." Jet didn't say anything. They both knew Hydra was going to be royally pissed and unless Daniel had an amazing talent of being able to talk his way out of having wooden stakes nailed in his limbs, he was going to know about it when he returned to Night World headquarters.
He seemed to know what she was thinking. "They need me. I'm a loyal follower," Daniel said mockingly.
She just shrugged, irritated. "I suppose if you get the job done it doesn't matter. Found her yet?"
"Maybe."
"Please, define 'maybe'."
"Not to you," he replied shortly, bored.
"I'm hurt," she purred, hiding her real anger by inspecting her long scarlet nails. "Playing with your food again? If you've found her, kill it."
Daniel just sighed with a sort of weary, long suffering patience, and looked at her with a kindly, sympathetic expression as if she were mentally challenged. It aggravated her, as it was meant to.
"As much as I'm enjoying our little chat, I think there's nothing more to say. I'll find the witch girl, I'll kill her, and tell them to stop sending spies along to check on me. I don't like spies."
Jet scowled petulantly and turned away. "Make sure you get the right girl, Hydra won't be happy if you screw up like last time," she called tauntingly over her shoulder, and stifled a cry of pain when he suddenly grabbed her shoulder and jerked her around to face him, his eyes glowing with cold silver light.
-Touched a nerve there- she thought.
"Tell them I will get the job done," Daniel spoke very softly but his grip was crushingly painful and Jet fought against her fear. He was stronger than her and every bit as ruthless. "Now get the hell out of here."
-Stubborn, prideful bastard...- Jet, seething, repeated the mantra over and over again, but was careful to shield her mind.
She left.
Jasmine dreamed:
-Darkness surrounded her, a swirling mass of thick, tangled lines of black... she was lost and turned hopelessly, trying to get out, circling endlessly... glittering silvery eyes mocked her from afar, glimpses of red light, sparks of fire penetrated the mass of night colour like searing stars... and a glowing, golden spark in front of her. A golden light. That was where she needed to go! She started forward, feet moving on a void of nothingness, somehow finding it firm enough to walk on, fuzzy blackness brushing against her face and tugging her heavy limbs, trying to hold her back...
Then she was there and the spark had grown into a tall, rectangular shape... a door? Yes, a glowing golden door, tall and narrow, shining with soft luminence. Around the door jamb cracks leaked rainbow, sparkling light. This was where she was going. This was what was supposed to be-
-Jasmine- called a voice, thick and dark like black honey and she turned away from the door, distracted. The voice called again and she looked for it, confused, then looked back to the door, clinging to the one material thing in this murky place.
The door was gone. In front of it, blocking it out, stood a tall dark figure with burning silver eyes and shining, sharp teeth.
-Who are you- she asked it silently.
-Your death- sighed the voice and it moved forward, long fingers closing about her wrist and she screamed-
Jasmine jerked awake, gasping, eyes staring blindly into the gloom of her bedroom, heart pounding. With shaking, sweating hands she groped for the light witch and turned it on, grateful for the brilliant light.
"No one there," she told herself, breathing deeply. "No one there."
Well, of course there wasn't. It was just a stupid dream. A dream. She just...would leave the light on for now. Just for a while.
For the rest of the night.
The next day was warm, sunny and clear skied, clearing the shadows and memories of the nightmare into the recesses of her mind like dust swept into a closet and Jasmine felt much better. It was Friday yet she was not at school. She was where he'd told her to come, when they'd spoken the day before. Those gray eyes still haunted her... it had been as if something invisible had drawn her to him. Maybe this was a time of change. A chance to forget all the stress and depression that had dragged her down lately, leave it behind.
Stupid thoughts maybe but she just felt like Daniel was... something... important. Different. The cynical part of her mind, still raw and hurt over Luke, the guy she'd loved before, insisted he'd turn out to be just like all the other loser guys. They were all alike.
But she found the warning voice easy to ignore.
The beach was warm and a gentle breeze flowed over the sands. The sea, the sparkles on the cerulean waters, the incredible vastness of it... This was her favorite place, it seemed to be a good sign he'd said he'd meet her here. If he turned up.
Jasmine paused, then turned around, knowing suddenly he was there.
Daniel stood behind her, dressed as always in black, wearing a leather jacket. Still, he looked so good Jasmine wondered why he ever would need to wear any other colour.
His mouth smiled but the eyes fixed on hers with cool detachment. Jasmine fidgeted, silently raging at her treacherous racing pulse.
"Hi," she ventured.
"Hello."
Jasmine gritted her teeth and looked away, over the endless ocean instead. That felt less intense. "Beautiful day, isn't it." Great. How brainless was that.
"It certainly is. I like the night better though," was the obscure response.
"Why'd you ask me here?"
She heard him come up behind her and nearly jumped when he spoke, almost next to her ear.
"I wanted to see you in sunlight."
God, he was strange, but Jasmine still felt like she was melting inside. It felt like there was a shimmering core of energy inside her and it was growing, flowing outwards, making her skin tingle cold and hot.
"Come here often?" asked the low, flowing voice.
-What a line- thought Jasmine nervously.
"Um, yeah. Lots of night parties here. I always liked it better when it was quiet.... It's calming."
"Calming?" asked Daniel. Behind her, he reached for the long, razor edged knife concealed up his sleeve and touched the cold steel handle, musing. Unconventional for vampires to use blades but he'd decided against the more traditional method, for some reason.
"Yeah. Like, when you feel like all the bad of the world's come out from the shadows and sticks to you, it feels better to just come here alone... and just sit and look. Without thinking, without hurting." The girl's voice had taken on a softer, distant tone.
Daniel hesitated, fingers gripping the knife handle, but intrigued.
"Seen a lot of darkness lately?"
"Feels like it. I can't snap out of it. I used to be happier. " Jasmine didn't know why she was opening up to a weird guy she'd never spoke to before now but she couldn't help it. Weird words to a weird guy. Prickling, cool fire still raced over her skin.
"You could be, again..." He pulled the knife out silently, watching the play of light running over it's edge, flowing to the tip, mentally preparing to do what he did and enjoyed best. Just another face in the endless procession of the dead...
"I don't know." The soft honesty, the simple confusion in her voice somehow hung in the air and again Daniel hesitated. He'd followed the girl all week, making sure of his target, but also drawn to her, and now he found himself slowing.
Jasmine looked over at him. The air was crackling and time seemed to be drawing out.
The Night World was full of beautiful, confident, mysterious girls and still there was something about her he couldn't name. It was fascinating. The girl's eyes, sparkling light green mixed with soft light gray, were full of it.
Maybe it was just the power she had within he could see, the power that meant she had to die.... Yet... He may as well do it.
Jasmine looked into his eyes as though trying to see what he was thinking. It was impossible. Like looking through a one way mirror. He could read her, but she couldn't see him. His black hair moved in the soft breeze, his expression almost pensive, achingly handsome, like a sculpted statue, but what he was thinking she couldn't tell.
And then it happened.
Daniel leant in painfully slowly and kissed her hard.
It was electric.
The world flared in a maelstrom of ice and light.
It felt like fiery glowing glacier-bright energy surrounded her, seizing her mind and dragging it out. The air about her seemed to combust into shocks of incandescent sensation and she would have fallen if he hadn't held her up. There was a sensation of movement, as if she was being pulled forward...
One of them jerked back, she wasn't sure who, and she was looking in his eyes again but this time they shone with pure, open surprise, glowing silver. She would have been more interested to see emotion in those hard eyes if she didn't feel so amazed.
"What was that?" she gasped, shocked and thrilled by the violence of it, the surprise.
In answer he kissed her again, and it was different. Instead of the violent rush of...of connection, of intensity, it was slower and more controlled. Prickling, sweet energy traced over her skin, filling her, making her heart pound, but there wasn't that strange sensation of ice and light, it felt more distanced and careful, cold and passionate.
After a long time they pulled apart and he stepped away from her. Jasmine was still reeling from shock. She'd never, ever felt anything like that with her previous boyfriend. She'd never believed all that romantic crap about sparks and lightning. To suddenly experience it was akin to being hit by a bucket of cold water, but much, much better.
But it was as scary as hell. Jasmine looked up at Daniel, who had backed away a few steps as though he was trying to distance himself from her. The adamantine gaze was still faintly startled, but also incredulous and... amused?
"What was that?" she asked again.
"Just... one hell of a kiss," he said, sounding almost like he was laughing, but in surprise, not derision.
"I..." Jasmine groped for something to say. He tilted his head, examining her carefully, and seemed about to say something when Jasmine saw someone on the cliffs behind him. Watching them? She squinted a little and Daniel glanced to see what she was looking at, but the figure rapidly retreated.
"I- I better go," she said hastily, blushing furiously and berating herself from running away, but this was too much, and she turned and began to walk rather fast towards the top of the beach.
Good job, Jasmine, screamed the critical part of her mind, just run away from the guy like you're going to catch something off him why don't you-
"Meet me here tonight." Daniel's voice cut into the mental barrage.
"What?"
"Tonight. Here. Eleven."
Jasmine paused, tempted but also feeling a burning need to get away. He met her eyes and she found she couldn't look away. "Okay. But why?"
The strength in the stare lessened. He simply smiled, cool and impassive and slow, as always.
"I'd like to see you in moonlight, too," was all Daniel said.
She nodded stiffly and rather quickly...fled.
Up on the windswept, barren cliff top, where only a few scrubby pine trees grew, below where the gulls wheeled and keened, above where the sea hurled itself ceaselessly against the fractured rock base in sprays of sea foam, she stood until the small figures on the expanse of rock dotted sand had left. Her pale green-blue eyes, the match for the colour of the sea when the sunlight shone through it, were hard with contempt and jealousy and her perfect mouth twisted with contempt.
It had happened again. Darcas, Daniel, had spurned her in favor of a little weakling. A mortal! Anger and humiliation seethed in Jet Hemlock's haughty soul and she glared furiously at where they'd been through narrowed, gleaming eyes. He'd pay for this, she'd make sure of it.
Whatever little game he was playing with the mortal, she'd find out and stop him. Hydra Redfern, Elder of their Night World section, would be interested no doubt to find out he wasn't killing her as he was supposed. Jet contemplated that thought for a while, a malicious smirk on her lips, then scowled. Why would she need to inform anyone else? She could deal with this situation herself.
"Want something done, do it yourself," she hissed venomously. "I'll be watching you, Darcas. You'll pay for this soon enough."
Soulmates! He thought the word to himself and laughed out loud with scornful amusement. So it was true, after all. The little tales of love and destiny, those ridiculous sentimental ideals that had first started the stupidity that was Circle Daybreak, were true. How pathetic, and how amusing.
And now he had found his. The idea that he was meant to be with a half mortal girl who had never even heard of the Night World was both ironic and incredulous. But, it was true. The connection could not be ignored. The shock at first had been amazing, the first contact of minds... The second time he'd kept his mind shielded hard.
Daniel sneered faintly. No wonder he had felt so drawn to her, so compelled. She was hardly his ideal girl, so innocent and uncomplicated.
By all rights he should have just killed her instead of hesitating. Such mortals were only an amusement to him, their minds and feelings something to play with, then discard or kill when he grew bored.
Interesting, then, that he was still... almost... spellbound with the girl. He thought about the subtle strength in her voice, the glints of thought that showed in her eyes, the sweet of her mouth, and almost sighed. Almost.
But, she wasn't supposed to live. She was too potentially dangerous. What was within had to be killed.
Or used....
-Now there was a thought-
Later on, when night fell he paced through the dark streets like a tiger through a concrete jungle. He'd had several calls from the Night World bosses spouting tiresome rebukes and had met two werewolves who'd been unfortunate enough to be sent to spy on him, and rapidly Daniel was becoming very pissed off.
The reek of car exhausts and asphalt, the piercing flare of fluorescent lights and the static of distant and passing cars stabbed at his sensitive senses and aggravated him more. But what was really galling was his remaining indecision over his unfortunate soulmate.
A figure leapt out at him as he passed round a corner of a building, holding a knife, and he felt his teeth sharpen and eyes flare instantly. He grabbed the human's arm snake-fast and broke it with a strong twist, then lifted the thief by his neck and drained him. Rejuvenated by the hot life blood Daniel tossed the body away and headed for the nearest night club. He'd had a crap day and there was nothing like a bloodfest to shrug it all off.
He entered the club, glaring hard at the bouncers till they let him through, and looked around at the seething crowd of vermin dancers for someone worthy of biting. The place was packed with sweating, jerking vermin, dressed in assortments of styles, light up by flashes of flickering, stabbing neon laser lights in spasmodic flashes, the air reeked of alcohol and hair gel, the bass beats throbbing and shaking the walls. Daniel wasn't in the mood for it all.
His eyes suddenly focused onto a flash of movement, a ripple amidst a sea. Jasmine?
It was. She was dancing with some large, jock style Greek looking vermin boy, eyes shut and face concentrated on moving.
She looked good. She looked great.
But other than idle appreciation, or ambition, it was another burning, sour, astingent emotion that made his mind up.
Jealousy.
She was *his* soulmate.
Jasmine was gone. That's what it felt like.
She had no individuality, she was part of something else, part of a mass of boiling movement and energy, lifted up by the music, lost in it, living in it eternally.
She would be frozen forever to exist in that moment, that instant when the pulsing trance music swelled and leapt into you-
Rick bumped into her and the spell was broken. She opened her eyes and grabbed onto him to prevent from landing on her butt.
"God, sorry Jas," he laughed.
"That's okay," she shouted over the noise. She loved dancing, loved to live in the darkness and glamour of it. Ever since her sister had died and she'd alienated her friends, she'd found coming here a sort of release. Not the peace, the calm, the blessed quiet she felt when she stood alone on the beach rocks and stared out into space, it was more like a sort of painful release of frustration, of depression, of guilt.
She stood up straight and moved back from Rick, looking for another face in the crowd. Rick was nice and all, but as a dancer he sucked.
Cold, gray eyes, radiating a power she didn't understand, met hers.
"Daniel?"
He came forward and gripped her hand. Hard. "Let's get out of here," he ordered coldly.
"Hey!" Jasmine tried to pull away but he was strong, stronger than Rick, who was a weightlifter even. She'd come here to dance her troubles away, not get dragged around by them.
Rick stood in front of Daniel ominously. "Who the hell are you?" he asked bluntly.
Daniel just stared at him. 'Just' was perhaps too casual. His stare bit into Rick's face like steel icicles. Rick blanched slightly.
"We're leaving," Daniel repeated with frosty flatness, and pulled her on towards the exit.
Jasmine looked back at a glowering Rick as Daniel dragged her inexorably away with a grip like steel.
"I'll be okay," she called. Then to Daniel, feeling a cold rage of her own welling up. "Where the hell are we going?"
"Nowhere in particular. You'll see."
Unless this sucks. It might be kinda slow or confusing. If so, sorry! Its the way I am. I think. Well, cautious, rather than slow. More chapters coming soon so dont lose patience...
disclaimer- i own darcas and jasmine. any others dont matter.
CHAPTER TWO
Glossy scarlet nails impatiently tapping on the rough bark, piercing vampiric eyes locked on the entrance, Jet Hemlock stood behind the tree, watching the procession of chattering, mindless vermin pour out of the high school like rats from a sewer.
Her full lips twisted in disgust. Elders know why he'd want to be here, pretending he was one of them, the weak little vermin.
She couldn't imagine anything more mind numbing.
Him and his stupid pride, just because Hydra hadn't sent him on this task again.
A nerdy human boy gawped at her as he stumbled past.
Well, why wouldn't he?
Jet Hemlock was a model Night Person. She was gorgeous, perfect, a ruthless vampire. Lustrous raven black hair tumbled down her back to her waist, her figure was full and elegant, her cat shaped eyes a soft, gleaming aquamarine colour, and her mouth looked full and inviting. Dressed in sleek, black silk designer clothes that clung to every curve, long legs in high heeled boots, she was easily the most beautiful, sophisticated girl this hick little town would ever see.
In her opinion.
But why would she want to waste time having some loser vermin looking at her? Jet glared at him coldly.
"Get the hell out of my face," she snapped. He practically ran from her. Vermin. She snorted in contempt. What good were they except for killing or eating?
Then just as she felt as though she couldn't stand another minute skulking in this decrepit little rat nest, she saw him. Finally, she thought irritably.
He was pacing lazily out of the school entrance and he stood out like a hunting jaguar in a herd of deer. His gaze slowly drifted around... and then locked with hers. Jet lifted her chin a little, feeling a little, pleasant chill over her arms, as always.
At first she thought he was going to walk away, but then Daniel strolled over to her instead until he was standing only a foot away.
Jet swallowed hard. She half closed her eyes sweetly and gave him her most gracious, lavish smile. "Darcas. Why, what a surprise."
His mouth, the only part of his hard chiselled features that revealed emotion, quirked in a sort of furtive smile but his eyes remained unreadable as always. "Isn't it just. And I don't like to be called that, anymore."
Jet pretended to be chastised. "Oh, that's right, you like vermin names nowadays. My my, how droll." She leaned in a fraction closer, eyes playing hungrily over his face. "So, how've you been?" she whispered softly.
The hard gray eyes bored into her own. "Cut the crap, Jet."
Jet hid her annoyance and leant back with a fake smile. Why'd he have to be so goddamn stubborn? She was every male's dream and she was infuriated he was the one man she couldn't charm, couldn't have. They'd been together briefly, once, until he'd left her for some whiny shapeshifter bitch. If he wasn't so good looking and unattainable she would have had him killed a long time ago...
"Bosses wanted to know what you were doing. They had a hunch you weren't going to keep out of this task like you were told so they sent me to check you were following orders like a good vampire. I had a feeling you weren't, too. I'm glad I was right, though... It's been a while since we've seen each other. Missed me?"
Darcas - Daniel, she reminded herself- didn't rise to her insinuating smile. A chilling lightning-flash quick look of anger crossed his face and she straightened with a sigh. Stubborn cold bastard.
"The two guys they sent couldn't have fought their way out of a wet paper bag. I was the obvious choice for this task."
"Where are the two assassins?"
"Dead, of course," he said with icy malice. "I did us all a favor. Plus, they had the bad judgment to argue with me."
She sighed again. "The bosses....well, they're not going to be happy. Hydra sent you before and you failed."
"This was my assignment in the first place. I don't like dancing to Hydra Redfern's tune."
"Hmm." Jet didn't say anything. They both knew Hydra was going to be royally pissed and unless Daniel had an amazing talent of being able to talk his way out of having wooden stakes nailed in his limbs, he was going to know about it when he returned to Night World headquarters.
He seemed to know what she was thinking. "They need me. I'm a loyal follower," Daniel said mockingly.
She just shrugged, irritated. "I suppose if you get the job done it doesn't matter. Found her yet?"
"Maybe."
"Please, define 'maybe'."
"Not to you," he replied shortly, bored.
"I'm hurt," she purred, hiding her real anger by inspecting her long scarlet nails. "Playing with your food again? If you've found her, kill it."
Daniel just sighed with a sort of weary, long suffering patience, and looked at her with a kindly, sympathetic expression as if she were mentally challenged. It aggravated her, as it was meant to.
"As much as I'm enjoying our little chat, I think there's nothing more to say. I'll find the witch girl, I'll kill her, and tell them to stop sending spies along to check on me. I don't like spies."
Jet scowled petulantly and turned away. "Make sure you get the right girl, Hydra won't be happy if you screw up like last time," she called tauntingly over her shoulder, and stifled a cry of pain when he suddenly grabbed her shoulder and jerked her around to face him, his eyes glowing with cold silver light.
-Touched a nerve there- she thought.
"Tell them I will get the job done," Daniel spoke very softly but his grip was crushingly painful and Jet fought against her fear. He was stronger than her and every bit as ruthless. "Now get the hell out of here."
-Stubborn, prideful bastard...- Jet, seething, repeated the mantra over and over again, but was careful to shield her mind.
She left.
Jasmine dreamed:
-Darkness surrounded her, a swirling mass of thick, tangled lines of black... she was lost and turned hopelessly, trying to get out, circling endlessly... glittering silvery eyes mocked her from afar, glimpses of red light, sparks of fire penetrated the mass of night colour like searing stars... and a glowing, golden spark in front of her. A golden light. That was where she needed to go! She started forward, feet moving on a void of nothingness, somehow finding it firm enough to walk on, fuzzy blackness brushing against her face and tugging her heavy limbs, trying to hold her back...
Then she was there and the spark had grown into a tall, rectangular shape... a door? Yes, a glowing golden door, tall and narrow, shining with soft luminence. Around the door jamb cracks leaked rainbow, sparkling light. This was where she was going. This was what was supposed to be-
-Jasmine- called a voice, thick and dark like black honey and she turned away from the door, distracted. The voice called again and she looked for it, confused, then looked back to the door, clinging to the one material thing in this murky place.
The door was gone. In front of it, blocking it out, stood a tall dark figure with burning silver eyes and shining, sharp teeth.
-Who are you- she asked it silently.
-Your death- sighed the voice and it moved forward, long fingers closing about her wrist and she screamed-
Jasmine jerked awake, gasping, eyes staring blindly into the gloom of her bedroom, heart pounding. With shaking, sweating hands she groped for the light witch and turned it on, grateful for the brilliant light.
"No one there," she told herself, breathing deeply. "No one there."
Well, of course there wasn't. It was just a stupid dream. A dream. She just...would leave the light on for now. Just for a while.
For the rest of the night.
The next day was warm, sunny and clear skied, clearing the shadows and memories of the nightmare into the recesses of her mind like dust swept into a closet and Jasmine felt much better. It was Friday yet she was not at school. She was where he'd told her to come, when they'd spoken the day before. Those gray eyes still haunted her... it had been as if something invisible had drawn her to him. Maybe this was a time of change. A chance to forget all the stress and depression that had dragged her down lately, leave it behind.
Stupid thoughts maybe but she just felt like Daniel was... something... important. Different. The cynical part of her mind, still raw and hurt over Luke, the guy she'd loved before, insisted he'd turn out to be just like all the other loser guys. They were all alike.
But she found the warning voice easy to ignore.
The beach was warm and a gentle breeze flowed over the sands. The sea, the sparkles on the cerulean waters, the incredible vastness of it... This was her favorite place, it seemed to be a good sign he'd said he'd meet her here. If he turned up.
Jasmine paused, then turned around, knowing suddenly he was there.
Daniel stood behind her, dressed as always in black, wearing a leather jacket. Still, he looked so good Jasmine wondered why he ever would need to wear any other colour.
His mouth smiled but the eyes fixed on hers with cool detachment. Jasmine fidgeted, silently raging at her treacherous racing pulse.
"Hi," she ventured.
"Hello."
Jasmine gritted her teeth and looked away, over the endless ocean instead. That felt less intense. "Beautiful day, isn't it." Great. How brainless was that.
"It certainly is. I like the night better though," was the obscure response.
"Why'd you ask me here?"
She heard him come up behind her and nearly jumped when he spoke, almost next to her ear.
"I wanted to see you in sunlight."
God, he was strange, but Jasmine still felt like she was melting inside. It felt like there was a shimmering core of energy inside her and it was growing, flowing outwards, making her skin tingle cold and hot.
"Come here often?" asked the low, flowing voice.
-What a line- thought Jasmine nervously.
"Um, yeah. Lots of night parties here. I always liked it better when it was quiet.... It's calming."
"Calming?" asked Daniel. Behind her, he reached for the long, razor edged knife concealed up his sleeve and touched the cold steel handle, musing. Unconventional for vampires to use blades but he'd decided against the more traditional method, for some reason.
"Yeah. Like, when you feel like all the bad of the world's come out from the shadows and sticks to you, it feels better to just come here alone... and just sit and look. Without thinking, without hurting." The girl's voice had taken on a softer, distant tone.
Daniel hesitated, fingers gripping the knife handle, but intrigued.
"Seen a lot of darkness lately?"
"Feels like it. I can't snap out of it. I used to be happier. " Jasmine didn't know why she was opening up to a weird guy she'd never spoke to before now but she couldn't help it. Weird words to a weird guy. Prickling, cool fire still raced over her skin.
"You could be, again..." He pulled the knife out silently, watching the play of light running over it's edge, flowing to the tip, mentally preparing to do what he did and enjoyed best. Just another face in the endless procession of the dead...
"I don't know." The soft honesty, the simple confusion in her voice somehow hung in the air and again Daniel hesitated. He'd followed the girl all week, making sure of his target, but also drawn to her, and now he found himself slowing.
Jasmine looked over at him. The air was crackling and time seemed to be drawing out.
The Night World was full of beautiful, confident, mysterious girls and still there was something about her he couldn't name. It was fascinating. The girl's eyes, sparkling light green mixed with soft light gray, were full of it.
Maybe it was just the power she had within he could see, the power that meant she had to die.... Yet... He may as well do it.
Jasmine looked into his eyes as though trying to see what he was thinking. It was impossible. Like looking through a one way mirror. He could read her, but she couldn't see him. His black hair moved in the soft breeze, his expression almost pensive, achingly handsome, like a sculpted statue, but what he was thinking she couldn't tell.
And then it happened.
Daniel leant in painfully slowly and kissed her hard.
It was electric.
The world flared in a maelstrom of ice and light.
It felt like fiery glowing glacier-bright energy surrounded her, seizing her mind and dragging it out. The air about her seemed to combust into shocks of incandescent sensation and she would have fallen if he hadn't held her up. There was a sensation of movement, as if she was being pulled forward...
One of them jerked back, she wasn't sure who, and she was looking in his eyes again but this time they shone with pure, open surprise, glowing silver. She would have been more interested to see emotion in those hard eyes if she didn't feel so amazed.
"What was that?" she gasped, shocked and thrilled by the violence of it, the surprise.
In answer he kissed her again, and it was different. Instead of the violent rush of...of connection, of intensity, it was slower and more controlled. Prickling, sweet energy traced over her skin, filling her, making her heart pound, but there wasn't that strange sensation of ice and light, it felt more distanced and careful, cold and passionate.
After a long time they pulled apart and he stepped away from her. Jasmine was still reeling from shock. She'd never, ever felt anything like that with her previous boyfriend. She'd never believed all that romantic crap about sparks and lightning. To suddenly experience it was akin to being hit by a bucket of cold water, but much, much better.
But it was as scary as hell. Jasmine looked up at Daniel, who had backed away a few steps as though he was trying to distance himself from her. The adamantine gaze was still faintly startled, but also incredulous and... amused?
"What was that?" she asked again.
"Just... one hell of a kiss," he said, sounding almost like he was laughing, but in surprise, not derision.
"I..." Jasmine groped for something to say. He tilted his head, examining her carefully, and seemed about to say something when Jasmine saw someone on the cliffs behind him. Watching them? She squinted a little and Daniel glanced to see what she was looking at, but the figure rapidly retreated.
"I- I better go," she said hastily, blushing furiously and berating herself from running away, but this was too much, and she turned and began to walk rather fast towards the top of the beach.
Good job, Jasmine, screamed the critical part of her mind, just run away from the guy like you're going to catch something off him why don't you-
"Meet me here tonight." Daniel's voice cut into the mental barrage.
"What?"
"Tonight. Here. Eleven."
Jasmine paused, tempted but also feeling a burning need to get away. He met her eyes and she found she couldn't look away. "Okay. But why?"
The strength in the stare lessened. He simply smiled, cool and impassive and slow, as always.
"I'd like to see you in moonlight, too," was all Daniel said.
She nodded stiffly and rather quickly...fled.
Up on the windswept, barren cliff top, where only a few scrubby pine trees grew, below where the gulls wheeled and keened, above where the sea hurled itself ceaselessly against the fractured rock base in sprays of sea foam, she stood until the small figures on the expanse of rock dotted sand had left. Her pale green-blue eyes, the match for the colour of the sea when the sunlight shone through it, were hard with contempt and jealousy and her perfect mouth twisted with contempt.
It had happened again. Darcas, Daniel, had spurned her in favor of a little weakling. A mortal! Anger and humiliation seethed in Jet Hemlock's haughty soul and she glared furiously at where they'd been through narrowed, gleaming eyes. He'd pay for this, she'd make sure of it.
Whatever little game he was playing with the mortal, she'd find out and stop him. Hydra Redfern, Elder of their Night World section, would be interested no doubt to find out he wasn't killing her as he was supposed. Jet contemplated that thought for a while, a malicious smirk on her lips, then scowled. Why would she need to inform anyone else? She could deal with this situation herself.
"Want something done, do it yourself," she hissed venomously. "I'll be watching you, Darcas. You'll pay for this soon enough."
Soulmates! He thought the word to himself and laughed out loud with scornful amusement. So it was true, after all. The little tales of love and destiny, those ridiculous sentimental ideals that had first started the stupidity that was Circle Daybreak, were true. How pathetic, and how amusing.
And now he had found his. The idea that he was meant to be with a half mortal girl who had never even heard of the Night World was both ironic and incredulous. But, it was true. The connection could not be ignored. The shock at first had been amazing, the first contact of minds... The second time he'd kept his mind shielded hard.
Daniel sneered faintly. No wonder he had felt so drawn to her, so compelled. She was hardly his ideal girl, so innocent and uncomplicated.
By all rights he should have just killed her instead of hesitating. Such mortals were only an amusement to him, their minds and feelings something to play with, then discard or kill when he grew bored.
Interesting, then, that he was still... almost... spellbound with the girl. He thought about the subtle strength in her voice, the glints of thought that showed in her eyes, the sweet of her mouth, and almost sighed. Almost.
But, she wasn't supposed to live. She was too potentially dangerous. What was within had to be killed.
Or used....
-Now there was a thought-
Later on, when night fell he paced through the dark streets like a tiger through a concrete jungle. He'd had several calls from the Night World bosses spouting tiresome rebukes and had met two werewolves who'd been unfortunate enough to be sent to spy on him, and rapidly Daniel was becoming very pissed off.
The reek of car exhausts and asphalt, the piercing flare of fluorescent lights and the static of distant and passing cars stabbed at his sensitive senses and aggravated him more. But what was really galling was his remaining indecision over his unfortunate soulmate.
A figure leapt out at him as he passed round a corner of a building, holding a knife, and he felt his teeth sharpen and eyes flare instantly. He grabbed the human's arm snake-fast and broke it with a strong twist, then lifted the thief by his neck and drained him. Rejuvenated by the hot life blood Daniel tossed the body away and headed for the nearest night club. He'd had a crap day and there was nothing like a bloodfest to shrug it all off.
He entered the club, glaring hard at the bouncers till they let him through, and looked around at the seething crowd of vermin dancers for someone worthy of biting. The place was packed with sweating, jerking vermin, dressed in assortments of styles, light up by flashes of flickering, stabbing neon laser lights in spasmodic flashes, the air reeked of alcohol and hair gel, the bass beats throbbing and shaking the walls. Daniel wasn't in the mood for it all.
His eyes suddenly focused onto a flash of movement, a ripple amidst a sea. Jasmine?
It was. She was dancing with some large, jock style Greek looking vermin boy, eyes shut and face concentrated on moving.
She looked good. She looked great.
But other than idle appreciation, or ambition, it was another burning, sour, astingent emotion that made his mind up.
Jealousy.
She was *his* soulmate.
Jasmine was gone. That's what it felt like.
She had no individuality, she was part of something else, part of a mass of boiling movement and energy, lifted up by the music, lost in it, living in it eternally.
She would be frozen forever to exist in that moment, that instant when the pulsing trance music swelled and leapt into you-
Rick bumped into her and the spell was broken. She opened her eyes and grabbed onto him to prevent from landing on her butt.
"God, sorry Jas," he laughed.
"That's okay," she shouted over the noise. She loved dancing, loved to live in the darkness and glamour of it. Ever since her sister had died and she'd alienated her friends, she'd found coming here a sort of release. Not the peace, the calm, the blessed quiet she felt when she stood alone on the beach rocks and stared out into space, it was more like a sort of painful release of frustration, of depression, of guilt.
She stood up straight and moved back from Rick, looking for another face in the crowd. Rick was nice and all, but as a dancer he sucked.
Cold, gray eyes, radiating a power she didn't understand, met hers.
"Daniel?"
He came forward and gripped her hand. Hard. "Let's get out of here," he ordered coldly.
"Hey!" Jasmine tried to pull away but he was strong, stronger than Rick, who was a weightlifter even. She'd come here to dance her troubles away, not get dragged around by them.
Rick stood in front of Daniel ominously. "Who the hell are you?" he asked bluntly.
Daniel just stared at him. 'Just' was perhaps too casual. His stare bit into Rick's face like steel icicles. Rick blanched slightly.
"We're leaving," Daniel repeated with frosty flatness, and pulled her on towards the exit.
Jasmine looked back at a glowering Rick as Daniel dragged her inexorably away with a grip like steel.
"I'll be okay," she called. Then to Daniel, feeling a cold rage of her own welling up. "Where the hell are we going?"
"Nowhere in particular. You'll see."