To "T". Just because.
by Jessica French (Midnite363@aol.com)
****
They were still in a field.
Malachy had replaced his mask, but he still wore the same black uniform he had worn in their previous meeting. Shannon, too, was clad in her black dress. The only other thing different about this meeting was the large fire crackling in the middle of five thick logs set in a pentagon shape. When Shannon looked to the sky she was not surprised to see the same greyish-purple clouds rolling over and over each other, chasing their tails quickly to the horizon in the east. Yet the wind that so violently pushed the clouds on, did not effect their clothes or the fire. Malachy stood like a statue, straight and tall just beside the fire. He extended a hand to help her over a log to enter the pentagon.
His hand was strong and firm in hers. The black glove that covered his skin was soft like suede. When she had crossed into the pentagon safely he let her hand go, his touch not lingering more than it had too. When he spoke his voice was muffled from the fabric in his mask. "You did it again. What was your reason this time, lovely lady? True love?" His voice held only the barest taste of sarcasm, but it was enough to raise Shannon's defenses. "No, of course not." He continued, "It was sense of duty. You want to change the future. That is what you want." His head tilted, the black slouch hat dipping lower only one aquamarine eye was visible in the deep eye holes of his mask. "Shannon, the future knows you will take such measures. It knows everything. Anything you could possibly think of to perhaps change the outcome of your future is already anticipated."
Though it wasn't cold, Shannon drew closer to the fire. "Malachy, I told Damon about you."
"I know."
"And about the rebellion, " she raised a hand to stop his further comments, "I know you know. Just.... listen. You were right, I chose to be bitten again out of a sense of duty. I have a better chance of survival if I am a vampire. I gathered the details on how the process works. I know that I must die before the results of my choice are seen. I understand and am prepared to go through with the process completely. But what I need to know, what I have to know is what are you. Who are you, and what is the purpose of these meetings?"
Taking his mask by the tip of the nose, Malachy removed it, tucking it under his arm. "I suppose you have a right to know. Human nature is to be curious of what one does not understand. I am Malachy of a hundred ages. I told you before I have lived the past and seen the future. Am I mortal? No, but neither am I immortal. I have not descended from above to guide you, not have I ascended from below to harm you. I offer truth and understanding. Do you understand that so far?"
"You are neither angel nor devil. I understand that much, go on."
"As I instructed Charlemange, so I will instruct you. I am, whatever you say I am. What am I, Lady Shannon?"
"I...." shaking her head she faltered. Lost for what he may be, she had no idea. "Nothing living. Not a ghost, not a vampire. Not a god." She looked up into his eyes, which studied her patiently as she worked through her mind what he may be. "You may be killed, but not in a simple way...." she trailed off slowly.
"How do you come to that conclusion?" He smiled, or it was more of a smirk. He looked proud. Proud of her?
"You said you were neither mortal or immortal. I...." she trailed off again. "I don't know Malachy. I just cannot make it clear to what you are or may be." "I am a spider in your dream web. Always with you, never without you. There from birth, there in death. But, you seem pretty bent on becoming immortal. We will have a long life together Shannon. How does that sit with you?"
She shrugged, "Fine, I suppose. You have been nothing but helpful in a completely morbid sense, but I suppose... I mean... that does not tell me what your purpose with me is."
"To make it simple for your simple human mind, consider me a guardian. We have been called such, in fact we even have our own little world somewhere in the near distance. Does that help you? Very well, what is my purpose. To advise, to guide and most importantly to protect. You make my job hard with that stunt you pulled with Damon Salvatore, but it is of little care now. When you do become immortal, things will change with us. As the years progress and you live on alone, I think...." He was interrupted by Shannon's sharp outburst.
"Alone! How will I be alone?! Damon said he would stay with me, even after my first death. You tell me right now how I end up to be alone!"
"Damon Salvatore will leave you of course. It is most certain, don't worry..."
"How. Tell me how and why." She could feel the blood rushing into her cheeks, making them flush with her anger. Deep down in the pit of her stomach emotion was swirling. The idea of being alone in the world for an uncountable number of years had her scared to death. She was especially scared about the way Damon would leave her, and why. There must be a good reason, any reason beside a good one would be .... well wouldn't be good enough.
"You do realize that if I tell you things could happen. Those things are undetermined even to me. Telling you the future may ruin the future." His voice was very serious, his eyes held none of the sparkle of humor. Whatever else he had told her or whatever else he will tell her was nothing compared to how serious this was.
Shannon closed her eyes and drew in a deep breath, "Don't tell me. Don't. I wish not to know anymore of my future. Except...." her lips curled in a smile and when she opened her eyes she saw that Malachy was smiling at her too. The humor as back in his eyes and it made them sparkle and he nodded slightly. "You know what I am going to say?"
"I do, " he nodded. "You want know where you will be in about 200 or so years. New York City."
"New York.... the New World. Tell me about it?"
"Maybe next time." He spread a hand and the wind entered the scene, screaming and whirling around them, sending Shannon's hair blew in her face and she felt dizzy as she tried to clear her face of it's black mass.
"Malachy...." she had to scream over the new noise. The fire shot up into the sky, sending sparks up to kiss the air. "Malachy!" She was scared, and then she fainted.
She awoke in a strange place and jerks almost violently remembering Malachy. Then she remembered where she was and as her wits slowly gathered she turned lazily to the other occupant of the bed.
Damon, looking relaxed and marvelous in nothing more than his skin. His eyes were closed, but Shannon had the feeling that he was not in any state of deep sleep. He looked more like he was dozing, taking a few minutes to rest his tired limbs. Shannon did not care, she wanted to touch him. The light coming in through his single window provided enough so that she could see him clearly.
Lightly she pushed the tousled and lengthy bangs from his forehead. She traced a finger over one of his perfectly arched and darkly colored eyebrow. Then she let her finger skim over his closed eyelids that had long dark lashes falling on his pale, flawless cheeks. When her fingers brushed over his cheeks she found them slightly warm and cool, an odd feeling but not an unpleasant one. When her fingers reached his lips, she let her hand drop away, replacing the touch of her hand with the touch of her lips.
His were full and soft to the touch, and they parted slightly to greet her. He had not been asleep after all, Shannon thought, as she kissed him softly. When she pulled back and opened her eyes she saw that his were already open. Instead of meeting his eyes, she looked down at his chest and let her fingers run a course over his ribs and along the ripples in his stomach. Her hair fell over him slightly as she shifted, and she smiled to herself as his hand closed around her chin and turned her to look at him. She raised her own dark brow in question.
"One more time...." Damon began and had to stop to clear his throat. His voice was rough and unused. His head slightly foggy, a new sensation for him, one he wasn't sure he wished to understand. "One more time," he said again, "and then you will have enough of me in you to change. Will you be ready?"
Shannon nodded in his grip, "I would hope so. I had another dream. I have some things to think of before I share it with you. I have decisions to make, hard decisions. Can you wait for me?"
"Forever and a day Shannon," he said, not hiding or caring to hide the weariness that was only to evident in his voice. He had his own decisions to make, "Forever and a day."