Disclaimer: The Night World is the property of L.J. Smith as are any
of the characters you recognize like Thierry, Hannah, Keller, Lupe
etc.
Spoilers: All of the Night World books especially Witchlight as this
story occurs at the same time as Witchlight.
Part 10.
Elissa scanned the crowd in the corridor looking for Gwern or Icarus or even Winema and the other girl, Dee or something. They hadn't been at school the day before and the day had dragged because of it. Those guys were the first bit of excitement to turn up in town for a long, long time and she wasn't about to leave them slide through her grasp. There was just something about them, something wild and maybe slightly dangerous but something that told her that there would never be a boring moment with them.
Des was bored, bored out of her mind. None of them had felt like going to school Wednesday, not after the news about Grandma Harman but now just sitting around was driving her nuts. Gwern, and Icarus too she assumed had decided that they should stay in the house as long as possible, if the Night World were killing openly then there was nothing stopping anyone attacking Winema in the open. He had a point and Des hated that, she hated when he was right. He hadn't talked to her since Wednesday and the sorrow or disappointment or whatever he had felt at her rejection had quickly developed into anger. He was a simmering, boiling pit of pure rage that lashed out at everyone unprovoked, especially her. His anger made her feel claustrophobic, it was this black mass that she could sense if not quite see and it was making the exile in the house worse for her. She was going stir crazy, cabin fever had well and truly struck and she didn't think she could last much longer. She was down to her last nerve and her last strand of sanity, another barb from Gwern and she was pretty sure she'd snap and it wouldn't be pretty.
"I'm going out," she told Icarus.
"I don't think that's a good idea Des," he replied.
"I think it's a great idea," Gwern said from his corner, "maybe we'll get lucky and she won't come back."
"Yeah, maybe I won't," Des said shortly.
"No, I'm not that lucky," Gwern replied, "you're like the bad penny you always turn up."
"Like you'd know," Des snorted, "you know nothing about me Gwern remember that."
"I know a hell of a lot more than I want to," he retorted.
"Believe me the feeling is completely mutual."
"Okay," Icarus said butting in, "Ring, ring, back to your respective corners. Would either of you like to tell me what the hell is going on?"
"It's nothing," Des replied.
"It's none of your business wolf boy," Gwern said harshly, the nickname having none of it's former warmth and friendship. Des could see Icarus was hurt and she wanted to smack Gwern.
"Yeah well the two of you better start being civil to one another, I'm not sure Winema or I can take much more of this stupid bickering. You guys have to work together for a while yet so deal with whatever problem you have and get over it, cos I don't particularly want to have to report a double homicide to Thierry."
He grinned as he said the last part and Des couldn't help but grin too, even when he was angry Icarus managed to have a sense of humor. Why couldn't Gwern be like that?
"I'm still going out," Des said, "I need to get out of here for a while."
"Don't go too far," Icarus replied, "and take your gun."
Des smiled she was sort of glad Icarus was worried and being protective of her, at least one of them cared about her and she could trust them. That was the problem, she didn't trust Gwern, he was a vampire and she just couldn't bring herself to trust a vampire, admire their strength and their beauty yes, trust them no. Anyway she was utterly convinced that Gwern Burdock had no feelings for her whatsoever. So she trusted the wolf and not the vampire, there had to be some twisted, messed up irony in there somewhere.
She pulled on her jacket and headed for the door. ^Where will I go? ^ she thought, ^just a quick walk through the woods or town.^ She shoved her hands into her pockets and hunched her shoulders, Goddess it was cold. She walked towards town past houses with shinning Christmas lights and big Christmas trees. Christmas, she'd forgotten all about it, would she even celebrate it this year, she didn't know, it seemed kind of pointless when she'd no-one to celebrate it with. She didn't even know where she'd be Christmas Day, here Thierry's, somewhere else. She remembered last Christmas, it had been such a happy time, they'd had a huge, real Christmas tree, she loved the smell of Christmas trees and she'd decorated it with her Dad and her little brother. They'd been so happy, not one of them had thought this would be their last Christmas.
She felt large tears falling down her face and hanging on her eyelashes. She wiped her face with the back of her hands. She was fine, just fine, she wouldn't think about her family, she wouldn't think about what happened. She'd just concentrate on walking and let all her memories slip away.
Icarus heard and sensed the human outside before she rang the doorbell. It was the blond girl from school, Elissa.
"Hi," she said.
"Hello."
"This probably seems a little weird, me turning up here like this," she said.
"You could say that," Icarus replied wondering how she'd found out where they lived.
"I just came to tell you I'm having a party tomorrow night, a Christmas party. You guys weren't at school so I thought I'd come over and see if you want to come."
"Oh," Icarus said, "Well I don't know, I'd have to ask the others."
He thought about it, a party, and a chance to get Gwern out of his black mood, why not. One of them could stay with Winema or they could be extra vigilant.
"But I don't see any reason why they'd say no, so sure we'd love to come."
"Great, I'll see you tomorrow so, Winema knows where my house is. Bye."
"Yeah, bye and thanks."
"Who was that?" Gwern's voice rang out from the kitchen.
^Here we go,^ Icarus thought rolling his eyes, Gwern had probably picked up most of the conversation and he didn't sound too happy.
Gwern and Icarus were arguing when Des got back. They were practically screaming at each other, Des didn't know what they were fighting about because their argument had dissolved into insults and racial slurs.
"Leech," Icarus spat.
"Very original 'Rus," Gwern replied sarcastically, "but what could I expect from a wolf with the IQ of a doorstep."
Des could see that the wolf insults were pissing both Icarus and Winema off. ^Smart,^ she thought, ^get everyone in the house mad at you.^
Gwern and Icarus stopped to get their breath back and stood glaring at each other. Des didn't know how it happened but next thing she knew both guys were laughing and apologizing to each other.
"I'm sorry," Icarus said, "you're right it was stupid to agree, we don't have to go."
"I'm sorry too, some of those wolf comments were pretty low."
Winema snorted beside Des, "Men, I swear I'll never understand them, but maybe that will get rid of some of the tension in here."
Des thought she could just slink off too her room before Gwern noticed she was back but no such luck.
"Oh look," he said when his eyes fell on her, "the vermin's back. Pity I was hoping you'd realize how useless you are for this job and run back home to Thierry."
"I know how useless I am," Des replied softly, "you don't have to keep reminding me."
"Yeah but he enjoys it," Winema said, "he likes making you feel small and inadequate it makes him feel better about himself. In other words he's a bastard."
Des gaped at Winema, her angry words at Gwern had surprised Des totally. She hadn't expected anyone to stick up for her.
"Why can't you just leave her alone," Winema snapped at Gwern, "There's nothing wrong with her, nothing. You're just a bully looking for someone to pick on and you chose Des because she won't stick up for herself. Well I will, you leave her alone. Come on Des, let's get out of her."
Des followed the blonde out of the kitchen. Winema turned to her and grinned, "Well that put him in his place, do you think he'll be mad?"
Des didn't know what to say, no one had ever done anything like that for her before, no one. She didn't know how to react. What did you do when someone stood up to an angry vampire for you, you had to show some kind of appreciation.
Winema was taken aback when Des hugged her. The shorter girl just wrapped her arms around her and gave her a squeeze.
"Thank you," Des said.
"Hey what are friends for?" Winema replied with a little smile.
"Friends? I don't have many friends," Des said softly, "not anymore."
"What about at Daybreak?" Winema asked, she wasn't exactly shocked Des didn't have many friends just a little sad because she seemed like such a nice person once you got to know her, maybe that was it maybe not many people got to know her.
"I don't know," Des said answering her question, "they're all really nice but I'm not sure I'd consider them friends, I'm not close with any of them really. I guess it depends on how you define a friend. I think I'd call Lupe a friend, yeah Lupe, she's a friend. There are others I think I'd like to be friends with but I never really get a chance to talk to them much, there's so much work and I guess, I guess I'm a little shy, I always back down before I talk to them, scared I'll say something stupid."
"So Lupe that's all? What about back home?"
"No," Des said shortly, "no friends back home."
"So how about me?" Winema asked, "am I a friend?"
"Oh yes," Des exclaimed, "most definitely."
"Good," Winema said with a smile.
"So what do we do now?" Des asked, "Do each other's hair and paint or nails?" she said making a face.
"No," Winema said with a laugh, "how about we make popcorn and crack open that tub of chocolate chip ice-cream you've got in the fridge"
"Sounds like a plan," Des said with a laugh.
Later that night Des was shaken awake, "Go away," she murmured, "I'll get up in a minute." She was shook again and she batted at whoever it was trying to bring her out of her blissful slumber. She made contact with whoever it was and was shocked when she felt the mind of the person, strong and powerful just like him, a sense of something leashed and controlled but something that could be dangerous if provoked, and right now it didn't feel angry just concerned.
"Des you have to get up, something's wrong," Gwern said.
"What?" she asked groggily.
"Something's wrong can't you feel it? No I guess not," he replied but not in his usual condescending manner. "Get your gun and come to the kitchen."
Des stared after him, he seemed worried yet calm and cool and confident, like he was in total control. She envied that and she envied how awake he could be in the middle of the night. ^But then,^ she thought, ^he is a nocturnal creature, no a nocturnal person.^ She got out of bed still not feeling 100% awake. Her gun was in it's holster on a chair beside her bed, it was loaded, she had no problem with that one of her paranoias.
She headed to the kitchen wondering what was wrong, what had the others sensed that she couldn't. She found out the moment she got to the kitchen. The patio door had been smashed, shards of glass covered the floor, she swore silently wishing she had remembered to put shoes on. That wasn't the real problem, the problem was what had come through the door. Gwern, Icarus and Winema were grappling with a number of figures wearing black uniforms. Dark ninjas, the Night World elite, as Des took this in another part of her mind though, ^Dark ninjas, they're not just half breed killers, there the best, the best, they're only used for the most important jobs. What are they doing here?
She cut that thought off as another ninja came through the door. "Hold it right there," she ordered. The ninja just ignored her the order and came at her. Des knew she only had seconds to make a decision, she'd never shot a person before. ^Well there's a first time for everything,^ she thought and squeezed the trigger. The gun fired and Des watched as the ninja stopped short. ^Please, please let him be a vampire,^ she thought and got her answer as he collapsed. ^And that,^ she thought, ^is what you get for not listening to me.^
~Yeah well maybe it might have been more commanding and fear inspiring if you weren't wearing a pajamas with little bunnies on it,~ Gwern's voice said in her head.
~Hey,~ she replied, ~some people find bunnies very scary.~
She had to wait a few minutes for a reply as Gwern concentrated on the guy he was fighting. ~Yeah well some how I don't think Dark Ninjas are among that special group of people. Are you?~
~Sure bunnies, very scary, it's the big ears that get me.~
She took aim at another ninja coming through the door and fired. ^That's it boys just keep lining yourselves up and I'll be happy to knock you down. I wonder how many more there are.^
~Not too many,~ Gwern told her, it's a small group and of course I'm sure most of them ran at the sight of your bunnies.~
~Is it only in the middle of life and death fights you get a sense of humor?~ Des asked him.
~Yup,~ he replied, ~it's the only time I ever feel alive.~
Des was take aback by the sudden confession, he had said it jokingly but she could sense the truth behind it. She didn't know how that made her feel.
~Des look out,~ he shouted aloud and through their link.
She looked up but before she could react she was pinned to the ground. A sudden knot of fear developed in her stomach, she didn't want to die like this, she didn't want to die submissively, she wanted to go down fighting. Then suddenly she was free, someone had pulled the ninja off her. She watched as Gwern and the ninja fought. She hadn't realized Gwern was such a good fighter, well she'd known he was good but he was amazing, not all strength as some vampires could be but strength combined with knowledge, skill and some talent she assumed. He fought with a fighting stick that he used like it was an extension of his body. The ninja couldn't hold a candle to him.
"You okay?" he asked her when he'd defeated the ninja.
"Yeah thanks," she replied.
"No problem. I couldn't let you die in bunny pajamas now could I," he whispered to her gently. Their eyes meet and Des could feel something tugging at her, something inside her shouting, he saved your life, trust him, trust him.
"A little help her Gwern," Icarus called.
Des decided she should help too but all the ninjas were fighting with the others and she was afraid she might hit one of them. Sure wood tipped bullets wouldn't harm Icarus or Winema permanently but they'd sure hurt like a bitch. So all she could do was wait while the others fought the remaining ninjas and make sure no one else got through the door.
"Well that was," Icarus began, when the last of the seven ninjas was disposed of, then paused searching for a word. "Invigorating," he said eventually.
"Yeah," Winema said wrinkling her nose, "that's one word you could use for it."
"We're going to have to get something to block the door," Des said to Gwern.
"Yeah I know, we'd better put up wards or something too for tonight. Tomorrow we'll go to a safe house."
"No," Winema snapped and they all turned to her. "We're not going to any safe house, I can put up wards if you want but I'm not leaving, this is my home and I'm not leaving."
Des felt something well up inside of her, they all could have died that night, all of them, herself, Icarus and Gwern, for some reason bile rose in the back of her throat at the thought of Gwern dying and it could have happened for this ungrateful girl. This girl she thought was a friend.
"Goddess," she snapped, "would you listen to yourself. How selfish can you be? You lie to us, put us in danger and all we tried to do was protect you."
"Des," Gwern said soothingly sending calming thoughts to her, "calm down."
"No, she lied to us. They were Dark Ninjas, Dark Ninjas for Goddess sake, they don't send them out for ordinary half breed kills."
"I know, I'm angry too," Gwern replied, "but we need to let Winema explain."
Des took a deep breath, "Okay, explain," she demanded.
Winema flopped down into a chair at the table, a defeated look on her face, "Okay I lied."
