Disclaimer: The Night World is the property of L.J. Smith as are any
of the characters you recognise 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.
Author's Notes: A huge thanks to everyone who reviewed the last part I'm really glad you're enjoying it.
Diomede* : I'm glad you like Des, she came about because I didn't see too many ordinary humans in fanfics and I just thought that there had to be some in Daybreak somewhere. I know that the whole Grandma Harman thing seems very like Witchlight, that's 'cos it's supposed to be. This story is supposed to happen at the same time Witchlight happened and I just wanted to write about how other Daybreakers reacted to her death, though I know Des's reaction is very similar to Keller's in Witchlight so yes I admit it unoriginal. I'm glad you pointed it out though I like to know what people don't like about my stories as well as what they do, thank you so much for reviewing.
Mandy: I'm glad you like this story, I update this so frequently because basically I've finished the story I just have to type up and fix chapters before I update but usually I am never this fast a writer.
Eleyne: Thanks for reviewing, I've never been told I rock before thanks.
Carina: Thank you for reviewing I'm really glad you like the story. As for the guy who came up to her in Winema's house that will be explained eventually.
:-) :Your wish is my command here is the next chapter, thank you so much for reviewing the story.
And last but definitely not least Water Angel: This chapter should explain everything. Thanks a million times for reviewing I hope you like the rest of the story.
Part 11.
Winema looked at them each in turn, "I lied okay, I lied. It's not just half breed killers after me it's the Night World council."
Des felt a sudden rush of pity for Winema, she was the same age as her, younger even and she had the Night World council gunning for her. All Des's problems seemed trivial in comparison. She made her way cautiously across the floor avoiding the glass and sat beside Winema.
"I'm sorry," she said softly.
"Why? You didn't do anything, I'm the one that lied," Winema replied.
"Yeah but I was mean," Des said a smile playing gently on her lips. "The explanation can wait, let's get this place tidied up and the wards up, you can explain then."
Winema gave Des a grateful look and went to get her witchcraft supplies that Icarus had collected from her house the day before. Icarus went to find something to block the door. Gwern stood watching Des, she could sense the turmoil in his mind from where she was sitting. A cold breeze came through the gap in the door and Des shivered. Gwern was beside her in a moment wrapping his jacket around her in a considerate gesture she would never have expected of him.
"Thank you," she said softly.
"That's okay," he replied, his eyes following the path Winema had taken.
"You still trust her," he said.
"Yeah I guess so," Des said wondering where this was going.
"She lied to us, put us in danger and you still trust her but you can't bring yourself to trust me."
"No," she replied in a small voice, "I just can't, I'm sorry."
"Don't be, maybe you're right, maybe you shouldn't trust me," as he said those words Des saw something flash across his face, something dangerous and untamed like that part of himself he kept leashed had broken free for a moment. He turned to her and said softly, "Don't trust me Des then maybe you won't get hurt."
He walked away from her and she could see the power and smoothness in his movement. ^But what about you?^ she thought, ^will you get hurt? Have I hurt you already?^
For a moment she forgot he was a vampire, forgot he was anything other than a boy and her lip trembled as he walked away. She wanted to call him back to tell him she was sorry and she trusted him, trusted him completely but she remembered and his name died on her lips because she just couldn't do it, couldn't feel for a vampire. She'd lived with Thierry for months and she still didn't trust him.
She wrapped his jacket around her tightly and discovered she could get his scent from it, that smell that was undoubtedly and indefinably Gwern. Tears came to her eyes, how could Fate be so cruel? Why had they been bound like this? Why had Fate or Destiny chosen to throw together two people who were so obviously incompatible, why? They didn't deserve this, they didn't, no one deserved to be bound like this. When she'd thought about finding her soulmate and of course she thought about it, you couldn't be in Daybreak and not think about it. When she thought about it she'd never thought it would be like this. She'd thought of having something like Thierry and Lady Hannah or Poppy and James or even Eric and Thea. That kind of understanding and implicit trust, that kind of relationship where you were completely open with the other person, where none of your faults mattered because the other person cared for you anyway. Maybe she was one of those silly, sappy girls after all, a hopeless romantic looking for the perfect relationship, a relationship that couldn't exist especially when her soulmate was a vampire. Prejudice maybe but she couldn't change how she felt, it would be like trying to get a leopard to change his spots, it just couldn't be done.
Winema sat down beside Des who was now wrapped in Gwern's jacket and cupping a steaming mug of coffee in her hands. She'd put up the strongest wards she could which weren't very strong but they'd keep out Night People for a while and they'd have more warning before the next attack, because there would be another attack she knew that as strongly as she knew the sun would rise in the morning. Icarus had found an old door in the attic and was using it to cover the hole in the patio door.
"So," Winema began, "I guess it's honesty time."
"That would be nice," Gwern said, "I don't like it when people lie to me, especially when the lie puts my life in danger."
"I'm sorry," Winema replied, "I didn't mean to put you all in danger, not really. I just, Goddess I told Thierry I didn't want him sending people to protect me, I told him." She took a breath calming down. "Okay," she said, "the truth is my parents didn't exactly leave Daybreak 18 years ago, they had to leave, to go on the run so to speak. They were spying for Daybreak and the council discovered them, they put a price on their heads. Wanted dead," she said harshly.
"Mom was pregnant with me at the time so they weren't exactly in a position to fight or run far, so they hid. Pretty well too we were here 17 years before anyone found us, not even one bounty hunter of course it helped that Thierry had put out a rumour that they went to Europe. They were still in contact with Thierry; he knew everything, about me, where we were. Anyway when they heard about the millennium and everything they decided they couldn't just stand around and do nothing, they wanted to help.
Thierry was reluctant at first but my parents could be very persuasive, they convinced him to let them take another job. It had been 18 years they figured everyone would have forgotten about them and mum put glamour spells on them to change their appearance. They told me everything, where they were going, who they were spying on. That was a little over a month ago, then I got a phone call from my Dad asking me to come meet him. He and mom gave me information about the council and what they've been planning, information I was to carry to Thierry. They also gave me a floppy disk. They were killed the next day."
"I called Thierry and gave him all the information then he told me what happened. He asked did I want protection but I said no, I was sure no one knew about me and anyway I'd already passed on the information I had so what would killing me achieve. I guess I thought they'd just send some lower guys after me and I'd be able to take them but I forgot something."
"The disk," Des said.
"Yeah, the disk, it's a list of the Night World spies within Daybreak, all the Night World spies within Daybreak."
"Goddess," Des said, "no wonder they want you dead."
"Where's the disk now?" Gwern asked.
"Right here," Winema said pulling an ordinary flat black floppy disk from her pocket.
"Shit, what's it doing here? Why doesn't Thierry have it? " Icarus said.
"Because we didn't know what it was until a few days ago and then he sent you guys."
"Can't you just e-mail him the file?" Des asked.
"I did but it doesn't matter the whole things encrypted, I mean encrypted like National Security codes. Thierry says he knows someone who might be able to break the code but I'm to keep the disk until the guy gets to Vegas then bring it to Thierry."
"Why's it taking so long?" Des asked, "I mean we've been protecting you for days now and Thierry hasn't asked us to take you to Vegas."
"The guy's not coming 'til after Christmas I guess that's why he sent you guys, to keep the disk safe 'til he got there."
"Don't be silly Thierry sent us to protect you, not the disk. That's why he didn't tell us about it in case we got some stupid idea into our head that the disk might be more important than you, I can't believe he thought we might actually think that," Icarus said.
"Your parents sound like they were good people," Des said to Winema.
"They were," Winema replied, "they were the best. My Dad taught me to fight and my Mom taught me all about being a witch. They were the best people I've ever known, even though they must have been afraid every day and constantly looking over their shoulders they gave me a great life."
"I'm sure they were very proud of you," Des added.
Winema smiled at her gratefully, "Thanks Des."
Gwern pushed himself away from the counter he'd been leaning against. "Okay," he said, "I don't think they'll be back tonight so Des go back to bed, you look like you're about to fall asleep where you're sitting. Rus you stay with Winema and I'll start cleaning up this mess."
Des got up from the table, Gwern was right even the caffeine infusion hadn't managed to wake her up, ever since the adrenaline had worked it's way out of her system she'd been fit to drop. She took Gwern's coat off and handed it back to him.
"Thank you," she said.
"You're welcome."
"Wow," Icarus said with a smile, "they're actually being civil to one another, wonders will never cease. It must be true what they say about fighting together creating a bond." Icarus saw the look Gwern was throwing at him. "Okay, okay no need to look at me like that I'll shut up. I can't help that the fact you actually have a polite bone hidden somewhere in your body is a shock."
"Your idea of shutting up and mine are obviously poles apart," Gwern said with a sigh.
Icarus grinned, "Obviously. Well I'm sure the two of you will be at each others throats again in the morning."
Des sighed pretty sure this could go on all night and left to go to bed, something told her she was going to need her sleep.
