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.
Part 16.
"I still can't believe you guys are soulmates," Winema told Des as they left the restaurant.
"Me either," Des confided.
"What's it like?"
"Strange, weird, horrible, amazing, nice," Des replied.
"Hmm, a bit contradictory then?"
"Very," Des said with a smile.
"Very what?" Gwern asked.
"You guys," Winema replied, "you're very contradictory."
"No," Des corrected, "Gwern's the contradictory one, I'm normal, one personality Des."
"I'm contradictory? In what way?"
"Please," Des replied, "you're contradictory in every way, you're the most confusing person I've ever met. One minute you hate me, the next minute you're kissing me."
Gwern raised his eyebrows at her.
"Okay, okay maybe not the best example but come on Gwern, you're one of the most arrogant people I've ever met yet you're really insecure. You talk about hating humans yet you work for Daybreak."
"You don't believe that do you?" Icarus asked Des.
"What?"
"That stuff about hating humans. Something the soulmate connection obviously didn't show you is that Gwern is full of hot air. He says all these things but he doesn't really mean them."
"What about Redferns?" Des asked.
"Yeah well, that's the exception that proves the rule," Icarus replied.
"He really does hate them?"
"'Fraid so," Icarus replied, "his fights with Ash are legendary."
Des smiled, "I'd like to see one."
"All in good time," Gwern remarked, "all in good time."
"Change the subject time?" Winema asked.
"Please," Gwern replied, "you've had enough Gwern bashing for one night."
"Gwern bashing? Hello, this isn't Gwern bashing; this is talking about Gwern. Gwern bashing involves a more in-depth analysis of your psyche and more swearing," Winema told him. "Which reminds me, Des now you guys are, you know, will you be available for Gwern bashing?"
"With twice the vigour," Des replied with a laugh.
Elissa followed Ambrose as he followed Gwern and the others. Something was wrong, very wrong. Some part of her was screaming at her to stop, turn and run, some ancient instinct telling her to get away. She wasn't sure what was causing this fear in her, maybe it was the way Ambrose looked at Des. Elissa had seen guys look at girls with full on lust before but this was different, he was looking at her like she was, prey was the only word Elissa had for it. He looked at her in the same way a puma looked at a deer, a look that had nothing to do with passion and everything to do with food. It was the scariest thing she'd ever seen, a human looking at another human like that, and still she couldn't run, something held her there, pride or stupidity.
Gwern put his arm around Des wanting to pull her closer to him, to have her nearer to him and he didn't know why. Her head came down on his shoulder and he smiled. He loved her that was the only thing that was clear in his head, he wasn't sure what would happen with them, they sure weren't a match made in heaven, more like Fate's idea of a joke. He was pretty sure things would be rough, they'd fight and argue and hate each other 'til it made them ache but maybe they'd laugh and kiss and love each other too.
He wondered if all soulmate connections were like this, this passion that went both ways, scary in it's intensity in love and hate. It didn't seem like any of the relationships he'd seen at Daybreak; then again Jez and Morgead had their moments.
"What's wrong?" Des asked softly.
"Nothing just thinking," he replied.
"You okay, brain not hurting is it? It's able to handle the stress?"
"Barely," he replied with a wry smile.
"Good, wouldn't want you to have an aneurysm on me or anything."
"I'll be careful," he replied with a laugh.
"Good 'cause I'm just getting used to the idea of being with you. I don't want to lose you now."
"Not now you're just getting used to me."
"Yep," Des replied and smiled. She became serious all of a sudden, "No, I just don't want to lose you."
"That's nice to know," Gwern replied.
"I'm sure it is," a cold, calm voice said.
Des turned and though she already knew who it was she felt the same shock she always felt when she saw him now, she felt a dizzy nausea and her flesh crawled, it felt like an army of ants were crawling under her skin. Her vision turned red as a memory of what Ambrose had done filled her mind.
"What do you want?" Des spat at him.
"Just what's rightfully mine," Ambrose replied.
"What's that exactly?" Winema asked.
"Why don't you ask Desdemona that," Ambrose replied.
"What's he talking about Des?" Gwern asked.
"You haven't told your new friends about me, why am I not surprised. And he calls you Des, you're mother wouldn't like that."
Des snarled and flew at him, she smacked him hard across the face and he grabbed her arm, twisting it behind her back.
"Don't you darn speak about my mother," she snarled, "don't you dare talk about any of my family."
Ambrose smiled at her, "Come on sweetheart, don't be like that, you know I only did what you wanted."
Des turned towards him ignoring the screaming pain in her shoulder and spat in his face. He hit her in the face with the back of his hand.
"Bastard," she whispered, "why can't you just leave me alone."
"You know why, you're mine."
"No, I'm not."
"Yes you are, we both know it Desdemona. Look at yourself, you're still the same child you were, you haven't changed."
"Yes I have," Des protested.
"No, you haven't. You're still weak, still pathetic, how exactly have you changed? Do you think having new friends changes anything? Look at them," he turned her roughly to face the others. "They're not even trying to help you. They're just standing there, do you really believe they can help you change anything?" As he said that he put his free arm around her waist.
"Des, what's going on?" Gwern asked.
Des almost screamed. ^What do you think is going on,^ she thought, ^I'm practising ballet.^
Ambrose answered the question for her, "Des is just realising where she really belongs."
"And that would be where exactly?" Gwern asked.
"With him obviously," Elissa said finally stepping into the little group.
"What's she doing here?" Des asked sharply.
"She's my secret weapon," Ambrose replied, "thought she's not really working out."
"Elissa," Des said calmly, though she felt about as calm as the Atlantic in a storm. "You have to leave now. You're not involved and maybe I don't know you." ^Or particularly like you.^ "But I don't want to see you get hurt. Go now, while you have the chance."
Ambrose laughed short and loud, "Elissa's not going to leave, especially now you've told her to, she's stubborn like that. Though if you really don't want anyone to get hurt you know what to do."
He let her go and shoved her in the direction of the others.
"You're free to go Des, if you want but we both know what's between us."
"What is between us, Ambrose?" Des asked in a voice full of scorn and anger. She felt Gwern beside her, steadying her, grounding her, making her feel stronger and giving her more control.
"You said my name," Ambrose said smugly, "it's been a while hasn't it, not since."
"You can say it," Des told him as he paused, "not since you killed my parents and Jack."
Des could feel Gwern recoil in shock and anger. She could feel his desire to kill Ambrose, felt him tense in preparation to attack him. She laid a hand on his arm and turned to him.
"My fight," she said quietly.
"Come on Desdemona, we both know you wanted them dead," Ambrose said.
"That's a lie," she shouted at him.
"Really believe that if you want, I know the truth."
"Why can't you just leave me be?" she asked.
"Because I love you," he replied.
Des laughed a short, bitter laugh, "Nice try but you taught me too well for that."
Ambrose smiled at her, "Good to see all that work hasn't gone to waste. It's good you remember."
"It's the one bit of truth you taught me," Des replied. "There is no love only lust. The bloodlust is the strongest, purest lust. There is no bond only the blood bond. The three noble truths."
"You don't believe that," Gwern said softly but surely, "I know you don't believe that."
"But she does," Ambrose told Gwern, "that's why there can only be one out come to this, she will leave with me."
"That's not true," Gwern replied, "tell him Des."
Both boys turned to her expectedly; they expected an answer, a decision.
