Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Seventeen

The Past:

There was a banging at the doors. Loud. Unwelcome.

Selena whirled in Rayne's arms and looked toward the direction of the entrance with wide blue eyes. "They're here." She whispered and she suddenly felt dizzy, light and breathless.

Rayne looked toward the dragon prince and motioned for him to back up. The Prince shook his head slowly but Rayne grasped Selena by the wrist, hauling her along as he began to move toward the Prince.

"My Lord, you have to go to the back. The Throne Room. If the witches get through we can hold them off here. But you can't be here." He said to him reasonably and his voice wavered slightly. He was nervous, his anxiety growing with every pounding at the door.

The prince shook his head again, a lost expression on his face. "Dayra…" he whispered and he looked toward the side door the little girl had retreated through. "Zhadayra…and Damien…I have to find…"

"Kinshiro." Rayne said evenly, tone stone cold.

Selena stared in disbelief. She knew what the prince's name was but no one ever used it aloud and never in his presence. But it served its purpose for the Prince paused in his absentminded whispers to look at Rayne.

Rayne slowly held up both hands, releasing Selena. "Now is not the time to argue. There are witches coming for our hide and if they get the chance they will kill you."

The prince opened his mouth to speak but Rayne was already pushing him backward, toward the back door of the room.

And then the entrance doors burst open, splintering and cracking.

Selena whirled and saw the witches coming in through the entryway. There were many of them, stepping and stumbling over something blocking the entrance. Bodies. Two of them. She narrowed her eyes, staring intently at the front steps of the Dragon House. The bodies of the two dragon guards were there, their necks and foreheads bleeding profusely. Five witch bodies were sprawled out on the floor also, all brutally mangled. Torn limbs were scattered in pools of red fluid, streaks and sprays of the same liquid on the tall, white pillars. Selena's hand flew to her neck as she saw stubby dragon horns barely visible in the pools of blood over the white marble.

"Rayne…" she choked, clasping a hand over her mouth to hold in the bile, "Oh, my…Rayne!"

And it was then that she heard the deep, husky voice. It was low and yet loud enough to carry through the halls, echoing eerily. The witches came forth, several swarming in, their hands pulsing with power. And in the center of their crowd was Witch Queen Hecate, beautiful in all her glory. It was her voice echoing in the Royal Halls, her murmurs under the cries and shrieks as dragon rose up against witch.

Selena spun toward Rayne and he was rooted to his spot, staring with wide amber eyes. Behind him the prince looked dark, hands clenched into fists at his sides.

"Rayne!" she cried, reaching for him, pleading with him desperately, "Come with me!"

But Rayne was turning away, grabbing hold of the prince's arms and shoving him into the back door. The prince fell against it but he pushed himself off, fighting Rayne as the Guardian came at him once more.

"Rayne!" Selena shouted. Then something struck her from behind, a glancing blow off the back of her head and she crashed to the floor with a pained cry.

Rayne whirled, eyes catching on her and he came to a dead stop. "Selena!"

He never called her Selena, she thought dimly though terrible explosions of light. Not since the first few times they had been together. Like everyone else he had learned to call her Chime. And through the burning pain she wondered at how strange it was to hear him say her name.

Someone straddled her from behind, a heavy weight settling on her back, and her hair was shoved aside, fingers touching her horns.

From the entrance a girl shrieked, her voice familiar. "No!"

Rayne lifted his hands, amber eyes narrowed hatefully. A black flame of magic blossomed and his hair flew as it erupted, streaking outward toward Selena. She ducked her head against the cold floor fearfully, biting down on the insides of her cheeks. But from above her there was a muffled shout and then the weight flew off her. There was the sound of something hitting the marble floor and she knew her attacker had been taken care of. She opened her eyes, lifting her head slowly.

The side door opened and she looked over to the see the nanny, Jana, slump lifelessly to the floor, coming down to Selena's level. Her brown eyes were open wide, staring at Selena and her forehead mauled. Selena cried out in horror, scampering sideways.

Witches emerged from the room, hands glowing, all except for two who held a small, screaming child between them. She stared at them as ice froze her stomach over, stared as they carried the child, muffling her screams.

The princess.

"Dayra!" the Prince shouted and his black irises flashed silver, his face dark as the blackest night. He shoved passed Rayne, his hand lifting.

"Kin!" Rayne whirled frantically, holding out an arm.

Another body dropped down on top of Selena, two hands clapping over her ears. A soft voice murmured hazily, quivering and sobbing. Selena closed her eyes and fought in panic, throwing her body and bucking. But even with its light weight the person was holding on.

A body toppled to the floor beside Selena, a dead witch, and she whimpered in hysterical terror as glassy blue eyes stared back at her. The person straddling her continued to mumble in painful sobs, her small form shaking.

She needed to get away. Now. Now, now, now. She couldn't look into those flat blue eyes. She turned her head away, gritting her teeth to keep from crying and she spun onto her back lithely, causing the person on top of her to stagger sideways. She opened her eyes as the person straddled her again. "Helle?"

The witch clamped down on her mouth quickly. "Let me save you!" she shouted and she closed her eyes, beginning to chant again.

Off to the side Maya floated forward to meet the group of witches holding the child. She clapped slender hands over the child's ears, bowing her head to chant.

And Hecate, amidst her army of witches, raised her hands into the air.

Above her, Hellewise leaned forward, pressing her forehead into Selena's shoulder. "It'll all be better now." She whispered sadly.

Streaks of white magic burst from Hecate's hands, shooting into the air with the large crashing of thunder. The bolts zigzagged, forking and striking like lightning, its brilliance blinding. Selena watched it over Hellewise's blond head of hair, marveling at its beauty, its radiance.

But when it began to strike the dragons her awe turned to horror. It swallowed dragon guards whole, enveloping them in light. They flailed, limbs stiffening as if they had been caught by natural lightning.

Selena snapped her head to look at Rayne.

He was down on his knees, hunched over, his dark cloak falling heavily to the floor around him. And his prince was behind him, body lying against the walls.

It wasn't hitting her. She realized it only then. She looked at Helle who was hiding against her. "Hellewise…it isn't hitting me." She said shakily.

Helle lifted her head to look at her with teary brown eyes. "I am protecting you." She said faintly.

Selena stared at her, frowning. And then she looked back at Rayne and began to scramble, shoving at Hellewise. "No, don't! Hellewise!" she pointed toward Rayne. "Helle, you have to save Rayne! You have to-" she reached a hand out as bolt upon bolt of lightning struck him, "Rayne! Damn it!"

The remainder of the doors crashed as someone else entered.

Hellewise whirled, Selena looking passed her, an arm outstretched toward Rayne.

A single person stood in the doorway, blocking the sunlight. He was cloaked in the uniform of the First House, the Royal Crest emblazoned and visible along the blowing sides of his cloak. He wasn't more than a child, early in adolescence. His dark brown eyes surveyed the situation, following the streaks of lightning to its source.

"Damien." The prince whispered.

The boy darted forward, shoving aside witches who descended upon him. His dark eyes blackened, the iris blocking out the entire white of his eyes in his sudden fury.

Hellewise rose slightly. "Mother…"

The boy lifted a hand, slowly it seemed. Smoke billowed from his fingertips, black lightning sparking from his palm.

"Mother!" Hellewise screamed, her voice echoing in the halls, above the sounds of fading battle.

Maya opened her eyes and whirled, hands still clasped to the dragon princess.

The boy fired, the force of his black burst shoving him back a step. The energy streaked by witches and dragons, grazing several along its path. And it struck true, striking the Witch Queen from behind.

A cry tore from Hecate and there was the audible sound of something snapping. Then there was no sound at all as she toppled to the smooth floors of the Royal House.

Hellewise stared in disbelief at her mother's figure upon the floor, her silver hair spread out over her face and along her tall, slender frame. Her hair, however, did nothing to hide the hideous burn and cooked flesh of her spine.

Maya was pale, paler than ever before, her full lips parted in disbelief.

Selena looked at Rayne and he was heaving, chest rising and falling as if he had just run a race. The prince slid down the wall to his knees, body hidden under his heavy cloak.

Maya looked at Hellewise, stunned.

Hellewise gazed back. And then as if in accordance they were both suddenly moving. Hellewise scrambled to her feet and raced over to her dark sister. Maya snatched up the dragon princess in her arms as if she were her own child. But there was no love on her face. Nothing but determination. She turned to face the entire hallway, pressing her back against the wall, holding the child before her like a shield. And she began to chant again.

"Hellewise, no!" Selena shouted, rising to her feet. And nausea washed over her, her vision doubling painfully. She fell to one knee, lifting her hand to touch the bloody bump she had received earlier. "Hellewise-"

Hellewise put herself before her sister and the dragon princess, her hands clasped as if in prayer. With her words of magic something shimmered into being surrounding her fingers and she threw her hands into the air. The witch magic had the sheen of a bubble, rainbow colors flashing across its clear surface and it spread around them, blocking them from the dragons.

Maya's voice rose, the Spell of Eternal Slumber echoing.

The prince took hold of Rayne's wrist, motioning first to Selena and then to the side door.

Rayne shook his head, rising on wobbly knees.

The dragon boy came forward, dark eyes confused. "Kin-" he called uncertainly.

White magic sizzled from Maya's hands. Hellewise lowered her arms in one fluid movement, hunching forward and her sister lifted one arm, the other wrapped around the sobbing dragon princess.

Rayne rose before the Prince, face dark. Darker than Selena had ever seen it.

She whirled as the white glow streaked into the air, as powerful and brilliant as its mother spell had been. She spun toward Rayne, lunging at him and he caught her in his arms, falling backward under her sudden weight. He stumbled against the wall, the Prince caught behind his legs and cornered against the wall.

I can save you. I can save you…

The magic enveloped them all.

She didn't understand what was happening but she was cold. Sound was suddenly muffled under the magic, quieting until there was nothing but the low thrum of energy. It went on forever, the blinding light surrounding her and she embraced Rayne against herself, holding him fiercely, willing herself to take whatever pain he felt. But there was no pain, no feeling. Nothing but that horrible monotonous thrumming sound.

And then it all went away and she opened her eyes to find Rayne unconscious in her arms, the Prince laid out at his side, also unconscious.

And the dragon princess whimpered in the silence that ensued.

She cried that day, full heart-wrenching sobs that threatened to break her. And she swore to herself, holding Rayne's head against her collarbone that this would be the last time she cried in sorrow. Never again.

The Present:

"Check out these babies." A masculine voice said from somewhere nearby. "Haven't seen these in a long time. Not since Jez and I used to hunt." He sighed. "Ah, memories…"

Also from above but not from the same direction as the masculine voice came a feminine voice. "Morgead, put those down. Why did they pair me up with you? I still don't understand…" and then the voice grew sharp, "Don't you point those at me!"

The first voice, the masculine one laughed wickedly. "It's not like they can hurt you, Kes." He said but then there was a hard thump from near her head and the sound of footsteps pulling away.

The woman growled, the sound rumbling in the room. "Kestrel, Morgead. Not Kes. Not Kel. Kestrel." She said coldly. "Why couldn't someone else come with you on this? Why me? I was just visiting!"

"Yeah, yeah, all right. Fine. Quit your complaining." The man sighed.

Chime whimpered weakly. Something flashed before her eyes. A vision. Loud screams. Panicked cries. And loud explosions. A woman with blood red hair and piercing green eyes. A cut bleeding under one clear green eye. The spraying of blood, all around and then the woman with red hair falling back in slow motion, arms flailing. A man over her, pointing the barrel of a rifle at her. And someone's hands, her hands, appearing in the scene, pushing the man's rifle aside and lifting another weapon to his forehead as his dark eyes widened. Blood. Always blood. Flying, staining. His body toppling back, eyes rolling up into his head as he died. A woman crossing herself behind a pillar. And her hands again, the same hands that had killed the man, lifting her weapons and shooting, taking the woman down also.

Death. Death was all around. No. She was Death, snuffing out lives with ease. She was cold-blooded, had become a killer because of someone close to her, because she needed to reach him, had to find him. And there would be more deaths so long as she hesitated.

Her eyes snapped open and she sat up, scrambling, heaving a deep breath. And then utter, excruciating pain raced up her entire body like flames and she feel back onto the mattress under her, crying out through clenched teeth.

"Hey! Whoa! Whoa, wait!" the masculine voice shouted from above her and two hands gripped her, one on her left shoulder and one along her collarbone. The hands pushed her down on the mattress, holding her down and she couldn't fight him even if she had wanted to. All she wanted was to die. Die or be numb, whichever was possible at the moment.

Her eyes came open again and she blinked, chasing away bright splotches and finally focusing on two people above her. A man and a woman. Both young. Both rather mean looking but at the moment they seemed worried. Perhaps a bit anxious.

"Where am I?" Chime asked through gritting teeth and she shoved one of the hands away. It belonged to the woman and the stranger pulled back a bit, still clutching at Chime's shoulder cautiously.

"Ok, calm down." The man was saying smoothly, "Calm down-"

"You calm down!" Chime yelled at him, throwing aside the woman's other hand. "Get away from me!"

The woman backed away fully, lifting her hands to her hips. A dark smirk played across her face and her yellow-hawk eyes flew to the man, eyebrow arched.

The man sighed, stepping away also.

Chime inhaled shakily and looked from one to the other warily. The girl was a bit familiar, her features, but she knew they had never met. The man was a stranger.

"All right." Chime said slowly and she swallowed, forcing an even tone. She rose again, carefully this time and then looked at them once more. "First question. Where am I?"

The man glanced toward the woman, green eyes guarded. "Safe-house. In Shiraz." He said slowly.

She stared at him in distaste. "Shih-what?" she asked distinctly.

"Shiraz." The woman answered in a snappish tone. "In Iran."

Chime turned to retort at her but then her sentence sank in. "Iran?" she asked, eyes widening. "Then Persepolis…Persepolis is…is…" she looked around, feeling the stirring of energy inside. "Where are the dragon scrolls?" and then, with a tightening of her jaw, "Who are you people?"

The man held up a hand. "Easy. We're getting there-"

"Where are my clothes!?" Chime exploded, finally looking down at herself. She was bandaged like a damn mummy. White strips wound around her left arm, around her first gunshot wound. More white strips were secured around her shoulder, from her right bicep straight up to her collarbone to protect her shoulder. The strips then wrapped around her breasts and ribs.

She lifted her eyes angrily. "Someone is about to die a very painful death." She growled.

The woman looked happily cruel. "It won't be one of us, dragon. You're weak. You wouldn't hold your own."

Chime looked quickly to her left, where she had heard the sounds earlier. She saw her Sigs at the same time the man saw them. She swiped at the small night table beside her bed as the man lunged forward. Her elbow was operating well enough but her shoulder still hindered her. It didn't matter. All she needed was to squeeze off one shot, just one. The woman would be the first to go. Then the man if she could manage another shot. And if he was human.

The man shoved her right arm aside, across her chest away from him as she swung the weapons toward him. She winced as he pushed on her wounded shoulder but quick as a striking snake she had the other Sig barrel pressed to the underside of his chin.

He came to a dead stop, stiffening before her and he looked down, green irises meeting her cold stare.

Chime was not amused. "You might want to see where my other gun is pointed." She advised quietly.

The man glanced toward the second Sig and followed the line to its target. Which was the woman who was on the other side of the bed opposite him.

"Back…up." Chime said through clenched teeth.

The woman took several steps away, the man doing the same. Chime slowly untangled her arms, pointing freely at them now. She twitched her shoulder a bit. Perhaps to get the blood flowing. She needed desperate healing. "One last time. Who are you. Who sent you. And why were you stupid enough to bring me to Iran?"

The man glanced toward his companion and the woman waved impatiently. He shot her a dirty look. "hey, I don't want to be here as much as you do, all right?" he snapped at his partner, eyes narrowing.

The woman moved to retort.

Chime cleared her throat. "Ahem." she said delicately. "I have the guns. You do not. Answer the damn freaking questions."

The man shook his head and finally looked at her again. "My name is Morgead. She's Kestrel. And we're with Circle Daybreak."

Chime sighed wearily. "Circle Daybreak. Ok, great. So, that means I should just kill you now. Sent by…Thierry? Did he betray me, too, then?"

"No." Kestrel answered. "No. Thierry sent us to find you and hide you. We found out all about you taking over Rachael's Cain identity. A friend of hers came looking for her, they had made plans to hang out and he found her unconscious." She paused. "He was also a witch and saw the dragon scroll box. It spread like wildfire after that."

Chime sucked on the insides of her cheeks. "That's just lovely."

"Thierry and Mother Cybele are going straight to the First House. They're probably already there. You've been out for a day and half."

Chime lifted her gaze to her slowly, feeling her stomach tighten. "You're lying." She stated firmly. But was she? If Thierry and the Mother were already there, there was no way she would get out alive. The Mother probably already had him convinced she was the Devil incarnate.

Morgead was frowning as if he didn't understand. "What would be the point of lying now? Thierry sent us to convince you to stop what you were doing. They're already waiting for you. If you continue on you'll be seen as the enemy and they'll deal with you whichever way necessary."

Chime's eyes narrowed. "I wasn't the enemy until you forced me to become it." She said angrily. "I was living my perfectly happy life but you, all of you…" her weapon wavered and she grimaced, trying to tighten her grip. "Why? Why would you do that to me?" she exhaled through clenched teeth, "Did you not think I would try my damnedest to stay alive?"

Morgead glanced at Kestrel and Chime could tell the girl was confused.

"Don't look at me like I'm crazy!" Chime shouted at her furiously. "From the beginning it was a joke! The Mother came after me, sent me running and then sent Daybreak after me to continue the game! That was it, wasn't it?!"

Kestrel held up a finger, utterly and thoroughly confused. "Where are you coming from?" she asked with an arched eyebrow. "Mother Cybele did not send anyone after you. Up to like two days ago she didn't even know you existed! Someone else is after you."

Chime looked from her to Morgead who was gazing at her cautiously, lips parted slightly, a lock of black hair falling onto his temple. "You're lying." She whispered again, uncertainly.

"No. No, we're not." Morgead said quietly. "Mother Cybele was never involved. But once you had the scrolls she was. She won't allow you to step foot inside the museum with that spell-"

"I can't cast the spell!" she shouted, raging at him and he shut up immediately. "I am not a witch! The spell will not work!" Every word came out, stressed.

Kestrel shook her head, back to her snappish tone. "Then why go? What would seriously be the point? Why go if you can't wake them? More bloodshed? Because people are dead, you know." She cocked her head. "Twelve people died yesterday in the airport. Six security guards. Two of the assassins. And four civilians." She shrugged, gold eyes narrowed dispassionately. "Why?"

Chime stared at her and she was hearing her voice but the words didn't go with her moving lips. Her voice was slow, like a record breaking up. She brought her gaze down to her weapons still leveled at them and not for the first time did she realize she was trembling. "I…I have to go." She whispered, blinking distractedly. The world didn't seem real for a second. Like she was outside her body, watching herself point the guns at them. "I have to see him. Because…because…"

"Because…" Kestrel prompted.

"Because I finally can." she answered softly. She shook her head and looked up at the woman. "Because I know where he is and he's almost within arm's distance." She shook her head and as if shaking loose something more excuses tumbled forth, "Because all I ever want to do is collect bottles of brandy and when I have them all I want to do is fling them across the room in anger. Because I can't dream about him anymore, I can't." she shook her head again, feeling tears rise in her eyes but she blinked them back, didn't want them to escape. The ball in her throat made it hard enough for her to talk. "I want him to be real, I want him to exist. I want him to wake up, open his eyes and look at me. Look at me with those eyes…those eyes…" her voice drifted as her hands wavered again, "I want him to…to…"

She let one of her guns drop onto her lap. "I want him."

Kestrel crossed her arms over her chest wordlessly and Morgead was watching her, eyebrows pulled together sadly.

"Whoever is in this, and whatever part they play…" she hesitated, sucking in her cheeks, "It doesn't matter. I have the chance. And I'm going to take it." She lifted her gun arm once more and determination set in. "Where are the scrolls?"

Morgead straightened a bit, Kestrel throwing him an 'Uh-oh' look.

Chime's eyes flew from Kestrel's amber figure to Morgead's dark one. And she felt an unbelievable surge of fury. Had she been a volcano she would have erupted and erased all of humankind from existence. "Oh, shit-" she growled and she forced her hand to stop trembling, finally managed such a tight grip that she actually wondered if she could crush the Sig in her hand. "You sent them back, didn't you?"

They didn't answer.

But she knew. She most definitely knew their answer and she had never felt such a wave of cold rage. All her work, all her pain. Only to end up at the beginning. She shook her head and chuckled, sighing. And then the humor left her face and she ordered, "Turn around."

Morgead frowned but did so after a moment. Kestrel imitated him after another cautious moment.

Chime lowered a Sig to clasp the blanket wrapped around her waist. She flung it off and the fact that she was naked only proved to anger her further. "You. The girl. Kestrel." She called stonily. "Where are my clothes?"

Kestrel glanced at her over her shoulder.

"Remember what you're dealing with." Chime said, already reading her mind. "You may be Night World but this isn't my first time using a weapon. Now get me my clothes."

Kestrel sighed impatiently and then trudged over to a corner of the small room. She crouched, pulling forth Chime's duffel bag from under a desk.

Morgead shifted a bit, looking toward her over his shoulder. His green eyes flew down and then back up her frame, widening momentarily before he whirled back around and lifted a hand to scratch his neck awkwardly.

Kestrel rose, clutching bloody clothes. And then after a moment's consideration she hauled over the entire duffel bag, placing it on the bed before Chime before joining Morgead again.

Chime looked at the clothes in the duffel bag. And then she looked at herself. She was back to being blond and blue-eyed. This time around she would forget about her horns. If people saw them, then they saw them. She really couldn't bring herself to care anymore.

She closed her eyes for a moment and expanded her other senses. Morgead and kestrel shifted every once in a while but no sudden movements which meant they were staying where they were.

With a soothing breath she focused on her hair. At her command it began to shorten, climbing up her neck and darkening until it was a shiny black cap hugging her head and temples hugging her head and temples. She opened her eyes and blinked. Twice. The color of her irises shifted from blue to purple and finally to black.

People were wrong. Blondes didn't have more fun.

Slowly, Chime lowered her weapons, tucking them under the bedcovers a bit. And watching Morgead and Kestrel she reached for her clothes, pulling on her black pants. Her boots were under the bed, she noticed. And the blue sleeveless tank was a mess of blood. She wouldn't get far with it before getting stopped in her tracks.

She glanced at her bloody bra resting inside the duffel bag. She wouldn't be needing that. She bent slowly, tossing aside the bloody shirt. She had taken along another shirt from Rachael. A black, long-sleeved shirt. Good enough.

When she was done she pulled on the belt of ammo and the leather jacket, grimacing as it slipped down heavily on her frame.

The two Sigs went into the back of her pants and she noticed the pocket knives in the duffel bag, buried under more clothes. She reached in, taking them out and replacing them back into her boots before tossing aside the duffel bag. It was of no use to her now with the dragon scrolls on their way back home.

"Ok." She said lightly and as they turned, "point me in the direction of Persepolis."