Ok, now this is a collection of short stories at first. However this one
kind of ends on a cliff-hanger, which defeats the object, lol. I've already
written most of this story, and I'll try to post once a week. This is a
really mad collection of stories, some are just boy meets girl, girl
happens to be soulmate, others are adventures. Please, please R&R, it makes
my life worth living!
1
2
3 Back Home
Cirth Blackthorn was an assassin. A good one at that. He made a lot of money at what he did, which paid for his expensive lifestyle. He'd been hand plucked by Diamond, a lamia council member, when he was seventeen years old. At that time he'd felt great bitterness toward the world. He was an orphan, his parents had been killed by vampire hunters when he was eight. He'd lived for nine years with a little sister to support. That was then, though. Now Nettle still lived in their old house on the Black Flowers estate, but it was now a kind of penthouse.
Just then Diamond jumped into the passenger side of his beautiful silver Jaguar. "Black Flowers estate, Cirth." She said curtly, swinging her honey blonde hair. He started the car. "Why there?" he asked.
"It's where your next target lives. Anita Thorpe. Sound familiar?"
"Uh, yes, actually." He remembered Anita. She'd been a mere human, but he remembered she'd lived in a decrepit little house in the west of the estate. He couldn't be sure, but he thought that her father had killed his parents.
"Well, my client wants her dead. She's a very effective hunter, and causing a few… problems."
"Whatever. Should I care?"
Diamond laid a hand on his shoulder and laughed. "Of course not." She said. He laughed raucously, turning his golden eyes on her. He was her favourite, he knew. He enjoyed her attention, she was a very influential council member. She'd get him far. And Cirth was ambitious. He wasn't about to stay an assassin the rest of his life. His aim was to get very, very rich and enjoy the fear he'd inspired to hold a position himself.
He drove in silence for a while. He could remember the estate so well. It had been built in the 1940s, on the spot of some bomb after the war. It had supposedly got its name in memory of the people who'd died on the site, but the Night World had taken it as a sign and set up shop. It had been a stronghold for twenty years, until vampire hunters had moved in. The ones who lived there didn't seem to care about the danger. In fact, they revelled in it. Now the entire west side had been taken over by vampire hunters, there families and even a few ordinary humans, most of whom knew about the Night World.
Daybreak had a foothold in the south. They'd come in about 1994, and had convinced many of the residents to join them. The leader, Sora Keller, was untouchable, Cirth knew from experience. Hopefully the same wasn't true for Anita Thorpe. Nettle lived in the north. Thankfully he north and east were still very much under Night World sway.
***
"Well," he said to Diamond an hour later. "We're here."
The sun was still bright, but where the estate started, it seemed to get darker. The roads were crooked, and an odd stillness seemed to hang about the houses. "Well," she said. "We're supposed to be meeting Ethan in fifteen minutes. Come on."
The entered the Black Flowers estate on foot from the east. He parked up just outside, it'd be nicked before you could say 'oh look there's a werewolf sneaking around suspiciously'. Cirth felt a strange feeling gripping his chest. He could remember this street! It had been, what, three years? He could feel himself remembering it all, and in his heart he wished he was still living here. A witch came out of a house in front of them. "Cirth Blackthorn!" she yelled, her voice full of joy. "It's been so long!"
He looked at her face for a few moments. Then: "Dignity Weald! I remember you!"
Diamond coughed. "Business, Cirth. Business."
"Sure, yeah. I'll see you around, Dig." They continued walking. ~I'm home,~ Cirth thought. ~I'm home.~ And it felt like it. He knew and loved every crack and hole in the road. They came to their meeting place. The Green Dragon pub. He'd enjoyed many a drink from here in the past. As they stepped in forty pairs of eyes swung round to regard them. A couple of men regarded Diamond with cool interest, but ignored Cirth. He saw their informant, Ethan Nyoka, in a corner. He was smoking, his dark skin glowing with sweat in the hot pub. It wasn't exactly well lit, and a strange incense was burning on the bar.
"Ethan," Cirth said. "What've we got."
Ethan scowled. "*I* have found out that Thorpe, Anita, will be out hunting in the east quarter tonight. Here she is." He pulled out a photo of a mousy teenager, no-one special. "Vampire hunter of the highest degree," Ethan added. "You'll be lucky to survive her."
"And you'd know all about that, would you?" Cirth said scornfully.
"Actually, I've seen her in action. She's good. Doesn't bother me, though. She's not bothered with little snakes like me who mind their own business and get on with it."
"You *don't* mind your own business, though." Diamond put in. "You've killed enough of them yourself."
Ethan shrugged and waved his joint around emphatically. "She doesn't know that, does she? Kill her good, Cirth." He said with uncharacteristic intensity. "I have an, uh, personal reason to hete her." Cirth didn't want to ask.
"Anyway" said Cirth, standing up. "I want to see my sister this afternoon. If I get the girl, I'll pay you tomorrow, Ethan. See you tomorrow, Di."
***
Cirth saw many familiar faces as he walked to Nettle's house. Many people waved. It was like a bloody blast from the past. Black Flowers was a place of contrast. Some houses were abandoned and dilapidated, most were inhabited and dilapidated. A few looked relatively like ordinary council houses. The odd one was pretty nice, clearly inhabited by Night World chiefs. Some in the north were bordering on mansions, and they really stood out. Cirth lived in the North, where all the rich ones lived. He considered himself a kind of lord now, and god knows Nettle acted like a lady.
His own house wasn't too shabby. It was pretty big, and had been extended. He didn't have the keys with him, so he had to knock on the door. A beautiful sixteen year old answered. She had long red hair, and eyes the colour of nettle leaves. "Hey sis." He said. "Miss me?"
"Cirth!" she said, her voice more surprised than pleased. What are you doing here?"
"I was in the area, and thought I'd just call in to see how you are."
"Oh," Nettle said, and stepped back. "Well, come in. I'll make you a drink."
Cirth stepped inside. Nettle had done it up really nicely. "Have you been getting my payments okay?" he asked.
"Yeah. How's work?" she replied.
"Oh, the usual. There are plenty of opportunities at the minute with all the Daybreakers around. Just the other day I had to kill a witch who swore a vermin was a soulmate. It's getting worrying."
"I think it's quite romantic," Nettle said as she led him into the living room. She disappeared into the kitchen. He could hear her banging about. He sat down, slipping off his jacket.
"Maybe, but it's illegal. And if it carries on, who knows? Our whole way of life could be destroyed."
"Hey, I wasn't about to do it myself," she called from the other room. "I just think the whole soulmate ideas cute. If I meet mine, he'll have to be a law-abiding vampire."
"I didn't think you got a choice." He said with a laugh.
She re-entered the room, balancing a tray. He took a mug of coffee from her. "So," she asked. "Who're you bumping off tonight?"
"Anita Thorpe."
Nettle's reaction was immediate. Her eyes widened, and she dropped her cup. Coffee spilled all over the white carpet. "You *what*?" she yelled. "You can't kill Anita. It's impossible. She's hade like, ten after her in the last three months. She killed them *all*. Cirth, you can't kill her. She's indestructible. You'll die."
Cirth wasn't worried. "Look, Nettle. I won't get killed, I promise you. I'm not planning on dying any time soon."
"You'll die." His sister repeated earnestly. "Don't do this Cirth. You're my big brother. I don't want you to die."
He shrugged. "I don't have time to argue, Net. I have to go feed. I'll see you in the morning, I promise."
"Goodbye, then." She said, her lip trembling. "I love you."
He gave her a kiss on the cheek. "I'll see you soon." He said firmly. And with that he left the house.
***
Cirth really wasn't worried. He was the best. He'd had harder jobs than this, and he'd always pulled it off. He went down into the Daybreak quarter. He needed blood, and that was the easiest place to get a human. He looked around. The whole atmosphere here was different. More guarded, somehow. Ah well, he could find some unsuspecting human. He'd hardly thought this when a young one turned the corner in front of him. With a quick look around, Cirth reached out with his mind. The man was wearing some kind of armour, and carrying a wooden spear tipped with silver. Cirth frowned. Some kind of Daybreak guard? Ah well, it didn't matter. This man wasn't responsive to mind control, but very responsive to being hit extremely hard on the back of the head. Cirth dragged the poor unconscious guy out of the south quarter.
As soon as he was safely back in the north, he whirled round and, sharpening his fangs, bit into the man's neck. He was too hurt to struggle or run. By the time Cirth dropped him, he was dead. Cirth felt no guilt, it was only a human, and a Daybreaker at that. He dragged the body back to Disneyland and carried on his way. It was getting dark, and he had a job to do.
1
2
3 Back Home
Cirth Blackthorn was an assassin. A good one at that. He made a lot of money at what he did, which paid for his expensive lifestyle. He'd been hand plucked by Diamond, a lamia council member, when he was seventeen years old. At that time he'd felt great bitterness toward the world. He was an orphan, his parents had been killed by vampire hunters when he was eight. He'd lived for nine years with a little sister to support. That was then, though. Now Nettle still lived in their old house on the Black Flowers estate, but it was now a kind of penthouse.
Just then Diamond jumped into the passenger side of his beautiful silver Jaguar. "Black Flowers estate, Cirth." She said curtly, swinging her honey blonde hair. He started the car. "Why there?" he asked.
"It's where your next target lives. Anita Thorpe. Sound familiar?"
"Uh, yes, actually." He remembered Anita. She'd been a mere human, but he remembered she'd lived in a decrepit little house in the west of the estate. He couldn't be sure, but he thought that her father had killed his parents.
"Well, my client wants her dead. She's a very effective hunter, and causing a few… problems."
"Whatever. Should I care?"
Diamond laid a hand on his shoulder and laughed. "Of course not." She said. He laughed raucously, turning his golden eyes on her. He was her favourite, he knew. He enjoyed her attention, she was a very influential council member. She'd get him far. And Cirth was ambitious. He wasn't about to stay an assassin the rest of his life. His aim was to get very, very rich and enjoy the fear he'd inspired to hold a position himself.
He drove in silence for a while. He could remember the estate so well. It had been built in the 1940s, on the spot of some bomb after the war. It had supposedly got its name in memory of the people who'd died on the site, but the Night World had taken it as a sign and set up shop. It had been a stronghold for twenty years, until vampire hunters had moved in. The ones who lived there didn't seem to care about the danger. In fact, they revelled in it. Now the entire west side had been taken over by vampire hunters, there families and even a few ordinary humans, most of whom knew about the Night World.
Daybreak had a foothold in the south. They'd come in about 1994, and had convinced many of the residents to join them. The leader, Sora Keller, was untouchable, Cirth knew from experience. Hopefully the same wasn't true for Anita Thorpe. Nettle lived in the north. Thankfully he north and east were still very much under Night World sway.
***
"Well," he said to Diamond an hour later. "We're here."
The sun was still bright, but where the estate started, it seemed to get darker. The roads were crooked, and an odd stillness seemed to hang about the houses. "Well," she said. "We're supposed to be meeting Ethan in fifteen minutes. Come on."
The entered the Black Flowers estate on foot from the east. He parked up just outside, it'd be nicked before you could say 'oh look there's a werewolf sneaking around suspiciously'. Cirth felt a strange feeling gripping his chest. He could remember this street! It had been, what, three years? He could feel himself remembering it all, and in his heart he wished he was still living here. A witch came out of a house in front of them. "Cirth Blackthorn!" she yelled, her voice full of joy. "It's been so long!"
He looked at her face for a few moments. Then: "Dignity Weald! I remember you!"
Diamond coughed. "Business, Cirth. Business."
"Sure, yeah. I'll see you around, Dig." They continued walking. ~I'm home,~ Cirth thought. ~I'm home.~ And it felt like it. He knew and loved every crack and hole in the road. They came to their meeting place. The Green Dragon pub. He'd enjoyed many a drink from here in the past. As they stepped in forty pairs of eyes swung round to regard them. A couple of men regarded Diamond with cool interest, but ignored Cirth. He saw their informant, Ethan Nyoka, in a corner. He was smoking, his dark skin glowing with sweat in the hot pub. It wasn't exactly well lit, and a strange incense was burning on the bar.
"Ethan," Cirth said. "What've we got."
Ethan scowled. "*I* have found out that Thorpe, Anita, will be out hunting in the east quarter tonight. Here she is." He pulled out a photo of a mousy teenager, no-one special. "Vampire hunter of the highest degree," Ethan added. "You'll be lucky to survive her."
"And you'd know all about that, would you?" Cirth said scornfully.
"Actually, I've seen her in action. She's good. Doesn't bother me, though. She's not bothered with little snakes like me who mind their own business and get on with it."
"You *don't* mind your own business, though." Diamond put in. "You've killed enough of them yourself."
Ethan shrugged and waved his joint around emphatically. "She doesn't know that, does she? Kill her good, Cirth." He said with uncharacteristic intensity. "I have an, uh, personal reason to hete her." Cirth didn't want to ask.
"Anyway" said Cirth, standing up. "I want to see my sister this afternoon. If I get the girl, I'll pay you tomorrow, Ethan. See you tomorrow, Di."
***
Cirth saw many familiar faces as he walked to Nettle's house. Many people waved. It was like a bloody blast from the past. Black Flowers was a place of contrast. Some houses were abandoned and dilapidated, most were inhabited and dilapidated. A few looked relatively like ordinary council houses. The odd one was pretty nice, clearly inhabited by Night World chiefs. Some in the north were bordering on mansions, and they really stood out. Cirth lived in the North, where all the rich ones lived. He considered himself a kind of lord now, and god knows Nettle acted like a lady.
His own house wasn't too shabby. It was pretty big, and had been extended. He didn't have the keys with him, so he had to knock on the door. A beautiful sixteen year old answered. She had long red hair, and eyes the colour of nettle leaves. "Hey sis." He said. "Miss me?"
"Cirth!" she said, her voice more surprised than pleased. What are you doing here?"
"I was in the area, and thought I'd just call in to see how you are."
"Oh," Nettle said, and stepped back. "Well, come in. I'll make you a drink."
Cirth stepped inside. Nettle had done it up really nicely. "Have you been getting my payments okay?" he asked.
"Yeah. How's work?" she replied.
"Oh, the usual. There are plenty of opportunities at the minute with all the Daybreakers around. Just the other day I had to kill a witch who swore a vermin was a soulmate. It's getting worrying."
"I think it's quite romantic," Nettle said as she led him into the living room. She disappeared into the kitchen. He could hear her banging about. He sat down, slipping off his jacket.
"Maybe, but it's illegal. And if it carries on, who knows? Our whole way of life could be destroyed."
"Hey, I wasn't about to do it myself," she called from the other room. "I just think the whole soulmate ideas cute. If I meet mine, he'll have to be a law-abiding vampire."
"I didn't think you got a choice." He said with a laugh.
She re-entered the room, balancing a tray. He took a mug of coffee from her. "So," she asked. "Who're you bumping off tonight?"
"Anita Thorpe."
Nettle's reaction was immediate. Her eyes widened, and she dropped her cup. Coffee spilled all over the white carpet. "You *what*?" she yelled. "You can't kill Anita. It's impossible. She's hade like, ten after her in the last three months. She killed them *all*. Cirth, you can't kill her. She's indestructible. You'll die."
Cirth wasn't worried. "Look, Nettle. I won't get killed, I promise you. I'm not planning on dying any time soon."
"You'll die." His sister repeated earnestly. "Don't do this Cirth. You're my big brother. I don't want you to die."
He shrugged. "I don't have time to argue, Net. I have to go feed. I'll see you in the morning, I promise."
"Goodbye, then." She said, her lip trembling. "I love you."
He gave her a kiss on the cheek. "I'll see you soon." He said firmly. And with that he left the house.
***
Cirth really wasn't worried. He was the best. He'd had harder jobs than this, and he'd always pulled it off. He went down into the Daybreak quarter. He needed blood, and that was the easiest place to get a human. He looked around. The whole atmosphere here was different. More guarded, somehow. Ah well, he could find some unsuspecting human. He'd hardly thought this when a young one turned the corner in front of him. With a quick look around, Cirth reached out with his mind. The man was wearing some kind of armour, and carrying a wooden spear tipped with silver. Cirth frowned. Some kind of Daybreak guard? Ah well, it didn't matter. This man wasn't responsive to mind control, but very responsive to being hit extremely hard on the back of the head. Cirth dragged the poor unconscious guy out of the south quarter.
As soon as he was safely back in the north, he whirled round and, sharpening his fangs, bit into the man's neck. He was too hurt to struggle or run. By the time Cirth dropped him, he was dead. Cirth felt no guilt, it was only a human, and a Daybreaker at that. He dragged the body back to Disneyland and carried on his way. It was getting dark, and he had a job to do.