Disclaimer: The Night World is the property of L.J. Smith as are any of the
characters you recognise like Thierry, Hannah, Lupe etc.
Spoilers: All of the Night World books and my story Bound by Flame.
Author's Notes: Thanks to everyone who commented, you guys make exams bearable and that's saying something.
Orange: Thanks so much. I wish I could see Ani's painting too, I have an image of it in my head and if I was any good at art I'd try it but unfortunately my brother got the artistic gene in my family.
Redaura: Gwern isn't being held by the Night World, that much I know so no need to worry, he's just being an obtuse, annoying ass at the moment, that's all. I hope this was a quick enough update for you, exams awaken a need to procratinate in me and this is a nice way to do that.
Diomede: Wow, thanks so much for the encouragement and praise, I'm glad you like what you've read so far, I hope you like the rest of it as much.
Part 10.
Aniela slid out of her car and tucked a few loose strands of her dark hair behind her ears. She sighed dismally and tucked the back of her white blouse into her black skirt. She usually didn't mind working in the restaurant so much but on days like this when the spring sun was sneaking out from behind fluffy, white clouds and warming her skin waitressing was the last thing she wanted to do.
Her father greeted her with a smile when she entered the kitchen. He was obviously enjoying getting to do the cooking for the first time in a month or so. Ray, the dessert chef waved a knife at her grinning widely and Tony looked up from the dishes long enough to give her a wink, the edges of his lips curving wickedly. Aniela smiled broadly back; the restaurant staff were like part of her extended family.
Karen, one of the other waitresses, smiled with relief when she saw Aniela. "Thank God you're here Ani, I can go home finally."
"One of those days?" Aniela asked.
"It felt like two of those days," Karen told her. "Well good luck," she added with a smirk before heading out through the kitchen door.
"Great, just great," Aniela thought, "this is just what I need." She groaned lightly then plastering a saccharine smile on her face she prepared to meet the customers.
Diablo was incredibly surprised when he got the phone call from Wenona asking if he and the others wanted to go out to eat with her and her friends.
"I know you guys don't actually eat," she had said, "but it would be a good chance to get to know you better and give you a chance to see some more of the town."
He had agreed immediately and as soon as she'd hung up called Charlotte on the cell phone telling her to get her ass back to the house. She hadn't been exactly trilled by that request or the way he'd phrased it but then he wasn't exactly too worried about how she felt about it. This was the first real indication that they were getting somewhere with this 'lets be friends, look we're soulmates that means were good' plan.
Charlotte, however, was not letting it lie. The whole way to the restaurant she was pouting and sulky and so mouthy. He just ignored her, which seemed to have been the best course of action as she got even more pissed off. He grinned; it was good to see he wasn't losing his touch even if. He paused, even if what? Even if he was going soft for a human maybe? No, hell no, that was not what was happening. That was never ever going to happen.
Diablo sighed with relief when they got to the restaurant and he discovered Aniela was not there, it was just Wenona, Alex and the three others they'd met the night before who's names escaped him.
"Hey, glad you guys made it," Alex said, "I'm starving."
"I could do with some grub too," the tall girl said.
Diablo paused for a moment noticing for the first time her English accent. Now where did Wenona meet a girl from England? Now that was an interesting question, one that he'd definitely have to look in to when they got back to the house.
"So what are you going to have?" Wenona asked Alex.
"Oh I don't know, there's so much to choose from, I could have lasagne or spaghetti bolognese or some of those stuffed shells things, how can I choose."
Wenona grinned, "Yeah, yeah Alex, you know you're just going to have lasagne as always."
"What can I say, it's hard to beat a good thing," Alex replied with a smile.
"So the lasagne's good?" Des said with a grin.
"Very," Alex told her, "but then everything here is good."
Diablo followed the group into the large, brightly lit, airy room. The seating arrangement seemed to be pretty informal as Alex and Wenona borrowed chairs from other tables to bring over to their tightly packed table. A couple of waitresses wandered from table to table in white shirts and black skirts. He heard their waitress approach from behind him.
"So what can I get you guys?" a familiar voice asked.
"Oh no," he thought, "anyone but her." He turned slightly in his chair and saw out of the corner of his eye that it was indeed the last person he wanted to see.
"Hey Ani," Wenona said, "I got a craving for Italian so I thought I'd bring the guys along to see you at work."
"Gee thanks," Aniela replied her voice laden with sarcasm.
"So what's good here?" Cassian asked glancing up from his menu.
"Everything is good here," Aniela replied evidently annoyed.
Diablo stared blankly at his menu, this was the first time they'd met since the night before, since they'd discovered the stupid soulmate connection. He glanced sideways at her surreptitiously from behind his menu. She didn't seem to be acting any different towards him, actually she wasn't even looking at him, good that meant it had worked; she didn't remember anything that had happened the night before.
"This is the best Italian restaurant for a thirty mile radius," Aniela told them with pride evident in her voice.
"Of course it is the only Italian restaurant for a thirty mile radius," Alex added earning himself a smack in the head from a notebook.
Diablo was surprised at Aniela's pride in the restaurant, she was just a waitress there and it was just a job. Somehow she hadn't struck him as the kind of person who'd be happy or proud to be a waitress in a small restaurant in a small town, she was too intelligent for that and too talented; he had seen her artwork.
As Aniela was taking their orders a medium sized man appeared out of the kitchen.
"Wenona," he said crossing the space between the kitchen doors to the table in a few strides. "It's good to see you again," he continued kissing her on the cheek. "And Alex how are you? Is Ani taking good care of you?"
"Yes sir," Alex replied with a small smile.
"Why don't you introduce me to the rest of your friends Nona? I don't know how you do it but you always seem to bring the best looking people to the restaurant, where do you find them?"
"Papa," Aniela admonished but couldn't help smiling as he gave her his best innocent face.
Wenona grinned and winked at Aniela, who was now turning a deep shade of red, before beginning to introduce everyone.
Aniela watched as her father's eyebrows disappeared into his hairline when he heard Diablo's name. It was pretty much the reaction she'd expected and very similar to her own reaction so she knew exactly how her father was feeling. Maybe it was just because she was Catholic but she found it hard to understand how anyone could name their child after the devil.
"Well I hope Ani's been taking good care of you all," her dad said smiling broadly around the table. "I'd better get back to work before they burn down the kitchen without me. Ani if you want to once you've taken their orders you can take your break."
"Thanks Papa," Aniela replied.
Aniela disappeared into the kitchen for a few minutes and when she returned Wenona scooted over to make room for her. Unfortunately for Diablo that put her sitting right beside him. The next twenty minutes were the longest of his life and the worse torture he had ever experienced. She was much to close to him, he could smell her, hear her breathe, there were even moments when he thought he could hear her heartbeat. He could see the way her eyes lighted up when she laughed, the soft upturn of her lips when she smiled. He watched her tuck a few wayward strands that had escaped from her braid and felt a horrible desire to run his hands through her hair. He felt a desire to sit on his hands just in case they disobeyed his brain and did something stupid.
When she finally had to get back to work relief flooded through him and all his muscles seemed to relax at once though he hadn't even realised they were tensed. At last the hard part was over, he'd met her and he hadn't done anything idiotic. Or so he thought.
When they got to the car park Cassian and Charlotte were making lovey dovey eyes at each other and he knew exactly the kind of annoying, sickening talk he'd have to put up with if he rode with them. He told them he'd walk home, that he'd enjoy the fresh air and that maybe he' d actually feed on something that would satisfy their kind of hunger. They seemed to accept that excuse at face value but instead of moving off after they left Diablo found himself burying his hands in his coat pockets and walking around in a circle that brought him back past the restaurant ever 10 minutes or so.
He had no idea how long he'd been out there when finally Aniela appeared from the back door. "What are you doing you idiot?" he thought as he approached her.
Aniela tossed her car keys lightly in her hands. Work hadn't been too bad, some of it had actually been fun, of course it hadn't been the busiest day after she'd arrived so the kitchen staff hadn't been under too much pressure, which made them much nicer to deal with. She looked up as she approached the car and was startled to see Diablo leaning against her passenger door.
"What are you doing here?" she snapped.
"Waiting for you," he replied.
"I realise that," she told him, "why?"
"Because," he replied stepping closer to her.
"Because?" she said looking up into dark green eyes.
"You're like a drug you know," he blurted out loosing her totally in his train of thought, "a very addictive drug."
"What are you talking about?" she replied.
"That's right," he said softly, "you don't remember."
Aniela glared at him, he was talking in riddles and much, much too close to her. He bent his head and his mouth met hers in a sweet, desperate kiss. The soulmate link burst open between them and the memories he had erased from her mind wrote themselves back in. He had kissed her before and drank her blood. She wanted to get angry, to push him away but instead, compelled by whatever outside force had created this link between them, she kissed him back.
Spoilers: All of the Night World books and my story Bound by Flame.
Author's Notes: Thanks to everyone who commented, you guys make exams bearable and that's saying something.
Orange: Thanks so much. I wish I could see Ani's painting too, I have an image of it in my head and if I was any good at art I'd try it but unfortunately my brother got the artistic gene in my family.
Redaura: Gwern isn't being held by the Night World, that much I know so no need to worry, he's just being an obtuse, annoying ass at the moment, that's all. I hope this was a quick enough update for you, exams awaken a need to procratinate in me and this is a nice way to do that.
Diomede: Wow, thanks so much for the encouragement and praise, I'm glad you like what you've read so far, I hope you like the rest of it as much.
Part 10.
Aniela slid out of her car and tucked a few loose strands of her dark hair behind her ears. She sighed dismally and tucked the back of her white blouse into her black skirt. She usually didn't mind working in the restaurant so much but on days like this when the spring sun was sneaking out from behind fluffy, white clouds and warming her skin waitressing was the last thing she wanted to do.
Her father greeted her with a smile when she entered the kitchen. He was obviously enjoying getting to do the cooking for the first time in a month or so. Ray, the dessert chef waved a knife at her grinning widely and Tony looked up from the dishes long enough to give her a wink, the edges of his lips curving wickedly. Aniela smiled broadly back; the restaurant staff were like part of her extended family.
Karen, one of the other waitresses, smiled with relief when she saw Aniela. "Thank God you're here Ani, I can go home finally."
"One of those days?" Aniela asked.
"It felt like two of those days," Karen told her. "Well good luck," she added with a smirk before heading out through the kitchen door.
"Great, just great," Aniela thought, "this is just what I need." She groaned lightly then plastering a saccharine smile on her face she prepared to meet the customers.
Diablo was incredibly surprised when he got the phone call from Wenona asking if he and the others wanted to go out to eat with her and her friends.
"I know you guys don't actually eat," she had said, "but it would be a good chance to get to know you better and give you a chance to see some more of the town."
He had agreed immediately and as soon as she'd hung up called Charlotte on the cell phone telling her to get her ass back to the house. She hadn't been exactly trilled by that request or the way he'd phrased it but then he wasn't exactly too worried about how she felt about it. This was the first real indication that they were getting somewhere with this 'lets be friends, look we're soulmates that means were good' plan.
Charlotte, however, was not letting it lie. The whole way to the restaurant she was pouting and sulky and so mouthy. He just ignored her, which seemed to have been the best course of action as she got even more pissed off. He grinned; it was good to see he wasn't losing his touch even if. He paused, even if what? Even if he was going soft for a human maybe? No, hell no, that was not what was happening. That was never ever going to happen.
Diablo sighed with relief when they got to the restaurant and he discovered Aniela was not there, it was just Wenona, Alex and the three others they'd met the night before who's names escaped him.
"Hey, glad you guys made it," Alex said, "I'm starving."
"I could do with some grub too," the tall girl said.
Diablo paused for a moment noticing for the first time her English accent. Now where did Wenona meet a girl from England? Now that was an interesting question, one that he'd definitely have to look in to when they got back to the house.
"So what are you going to have?" Wenona asked Alex.
"Oh I don't know, there's so much to choose from, I could have lasagne or spaghetti bolognese or some of those stuffed shells things, how can I choose."
Wenona grinned, "Yeah, yeah Alex, you know you're just going to have lasagne as always."
"What can I say, it's hard to beat a good thing," Alex replied with a smile.
"So the lasagne's good?" Des said with a grin.
"Very," Alex told her, "but then everything here is good."
Diablo followed the group into the large, brightly lit, airy room. The seating arrangement seemed to be pretty informal as Alex and Wenona borrowed chairs from other tables to bring over to their tightly packed table. A couple of waitresses wandered from table to table in white shirts and black skirts. He heard their waitress approach from behind him.
"So what can I get you guys?" a familiar voice asked.
"Oh no," he thought, "anyone but her." He turned slightly in his chair and saw out of the corner of his eye that it was indeed the last person he wanted to see.
"Hey Ani," Wenona said, "I got a craving for Italian so I thought I'd bring the guys along to see you at work."
"Gee thanks," Aniela replied her voice laden with sarcasm.
"So what's good here?" Cassian asked glancing up from his menu.
"Everything is good here," Aniela replied evidently annoyed.
Diablo stared blankly at his menu, this was the first time they'd met since the night before, since they'd discovered the stupid soulmate connection. He glanced sideways at her surreptitiously from behind his menu. She didn't seem to be acting any different towards him, actually she wasn't even looking at him, good that meant it had worked; she didn't remember anything that had happened the night before.
"This is the best Italian restaurant for a thirty mile radius," Aniela told them with pride evident in her voice.
"Of course it is the only Italian restaurant for a thirty mile radius," Alex added earning himself a smack in the head from a notebook.
Diablo was surprised at Aniela's pride in the restaurant, she was just a waitress there and it was just a job. Somehow she hadn't struck him as the kind of person who'd be happy or proud to be a waitress in a small restaurant in a small town, she was too intelligent for that and too talented; he had seen her artwork.
As Aniela was taking their orders a medium sized man appeared out of the kitchen.
"Wenona," he said crossing the space between the kitchen doors to the table in a few strides. "It's good to see you again," he continued kissing her on the cheek. "And Alex how are you? Is Ani taking good care of you?"
"Yes sir," Alex replied with a small smile.
"Why don't you introduce me to the rest of your friends Nona? I don't know how you do it but you always seem to bring the best looking people to the restaurant, where do you find them?"
"Papa," Aniela admonished but couldn't help smiling as he gave her his best innocent face.
Wenona grinned and winked at Aniela, who was now turning a deep shade of red, before beginning to introduce everyone.
Aniela watched as her father's eyebrows disappeared into his hairline when he heard Diablo's name. It was pretty much the reaction she'd expected and very similar to her own reaction so she knew exactly how her father was feeling. Maybe it was just because she was Catholic but she found it hard to understand how anyone could name their child after the devil.
"Well I hope Ani's been taking good care of you all," her dad said smiling broadly around the table. "I'd better get back to work before they burn down the kitchen without me. Ani if you want to once you've taken their orders you can take your break."
"Thanks Papa," Aniela replied.
Aniela disappeared into the kitchen for a few minutes and when she returned Wenona scooted over to make room for her. Unfortunately for Diablo that put her sitting right beside him. The next twenty minutes were the longest of his life and the worse torture he had ever experienced. She was much to close to him, he could smell her, hear her breathe, there were even moments when he thought he could hear her heartbeat. He could see the way her eyes lighted up when she laughed, the soft upturn of her lips when she smiled. He watched her tuck a few wayward strands that had escaped from her braid and felt a horrible desire to run his hands through her hair. He felt a desire to sit on his hands just in case they disobeyed his brain and did something stupid.
When she finally had to get back to work relief flooded through him and all his muscles seemed to relax at once though he hadn't even realised they were tensed. At last the hard part was over, he'd met her and he hadn't done anything idiotic. Or so he thought.
When they got to the car park Cassian and Charlotte were making lovey dovey eyes at each other and he knew exactly the kind of annoying, sickening talk he'd have to put up with if he rode with them. He told them he'd walk home, that he'd enjoy the fresh air and that maybe he' d actually feed on something that would satisfy their kind of hunger. They seemed to accept that excuse at face value but instead of moving off after they left Diablo found himself burying his hands in his coat pockets and walking around in a circle that brought him back past the restaurant ever 10 minutes or so.
He had no idea how long he'd been out there when finally Aniela appeared from the back door. "What are you doing you idiot?" he thought as he approached her.
Aniela tossed her car keys lightly in her hands. Work hadn't been too bad, some of it had actually been fun, of course it hadn't been the busiest day after she'd arrived so the kitchen staff hadn't been under too much pressure, which made them much nicer to deal with. She looked up as she approached the car and was startled to see Diablo leaning against her passenger door.
"What are you doing here?" she snapped.
"Waiting for you," he replied.
"I realise that," she told him, "why?"
"Because," he replied stepping closer to her.
"Because?" she said looking up into dark green eyes.
"You're like a drug you know," he blurted out loosing her totally in his train of thought, "a very addictive drug."
"What are you talking about?" she replied.
"That's right," he said softly, "you don't remember."
Aniela glared at him, he was talking in riddles and much, much too close to her. He bent his head and his mouth met hers in a sweet, desperate kiss. The soulmate link burst open between them and the memories he had erased from her mind wrote themselves back in. He had kissed her before and drank her blood. She wanted to get angry, to push him away but instead, compelled by whatever outside force had created this link between them, she kissed him back.