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: Another part, well this is mainly due to the fact fanfiction.net's been down so I got this written last week so don't expect too many up dates to be this quick, anyway thanks to everyone who reviewed the last chapter.
Adelaide E: Thanks so much for reviewing the story and hey there's no shame in procrastinating, I do plenty of it myself. I don't know what it is about Gwern but lots of people seem to have become attached to him, I guess I am a little too, he and Des are probably my two favourite characters of any I've written so I guess I'm allowed to be attached.
Orange: Heya, I'm glad you liked the last part, I'm practically blushing from your praise, thank you so much. I'm glad you liked the bit with Ani and Diablo, I figured they needed a bit of normality or as close to it as the two of them will get. And don't give up on Gwern, not yet anyway.
Redaura: Thank you so much, I'm so glad you liked this part. I thought about Diablo using mind control but I didn't think Ani would like it. Man I hope it doesn't take Des nearly dying to get Gwern back to her, I'd practically have to kick his ass just for that, or well get Rus to or something.
RiLa: I don't think I based Ani's character on anyone well not consciously anyway but you never know, there's probably bits of lots of different characters in her anyway. I can't really comment because my characters always seem sort of familiar to me anyway especially the ones in this story.
Mandy: Hey, thanks, I know what you mean about fanfiction.net, I missed my fix of fiction and reviews. Des is a favourite of mine too and I felt I'd been neglecting her a little so this chapter was born. And yes, Gwern should be popping up at some stage, I wasn't really sure how before but I've got some ideas I'm working on so it could be soon. Diablo is the kind of character that grows on you, a lot of people have said that they're starting to like him more, I think it's probably the effect of finding a human soulmate but I think there was some good in him all the time, it was just struggling to get out before.
Part 15.
Aniela was watching her mother question Diablo caught somewhere between amusement and embarrassment. Diablo wasn't exactly the most open person not even with her so it was funny to watch him squirm under the full onslaught of her mother's questions. It was embarrassing, awkward and uncomfortable as well but Ani was enjoying it too because it was such an ordinary and normal thing to be happening. Plus right now Diablo was suffering the brunt of it and sending pleading looks at her. She just grinned back at him, this was her family, this was her life and if he wanted to be part of it he would have to get used to it. It was fun watching her mother's reactions too, like the arched eyebrow she sent in Aniela's direction when Diablo told her his name.
Abra was winding his way around her legs mewing softly and obviously interested in watching the show too. Ani picked him up and settled him on her lap and began to stroke her back as they watched.
"What do we think Abra?" Do we like him?" she whispered.
Abra purred but Ani thought that might have more to do with the fact that she was scratching behind her ears than Diablo.
Her mother continued her inquisition asking some questions so personal they made Aniela cringe but despite the many desperate glances he sent Aniela's way Diablo answered them all good-naturedly. By the end of it Ani's mom had a small smile on her face that told Aniela she liked Diablo but which also worried her knowing her mother. God only knew what she'd ask Ani once Diablo had left.
"It was very nice to meet you," Diablo said suddenly to her mother, "but I really need to be getting home."
"Oh of course, it was very nice to meet you too Diablo," her mom said hiding a tiny smile. "Why don't you show him out Ani."
Aniela walked out to the porch with Diablo following her closely.
"I'm really sorry about that," she burst out as he closed the door behind them.
"Don't worry about it," he told her, "it was." Aniela grinned as he struggled to find an appropriate word. "Bracing," he finished eventually.
"That's one way to describe it," Aniela agreed.
"It's kind of nice," Diablo said contemplatively. "That she cares so much about you to want to know that much about me," he said seeing Aniela's puzzled look. "My mother doesn't know the first thing about me or my life, she doesn't want to know the first thing about me and my life."
"I'm sorry," Aniela said softly to him not sure exactly how to react to a revelation like that.
"Don't be," Diablo replied dispassionately, "It would probably be worse if she actually cared, she hasn't got the most developed maternal instinct."
"Still it must have been hard for you as a kid," Aniela said.
"Not really, I lived on an enclave, there was always a lot of other people around who looked out for me."
"What's an enclave?" she asked.
Diablo could have kicked himself, what the hell was wrong with him; he'd just revealed the existence of enclaves to a human. He was seriously losing it and he was putting her in danger now that that Blackthorn asshole was in town. The worst thing as far as he was concerned was that he felt worse about putting her in danger than revealing one of the Night World's secrets.
"An enclave's a secret, hidden place where vampires live," he told her.
"All vampires live in one?" she asked her interest caught by this snippet of information he'd revealed to her.
"No, just some, usually the older and richer families who can afford to have a place like that," he replied figuring since he'd told her the other stuff he might as well tell her everything.
"Oh," she said.
"I guess I really should get going," he said, "your mum might accost us at any moment"
He moved towards her and she could feel it growing deep with in her, the feeling she felt whenever she was near him. She didn't understand it but then she didn't think she was supposed to, it just was. It tugged at her pulling them closer to each other, drawing them into each other. It was attraction like a magnet, positive to negative, her to him.
"I think this was where we were before we go interrupted," he said tilting her head towards him and brushing his lips against hers gently.
As he touched her Aniela felt everything around them fade to black but it didn't last long, the barest instant, quick and sudden, sharp and sweet. She was so confused, yesterday they'd decided they couldn't be together, today they were kissing in her patio; nothing made sense anymore. She hated this so much, hated, needed and wanted it.
"I know," he said brushing some strands of hair away from her face. "I'm really confused too," he said with a slight grin, "and I've got the scars to prove it."
"So what are we going to do about it?" she asked.
"I don't know," he replied, "I guess for the moment we should take things as they come until we do know what we want to do."
"I guess," Aniela agreed.
"Okay it's a plan," Diablo said with a slight quirk of his lips, "I really got to go now. I'll see you whenever."
"Whenever," Aniela said softly watching him leave.
Her mother was at the cooker when she returned to the kitchen. Ani waited for the outburst of questioning but it didn't seem forthcoming.
"You look like someone who could use some pancakes," her mother said with a smile.
"I look that bad huh?" Ani asked. Pancakes were their morning comfort food as it was too early really to eat any of there other stable comfort foods, though there had been that one episode where they'd some how got through an entire packet of cookies and two litres of milk by 9am but those had been special circumstances and the less that was said about that incident the better.
"Yeah," her mother told her, "and I want to say sorry too, I just couldn't stop myself, I wanted to but the questions just came out. I just like to know about your friends, especially such a handsome friend who seems to like you so much."
"You really think he likes me?" Aniela asked, "Wait you think he's handsome?"
"Oh yes, he likes you, it's obvious and he's very handsome."
"Mum," Ani admonished with a grin, "I'm going to tell Dad you said that."
"Then I'll tell him you were kissing a boy in the patio," her mother replied.
"Hmmm, maybe it's best we don't tell Dad about this at all," Aniela suggested.
"Maybe," her mom agreed. She paused to flip one of the pancakes then turned to Aniela with a serious look on her face, "Well we know he likes you but the question is, do you like him?"
Aniela sighed, "I don't know Mom, well that's not true, I do like him, I like him a lot but. Did you ever really, really like someone but still be not sure if you should be with them?"
"No," her mom admitted, "I don't think I have."
"I'm just really confused right now," Aniela confessed.
"That's okay käresta, it's okay to be confused especially at your age, just take it day by day until you're sure."
"That's kind of what Diablo said," Aniela told her.
"See I knew that boy had a good head on his shoulders," her mom said with a smile. "Though I can't imagine what his parents must be like," she muttered to herself, "calling him a name like Diablo, what must they have been thinking."
Ani grinned, she figured Diablo's name was going to be a talking point in the house for some time to come. So taking it day by day, she could manage that, for a little while at least.
Spoilers: All of the Night World books and my story Bound by Flame.
Author's Notes: Another part, well this is mainly due to the fact fanfiction.net's been down so I got this written last week so don't expect too many up dates to be this quick, anyway thanks to everyone who reviewed the last chapter.
Adelaide E: Thanks so much for reviewing the story and hey there's no shame in procrastinating, I do plenty of it myself. I don't know what it is about Gwern but lots of people seem to have become attached to him, I guess I am a little too, he and Des are probably my two favourite characters of any I've written so I guess I'm allowed to be attached.
Orange: Heya, I'm glad you liked the last part, I'm practically blushing from your praise, thank you so much. I'm glad you liked the bit with Ani and Diablo, I figured they needed a bit of normality or as close to it as the two of them will get. And don't give up on Gwern, not yet anyway.
Redaura: Thank you so much, I'm so glad you liked this part. I thought about Diablo using mind control but I didn't think Ani would like it. Man I hope it doesn't take Des nearly dying to get Gwern back to her, I'd practically have to kick his ass just for that, or well get Rus to or something.
RiLa: I don't think I based Ani's character on anyone well not consciously anyway but you never know, there's probably bits of lots of different characters in her anyway. I can't really comment because my characters always seem sort of familiar to me anyway especially the ones in this story.
Mandy: Hey, thanks, I know what you mean about fanfiction.net, I missed my fix of fiction and reviews. Des is a favourite of mine too and I felt I'd been neglecting her a little so this chapter was born. And yes, Gwern should be popping up at some stage, I wasn't really sure how before but I've got some ideas I'm working on so it could be soon. Diablo is the kind of character that grows on you, a lot of people have said that they're starting to like him more, I think it's probably the effect of finding a human soulmate but I think there was some good in him all the time, it was just struggling to get out before.
Part 15.
Aniela was watching her mother question Diablo caught somewhere between amusement and embarrassment. Diablo wasn't exactly the most open person not even with her so it was funny to watch him squirm under the full onslaught of her mother's questions. It was embarrassing, awkward and uncomfortable as well but Ani was enjoying it too because it was such an ordinary and normal thing to be happening. Plus right now Diablo was suffering the brunt of it and sending pleading looks at her. She just grinned back at him, this was her family, this was her life and if he wanted to be part of it he would have to get used to it. It was fun watching her mother's reactions too, like the arched eyebrow she sent in Aniela's direction when Diablo told her his name.
Abra was winding his way around her legs mewing softly and obviously interested in watching the show too. Ani picked him up and settled him on her lap and began to stroke her back as they watched.
"What do we think Abra?" Do we like him?" she whispered.
Abra purred but Ani thought that might have more to do with the fact that she was scratching behind her ears than Diablo.
Her mother continued her inquisition asking some questions so personal they made Aniela cringe but despite the many desperate glances he sent Aniela's way Diablo answered them all good-naturedly. By the end of it Ani's mom had a small smile on her face that told Aniela she liked Diablo but which also worried her knowing her mother. God only knew what she'd ask Ani once Diablo had left.
"It was very nice to meet you," Diablo said suddenly to her mother, "but I really need to be getting home."
"Oh of course, it was very nice to meet you too Diablo," her mom said hiding a tiny smile. "Why don't you show him out Ani."
Aniela walked out to the porch with Diablo following her closely.
"I'm really sorry about that," she burst out as he closed the door behind them.
"Don't worry about it," he told her, "it was." Aniela grinned as he struggled to find an appropriate word. "Bracing," he finished eventually.
"That's one way to describe it," Aniela agreed.
"It's kind of nice," Diablo said contemplatively. "That she cares so much about you to want to know that much about me," he said seeing Aniela's puzzled look. "My mother doesn't know the first thing about me or my life, she doesn't want to know the first thing about me and my life."
"I'm sorry," Aniela said softly to him not sure exactly how to react to a revelation like that.
"Don't be," Diablo replied dispassionately, "It would probably be worse if she actually cared, she hasn't got the most developed maternal instinct."
"Still it must have been hard for you as a kid," Aniela said.
"Not really, I lived on an enclave, there was always a lot of other people around who looked out for me."
"What's an enclave?" she asked.
Diablo could have kicked himself, what the hell was wrong with him; he'd just revealed the existence of enclaves to a human. He was seriously losing it and he was putting her in danger now that that Blackthorn asshole was in town. The worst thing as far as he was concerned was that he felt worse about putting her in danger than revealing one of the Night World's secrets.
"An enclave's a secret, hidden place where vampires live," he told her.
"All vampires live in one?" she asked her interest caught by this snippet of information he'd revealed to her.
"No, just some, usually the older and richer families who can afford to have a place like that," he replied figuring since he'd told her the other stuff he might as well tell her everything.
"Oh," she said.
"I guess I really should get going," he said, "your mum might accost us at any moment"
He moved towards her and she could feel it growing deep with in her, the feeling she felt whenever she was near him. She didn't understand it but then she didn't think she was supposed to, it just was. It tugged at her pulling them closer to each other, drawing them into each other. It was attraction like a magnet, positive to negative, her to him.
"I think this was where we were before we go interrupted," he said tilting her head towards him and brushing his lips against hers gently.
As he touched her Aniela felt everything around them fade to black but it didn't last long, the barest instant, quick and sudden, sharp and sweet. She was so confused, yesterday they'd decided they couldn't be together, today they were kissing in her patio; nothing made sense anymore. She hated this so much, hated, needed and wanted it.
"I know," he said brushing some strands of hair away from her face. "I'm really confused too," he said with a slight grin, "and I've got the scars to prove it."
"So what are we going to do about it?" she asked.
"I don't know," he replied, "I guess for the moment we should take things as they come until we do know what we want to do."
"I guess," Aniela agreed.
"Okay it's a plan," Diablo said with a slight quirk of his lips, "I really got to go now. I'll see you whenever."
"Whenever," Aniela said softly watching him leave.
Her mother was at the cooker when she returned to the kitchen. Ani waited for the outburst of questioning but it didn't seem forthcoming.
"You look like someone who could use some pancakes," her mother said with a smile.
"I look that bad huh?" Ani asked. Pancakes were their morning comfort food as it was too early really to eat any of there other stable comfort foods, though there had been that one episode where they'd some how got through an entire packet of cookies and two litres of milk by 9am but those had been special circumstances and the less that was said about that incident the better.
"Yeah," her mother told her, "and I want to say sorry too, I just couldn't stop myself, I wanted to but the questions just came out. I just like to know about your friends, especially such a handsome friend who seems to like you so much."
"You really think he likes me?" Aniela asked, "Wait you think he's handsome?"
"Oh yes, he likes you, it's obvious and he's very handsome."
"Mum," Ani admonished with a grin, "I'm going to tell Dad you said that."
"Then I'll tell him you were kissing a boy in the patio," her mother replied.
"Hmmm, maybe it's best we don't tell Dad about this at all," Aniela suggested.
"Maybe," her mom agreed. She paused to flip one of the pancakes then turned to Aniela with a serious look on her face, "Well we know he likes you but the question is, do you like him?"
Aniela sighed, "I don't know Mom, well that's not true, I do like him, I like him a lot but. Did you ever really, really like someone but still be not sure if you should be with them?"
"No," her mom admitted, "I don't think I have."
"I'm just really confused right now," Aniela confessed.
"That's okay käresta, it's okay to be confused especially at your age, just take it day by day until you're sure."
"That's kind of what Diablo said," Aniela told her.
"See I knew that boy had a good head on his shoulders," her mom said with a smile. "Though I can't imagine what his parents must be like," she muttered to herself, "calling him a name like Diablo, what must they have been thinking."
Ani grinned, she figured Diablo's name was going to be a talking point in the house for some time to come. So taking it day by day, she could manage that, for a little while at least.