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: Hey all, I am so glad I got this part finished today, I wasn't sure if I would, I just started evil work experience this week and I've been wrecked all week. Well just another 4 months to go. Anyway huge thanks to everyone who reviewed the last chapter, hugs to everyone.
Adelaide E: Thanks so much, I'm glad you liked. I'm really glad Gwern's finally back too, though when or if he and Des get back together is a different question. I was thinking of having Diablo rescue them but well he's not exactly the knight in shining armour type, Gwern on the other hand practically has rescue ranger :) written on his forehead. I hate seeing Des moping too. Hmm a wooden chain, interesting, very interesting.
Orange: Thanks so much for reviewing, Gwern does seem to have that effect on people. Though most people like to see him and Des together, maybe it's just Des they like and he has to come as part of the package, anyways hope you like this part.
Tamashii: Thanks for reviewing. The plot thickens indeed, well it sort of had to, I mean as much as I love Ani and Diablo this story does have to end sometime and that requires there to be a plot. Anyways thank you so much again.
neona-deniker: Wow, thanks so much, *blushes*. I'm so glad that you like the story so much.
Redaura: See I told you he'd turn up and look how close you were to how it happened. Thanks so much for reviewing.
Mandy: Heya, thanks so much for the review. Gwern does have a lot of explaining to do, an awful lot of explaining to do. Oh, I just got this mental image of Gwern and Des doing an 'I Love Lucy' bit :). Anyway I hope you enjoy this chapter.
Tjones: Thanks so much for the review, I hope this was soon enough.
Marie-Claire: Thanks so much for reviewing, I'm so glad you like the story, I agree that it's kind of sad but that's just the way it seems to come out, I really hope it does all work out in the end.
Jenni NW: Thanks for the review it is much appreciated, well here's more finally, I hope you enjoy.
Zabella: Thanks so much, I'm glad you like.
Ash: Wow, thank you so much. I'm so glad you've enjoyed them both, thank you so much for reviewing.
Part 18.
Icarus was pacing, that was never a good sign; of course the fact that he had just yelled at her to get into the kitchen wasn't a particularly good sign either.
"What's up?" she asked softly.
"What's up? What's up?" Icarus shouted, "I'll tell you what's up we've been complete idiots, we're practically a laughing stock, well we will be if anyone finds out about this. We've been so blind, so stupid, so crap."
Des frowned, this outburst was so unlike Rus and she had absolutely no idea what he was talking about, a glance at Cynthia revealed that she was just as lost as Des.
"Okay Rus, take a breath," she ordered. Icarus stopped his rant and glared at her. "Now calm down," she instructed, "and tell us what the hell you're talking about."
Icarus took a deep breath and launched into another tirade, "I'll tell you what I'm talking about; I'm talking about the fact that we've possibly been the stupidest Daybreak operatives in the history of stupid Daybreak operatives. I'm talking about how we've been making nice and eating dinner with the very Night People we're supposed to be protecting Wenona from. That's what I'm talking about."
"Oh," Des said not really sure if there was anything else she could actually say. Cynthia's face was a picture, it was a toss up between which was wider and rounder her eyes or her mouth.
"Diablo Mandril, Cassian Ashcroft and Charlotte Adams," Icarus clarified just in case there was any doubt.
Des felt like kicking herself, Icarus was right they had been totally stupid, this was basic, basic stuff, even first timers knew it, before you do anything else check out the Night People in town. Normally she did that, first day in town she'd find someone willing to talk to her and find out who were the local Night People but she'd been so caught up with herself and her problems this mission that she just hadn't thought of it, if anything happened to Wenona she'd never forgive herself.
It just had never occurred to her that they could be the ones, Wenona seemed friendly with them and she was used to the Night World doing the whole cloak and dagger thing, but the brazenness of them to be so out in the open, to use their real names, they weren't exactly lacking confidence. How cold-hearted did you have to be to actually sit down to dinner with and to chat happily and friendly with someone you were going to have to kill. It shouldn't really have surprised her; she of all people knew how cold-hearted and cruel Night People could be but still it shocked her. She would never ever understand how anyone could have such lack of compassion and empathy for a fellow creature.
"They can't even have been in town that long," Cynthia said, "they must have got here just before us and Wenona didn't even tell us. I mean come on she's an intelligent person surely she would have realised it was a bit of a coincidence that they arrived just before Daybreak sent her protection."
Icarus nodded, "I know, she is going to get a piece of my mind when her friend leaves."
"Her friend?" Des asked.
"Yeah, Ani, the waitress," Icarus told her.
"I didn't realise she was here," Des said, "Where are they by the way?"
"In Nona's room I think," Icarus told her, "I got the feeling they needed to have a private talk."
"Umm, you guys," Cynthia piped up, "they're not up there; I was in there just before I came down. Actually I can't sense them anywhere in the house."
"Great, just god damn perfect, I mean can we get any better, first we give the assassins practically unfettered access to the person we're protecting and now we've lost her. Please tell me I'm not the only person feeling like a total and complete idiot right now," Icarus said.
"You're not the only one feeling like a total idiot but I think we can leave that until later right now we need to find her," Des said.
"Oh Goddess," Wenona said, "Does Des know you're here? No, of course she doesn't. Wait until she sees you."
Gwern sighed and ran his hand through his long, dishevelled hair lifting it out of his eyes. "You can't tell her I'm here," he told Wenona, "at least not yet, I'm not ready to see her yet, I need a little time and I need to be the one to tell her I'm here."
Wenona frowned, she really, really wanted to tell this guy off but it wasn't her place, not really and he had just saved her and Ani but still where did he get off, he wasn't ready to see her yet so she was going to stay in pain. He was a coward, a big, fat coward.
While Wenona and Gwern were talking Aniela decided to get to her feet, which turned out not to be as good an idea as she thought as the ground swirled below her. All her blood was rushing, well she wasn't exactly sure where it was rushing put it was definitely rushing somewhere; she could feel it racing through her veins in quite a hurry and her head was starting to pound.
"I'll get you guys home," Gwern was saying, "but I can't go inside. What were you doing out here alone anyway? Why wasn't Rus or someone with you?"
Wenona looked guiltily at her shoes but didn't answer his question; it was embarrassing to admit that she had put herself and Aniela in danger just because she was in a bad mood. They were really lucky Gwern had come along and she knew it, her spell had been pretty useless.
She wasn't a fighting witch, it just wasn't in her; it wasn't in her family; they were healers they had been for as far back as anyone could remember. That shouldn't have been a problem, it never had been before until she went and fell in love with the wrong person, except that he wasn't the wrong person, he was the right person, well the right one for her anyway, her soulmate.
"I don't feel so good," Aniela said softly as she swayed on her feet drawing Nona out of her thoughts.
Gwern was beside her in a second steadying her. "I think we better get you back home," he said.
"We'd better take her to my place," Wenona told him, "it's closer and we can work on doing some healing there."
Aniela didn't notice much of what went on around them as they walked back to Wenona's house. She was concentrating too much on trying not to throw up, she'd been so happy when the world had decided to stop spinning around her and her dizziness began to disappear but dizziness was preferable to the waves of nausea that were rolling up from her stomach and into her aching head. She wasn't even sure if the others had talked to her on the way back, she didn't really care as long as she didn't throw up on Gwern, she didn't thinking vomiting on him was the right thank you gift.
When they got to Wenona's road Gwern took the steadying arm away from her back.
"You'll be okay from here," he told her, "I hope you feel better."
"Me too," Ani replied slowly. "Thanks again."
"I guess we'll be seeing you around," Wenona said to him.
"Maybe," he replied, "we'll see. Try and stay out of trouble, let the others do their job, they're quite good at it usually."
"Okay, lets get you inside," Wenona said to Aniela after he left. "We can get you something for your head."
"Somehow I don't think you're talking about aspirin," Aniela said.
"Witch aspirin," Wenona said with a grin.
They were all standing by the door deciding who was going to look where when they heard the key scrap in the lock. The door swung open and Wenona walked in with a very pale looking Aniela.
"Oh hi guys," she said blithely.
Des could literally see Icarus start to boil and it made her realise something. Before Icarus was usually the laid back casual one while Gwern was the one who'd do the angry rants and keep everyone in line but this mission Icarus was the one taking things seriously, being responsible, trying to fill in for Gwern, trying to give the team balance. She should have realised earlier what he was doing, she just had never really thought how much he must be missing Gwern too, as a friend and as a team mate, how selfish was that.
"Oh hi guys, oh hi guys," Icarus said obviously getting up steam for the sermon that was going to follow but before he could even begin Wenona raised her hand.
"I know what you're going to say and you're right, and even though I know how stupid I was I'll let you give me the lecture in a minute but first I've got to help Aniela, she banged her head and I don't think listening to you is going to help her any."
Aniela followed Wenona meekly into the kitchen. Icarus had looked really angry and she was glad they'd been spared whatever it was he was planning to say.
"Sit down there," Wenona ordered as she walked around the kitchen opening and closing presses and drawers. She got a spoon and then some bottles and placed them in front of Aniela.
"This will only take a minute," she said as she mixed some oil from both the bottles on the spoon, "it's a mixture of lavender and jojoba oil. I just rub some to your head and neck and say a few words and that's it."
"Are you sure?" Aniela asked.
"Well lets see shall we," Wenona said with a grin as she dipped her finger in the mixture. She rubbed a little on Aniela's temples and on the back of her neck. "Blood flow, headache go," she said softly.
She headed for the fridge then and pulled a packet of peas out of the freezer box. "Here," she said passing them to Aniela, "Put those on the back of your head it will help the lump go down."
"Wow, frozen peas, that's so witchy," Aniela said with a grin already feeling her headache start to dissipate.
Wenona grinned then sighed, "Well I'd better go face the others, you can stay in here."
Aniela picked up the peas and a nearby towel; she wrapped the towel around the peas and held them to her head. Her head was no longer pounding but the area around the lump was still tender. She could hear snatches of the argument the others were having coming from the living room. She wondered if Wenona was going to tell them about the vampire. She still wasn't exactly sure what was going on but apparently Nona's visitors were connected with it. Everything seemed to be connected at the moment, maybe it was true that there was no such thing as a coincidence.
She was drifting off into her own thoughts when she heard one of the girls say something about Diablo. She wasn't exactly sure what they'd said but it reminded her of something she'd forgotten in all the pain. Diablo, the bastard she was going to, well she didn't know what she was going to do to him but she would think of something painful enough.
The others seemed to be getting even louder now; she could hear Wenona saying, "I don't believe you." What didn't she believe, now that seemed like an important question. One of the other girls was talking now, not yelling but still loudly but she sounded really understanding.
"I'm sorry Wenona but it's true, they're Night World."
"But how can they be? I mean they're soulmates, he changed her illegally. And Diablo, oh Goddess, Diablo."
Aniela could hear the pity and sorrow in Wenona's voice and she knew exactly what it meant; they knew now too. Well that was good they could stop him from hurting Wenona. "Yeah," a little voice in her head said, "but how do you think they're going to stop him? Rap him on the knuckles and tell him he's been a bad boy?" Aniela sighed, she really hated having such a sarcastic inner voice.
She was saved having to think about probable ways they were going to stop him by the doorbell. She knew who it was even before she heard the familiar voice ask Wenona if she was there.
"Her Mom said that she came to visit you," he was saying.
"Yeah, she's here," Wenona said and Aniela could just imagine the looks on the others' faces.
She walked slowly to the kitchen door and swung it open. Diablo looked up and saw her in the door way and she saw a look of relief spread across his face relieving the tension that had set his face in a strange look of worry.
"You're okay," he said crossing the hall towards her in a few strides. "Thank God," he said pulling her towards him. "I knew something was wrong but I didn't know what."
Aniela couldn't really think, she couldn't think about how strange it seemed for him to be so concerned for her or process the looks of horror on Rus and Cynthia's faces or the looks of pity on Nona and Des's.
"We should talk," she said shortly. "In here," she said stepping away from the door.
"Okay," Diablo said confused.
She ushered him into the kitchen ignoring the looks of the others, let Wenona explain things to them if she wanted, she didn't really care, she wasn't sure if she cared about anything anymore. She leaned against the worktop and crossed her arms in front of her, now that she was alone with him she wasn't sure what she wanted to say to him.
The silence filled the space between them like a physical entity, God Almighty how did she even start luckily he saved her the trouble.
"Are you okay?" he asked, "What happened?"
"Oh me and Wenona just got attacked by a vampire, I'm sure that won't surprise you, he's probably a friend of yours. I mean that is why you're here isn't it to attack Wenona."
Diablo didn't react exactly the way she expected him to. He marched over to her grabbed her by the shoulders and looked her dead in the eye.
"Who did it?" he demanded.
"What do you care?" she replied, "You'd be doing the exact same thing given half a chance."
"That's not true," he said adamantly. "I would never hurt you, you have to know that."
"But you'd hurt Wenona wouldn't you, you'd kill her, that's your whole reason for being here, isn't it? Well isn't it?"
"Yes," he admitted softly.
Aniela felt herself deflate, the hope she hadn't even known she'd been clinging to just disappeared and left her with nothing. She hadn't wanted him to admit it, she'd been hoping all along that he'd deny it, that it wasn't true, that there was another explanation for everything.
"And you're good at killing?" she asked softly.
"Yes," he replied.
"And you like it," she said, "You enjoy it you sadistic bastard."
"I'm a hunter," he said softly, "it's what I was born to do."
She felt a desire to hurt him well up inside her, she wanted to hit him or kick him or something, anything to make him feel something like the pain that was welling up in her chest.
"I want to see," she said, "I want to see what you do."
Diablo looked taken aback, completely shocked and a little scared. "I don't think that would be a good idea," he said.
But she didn't care what he thought, she wanted to know and before he could realise what she was doing she reached out and grabbed his hand. The soulmate connection burst over them destroying any barriers that they had between them.
She could have done this anytime she realised, even though he hadn't wanted her to see these parts of himself if she'd let it in, if she had really wanted to know, if she'd tried hard enough then she could have seen them. He wasn't even fighting her; he just let the images show themselves to her. It was horrible, worse than she could have possibly imagined, so much death, so much pain, it was too much she didn't want to see any more but she couldn't stop it once she'd opened the gates she couldn't stop the flood.
He had done such terrible, terrible things and he hadn't even seen how terrible they were. Part of her felt it wasn't his fault, that he was the creation of his family but that didn't change the fact that he had done these things, that this was the person he was.
She pulled away from him, back into herself and she realised that she was shaking and her breath was coming in huge gulps.
"Ani," he said softly stroking her hair. "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry."
She clung to him, it was so stupid she was looking for comfort from him and the strangest thing was that she found it. Even though she'd seen everything and it made her feel so bad, in his arms she felt safe, how completely messed up was that.
He held her fiercely too him and rested his cheek on the top of her head. "I love you," he whispered.
"I know," she replied burying her face in his chest.
He pulled away from her slightly and grabbed her chin in his hand. He tilted her face upwards towards his so they were looking each other in the eye.
"I really, really love you," he said again.
Aniela looked into his deep green eyes and was overwhelmed by the huge swell of emotion that grew in her chest.
"I love you too," she replied.
Aniela didn't know who started it but suddenly they were kissing, really kissing, deep, desperate kisses that shook her to her core, clinging to each other like they were sustenance, oxygen. Eventually they had to come up for air and Ani's lips were tingling.
Diablo smiled wryly at her, "Things will work out you know, I mean I love you and you love me so they have to work out."
Aniela sighed, "You don't really believe that."
"No," he said, "but I really, really want to."
"I'd like to too," she told him, "but we both know that it's not true, love's not always enough."
"It can be if you let it," he said, "it's up to you Ani. It's your choice. Can you accept me?"
"I don't know," she replied honestly.
"That means no," he said sullenly.
"No, that means I don't know," she told him, "I'm confused Diablo, I mean you did so much and truthfully what you've done appals me; it scares me Diablo, not even what you've done exactly but the lack of compassion, the lack of conscience you showed when you did them.
I'm confused and I really don't know how I feel, I need time. And it's not just up to me, it's up to you too, I mean can you change? Are you willing to stop doing what you're doing for me?"
Diablo frowned, "I don't know."
"Well think about it, let me think about, tomorrow's another day you know."
He bent his head and brushed his lips of her forehead lightly. "Okay."
And that was that, he disappeared out the back door and she had to go face the others. They were all still in the hall when she opened the door.
"Where is he?" Icarus demanded angrily.
"He's gone," she told him.
"What do you mean he's gone?"
"I mean he left," Aniela replied and to her horror she realised that her eyes were wet.
"You let him go," Icarus yelled at her angrily, "do you have any clue what you've just done, the danger you've put Wenona in."
Aniela couldn't take it, she was still swimming in emotion after what had just happened with Diablo and now this guy was yelling at her. She couldn't take anymore, everyone had a breaking point and apparently this was hers. Big, round tears spilled out of her eyes and down her cheeks. She couldn't control it, even her embarrassment at crying in front of practical strangers couldn't stop her from breaking into huge sobs.
Icarus looked really alarmed and uncomfortable. One of the girls, the one with long auburn hair put her arms around her and held her as she cried. She didn't try to get her to stop, she just held her and stroked her hair making comforting noises as she cried and cried.
Spoilers: All of the Night World books and my story Bound by Flame.
Author's Notes: Hey all, I am so glad I got this part finished today, I wasn't sure if I would, I just started evil work experience this week and I've been wrecked all week. Well just another 4 months to go. Anyway huge thanks to everyone who reviewed the last chapter, hugs to everyone.
Adelaide E: Thanks so much, I'm glad you liked. I'm really glad Gwern's finally back too, though when or if he and Des get back together is a different question. I was thinking of having Diablo rescue them but well he's not exactly the knight in shining armour type, Gwern on the other hand practically has rescue ranger :) written on his forehead. I hate seeing Des moping too. Hmm a wooden chain, interesting, very interesting.
Orange: Thanks so much for reviewing, Gwern does seem to have that effect on people. Though most people like to see him and Des together, maybe it's just Des they like and he has to come as part of the package, anyways hope you like this part.
Tamashii: Thanks for reviewing. The plot thickens indeed, well it sort of had to, I mean as much as I love Ani and Diablo this story does have to end sometime and that requires there to be a plot. Anyways thank you so much again.
neona-deniker: Wow, thanks so much, *blushes*. I'm so glad that you like the story so much.
Redaura: See I told you he'd turn up and look how close you were to how it happened. Thanks so much for reviewing.
Mandy: Heya, thanks so much for the review. Gwern does have a lot of explaining to do, an awful lot of explaining to do. Oh, I just got this mental image of Gwern and Des doing an 'I Love Lucy' bit :). Anyway I hope you enjoy this chapter.
Tjones: Thanks so much for the review, I hope this was soon enough.
Marie-Claire: Thanks so much for reviewing, I'm so glad you like the story, I agree that it's kind of sad but that's just the way it seems to come out, I really hope it does all work out in the end.
Jenni NW: Thanks for the review it is much appreciated, well here's more finally, I hope you enjoy.
Zabella: Thanks so much, I'm glad you like.
Ash: Wow, thank you so much. I'm so glad you've enjoyed them both, thank you so much for reviewing.
Part 18.
Icarus was pacing, that was never a good sign; of course the fact that he had just yelled at her to get into the kitchen wasn't a particularly good sign either.
"What's up?" she asked softly.
"What's up? What's up?" Icarus shouted, "I'll tell you what's up we've been complete idiots, we're practically a laughing stock, well we will be if anyone finds out about this. We've been so blind, so stupid, so crap."
Des frowned, this outburst was so unlike Rus and she had absolutely no idea what he was talking about, a glance at Cynthia revealed that she was just as lost as Des.
"Okay Rus, take a breath," she ordered. Icarus stopped his rant and glared at her. "Now calm down," she instructed, "and tell us what the hell you're talking about."
Icarus took a deep breath and launched into another tirade, "I'll tell you what I'm talking about; I'm talking about the fact that we've possibly been the stupidest Daybreak operatives in the history of stupid Daybreak operatives. I'm talking about how we've been making nice and eating dinner with the very Night People we're supposed to be protecting Wenona from. That's what I'm talking about."
"Oh," Des said not really sure if there was anything else she could actually say. Cynthia's face was a picture, it was a toss up between which was wider and rounder her eyes or her mouth.
"Diablo Mandril, Cassian Ashcroft and Charlotte Adams," Icarus clarified just in case there was any doubt.
Des felt like kicking herself, Icarus was right they had been totally stupid, this was basic, basic stuff, even first timers knew it, before you do anything else check out the Night People in town. Normally she did that, first day in town she'd find someone willing to talk to her and find out who were the local Night People but she'd been so caught up with herself and her problems this mission that she just hadn't thought of it, if anything happened to Wenona she'd never forgive herself.
It just had never occurred to her that they could be the ones, Wenona seemed friendly with them and she was used to the Night World doing the whole cloak and dagger thing, but the brazenness of them to be so out in the open, to use their real names, they weren't exactly lacking confidence. How cold-hearted did you have to be to actually sit down to dinner with and to chat happily and friendly with someone you were going to have to kill. It shouldn't really have surprised her; she of all people knew how cold-hearted and cruel Night People could be but still it shocked her. She would never ever understand how anyone could have such lack of compassion and empathy for a fellow creature.
"They can't even have been in town that long," Cynthia said, "they must have got here just before us and Wenona didn't even tell us. I mean come on she's an intelligent person surely she would have realised it was a bit of a coincidence that they arrived just before Daybreak sent her protection."
Icarus nodded, "I know, she is going to get a piece of my mind when her friend leaves."
"Her friend?" Des asked.
"Yeah, Ani, the waitress," Icarus told her.
"I didn't realise she was here," Des said, "Where are they by the way?"
"In Nona's room I think," Icarus told her, "I got the feeling they needed to have a private talk."
"Umm, you guys," Cynthia piped up, "they're not up there; I was in there just before I came down. Actually I can't sense them anywhere in the house."
"Great, just god damn perfect, I mean can we get any better, first we give the assassins practically unfettered access to the person we're protecting and now we've lost her. Please tell me I'm not the only person feeling like a total and complete idiot right now," Icarus said.
"You're not the only one feeling like a total idiot but I think we can leave that until later right now we need to find her," Des said.
"Oh Goddess," Wenona said, "Does Des know you're here? No, of course she doesn't. Wait until she sees you."
Gwern sighed and ran his hand through his long, dishevelled hair lifting it out of his eyes. "You can't tell her I'm here," he told Wenona, "at least not yet, I'm not ready to see her yet, I need a little time and I need to be the one to tell her I'm here."
Wenona frowned, she really, really wanted to tell this guy off but it wasn't her place, not really and he had just saved her and Ani but still where did he get off, he wasn't ready to see her yet so she was going to stay in pain. He was a coward, a big, fat coward.
While Wenona and Gwern were talking Aniela decided to get to her feet, which turned out not to be as good an idea as she thought as the ground swirled below her. All her blood was rushing, well she wasn't exactly sure where it was rushing put it was definitely rushing somewhere; she could feel it racing through her veins in quite a hurry and her head was starting to pound.
"I'll get you guys home," Gwern was saying, "but I can't go inside. What were you doing out here alone anyway? Why wasn't Rus or someone with you?"
Wenona looked guiltily at her shoes but didn't answer his question; it was embarrassing to admit that she had put herself and Aniela in danger just because she was in a bad mood. They were really lucky Gwern had come along and she knew it, her spell had been pretty useless.
She wasn't a fighting witch, it just wasn't in her; it wasn't in her family; they were healers they had been for as far back as anyone could remember. That shouldn't have been a problem, it never had been before until she went and fell in love with the wrong person, except that he wasn't the wrong person, he was the right person, well the right one for her anyway, her soulmate.
"I don't feel so good," Aniela said softly as she swayed on her feet drawing Nona out of her thoughts.
Gwern was beside her in a second steadying her. "I think we better get you back home," he said.
"We'd better take her to my place," Wenona told him, "it's closer and we can work on doing some healing there."
Aniela didn't notice much of what went on around them as they walked back to Wenona's house. She was concentrating too much on trying not to throw up, she'd been so happy when the world had decided to stop spinning around her and her dizziness began to disappear but dizziness was preferable to the waves of nausea that were rolling up from her stomach and into her aching head. She wasn't even sure if the others had talked to her on the way back, she didn't really care as long as she didn't throw up on Gwern, she didn't thinking vomiting on him was the right thank you gift.
When they got to Wenona's road Gwern took the steadying arm away from her back.
"You'll be okay from here," he told her, "I hope you feel better."
"Me too," Ani replied slowly. "Thanks again."
"I guess we'll be seeing you around," Wenona said to him.
"Maybe," he replied, "we'll see. Try and stay out of trouble, let the others do their job, they're quite good at it usually."
"Okay, lets get you inside," Wenona said to Aniela after he left. "We can get you something for your head."
"Somehow I don't think you're talking about aspirin," Aniela said.
"Witch aspirin," Wenona said with a grin.
They were all standing by the door deciding who was going to look where when they heard the key scrap in the lock. The door swung open and Wenona walked in with a very pale looking Aniela.
"Oh hi guys," she said blithely.
Des could literally see Icarus start to boil and it made her realise something. Before Icarus was usually the laid back casual one while Gwern was the one who'd do the angry rants and keep everyone in line but this mission Icarus was the one taking things seriously, being responsible, trying to fill in for Gwern, trying to give the team balance. She should have realised earlier what he was doing, she just had never really thought how much he must be missing Gwern too, as a friend and as a team mate, how selfish was that.
"Oh hi guys, oh hi guys," Icarus said obviously getting up steam for the sermon that was going to follow but before he could even begin Wenona raised her hand.
"I know what you're going to say and you're right, and even though I know how stupid I was I'll let you give me the lecture in a minute but first I've got to help Aniela, she banged her head and I don't think listening to you is going to help her any."
Aniela followed Wenona meekly into the kitchen. Icarus had looked really angry and she was glad they'd been spared whatever it was he was planning to say.
"Sit down there," Wenona ordered as she walked around the kitchen opening and closing presses and drawers. She got a spoon and then some bottles and placed them in front of Aniela.
"This will only take a minute," she said as she mixed some oil from both the bottles on the spoon, "it's a mixture of lavender and jojoba oil. I just rub some to your head and neck and say a few words and that's it."
"Are you sure?" Aniela asked.
"Well lets see shall we," Wenona said with a grin as she dipped her finger in the mixture. She rubbed a little on Aniela's temples and on the back of her neck. "Blood flow, headache go," she said softly.
She headed for the fridge then and pulled a packet of peas out of the freezer box. "Here," she said passing them to Aniela, "Put those on the back of your head it will help the lump go down."
"Wow, frozen peas, that's so witchy," Aniela said with a grin already feeling her headache start to dissipate.
Wenona grinned then sighed, "Well I'd better go face the others, you can stay in here."
Aniela picked up the peas and a nearby towel; she wrapped the towel around the peas and held them to her head. Her head was no longer pounding but the area around the lump was still tender. She could hear snatches of the argument the others were having coming from the living room. She wondered if Wenona was going to tell them about the vampire. She still wasn't exactly sure what was going on but apparently Nona's visitors were connected with it. Everything seemed to be connected at the moment, maybe it was true that there was no such thing as a coincidence.
She was drifting off into her own thoughts when she heard one of the girls say something about Diablo. She wasn't exactly sure what they'd said but it reminded her of something she'd forgotten in all the pain. Diablo, the bastard she was going to, well she didn't know what she was going to do to him but she would think of something painful enough.
The others seemed to be getting even louder now; she could hear Wenona saying, "I don't believe you." What didn't she believe, now that seemed like an important question. One of the other girls was talking now, not yelling but still loudly but she sounded really understanding.
"I'm sorry Wenona but it's true, they're Night World."
"But how can they be? I mean they're soulmates, he changed her illegally. And Diablo, oh Goddess, Diablo."
Aniela could hear the pity and sorrow in Wenona's voice and she knew exactly what it meant; they knew now too. Well that was good they could stop him from hurting Wenona. "Yeah," a little voice in her head said, "but how do you think they're going to stop him? Rap him on the knuckles and tell him he's been a bad boy?" Aniela sighed, she really hated having such a sarcastic inner voice.
She was saved having to think about probable ways they were going to stop him by the doorbell. She knew who it was even before she heard the familiar voice ask Wenona if she was there.
"Her Mom said that she came to visit you," he was saying.
"Yeah, she's here," Wenona said and Aniela could just imagine the looks on the others' faces.
She walked slowly to the kitchen door and swung it open. Diablo looked up and saw her in the door way and she saw a look of relief spread across his face relieving the tension that had set his face in a strange look of worry.
"You're okay," he said crossing the hall towards her in a few strides. "Thank God," he said pulling her towards him. "I knew something was wrong but I didn't know what."
Aniela couldn't really think, she couldn't think about how strange it seemed for him to be so concerned for her or process the looks of horror on Rus and Cynthia's faces or the looks of pity on Nona and Des's.
"We should talk," she said shortly. "In here," she said stepping away from the door.
"Okay," Diablo said confused.
She ushered him into the kitchen ignoring the looks of the others, let Wenona explain things to them if she wanted, she didn't really care, she wasn't sure if she cared about anything anymore. She leaned against the worktop and crossed her arms in front of her, now that she was alone with him she wasn't sure what she wanted to say to him.
The silence filled the space between them like a physical entity, God Almighty how did she even start luckily he saved her the trouble.
"Are you okay?" he asked, "What happened?"
"Oh me and Wenona just got attacked by a vampire, I'm sure that won't surprise you, he's probably a friend of yours. I mean that is why you're here isn't it to attack Wenona."
Diablo didn't react exactly the way she expected him to. He marched over to her grabbed her by the shoulders and looked her dead in the eye.
"Who did it?" he demanded.
"What do you care?" she replied, "You'd be doing the exact same thing given half a chance."
"That's not true," he said adamantly. "I would never hurt you, you have to know that."
"But you'd hurt Wenona wouldn't you, you'd kill her, that's your whole reason for being here, isn't it? Well isn't it?"
"Yes," he admitted softly.
Aniela felt herself deflate, the hope she hadn't even known she'd been clinging to just disappeared and left her with nothing. She hadn't wanted him to admit it, she'd been hoping all along that he'd deny it, that it wasn't true, that there was another explanation for everything.
"And you're good at killing?" she asked softly.
"Yes," he replied.
"And you like it," she said, "You enjoy it you sadistic bastard."
"I'm a hunter," he said softly, "it's what I was born to do."
She felt a desire to hurt him well up inside her, she wanted to hit him or kick him or something, anything to make him feel something like the pain that was welling up in her chest.
"I want to see," she said, "I want to see what you do."
Diablo looked taken aback, completely shocked and a little scared. "I don't think that would be a good idea," he said.
But she didn't care what he thought, she wanted to know and before he could realise what she was doing she reached out and grabbed his hand. The soulmate connection burst over them destroying any barriers that they had between them.
She could have done this anytime she realised, even though he hadn't wanted her to see these parts of himself if she'd let it in, if she had really wanted to know, if she'd tried hard enough then she could have seen them. He wasn't even fighting her; he just let the images show themselves to her. It was horrible, worse than she could have possibly imagined, so much death, so much pain, it was too much she didn't want to see any more but she couldn't stop it once she'd opened the gates she couldn't stop the flood.
He had done such terrible, terrible things and he hadn't even seen how terrible they were. Part of her felt it wasn't his fault, that he was the creation of his family but that didn't change the fact that he had done these things, that this was the person he was.
She pulled away from him, back into herself and she realised that she was shaking and her breath was coming in huge gulps.
"Ani," he said softly stroking her hair. "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry."
She clung to him, it was so stupid she was looking for comfort from him and the strangest thing was that she found it. Even though she'd seen everything and it made her feel so bad, in his arms she felt safe, how completely messed up was that.
He held her fiercely too him and rested his cheek on the top of her head. "I love you," he whispered.
"I know," she replied burying her face in his chest.
He pulled away from her slightly and grabbed her chin in his hand. He tilted her face upwards towards his so they were looking each other in the eye.
"I really, really love you," he said again.
Aniela looked into his deep green eyes and was overwhelmed by the huge swell of emotion that grew in her chest.
"I love you too," she replied.
Aniela didn't know who started it but suddenly they were kissing, really kissing, deep, desperate kisses that shook her to her core, clinging to each other like they were sustenance, oxygen. Eventually they had to come up for air and Ani's lips were tingling.
Diablo smiled wryly at her, "Things will work out you know, I mean I love you and you love me so they have to work out."
Aniela sighed, "You don't really believe that."
"No," he said, "but I really, really want to."
"I'd like to too," she told him, "but we both know that it's not true, love's not always enough."
"It can be if you let it," he said, "it's up to you Ani. It's your choice. Can you accept me?"
"I don't know," she replied honestly.
"That means no," he said sullenly.
"No, that means I don't know," she told him, "I'm confused Diablo, I mean you did so much and truthfully what you've done appals me; it scares me Diablo, not even what you've done exactly but the lack of compassion, the lack of conscience you showed when you did them.
I'm confused and I really don't know how I feel, I need time. And it's not just up to me, it's up to you too, I mean can you change? Are you willing to stop doing what you're doing for me?"
Diablo frowned, "I don't know."
"Well think about it, let me think about, tomorrow's another day you know."
He bent his head and brushed his lips of her forehead lightly. "Okay."
And that was that, he disappeared out the back door and she had to go face the others. They were all still in the hall when she opened the door.
"Where is he?" Icarus demanded angrily.
"He's gone," she told him.
"What do you mean he's gone?"
"I mean he left," Aniela replied and to her horror she realised that her eyes were wet.
"You let him go," Icarus yelled at her angrily, "do you have any clue what you've just done, the danger you've put Wenona in."
Aniela couldn't take it, she was still swimming in emotion after what had just happened with Diablo and now this guy was yelling at her. She couldn't take anymore, everyone had a breaking point and apparently this was hers. Big, round tears spilled out of her eyes and down her cheeks. She couldn't control it, even her embarrassment at crying in front of practical strangers couldn't stop her from breaking into huge sobs.
Icarus looked really alarmed and uncomfortable. One of the girls, the one with long auburn hair put her arms around her and held her as she cried. She didn't try to get her to stop, she just held her and stroked her hair making comforting noises as she cried and cried.