~ Arcane Knight ~
Lara had waken up in a grumpy mood to begin with, not to mention when she found out that her daughter had been using her training robot, S.I.M.O.N. while she had been on a tomb raid in Mexico, What was worse was that Bryce had allowed it! Kaitlin had apologised over and over, but not without the usual argument.
Meanwhile. the long time butler, Hillary had tried to separate the two extremely temperamental Croft's before bullets started flying.
"I don't know why you are so mad." The fifteen year old lent against the wall, arms crossed in protest. She was almost the mirror image of her mother. Long dark hair hung in a single braid, that ended at the small of her waist. Her skin was a light copper, her Native American heritage, well apparent, and her eyes like cold steel.
"Because you are sneaking behind my back!" Lara growled angrily.
"Well I wouldn't have to if you would just let me, you won't even give me the chance!" Kaitlin argued.
"For Christ's sakes Kaitlin! Guns are NOT toys, I don't know who ever gave you the Idea they were something for you to play with! You could get hurt!" Lara was livid, her eyes in the motherly glare.
"SO can you! And I know they aren't toys, if you'd just let my show you that I can! Kaitlin raised a dark eyebrow. ~_^
"Absolutely NOT!" Lara snapped in a finished sort of tone.
"FINE!" Kaitlin stormed out of the room and up the stairs.
Lara let out a roar of frustration, running her hands over her hair.
"God! What am I doing!" Lara flopped down into a chair, her elbows on the table, as she rubbed her temples, flooded with an instant migraine.
"She just, look up to you Lara, she wants to do the things that you do," Hillary was annoyed at Lara's doubtfulness of herself.
"Oh yeah, I'm a great BLOODY role model!" Lara mumbled kicking the table away, a couple of feet. *****
Kaitlin climbed out of the window, dropping to the grass. She slid her dark sunglasses over her face, and walked to the garage. She dug the code muncher out of her backpack courtesy of Bryce and plugged it into the access gate. She knew her mother changed it almost every day.
Waiting almost ten seconds it beeped and the lock opened, Kaitlin looked up, "Bingo," Kaitlin smiled, and the garage opened. She skimmed the garage and the black chopper caught her eye.
"Kaitlin you are a genius," Kaitlin assured herself and pushed the bike towards the front gate. She opened the gate and glanced at the security camera. She held up a piece of paper that read: BE BACK LATER.
She knew Bryce could see her. Bryce stepped in front of the monitor so Lara couldn't see it. Bryce was one of Kaitlin's best friends and would do anything to protect her. Kaitlin started the bike and roared down the street.
She knew who would let her train, who practically made her train night and day, Alex West.
Lara walked up the stairs to Kaitlin's room practising mentally for the apologise. She knocked on the door.no answer.
"Katie, I'm sorry," Lara replied still no answer. She gently opened the door and the emptiness alluded her.
"Damnit!" Lara cursed.
She sighed and stormed off, she had no idea where she was as usual but knew that she would always be back by sunset.
*****
Lara sat quietly in her study bored out of her mind as she waited for her daughter to come home. Her eyes hurt and she was getting a migraine. The scrolls she had "borrowed without asking' from a temple on the Yucatan Peninsula.
They were in a mix of Spanish, Latin, and Aztechan. It was a combination that even the daughter of a genius had to struggle with. She had even had help retrieving them and so knew that this artefact, if she could find out what and where it was had to be precious.
Lara pulled off her reading glasses and set them on the large pile of manuscripts and scrolls. With one hand she rubbed the ever-aching muscles in her neck and shoulders.
"You work too hard," a voice behind, surprised Lara making her jump a little.
"And you should learn to knock," Lara didn't have to turn around to know who it was. The dark man stepped in front of her and sat on the edge of her desk. He set down a small velvet bag down in front of her.
"What's that?" Lara looked up at him annoidly.
He was quite a bit taller than her. His shoulder length black hair was in waves on his shoulders and masked the pale hue of his skin. His face was never changing, young, strong and his features sharp and taut.
Dark and shady eyes were bight as emeralds. He always wore black a knee length trench coat completing hid darker image.
"Open it and find out," he smirked.
Lara rolled her eyes and opened it, inside was a large amber stone encrested with Egyptian hieroglyphics. "Once again what is it?" Lara held it under the light her eyes examining it carefully.
"It's the talisman of Amun Ra, it is supposed to raise the sun," he explained.
"Where'd you get it and how many you'd kill for it?" Lara smiled, sarcastic to the very end.
"Very funny -_- actually, I have had it for quite some time, It was around the same time I managed this damnable thing," he held out his arm revealing the gauntlet that was his source of immortality. It was the heart of Anubis, god of the dead.
"Why are you giving it to me then?" She raised a brow.
"It just sat in my lab for centuries, Think of it as spring cleaning, but it's not the real reason I'm here Lara," he shook his head.
"If it is what I think it is I can't I have work to do," Lara smirked readjusting in her chair.
"Ahh. That thought crossed my mind once.or twice, however I too have work to do." His emerald glaze eyes brightened in humour. "The Illuminati are back in business, it seems they have found a more aggressive leader by the name of Scott Wyatt. And they want those manuscripts you have there," he gestured to the pile of papers and parchment.
"I have had more than enough of the bloody illuminati," Lara stood setting the amulet down and started to walk out of the room.
"Lara." He stood up and followed her through the corridors of the manor.
Lara rubbed her neck again with one hand.
"I didn't mean to upset you. What's wrong? You aren't yourself today," his hands moved to her shoulders massaging the tense muscles.
"You're right, I am yelling for nothing, it's just these scrolls they don't make any god damned sense. And Kaitlin and I got into a fight, she's still not back yet, I'm so sick and tired of being sick and tired," Lara sighed closing her eyes to enjoy his touch.
"Don't worry it'll all work itself out, and as for the scrolls you'll get it eventually," he smiled as she spun to look at him.
"How can you be so sure?" Lara was unconvinced.
"Because you're too stubborn to give up on anything weather it be Kaitlin or the manuscripts," his mouth quirked into a warm smile.
"That I am Lupin, that I am." Lara nodded laughing.
Suddenly Lupin looked up at nothing his ears pricked for any sound, "Your daughters home, and I have to go," he swept his lips over hers.
Lara started to fall into the kiss when suddenly the room was silent. She opened her eyes one at a time and saw that she was kissing air. Lara narrowed a brow and frowned, "I hate when he does that." Lara shook her head hearing her daughter enter the manor and quickly sprinted to the kitchen.
***** Kaitlin was surprised to see her mother up this late, she thought she would get off without an argument for the rest of the night, Lara didn't even so much as look up from her book she had grabbed quickly.
"I went to the Muskrat." Kaitlin murmured sliding her sunglasses off telling only the half-truth. For the first half of the night she had gone to Alex's assault course built under his museum, and the second half had gone to the nightclub where she was a regular. She knew the owner and even though you had to be 18 in usual standard Kaitlin always managed to make the front of the bustling line.
Lara was quiet, the silent treatment she knew always worked.
"Okay. are you going to talk to me or not?" Kaitlin sat down across from her.
"Why? It's not like my opinion matters anyway, you always do what you damn well please." Lara flipped another page not raising her voice.
"That's not true." Kaitlin said in almost a whisper shaking her head.
"Yes it is," Lara set the book on the table and looked up crossing her arms as she glared.
"Why won't you at least prove to you that I can do it?" Kaitlin argued.
"Why? Because I don't want you getting hurt!" Lara raised an eyebrow.
"That doesn't make any sense, you never once question your safety!" Kaitlin growled.
"I am thirty eight years old, and I can decide for myself what to do and not do to that involves risk," Lara had promised herself not to get angry but so far she was failing.
"Fine.so if you get hurt I'll just shrug you off, Goodnight," Kaitlin stood up and turned. Lara opened her mouth to protest but soon swallowed her words.
Kaitlin was right.
***** The next morning was in a dead silence. "Where are you going?" Lara asked shuffling through her newspaper.
"Why? It's not like your opinion matters anyway right?" Kaitlin slung the gym bag over her shoulder and walked out the door. Lara was struck down by her own words. Hillary stood by the door in awe at the argument that had not started.
*****
Lara had waken up in a grumpy mood to begin with, not to mention when she found out that her daughter had been using her training robot, S.I.M.O.N. while she had been on a tomb raid in Mexico, What was worse was that Bryce had allowed it! Kaitlin had apologised over and over, but not without the usual argument.
Meanwhile. the long time butler, Hillary had tried to separate the two extremely temperamental Croft's before bullets started flying.
"I don't know why you are so mad." The fifteen year old lent against the wall, arms crossed in protest. She was almost the mirror image of her mother. Long dark hair hung in a single braid, that ended at the small of her waist. Her skin was a light copper, her Native American heritage, well apparent, and her eyes like cold steel.
"Because you are sneaking behind my back!" Lara growled angrily.
"Well I wouldn't have to if you would just let me, you won't even give me the chance!" Kaitlin argued.
"For Christ's sakes Kaitlin! Guns are NOT toys, I don't know who ever gave you the Idea they were something for you to play with! You could get hurt!" Lara was livid, her eyes in the motherly glare.
"SO can you! And I know they aren't toys, if you'd just let my show you that I can! Kaitlin raised a dark eyebrow. ~_^
"Absolutely NOT!" Lara snapped in a finished sort of tone.
"FINE!" Kaitlin stormed out of the room and up the stairs.
Lara let out a roar of frustration, running her hands over her hair.
"God! What am I doing!" Lara flopped down into a chair, her elbows on the table, as she rubbed her temples, flooded with an instant migraine.
"She just, look up to you Lara, she wants to do the things that you do," Hillary was annoyed at Lara's doubtfulness of herself.
"Oh yeah, I'm a great BLOODY role model!" Lara mumbled kicking the table away, a couple of feet. *****
Kaitlin climbed out of the window, dropping to the grass. She slid her dark sunglasses over her face, and walked to the garage. She dug the code muncher out of her backpack courtesy of Bryce and plugged it into the access gate. She knew her mother changed it almost every day.
Waiting almost ten seconds it beeped and the lock opened, Kaitlin looked up, "Bingo," Kaitlin smiled, and the garage opened. She skimmed the garage and the black chopper caught her eye.
"Kaitlin you are a genius," Kaitlin assured herself and pushed the bike towards the front gate. She opened the gate and glanced at the security camera. She held up a piece of paper that read: BE BACK LATER.
She knew Bryce could see her. Bryce stepped in front of the monitor so Lara couldn't see it. Bryce was one of Kaitlin's best friends and would do anything to protect her. Kaitlin started the bike and roared down the street.
She knew who would let her train, who practically made her train night and day, Alex West.
Lara walked up the stairs to Kaitlin's room practising mentally for the apologise. She knocked on the door.no answer.
"Katie, I'm sorry," Lara replied still no answer. She gently opened the door and the emptiness alluded her.
"Damnit!" Lara cursed.
She sighed and stormed off, she had no idea where she was as usual but knew that she would always be back by sunset.
*****
Lara sat quietly in her study bored out of her mind as she waited for her daughter to come home. Her eyes hurt and she was getting a migraine. The scrolls she had "borrowed without asking' from a temple on the Yucatan Peninsula.
They were in a mix of Spanish, Latin, and Aztechan. It was a combination that even the daughter of a genius had to struggle with. She had even had help retrieving them and so knew that this artefact, if she could find out what and where it was had to be precious.
Lara pulled off her reading glasses and set them on the large pile of manuscripts and scrolls. With one hand she rubbed the ever-aching muscles in her neck and shoulders.
"You work too hard," a voice behind, surprised Lara making her jump a little.
"And you should learn to knock," Lara didn't have to turn around to know who it was. The dark man stepped in front of her and sat on the edge of her desk. He set down a small velvet bag down in front of her.
"What's that?" Lara looked up at him annoidly.
He was quite a bit taller than her. His shoulder length black hair was in waves on his shoulders and masked the pale hue of his skin. His face was never changing, young, strong and his features sharp and taut.
Dark and shady eyes were bight as emeralds. He always wore black a knee length trench coat completing hid darker image.
"Open it and find out," he smirked.
Lara rolled her eyes and opened it, inside was a large amber stone encrested with Egyptian hieroglyphics. "Once again what is it?" Lara held it under the light her eyes examining it carefully.
"It's the talisman of Amun Ra, it is supposed to raise the sun," he explained.
"Where'd you get it and how many you'd kill for it?" Lara smiled, sarcastic to the very end.
"Very funny -_- actually, I have had it for quite some time, It was around the same time I managed this damnable thing," he held out his arm revealing the gauntlet that was his source of immortality. It was the heart of Anubis, god of the dead.
"Why are you giving it to me then?" She raised a brow.
"It just sat in my lab for centuries, Think of it as spring cleaning, but it's not the real reason I'm here Lara," he shook his head.
"If it is what I think it is I can't I have work to do," Lara smirked readjusting in her chair.
"Ahh. That thought crossed my mind once.or twice, however I too have work to do." His emerald glaze eyes brightened in humour. "The Illuminati are back in business, it seems they have found a more aggressive leader by the name of Scott Wyatt. And they want those manuscripts you have there," he gestured to the pile of papers and parchment.
"I have had more than enough of the bloody illuminati," Lara stood setting the amulet down and started to walk out of the room.
"Lara." He stood up and followed her through the corridors of the manor.
Lara rubbed her neck again with one hand.
"I didn't mean to upset you. What's wrong? You aren't yourself today," his hands moved to her shoulders massaging the tense muscles.
"You're right, I am yelling for nothing, it's just these scrolls they don't make any god damned sense. And Kaitlin and I got into a fight, she's still not back yet, I'm so sick and tired of being sick and tired," Lara sighed closing her eyes to enjoy his touch.
"Don't worry it'll all work itself out, and as for the scrolls you'll get it eventually," he smiled as she spun to look at him.
"How can you be so sure?" Lara was unconvinced.
"Because you're too stubborn to give up on anything weather it be Kaitlin or the manuscripts," his mouth quirked into a warm smile.
"That I am Lupin, that I am." Lara nodded laughing.
Suddenly Lupin looked up at nothing his ears pricked for any sound, "Your daughters home, and I have to go," he swept his lips over hers.
Lara started to fall into the kiss when suddenly the room was silent. She opened her eyes one at a time and saw that she was kissing air. Lara narrowed a brow and frowned, "I hate when he does that." Lara shook her head hearing her daughter enter the manor and quickly sprinted to the kitchen.
***** Kaitlin was surprised to see her mother up this late, she thought she would get off without an argument for the rest of the night, Lara didn't even so much as look up from her book she had grabbed quickly.
"I went to the Muskrat." Kaitlin murmured sliding her sunglasses off telling only the half-truth. For the first half of the night she had gone to Alex's assault course built under his museum, and the second half had gone to the nightclub where she was a regular. She knew the owner and even though you had to be 18 in usual standard Kaitlin always managed to make the front of the bustling line.
Lara was quiet, the silent treatment she knew always worked.
"Okay. are you going to talk to me or not?" Kaitlin sat down across from her.
"Why? It's not like my opinion matters anyway, you always do what you damn well please." Lara flipped another page not raising her voice.
"That's not true." Kaitlin said in almost a whisper shaking her head.
"Yes it is," Lara set the book on the table and looked up crossing her arms as she glared.
"Why won't you at least prove to you that I can do it?" Kaitlin argued.
"Why? Because I don't want you getting hurt!" Lara raised an eyebrow.
"That doesn't make any sense, you never once question your safety!" Kaitlin growled.
"I am thirty eight years old, and I can decide for myself what to do and not do to that involves risk," Lara had promised herself not to get angry but so far she was failing.
"Fine.so if you get hurt I'll just shrug you off, Goodnight," Kaitlin stood up and turned. Lara opened her mouth to protest but soon swallowed her words.
Kaitlin was right.
***** The next morning was in a dead silence. "Where are you going?" Lara asked shuffling through her newspaper.
"Why? It's not like your opinion matters anyway right?" Kaitlin slung the gym bag over her shoulder and walked out the door. Lara was struck down by her own words. Hillary stood by the door in awe at the argument that had not started.
*****