Part 3
Ashael didn't want to get up the following morning. She would much rather stay in bed than deal with human high school. They didn't get a say in this matter, the twins' parents made them attend.
Even though they were some of the best assassins the Night World had seen in a long time, they had to have something to do with themselves during the day.
"I don't see why you make such a fuss over this," Evangeline said, pulling a black top over her head and smoothing down the front. "Easy hunting." Her eyes twinkled.
Ashael's eyes rolled. Evangeline of course was one of those perfect popular people with a clique of vermin admirers. While Ashael preferred to keep to herself, two Night People friends were enough for her. The vermin knew to avoid her, regarded her as cold and unfriendly.
"Whatever," she snorted in contempt.
Evangeline sighed. "Look, Ashael, if you lowered the walls you might actually have some *friends*."
Ashael didn't bother replying. Evangeline didn't consider the people that her sister hung out with worthy enough to be called 'friends.' Vermin crawling all over her, and copying her dress sense, taste in music, cars, movies and whatever else didn't impress her. Evangeline knew that. She'd tried the popular crowd once. It hadn't been the place for her.
"We have to check in with Hunter at some point to day to report on last night's kill," Evangeline said as she picked up her purse and books.
Ashael made a face. At least working for a Night World Big Shot like Hunter Redfern gave them a decently paid job. He acted like the world owed him a huge favour. "Can we do that after school?"
Evangeline just gave her a look. She scowled as she stormed down the hallway to her locker. She didn't see anyone she knew, or liked would be more accurate, until about fifth period. She could see Alice Lauder, a Daybreak witch glaring at her from the other side of the hall.
Ashael smirked. Daybreak had already found Danny Summers then. Ashael smiled at Alice, daring her to try something. Alice just turned her nose up and stalked off. Ashael chuckled dryly.
"Hey, watch it!"
Too smug from her victory last night and too pleased about upsetting Alice, Ashael had failed to pay attention to where she was going and knocked into...
"Shit." She scowled furiously at David Harman, whose expression matched hers. "Why don't *you* watch it."
"You killed him."
Ashael shrugged. "You going to do something about it?" She smiled meanly. She knew for a fact that despite how much David hated her, he wasn't going to do anything to her here, not in full view of vermin witnesses.
"You won't get away with this." His voice was flat and certain.
"Like I've never heard *that* before," she sneered. "Get *over* it, idiot." She pushed past him, leaving him standing in the hall in helpless fury.
She'd simply been on a job for Hunter that had been to kill David and his family. Why, she'd never asked. The parents and his younger brother had been easy enough, David had somehow managed to survive. When she'd reported it to Hunter, he'd just told her to leave David alone. It was more than a little odd to Ashael, but she knew better than question Hunter.
David had had it in for her ever since. Not that she blamed him, she supposed. If she'd been in his position, she'd hate her too.
"You know I'm surprised you two haven't been hit by that dreaded soulmate thingy yet."
Ashael frowned as she took her seat in chem lab next to fellow Night Person Antonia Blackthorn. "What'd you mean?"
Antonia shrugged, tossing back a gleaming curtain of glossy dark hair. "Well you and David hate each other so much it seems kind of *obvious*, don't you think?"
"I don't do men," Ashael pointed out scathingly. She didn't actually like Antonia very much, Antonia was too much of a know-it-all.
"That's the *thing* with soulmates, isn't it?" Antonia went on. "It doesn't mater if you're straight or not. "Haven't you noticed a pattern with it, connecting those who hate each other, the vamp with the vermin, the vampire with the vampire hunter, witches and vermin and so on."
Being hit with the soulmate connection was Ashael's worst nightmare. She dreaded the thought of winding up as a Damned Fluffy Daybreaker.
"David and I are *not* soulmates!" she snapped. "And it's *none* of your business!"
Antonia smiled strangely. "Whatever you say."
Ashael didn't like the way she said that.
* * *
Ashael didn't want to get up the following morning. She would much rather stay in bed than deal with human high school. They didn't get a say in this matter, the twins' parents made them attend.
Even though they were some of the best assassins the Night World had seen in a long time, they had to have something to do with themselves during the day.
"I don't see why you make such a fuss over this," Evangeline said, pulling a black top over her head and smoothing down the front. "Easy hunting." Her eyes twinkled.
Ashael's eyes rolled. Evangeline of course was one of those perfect popular people with a clique of vermin admirers. While Ashael preferred to keep to herself, two Night People friends were enough for her. The vermin knew to avoid her, regarded her as cold and unfriendly.
"Whatever," she snorted in contempt.
Evangeline sighed. "Look, Ashael, if you lowered the walls you might actually have some *friends*."
Ashael didn't bother replying. Evangeline didn't consider the people that her sister hung out with worthy enough to be called 'friends.' Vermin crawling all over her, and copying her dress sense, taste in music, cars, movies and whatever else didn't impress her. Evangeline knew that. She'd tried the popular crowd once. It hadn't been the place for her.
"We have to check in with Hunter at some point to day to report on last night's kill," Evangeline said as she picked up her purse and books.
Ashael made a face. At least working for a Night World Big Shot like Hunter Redfern gave them a decently paid job. He acted like the world owed him a huge favour. "Can we do that after school?"
Evangeline just gave her a look. She scowled as she stormed down the hallway to her locker. She didn't see anyone she knew, or liked would be more accurate, until about fifth period. She could see Alice Lauder, a Daybreak witch glaring at her from the other side of the hall.
Ashael smirked. Daybreak had already found Danny Summers then. Ashael smiled at Alice, daring her to try something. Alice just turned her nose up and stalked off. Ashael chuckled dryly.
"Hey, watch it!"
Too smug from her victory last night and too pleased about upsetting Alice, Ashael had failed to pay attention to where she was going and knocked into...
"Shit." She scowled furiously at David Harman, whose expression matched hers. "Why don't *you* watch it."
"You killed him."
Ashael shrugged. "You going to do something about it?" She smiled meanly. She knew for a fact that despite how much David hated her, he wasn't going to do anything to her here, not in full view of vermin witnesses.
"You won't get away with this." His voice was flat and certain.
"Like I've never heard *that* before," she sneered. "Get *over* it, idiot." She pushed past him, leaving him standing in the hall in helpless fury.
She'd simply been on a job for Hunter that had been to kill David and his family. Why, she'd never asked. The parents and his younger brother had been easy enough, David had somehow managed to survive. When she'd reported it to Hunter, he'd just told her to leave David alone. It was more than a little odd to Ashael, but she knew better than question Hunter.
David had had it in for her ever since. Not that she blamed him, she supposed. If she'd been in his position, she'd hate her too.
"You know I'm surprised you two haven't been hit by that dreaded soulmate thingy yet."
Ashael frowned as she took her seat in chem lab next to fellow Night Person Antonia Blackthorn. "What'd you mean?"
Antonia shrugged, tossing back a gleaming curtain of glossy dark hair. "Well you and David hate each other so much it seems kind of *obvious*, don't you think?"
"I don't do men," Ashael pointed out scathingly. She didn't actually like Antonia very much, Antonia was too much of a know-it-all.
"That's the *thing* with soulmates, isn't it?" Antonia went on. "It doesn't mater if you're straight or not. "Haven't you noticed a pattern with it, connecting those who hate each other, the vamp with the vermin, the vampire with the vampire hunter, witches and vermin and so on."
Being hit with the soulmate connection was Ashael's worst nightmare. She dreaded the thought of winding up as a Damned Fluffy Daybreaker.
"David and I are *not* soulmates!" she snapped. "And it's *none* of your business!"
Antonia smiled strangely. "Whatever you say."
Ashael didn't like the way she said that.
* * *