Part 4
David sat through his morning classes, a scowl of hatred on his face. Ashael Redfern had ruined the morning for him. She knew damn well that he couldn't do anything to her while the humans of the school were around. She did so enjoy reminding him of that.
He wished the school had a decent gym. He could do with a punching bag right about now to work off his anger.
"Don't let her get to you," Alice said comfortingly, patting his arm. "She wins, then."
David sighed heavily, most reluctant to admit that she was probably right. Glancing around he scowled, noticing Evangeline at the back of the room, laughing and flirting with some guys. If they only knew...
"Have you talked to Thierry yet?" David asked.
Alice shook her head. "I have an appointment set up after school."
David seriously doubted that Thierry would be able to tell them anything they didn't know. What was he supposed to do in the mean time? Go on with his normal life as if nothing had happened? Seeing the girl who had destroyed everything that mattered to him every day, like she had done nothing that she wouldn't do every other day. If only she knew they shock and pain she had made him suffer through....
Joanne didn't even recognise him anymore. She was a mere pawn of Hunter Redfern now. Why this bastard had got it in for him, he didn't know. As far as he was concerned he had never done anything wrong. His family were just average Daybreakers, like tons of others. Why *them*? And why Ashael Redfern?
"You know," Alice said with a faint smile. "If you want to get back at Ashael, something just occurred."
David glanced over at Evangeline, a smirk starting to grow. "Of course. Why didn't I think of that?"
Alice stared at him, then snorted dismissively. "Oh please. That's *way* too obvious. You - *we* rather, want to do something else."
David eyed her, intrigued. "Oh? What'd you have in mind?"
* * *
"So the assignment went well?"
"He was dead within the hour we got there." Evangeline sounded smug and extremely pleased with herself.
Ashael remained silent, watching Hunter Redfern pace across his wood panelled office. A roaring fire was burning unnecessarily in a real-looking stone fire place, making Hunter's blood red hair seem almost ruby red, and something else was making him twice as sinister as usual. "Good. Your cheques will be paid into your bank accounts by the end of the week. Intelligence says Daybreak have already found the corpse."
"But not us," Evangeline said.
"I would expect now." Hunter looked at her with narrowed eyes. Evangeline stared definitely back refusing to be intimidated.
"Is that it? Or is there something else you want us for?" Ashael asked, bored of the stare-out and wanting to get out of the office as fast as possible.
"There is, actually. Evangeline, you can leave now. Ashael, you stay."
Evangeline gave her a sideways look of confusion...and definitely jealousy. She stood up and left the office. Ashael frowned, wondering what Hunter wanted. He stopped pacing and took a seat in a large, elaborately carved wooden chair. He was a vampire, he wasn't supposed to like things made of wood.
"Remember David Harman?" Hunter asked, leaning forward a little.
Ashael's frown increased. "David? Sure. You said kill his family. I got his parents and little brother easily enough. When he kept getting away you said leave him alone so I did." She didn't bother adding what she'd done to his girlfriend, just for the hell of it.
Hunter smiled rather unpleasantly, showing a row of gleaming white teeth. "Yes. It seems we weren't as careful as we thought. He has an older brother, Zach, and an older sister, Dusk. Dusk Harman will be coming into the country tomorrow on the 10 a.m. flight from Chicago to Las Vegas." Hunter pushed an open folder in front of Ashael. "My sources tell me that she is already on our side."
Ashael looked at the photo. It showed a typically beautiful Night World girl, with skin that looked as smooth and pure as ice, sparkling violet eyes and long pale blonde hair. The traits of a Harman. "And?"
"I want you to intercept her before anyone else does. Now the brother" - Hunter pushed another photo in front of Ashael. "Is with them, he's supposed to already be in town, and he needs to die."
Ashael glanced at the second photo. Same pale blond hair and violet eyes, only with a boy's face rather than a girl's.
"That won't be a problem, will it?"
"I'm assuming I get paid for this?" Ashael's eyes narrowed. She wasn't too keen on doing favours for free.
"Of course." Hunter smiled again.
Ashael wished he'd stop smiling at her. "Then no, there won't be any problems."
* * *
David sat through his morning classes, a scowl of hatred on his face. Ashael Redfern had ruined the morning for him. She knew damn well that he couldn't do anything to her while the humans of the school were around. She did so enjoy reminding him of that.
He wished the school had a decent gym. He could do with a punching bag right about now to work off his anger.
"Don't let her get to you," Alice said comfortingly, patting his arm. "She wins, then."
David sighed heavily, most reluctant to admit that she was probably right. Glancing around he scowled, noticing Evangeline at the back of the room, laughing and flirting with some guys. If they only knew...
"Have you talked to Thierry yet?" David asked.
Alice shook her head. "I have an appointment set up after school."
David seriously doubted that Thierry would be able to tell them anything they didn't know. What was he supposed to do in the mean time? Go on with his normal life as if nothing had happened? Seeing the girl who had destroyed everything that mattered to him every day, like she had done nothing that she wouldn't do every other day. If only she knew they shock and pain she had made him suffer through....
Joanne didn't even recognise him anymore. She was a mere pawn of Hunter Redfern now. Why this bastard had got it in for him, he didn't know. As far as he was concerned he had never done anything wrong. His family were just average Daybreakers, like tons of others. Why *them*? And why Ashael Redfern?
"You know," Alice said with a faint smile. "If you want to get back at Ashael, something just occurred."
David glanced over at Evangeline, a smirk starting to grow. "Of course. Why didn't I think of that?"
Alice stared at him, then snorted dismissively. "Oh please. That's *way* too obvious. You - *we* rather, want to do something else."
David eyed her, intrigued. "Oh? What'd you have in mind?"
* * *
"So the assignment went well?"
"He was dead within the hour we got there." Evangeline sounded smug and extremely pleased with herself.
Ashael remained silent, watching Hunter Redfern pace across his wood panelled office. A roaring fire was burning unnecessarily in a real-looking stone fire place, making Hunter's blood red hair seem almost ruby red, and something else was making him twice as sinister as usual. "Good. Your cheques will be paid into your bank accounts by the end of the week. Intelligence says Daybreak have already found the corpse."
"But not us," Evangeline said.
"I would expect now." Hunter looked at her with narrowed eyes. Evangeline stared definitely back refusing to be intimidated.
"Is that it? Or is there something else you want us for?" Ashael asked, bored of the stare-out and wanting to get out of the office as fast as possible.
"There is, actually. Evangeline, you can leave now. Ashael, you stay."
Evangeline gave her a sideways look of confusion...and definitely jealousy. She stood up and left the office. Ashael frowned, wondering what Hunter wanted. He stopped pacing and took a seat in a large, elaborately carved wooden chair. He was a vampire, he wasn't supposed to like things made of wood.
"Remember David Harman?" Hunter asked, leaning forward a little.
Ashael's frown increased. "David? Sure. You said kill his family. I got his parents and little brother easily enough. When he kept getting away you said leave him alone so I did." She didn't bother adding what she'd done to his girlfriend, just for the hell of it.
Hunter smiled rather unpleasantly, showing a row of gleaming white teeth. "Yes. It seems we weren't as careful as we thought. He has an older brother, Zach, and an older sister, Dusk. Dusk Harman will be coming into the country tomorrow on the 10 a.m. flight from Chicago to Las Vegas." Hunter pushed an open folder in front of Ashael. "My sources tell me that she is already on our side."
Ashael looked at the photo. It showed a typically beautiful Night World girl, with skin that looked as smooth and pure as ice, sparkling violet eyes and long pale blonde hair. The traits of a Harman. "And?"
"I want you to intercept her before anyone else does. Now the brother" - Hunter pushed another photo in front of Ashael. "Is with them, he's supposed to already be in town, and he needs to die."
Ashael glanced at the second photo. Same pale blond hair and violet eyes, only with a boy's face rather than a girl's.
"That won't be a problem, will it?"
"I'm assuming I get paid for this?" Ashael's eyes narrowed. She wasn't too keen on doing favours for free.
"Of course." Hunter smiled again.
Ashael wished he'd stop smiling at her. "Then no, there won't be any problems."
* * *