Disclaimer - I don't own any of LJ's characters and I don't make any money
blah blah blah. However, I do own Tar, Dain, Zarach and Bono, but
unfortunately, they haven't been paying their rent so I don't make any
money out of them either. Damn. Reviews are really appreciated.
CHAPTER THREE - HOMECOMING
Dain stood by the window and watched the sun rise. It had been a vicious hunt last night, but he'd been interrupted. Something was coming. The mysterious phone call from Zarach was enough to set any man on edge and any vampire; Even one so strong as him. All of his clan had telepathic abilities and although they'd been used as Maya's private assassins down the centuries, now she was gone they were flying on their own agenda.
He looked out at the sun rise and saw a dot of an approaching vehicle. Since this road led to nowhere but here, it would be business for them or if some fool had driven up here, breakfast had arrived. The driver was obviously Zarach, cool calm and completely unreadable. Damn those shapeshifters and their mind blocks. However, there was a presence in the back, female and strong, so very strong. He couldn't recognize her from her essence, but there was something familiar about it that he couldn't quite put his finger on. Well, this would be an interesting morning.
*** Zarach carried the still sleeping form of Mary Lynette into the enclave through the cliff doorway, down the passage and into the main hall. He hated this hall particularly for not only was it the size of a football field, but the torches always seemed to be positioned so that over half the room was laid in shadow, letting the imagination think on what could be hiding in those shadows. This room also carried a burden of memories for Zarach, ones he would sooner forget. Dain was waiting in the centre of the room for him. How predictable. He presented the bundle to him and Dain pressed an envelope into his palm.
"Who is she?"
"Tar's widow."
The shock on Dain's face was obvious and was quite a sight. Not many things surprised the telepath and allowed himself a small smirk. Zarach left in a hurry, wary of the other's wrath. He fled back to the car and didn't release his breath until he was back inside the city. He hated vampires, especially those vampires. Once back in his hotel, he laid down to rest. He gave a single thought to Mary Lynette. He just hoped Dain didn't discover she was Ash Redfern's soul mate. He emptied his mind. He was skipping town tomorrow night and it would be a long drive home.
*** Dain stared at the bundle in his arms for several moments, then seeing her twitch uncomfortably in her sleep, decided that a bed would be useful right about now. He stowed her in a room not far from his own and sat on a chair across from her. The fact that Tar was dead left him emotionally torn up, the fact that Tar had a wife left him speechless.
After the death of Tar's soulmate at the hands of that wretched Redfern, he'd never shown any interest in women, no matter how persuasive Dain had tried to be. He wondered why she was strong? Had Tar given her his life? She must have been special indeed for him to give her so great a gift.
"Dain?"
He looked up, slightly confused that he'd not felt her awaken and also the face he didn't remember telling her his name. He studied her and watched a tear of pain fall over her cheek. Now that she was awake, her thoughts were open to him. She thought only two things.
Tar is dead. Kill the ashen one. Tar is dead. Kill the ashen one.
He read her memories carefully; trying not to upset what emotional balance she still had left. Satisfied she was no threat, but indeed an asset, he walked over to the bed and sat down next to her. He embraced her strongly.
"It is alright little sister. You are safe here. We will kill the ashen one together and he will suffer for his deeds. Do not worry, you are home now."
Dain stayed with Tar's wife for many hours, letting her retell her grief, pain and anger, letting her move on. Letting her retell the ashen one's torture of her, his stealing of her mind and torment of her afterwards. Dain saw how the Redfern had killed Tar and with a smile on his face to. His brother would be avenged and so would her pride and dignity. His anger rose at the ashen one, but he let it go. This was not the time to be angry. They had a lot to do.
Tar had given the one he now knew as Xanna his life and in that his powers and strength. He told her this and watched as she fitted the pieces together. She had to learn how to control it before they went after the ashen one, as she preferred to name him. He had no doubt that she could kill the Redfern even without the aid of telepathy, but it was always amusing to appeal to vermin's mortality. Let them feel their death before they died. It was one of his personal favourite games to play.
When she had exhausted herself, her eyelids drooping farther every second, he laid her down on the bed once again, lovingly placing the quilt over her as siblings will. Tar must have loved this girl completely and that made her family. It would be the brotherhood's priority now to avenge one of their own. He left the room and sending his thoughts ahead of him, went to talk to his brothers.
*** When Xanna woke up, she found herself in a room seemed unfamiliar. She remembered talking to Dain, but the resemblance he bore to Tar made her heart ache. She opened the curtains and stared out at the sunset. She saw several black dots slip through the shadows towards the city. Dain appeared behind her.
Our brothers are going to hunt. They will bring us back something. We will remain here. We have work to do.
She nodded her understanding, knowing that he felt her desire to hunt, but was holding her back. She had much to learn.
Xanna trained hard with Dain that day, although it still disturbed her to fight using wooden weapons. He landed a swift low kick, knocking her from her feet and instantly he was on her. She squirmed trying to find some reflex she could use to free herself. She found none.
Do you surrender yet, little sister?
She looked up into his face, just inches from her own. She saw something flicker across his eyes for a moment and he reached up and ran his fingers lightly across her face. The flicker was gone.
You are learning little sister, but you still let your thoughts guide you. Never mind, we will begin again at dawn tomorrow.
Dain spun up and left the room, scolding himself. Xanna led still, stunned, for several minutes, letting her heart rate slow to a normal pace. She got up silently and returned to her room and smiled. She could feel the others returning. Breakfast had arrived.
CHAPTER THREE - HOMECOMING
Dain stood by the window and watched the sun rise. It had been a vicious hunt last night, but he'd been interrupted. Something was coming. The mysterious phone call from Zarach was enough to set any man on edge and any vampire; Even one so strong as him. All of his clan had telepathic abilities and although they'd been used as Maya's private assassins down the centuries, now she was gone they were flying on their own agenda.
He looked out at the sun rise and saw a dot of an approaching vehicle. Since this road led to nowhere but here, it would be business for them or if some fool had driven up here, breakfast had arrived. The driver was obviously Zarach, cool calm and completely unreadable. Damn those shapeshifters and their mind blocks. However, there was a presence in the back, female and strong, so very strong. He couldn't recognize her from her essence, but there was something familiar about it that he couldn't quite put his finger on. Well, this would be an interesting morning.
*** Zarach carried the still sleeping form of Mary Lynette into the enclave through the cliff doorway, down the passage and into the main hall. He hated this hall particularly for not only was it the size of a football field, but the torches always seemed to be positioned so that over half the room was laid in shadow, letting the imagination think on what could be hiding in those shadows. This room also carried a burden of memories for Zarach, ones he would sooner forget. Dain was waiting in the centre of the room for him. How predictable. He presented the bundle to him and Dain pressed an envelope into his palm.
"Who is she?"
"Tar's widow."
The shock on Dain's face was obvious and was quite a sight. Not many things surprised the telepath and allowed himself a small smirk. Zarach left in a hurry, wary of the other's wrath. He fled back to the car and didn't release his breath until he was back inside the city. He hated vampires, especially those vampires. Once back in his hotel, he laid down to rest. He gave a single thought to Mary Lynette. He just hoped Dain didn't discover she was Ash Redfern's soul mate. He emptied his mind. He was skipping town tomorrow night and it would be a long drive home.
*** Dain stared at the bundle in his arms for several moments, then seeing her twitch uncomfortably in her sleep, decided that a bed would be useful right about now. He stowed her in a room not far from his own and sat on a chair across from her. The fact that Tar was dead left him emotionally torn up, the fact that Tar had a wife left him speechless.
After the death of Tar's soulmate at the hands of that wretched Redfern, he'd never shown any interest in women, no matter how persuasive Dain had tried to be. He wondered why she was strong? Had Tar given her his life? She must have been special indeed for him to give her so great a gift.
"Dain?"
He looked up, slightly confused that he'd not felt her awaken and also the face he didn't remember telling her his name. He studied her and watched a tear of pain fall over her cheek. Now that she was awake, her thoughts were open to him. She thought only two things.
Tar is dead. Kill the ashen one. Tar is dead. Kill the ashen one.
He read her memories carefully; trying not to upset what emotional balance she still had left. Satisfied she was no threat, but indeed an asset, he walked over to the bed and sat down next to her. He embraced her strongly.
"It is alright little sister. You are safe here. We will kill the ashen one together and he will suffer for his deeds. Do not worry, you are home now."
Dain stayed with Tar's wife for many hours, letting her retell her grief, pain and anger, letting her move on. Letting her retell the ashen one's torture of her, his stealing of her mind and torment of her afterwards. Dain saw how the Redfern had killed Tar and with a smile on his face to. His brother would be avenged and so would her pride and dignity. His anger rose at the ashen one, but he let it go. This was not the time to be angry. They had a lot to do.
Tar had given the one he now knew as Xanna his life and in that his powers and strength. He told her this and watched as she fitted the pieces together. She had to learn how to control it before they went after the ashen one, as she preferred to name him. He had no doubt that she could kill the Redfern even without the aid of telepathy, but it was always amusing to appeal to vermin's mortality. Let them feel their death before they died. It was one of his personal favourite games to play.
When she had exhausted herself, her eyelids drooping farther every second, he laid her down on the bed once again, lovingly placing the quilt over her as siblings will. Tar must have loved this girl completely and that made her family. It would be the brotherhood's priority now to avenge one of their own. He left the room and sending his thoughts ahead of him, went to talk to his brothers.
*** When Xanna woke up, she found herself in a room seemed unfamiliar. She remembered talking to Dain, but the resemblance he bore to Tar made her heart ache. She opened the curtains and stared out at the sunset. She saw several black dots slip through the shadows towards the city. Dain appeared behind her.
Our brothers are going to hunt. They will bring us back something. We will remain here. We have work to do.
She nodded her understanding, knowing that he felt her desire to hunt, but was holding her back. She had much to learn.
Xanna trained hard with Dain that day, although it still disturbed her to fight using wooden weapons. He landed a swift low kick, knocking her from her feet and instantly he was on her. She squirmed trying to find some reflex she could use to free herself. She found none.
Do you surrender yet, little sister?
She looked up into his face, just inches from her own. She saw something flicker across his eyes for a moment and he reached up and ran his fingers lightly across her face. The flicker was gone.
You are learning little sister, but you still let your thoughts guide you. Never mind, we will begin again at dawn tomorrow.
Dain spun up and left the room, scolding himself. Xanna led still, stunned, for several minutes, letting her heart rate slow to a normal pace. She got up silently and returned to her room and smiled. She could feel the others returning. Breakfast had arrived.