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 SEVEN - CAPTURE
When Ash reached the top of the cliff, Rashel popped her head out, nearly knocking him back down again. She grabbed him by the shoulders and pulled him up on top, where a waiting Quinn smirked. Ash raised an eyebrow, but managed to return the smirk.
"Too bad Zarach couldn't have shifted into a great big bird and carried us all up there. Probably would have been easier for him." Quinn whispered to Ash.
Ash allowed a small laugh; it was true, Zarach was out of shape and had taken longer to climb than the rest of them. He heard a wheezing and Rashel threw Zarach over the top of the cliff. Zarach collapsed on the floor, coughing and spluttering. Ash and Quinn exchanged a glance.
They rested for several minutes and when they were ready, Zarach gestured at a crack barely big enough for a man to squeeze through. He moved towards it and squeezed through. Ash followed him, Rashel then Quinn. They had to crawl through on their stomachs, scraping their arms, legs and elbows on the sharp sea rocks. Zarach stopped suddenly, causing Ash to bump into him and to swear violently.
Tut tut Ash Redfern. What would Mary Lynette say if she heard you using that language?
Ash turned and glared at Quinn through the darkness.
"We're here."
Zarach's quiet words silenced the company immediately and Ash, Rashel and Quinn crawled up level with him. They eyed the hall suspiciously and even with their combined nightworld vision, they couldn't see most of the hall.
Several torches lined the hall, casting eerie shadows into the silence and Zarach had a strange sense of déjà vu from his last visit here, only days ago. There were so many emotions flowing through the air, and not one of them was useful. Ash turned his glance to Zarach.
"Where now? Where is she?" He whispered.
"I don't know, Ash. I honestly don't." Seeing Ash's protest he added, "But my best guess would be one of the chambers on the far side. See that far torch on the left side; there's a door on the other side that leads to a long corridor. I would expect her to be in one of those rooms."
Zarach hung his head. He'd done what he thought was best, he had been so sure that he was helping her, repaying his debt to her but instead all he'd done was condemn her. He seemed to be good at that. He saw Ash glance at Quinn and they moved forward together. But something was wrong, the main hall would never be left unguarded. Maybe it was his sixth animal sense that made the hairs on the back his neck stand up. He tried to grab Ash back, but he was already down on the floor, moving towards the last torch.
"Ash! Get back here. Something's wrong!" Trying to shout and whisper at the same time.
He leaped down from the crack, hearing Rashel join him. He sprinted into the middle of the hall and grabbed Ash by the shoulder.
"Something's wrong, Ash."
"Yes Zarach. Something is very wrong."
A voice answered from behind him, but it was not Ash.
*** Mary Lynette was breaking up. She could feel Dar's hunger for her, the way his lips kissed her throat, or the way he caressed her stomach. She tried to abate him, feigning to tease but actually delaying. It made her sick to think of the act she was committing, but as soon as she thought of each minute she was buying for Ash, it all seemed worth while.
Her shirt was unbuttoned now and Dain had taken full advantage of that prospect. His hands rubbed down her back like a sensual massage, ironing out any aches and pains. She'd never experienced this with Ash, but Ash seemed so far away right now. She pulled back from Dain slightly.
Do you love me Dain? She said mentally, speaking seeming inadequate.
Yes; but do you love me, Xanna?
INTRUDERS IN THE MAIN HALL.
Mary Lynette and Dain both jumped and covered their ears as if it might help. It was the chorus of a hundred voices, all-talking to them at the same time. They exchanged glances.
Come on
Mary Lynette pulled her shirt together and grabbed Dain's hand. They slipped silently through the shadows into the main hall, blocking their presence as they went, a standard procedure with outsiders.
Mary Lynette's heart sank. Ash was stood in the middle of the hall with Quinn and Rashel. And Zarach strangely enough. What was he doing here? Dain lit the main torch and suddenly the entire hall lit up. Mary Lynette could see Ash's face fall, even though he hadn't seen her yet. They were surrounded by thousands of Nightworlders, and none of them had mercy in their hearts.
*** Mary Lynette glided quietly a long the corridor to the more secure rooms, as they were known. In the previous hour since the capture, it had become common knowledge in the enclave that although she was Tar's widow, she had chosen Dain and since Dain was the commander of the Brotherhood, this gave her certain convenient privileges; like interrogating prisoners. The solider on duty nodded to her and opened the door.
Ash was instantly on his feet when Mary Lynette entered the room, although there was confusion in his eyes as to whether or not she would kill him or hug him. She did neither. Seeing her hesitation, he moved towards her, but she stopped him with a raised hand. She looked around the room. Quinn sat in a corner, a mixture of joy and grief on his face, whilst Zarach sat alone, as far away as possible.
Ash was still watching her. She tried to think. Of course this room would be monitored, but by how many ways she wondered. Could they listen in on the soul mate connection? Well probably not, but they would know something strange had been going on. She felt in her pockets. Only a pin. Hmm. She grabbed Ash in a headlock and pushed him against the wall, twisting his arm around into an unbearable position and shouting murderer at the top of her lungs.
Quinn moved to stop her but something in the way her eyes flashed at him kept him still. After an animal yell, she threw Ash across the room and stormed out.
Ash was grinning like a fool, immobile though he was and Quinn nearly slapped him. Ash held up his arm and sure enough, although already beginning to heal, three words were scratched clumsily on:
Hope lives on.
CHAPTER SEVEN - CAPTURE
When Ash reached the top of the cliff, Rashel popped her head out, nearly knocking him back down again. She grabbed him by the shoulders and pulled him up on top, where a waiting Quinn smirked. Ash raised an eyebrow, but managed to return the smirk.
"Too bad Zarach couldn't have shifted into a great big bird and carried us all up there. Probably would have been easier for him." Quinn whispered to Ash.
Ash allowed a small laugh; it was true, Zarach was out of shape and had taken longer to climb than the rest of them. He heard a wheezing and Rashel threw Zarach over the top of the cliff. Zarach collapsed on the floor, coughing and spluttering. Ash and Quinn exchanged a glance.
They rested for several minutes and when they were ready, Zarach gestured at a crack barely big enough for a man to squeeze through. He moved towards it and squeezed through. Ash followed him, Rashel then Quinn. They had to crawl through on their stomachs, scraping their arms, legs and elbows on the sharp sea rocks. Zarach stopped suddenly, causing Ash to bump into him and to swear violently.
Tut tut Ash Redfern. What would Mary Lynette say if she heard you using that language?
Ash turned and glared at Quinn through the darkness.
"We're here."
Zarach's quiet words silenced the company immediately and Ash, Rashel and Quinn crawled up level with him. They eyed the hall suspiciously and even with their combined nightworld vision, they couldn't see most of the hall.
Several torches lined the hall, casting eerie shadows into the silence and Zarach had a strange sense of déjà vu from his last visit here, only days ago. There were so many emotions flowing through the air, and not one of them was useful. Ash turned his glance to Zarach.
"Where now? Where is she?" He whispered.
"I don't know, Ash. I honestly don't." Seeing Ash's protest he added, "But my best guess would be one of the chambers on the far side. See that far torch on the left side; there's a door on the other side that leads to a long corridor. I would expect her to be in one of those rooms."
Zarach hung his head. He'd done what he thought was best, he had been so sure that he was helping her, repaying his debt to her but instead all he'd done was condemn her. He seemed to be good at that. He saw Ash glance at Quinn and they moved forward together. But something was wrong, the main hall would never be left unguarded. Maybe it was his sixth animal sense that made the hairs on the back his neck stand up. He tried to grab Ash back, but he was already down on the floor, moving towards the last torch.
"Ash! Get back here. Something's wrong!" Trying to shout and whisper at the same time.
He leaped down from the crack, hearing Rashel join him. He sprinted into the middle of the hall and grabbed Ash by the shoulder.
"Something's wrong, Ash."
"Yes Zarach. Something is very wrong."
A voice answered from behind him, but it was not Ash.
*** Mary Lynette was breaking up. She could feel Dar's hunger for her, the way his lips kissed her throat, or the way he caressed her stomach. She tried to abate him, feigning to tease but actually delaying. It made her sick to think of the act she was committing, but as soon as she thought of each minute she was buying for Ash, it all seemed worth while.
Her shirt was unbuttoned now and Dain had taken full advantage of that prospect. His hands rubbed down her back like a sensual massage, ironing out any aches and pains. She'd never experienced this with Ash, but Ash seemed so far away right now. She pulled back from Dain slightly.
Do you love me Dain? She said mentally, speaking seeming inadequate.
Yes; but do you love me, Xanna?
INTRUDERS IN THE MAIN HALL.
Mary Lynette and Dain both jumped and covered their ears as if it might help. It was the chorus of a hundred voices, all-talking to them at the same time. They exchanged glances.
Come on
Mary Lynette pulled her shirt together and grabbed Dain's hand. They slipped silently through the shadows into the main hall, blocking their presence as they went, a standard procedure with outsiders.
Mary Lynette's heart sank. Ash was stood in the middle of the hall with Quinn and Rashel. And Zarach strangely enough. What was he doing here? Dain lit the main torch and suddenly the entire hall lit up. Mary Lynette could see Ash's face fall, even though he hadn't seen her yet. They were surrounded by thousands of Nightworlders, and none of them had mercy in their hearts.
*** Mary Lynette glided quietly a long the corridor to the more secure rooms, as they were known. In the previous hour since the capture, it had become common knowledge in the enclave that although she was Tar's widow, she had chosen Dain and since Dain was the commander of the Brotherhood, this gave her certain convenient privileges; like interrogating prisoners. The solider on duty nodded to her and opened the door.
Ash was instantly on his feet when Mary Lynette entered the room, although there was confusion in his eyes as to whether or not she would kill him or hug him. She did neither. Seeing her hesitation, he moved towards her, but she stopped him with a raised hand. She looked around the room. Quinn sat in a corner, a mixture of joy and grief on his face, whilst Zarach sat alone, as far away as possible.
Ash was still watching her. She tried to think. Of course this room would be monitored, but by how many ways she wondered. Could they listen in on the soul mate connection? Well probably not, but they would know something strange had been going on. She felt in her pockets. Only a pin. Hmm. She grabbed Ash in a headlock and pushed him against the wall, twisting his arm around into an unbearable position and shouting murderer at the top of her lungs.
Quinn moved to stop her but something in the way her eyes flashed at him kept him still. After an animal yell, she threw Ash across the room and stormed out.
Ash was grinning like a fool, immobile though he was and Quinn nearly slapped him. Ash held up his arm and sure enough, although already beginning to heal, three words were scratched clumsily on:
Hope lives on.