Claimer: I own Deanna, Ms Fox, and Robert not to mention this whole story
line. So please no copying.
Disclaimer: I don't own Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's The Lost World, or any of its story's or characters. So don't sue cause I never said I did and you'll lose.
Author's Pre Notes: There is so much in this one, so for those who notice I apologize for the I'm sure many mistakes. This is the chapter you've been waiting and begging and scratching and clawing for. Action-suspense and the groups get their fight on head to head.
So let's get it OONN!!!
It was very dark that night with no moon.
Roxton and Challenger approached the house. The plan was relatively simple, he and Challenger would sneak in the front, while Veronica and Ned waited in the back incase anything went wrong.
They began to close in when a crash was heard. Roxton and Challenger were both ridged, Challenger held his foot up he had stepped on a cord with cans and shells along with other objects that would make noise.
"Sorry" he said his face tense.
Roxton nodded and they stepped over the rest of the cords.
But it was too late one of the members of the house was already awake.
She sat up in bed listening intently loading her rifle.
The young man of the house was already downstairs when the sound was heard. His handgun was against the far wall when he heard the handle on the door start to turn and the locks spring open.
He took a knife from where he was in the kitchen. He carefully moved toward the gun, when the door burst open.
He threw her knife and a shot rang out. He had slid to his knees and grabbed the handgun.
"Robert!" the young woman upstairs had shouted and jumped out of bed, rifle in hand.
She ran out of her room and onto the landing.
Marguerite opened the door to her room.
"What's going on?!" she said frantically.
"I don't know, stay here!" she said handing Marguerite a revolver.
Then a shot ricocheted up the steps hitting a shelf and tumbling the objects on the two women. The shelf itself had flung back and hit Marguerite full in the face.
"Ah!" shouted Deanna standing up. She pulled Marguerite back into her room and gave her back the revolver she stirred slightly.
"Stay here!" Deanna repeated.
She heard Robert shout again and ran from the room.
Robert hit Roxton in the jaw with the butt of his gun causing him to fall down.
Challenger still hadn't recovered from his first fall of the evening.
Veronica and Ned listened to the noise and slowly made their way through the back.
Robert had wrestled his way on top of Roxton and was struggling to get his gun when Veronica came running in and kicked him off.
She was about to kick him again when a shot went right past her head.
She looked there was a figure on the stairs clearly female with long hair and long flowing clothes. She held a rifle but it was impossible to see her face in the darkness.
"Get out of my house!" She demanded holding the rifle steady. She said it with such power and determination that if there hadn't been such a reason for them being their Veronica would have left then and there.
They all stared a moment at the person on the stairs. The man on the ground began to get up taking the woman's attention away from them, and then Ned who had made his way up the back steps came over and kicked her from behind causing her to fall, but she reached back taking hold of his vest and bringing him off balance and down the stairs with her.
"Malone!"
"De-" Robert started but the name was lost; Roxton had gotten hold of his gun and was aiming it at the woman's unconscious figure.
Robert grabbed the rug and knocked Roxton and Veronica down.
Marguerite could hear more and more of the fighting as she came back into consciousness.
She tried to drag herself up and fell back onto the bed. She had to help; she pulled herself up and again and got to her feet. She checked her gun and limped toward the stairs leading out of the room.
Robert tried to sprint over to Deanna but Challenger was up and hit him in the knees with his rifle. Robert kicked back and knocked the red haired man down again.
But then Roxton came up behind him with his gun; Robert was kneeling as Roxton pressed the gun to the back of his neck.
Roxton had his finger on the trigger and was about to say something when,
"I wouldn't touch him if I were you" Deanna hissed coming from behind a knife to Roxton's throat.
Roxton straightened out, relaxing his arm and finger on the trigger.
Then Deanna heard strange footsteps upstairs. Roxton heard them to.
Deanna's calm demeanor fell. Roxton took this opportunity, he grabbed her wrist and twisted her arm, she growled with frustration and pushed backward.
Robert jumped up on his good leg and took a grab at Roxton from behind. But Veronica intercepted him. All four fell.
Deanna instantly went for the fallen gun, Roxton elbowed her in the ribs and she fell back he grabbed the gun and held it to where a figure now stood on the stairs.
He leaned against the doorframe of another room, pointing the gun up at the figure.
Catching her bearings, Deanna pushed herself up on her hands and knees and shaking the pain from her head looked around.
"Marguerite!" she remembered she shot her head up seeing Roxton aim his gun at Marguerite, she heard the gun cock, she saw her rifle over to the side, she grabbed it and checked it.
Roxton set his trigger finger, and then glanced at the figure-'this is for all you've done to Marguerite!' He thought and pulled the trigger.
Deanna did at the same time; it hit the gun, someone screamed out. A lot of people yelled a moment, and Deanna was in front of Roxton her rifle pressed to his heart.
Her teeth were clenched and her eyes held a hellish fire, her long hair hung around her shoulders in waves, from air-drying most likely.
"That was your last MIS-TAKE!" she hissed her voice full of venom, cocking the gun.
Then a match crackled and burst into flame, Marguerite threw it into the gas lamps and the hall with the stairwell erupted with light.
"Deanna No!" she screamed from her slumped place on the stairs leaning on the wall a hand pressed over her bleeding arm.
Deanna's face changed expression and she clicked the safety back in place.
She looked at a horror stricken Roxton in the eyes. And then turned away, and she stopped dead in her tracks as she and everyone else in the room heard a very familiar clicking sound.
"OH wonderful" Deanna managed to say before the raptors leapt out from the back. There were four of them.
Deanna shot the first one coming through the hall then her gun clicked empty.
"Damn!"
Roxton came out of his daze and pulled out his other handgun, shooting another dead, he then ran over to keep one from a still unconscious Ned and a frantic Veronica.
Robert stabbed one in the neck going for Challenger and another time in the back when it abruptly turned to him.
Deanna heard footsteps upstairs.
"No" she whispered, she looked up at Marguerite still slumped on the stairs bleeding, sweat streaming down her face-to tired and disoriented to react. She just watched as the beast walked toward her sneering.
"Marguerite!" Roxton yelled, his gun clicked empty "No!"
Deanna ran up along the stairs and took a foot on a table and pulled herself over the banister.
She stopped the raptors head as it came to strike at Marguerite; she had fearlessly grabbed it by the tender throat under its jaw. She pushed the head back and released it.
It lunged at her.
At least she had its attention.
It stepped over Marguerite who followed it with her eyes.
The explorers watched almost helplessly as everything happened so fast.
The creature lunged at Deanna, she stuck her empty rifle in its mouth pulled back and braced its neck with her knee, then twisted breaking it's neck and letting it tumble down to stairs to lay next to Malone who then stirred awake and jumped startled at the creature next to him.
"You couldn't have at least closed the back door." She sighed with a bit of amusement and enraged sarcasm in her voice. She released her breath and started to look around when Marguerite passed out and began to fall over.
"Oh!" she said kneeling down to catch her. "She's been shot!" She said standing her up.
Roxton's heart fell, he felt his knees buckle and he grabbed onto a doorframe to hold himself up.
"Robert!"
"Here" he said throwing the medical bag up to her.
"You sure you're alright?" she said quickly
" Yeah dandy" he said sarcastically.
"That's my boy, I'll be right back," she said ignoring the explorers.
"Where are you taking her!" said Roxton
She looked at him a second to enraged to even speak; she looked at Robert, who had stopped him from going up the stairs.
He nodded. "Come man, settle"
"I take it those are your friends" Deanna said bluntly leading Marguerite into her bedroom.
Robert helped everyone up and told Challenger and the others they could wait in the sunroom.
Then he walked off to grab a cloth to tie over his shoulder.
Deanna watched Marguerite as she slept,
"Poor thing" she said smiling softly.
She winced as she got up, her leg bleeding from where one of the bullets had grazed her thigh; she looked around to make sure she was alone aside from Marguerite.
She tied a bandage around her leg.
"I'll take care of that later."
Challenger took great interest in the details of the house it was difficult to see in the dark he hoped he had the ability to explore the house in the daylight. He was almost completely convinced now that the young warrior had not been delirious and had been right and that everything Haiton had told them was false.
He heard footsteps softly on the stairs.
He watched as the lady of the house walked down the stairs.
She was quite beautiful, she walked with great grace, her head held well, and she looked quite dignified giving the thought that she must have been in the company of money once. She had pulled her long hair into a ruffled bun at the high back of her head. She looked somewhat familiar to him. There is no way she is a Demon he thought.
Her face was stern and serious, determined to complete her immediate duties.
She quickly walked over to Robert who immerged from the kitchen.
Her emotionless face broke a moment seeing the blood drip from the young man's wound.
Although none of the explorers could see what they were saying, they could tell she was worried about the man, and that he was trying to be careless to assure he was fine.
She quickly bandaged his arm.
"Hey! Wait a second that stuff hurts!'
"You disserve it you silly boy!"
"Ow that hurts"
She chuckled a bit, taking the bag to the kitchen.
Then her slightly aggravated face re appeared and she opened the front door.
Roxton and the others watched as she dragged one of the raptors over to the door, held it's neck and thrashed her upper body throwing it out the door having it tumble down the stairs to the jungle floor.
Robert using his good arm and limping over helped her take all of the raptors out and to a shed in the back of the house.
She went to walk into the kitchen when Robert stopped her.
"Deanna" he said smiling softly at her moving his eyes toward the explorers.
She made a pouting face that they couldn't see and took a deep breath.
"I have to... " she started
"I'll do it"
"Thank you, make sure she doesn't have a fever"
"Hey who's the doctor here" he put his hands on her shoulders. "And be nice" he smirked.
Her dignified face on, she walked into the room with all the air of the queen of England herself, "Good evening- or morning should I say- I bid you all welcome." She chuckled trying to control her anger knowing she had not welcomed them to come to her home, especially the middle of the NIGHT!!
Everyone began to start at once; Roxton's voice overpowered the others.
"Is Marguerite ok!?"
"Alright!" she said cutting them off taking a rather aggravated tone.
She closed her eyes and took a breath. Robert looked on a bit proud from the balcony outside Deanna's room. A year or so ago one of them at least would be shoved up against a wall with a bullet hole through their hat and a revolver between their eyes.
"Yes" she smiled genially nodding. "Miss Krux is fine, no more real damage that before."
The explorers were about to start up again when Deanna started first and louder.
"But nothing more tonight" she sighed exhausted. "It is two in the AM if I do remember how to read a clock correctly. And for the sake of your well being and my sanity I suggest turning in for the night."
Everyone reluctantly nodded.
Roxton was still on edge and wanted to see Marguerite.
"Will we see Marguerite before we turn in?" Challenger asked respectfully.
Roxton was grateful for this; he didn't think he could have been so calm.
"I fear she is asleep but first thing tomorrow morning, you are all she could speak of for weeks. So I think she will be eager to see most of you," she added no one really noticing except Roxton.
"So Mr. Malone" she said motioning toward Ned, "You and Lord John Roxton if you both permit…"
"How do you know who we are? How can you be so sure and that you can trust us or we can trust you." Said Roxton Haiton's warnings arising in his mind.
"Roxton!" Challenger scolded, "You must forgive him my lady he isn't himself hasn't slept or eaten in. . . . . "
Deanna took a stiff powerful step toward Roxton bringing them inches apart.
Her brow was fixed and her mouth set. She looked very intimidating a fire again lit in her eyes, one of pride.
"On the matter of Trust, I feel perhaps I am the one with the greater risk considering you were the one who broke into MY house at the early hours of the morning and tried to kill everyone I care about, don't you agree Lord Roxton?" She hissed her voice dripping with venom, "And with no offence to anyone, he" she motioned her head ever so slightly at Malone, "Is the youngest looking man here, he also stands next to the lovely blonde in the charming jungle garb, so I take him to be the author Edward T Malone and her to be Veronica Layton. The distinguished gentlemen over there I took to be Professor George Challenger with the observation that he seems to have acquired a few years more than you and Mr. Malone, not to mention that during the lovely adventure we had earlier this fell from his belt and stuck me in the back." She said holding up a magnifying glass." And you my dear Lord John Roxton are the only one still holding a gun on me." She finished a smug smirk on her face.
Roxton looked down startled he was still holding the gun and it was pressed right below the lady's right ribs.
He quickly replaced the gun in its holster and stepped back and resumed his place against the wall.
Deanna nodded and turned and gave the tool back to Challenger, who apologized and returned it to his belt.
"Now with no other objections, Mr. Malone you and the Lord" she glared, will share the room on the first landing.
"Thank you" said Ned.
She nodded.
"Miss Layton the room to the right on the second landing will be where you will reside."
Veronica nodded.
"And Professor if you wouldn't mind it terribly there is a room across the hall for you, it has a lovely view in the morning hours."
"Thank you my lady" he tilted his hat.
"Well I will leave you all to withdraw. Oh wait. ." She said as she realized Robert had rejoined the group.
"I'm couch bound" he smiled cheerfully.
"Thank you," she mouthed touching his face a minute.
"I believe your room is quite ready Professor," she said not looking back.
"Thank you, see you all in the morning" he said following the woman across the hall.
"Robert?"
"I'm all over it" he said "Follow me gentlemen, I know the way_ considering it's my room" he joked
Ned chuckled. "Thank you for the contribution then."
"It's nothing for those who stabbed me in the shoulder."
"Sorry about that" said Veronica.
"Bye-gones" he waved walking up the stairs.
Deanna rolled her eyes and held her skirt of her gown as she showed Veronica up the stairs.
"Here we are gentlemen my quite humble abode," said Robert smiling brightly.
The room was quite beautiful, a large double bed in the corner and a sitting area with a lounging couch in it to the side. It was decorated much like the rest of the house, in drapes and paintings, along with native memorabilia.
A medium sized pastel portrait of the woman who was taking Veronica up to the next landing hung on one of the sidewalls.
Her face held a pleasant amused expression.
Deanna walked into the room and gathered some of Marguerite's personal things,
"Sorry it is such a mess."
"Oh really that's not a problem" Veronica answered a bit confused.
"Do you need anything else?"
"No thank you"
"See you in the morning, sleep well." She said closing the door.
The guys room . . .
"Well if you gentlemen need nothing further, I have a charming arm chair downstairs with my name on it." Said Robert
"You seem happy about that" Ned chuckled
"Anything Deanna gives me I am quite happy with."
"Ah yes the charming woman with the cocked rifle" said Roxton looking around.
"And itchy trigger finger, yes that would be her" Robert laughed and left the room.
Roxton winced at the analogy, 'trigger finger' he thought looking at his hands, and he had shot Marguerite. He who had sworn to protect her always, was he right before when he thought he would have to protect her from himself?
Moments later . . . . .
The house is quite and dark aside from the small lights in each of the occupied rooms.
Deanna gracefully made her way down the stairs, a large colorful blanket in her harms.
"She knocked gently on the door to Challenger's room. She could see a light and knew he wasn't asleep. She smiled genuinely, illuminating her soft features, as Challenger opened the door. She liked this man it reminded her of her godfather. She had remembered Challenger from years ago, though she hadn't thought it proper to bring her name up at that point. Most likely she was thought well for dead.
"I just came to see if everything was satisfactory and to see if there was anything you wanted"
Challenger smiled at her, she was somehow familiar but he couldn't put his finger on it.
"No madam, everything is wonderful but I would like to ask you some questions about this extraordinary house."
"I hope it doesn't offend you professor but I would prefer to talk to everyone at once with Marguerite present."
"Oh yes of course, do tell me though she is well?"
She opened her mouth as if she was about to speak and closed it reconsidering, "Well I fear the Lord will be angry with me for you are the only one I have spoken to, but she will be fine, her old injuries are healing well and her new one . ." she said a bit of annoyance in her voice "Is cleaned and stitched so it should heal quickly."
"I thank you for everything you have done for her."
"OH no, she has I say done much for me."
"Then I thank you for keeping us in your house."
"It is an honor professor, Good night"
"Good-night Miss"
And she turned and walked across the hall to the sitting room where Robert reclined waiting.
------------
Challenger explored all corners of his room,
"The craftsmanship is remarkable . . .," he observed.
-------------
"Roxton go to sleep" Ned said in a groggy tone.
Roxton stood by the fire, he rolled his eyes a bit looking over to the couch. He had lost out on the bed his mind on other matters.
-------------
Veronica had cleaned herself off with the warm water Deanna had brought her and sat on the soft bed looking over the room,
'I wonder how Marguerite is doing? And how she got here? And what was Haiton talking about?'
-------------
Roxton was thinking the same thing as he stared at the fire. He was so close yet so very far away what could he do, he had to do something or he was going to go insane!
"That or that frightening woman is going to kill me," he mumbled regarding his encounter earlier with the lady of the house.
"Yeah whatever . . " said Ned rolling over.
---------------
Challenger was in the process of investigating a rather interesting picture frame on the far wall of the room when he heard some commotion going on outside.
He heard an irritated shriek and low grumble,
He opened his door slightly to see, Robert standing behind Deanna having hold of her elbows and walking her or halfway carrying her down the hall to a room.
When they disappeared from Challenger's view he heard the man the woman had called Robert say something angrily and something smack something else.
He walked down the hall to make sure everything was all right.
"You are so stubborn!" said Robert hotly as he lifted her by her forearms and sat her on the counter.
"This is so stupid I'm fine!" she snapped
"I don't think I call running around the house bleeding fine"
"You wouldn't have noticed if you hadn't tried to make me sit," she said looking away.
"Precisely" he stuttered, "This could have gone unnoticed, what if it was serious"
"If I had a bullet through the chest I think someone would notice" she said sarcastically.
"Alright" he said finishing pumping the water into the bowl "Let me see it"
She just smirked at him.
"We can do this the hard way"
"You wouldn't dare" she continued to smirk.
"I'll go wake Marguerite and have her do if you prefer"
She huffed and lifted her skirt high over her wound and smiled broadly happy with the lovely shade of purple her had turned.
"Everything alright?" Challenger asked stepping in.
Robert stepped over to cover her.
But Deanna didn't even move, as someone had recently noticed she wasn't shy.
"No thank you professor, much ado about nothing" she smiled turning her head toward Robert.
"Um-well yes Professor thank you sorry if we woke you"
"Not at all "he looked at Deanna, who nodded, then he retired back to his room.
--------------
Roxton lie on the couch watching the smoldering ashes in the fireplace.
'I have done so many things wrong in my life; why-why can't I just be right with her. I always say the wrong thing. No she takes it as the wrong thing. But this time I was truly out of line . . .. Then I shot her oh!!' Roxton scrutinized on theses issues as he heard soft footsteps pass their door on their way up the stairs.
--------------------------
Deanna yawned as she walked into her room. Her room most definitely was the largest of all. From the landing you walked down five stairs to reach the two carved wooden doors, then walking through there was a small foyer area with see through curtains hanging from the ceiling. From there three large rounded steps reaching the wall closing off the foyer, and then you were in the main room.
Which was very large in itself, with an Arabian type balcony off the side opening up half of the room, she had a large king size bed courtesy of her shipwreck. She had tables and dressers lamps and curtains more things then she probably had in London, well I wouldn't go that far she thought. She had a wondrous bathroom off to the left complete with Marguerite's favorite thing a bath. The water pumped into it through a room that could easily be heated by wood or coal, then it drained out the side into the garden.
She walked over to Marguerite sleeping peacefully. She gently checked her wounds she stirred awake.
"Sorry, just had to check you out," said Deanna
"What?" said Marguerite about to sit up "Oh AH!" she groaned, "oh god they are here"
"Your friends?"
"Yes" she hissed
"I thought you missed then, wanted to see them well some, as soon as possible"
"Yeah but I didn't expect them to come running in like a bunch of damn marauders."
"You have a point there" Deanna chuckled. 'Why had they done that she thought?'
"I heard you and Robert fighting" Marguerite said not opening her eyes but smiling broadly.
"We weren't fighting"
"A-huh" said Marguerite rolling over
Deanna rolled her eyes and crawled in bed, "We weren't arguing"
They settled down and pulled up the covers.
"So was it about anything good" said Marguerite cleverly
"Shut up" said Deanna blowing out the lamp.
Author's Notes: Well I really hope you aren't disappointed, there is more- but I need time. Dear god do I need time. But please tell me what you think I put a lot into this chapter, I really did. I hope you liked it. So PLEASE PLEASE REVIEW and tell me everything, lots of likes and dislikes but remember be kind.
Thank you for all your wonderful reviews so far, I don't think I tell you that enough!!
Reviews are motivating . . . . . .providing I get some sleep . . . . .
Disclaimer: I don't own Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's The Lost World, or any of its story's or characters. So don't sue cause I never said I did and you'll lose.
Author's Pre Notes: There is so much in this one, so for those who notice I apologize for the I'm sure many mistakes. This is the chapter you've been waiting and begging and scratching and clawing for. Action-suspense and the groups get their fight on head to head.
So let's get it OONN!!!
It was very dark that night with no moon.
Roxton and Challenger approached the house. The plan was relatively simple, he and Challenger would sneak in the front, while Veronica and Ned waited in the back incase anything went wrong.
They began to close in when a crash was heard. Roxton and Challenger were both ridged, Challenger held his foot up he had stepped on a cord with cans and shells along with other objects that would make noise.
"Sorry" he said his face tense.
Roxton nodded and they stepped over the rest of the cords.
But it was too late one of the members of the house was already awake.
She sat up in bed listening intently loading her rifle.
The young man of the house was already downstairs when the sound was heard. His handgun was against the far wall when he heard the handle on the door start to turn and the locks spring open.
He took a knife from where he was in the kitchen. He carefully moved toward the gun, when the door burst open.
He threw her knife and a shot rang out. He had slid to his knees and grabbed the handgun.
"Robert!" the young woman upstairs had shouted and jumped out of bed, rifle in hand.
She ran out of her room and onto the landing.
Marguerite opened the door to her room.
"What's going on?!" she said frantically.
"I don't know, stay here!" she said handing Marguerite a revolver.
Then a shot ricocheted up the steps hitting a shelf and tumbling the objects on the two women. The shelf itself had flung back and hit Marguerite full in the face.
"Ah!" shouted Deanna standing up. She pulled Marguerite back into her room and gave her back the revolver she stirred slightly.
"Stay here!" Deanna repeated.
She heard Robert shout again and ran from the room.
Robert hit Roxton in the jaw with the butt of his gun causing him to fall down.
Challenger still hadn't recovered from his first fall of the evening.
Veronica and Ned listened to the noise and slowly made their way through the back.
Robert had wrestled his way on top of Roxton and was struggling to get his gun when Veronica came running in and kicked him off.
She was about to kick him again when a shot went right past her head.
She looked there was a figure on the stairs clearly female with long hair and long flowing clothes. She held a rifle but it was impossible to see her face in the darkness.
"Get out of my house!" She demanded holding the rifle steady. She said it with such power and determination that if there hadn't been such a reason for them being their Veronica would have left then and there.
They all stared a moment at the person on the stairs. The man on the ground began to get up taking the woman's attention away from them, and then Ned who had made his way up the back steps came over and kicked her from behind causing her to fall, but she reached back taking hold of his vest and bringing him off balance and down the stairs with her.
"Malone!"
"De-" Robert started but the name was lost; Roxton had gotten hold of his gun and was aiming it at the woman's unconscious figure.
Robert grabbed the rug and knocked Roxton and Veronica down.
Marguerite could hear more and more of the fighting as she came back into consciousness.
She tried to drag herself up and fell back onto the bed. She had to help; she pulled herself up and again and got to her feet. She checked her gun and limped toward the stairs leading out of the room.
Robert tried to sprint over to Deanna but Challenger was up and hit him in the knees with his rifle. Robert kicked back and knocked the red haired man down again.
But then Roxton came up behind him with his gun; Robert was kneeling as Roxton pressed the gun to the back of his neck.
Roxton had his finger on the trigger and was about to say something when,
"I wouldn't touch him if I were you" Deanna hissed coming from behind a knife to Roxton's throat.
Roxton straightened out, relaxing his arm and finger on the trigger.
Then Deanna heard strange footsteps upstairs. Roxton heard them to.
Deanna's calm demeanor fell. Roxton took this opportunity, he grabbed her wrist and twisted her arm, she growled with frustration and pushed backward.
Robert jumped up on his good leg and took a grab at Roxton from behind. But Veronica intercepted him. All four fell.
Deanna instantly went for the fallen gun, Roxton elbowed her in the ribs and she fell back he grabbed the gun and held it to where a figure now stood on the stairs.
He leaned against the doorframe of another room, pointing the gun up at the figure.
Catching her bearings, Deanna pushed herself up on her hands and knees and shaking the pain from her head looked around.
"Marguerite!" she remembered she shot her head up seeing Roxton aim his gun at Marguerite, she heard the gun cock, she saw her rifle over to the side, she grabbed it and checked it.
Roxton set his trigger finger, and then glanced at the figure-'this is for all you've done to Marguerite!' He thought and pulled the trigger.
Deanna did at the same time; it hit the gun, someone screamed out. A lot of people yelled a moment, and Deanna was in front of Roxton her rifle pressed to his heart.
Her teeth were clenched and her eyes held a hellish fire, her long hair hung around her shoulders in waves, from air-drying most likely.
"That was your last MIS-TAKE!" she hissed her voice full of venom, cocking the gun.
Then a match crackled and burst into flame, Marguerite threw it into the gas lamps and the hall with the stairwell erupted with light.
"Deanna No!" she screamed from her slumped place on the stairs leaning on the wall a hand pressed over her bleeding arm.
Deanna's face changed expression and she clicked the safety back in place.
She looked at a horror stricken Roxton in the eyes. And then turned away, and she stopped dead in her tracks as she and everyone else in the room heard a very familiar clicking sound.
"OH wonderful" Deanna managed to say before the raptors leapt out from the back. There were four of them.
Deanna shot the first one coming through the hall then her gun clicked empty.
"Damn!"
Roxton came out of his daze and pulled out his other handgun, shooting another dead, he then ran over to keep one from a still unconscious Ned and a frantic Veronica.
Robert stabbed one in the neck going for Challenger and another time in the back when it abruptly turned to him.
Deanna heard footsteps upstairs.
"No" she whispered, she looked up at Marguerite still slumped on the stairs bleeding, sweat streaming down her face-to tired and disoriented to react. She just watched as the beast walked toward her sneering.
"Marguerite!" Roxton yelled, his gun clicked empty "No!"
Deanna ran up along the stairs and took a foot on a table and pulled herself over the banister.
She stopped the raptors head as it came to strike at Marguerite; she had fearlessly grabbed it by the tender throat under its jaw. She pushed the head back and released it.
It lunged at her.
At least she had its attention.
It stepped over Marguerite who followed it with her eyes.
The explorers watched almost helplessly as everything happened so fast.
The creature lunged at Deanna, she stuck her empty rifle in its mouth pulled back and braced its neck with her knee, then twisted breaking it's neck and letting it tumble down to stairs to lay next to Malone who then stirred awake and jumped startled at the creature next to him.
"You couldn't have at least closed the back door." She sighed with a bit of amusement and enraged sarcasm in her voice. She released her breath and started to look around when Marguerite passed out and began to fall over.
"Oh!" she said kneeling down to catch her. "She's been shot!" She said standing her up.
Roxton's heart fell, he felt his knees buckle and he grabbed onto a doorframe to hold himself up.
"Robert!"
"Here" he said throwing the medical bag up to her.
"You sure you're alright?" she said quickly
" Yeah dandy" he said sarcastically.
"That's my boy, I'll be right back," she said ignoring the explorers.
"Where are you taking her!" said Roxton
She looked at him a second to enraged to even speak; she looked at Robert, who had stopped him from going up the stairs.
He nodded. "Come man, settle"
"I take it those are your friends" Deanna said bluntly leading Marguerite into her bedroom.
Robert helped everyone up and told Challenger and the others they could wait in the sunroom.
Then he walked off to grab a cloth to tie over his shoulder.
Deanna watched Marguerite as she slept,
"Poor thing" she said smiling softly.
She winced as she got up, her leg bleeding from where one of the bullets had grazed her thigh; she looked around to make sure she was alone aside from Marguerite.
She tied a bandage around her leg.
"I'll take care of that later."
Challenger took great interest in the details of the house it was difficult to see in the dark he hoped he had the ability to explore the house in the daylight. He was almost completely convinced now that the young warrior had not been delirious and had been right and that everything Haiton had told them was false.
He heard footsteps softly on the stairs.
He watched as the lady of the house walked down the stairs.
She was quite beautiful, she walked with great grace, her head held well, and she looked quite dignified giving the thought that she must have been in the company of money once. She had pulled her long hair into a ruffled bun at the high back of her head. She looked somewhat familiar to him. There is no way she is a Demon he thought.
Her face was stern and serious, determined to complete her immediate duties.
She quickly walked over to Robert who immerged from the kitchen.
Her emotionless face broke a moment seeing the blood drip from the young man's wound.
Although none of the explorers could see what they were saying, they could tell she was worried about the man, and that he was trying to be careless to assure he was fine.
She quickly bandaged his arm.
"Hey! Wait a second that stuff hurts!'
"You disserve it you silly boy!"
"Ow that hurts"
She chuckled a bit, taking the bag to the kitchen.
Then her slightly aggravated face re appeared and she opened the front door.
Roxton and the others watched as she dragged one of the raptors over to the door, held it's neck and thrashed her upper body throwing it out the door having it tumble down the stairs to the jungle floor.
Robert using his good arm and limping over helped her take all of the raptors out and to a shed in the back of the house.
She went to walk into the kitchen when Robert stopped her.
"Deanna" he said smiling softly at her moving his eyes toward the explorers.
She made a pouting face that they couldn't see and took a deep breath.
"I have to... " she started
"I'll do it"
"Thank you, make sure she doesn't have a fever"
"Hey who's the doctor here" he put his hands on her shoulders. "And be nice" he smirked.
Her dignified face on, she walked into the room with all the air of the queen of England herself, "Good evening- or morning should I say- I bid you all welcome." She chuckled trying to control her anger knowing she had not welcomed them to come to her home, especially the middle of the NIGHT!!
Everyone began to start at once; Roxton's voice overpowered the others.
"Is Marguerite ok!?"
"Alright!" she said cutting them off taking a rather aggravated tone.
She closed her eyes and took a breath. Robert looked on a bit proud from the balcony outside Deanna's room. A year or so ago one of them at least would be shoved up against a wall with a bullet hole through their hat and a revolver between their eyes.
"Yes" she smiled genially nodding. "Miss Krux is fine, no more real damage that before."
The explorers were about to start up again when Deanna started first and louder.
"But nothing more tonight" she sighed exhausted. "It is two in the AM if I do remember how to read a clock correctly. And for the sake of your well being and my sanity I suggest turning in for the night."
Everyone reluctantly nodded.
Roxton was still on edge and wanted to see Marguerite.
"Will we see Marguerite before we turn in?" Challenger asked respectfully.
Roxton was grateful for this; he didn't think he could have been so calm.
"I fear she is asleep but first thing tomorrow morning, you are all she could speak of for weeks. So I think she will be eager to see most of you," she added no one really noticing except Roxton.
"So Mr. Malone" she said motioning toward Ned, "You and Lord John Roxton if you both permit…"
"How do you know who we are? How can you be so sure and that you can trust us or we can trust you." Said Roxton Haiton's warnings arising in his mind.
"Roxton!" Challenger scolded, "You must forgive him my lady he isn't himself hasn't slept or eaten in. . . . . "
Deanna took a stiff powerful step toward Roxton bringing them inches apart.
Her brow was fixed and her mouth set. She looked very intimidating a fire again lit in her eyes, one of pride.
"On the matter of Trust, I feel perhaps I am the one with the greater risk considering you were the one who broke into MY house at the early hours of the morning and tried to kill everyone I care about, don't you agree Lord Roxton?" She hissed her voice dripping with venom, "And with no offence to anyone, he" she motioned her head ever so slightly at Malone, "Is the youngest looking man here, he also stands next to the lovely blonde in the charming jungle garb, so I take him to be the author Edward T Malone and her to be Veronica Layton. The distinguished gentlemen over there I took to be Professor George Challenger with the observation that he seems to have acquired a few years more than you and Mr. Malone, not to mention that during the lovely adventure we had earlier this fell from his belt and stuck me in the back." She said holding up a magnifying glass." And you my dear Lord John Roxton are the only one still holding a gun on me." She finished a smug smirk on her face.
Roxton looked down startled he was still holding the gun and it was pressed right below the lady's right ribs.
He quickly replaced the gun in its holster and stepped back and resumed his place against the wall.
Deanna nodded and turned and gave the tool back to Challenger, who apologized and returned it to his belt.
"Now with no other objections, Mr. Malone you and the Lord" she glared, will share the room on the first landing.
"Thank you" said Ned.
She nodded.
"Miss Layton the room to the right on the second landing will be where you will reside."
Veronica nodded.
"And Professor if you wouldn't mind it terribly there is a room across the hall for you, it has a lovely view in the morning hours."
"Thank you my lady" he tilted his hat.
"Well I will leave you all to withdraw. Oh wait. ." She said as she realized Robert had rejoined the group.
"I'm couch bound" he smiled cheerfully.
"Thank you," she mouthed touching his face a minute.
"I believe your room is quite ready Professor," she said not looking back.
"Thank you, see you all in the morning" he said following the woman across the hall.
"Robert?"
"I'm all over it" he said "Follow me gentlemen, I know the way_ considering it's my room" he joked
Ned chuckled. "Thank you for the contribution then."
"It's nothing for those who stabbed me in the shoulder."
"Sorry about that" said Veronica.
"Bye-gones" he waved walking up the stairs.
Deanna rolled her eyes and held her skirt of her gown as she showed Veronica up the stairs.
"Here we are gentlemen my quite humble abode," said Robert smiling brightly.
The room was quite beautiful, a large double bed in the corner and a sitting area with a lounging couch in it to the side. It was decorated much like the rest of the house, in drapes and paintings, along with native memorabilia.
A medium sized pastel portrait of the woman who was taking Veronica up to the next landing hung on one of the sidewalls.
Her face held a pleasant amused expression.
Deanna walked into the room and gathered some of Marguerite's personal things,
"Sorry it is such a mess."
"Oh really that's not a problem" Veronica answered a bit confused.
"Do you need anything else?"
"No thank you"
"See you in the morning, sleep well." She said closing the door.
The guys room . . .
"Well if you gentlemen need nothing further, I have a charming arm chair downstairs with my name on it." Said Robert
"You seem happy about that" Ned chuckled
"Anything Deanna gives me I am quite happy with."
"Ah yes the charming woman with the cocked rifle" said Roxton looking around.
"And itchy trigger finger, yes that would be her" Robert laughed and left the room.
Roxton winced at the analogy, 'trigger finger' he thought looking at his hands, and he had shot Marguerite. He who had sworn to protect her always, was he right before when he thought he would have to protect her from himself?
Moments later . . . . .
The house is quite and dark aside from the small lights in each of the occupied rooms.
Deanna gracefully made her way down the stairs, a large colorful blanket in her harms.
"She knocked gently on the door to Challenger's room. She could see a light and knew he wasn't asleep. She smiled genuinely, illuminating her soft features, as Challenger opened the door. She liked this man it reminded her of her godfather. She had remembered Challenger from years ago, though she hadn't thought it proper to bring her name up at that point. Most likely she was thought well for dead.
"I just came to see if everything was satisfactory and to see if there was anything you wanted"
Challenger smiled at her, she was somehow familiar but he couldn't put his finger on it.
"No madam, everything is wonderful but I would like to ask you some questions about this extraordinary house."
"I hope it doesn't offend you professor but I would prefer to talk to everyone at once with Marguerite present."
"Oh yes of course, do tell me though she is well?"
She opened her mouth as if she was about to speak and closed it reconsidering, "Well I fear the Lord will be angry with me for you are the only one I have spoken to, but she will be fine, her old injuries are healing well and her new one . ." she said a bit of annoyance in her voice "Is cleaned and stitched so it should heal quickly."
"I thank you for everything you have done for her."
"OH no, she has I say done much for me."
"Then I thank you for keeping us in your house."
"It is an honor professor, Good night"
"Good-night Miss"
And she turned and walked across the hall to the sitting room where Robert reclined waiting.
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Challenger explored all corners of his room,
"The craftsmanship is remarkable . . .," he observed.
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"Roxton go to sleep" Ned said in a groggy tone.
Roxton stood by the fire, he rolled his eyes a bit looking over to the couch. He had lost out on the bed his mind on other matters.
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Veronica had cleaned herself off with the warm water Deanna had brought her and sat on the soft bed looking over the room,
'I wonder how Marguerite is doing? And how she got here? And what was Haiton talking about?'
-------------
Roxton was thinking the same thing as he stared at the fire. He was so close yet so very far away what could he do, he had to do something or he was going to go insane!
"That or that frightening woman is going to kill me," he mumbled regarding his encounter earlier with the lady of the house.
"Yeah whatever . . " said Ned rolling over.
---------------
Challenger was in the process of investigating a rather interesting picture frame on the far wall of the room when he heard some commotion going on outside.
He heard an irritated shriek and low grumble,
He opened his door slightly to see, Robert standing behind Deanna having hold of her elbows and walking her or halfway carrying her down the hall to a room.
When they disappeared from Challenger's view he heard the man the woman had called Robert say something angrily and something smack something else.
He walked down the hall to make sure everything was all right.
"You are so stubborn!" said Robert hotly as he lifted her by her forearms and sat her on the counter.
"This is so stupid I'm fine!" she snapped
"I don't think I call running around the house bleeding fine"
"You wouldn't have noticed if you hadn't tried to make me sit," she said looking away.
"Precisely" he stuttered, "This could have gone unnoticed, what if it was serious"
"If I had a bullet through the chest I think someone would notice" she said sarcastically.
"Alright" he said finishing pumping the water into the bowl "Let me see it"
She just smirked at him.
"We can do this the hard way"
"You wouldn't dare" she continued to smirk.
"I'll go wake Marguerite and have her do if you prefer"
She huffed and lifted her skirt high over her wound and smiled broadly happy with the lovely shade of purple her had turned.
"Everything alright?" Challenger asked stepping in.
Robert stepped over to cover her.
But Deanna didn't even move, as someone had recently noticed she wasn't shy.
"No thank you professor, much ado about nothing" she smiled turning her head toward Robert.
"Um-well yes Professor thank you sorry if we woke you"
"Not at all "he looked at Deanna, who nodded, then he retired back to his room.
--------------
Roxton lie on the couch watching the smoldering ashes in the fireplace.
'I have done so many things wrong in my life; why-why can't I just be right with her. I always say the wrong thing. No she takes it as the wrong thing. But this time I was truly out of line . . .. Then I shot her oh!!' Roxton scrutinized on theses issues as he heard soft footsteps pass their door on their way up the stairs.
--------------------------
Deanna yawned as she walked into her room. Her room most definitely was the largest of all. From the landing you walked down five stairs to reach the two carved wooden doors, then walking through there was a small foyer area with see through curtains hanging from the ceiling. From there three large rounded steps reaching the wall closing off the foyer, and then you were in the main room.
Which was very large in itself, with an Arabian type balcony off the side opening up half of the room, she had a large king size bed courtesy of her shipwreck. She had tables and dressers lamps and curtains more things then she probably had in London, well I wouldn't go that far she thought. She had a wondrous bathroom off to the left complete with Marguerite's favorite thing a bath. The water pumped into it through a room that could easily be heated by wood or coal, then it drained out the side into the garden.
She walked over to Marguerite sleeping peacefully. She gently checked her wounds she stirred awake.
"Sorry, just had to check you out," said Deanna
"What?" said Marguerite about to sit up "Oh AH!" she groaned, "oh god they are here"
"Your friends?"
"Yes" she hissed
"I thought you missed then, wanted to see them well some, as soon as possible"
"Yeah but I didn't expect them to come running in like a bunch of damn marauders."
"You have a point there" Deanna chuckled. 'Why had they done that she thought?'
"I heard you and Robert fighting" Marguerite said not opening her eyes but smiling broadly.
"We weren't fighting"
"A-huh" said Marguerite rolling over
Deanna rolled her eyes and crawled in bed, "We weren't arguing"
They settled down and pulled up the covers.
"So was it about anything good" said Marguerite cleverly
"Shut up" said Deanna blowing out the lamp.
Author's Notes: Well I really hope you aren't disappointed, there is more- but I need time. Dear god do I need time. But please tell me what you think I put a lot into this chapter, I really did. I hope you liked it. So PLEASE PLEASE REVIEW and tell me everything, lots of likes and dislikes but remember be kind.
Thank you for all your wonderful reviews so far, I don't think I tell you that enough!!
Reviews are motivating . . . . . .providing I get some sleep . . . . .