Chapter 2
Turning on her heel Sara had an unnatural urge to flee, something she would never give Irons the joy of witnessing. That woman is just toxic! At least this new assignment will get me away from her and her temper. Abruptly she stopped and shook her head back and forth to clear it of these traitorous thoughts. First she was speaking her mind to her mistress what next~ actually reenacting one of her little combat fantasies that involved Lilith lying in a pool of ruby blood? Unsatisfied with the results of her self- therapy session she turned down the hall and headed outside. Maybe the cold air would help calm the turmoil in her head, she needed to be alert for any sign of the next wielder's aura. Lilith had not been obliged to provide a description.
The purr of a blue Ford's ignition turning off startled her out of her reverie. Immediately she felt his presence and remembered that he was checking out some suspects in the murder of a prostitute. Personally she didn't feel much sympathy, but would never imply that since the victim was a close friend of Ian's. Feeling slightly nervous and excited to meet the next Wielder she quietly slipped into the shadows and took the back route to the Midtown Museum.
"You know what today is? November 11th - Eleven eleven. Horoscope says today's a special day." Danny purposely asked while Ian had a mouthful of volcanic coffee, hey it's the small things in life...
Sputtering and spraying coffee everywhere he replied, chocolate eyes flashing, "Don't tell me you buy into that shit. Besides, every day above ground is a special day."
Worriedly Danny handed him some napkins wondering if his outburst had anything to do with the suspect they were here to see. Then he berated himself for wondering, of course it did. "You got a point there."
Every time this subject comes up it's like someone's pouring salt in a paper cut, I know its been almost two months but I just can't help thinking I failed her. Ever since high school I've been there to keep her on the straight and narrow, then we graduated and everything changed. "Too bad Maria ran out of special days."
The silence stretched out with neither making a move to fill it until Danny decide to bite the bullet and attempt to comfort his partner. "I know she was your friend. I know how pissed off you are."
"We knew each other a long time. Gallo killed Maria. We just gotta prove it somehow." Moodily Ian resumed watching the building for the son of a bitch he had sworn to take down.
Standing in the corner I attempted to hide myself from the witchblade, a futile effort since it can see through mind, matter, and flesh. The glowing red eye focused on me and I was assaulted with images from past lives. I felt the weight of time and past mistakes and misunderstandings pressing down on me. "Sara, Sara, why do you hide from me? You know I am the only one that can free you.is that what you fear?" echoed a masculine, commanding voice. She flinched at the intrusion and sank to the floor burying her head in her hands softly replying, "Because I have lost so much." In her mind myriad images of Ian dying in her arms throughout the centuries and her dying for him continued to play while tears streamed down her cheeks.
"The Midtown Museum will be closing in 15 minutes. Please begin to make your way to the exits and thank you for coming."
Catching sight of a familiar figure through the grimy car window Ian launched himself from his seat and slammed the door. "It's him, the asshole's coming out of that building up ahead." Impatiently he tugged on Danny's shirt.
"All right, I'm coming. Can you ever remember him runaway from the cops? He lives on this interaction, but if you want to make his day fine by me."
"I'll make his day all right, by throwing his ass in jail."
"Before we go anywhere you are going to calm down. You shoot someone without provocation you go to jail. Take a deep breath and remember what your anger management counselor told you, or we aren't going anywhere."
"Don't do anything you'll regret in ten minutes, alright can we go now?" Without waiting for an answer Ian started walking over to where Gallo and one of his employees were standing.
"Buon giorno." Gallo greeted Ian, smirking at the look of pure hatred on his face.
"Hey, Killer."
"Hey. How ya doin'?" a more diplomatic Danny countered, wondering if one of them was going to leave in a body bag knowing the odds weren't lookn' so good.
"Some people might say that this borders on harassment, Detectives." An amused, but wary Gallo stated while motioning to his employee discreetly.
"We got three witnesses that put you next to Maria Buzanis only three hours before she was murdered." Danny interjected, trying to sound confident.
"Well, who wasn't?" no one would complain if there was one less cop in New York, thought Gallo deliberately baiting an already pissed off Nottingham.
"Hey, don't I know you from somewhere?" picking this moment to be perceptive Danny looked at Gallo's 'friend' for a moment before realizing that it was none other than Vespuchi.
Almost instantly Vespuchi took his metal brief case and swung it at Danny's head. With the wind knocked out of him and laying on the tar black asphalt he fumbled for his gun. At the same time Vespuchi was about to fire when Ian's boot connected solidly with his wrist. "Ouch, you bitch!" Before the gun hit the ground he was off sprinting down the alley.
Oh, shit I should have known he'd be too much of a much of a fucking coward to stand and fight. Focusing intently on the fleeing figure in front, only because he'd gotten a head start, he almost ran into the thick oak doors staring him in the face. Flinging them open he stumbled and slowed attempting to catch his breath. Turning down another corridor he stopped in front of a display case. Inside a finely crafted gauntlet lay on a blue velvet cushion. Awestruck he kneeled on the floor and watched as a piece of metal folded back like a dragon's lid revealing a fiery red eye.
Looking into the glass he caught sight of a black figure standing behind him and whirled around guns trained.
Sara stood with out blinking secure in the knowledge that a) he wouldn't actually shoot, b) if he did end up shooting she could easily catch the bullet, and c) he was the most beautiful man she had ever seen.
Facing him was some kind of warrior goddess, he felt like his dark fantasies of the ideal, lethal and perfect woman had had life breathed into them and stood before him in her glittering emerald eyes. In her eyes he say an innocence all of his other dates over the years had lacked and even though she had yet to speak he knew that she was no stranger. The only thing that marred her perfection were the four longer furrows down her right cheek scabbed over with dry blood.
Gasping she fought to control her face and emotions with it but failed. At last she could hold his gaze no longer and dropped her head to the floor, but not before catching something like compassion in his gaze. Confused she lifter her head back up and fighting to regain control over her body and voice said.
"Magnificent, isn't it?"
Turning on her heel Sara had an unnatural urge to flee, something she would never give Irons the joy of witnessing. That woman is just toxic! At least this new assignment will get me away from her and her temper. Abruptly she stopped and shook her head back and forth to clear it of these traitorous thoughts. First she was speaking her mind to her mistress what next~ actually reenacting one of her little combat fantasies that involved Lilith lying in a pool of ruby blood? Unsatisfied with the results of her self- therapy session she turned down the hall and headed outside. Maybe the cold air would help calm the turmoil in her head, she needed to be alert for any sign of the next wielder's aura. Lilith had not been obliged to provide a description.
The purr of a blue Ford's ignition turning off startled her out of her reverie. Immediately she felt his presence and remembered that he was checking out some suspects in the murder of a prostitute. Personally she didn't feel much sympathy, but would never imply that since the victim was a close friend of Ian's. Feeling slightly nervous and excited to meet the next Wielder she quietly slipped into the shadows and took the back route to the Midtown Museum.
"You know what today is? November 11th - Eleven eleven. Horoscope says today's a special day." Danny purposely asked while Ian had a mouthful of volcanic coffee, hey it's the small things in life...
Sputtering and spraying coffee everywhere he replied, chocolate eyes flashing, "Don't tell me you buy into that shit. Besides, every day above ground is a special day."
Worriedly Danny handed him some napkins wondering if his outburst had anything to do with the suspect they were here to see. Then he berated himself for wondering, of course it did. "You got a point there."
Every time this subject comes up it's like someone's pouring salt in a paper cut, I know its been almost two months but I just can't help thinking I failed her. Ever since high school I've been there to keep her on the straight and narrow, then we graduated and everything changed. "Too bad Maria ran out of special days."
The silence stretched out with neither making a move to fill it until Danny decide to bite the bullet and attempt to comfort his partner. "I know she was your friend. I know how pissed off you are."
"We knew each other a long time. Gallo killed Maria. We just gotta prove it somehow." Moodily Ian resumed watching the building for the son of a bitch he had sworn to take down.
Standing in the corner I attempted to hide myself from the witchblade, a futile effort since it can see through mind, matter, and flesh. The glowing red eye focused on me and I was assaulted with images from past lives. I felt the weight of time and past mistakes and misunderstandings pressing down on me. "Sara, Sara, why do you hide from me? You know I am the only one that can free you.is that what you fear?" echoed a masculine, commanding voice. She flinched at the intrusion and sank to the floor burying her head in her hands softly replying, "Because I have lost so much." In her mind myriad images of Ian dying in her arms throughout the centuries and her dying for him continued to play while tears streamed down her cheeks.
"The Midtown Museum will be closing in 15 minutes. Please begin to make your way to the exits and thank you for coming."
Catching sight of a familiar figure through the grimy car window Ian launched himself from his seat and slammed the door. "It's him, the asshole's coming out of that building up ahead." Impatiently he tugged on Danny's shirt.
"All right, I'm coming. Can you ever remember him runaway from the cops? He lives on this interaction, but if you want to make his day fine by me."
"I'll make his day all right, by throwing his ass in jail."
"Before we go anywhere you are going to calm down. You shoot someone without provocation you go to jail. Take a deep breath and remember what your anger management counselor told you, or we aren't going anywhere."
"Don't do anything you'll regret in ten minutes, alright can we go now?" Without waiting for an answer Ian started walking over to where Gallo and one of his employees were standing.
"Buon giorno." Gallo greeted Ian, smirking at the look of pure hatred on his face.
"Hey, Killer."
"Hey. How ya doin'?" a more diplomatic Danny countered, wondering if one of them was going to leave in a body bag knowing the odds weren't lookn' so good.
"Some people might say that this borders on harassment, Detectives." An amused, but wary Gallo stated while motioning to his employee discreetly.
"We got three witnesses that put you next to Maria Buzanis only three hours before she was murdered." Danny interjected, trying to sound confident.
"Well, who wasn't?" no one would complain if there was one less cop in New York, thought Gallo deliberately baiting an already pissed off Nottingham.
"Hey, don't I know you from somewhere?" picking this moment to be perceptive Danny looked at Gallo's 'friend' for a moment before realizing that it was none other than Vespuchi.
Almost instantly Vespuchi took his metal brief case and swung it at Danny's head. With the wind knocked out of him and laying on the tar black asphalt he fumbled for his gun. At the same time Vespuchi was about to fire when Ian's boot connected solidly with his wrist. "Ouch, you bitch!" Before the gun hit the ground he was off sprinting down the alley.
Oh, shit I should have known he'd be too much of a much of a fucking coward to stand and fight. Focusing intently on the fleeing figure in front, only because he'd gotten a head start, he almost ran into the thick oak doors staring him in the face. Flinging them open he stumbled and slowed attempting to catch his breath. Turning down another corridor he stopped in front of a display case. Inside a finely crafted gauntlet lay on a blue velvet cushion. Awestruck he kneeled on the floor and watched as a piece of metal folded back like a dragon's lid revealing a fiery red eye.
Looking into the glass he caught sight of a black figure standing behind him and whirled around guns trained.
Sara stood with out blinking secure in the knowledge that a) he wouldn't actually shoot, b) if he did end up shooting she could easily catch the bullet, and c) he was the most beautiful man she had ever seen.
Facing him was some kind of warrior goddess, he felt like his dark fantasies of the ideal, lethal and perfect woman had had life breathed into them and stood before him in her glittering emerald eyes. In her eyes he say an innocence all of his other dates over the years had lacked and even though she had yet to speak he knew that she was no stranger. The only thing that marred her perfection were the four longer furrows down her right cheek scabbed over with dry blood.
Gasping she fought to control her face and emotions with it but failed. At last she could hold his gaze no longer and dropped her head to the floor, but not before catching something like compassion in his gaze. Confused she lifter her head back up and fighting to regain control over her body and voice said.
"Magnificent, isn't it?"