A/N: Thanks to all who reviewed! And Black Rose, I'm glad I inspired you. Go for it J. And by the way, I think I may pull in elements from Shattered Mirror soon, so it may help to have read that. Now let's see if I can actually write Aubrey in character…
Risika had brought herself back to Las Noches, wanting to mingle and at least pretend she had a normal vampiric life. She couldn't get it Aubrey out of her mind, and she got the feeling he wanted it that way. Ever since she had taken his blood she had had full access to his thoughts whenever she wanted it, but now it seemed almost that he was inviting her in.
As she sat at the bar, she felt a strange aura next to her. A very new vampire, but somehow very experienced. She turned to watch the girl carefully. Her long black hair and black eyes gave her the classic look. She obviously wasn't weak. But Risika could sense that hardly any time ago, she had been human.
The girl turned to look back at her. Risika heard her mutter, "Tiger, Tiger." That made her jump. How could she know? The only way…
"So you're Jessica," Risika tried to say without sneering.
"Hello Risika," came the response. It didn't sound threatening, but not too friendly either.
"So, when did Aubrey change you?" Risika asked, still suspicious of the author.
"Just now. Got in a fight with Fala. Look, if you're here to tell me you want me dead too, don't waste your effort. I'm not in the mood for a fight right now, and I'm no match for you, however strong I may be," Jessica said somewhat shyly.
Risika relaxed a little. "Actually, I had no idea you were here. I've just come back from a rather…interesting little chat with Aubrey and sort of need to sort things out on my own.
Jessica smiled a little. "I didn't know you two chatted. I thought it was 'I'll kill you', all the time."
"Well, it was until very recently. He's changed somehow. I can't figure it out," Risika sighed. She decided to put aside whatever her feelings for Jessica were for the moment. She was in no mood to fight either.
Suddenly Risika tensed, widening her eyes. "What is it?" Jessica asked nervously.
"Aubrey's in trouble…and he wants me to know. It sounds like he's asking for help," Risika sputtered, in awe.
Jessica glanced down quickly, an odd look in her eyes. "Where is he?" Risika knew she was jealous of her open-door policy to Aubrey's mind. Could it be possible they really were in love? Risika had often wondered if Aubrey had any feelings.
"Last I checked, at his house," Risika said, noticing that Jessica was about to send herself there. Before she could, Risika sent her a mental blow hard enough to knock her unconscious. She wanted to deal with this alone. She had some pressing questions for Aubrey, and she wasn't sure she wanted to hear the answers.
Risika prepared herself for whatever she was about to see, and appeared in Aubrey's house. However, what she met was not at all what she expected. She had thought this was another trap, as he had given her so many times before. A trick to either embarrass or kill her.
But in front of her she saw Aubrey pushed up against the wall, bruised in several places. He was held in place by a tall blond girl, dressed in a white top and black shorts. She had her knife at his throat.
Risika just stood frozen in place for a moment. This girl was human, but Aubrey had never been bested by even a vampire before. She had to have a lot of power, and for that she had to be…a vampire hunter. So, the hunters had Aubrey on their prey list now. If they were after him, she was certainly an upcoming target.
Risika knew the hunter had sensed her presence, so she didn't bother attempting to hide her thoughts. She searched the girl's mind quickly. She was a Vida, meaning that Aubrey was in a lot of trouble. Any of Dominique's daughters meant problems for vampires.
But so many times Risika had dreamed of killing Aubrey herself. Why should she stop his death now, when she could just sit back and watch it happen? Saving him would not help her in any way…but somehow, he had intrigued her earlier.
Without knowing why, Risika changed to a tiger and jumped onto the vampire hunter's back, pulling her off Aubrey and landing under her on the floor. The hunter was prepared though, and pushed her knife into Risika's side, blood immediately covering the beautiful striped fur. It would be much harder for her to heal in tiger form, so she changed back to her normal self, but not before the hunter had stabbed her again. This time, she hit a lot closer to Risika's heart. The one place injuries did matter to vampires.
Through her blurring vision, Risika watched the hunter quickly sheathe her knife and run out of the house. The last thing she noticed was a pair of strong hands lifting her up onto a sofa, and then everything went black.
Risika had brought herself back to Las Noches, wanting to mingle and at least pretend she had a normal vampiric life. She couldn't get it Aubrey out of her mind, and she got the feeling he wanted it that way. Ever since she had taken his blood she had had full access to his thoughts whenever she wanted it, but now it seemed almost that he was inviting her in.
As she sat at the bar, she felt a strange aura next to her. A very new vampire, but somehow very experienced. She turned to watch the girl carefully. Her long black hair and black eyes gave her the classic look. She obviously wasn't weak. But Risika could sense that hardly any time ago, she had been human.
The girl turned to look back at her. Risika heard her mutter, "Tiger, Tiger." That made her jump. How could she know? The only way…
"So you're Jessica," Risika tried to say without sneering.
"Hello Risika," came the response. It didn't sound threatening, but not too friendly either.
"So, when did Aubrey change you?" Risika asked, still suspicious of the author.
"Just now. Got in a fight with Fala. Look, if you're here to tell me you want me dead too, don't waste your effort. I'm not in the mood for a fight right now, and I'm no match for you, however strong I may be," Jessica said somewhat shyly.
Risika relaxed a little. "Actually, I had no idea you were here. I've just come back from a rather…interesting little chat with Aubrey and sort of need to sort things out on my own.
Jessica smiled a little. "I didn't know you two chatted. I thought it was 'I'll kill you', all the time."
"Well, it was until very recently. He's changed somehow. I can't figure it out," Risika sighed. She decided to put aside whatever her feelings for Jessica were for the moment. She was in no mood to fight either.
Suddenly Risika tensed, widening her eyes. "What is it?" Jessica asked nervously.
"Aubrey's in trouble…and he wants me to know. It sounds like he's asking for help," Risika sputtered, in awe.
Jessica glanced down quickly, an odd look in her eyes. "Where is he?" Risika knew she was jealous of her open-door policy to Aubrey's mind. Could it be possible they really were in love? Risika had often wondered if Aubrey had any feelings.
"Last I checked, at his house," Risika said, noticing that Jessica was about to send herself there. Before she could, Risika sent her a mental blow hard enough to knock her unconscious. She wanted to deal with this alone. She had some pressing questions for Aubrey, and she wasn't sure she wanted to hear the answers.
Risika prepared herself for whatever she was about to see, and appeared in Aubrey's house. However, what she met was not at all what she expected. She had thought this was another trap, as he had given her so many times before. A trick to either embarrass or kill her.
But in front of her she saw Aubrey pushed up against the wall, bruised in several places. He was held in place by a tall blond girl, dressed in a white top and black shorts. She had her knife at his throat.
Risika just stood frozen in place for a moment. This girl was human, but Aubrey had never been bested by even a vampire before. She had to have a lot of power, and for that she had to be…a vampire hunter. So, the hunters had Aubrey on their prey list now. If they were after him, she was certainly an upcoming target.
Risika knew the hunter had sensed her presence, so she didn't bother attempting to hide her thoughts. She searched the girl's mind quickly. She was a Vida, meaning that Aubrey was in a lot of trouble. Any of Dominique's daughters meant problems for vampires.
But so many times Risika had dreamed of killing Aubrey herself. Why should she stop his death now, when she could just sit back and watch it happen? Saving him would not help her in any way…but somehow, he had intrigued her earlier.
Without knowing why, Risika changed to a tiger and jumped onto the vampire hunter's back, pulling her off Aubrey and landing under her on the floor. The hunter was prepared though, and pushed her knife into Risika's side, blood immediately covering the beautiful striped fur. It would be much harder for her to heal in tiger form, so she changed back to her normal self, but not before the hunter had stabbed her again. This time, she hit a lot closer to Risika's heart. The one place injuries did matter to vampires.
Through her blurring vision, Risika watched the hunter quickly sheathe her knife and run out of the house. The last thing she noticed was a pair of strong hands lifting her up onto a sofa, and then everything went black.