Chapter2

Disclaimer: Most of the scenery and characters belong to L.J. Smith, but Selyah, Trent, and Orion are mine, so please don' use them!

Okay, here's the second chapter. Hopefully this one doesn't have that weird html format thing. Please make my day and review! Oh, and if you flame me, I will pretend to be deaf and blind, so you are just wasting your time typing.


Chapter 2



Ash paced in his room, anger and frustration buzzing in his head. So Trent was back. He should have known she'd turn up eventually.
Suddenly he picked up a CD and threw it across the room, watching it smash against the wall. Why did she have to come back into his life? Why? Didn't he have enough trouble becoming good again?
It wasn't my fault, he thought angrily. We were both drunk, and she seduced me! She has no business coming here and taunting me so! He stopped pacing and sat on the couch, his head in his hands. He still grimaced at the memory.
They had both been fifteen. Trent was born in the same town Ash was, the safe town near Maine. But she wasn't a vampire-her father was a vampire, but her mother was a witch. Most of his friends called her a freak, but Ash had been lusting after her for months before it happened.
They were at a party right outside town, drunk and flirting like mad. Okay, so maybe he had taken advantage of her a little bit. But at the time it seemed that she wanted him as much as he wanted her.
He had taken her up to a spare room, and once he was on top of her she suddenly panicked, crying and begging him not to. But he hadn't been able to stop, and back then he probably wouldn't have anyway. He had bit her, and-here was the strange thing. Her blood was like poison. It burned like fire in him, and instead of giving him oxygen, it suffocated him. But he hadn't been able to stop feeding, either. That was when she had taken the stake hidden in her boot and stabbed him, four inches away from his heart. It had nearly killed him, and she had to run for it, his friends hunting her. She had committed a few other offenses, he didn't know what, and had been hunted by just about everyone ever since.
Ash stood and started pacing again. He was different now-he was not like that, and he wouldn't let Trent make him forget.


Selyah Redfern smiled to herself, the kind of smile that make shivers run down your spine. She usually had that effect on people-even her best friends said that when she was in the room the temperature suddenly dropped.
Across the candle-lit room a messenger waited nervously. So, um, Orion Desmones is in fact here, Lady Selyah, and he is not busy at the moment. She gave him a look that could freeze Hell. I heard you the first time, idiot, she said icily. What are you waiting for, dolt, go and fetch him! The poor messenger hurried out of the room, glad for an excuse to get away from Selyah. She smiled and settled back in her chair. She was relieved that Orion was available; he was the only person that she could trust to take care of Trent. She had sent one of her best agents, Kor, to kill her, and he had failed. Actually, failed was an understatement-Trent had tricked him into falling in love with her, he had revealed all the top-secret information about Selyah's mafia', and then she had sent his body back to Selyah, with the stake that he was supposed to kill Trent with embedded in his chest. Selyah grimaced at the memory.
But Orion would do the job. Trent's telepathic powers wouldn't be a problem, because Orion had the best mind shields Selyah had ever seen. He was incredibly smart, a match for the quick-witted Trent, and he was one of the deadliest, strongest vampires in the United States. Plus, unlike Kor, Orion never let his emotions get in the way of his job.
The messenger returned five minutes later, Orion behind him. Orion was one of the few people that Selyah did not terrify. The messenger was sweating and stuttering as he introduced him, but Orion looked perfectly calm-bored, even. I'll have to teach him to fear me someday, Selyah thought to herself. But not now, and not soon-it was important for his line of work that he feared nothing.
Selyah purred. I had hoped you weren't too busy.
He sent her a dazzling grin. You know I am never too busy to do what you ask of me, Selyah.
Selyah lost her good humor. Call me by my formal name, Orion. You are treading on thin ice-is it possible that you are forgetting your place?
Orion gave a half-bow, the smile never leaving his lips. Forgive me, Lady Selyah.
Hmph. You are forgiven. She clasped her hands in front of her, and her manner became businesslike. I have a job for you, Orion. Trent Raven-you know who she is. My sources tell me that she's joined Circle Daybreak. I want you to go to Las Vegas, infiltrate to the heart of Circle Daybreak, give me as much information as possible, and kill her. And kill that traitor Ash, as well, if you can. But the main objective is Trent-she has caused far too much trouble to live. And no playing with her, either. She is far too clever for that. I want you to bring her to me absolutely dead, understand?
Orion smiled gallantly. He bent and kissed Selyah's hand. Consider it done, m'lady.


Trent stomped through the garden, in a thoroughly grumpy mood. These people were all the same-they didn't want to think about it, so they told themselves that Ash was a perfectly nice person, that he had changed, that he's not like that anymore. They probably thought that he hadn't even done all the things he'd done, that it was all rumors. Fools.
She picked up a branch and threw it across the courtyard. Ash would never change-even if he were the kind of person that could change-which he most definitely wasn't-he had gone too far down the dark road to find his way back to the light.
A cute little squirrel skipped across the path, an acorn in its paws. It chittered in its cute little voice and stuffed the acorn in its cute little mouth, looking up at Trent with its cute little eyes. She narrowed her eyes dangerously and hissed at it. The cute little squirrel squeaked and hid in a tree. Trent stared moodily up at it. It reminded her of Thea.
She sighed. She had been slumping around and wallowing in self-pity for three hours now. That was not like her at all. Definitely time for an ECB-Emergency Caffeine Break.


Orion sat languidly in the kitchen of Thierry's mansion, convincing Hannah that he wanted to work for Circle Daybreak. It wasn't hard. Two new recruits in two days! Thierry will be thrilled! she was saying happily. He gave her a warm, lazy smile. I'm so glad you let me work here. I've had enough of my old friends-they're like killing machines, they treat humans like less than animals. I can't justify killing humans for pleasure, I just can't. It's such a waste. Hannah nodded sympathetically. Orion smirked inwardly. She actually believed him. She had been suspicious at first-Orion looked more like Dracula than a Good Guy vampire with his black hair and black eyes. But he was a good actor, and by now he'd completely convinced her.
Trent walked into the kitchen to find Hannah talking to a stranger with black hair. She turned to leave-she was in no mood for company-but Hannah saw her and smiled. Trent! Hello! Come on in, meet the new recruit, Orion Desmones. Orion, this is Trent Raven.
Orion turned to meet the girl he was sent to kill. His eyebrows went up-Selyah hadn't told him how beautiful she was. It wasn't just that, though-there was something very uncanny about her, especially about those eyes, those eyes that seemed to go on forever.....he shook himself out of his reverie. It was dangerous to think too much about the person you were sent to assassinate.
Trent gave Orion a disturbing smile. It's a pleasure to meet you, she said silkily, her voice almost menacing. Without waiting for his reply, she strode to the fridge and opened it, looking for anything with a high caffeine content. Opening a Coke, she thought casually, You have high mind shields, Orion. Are you sure you're not hiding anything?
Hearing her voice in his head, Orion stiffened. She had brushed his shields? He hadn't even felt her! I happen to like a bit of privacy, he snapped back. Are you sure you're not paranoid?
Trent smiled enticingly at him. Maybe I am paranoid, she purred. But you seem awfully jumpy for someone who happens to like a bit of privacy.'
Poppy entered, and saved him from making a reply. She looked curiously at Orion. And you would be? He stood up, stretching luxuriously. Orion Desmones. And you would be?
Poppy North. He smiled, and took her hand-but instead of shaking it, he kissed it. It's a pleasure to meet you, Miss North, he murmured. Poppy looked flattered and flustered, not knowing what to make of him. Orion grinned inwardly. With his shaggy black hair, pale skin and plain face, he was far from handsome, but he had enough charm that people talking to him usually didn't notice.
He released Poppy's hand and turned to go, waving at Trent as he left. Bye bye, now, he called casually. Goodbye, Orry, he heard a voice say in his head. He froze. Orry? How the Hell had she found out his childhood name? He hadn't used that name since, oh.....seven years ago, when he was eleven. Was she really that strong of a telepathy? He shook himself out of his thoughts and continued walking. It didn't matter how strong of a telepathy she is, he told himself firmly. She's going to die in a few days anyway.
As he turned a corner he nearly ran into Ash. Well, well, he thought. I meet both of the condemned in the same hour. Must be my lucky day. Ash stared at him, his eyes narrowed. He was more suspicious than the other Daybreakers. Who are you? he asked. Orion gave him his most gallant, warm smile. Orion Desmones, at your service, he said. And you would be?
Ash Redfern. He turned abruptly into the TV room, not wanting to stay and chitchat. A little bit rude, aren't we? Orion muttered, then shrugged and continued on to his room. Again, it didn't matter. Ash would be dead in less than a week.