Disclaimer: Most of this stuff belongs to L.J. Smith, but Trent and Orion are mine.
Enjoy!
Chapter 3
Mary-Lynette was so excited she could barely breathe. Finally, after a long wait of seven months, she was going to see Ash again!
It was eleven at night. She, Rowan, Kestrel, and Jade were driving along the highway in a crappy old car that had been given to Jade on her sixteenth birthday. It was was missing a roof, had holes in the floor, and looked like it had been painted by a two-year-old, but Jade adored it, and it was the only car they had, so it was this they drove to Las Vegas. Rowan was at the wheel, being the best driver, and Jade and Kestrel were in the back, with Mary-Lynette riding shotgun. They were about thirty miles away from Circle Daybreak, and all of them were as excited as Mary-Lynette.
Jade fidgeted. How close are we to Las Vegas? she asked Rowan, for about the thirtieth time. Rowan smiled. We're about half an hour away. Jade gasped. We're almost there! Oh, I'm excited! Mary-Lynette grinned back at her, her face alight with hope. Rowan nodded, beaming. Kestrel grinned ferally, her teeth gleaming and her eyes glowing-even she was excited.
Mary-Lynette looked up at the stars. They seemed to be shining even brighter tonight-maybe it was an omen. She desperately wanted it to be.
She was sick with hope. She wanted so much to believe that Ash had changed, that he really had slain his dragons. He had joined Circle Daybreak-didn't that mean he was a good guy' now? Mary-Lynette sighed and looked back at the road. She certainly hoped so.
Ash toyed idly with the remote control, flipping from channel to channel, not really watching. There was nothing good on. And besides, he couldn't focus on the TV-he was too restless. He wanted to sleep, most everyone else was, but he knew there wasn't even a chance of him falling asleep. Too many thoughts in his head. Mary-Lynette, of course, was first. He wondered if she was still waiting for him, or if she had lost hope. Should he call her? But maybe she wouldn't want to talk to him until she knew for sure that he had really proven himself. Sighing, he gave up on the TV and walked to the kitchen-maybe there was something okay in the fridge.
And then there was Trent. Why couldn't he stop thinking about her? She had only been here for a week, and had already turned his universe upside down. He had woken up last night in a cold sweat, dreaming that she was chasing after him with a stake. His newly found conscience wouldn't let him let it go. He was more afraid of her than anybody-afraid not just of what she could do to him, but afraid because she was a walking, talking, haunting reminder of what he once was. He did not need that in his life.
And then there was that new guy, Orion. Ash had no idea why, but that guy really rubbed him the wrong way. Maybe he was being unfair, judging the guy by his looks-after all, the dude looked more like one of those scary Hollywood Dracula vampires than someone who wanted to turn over a new leaf and become good. But really, if he thought about it, his looks were not what was bugging Ash-there was just something about Orion that made the hair on the back of Ash's neck stand up.
He heard a car drive up to the mansion, and frowned. Who would be visiting at this hour?
He knew where she was the minute the car door slammed. Throwing his uneaten candy bar to the ground, he sprinted out of the house and straight into Mary-Lynette's waiting arms. Neither of them could say anything, they just clung together, sobbing. His sisters were all around them, hugging both of them and cheering.
You waited for me, she whispered in his ear.
Of course, he replied. How could I not? I'm surprised that you could wait for me. Mary-Lynette pulled back, studying him. She smiled and pecked him on the cheek. Come on. Introduce me to your friends. They pulled apart and walked back towards the mansion. Ash turned to his sisters. Give us a hug, he said in a childish, singsong voice, throwing his arms out wide. With much eye-rolling and laughing they obeyed. Happy for the first time since Trent showed up (a week ago), Ash lead them all inside.
In minutes, all of Circle Daybreak was clumped inside the large living room, sleepy but excited to finally see Mary-Lynette.
And this is James, my cousin, and his soulmate Poppy. Mary-Lynette smiled shyly and James smiled back. Welcome to Circle Daybreak, he said.
Mary-Lynette was a bit dazzled by everyone here. They were all so eerily handsome and-and different, and she didn't really know what to say.
Suddenly Ash's arm around her tensed up and his voice grew colder, as he got to the last member of Circle Daybreak, a girl with long black hair and chilly blue eyes. And this is Trent, Ash said, his jaw clenched and his voice almost shaking with anger. The girl-Trent, Mary reminded herself- sat on the arm of the sofa and looked at her long and hard, her frozen eyes narrowed.
So this is the famous Mary-Lynette, Trent thought. She laughed mentally. The girl's thoughts and personality were broadcasted across the room. Doesn't it just figure that Ash's one and only soulmate would be a stubborn, righteous human girl? Now that's justice. Despite her relationship to Ash, Trent found herself liking the girl. She was naive and sweet, sure, but she didn't seem quite as full of fluff as say, Thea, was. Hello, Mary-Lynette, she said thoughtfully, and watched, amused, as an involuntary shiver went down Mary's back.
I really should warn her about Ash, Trent thought. She's under the illusion that he's changed, that he's good' now. He'll hurt her. Trent opened her mouth to warn Mary-Lynette, but closed it again at the dangerous, protective look on Ash's face. If Mary-Lynette wanted to believe in her silly little dreams, who was she to stop her?