The usual disclaimers. The story is mine. The characters are not. Batteries not included. Some restrictions may apply.
***
The characters belong to Top cow and TNT as do all their toys, accessories and appliances, including the Witchblade.
*warnings and excuses*
***
Swearing.
*words typed within asterisks signify thoughts*
***signals switch in POV
Tenebrous
Part 3
chapter 8
*********************************************************
Normally, the assassin would perch outside Sara's apartment, allowing the Wielder her privacy and solitude. He was planning on maintaining his surveillance from the fire escape. However, tonight it seemed best to chaperone from inside.
This decision was not based on Lady Sara's attentions to the boy or the fact that the boy was in her bed. The fact that neither one seemed to be exiting Lady Sara's bedroom also did not hold sway on his decision. Ian Nottingham sat and glared at the bedroom door.
Minutes ticked by. Still no word from the surveillance of Talismaniac, no movement or signs of threat from nearby and no one exiting Sara's bedroom. Ian Nottingham eyed his silent timepiece. Twenty-six minutes. His acute hearing had picked up only gentle breathing and an occasional rustle from the room for nearly half an hour. This was ridiculous. Lady Sara wasn't actually in bed with the boy, was she?
He could tell by their breathing that they were both sound asleep. The idea of fair Sara resting in an uncomfortable chair or worse, sleeping on the hard floor filled Ian with resentment. Just because the boy had a difficult evening did not mean he should inconvenience the Wielder.
Perhaps he should not have alarmed her so with the threat of the Sufult. His guardianship of the boy was merely a precaution his Master had ordered. Surely she was staying close to the boy out of unnecessary concern. He decided to assuage Lady Sara's fears and allow her a decent night's rest. Silently the assassin opened the door.
***
A strangled squawk woke Sara. She was dimly aware of spooning someone before being shoved off her bed. As she lay sprawled on the floor she looked up to see Ian Nottingham looming over her. "What in the hell are you doing Nottingham?" she yelled, trying to figure out what was going on.
"I am deeply sorry, Sara. I mistook you for one of the Sufult," Ian whispered sincerely.
"The next person who mistakes me for a guy is gonna-" she threatened before realizing the implication of what he'd said. "Wait, they're here?" she asked in a panic, trying to disentangle herself from a sheet as she struggled to see if Gabriel was okay.
Gabriel had woken and groggily tried to survey his surroundings. "Where'm I now?" he muttered. He turned toward the commotion at the side of the bed and screamed. He spotted Nottingham at the same time someone yanked the sheets off him.
"God damn it Nottingham! Quit traumatizing him," Sara barked as she finally gained purchase of the bed.
"I did nothing," Ian defended himself irritably. "Your boy screams like a girl," he added with a sneer.
Gabriel, who was scrabbling for something to cover himself, snapped out a resentful "HEY!"
Sara managed to get to her feet and hand the sheet to a suddenly alert but scowling Gabe. "Now, what is going on Nottingham?" Sara growled as she rubbed her aching hip.
"Nothing, Sara. All is well for now," the assassin placated.
Sara raised her eyebrows questioningly.
"I will continue my guard duties but perhaps I should be the one to stay with the boy," Ian Nottingham suggested. He did not want Lady Sara in bed with another male, especially since she seemed unaccountable for her unconscious actions.
"HELL no!" Gabriel interjected, backing himself against the headboard.
Ian shot Gabriel a glare before continuing, "You need your sleep, Sara, I will alert you if anything is amiss."
Sara still didn't trust the assassin. Less than four hours ago he had threatened the life he was now supposedly trying to protect. Gabriel was bearing wounds that Nottingham had inflicted and she was suspicious of any plan that Irons had instigated. To top it all off, she had begun to wonder about Ian's preferences despite his chest oggling.
"I don't think so, Nottingham," Sara replied. "Gabe stays with me and you go outside. I don't care what Irons want's, I want you away from Gabriel."
"You cut me, Sara," Ian Nottingham whispered, looking so sad she'd almost relented before logic returned.
"Yeah, well you cut my friend," Sara pointed out. "There is no way in hell I'm leaving him alone with you."
He didn't understand why Sara had gotten so upset over him trying to separate her from her pet boy. Resignedly, he turned and stalked out of the room, but not before throwing Gabriel a threatening gaze.
"I saw that, Nottingham!" he heard Sara yell from the bedroom.
The assassin was upset; he had made things worse. Not only would Sara most likely keep the boy closer to her, *though it was difficult to be much closer than when he found them,* but 'the current bane of his existence' would most likely be on the receiving end of a cuddlefest for being 'traumatized' by him.
Unfortunately, eliminating Gabriel would definitely eliminate any chances with Lady Sara. Hopefully he could take out his frustrations on the Sufult. He would be very disappointed if he didn't get to assault someone soon. He Idly wondered how Roy was doing.
tbc
*********************************************************
My plans for chapter nine involve no silliness. Let's hope I can actually pull it off this time.
Mystery/suspense/action my bottum! I never understood this muse thing until one made off with my story.
I cannot claim to have only one story now, though the other is actually part of this tangle. The warm reviews and nudging are responsible for this chapter. I needed a mental rest from this story but apparently muses have a quick recovery from tranquilizer darts. Who knew?
A giant THANK YOU to the people who reviewed 'coincidence'.
Thanks again to roguegal117. She finally wrote a story and I got to see the first part. Very cool psychological thriller, a bit scary. She has a talent for working the really dark stuff.
Thank you so much for your reviews. I CAN NOT express how grateful I am. I salute you with my smiley face coffee mug. There is a site somewhere that has a screencap of Sara drinking out of that thing. The Image comments are hilarious.
***
The characters belong to Top cow and TNT as do all their toys, accessories and appliances, including the Witchblade.
*warnings and excuses*
***
Swearing.
*words typed within asterisks signify thoughts*
***signals switch in POV
Tenebrous
Part 3
chapter 8
*********************************************************
Normally, the assassin would perch outside Sara's apartment, allowing the Wielder her privacy and solitude. He was planning on maintaining his surveillance from the fire escape. However, tonight it seemed best to chaperone from inside.
This decision was not based on Lady Sara's attentions to the boy or the fact that the boy was in her bed. The fact that neither one seemed to be exiting Lady Sara's bedroom also did not hold sway on his decision. Ian Nottingham sat and glared at the bedroom door.
Minutes ticked by. Still no word from the surveillance of Talismaniac, no movement or signs of threat from nearby and no one exiting Sara's bedroom. Ian Nottingham eyed his silent timepiece. Twenty-six minutes. His acute hearing had picked up only gentle breathing and an occasional rustle from the room for nearly half an hour. This was ridiculous. Lady Sara wasn't actually in bed with the boy, was she?
He could tell by their breathing that they were both sound asleep. The idea of fair Sara resting in an uncomfortable chair or worse, sleeping on the hard floor filled Ian with resentment. Just because the boy had a difficult evening did not mean he should inconvenience the Wielder.
Perhaps he should not have alarmed her so with the threat of the Sufult. His guardianship of the boy was merely a precaution his Master had ordered. Surely she was staying close to the boy out of unnecessary concern. He decided to assuage Lady Sara's fears and allow her a decent night's rest. Silently the assassin opened the door.
***
A strangled squawk woke Sara. She was dimly aware of spooning someone before being shoved off her bed. As she lay sprawled on the floor she looked up to see Ian Nottingham looming over her. "What in the hell are you doing Nottingham?" she yelled, trying to figure out what was going on.
"I am deeply sorry, Sara. I mistook you for one of the Sufult," Ian whispered sincerely.
"The next person who mistakes me for a guy is gonna-" she threatened before realizing the implication of what he'd said. "Wait, they're here?" she asked in a panic, trying to disentangle herself from a sheet as she struggled to see if Gabriel was okay.
Gabriel had woken and groggily tried to survey his surroundings. "Where'm I now?" he muttered. He turned toward the commotion at the side of the bed and screamed. He spotted Nottingham at the same time someone yanked the sheets off him.
"God damn it Nottingham! Quit traumatizing him," Sara barked as she finally gained purchase of the bed.
"I did nothing," Ian defended himself irritably. "Your boy screams like a girl," he added with a sneer.
Gabriel, who was scrabbling for something to cover himself, snapped out a resentful "HEY!"
Sara managed to get to her feet and hand the sheet to a suddenly alert but scowling Gabe. "Now, what is going on Nottingham?" Sara growled as she rubbed her aching hip.
"Nothing, Sara. All is well for now," the assassin placated.
Sara raised her eyebrows questioningly.
"I will continue my guard duties but perhaps I should be the one to stay with the boy," Ian Nottingham suggested. He did not want Lady Sara in bed with another male, especially since she seemed unaccountable for her unconscious actions.
"HELL no!" Gabriel interjected, backing himself against the headboard.
Ian shot Gabriel a glare before continuing, "You need your sleep, Sara, I will alert you if anything is amiss."
Sara still didn't trust the assassin. Less than four hours ago he had threatened the life he was now supposedly trying to protect. Gabriel was bearing wounds that Nottingham had inflicted and she was suspicious of any plan that Irons had instigated. To top it all off, she had begun to wonder about Ian's preferences despite his chest oggling.
"I don't think so, Nottingham," Sara replied. "Gabe stays with me and you go outside. I don't care what Irons want's, I want you away from Gabriel."
"You cut me, Sara," Ian Nottingham whispered, looking so sad she'd almost relented before logic returned.
"Yeah, well you cut my friend," Sara pointed out. "There is no way in hell I'm leaving him alone with you."
He didn't understand why Sara had gotten so upset over him trying to separate her from her pet boy. Resignedly, he turned and stalked out of the room, but not before throwing Gabriel a threatening gaze.
"I saw that, Nottingham!" he heard Sara yell from the bedroom.
The assassin was upset; he had made things worse. Not only would Sara most likely keep the boy closer to her, *though it was difficult to be much closer than when he found them,* but 'the current bane of his existence' would most likely be on the receiving end of a cuddlefest for being 'traumatized' by him.
Unfortunately, eliminating Gabriel would definitely eliminate any chances with Lady Sara. Hopefully he could take out his frustrations on the Sufult. He would be very disappointed if he didn't get to assault someone soon. He Idly wondered how Roy was doing.
tbc
*********************************************************
My plans for chapter nine involve no silliness. Let's hope I can actually pull it off this time.
Mystery/suspense/action my bottum! I never understood this muse thing until one made off with my story.
I cannot claim to have only one story now, though the other is actually part of this tangle. The warm reviews and nudging are responsible for this chapter. I needed a mental rest from this story but apparently muses have a quick recovery from tranquilizer darts. Who knew?
A giant THANK YOU to the people who reviewed 'coincidence'.
Thanks again to roguegal117. She finally wrote a story and I got to see the first part. Very cool psychological thriller, a bit scary. She has a talent for working the really dark stuff.
Thank you so much for your reviews. I CAN NOT express how grateful I am. I salute you with my smiley face coffee mug. There is a site somewhere that has a screencap of Sara drinking out of that thing. The Image comments are hilarious.