Author: The Wanlorn
Title: A World in a Grain of Sand 23/?
Summary: This is a sequel to "Every New Beginning…"
Rating: PG13
Spoilers: I honestly don't know, so beware.
Distribution: Ask, and ye shall receive. Take without permission, then screw the Law of Three, I will cures you with the nefarious curse of…da da dum…WRITER'S BLOCK!!!! BWAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!
Disclaimer: Same as all of the last times, so far. I'm just having fun with them. Judas is mine, a product of my sick and twisted imagination. Rivendell Boulevard belongs to Rouen French. The Monopoly comment and the Saddam Hussein comment are both stolen from Robin Williams.
Thank Yous: Thanks to Carla, my beta. Thank you to the internet. Yes, a retarded thing to thank, but still… I'm actually doing research for this, a major miracle. So, yes, I am thanking the internet and Google and Toronto.com for their wonderful help in learning me stuff. :-D
Author's Note: NO! This is the last day of vacation… I need another week before I'm ready to go back to school and deal with the incompetent assholes who call themselves my friends. Anywho…
[yada yada yada] stands for sign language.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Cold eyes, so dark brown they were almost black, stared at him, a cruel smile on the man's face. Not Kane, no, his best friend. Irony of ironies, named Judas. Long, thin fingers stroked Abel's cheek as he rolled his eyes, petrified.
"Where have you been, Abey-baby?" A cultured voice that made people listen and struck terror through Abel.
Within seconds, he was backed against the wall. No one noticed anything; it was like they were invisible. His terror went unheeded by everyone around them. Once more, skeleton fingers dripped down his cheek and through his hair, painfully grasping a handful and pulling.
"We've *all* missed you." The cruel smile was growing wider and more wolfish. Abel thought he was going to throw up.
"There an issue here?"
The oh-so-quiet voice managed to reach above the chatter of the crowd. Abel rolled his eyes so he could see Nire. Her eyes looked almost sleepy as she eyed Judas, who sneered at her.
"Nothing's wrong here. Just talking to my friend's brother." He changed tactics immediately and smiled charmingly. Abel whimpered, terrified.
"Bull fucking shit," Nire said, her voice deceptively quiet. "C'mere, Abel."
He mewled, eyes rolling back and forth desperately in his head as he slid along the wall towards Nire. As she grabbed him and drew him behind her, Judas turned to her in a courteous manner.
"Ah, so you are his new owner." The cold black eyes raked over Nire, assessing and judging, drawing conclusions. Young but powerful domineering, easily able to control a weak plaything like Abel. "I would like to put in a request to… borrow him for a few days."
Once again, Abel mewled behind her, awaiting her inevitable agreement.
"I don't think so," she said, her voice utterly emotionless. The inhuman eyes that had been turned on Nick were now calming meeting the black eyes of Judas. "Why don't you back off and go about whatever you were doing, ey? He's mine, only mine."
The thin-lipped mouth opened, shut, and opened again. Well, then." His eyes shot past her and bore into Abel. "Know that we are coming. Soon."
Nire snickered. "That's the lamest threat I ever heard."
Without another word, Judas turned and walked away. Half-whimpering, half-crying, Abel was shaking hard enough to earn curious glances from the people passing by. Once she was sure the guy had really gone, Nire turned to the shivering man and held out her hand, patiently waiting. He stared at it, pitiful sounds escaping his mouth in between gasps of breath.
"Can I have your hand?" she asked in a soothing voice. "That way these psycho shoppers can't separate you from us again."
After looking around at the people who were crowding past them, making him cringe and whimper more every time they jostled him, he reached out hesitantly and took her hand. He was shaking badly enough for Nire's hand to be trembling, too. While her fingers were loosely curled around his hand, he locked his fingers around hers. When Jander suddenly appeared, he whimpered and cringed away from the vampire.
"He's on the other end of the mall," Jander's silken tones reported.
"Easy there." Nire tried to soothe Abel. "He's on our side." She squeezed his hand, drawing him gently out from behind her. "Fuck this. Let's go somewhere quiet for breakfast slash dinner."
Whimpering quietly, Abel rolled his eyes up at her. Thank God she was going to take him somewhere else. He still felt like he was going to empty the contents of his stomach from fear. Luckily, they were right next to an alcove that housed restrooms and a maintenance closet. Nire led him down the very short hallway and, when they got to the end, they were suddenly standing in an alley, Jander soon behind them. Breathing in short, hyperventilating gasps, Abel shrank away from him.
"Abel, kitten, look at me hon." Nire's soothing voice and reassuring purr made him drag his eyes up to meet hers, knowing that was what she was expecting. "Take a deep breath, okay? Jander's on our side, cross my heart, hope to die."
She gently squeezed his hand, trying to reassure and provide comfort without lots of physical contact. After taking the deep breath she ordered, Abel tried to control his shivering. It was hopeless; he just couldn't stop. Ever so carefully, he inched his way closer to Nire. He didn't have that far to go, and she was still holding his hand. But he had to make his movements almost imperceptible. If he brushed against her, and it looked like an accident, that would be okay, wouldn't it? She couldn't get all that angry, and all he wanted was a moment of contact. That was it.
Nire did notice what he was doing, and squeezed his fingers again. "C'mere, kitten." She held out her other arm to him, patiently waiting as he hesitantly moved the half step closer to her. Stiffening immediately when she hugged him, he slowly relaxed as she rubbed his back, murmuring in his ear. While she was stroking his short hair and rubbing relaxing circles on his back, he let out a gasping sob and buried his nose in the junction of her neck and shoulder. A deep inhalation brought her scent swirling through him. He could feel the coiling in his stomach that usually brought on the Change, but this was a slightly different feel. More like friendly curiosity, quickly settling.
She smelled of so many things. Every human, every were, every vampire, every *being* had their own personal scent, that often could be identified as a mix of several different everyday smells. The predominant odors of vanilla and almonds relaxed him, and a flower that was either lilacs or lavender comforted. While she felt like a were, she didn't smell like one. But whatever it was she did smell like, it promised comfort and safety, a place to say without fear, laughter and warm milk. Lies, lies, *lies*. All lies. It couldn't be anything but.
And yet…
"What do you think, kitten?" Nire murmured, still petting him calmingly. "Do you want to go back to the loft?"
He whimpered, his shuddering slowly subsiding, the physical contact soothing him. A slight shake of his head, still holding onto her, was his answer. He did not want to go back to a place that crowded with people, but if she was going to continue to protect him and be this kind, he wanted to stay out. The coat warmed him, Nire calmed him, he was good, even managing to stop shivering.
"Well, then, kitten, what say you that we get out of this gross alley and see what street we're on, mmm? That sound good?"
After he nodded, Abel stepped away slightly, not letting go of her hand. Until she let go and made it clear he was not welcome to be touching her anymore, he would welcome that tiny ounce of safety. Smiling, Nire turned to Jander. When she met his sad, silver eyes, the smile faded away to nothing. With her other hand, she reached out and caressed his angular face, then took his hand and drew him to her other side.
"Let us venture, my compadres," she said, squeezing both of their hands.
Exiting the dark alley, Nire looked up and down the street, appraising where they were. It was clean, well lit, with not too much traffic. A good place to walk with Abel. There was a street sign above their heads. When Nire looked up at it, she gasped.
"No fucking way," she breathed. "Mother Night, we're on Rivendell Boulevard. We're on Riven-fucking-dell Boulevard."
Her voice held only frank amazement, so Abel did not cringe. Not even her swearing made him flinch. Although he didn't understand the importance of the street they were on, Nire was obviously happy about it. And that made him more relaxed.
With an indulgent grin, Jander soothed Nire's joyful swearing. "Easy there, little one. You promised us food first. Then we'll let you drag us all over, okay?"
Abel expected her to lash out for being told she could not do something. He even cringed away slightly and loosened his grip on her hand. But she laughed and pulled them forward with her into a pool of light.
"Well then, my friends, let's go find somewhere to eat." She led them down the street together, already humming a jaunty tune.
~~~~{@
With a happy sigh, Natalie snuggled closer to Nick, running her hands down his flat stomach. When they had come home, both deliriously happy, they found a note from Nire saying that the three of them were shopping and wouldn't be back for a while. Taking them at their written word, Natalie and Nick used their time wisely. What followed was the most passionate lovemaking Natalie could remember.
Nick pressed a kiss to the top of Natalie's head, running his hands through her silky curls. His fingers traced over the two delicate punctures on her shoulder. A wave of happiness passed over him as he once again rolled over the thought that Natalie was going to be his wife. She was going to marry *him*, a vampire. He honestly didn't expect her to say yes, and now that she had, it blew his mind. Beyond the fact that he was now the luckiest man on earth, there was so much that had to be planned.
Not only was there whatever planning of the wedding that Natalie allowed him to be a part of, but the politics behind everything. He would have to invite some of the Family - it was unavoidable. And he dreaded, absolutely *dreaded*, telling LaCroix. That, too, was inescapable. On occasion, the Roman's temper could be held in check by being informed of something up front. Hearing of the wedding from another source would merely anger him more. But that didn't mean there wasn't going to be some sort of repercussions.
"Mm," Natalie murmured, moving to a slightly more comfortable position. "We should probably get dressed before they get back."
She could feel Nick's low laugh before she heard it. "A teenage girl, a… an elf… that obviously won't say no to her, and a man who's to afraid to say anything? Love, they're not going to be back until *everything* is closed."
It was her turn to laugh slightly as she nuzzled his neck. "It's midnight, hon. Everything pretty much *is* closed."
A wolfish smile spread across Nick's face. No words were needed as he leaned in to devour her unresisting mouth - and body - once again.
~~~~{@
Nick poured a tall glass of orange juice and set it on the counter, putting the almost-empty carton back in the fridge. The sounds of the shower had stopped a few minutes ago, and he knew that Natalie would want a glass when she came downstairs. Glancing at the clock, he saw that it was one in the morning. The Raven was closed for renovations, and Janette would be there, overseeing what the workers were doing. That is, assuming they hired vampires and not mortals. Although she was back in town, they were basically avoiding each other. Forgiveness takes time, no matter what the mind says. But his sister would want to know of this, and perhaps she could help him figure out how to break it to LaCroix.
"Whatever's wrong, you're probably over-thinking it."
He started at Natalie's voice, having been deep enough in thought not to hear her come downstairs. As she drank the orange juice, he returned to his musing. Perhaps she was right. Maybe he should just *tell* LaCroix and get it over with. If he planned it right, when LaCroix was in the right kind of mood…
Natalie watched Nick, worry clearly written across his face. This was a change from the joyful union of less than an hour before. Worry gnawed at the pit of her stomach. After seeing her mangled body, had he changed his mind? Now he could be trying to figure out how tot let her down easily. With a minute shake of her head, she tried to banish those thoughts. It was no use worrying until he said something that confirmed her suspicions.
Wrapping her arms around his waist and resting her cheek on the middle of his back, she asked, "What's wrong, love? What are you worrying that much about?" Tendrils of dread were curling in the pit of her stomach; she couldn't decide if they were hers or Nick's.
With a heartfelt sigh, Nick turned around to hold her, burying his nose in her soft curls and inhaling deeply. "I just realized that I'm going to have to tell LaCroix that we're engaged." He couldn't help but to grin when he said that. It felt do good, rolling off his tongue.
While that got Natalie's attention, it also made her relax. LaCroix's deviousness was not to be underestimated, but at least Nick wasn't thinking of leaving. Or was he? "We can't let him control our lives, Nick."
"No, we can't." Nick's voice was hard, uncompromising. He was going to end his master's ridiculous hold over his life. No more.
But he would wait until LaCroix was in a good mood.
Kissing Natalie, he walked over to the radio and flipped it on to CERK. Perhaps right now would be a good time.
"…sold for a song, taken back without a though. Is no regard-"
That was a definite no. While LaCroix would never deny his daughter's rights to the Raven, he *would* sulk over it. A sulking LaCroix was an angry LaCroix, one not to be messed with. Once the renovations were completed, he would be in a much better mood, having resigned himself to the fact that the club was once again Janette's. A small price to pay to regain a daughter.
With a sigh, Nick snapped off the radio and turned to Natalie, who was silently regarding him. "Well?" she asked, knowing he had done that for a reason.
"He's in a bad mood tonight," Nick replied darkly. "I can't put it off for long, though."
With a muted sigh, Natalie went and put her arm around him, nuzzling his cheek. He really knew how to bring down a happy mood. "Don't worry about it. Everything will be all right."
Nick grinned, tilting his head down and kissing her lips lightly. He couldn't worry about things like that when she was in his arms. But eventually, he would have to deal with it. And LaCroix did not like to be the last to know anything.
Attempting to change the subject and get Nick's mind off worrying about LaCroix, and because she was honestly worried about it, Natalie mused aloud, "I wonder where they are?"
Nick shrugged, completely unworried. "Trust me when I say that they can take care of themselves."
Studying him carefully, she commented, "You know something I don't."
Nick could only bite his tongue and shake his head, figuring that a little white lie wouldn't hurt. "No, I don't. But…just trust me. Please? Speak of the Devil…"
The lift began running, faithfully carrying its passengers up to the living floor of the expansive warehouse. Natalie was relieved that they were back. She couldn't help but to worry about Abel. Every mothering instinct she had screamed that he needed to be taken care of like a child. As the door rolled open, they both could hear Nire talking.
"Wanna know another reason why us stupid Americans are the most fucked up people on earth? The Secretary of Defense, or some kooky guy in the government with a similar job, *publicly* approved the *secret* plan to assassinate Saddam Hussein. Gee, I wonder if he knows…"
Abel's quiet, timid giggle could be heard, along with Jander's silver laugh. "Sure, M'ija. Why don't you just run the country?"
"In a conversation between some senator and Bill Gates, the senator asked, 'Are you trying to create a monopoly over the computer industry?' Gates answered, 'Monopoly's just a game, Senator. I'm trying to control the fucking world.' The States are just one country, my friend."
Jander laughed again, and Abel giggled. As they came out of the lift, Natalie noticed that Abel was the only one with any bags. Angry that they were making him carry everything, she opened her mouth to say something. Nire, however, beat her to the punch.
Abel was standing by the lift uncertainly, watching Nire and Jander. Grinning, Nire turned to him. "Go put your bags upstairs, kitten, if you want to."
Smiling hesitantly at her, he disappeared upstairs. Natalie stared after him as Nick asked the question she wanted to ask.
"Did you buy anything for yourselves?"
Jander nodded and answered as Nire yawned tiredly. "Yes, but we… sent our purchases home. So we didn't have to carry them."
Nire snorted. "Yeah. More like we *couldn't* carry the shit, so we had to get rid of it." She yawned again. "Dios Mio, I'm tired. Dren, man what did you slip in my soda?"
With an easy smile, Jander continued the light banter that had been going on all night. "That's for me to know and you to never find out. Go take a nap, little one."
As Nire walked over to the couch, almost like she owned the place, Natalie noticed that she wasn't limping anymore. Refraining from commenting, even though her curiosity was peaked, she twisted the ring around her finger, leaning back into Nick's embrace for a moment of comfort. She was going to become Mrs. Knight.
~~~~{@
Standing in front of the lift, Abel whimpered softly to himself. He did not want to go to work tonight. Not if it meant he was going to be all alone. Unfortunately, he couldn't take the night off, not if he wanted to take tomorrow night off. His stomach twisted unhappily at that thought, making him feel sick again. Once more, he tried to force himself to go out the door.
"Whassa matter, kitten?"
He jumped and whirled around, visibly shaken, while his stomach did a disturbing flip-flop. He had been concentrating so hard on forcing himself into the lift that he hadn't heard Nire come downstairs. Another quiet whimper escaped his mouth.
"Oh, kitten," she said sympathetically. She seemed to instinctively know what was the matter. "I can't promise that they're not going to get you, or that you're not going to get hurt. And I know that promises probably don't mean all that much to you. But whoever touches you will have to answer to me. And it won't be pretty for them, that I promise you."
He believed her, but it was only slightly reassuring. She could not understand how they acted, how they could so easily get their hands on him and he would disappear. Judas would come for him now, having been embarrassed in the mall. For Judas would consider Nire's refusal to be an embarrassment. And if Kane got out…
But he had to go. With another whimper, he glanced up at Nire and tried to smile. It was a failed attempt, his face miserable. Ducking his head again, he stepped into the lift. He was a doomed man.
~~~~{@
They were in the middle of a conversation. Natalie was upstairs, leaving Nick to entertain the two visitors. He didn't mind - the exchange was proving to be relatively interesting. Although how he managed to get into a philosophical debate with a teenager was a quandary. Seemingly randomly, Nire eased her revolver out of its holster and pressed down on the cylinder release catch, holding her hands over the cylinder to muffle the sound. When Nick opened his mouth to ask what she was doing, she shook her head sharply, continuing on with their discussion as she checked to make sure everything was in properly.
"I'm going to have to respectfully disagree with you there. It all depends on the time period and the society." She talked as though nothing was happening. Nick watched her with confusion as she silently slid her gun back out of sight. "To the Muslims, it was perfectly acceptable to have multiple wives. In terms of world history, it's only been relatively recently that such a practice is deemed as wrong"
As she spoke, her fingers were moving fluidly, spelling out words to him using the sign language alphabet. Luckily, he knew the alphabet, so he knew what she was doing.
[Is your gun on you?]
He nodded, cocking his head quizzically as he picked up the conversation. "But all along, it was morally wrong."
"But nothing," she interrupted, silently asking if it was loaded. "To *you*, and today's society, it is. But then, it was fine morally, too." A significant look was shot at Jander, to which he nodded and went upstairs. Nick could hear quiet murmuring, and Natalie moving about, but he could not understand their words. When he stood up, concerned, to follow, Nire shook her head vehemently and pointed back to his seat. Reluctantly, he sat down again, asking, [What's wrong?]
[Wait and listen. And talk like nothing's wrong.]
"Back in the time of Greece and Rome," she continued, "infanticide was considered morally right and was a common practice. Up until Muhammad came along, it was morally okay to kill girl children and to practice sati."
"In the Bible…" Nick tried, drifting off to let her interpret what he was about to say, as he listened intently. He couldn't hear anything, so how could she?
"In the Bible," Nire repeated scornfully. "In the Bible, it says that a wife owes her husband sex, that she can't refuse."
That was something Nick did not talk about, his upbringing still having a firm control over his level of comfort in speaking of sex in front of women and children. "That- that depends on your interpretation," he said.
With a cocked head, Nire concede his point. "Aye, that's true. But my point is that religion is open for interpretation, unless you're Catholic," she snickered, "and that what's morally acceptable varies with that translation. Aren't human morals largely dependent upon what is acceptable according to their religious texts?"
Searching for a safe argument, Nick said, "Well murder is always wrong. Inside, everyone knows what is right and what is wrong."
"So you're against the death penalty?" she asked him evenly.
"No. But that's-"
"Murder," she finished for him.
Ready with a response, it died on his lips as he heard a group of people sneaking up the back stairs. They were actually coming up. This was ridiculous. He could hear Natalie murmuring softly again, but once more he couldn't make out the words. He could feel her fear, though, as Jander's murmuring answered her, and attempted to reassure her through the link between them that was constantly growing. It worked minutely well. He should be upstairs with her. But the people outside had abandoned stealth and were almost at the top. Sill, he stood, his beast flaring. He could take them all out the top of the stairs. How *dare* they try to invade his home!
An ice-cold hand gabbed his wrist, empty gray eyes staring at him. As he heard the security code being punched in, she let go and stood. He didn't have time to ponder over that; the door opened, and they were on high alert.
