Part 8

It seemed like a pretty outrageous plan. Wraith didn't understand why she would even bother trying to pull off something that would almost certainly back fire on her. But that was just Ruby Harman all over, thinking cause she had a well known name in the Night World she could get away with murder.

All cause some innocent human had happened to know more about English homework than a snotty vampire friend of hers had. It so utterly absurd. He chuckled to himself dryly.

Sitting in his car, on a hill top over looking the small town, he pondered what exactly he was going to do about Ruby. He was pretty sure Branwen would be there, how could he pull something off without the risk of blowing her cover?

That was the problem stupid idiots like Ruby presented him with. He sighed heavily with annoyance, running a hand through his dark red hair, frowning out the windscreen.

A witch had done a quick locating spell for him, Orion was still in Florida, it would take him some time to get to their small town in Maine. That at least, was a stroke of luck. Thank god Night Worlder's haven't managed to get the hang of teleporting yet he thought.

Wraith found himself more concerned about the human girl, Carolyn than anything else. As long as someone made sure nothing would happen to her, and she didn't find out anything she didn't need to know.

He got out the car, leaving it where it was to take a walk around the town. He paused outside a convenience store, thinking he spotted a familiar figure heading inside.

He frowned, waiting around in a dark corner of the parking lot for her to come out. She just couldn't be who he thought she was. He felt a pit of dread opening in his stomach.

This whole task was going to be complicated enough as it was, without -

"What the hell are you doing here?"

That. Wraith forced himself to step out of the shadows, forcing his eyes to meet Diamond Abforth's. She was the last person he would have expected to see here. "I could ask you the same thing. "Old and kind of clichéd, maybe, but it seemed to suit the moment.

"Staying with some cousins." She watched him cautiously.

He just looked evenly back.

"You're alone, I take it?"

Wraith nodded. "I'm here on business."

Diamond shrugged. "I guess I'll see you round then." And she walked off.

Wraith stared after her, frowning. Okay, that had gone a hell of a lot better than he had expected. She was up to something. None of Branwen's contacts had ever mentioned that Diamond was in town.

Which obviously meant they didn't know. Great he thought. Just another complication to sort out.

* * *