A/N: Okies... my brain has been working on overdrive lately; I don't seem to be able to stick with one idea... Well, if people really want one of my stories to be continued then they better get to reviewing!
Disclaimer: I do not own anything... except Kathy and Jubilee (Jay-Jay).
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The Hunter Cannot Be Caged
Chapter 1: Kathy
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Artemis strolled out of the expensive café with his ever faithful Butler in tow. He sauntered down the avenue, cars crowding the curb on one side of him and numerous high-strung shops with French and Italian names on the opposite. He walked down the brick sidewalk in search of something to interest him. For his "To Do" list had gotten shorter and shorter now that his parents were watching over him. Sure, he still had several crafty schemes going on, but he was having to cancel more and more of them now that his parents were getting more and more watchful; even Butler was getting in the habit of advising him to go straight. But this was something Artemis would never do. He was quite fond of the old way of doing things. Being completely legitimate was incredibly boring, and there was only one thing Artemis hated more than being bored. And that was lollipops.
"Artemis, sir?" Butler's gruff voice interrupted his thoughts.
Artemis half turned to look at his enormous manservant.
"If I may ask, sir, where are we going?"
The pale teen looked around, startled to find he had wandered far when he had been distracted by his musings. This most definitely wasn't the kind of area the young Fowl was used to; somehow he had managed to walk straight into a much poorer district than the one he had started in. The stores had a run down look to them that you didn't see in the richer part of Dublin and the cars parked along the white and gum-covered sidewalk had a dusty, overused appearance. Artemis looked around for something that he could say to Butler without gibing the impression that he hadn't meant to come here. Feeling inferior was the next thing he hated next to lollipops and boredom.
A tiny bookstore with a window so grimy it was almost impossible to see through caught his eye. In truth, the faded sign hanging above the door caught his eye. "The Faeries' Corner Bookstore" it said in chipped, gold-gilt letters, but Artemis didn't care for the name; what interested him was the image above the words. It was the picture of an auburn-haired fairy in flight, her hair and clothing flowing in an invisible wind. The image stared back at him with cool, hazel eyes. Artemis puzzled at the picture, some hidden memory nagging at the back of his mind.
"Master Artemis? Is something wrong?"
Artemis jumped and gave Butler a quick frustrated glare out of the corner of his eye as he blamed him for letting that memory slip beyond his grasp when he had spoken.
"Nothing is wrong, Butler. I was just debating if I'd maybe find a book to keep me busy this afternoon." Artemis let the lie flow smoothly past his lips, already starting towards that bookshop before Butler had time to figure exactly how many bookstores they had passed already.
A bell declared their arrival as Artemis opened the door and entered the dusty little shop. He walked across the heavily-trodden green carpet to a little counter with an old cash register perched on its surprisingly clean surface. He eyed the passage that led deeper into the messy bookshelves, wondering if he happened to venture there he would ever come out again. He waited, tapping his foot in the quiet only libraries and places of the like were able to establish.
He crossed his arms, growing impatient. "Hello? Is anybody here?" He tapped the silver plated bell on the counter, producing a piercing chime to break the silence.
Artemis was rewarded with a resounding crash that came from the back of the store. "Coming!" Someone yelled at the top of her voice, but when it reached Artemis's ear the sound had lost much of its amplitude, having been absorbed by all the books between them.
Artemis raised an eyebrow as another crash sound through the store. But a blond girl about the same age as Artemis managed to stumble out from the maze of bookshelves, station herself behind the scratched counter, fix the two visitors of her store with a good-hearted grin, and say, "Is there anything I can do for you?"
Artemis quickly took inventory of the unfamiliar girl. Artemis had few interactions with females, and even fewer with girls from families that weren't rich. Her hair was darker and more brownish than Juliet's or his mother's but still a bright color. Her long, naturally straight hair framed a long, pale face, Artemis noticed faint laughter lines there, that indicated that the eager, gleeful grin she currently wore was a standard facial expression. Her gentle green eyes twinkled at him from behind long lashes. She wore no make-up, like Juliet and Mother did, but Artemis thought this must be because she didn't care, or she didn't need it. Her face was radiant enough with such a toothy, welcoming smile.
Artemis made all these notions about the girl's appearance within a nanosecond and was already speaking calmly. "I am looking for a book, something entertaining."
The girl's smile widened, and here Artemis had though her lips had already stretched to their greatest extent. "Well, I guess that is what you go to bookstore for."
Artemis resisted the impulse to blink. Was this girl teasing him?
"So, do you have an idea of what kind of book you want?"
Artemis thought back to the sign that had lured him into this cramped little store. "Something about fairies, I suppose. Do you have anything of the such?"
The blonde rolled her eyes. "Do I have any fairy books? Of course I have fairy books; why else do you think I named this place 'The Faeries' Corner'?"
Artemis was sure this girl was mocking him now.
"So, fiction, or non-fiction?" The girl asked, finally getting down to business.
"Er, fiction." But Artemis wondered how a book on fairies could be non-fiction.
The girl nodded curtly, and turned into the maze of bookshelves behind her; she indicated for them to follow by crooking a finger over her shoulder.
Artemis followed her into the labyrinth. He had to weave through the tightly packed shelves, books of all shapes and sizes piled everywhere where there was free space. Butler had to walk sideways, since his shoulders were too broad to fit.
She led them all the way to the back of the store, which seemed a surprisingly long way with so many obstacles to avoid. The girls stood to the side, waiting for Artemis to make a choice from the multitudes of fantasy books weighing down the near-buckling bookshelf.
Artemis scanned the titles. "Is this in any particular order?"
The girl shook her head, causing blonde tresses to fling all over the place. "Not really."
Artemis stared at her, for one who was so adept to neatness the idea of keeping something so unorganized was preposterous. "Then how am I supposed to find anything?"
The girl shrugged and cocked her head at him, that lively twinkle still in her eye. "You could ask I suppose."
Artemis fumed inwardly at her cockiness and disorderliness. "Well then, have you any recommendations?"
The girl's eyes took on a dreamy expression as she thought, tapping her chin with one tapered finger. But the creaminess did in no way extinguish the wild spark ever that seemed permanently present in her expression. "Hm..." She reached up and pulled a thick book from the shelf and handed it to Artemis. "Maybe you'll like that one. I quite prefer it."
Artemis read the title and scanned the summary on the inside cover. It would suffice, besides he was interested in getting out of that dusty bookstore that smelled of antique books and back to his Manor.
"This will do."
The girl nodded again and led them back to the cash register at the front of the store.
Just when she was about to tell them that price the door swung open with a jingle.
"Hey, Kathy!" A loud voice pronounced. "I brought you lunch!"
Artemis turned to study the new arrival, who was at the moment waving a Dunkin' Donuts bag which must have been the previously mentioned lunch. The girl swaggered over to the counter in black, dangerously low-cut jeans and plunked down on the counter the bag and a Dunkin' Donuts cup that smelled something like coffee.
The girl ran a hand over her spiked, blue dyed hair and winked at Artemis. "So, Kathy," She addressed the girl behind the register. "Who are these customers? They're new around here, aren't they?"
"Jay-Jay, it's not very polite to cut the line, wait till I'm done with them." Kathy turned back to Artemis. "$8.95."
Artemis fished his wallet out of his pocket and took out the money. Kathy took it and punched the cash register to open the drawer. While the book was being paid for and the register was busy coughing up the receipt, Jay-Jay had taken to poking butler with her sharp, black-painted nails.
Butler ignored her, but you could see his eyebrow twitching with annoyance.
"Jay-Jay, how many times have I told you not to bother the customers?" Kathy said I a bored and superior, yet still playful, voice when she saw this.
"But Kathy, this guy's huge! Just look at 'im!" Her she again jabbed at Butler obnoxiously.
Artemis had to stifle a smile. This girl was almost as oblivious to Butler's glares as Juliet was.
Meanwhile, Kathy had an amused smile on her face that was almost motherly at first glance. "Leave him alone, Jay." She said with a sigh.
Jay-Jay shrugged and turned back to the counter where she had placed Kathy's lunch. "So, are you going to eat that? Or can I have it?"
Artemis turned away and left the store with his annoyed manservant at his heels. For some reason Artemis felt very conscious of the atmosphere of that street as he walked away from the store. Instead of old books, the air now smelled of car exhaust and fast food, as he noticed that a Dunkin' Donuts was across the street. Out there in the hot sunlight, the street seemed somewhat duller and colder than the bookstore had been. Artemis shook his head, just an effect of the summer sun; and direct, unfiltered sunlight was yet another thing he hated since it came along with heat, which Artemis didn't like that much either.
***
The rest of the afternoon Artemis spent in the Fowl Manor library curled up on a chaise lounge next to a bay window reading the book from "The Faeries' Corner Bookstore". He was quite engrossed with it and it took some prompting in order to convince him to come down to dinner.
The thing was, the book kept bringing up disturbing thoughts, and the prospect of fairies existing seemed strangely familiar. He was up late that night long past his curfew finishing the book. When he finally put the book down and went to sleep Artemis had resolved to return to that shop that had been dubbed "The Faeries' Corner" the next day.
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Kathy gently plucked out a soft song on the rich wooded harp, her music echoed through the enormous room. The floors were black marble and the walls were white-washed stone; everything was black and with, not a hint of another color. Kathy herself was dressed all in with, the fine material of her dress almost see-through. Near-by her master lounged on a white couch with black pillows cushioning his head. Long black hair fell about his white face and his body was clad in black.
Kathy's lord's dark eyes looked up from the leather bound book in his hands and they fell on Kathy. "Kathryn, come here."
Kathy obediently stopped her harp playing and stood up. She knew what her master wanted; his face was paler than usual which meant he must have been particularly hungry. Her master never went hunting until midnight, the traditional feeding hour, but he rarely fed on his servants, much less Kathy, his favorite of all his pets.
But Kathy let him enclose her in his arms and tilt her head back, so tenderly it was almost endearing. His head bent down to her throat, which the low neck of her outfit showed so well.
Kathy flinched when the set of fangs pierced her skin, but the pain subsided as her master eased the pain for her. Even if her owner was suffering from extreme blood lust he would not have hurt her, and she admired and obeyed him in return.
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A/N: Oooh... I bet that ending freaked a lot of people out, didn't it? Well, that is what it was supposed to do. And I had so much fun writing it! Muahahahahahaha!