Patience is the gift from the gods, they never liked me
She let out a breath as the bird flew high up into the night's sky. It cawed down at her seemingly shocked by her interruption before swooping down to it's left and off deeper into the woodland before her. Eternity smiled serenely almost apologetic to the animal whom she had disturbed. She trod carefully over the hard ground beneath her, it was icy in some patches.
Her breath was visible infront of her coming out like a little puff of white smoke. Around her the trees cast faint shadows where the white glazed sunlight peaked through the thick white cloud. The grass was dotted with frost as the temperatures hit an impossible low. She looked up to see him as he arrived moving soundlessly through the crisp undergrowth.
His eyes met hers with a cool detachment that belonged to him. They were cool eyes, matching the backdrop. They were blue with little white shocks. He often wore sunglasses to cover them, blending him more into the crowd. She met his eyes with a steady gaze not looking up and not looking down. "You haven't got long." He spoke each word clearly and with a lack of emotion.
Eternity nodded finally looking away, making to turn, deciding against it, gazing fixedly at the floor. "You're dying." Her eyes flickered to a tree before looking back down to the floor. "But before you do die, Ms Tippet, you want him dead." She did turn away this time a sick feeling rising in her stomach. "Palzer's been dead for six months and in all that time you've just been dying a little more everyday." He spoke with true venom in his voice. It was frightening from a man who never showed his true feelings.
"Daybreak has no need for suicidal members. Remember that." His voice had dropped the anger as quickly as he had picked it up. Carthage was suddenly very close, his shoes to the left of her vision field lending him to be leaning against a tree. "We each have our vengeance to reek-"
"And what's yours?" She asked suddenly looking up into his eyes. He stopped talking, his eyes narrowed and his hand pushed him off from the tree he had been leaning against, leaving the gap between them far from sparse.
"Do you really want to know?" He asked challenging her with a unemotional voice and posture. She in turn dipped her head and let her fingers pass along the rugged bark of a near by oak tree. Moving behind the tree she took solace for a second away from his harsh cool gaze and those eyes. "And I think you already know."
Eternity took her head off the tree she had leant and beat it against a second earlier. She came out from behind the tree, sacrificing herself to the eyes. He spoke again clearly through the dead air of the cold winter's day. "Tell me darling ," He grinned as he studied her in full, stepping forward he reached out to her, she froze in horror, his fingers brushed her hair, her heart screamed to run, her head told her it was pointless, and then he stepped back.
He was holding out a little green caterpillar. She let out her breath she had not realised she had been holding. "Now tell me, Darling, why you are scared of me." She was shocked by this. He knew. He must do. "Now I know it's not the reason that everyone keeps fobbing me off with... It's not just because I took up your dear Palzer's place. That would make you hate me not" He made to touch her cheek, but just in time Eternity jumped back with a little squeal of fright, "do that when I made to touch you."
"Or could it be because of what we did?" He moved around her, a small smile snaking across his face. Eternity supported herself against a tree, breathing calmly.
"You did." She corrected him looking up with hateful eyes.
"Oh no, you were just as much a part of it as I." He moved around the back of the tree, temporarily disappearing from her sight. "And what on earth would Valerio ever have done if he ever found out. Tut tut tut."
"Don't you talk of him!" She yelled out jumping round to confront the beast behind the tree, startling a thousand birds from their nests. To her annoyance the beast was not behind the tree. She looked about but his figure was not in sight. She breathed out and collapsed on the floor. All the pain she had swallowed came out then. Tears etched out of her eyes, she hurled the sickness from earlier returning in double force. A pathetic sight.
Her short brown coat, a handout from many years ago, was covered in the sickness. At least it wasn't her long black one. That belonged with him. She would not wear it without him. Him. Before her the figure dropped. From high in the tree Carthage landed swiftly and giving a wide berth to the sickness. "Pathetic." He sneered.
She looked up at him with no reproach or anger, just sorrow. He was standing infront of her in a navy half unbuttoned shirt and black trousers in amongst almost snow conditions. Vampires. But not quite. Her vision blurred and she hurriedly wiped her eyes. Why now? Everything she had worked for the last six months came together tonight. And now she was surrounded by sick, her face was a mess and she was dirty.
She really was pathetic. Goddess what would Valerio think? Carthage seemed to take pity and came forwards to help her up. She backed off but stood up hastily straightening her clothes. Wiping her mouth she jumped over the sick and looked about for the way she had come. She could not tell. Carthage, however, nimbly walked off to her left. She complacently followed. It was over. And once more any thoughts of Valerio were packed up into a box and stored in the back of her mind.
-*-
"This mission will take place on the South Embankment, the warehouse is the target. Hellfire is supposedly using it for storage of his weapons. As most of you know Hellfire is a weapons dealer, specialising in weapons to use against shifters and torture weapons for humans. The wooden knife that Wellies is seldom without is one of his design. He deals only the best to the best. Our aim is to get information of his killings, and also who he's dealing to."
"Starkers, Wellies you go round the back and take the main brunt. Holly you go to the east of the building. There's an office there with information on the killings Hellfire makes. He likes to document them. If Hellfire, although all sources say he is residing in his central city flat, is there I want you out as quickly as possible. Ollie you'd better go to. Hayley and Eternity you are with me on the front."
"This is a plan of the building. The entrances are here...."
-*-
Eternity felt the shiver down Hayley's back as if it were hers. She glanced worriedly at her friend, examining her face with care. The last mission they'd all been on was the one the night before Valerio's death when they'd had several other squads backing them up and the danger to those who were not the bait was minimal.
Carthage inched forward straining like a dog on a tight leash. Hayley in response inched backwards, her face a mask of fear. Carthage turned to see her. "Stay here." He told Hayley whose shocked face caused an unusual smile to appear on the vampire's face. "Don't do anything I wouldn't." He patted her on the head before gesturing for Eternity to come forward with him. She followed obediently.
The front door was nothing but a rusted metal affair. It was not there to keep people out. Carthage picked it up quiet as a mouse and placed it next to the doorway. Eternity was the first into the warehouse. It was pitch black and dead quiet. A cold smooth tube was thrust into her hands. She closed her hands around it and ran her fingers up to find the button. A beam of yellow light shot out. Even a vampire couldn't see in pitch black.
A mimicking beam shot out from her boss next to her. ~Doesn't look like anyone's home. Still be silent. Or as silent as possible.~ Carthage arrogantly told her from where his torch beam began. She stepped forwards running into a mental table with a clunk. Carthage's face did not to have light on it for Eternity to know the expression.
She shone her torch on the offending object scanning quickly for a route through the littered warehouse. It was full of wooden crates with black writing on them, not in English. There were one or two other tables scattered throughout the wooden boxes as far as she could see. Edging her way around the table she crept down the alleyway.
Only then did the shot reach her. Her eyes widened and she ducked out of instinct. Instinct saved her life, the bullet flying half a millimetre above her head. She almost let out a scream of sheer shock and terror. She scrambled at her back searching for her gun. She'd never had to use it before. Her hands were shaking and her heart was beating so loudly that the vampires in the Black Dreams could of heard it.
"Move." A shout came to her over the black air. Oh shit, where was her torch? She scrambled aimlessly in the dark, dropping her gun. Shots rang out, this time a little further away. Letting in a breath she gathered her gun up, bullets all there, and abandoned her torch. Feeling her way about she reached back to what felt like the metal table.
"Watch were you're putting your hands sweetie." A voice said quietly in her ear as her hands ran along something soft. She drew the offending hand back to her mouth and stepped back hastily.
"Wellies where, what's going on? Was there someone here?" She asked barely speaking but knowing the shifter's advanced hearing would pick it up. His arm grasped hers. He took in breath to speak, but the words never formed. His arm convulsed at the same second.
He let out a shuddering breath as Eternity dived to support his falling body. She knew she could not for long. The bullets stilled reigned heavy. A trickle of liquid spilt down onto her hair and she spat out the small amount that fell into the curve of her mouth.
A running figure came round the corner and the familiar overly strong cologne of Starkers came into breathing range. "Woh. Wellies?" He asked concern aching at his voice. "Give him here Eternity." She passed the body as best she could to him. "It'll be alright. Ok, get out, now. Get out." She began to protest but one of the shooter's found them and they all had to duck. With no sight, all she could do was scramble feeling about on her tummy looking for the barest hint of moonlight.
It was many minutes before she reached anywhere near the exit. A slither of moonlight hinted on the edge of a surface. Eternity scrambled on all fours to reach it.
"Is that you?" She heard Hayley calling ahead. Good that must be Starkers and Wellies outside. Eternity rounded the corner and ahead of her she saw the distant lights of the city. The sigh of relief that elicited from her was long and calming the feeling didn't last.
A second later a scream of terror filled the air.
-*-
Review and the screamer will be revealed...... along with some more horror, males and guns. Life's beautiful.
Bex Drake: Dover is quite a cool character. He needs a little more work on him. Thank you so much for the compliments darling I'm not sure I deserved them but needless to say thank you!!!
Thade182: I love your vocab: fantabulous. Very funky little word. Men often die. I suppose they like dying in wars. Don't pull your hair out darling, it won't make me speed up and it may make me mourn the lost. Be patient. Like this chapter told you to be.
Anaita: I had to get rid of him because I'm mean. And I liked him too much. I haven't said weather they are soulmates or not and I have no intention of doing so yet. It's more fun to let you guess. Dover's a dude. But all will come out later.
Reduara: Valerio died. Sue me. I liked him too much so he had to go quickly and cleanly. Dover's dastardly deal as you so fantastically phrased it is naughty. So there. All explained.
Practikal magik: There is a big difference between Cathcarte and Carthage. Carthage is a mean bastard vampire and Cathcarte is a mean bastard human. I could have just said they were male without saying the mean bastard couldn't I? Boyfriends that don't kick the bucket are a health hazard ok?
Review!