Megan and Rob were at the arcade playing Dance Dance Revolution with Wendell and Matt. Rob and Wendell just finished up a round of Dead End on catastrophic mode and they were sweating like crazy. "Come on Wen, smoke break." Rob said. Wendell nodded, grabbed his stuff and followed him outside. Megan was already out there with Matt talking to James. They joined the trio in a social smoke.
James intervened Megan's typical gossip with his usual line, "Who are these bags of shit you speak of?" She turned and just looked at him with the silliest of faces as he said, "That would be you miss…." and smiled. Rob just gave him a funny look.
As they were all conversing Garan came flying up the stairs of the parking garage, rather aggravated. "Hi Garan!" Megan called to him and waved. He just gave her a look and stormed into the arcade. "Eww, bitch." she said. Rob and Wendell looked at each other and shrugged. Inside the arcade Garan headed straight for the Dance Dance Revolution machine. He hopped up on the platform and inserted his tokens. His first song selection was 'Stomp to My Beat'. He started to play, trying to focus on the arrows and the music to forget his anger and frustration.
Outside Megan, Rob, James, and Wendell were still smoking and talking. A baby blue Mitsubishi 3000GT came tearing around the corner of the lot, it came to a stop right next to the group. They all stopped and looked. "Danielle and….Crystal?!" Rob said in astonishment, "What are you guys doing here?" "Hi!!!" Megan yelled and waved at them. James walked around to the passenger side and grinned at Crystal.
"Your favorite person's inside." He told her.
"So he is here! I knew it." she said.
Crystal hopped out of the car and Danielle drove off to find a parking spot. She headed inside the arcade, and there he was in the middle of 'Drop Out' on catastrophic mode. As he finished the song he spun around to face her.
"What are you doing here?" he muttered.
"I was looking for you. I need to talk to you about what happened."
"Nothing to talk about. I obviously can't trust you to not get yourself in trouble. Just the way it was in the past."
"What the hell are you talking about?"
"I only showed you some things about your past. There are reasons why these things are going on that nobody knows, not even Danielle fully understands them."
"Then why don't you tell me?? You don't talk to me about anything!"
"It's for your own good."
"No! This is bullshit. I can't go on like this, with you never telling me how you feel. I care too much about you…."
She began to cry and ran outside. Garan stood there with a dumbfounded expression on his face.
When she got out to the lot she looked around for Danielle, James, Wendell, Megan, Matt, or Rob. Not one of them was in sight. The sky was dark and cloudy. She stood there looking like a lost child; sobbing so hard she was shaking. Garan came out behind her and wrapped his arms around her. He leaned over and lightly kissed her cheek. "I'm so sorry." He whispered in her ear. It began to downpour, thunder rumbled in the distance. She turned around to face him. Her bloody tears mingled with the pouring rain as the drops hit her face. "I can't take this anymore." she sobbed.
Garan was quiet. "Let's get you out of this rain. Come on, we'll talk in my car." he finally said. She followed him down the stairs to the second level of the parking lot to the Pathfinder.
Megan, Danielle, Rob, James, and Wendell were on their way back to the mall. They had gone over to the local McDonald's to get some food. All were riding in James' Bronco. "Why did Matt have to go home so early?" Rob whined. "Cuz he is a poop!" Megan said as she started laughing and threw a fry at him. James gave her a look. "Aww, shut up you cracker-ass cracker!" she told him as she picked up the fry off the floor, "See, all better?"
Danielle started cracking up. Wendell was too busy scarfing down his food to notice anything going on. James ignored her and popped in a CD, the Diablo II soundtrack, and cranked the volume. "Yes!" Rob cheered. Megan glared at James and yelled, "You whore!" over the deafening music. He just stuck his tongue out at her.
They finally arrived back at the mall. The Bronco tore up the ramp loudly as James hit the gas. They turned the corner on the second floor to see Garan leaning against the side of his truck. James pulled up next to him and parked. Danielle and Wendell were first out of the tailgate. "Hey Garan, what's up?" Wendell said.
"Umm…wait, where's Crystal??" Danielle asked.
Garan shot her a dirty look, and she shut up. Just as James, Rob, and Megan piled out a black Mustang GT tore out of a parking space a few spots down the row. A man nobody recognized was in the driver's seat accompanied by Crystal in the passenger side passed out. "What the hell is going on?" Megan said.
Rob looked over at the car, "Hey, isn't that Crystal?"
"Yeah, but who the hell is the other guy?" James said.
They turned to Garan for an answer but he had vanished. "What the fuck is going on here?!" Rob screamed.
"Wait a sec, Danielle's gone too…." Wendell said.
Crystal awoke in the car around an hour later, still driving. She didn't recognize any of the surrounding area they were driving through. Where am I? What happened? I can't remember… She turned to sit up straight and got a good look at the man driving. He was tall, a little over 6 foot. Dark waves cascaded down to frame a handsomely sculpted face with gorgeous gray eyes. He turned to her and smiled. "Good, you're awake." he said.
"Who are you?" she replied.
"My name is Gerard. I am an old…very old, friend of Garan. He explained the situation and asked me to take you someplace safe."
"Oh…but why? Why isn't it safe? He won't tell me anything; someone must know the answers. Surely you do!"
"I do. I will explain to you once we arrive at our destination."
"No, you have to take me back! I need to talk to Alex, and help Danielle find Marc!"
"I'm sorry, I can not. Garan ordered me to keep you here until he says otherwise."
"Please….please….he can't handle this by himself. Stupid arrogant bastard! Why does he have to do this alone?!"
He did not answer; they rode in silence.
"Wait a minute! You! You're the one that's been following me!" she cried.
"Yes, it was I. I watched over you when Garan could not."
Gerard turned off on a small dirt road surrounded by trees. The road opened up to a small clearing. In the center of the clearing was a small house. He parked around the back and got out. Crystal got out as well.
"Here we are." He said, "Come inside, and I will explain all to you."
She followed him through the back door into a scarcely furnished room. There were two chairs and a small table in the center. "Sit." He ordered. They sat down at the table and he began to talk.
"So, you want to know the whole story do you?"
Megan, Rob, Wendell, and James were still at the mall. They had walked up to the top floor of the parking garage and were standing in a circle chatting and smoking. "So….is anyone else weirded out?" Megan asked.
"I dunno, maybe Danielle and Garan had to go somewhere." Rob said.
"I don't know either, but I have to go. I got work in the morning. See you guys later." James said as he shook Rob and Wendell's hands, gave Megan a hug, and headed to his car.
Wendell looked at Meg and Rob, "So…what are we doing?"
Garan had jumped over the second story ledge of the lot and walked around the side of the mall, Danielle saw him and followed. She caught up with him and spun him around. "Gareth, what are you doing?! Why did you let Gerard take her?"
"I have my reasons, I trust him and I don't want to see her hurt anymore."
"Oh, and you think sending her away will solve it? You're still hurting her! And she won't be safe from him if he wants her. You and I both know this. Sabbat are relentless."
"No! He can not have her. I am going to go find him and finish this once and for all."
"You're crazy! You can't take him alone. It's suicide!" He ignored her and headed back up the stairs to the parking garage to his car. Megan, Rob, and Wendell were already gone. Garan turned to see if Danielle had followed him; she thankfully had not. So, it begins.
Crystal sat there quietly, wanting and waiting to hear Gerard's tale. "Where shall I begin? Oh yes…when I first met you. The year was 1768; Gareth and I were out one night at a local tavern we frequented. We heard screams outside and ran to see what had happened. You were standing out there screaming and crying. Baldric was attacking your husband at the time; he was killed. Gareth threatened him to stop, as you know…we don't kill humans. That is how they discover we exist and hunt us down, but the Sabbat don't care. Baldric turned and laughed at us, then dropped your husband and ran to grab you. I tried to get to you first but he was too quick. He wrapped his arms around you and started to slit your throat with his fingernail. You fainted immediately. Gareth was enraged by Baldric's arrogance so he ran up behind him and pointed his sword at the nape of his neck. He ordered him to let you go so he dropped you. I caught you and pulled you away to safety in our carriage. A group of mortal men emerged from the tavern demanding to know what was going on. Baldric threatened that he would come back for you and took off. Gareth joined me and we brought you back to his house. He healed your wound and put you in a bed until you awoke. When you woke you didn't remember much, we told you that your husband had been murdered. You were in shock at first, but you took to Gareth very quickly and he fell in love with you. He used to tell me that there was something about you that intrigued him so much, even though you were mortal. But this did not turn out to have a happy ending. Baldric did find you again like he had promised. One night while you were out together Gareth noticed him lurking around in a tavern you two were at. He didn't want to worry you so he said nothing. He kept his eye out for him throughout the evening but never caught so much as another glimpse of him. All of a sudden there was a great ruckus outside. He ordered you to stay there and he ran outside. From there you pretty much know the rest of the story. Baldric was the vampire who snatched you from the carriage and killed you." Crystal sat there in silence, letting what he had told her sink in. "Are you ok?" He asked her.
"I'm fine, but there is more isn't there?"
"Yes, there is…I'll sum it up for you since I am tired and I'm sure you are as well. Gareth and Baldric have been bitter enemies for centuries. You know the story of Kuro Hana as well right?"
"Yes I do."
"Ok, then you know about Ashleigh and how Baldric killed her. What you probably don't know is around those times Gareth and Kuro Hana had murdered Baldric's mate at the time as revenge for Ashleigh…and for you. No great loss in my opinion, Baldric's woman was nastier than he was. She was Lasombra, totally ruthless. The Sabbat have been after Garan and Jae ever since. That brings you up to date I think." He smiled at her, "Would you like to get some rest?"
"I am pretty beat, I could use some sleep." Gerard showed her to her room, wished her goodnight, and went to his room to sleep.
Garan was heading down Hwy 36 to the Atlantic Highlands. He turned down a small unpaved road that led to the dirty old warehouse. He parked his truck in the front and got out to look around. As he walked around the side of the building he heard a noise from behind. He spun around; it was Alex. "What are you doing here?" Alex asked.
"Where's Paul?"
"He isn't here, and I'd suggest you leave before he returns."
"I will not leave. I will finish him this time."
"Are you crazy? If even Nolan comes back you'll be in deep shit."
"Where's Marc? Is he with him? Tell me!"
"Yes, he is."
"Where? I know you know."
"They're down at Seaside if you want to try and find them." Garan didn't even reply, just ran off, hopped in his truck and sped away.
He flew down the Parkway and turned onto the Seaside exit ramp. Once he arrived he paid and parked in the lot, then proceeded to walk around looking for any signs of Marc or Nolan. After walking around the boardwalk for about 2 hours, he finally gave up and headed back to the parking lot. Alex fucking lied to me. As he was walking through the aisles of the lot he spotted Marc getting on his motorcycle. "Marc! Wait!" he screamed. Marc turned to look at him, gunned the engine and sped off.
"Motherfucker!" Garan cursed as he kicked the garbage can next to him. He ran to his car and started it up, then peeled out of the lot in search of the little Puerto-can. He caught up to him getting on the Parkway, stuck behind a line of cars at the toll. Garan clipped the rear of the bike as Marc tried to evade him. The bike crashed into a pole, sputtered, and died. Marc tumbled for a few feet and lie still in the grass. Garan stopped his car and got out. He approached Marc slowly, cautiously. Marc was groaning, half out of it. He struggled to get back on his feet, his wounds already healing. Garan leapt to grab him and put him in a headlock. "Marc!" he screamed. Marc fought and squirmed to escape his strong grip. But Garan was much older and more powerful. "Marc, I'm not letting go until you calm down and talk to me."
"What's to talk about?" Marc replied. He caught Garan off guard and wrestled out of his grasp. Garan desperately tried to grab him again but Marc turned and swung, connecting with Garan's cheekbone, knocking him to the ground. Garan turned and spat out, "Danielle for one. Why are you doing this?! She loves you and you love her. Did you forget all that?"
Garan got back on his feet and kicked Marc in the back of the leg, making him fall to his knees. He looked up at Garan dolefully and said, "I…I…I lost it when they took me away and sired me. I got caught up in the thrill and forgot what was important. I was sure that you weren't going to accept me anymore after all, I'm a Gangrel now. I was afraid. I'm sorry."
Garan smiled, "Why wouldn't we still accept you? I'm sure we can get over the boundaries of our separate clans. Welcome back. Ready to go see Danielle now?"
"Yes, but one thing first…Head or gut?" Marc asked.
"It's about the bike isn't it?" Garan replied with a smirk.
"Yup."
"Go ahead, hit me as hard as you can."
Marc pulled back and pummeled him in the chest. Garan bent over in pain for a second, then walked toward the car. He turned to Marc, "Coming?"
Marc laughed and shook his head as he headed to the car. "Wait, can we load my bike in the back first?"
"Yeah, sure."
Chapter 14 >>>