**A Lost Tale**

Disclaimer: The Night World is owned by Lisa Jane Smith. Characters are regularly spat out by the freak show known as my creative mind.

Rating: The reason I have put one of these in here is because this is an action story. There's lots of fighting, moderately bad language, but only because of the impact it has. Please don't read this if you know you are too young. You have been warned.

Author's Note: Hi. *shrieks while she dodges sharp knives* Okay, okay! I'm sorry it took forever to get this out, but a lot of bad stuff has been happening I had to work through. Including that there was work so my weekends were gone, exams so my evenings were gone and hey, I need sleep! Anyway, I apologise a thousand times for the huge delay but now I have holidays so I can work it out. Thank you so much to those who reviewed! To Penguin, Nerian, Raquel, Sharmeen and Medusa Descoudres, thanks cannot say it enough. You are all FANTASTIC! You make this story work, really you do. I hope all my readers forgive me for taking this long as I solemnly promise to try and never do it again! Please continue reading and reviewing, because that's what makes me carry on. Even if you're too lazy (ahem, busy) to write a review, just a few words of praise will do (*grins*). And if you're kind enough to offer a few words I will sing your lavish praises for aeons to come.

Anyway. One with the next part! Hope you enjoy this action! One question: are the cliffhangers bothering you guys? I was just rereading over this and I saw how many there were. Honestly, they seem fine to me, but you are the readers so tell me if I should stop. And you'll have to read if there is another cliffhanger here *grins evilly*.

Enjoy!!

**A Lost Tale**

Chapter Nine

"You wished for me, my lady?"

I dont know how long I have been staring at him, my eyes so wide I am sure my eyeballs will pop out any second.

Is this real? Or am I dreaming? Is this yet another fantasy from which I want to wake, only to want to fall back into?

He pulls me closer and then – wonder of wonders, am I awake? – his lips descend on mine.

Oh, this is gooooood.

Brilliance the colour of a cleaned sword explodes into my mind, and a shiver-soft mind suddenly encases mine. A thousand murmurs start up and all I can do is lean against him. I want to leap on him and rip all his clothes off, and at the same time I just want to continue this caress of his lips on mine.

Oh. Reality is so much better than fantasy.

Finally, many long – minutes? Moments? Hours or years? – later his head lifts and his eyes bore into mine.

My heart is beating so fast I think it'll give up any second, then Drake smiles a smile so sexy it would turn any females to mush.

Fortunately, I am not any female. Anger so strong it makes me see red roars through my body, and in a fierce rush I direct it at him, bunching it all, then throwing it in a sort of mental bazooka.

It hits him like a powerful punch and he inhales sharply, his eyes dilating for a second. He almost staggers back but catches himself. In that moment of weakness I tug at his hands, meaning to free myself.

Drake keeps a steely hold on me.

Then he straightens and fixes me with a glance of eyes that have gone completely black. He smiles sardonically.

"Very good," he murmurs, drawing his hands around my waist and pulling me flush against him, and immediately I'm pressed against a body as hard as a tree stump – a body I've dreamt about for weeks now.

How strange. I want to press closer, yet run screaming from the room.

I compensate, and try to pull back. Drake only lifts an eyebrow and refuses to budge. "Let go of me," I hiss quietly.

He tuts. "Come, come. You don't want to draw attention to yourself, do you?" His eyes take on a hooded look as they travel my body from head to toe, pausing in several choice places. "Although…wearing that dress…attention will be one that thing that wont be missing." He finally draws his eyes back to mine, and at that moment I snap. But I dont scream – I know he is right about the attention thing.

Instead I do one thing better.

I smile sweetly, catching him off-guard. Then I step on his toes. Did I mention I'm wearing five-inch heels? With a satisfied grin, I hear three of his toes snap. I slam a barrier over the soulmate link just in time, feeling the pain that was rolling down to me stop.

To his credit Drake doesn't stop smiling. He just lifts his foot slightly off the ground and shakes it loose. Then I hear the bones popping into place.

Damn. He heals faster than me. Although, I suppose his witch-powers have something to do with that.

Then he laughs. A rumble that rolls through his body and sets off a dangerous chain-reaction through mine. "Touché," he murmurs. Suddenly he pulls me closer, twirling me. It is by sheer will power I dont lose my balance. I straighten and glare at him. "What the hell do you think you are doing?" I hiss.

"Dancing. We are on a dance floor, right?" he is all innocence. I turn and stalk off. Seconds later I feel him grab my hand and he pulls me back. The DJ has started playing a tango beat and Drake places his hands on my waist.

"Don't—" I start just before he dips me so deep I feel like my back will break. Then he snaps me up and suddenly I am twirling.

Wow. He is a really good dancer.

I stamp firmly on that thought and stop spinning. Does he want to play this game?

Fine.

I sashay back to him, clapping my hands like the dancers do in the streets of Mexico. Drake has lifted an eyebrow and is watching me with a hungry expression in his eyes. I grin a seductive smile as I stop in front of him and do a slow turn so he can see the whole of me.

Then I spin and go into a simple one-two-three step, my body one seductive sway of muscle and vampiric grace. I dance closer and spin around him, grabbing his shirt lapels and pull him close enough to kiss.

But I dont. I just dance away again.

I dance like I've never danced before, enjoying the dance, enjoying the way Drake looks completely thunder-struck, enjoying….

Enjoying everything.

Then – with a final spin that leaves me a little breathless and lifts my skirt high – I stop.

He is still standing there watching me, his eyes hooded. It is only then he takes a stop toward me. But I am faster. I shoot Drake a smile and stalk off.

Then the music fades and I realise what I was doing.

Panic slams into me, hard and fast, and all of a sudden, I'm running, dodging dancing bodies and reaching the stairs. I spring the five steps straight up, landing like a cat. The door is already open and I shove whoever is coming through out of my way, then shoot past the guard who is being harassed by some vampire chicks, who give me all dirty looks.

Usually, I would have hurt them horrifically, but I am being chased by my psychotic soulmate, so I let it go.

Instead, I run up the stairs, taking the steps five at a time. My panic increases at each leap and bound and by the top I am gasping for air. For a moment I stand undecided, then I feel a faint tug at the soulmate link.

With a shocked gasp I slam a barrier over it, knowing he will use it to sense where I am.

Frantically, I look around, then run left. Behind I hear the basement door slam open.

"Sierra!" A voice growls in my mind.

"Leave me alone!"

Shit. I shouldn't have said that. Now he knows where I am. I let out a frustrated growl as all I encounter is a long, empty, dark hallway filled with doors. And all of them are closed.

I try each one with a growing sense of panic, knowing that if I dont find an open one now, he will find me. And although he won't risk hurting me I dont know what he wants with me. The look in his eyes promised an eternity spent in a cage, ensuring I dont trouble him nor get myself killed.

I'd rather died.

A triumphant gasp leaves my lips as a door opens in my hand. I quickly step in and close and lock it, then back into the room. Gods, I hope he doesn't find me.

I turn and survey the room, wondering whether I can make a quick quick-getaway. My night-vision shows me everything. It is a bedroom—

And there are two forms in the bed!

I leap back with a shriek as one rises like the Headless Man – or woman, I see as the light is flicked on.

"Si?" A familiar, half-sleepy voice enquires, and then I see two glittering topaz eyes looking at me. I stare as she stands from the bed, motioning to Amrick to put his gun down.

Placing a shaking hand over my heart I attempt to calm it. "Topaz," I say, trembling. "I never want to see you half-naked again."

She grins, then pulls on a shirt and a pair of pants. When I turn to face Amrick he is also tugging a shirt on, keeping his pyjama bottoms on. There are bears on them.

"Cute," I comment. He bows and leaves, after a glance from Topaz signalling we need some quiet time. I am about to shriek not the door, when he walks out through a painting in the wall. Good. I could not bear it if Topaz's soulmate was hurt because of me. She is about to suffer enough pain.

"Si," she murmurs softly as she sits back down onto the bed. "What is going on?"

"Sierra Rion!"

The mental voice slams into me with all the velocity of an enraged bull and I sink to the floor under the sudden pain. Gasping, I clutch at my head, trying to keep myself from fainting. Instead, I promise myself I will tear him to pieces. As soon as I stop running.

Tremblingly, I stand, then notice Topaz staring at me curiously. She rubs her eyes slowly, then asks in a surprised voice. "Sierra, what was that?"

And with those words my panic slams back. It clutches at my veins, sinking ice water into them, freezing my heart. It shrieks in my ears, demanding attention, demanding I surrender – and I have to grab Topaz's arm to stop from falling again.

"That is Drake Blackthorn," I gasp.

"The guy who threatened you?" Topaz says mildly. Then suddenly her eyes started snapping and she straightens, a feral look coming into her eyes. "Is he?"

"Please, help. He's after me." I know I should feel like a coward saying this but I only feel like I'm going to die pretty soon. Topaz grabs my hand. "Is that the guy who threatened you?" she says slowly, her voice so icy even I shiver. I have never heard her like this. It seems not only I love my friends.

"Yes," I nod.

"Why?"

For a moment, I debate, then I hear footsteps in the hall and I decide. "He's my soulmate," I blurt. "And, and – I dont know what the hell he wants, but he's dangerous, Topaz. And I know you can take care of yourself but – but, please dont get yourself killed for me."

Down the hall I hear a door splinter open and my eyes open wider. "Now I have to go."

Topaz's face has gone so emotionless it is scary. "Come," she says and I shudder as I hear the hollow toneless-ness of her age in her voice. Do I sound that scary when I forget myself?

She grabs my hand and leads me toward the balcony. With a single push the doors are opened and she shoves me onto them. Then she hugs me fiercely. "Jump," she orders.

She turns and flicks the light on. She pulls a bag out from underneath the bed and draws a crossbow out. At hearing my panicked gasp, she turns and grins scarily. "Don't worry, I wont kill him. Just cut off a limb or two," she adds thoughtfully, checking her weapon works.

When she turns back around and sees me standing there, still gaping at her, she scowls. "Did I not tell you to jump?"

I open my mouth to say something – and realise there is nothing left to say. Instead, I take off my shoes and grab the railing. I am on the ninth floor – which house has nine floors?

Dear Gods, dont let me die.

I launch as I jump, tensing my body for the fall, really wishing I hadn't worn a dress toniiiiiiiii—

I land hard, my scream dying in my throat. I turned in the air so I land on my forearms, rolling around to absorb the shock. Still, I hear my right wrist and four fingers on my left hand splinter very definitely.

I howl softly with the pain, wincing as I straighten. Crouching I shiver at the agony, my pupils dilating. Growling, I push the pain away, then stand.

Or try to. I sink back down with a definite howl. Okay, I was wrong. My ankle has snapped again.

It is another full minute before all my bones have clicked into place and I straighten cautiously, staring up at the house fearfully.

What did I do to Topaz? More importantly, what is Drake doing to her?

I close my eyes, battling fear and indecision.

Then an image emerges.

Topaz and I, a thousand years ago. She is dragging an unconscious me from a fire, a fire that had been a set-up some who wanted the Two dead. An arrow is protruding from her arm and she is cursingly close to exhaustion – yet she is dragging, doggedly.

And as I open my eyes I realise I can't leave. I turn and take a step toward the house, wondering how I can get back up there without racing through the house.

A sudden, loud booming noise makes me shock and look up. The balcony I jumped from is smoking, and a chair flies out. Then a couch. Then a bed. At each item I have to dodge and my eyes are opening wider and wider.

What the hell is going on up there?

Then a body staggers out and I see a flash of black hair as he straightens. "Listen, vampire. I dont want you. Just tell me where she is," he growls.

Topaz walks out onto the balcony, laughing softly. "I dont think so. You have to get through me first."

Drake doesn't even let her finish. He launches a punch at her that she dodges, a kick she jumps away from. Then he twists his fingers in the air and she is caught up in a shimmering haze of gold.

Outrage bursts forth from me and I step forward, just as Drake launches Topaz off the balcony.

The frightened shriek lodges itself in my throat as Topaz does an incredible body twist, mid-air. She grabs the edge of the railing and flips herself up onto the next floor. For a moment she disappears from view, then she leans back over. I hear her mocking laughter. "Come on, surely the great Drake Blackthorn can do better than that?"

Drake sighs and grabs the railing. But before he can perform the same trick I step forward.

Time to stop running.

"Drake," I call, almost feeling Topaz's astonishment. My love's – and I say that with regret – head twists so fast toward me I feel it should break. His eyes bore into me from nine floors away.

In that moment I push all my regret, longing, fear, love – and yes, there is lots of that – away and face him. Dramatically, I lift my arms.

"Here I am," I say, my voice carrying a weird sort of hollowness.

"Come and get me."

Drake stands there for a few seconds, no doubt trying to guess what my trick is. Oh, it is no trick, I think, willing him to hear me. I just want this over with. I want my life back.

Then he jumps, straight down, looking impossibly like a graceful panther.

And for the briefest moments, I wish it could work. I wish we could stop fighting. I wish we could be like Topaz and Amrick.

But he is already hitting the ground, landing like a cat, his black shirt fluttering in the night air.

Then he straightens and watches me. "Sierra," he says. "You really are a hard girl to get a hold off." He laughs softly and shakes his head, then sweeps a hand in a gesture that encompasses everything. "This is getting monotonous."

"Oh, shut up and lets get this over with," I snap, unable to stand the shivers his voice are provoking in me.

He is surprised, but stands to attention. He shrugs, then, and says, "Okay."

And I push away the voice that protests at the fact that he didn't. Instead, I get into a fighting position, emptying my thoughts. Tonight, it'll end.

Either way.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~end of part nine~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~#

Please review! I'll love ya forever! Please? Please?