Part 8
Why did she even bother, anymore? At the moment Shiva was more inclined to find herself killing Valarie than helping the bitch. She couldn't understand why Valarie hated her so much. As far as she knew, she hadn't done anything to the girl. She sighed angrily, and sat down on her front porch.
She'd helped out Malachite Blackthorn of all people. Even he seemed to like her more than Valarie at the moment.
She lit a cigarette, staring blankly at the dark empty houses opposite hers. It wasn't even eleven thirty, and her family were already down for the night. Humans she thought, almost scathingly.
Sometimes it was hard being the outsider. She had never expected to be half vampire, and half human. That was *not* supposed to happen, for some unknown reason, it had to her.
As far as she knew, no one outside her family knew. Anyway, the vampire had been her father, and he was dead now. Her mother had remarried a human and had human kids. Shiva was surprised *she'd* managed to survive as long as she had.
She'd never really fir in with the Daybreakers, while she agreed with some of their ideals in theory, they weren't all that great in practice. She despised the Night World People. She hunted them whenever it was possible. She knew they would never accept her for who she was.
//Shiva?//
The male voice was in her head. Shiva dropped her cigarette, stamping out the glowing end, looking around in shock. How was that even possible?
"*Trey*?" she whispered, eyes piercing the darkness.
//It's kind of a long story.// A shadow from behind a nearby tree became a person. Average height, lack of made up by tended muscles, neat brown hair, sapphire eyes glittering in the darkness. He held up a hand, stopping her from coming towards him.
Shiva remained where she was on the porch. //Why come to me, Valarie will have a field day to know you're alive// She hated using her vampire powers. All it did was remind her she was neither one thing or another.
Trey shrugged uncomfortably. //Valarie isn't all that great. Don't tell her anything. I just had to see you.//
Shiva didn't know what to make of any of this. Valarie's whole crusade against Ara Redfern was based on the assumption that she had been responsible for Trey's death. But now Trey was actually *alive*, what the hell had happened that night?
She looked up to find him smiling sheepishly. //Don't ask. I'll explain soon//.
//Yeah, I know, but Valarie's going after Ara, who's joined the local Daybreakers. Do you really want to see them kick her ass?// That would certainly cheer Shiva up. Valarie was more of an organizer than a fighter. It was her and Nolan who did all the gritty work.
Trey didn't say anything. Shiva was confused. She was sure that look on his face was one of longing. Longing for what? Her? Valarie?
//Valarie's got more in her than you give her credit for,// he said.
Shiva shook her head. Whatever had happened to Trey, he didn't seem to be thinking straight. Maybe he was confused as well. Or maybe she was just over speculating. //Does anyone else know you're here?// she asked.
Trey shook his head. //I need to keep it that way. I'll be back soon.//
And he was gone. Shiva stood up and went inside her house. It was going to be very hard to keep her mouth shut about Trey's return. He had come to see *her*. Not Valarie. *Her.* Maybe it meant something, maybe it didn't.
She sighed, collapsing on her bed. Oh, this was going to drive her nuts. And just made her hate Valarie even more.
* * *
Why did she even bother, anymore? At the moment Shiva was more inclined to find herself killing Valarie than helping the bitch. She couldn't understand why Valarie hated her so much. As far as she knew, she hadn't done anything to the girl. She sighed angrily, and sat down on her front porch.
She'd helped out Malachite Blackthorn of all people. Even he seemed to like her more than Valarie at the moment.
She lit a cigarette, staring blankly at the dark empty houses opposite hers. It wasn't even eleven thirty, and her family were already down for the night. Humans she thought, almost scathingly.
Sometimes it was hard being the outsider. She had never expected to be half vampire, and half human. That was *not* supposed to happen, for some unknown reason, it had to her.
As far as she knew, no one outside her family knew. Anyway, the vampire had been her father, and he was dead now. Her mother had remarried a human and had human kids. Shiva was surprised *she'd* managed to survive as long as she had.
She'd never really fir in with the Daybreakers, while she agreed with some of their ideals in theory, they weren't all that great in practice. She despised the Night World People. She hunted them whenever it was possible. She knew they would never accept her for who she was.
//Shiva?//
The male voice was in her head. Shiva dropped her cigarette, stamping out the glowing end, looking around in shock. How was that even possible?
"*Trey*?" she whispered, eyes piercing the darkness.
//It's kind of a long story.// A shadow from behind a nearby tree became a person. Average height, lack of made up by tended muscles, neat brown hair, sapphire eyes glittering in the darkness. He held up a hand, stopping her from coming towards him.
Shiva remained where she was on the porch. //Why come to me, Valarie will have a field day to know you're alive// She hated using her vampire powers. All it did was remind her she was neither one thing or another.
Trey shrugged uncomfortably. //Valarie isn't all that great. Don't tell her anything. I just had to see you.//
Shiva didn't know what to make of any of this. Valarie's whole crusade against Ara Redfern was based on the assumption that she had been responsible for Trey's death. But now Trey was actually *alive*, what the hell had happened that night?
She looked up to find him smiling sheepishly. //Don't ask. I'll explain soon//.
//Yeah, I know, but Valarie's going after Ara, who's joined the local Daybreakers. Do you really want to see them kick her ass?// That would certainly cheer Shiva up. Valarie was more of an organizer than a fighter. It was her and Nolan who did all the gritty work.
Trey didn't say anything. Shiva was confused. She was sure that look on his face was one of longing. Longing for what? Her? Valarie?
//Valarie's got more in her than you give her credit for,// he said.
Shiva shook her head. Whatever had happened to Trey, he didn't seem to be thinking straight. Maybe he was confused as well. Or maybe she was just over speculating. //Does anyone else know you're here?// she asked.
Trey shook his head. //I need to keep it that way. I'll be back soon.//
And he was gone. Shiva stood up and went inside her house. It was going to be very hard to keep her mouth shut about Trey's return. He had come to see *her*. Not Valarie. *Her.* Maybe it meant something, maybe it didn't.
She sighed, collapsing on her bed. Oh, this was going to drive her nuts. And just made her hate Valarie even more.
* * *