Disclaimer: If you think I own the Night World or its affiliated characters, then please pay me the royalties you owe for reading this work, I could use the money. Otherwise, enjoy my ideas. The original characters are mine, as is the plot. If you like any of my characters, ask to use them. I would actually be interested to see someone else's perspective on the characters that have popped out of my head.
A/N and thanks at the bottom.
And… here's the next installment. Sorry for they major delay.
Love the Night Chapter 7Darkness. All that could be sensed in the space was darkness. Rowan, even only barely just returned to consciousness, could sense that much. Well, it's fitting for the Night World, was the first thought that came to mind as she open her eyes to try and probe the dark space more. A splitting headache forced her to crouch over as she sat up on the cold concrete floor. Reaching a hand to the back of her head, she winced slightly as the goose egg that was the cause of her headache was brush lightly by her fingertips.
A rustling to her right made her freeze and rise into a balance position on the balls of her feet; no one was going to get the drop on her this time. A moan echoed around the room, her vampire senses telling her that it had originated in the same general vicinity as the previous sound. Those same senses began to sharpen and capture what little light entered the room, and her eyes skimmed over a lump that was fairly body shaped.
"No," she begged to any one listening, as if it could change what she knew had happened, "Please don't be Mary-Lynnette…"
All hope that she may have had was lost as a familiar, and very confused, voice called out to her, "Rowan…?"
~~~~~
A pounding in her head only added to her disorientation. As she came back to consciousness, Mary-Lynnette tried to unfold her legs from under her, only to discover that her position had caused her left leg to cramp up. An involuntary moan escaped her lips as she began to stretch out her soar and mistreated limbs. She became aware of movement to her left, and, thinking she heard someone mutter her name, called out to the last person she had seen before she blacked out.
"Rowan…?"
"Oh, Mare…" Rowan crawled over to her friend and pulled her into a hug. "You shouldn't be here… they promised…"
Mary-Lynnette, suddenly in control of her wavering mind once again, could only think of one reply to that. "Yeah, I don't want me to be here either."
Rowan couldn't help but be relieved by the sarcastic remark that was so like her close friend. At least she's seems all right, Rowan thought to herself. At least she's still got her sense of humor.
As they got used to the little amount of light in the room, they were able to faintly see each other. Rowan could make out Mary-Lynnette's dress form the dance, which was know torn and wrinkled.
"Why can't they carpet hide outs. Why must it always be cold cement, and the captive in a tissue thin dress?"
Mary-Lynnette felt so out of her normal range that the only way she felt that she could cope was to keep the conversation as innocuous as possible. "Did you get the number of the bus that hit me?"
The response shocked both of them out of humor, though.
"Har, har, Mare," so full of sarcasm that they knew Kestrel had been awake for a bit; probably annoyed with them for leaving her with only her thoughts for a time.
"Kestrel!" Rowan definitely felt worse now, "What's going on? Do you know why we're here? How did you get here? You weren't with us at the dance." Rowan could have easily continued in an endless rant of questions, if she wasn't cut off by Kestrel's quick glance towards Mary-Lynnette.
Switching to telepathy, Kestrel began to explain to Rowan the events that occurred at burdock farms just a few hours before hand. She also explained how she tried to follow Tom to find out what they were using as a hide out. But, she didn't realize that Tom had two cronies following him until she reached a clearing and was then surrounded by the two goons and Tom. That was what really annoyed her and caused her foul temper; she walked into a fairly obvious trap.
~~~~~ (earlier, in the clearing)
"What have you done to Rowan? Where is my sister?" Kestrel demanded, adding, almost as an after thought, "and the girl?"
"Now, now love." In an annoyingly fake British accent, "You'll be seeing them soon enough." And with that, Tom backed away as his two goons closed in on Kestrel.
~~~~~
Their telepathic conversation was cut short by Mary-Lynnette breaking in.
"What's going on guys?" Worry had started to make its way into her voice, and that only scared her more. "Those guys at the dance, they're vampires, aren't they?" The lack of response from either of the sisters confirmed her suspicions. "Is this about me? 'Cause you guys broke those laws? Or because of Ash…"
Rowan quickly cut her off, "No! Don't even think that."
For once, Kestrel was in full agreement with her sister. "This is not about you or our brother. At least not about your… connection… with him. In fact, don't even think about him like that around these guys."
Rowan tried to explain Kestrel's comments once she say the confused and hurt expression.
"As long as they think you are just an innocent human you are safe. All they know is that they have been ordered to capture the Redfern sisters. Only that. You're just mixed up in this because you were with me."
Mary-Lynnette could feel her throat tightening up, and quickly gathered herself before she showed any weakness before her friends. But she couldn't keep all the shakiness out of her voice. "Guys, I'm really getting scared now."
"As well you should." Caught up in comforting their friend, neither Redfern sister heard the door to their prison open and Tom walk in.
Kestrel, way past her tolerance level for tom, growled at him, "Go away."
Mary-Lynnette watched in amazement as the sisters respond similarly as they had done a year before, when their brother walked unexpectedly into the living room of their aunts house. Pretending to be braver than she felt she turned to their captor. "Who are you? Why are you doing this? Just let them go and live in peace. They don't want to go back to…"
She had never been slapped before. The force caused her to spin slightly and fall back to the ground from her kneeling position.
"Shut up, vermin." The insult was literally spat in her direction, spray from his saliva hitting her aching cheek. "I don't take questions from the likes of you."
Rowan once again grabbed Mary-Lynnette into a comforting hug. "She's ten times better than you will ever be."
Kestrel, acting very out of character, joined her sister in crowding near Mary-Lynnette. "Yeah, Tom. We would much rather spend time in her company than yours. Or wasn't that obvious when we left." Her eyes were flashing amber, showing the fury that was barely contained in her being.
Kestrel's show of defiance seemed to amuse their captor. "But your family misses you, oh so much." Tom started to laugh as he saw the girl's anger increase. "But that is a concern for later. What I'm wondering right now is why two upper class lamia care so much about the well being of vermin, which they could have know for no less than a year?" As Tom spoke he circled the group of three, glaring at Mary-Lynnette, as if he could will her to tell all her secrets.
Kestrel smirked, "Well, why don't you just read her mind?"
Rowan and Mary-Lynnette looked at Kestrel as if she had lost her mind. This guy was a vampire; he had the power to read minds.
But Kestrel knew exactly what she was doing, as she continued,
"Wait… you can't read her mind. You're blocked, and can't use any telepathy." Kestrel now wore a feral grin; she was enjoying herself.
Tom clearly wasn't enjoying the little exchange.
Rowan broke in before Tom could erupt, most likely taking it out on Mary-Lynnette.
"She's our friend. She gave us a chance when other's wouldn't."
"Anyways, we're Circle Daybreak now, we're supposed to care about what happens to humans now, right?" Kestrel just couldn't drop the sarcasm from the conversation.
Tom wasn't fooled though, "You're purposely antagonizing me. Why? What are you trying to keep from me about this little girl?"
Mary-Lynnette was fed-up with being talked about as if she wasn't there. When her soulmate was patronizing it could be cute, up to a point. This guy was just plain getting on her nerves. "She's not so little."
Her spunk made Tom scoff, but it also made him forget his previous line of inquiry. Well, we'll see about that. Put these on." A lumpy bundle was tossed in the general direction of the girls, and a glare was given to Mary-Lynnette. "Can't have unwelcome attention because of your appearance." And with that he left, one again leaving the girls in semi darkness.
* * * *
"I wish we had some way to tell what time it is?" She knew it was near dawn, as there was some light coming through a previous unknown window, placed high on the wall. The darkness had definitely taken its toll on the girls, Mary-Lynnette in particular, who was still in the dark, literally and metaphorically, about why this was even happening. She had changed out of her of her ruined dress and into the pair of jeans, that were a little too big, and a man's shirt. The clothes were obviously picked out of someone else's wardrobe at the last minute, and not bought for their current purpose. Mary-Lynnette had also taken enough of the sisters' silence, and was determined to finally get some answers.
"So, what is going on? Obviously you know that guy."
Rowan could no longer deny Mary-Lynnette any answers. She deserved to know what they were up against. "Yes, from the enclave."
Kestrel didn't even look away from the wall that she had been staring at for a while now.
"Is that why this is happening? Because you ran away?" Mary-Lynnette was trying to understand, "But that was a year ago, why now? I thought Ash going back made everything safe…" She broke off as Kestrel finally looked away from the wall to share a glance with her sister. Mary-Lynnette could tell they were debating silently with each other, deciding if and what they would tell her. She could see it in their eyes: Rowan's, full of such calm strength and regret; Kestrel's, just as fierce as always, with anger shining behind, but not anger at Rowan or Mary-Lynnette. Mary-Lynnette could understand the feeling; it was anger at their situation. Kestrel was angry at having to tell Mary-Lynnette something, yet knew it had to be done.
After almost a minute of the fierce silence, Rowan sighed as she turned towards Mary-Lynnette.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
A/N: Once again, thank you for reading my story. I hope that you still find it enjoyable, or you are enjoying it for the first time. I apologize for the horrible amount of time that this story was left untended. I am a very evil person. My roommate will swear to that under oath. From now on, e-mail me; make me feel guilty; send me ideas of where you think it should go; if you find that I am not updating. This story originally started in my head after I first read DoD. It was the seen in the dance, when they see each other from across the room, and Ash ignores all other girls to get to his soulmate. I did not see it becoming more, and am trying hard to write chapters that you deserve to read.
College is quite busy by itself. Throw in that I'm on the quarter system, just took over a choir director position, started TA'ing for an anatomy lab (which means I teach while the teacher wanders around), and started the dreaded evil known as Organic Chemistry, and you understand why I slept all weekend long. But on the bright side, I dropped fencing, am only taking three classes, and get eight hours of sleep a night. I hope that my original faithful readers are still hanging in there, and that any new readers, and unknown readers, will hang in there for this to be completed. I, at least, promise you that much. I will complete this story, one way or another.
Enough of my rambling: I wish to thank my reviewers. If you are not named specifically you are still being thanked, I just don't know who reviewed after I last updated. Review again and you will get named next time.
sorrel rowan: Wow, thank you so much for your constant support in this endeavor. It is for readers like you that I feel guilty when I don't update.
God'sgurl: Thank you as well for your input. I don't know where this story is going. It may get angry at times, but I will try to keep you in mind will choosing the expressive language that the characters engage in.
Thade182: thank you. It's nice to know that my story is worth a review at least.
Eva: Now you know what has happened to Kestrel.
Arrylle Gamere: Thank you for your review. I never liked the idea of having to define my own characters when there were perfectly good ones already thought up. Enjoy.
Zeelee: I don't think I've read a fic that I liked where Kestrel is portrayed in a large role. She is a very strong personality that has its own twists that seem contradictory at times, yet just right at others. She is very independent, but also holds a fierce loyalty to those she considers her own. Oh, well. I'm trying my best not to lose her.
All others. I thank you for taking the time to review my story. It can only get better if I know what you don't like, or do like. And those who haven't reviewed, I hope you enjoy the story.