Disclaimer: Same as last chapter. No profit, etc.
Author: J.A.K
Rating: PG-13/R (I changed it to PG-13 because no real language *or*
situations have made their appearance yet.) ...this chapter has a little
swearing..."
Summary: What would you do if your sister's rapist turned out to be your
soulmate? This is the story of a girl who had to
answer that question.
Author's Note: A little bit rushed, and not as good as I'd like it, but
it's all I can produce with such limited time (I have a competition tomorrow,
and a wedding on Sunday), but hopefully it's good enough.
Redaura: That's the young woman, who has only
been revealed to you so far as Ms. Lanai.
Lady Fire eyes: Thanks for the words of encouragement and thanks for
understanding.
Zabella: I sincerely hope so.
Enough of my blabbering...on with the story!
Enjoy!
#Chapter Three B#
The door closed with a nearly combustible bang. However, to my immense
surprise, it flared open only seconds later.
"Is everything okay in here sir?"
I shut my eyes lightly, feeling the tips of my lashes tickle the surface of my face.
Everything was not okay. There was word that a meeting had been called where all leaders of every Night World faction had supposedly assembled to speak of "Past Millennium" issues. Sources were shaky and information was tight, but from what I'd gathered, The Council along with its followers, weren't too thrilled about their recently affronted chance to reign as kings on their respective thrones, built on human death.
No...The Millennium hadn't been the appointed time for battle; and because it wasn't, it had everyone anxious in their uncertainty as to when the prophesized clash of the worlds would come.
My job was to stay attentive and watch for any suspicious activity or signs that would give clues for how, where, and when it would begin.
Opening my eyes, I looked up inquisitively at who I knew happened to be a relatively new guard.
"Why did you take this job?"
I realized the question came from left field, but I couldn't help myself.
The guard- Erry as he said he liked to be called- was the very picture of proper composure, though it was clear he was confused.
"Well..." He glanced heavenward as if gathering his thoughts. "I took this job because I knew it would be both an honor and a privilege to serve for a Lord of the Night World" He paused and added a smile that was filled with a little bit of awe "Who just happens to be the oldest living vampire on earth."
I watched him closely unsure of whether to be amused or uncomfortable.
Sitting up in my chair I crossed my legs and propped my intertwined fingers on my lap. "That was certainly the text book answer." He colored slightly. "Now really- why did you want this job?"
Erry cleared his throat and straightened his tie before responding. "You pay well, you treat us well, and—if I may be so bold—you're a pleasant person to be around in general."
I felt that that was a reasonable enough answer, but yet my shoulders refused to release any of its tension. There was no extenuating or exacerbating detail that highlighted him above the others, but still I persisted.
"Do you like the area in which you are currently patrolling?" I paused "It's different from L.A. in many ways but similar in others." I tipped my head up. "What do you think?"
"I find it really soothing here." He replied smoothly. "About five minutes back I was even taking a walk around the area to enjoy the scenery."
My head nodded slightly in agreement to his last statement, but stopped when my mind sharpened in awareness.
"Where were you walking?"
His eyes unfocused as he considered.
"Around that broad strip of road called Northern Boulevard."
Somewhere in the recesses of my mind, a voice whispered "a-ha!"
I unwound my fingers, and tried to appear flippant as I grasped the arms of my chair.
With forced nonchalance I continued.
"Isn't that about twenty blocks from here?"
His eyes widened almost imperceptibly and his gaze became fixed on the glass wall behind me. "I think that's about right."
"How did you get here so fast then?" I knew exactly what he saw as my brain told my face to appear innocently confused.
"Vampire legs and all that..." He trailed off his sentence but must have seen by my expression that I needed more. "You know." He concluded, and gave me what I'm sure he thought to be a conspiring wink.
I forced assurance on my features and sat back.
"Yes—I know."
His eyes became imploring. "Can I return to my post now?"
My thoughts were merging together and were forming to make a gigantic whirl wind.
I was almost mentally unable to form complete sentences at the moment.
"Yes of course."
He turned to leave.
"Erry, what is your full name."
He paused in his strides.
"I wasn't even aware that you knew half of my name."
I felt my voice tighten with anticipation, but pushed calmness to enter the surface of my lips. My legs slackened, and I twisted my grip so tightly that the metal began to take mold and take the shape of my finger.
"I make it a point to know all of my employees."
He was silent for about ten seconds, but then shrugged resignedly as though coming to a decision.
"Erebus, sir." As he turned, his face became partially revealed.
Conviction came and settled into the depths of my still heart.
"Thank you."
His mouth curved up fractionally and then he twisted back around.
"Can I leave now?"
Already captivated by my own thoughts, I barely heard what he said. I gave a short grunt of concession and let the sound of his footsteps lull me out of a deep setting reverie.
In Night World Mythology, I remembered that there had been two siblings: Night and Erebus. And, if memory served me right, they were both the children of Chaos.
Tiny beads of sweat began to line my forehead as a well of unused panic bubbled inside the shell of my chest.
Question upon
question plagued me, but my most pressing query was,
how did one amass a resistance army in less than two hours?
*********************************
I had left Thierry's temporary place of residence, only to wind up in the most god forsaken place on the planet:
A crowded bar in Times Square.
That was over an hour ago and I was three tequila shots past becoming what I already was; drunk.
I was currently positioned insecurely on a stool, nursing my blood-spiked drink, when some loud as fuck assholes decided to ban together and sit next to my seat. From their overly enthused and easy-going attitude, I could tell that they weren't from around here.
Okay. I knew that I wasn't exactly a registered resident of the city, but really...was there a sign that read 'All annoying tourists- come join Kailand here'.
Trying to remember why I had come here in the first place, I began weighing all the advantages of attending this bar, starting from the most to least.
At the middle minimum of advantages, the establishment in its own right was very well kept.
At the bare minimum of advantages, the management was owned by Night People.
The general Night World populace was extremely irritating all by themselves... but when the adage of humans were thrown into the mix, a ball ground ripe for potentially exasperating possibilities, occured.
At least no one recognized me, I thought; or if they did, they didn't have the gall or the nerve to approach me.
That was until three minutes later when I received a note, given to me by the bartender.
I started to read it, but the words, began blurring together.
Around my fifth attempt at mumbling aloud and thinking at the same time, I became frustrated.
"Don't people know how to send messages telepathically anymore?" I yelled.
Many patrons around me halted in whatever it was they were doing and immediately arrested me with a mixture of confused and accusatory eyes.
I rolled my own eyes (especially at the other Night People) and got up.
"That does it." I mumbled winding out of my stool.
I walked to the person who was nearest to the furthest person who had heard my outburst.
"Can you read this for me?"
I barely glanced at her face, but felt appeased—even through my drunken stupor—because she had taken the paper from me.
She looked it over once before opening her mouth.
"It
say's:
Chaos is coming,
run from the night
Run from them
but run from the light
Run to a place where to give
is to respond
Into the safe arms of a
more than blessed bond."
She looked up at me expectantly, but was seemingly surprised to see that I was mirroring her own expression.
"What?" she asked.
I could smell and see for the first time that she was just as inebriated as I was—even more so. Amazingly enough, somewhere in the fissure of my mind, I wondered, almost soberly, how a human woman could hold her liquor better than I could.
I shook my head slightly, remembering what I wanted to say. "All those words fit on that?"
She didn't laugh or even pause momentarily to oblige me.
She simply asked me why I looked so familiar. Her eyes were glazed and I thought maybe alcohol wasn't the only reason for her high.
When her query reached my ears, I thought maybe she wasn't human after all, because that was the exact question I wanted to ask her. I was more than positive I knew her from somewhere, though at the moment, it didn't register how. But before I could open my mouth to inquire further on the matter, before I could even form the words to speak, an ear splitting scream entered the space of the bar. It was quickly followed by an explosion; or what sounded distinctly like one.
That seemed to be the appropriate time for my exit. The last thing I needed was for Thierry to blame what ever was behind the source of this confusion on me. Even further from the thought of such an irritating encounter, was the prospect of him trying to preach to me about things I didn't give two shits about.
I had to get out of here.
An 2: Reviews are greatly appreciated and muchly adored!
