Hello everyone!
Guess what! I've finally found myself a beta reader! And a wonderful one at that!
Nightcrawler, you can laugh at me all you want, but I couldn't work with the html file you sent me. I wanted to add certain things, like a proper title and these notes and I just didn't know how to do it, so I copied and pasted everything back to a word file. Please don't be mad at me! This chapter's dedicated to you.
To everyone who reviewed last chapter. . . thank you so very, very much. You made my day.
And Ori, I think I can tell you that Talia definitely used protection. No glove, no fun! Actually I remember a debate from when I was in school about the impact media, and popular culture, have on individuals. Did you know that James Bond, idol of millions of people around the world and a very. . . active man, is never seen to use protection? There are protest groups signing petitions to have James Bond mention a condom in his next movie! Err. . . Can I say the word condom here? Oh, well!
Okay now, here's a little thing I prepared earlier to show you the logic behind reviewing.
To review is to show me that you love me, and my story. Even flames (though I haven't had any yet!) mean that you've cared enough to actually read it. Any feedback that I get puts me in a good mood. If I'm in a good mood, I'm encouraged to write. And so, I give you the next chapter faster.
Also, I keep thinking that if you care enough to read my story, I should care enough to write it and write it well. It acts as a wonderful guilt trip. I sit at the university café, having coffee with friends, and all the while I keep thinking that I should be in room typing away the next chapter of Talia. Sad aren't I? Still, don't knock it if it works.
Pleeeeaaaase review. . . .
.
.
Chapter 33: What nightmares are made of
"The man, my lord, leaves no opportunity to do good to pass. Between his charity work and his raising of money for the poor, he's practically a saint!
"That neighbourhood was one of the worst in Los Angeles. Gang wars, drug dealing, prostitution; you name it, they had it. Total, marvellous chaos in its purest form! But this man is single-handedly ruining everything for us. He's helping drug addicts through rehabilitation, he's opened a new shelter for the homeless, and he's taken dozens of kids off the streets!
"We've sent other mortals against him, sire; street gangs, drug lords, but so far they've all failed. We need to be allowed to send a demon after him."
The Source nodded his head thoughtfully. He looked into the small, stone pool where the face of a young man smiled up at him. Craig Doyle was twenty- nine years old. A former policeman, he had chosen to return to the neighbourhood he grew up in and had opened, and currently ran, a homeless shelter and a youth centre. His tireless devotion had given the community hope where there was none before.
"Kill him," he said, in a tone that made even the bravest of his subjects' blood, run cold. The little dismissive gesture of his hand let the other demon know that the interview was over.
"Of course, my lord," the demon said. He bowed respectfully before his master and retreated to the shadows where other demons waited their turn for their audience with the Source of All Evil.
Next, an older looking demon with silvery grey hair and beady eyes, stood before the Source, who still stared intently into the stone pool.
"Lord Perdicus, Upper level demon and member of the Evil Council, seeks audience with the Source," announced Xander, who had in the meantime stood in the shadows silently observing the goings on.
Cole Turner, Source of All Evil, looked up at the sound of the name of his next appointment.
"Perdicus," he said regally, advancing towards his guest.
"My Lord," said the demon, bowing.
"What can I do for you?" Cole said as he gazed unflinchingly into the eyes of the older demon.
"Ah, but the question, my lord, should really be, what can I do for you?"
Cole's eyebrows rose at Perdicus' remark.
"I am a father myself, your highness," continued Perdicus, "and as such, I cannot help but sympathise with you at Princess Talia's behaviour."
His voice was as smooth as oil, but Cole was not fooled for a second. Perdicus belonged to one of the oldest and most respected demonic families in the Underworld. For years on end, Cole had suffered at the hands of people like him for the impurity of his blood. His ascendance to the throne not once, but twice, had been a severe blow to the old factions. And Perdicus carried a lot of influence with these old factions. More importantly perhaps, Cole knew that Perdicus was an ambitious man, one who would stop at nothing to get what he wanted. And he possessed the cunning and killer instinct that had made Cole separate Valdis, his son, from the ranks of less capable demons. Yes, Perdicus was definitely a man to watch.
"Children are so utterly irresponsible and inconsiderate these days. They never listen to their parents; always the rebels. Still, what Princess Talia did, was completely unacceptable and I applaud your decision, your majesty, to take such a firm hand with her."
Cole listened politely to Perdicus' rumblings, patiently waiting for the point to all this. Mostly he just wished that the older demon would reach it already.
"Princess Talia's death would be. . . regrettable, to say the least, yet if she continues to side with the Charmed Ones against the Underworld, then of course there would be no other choice. She is powerful, but how long can anyone last with the entire Underworld trying to kill them?"
Cole suppressed a shudder at the recognition of truth in Perdicus' words.
"The princess must be persuaded to come back."
Cole nearly snorted in response. Clearly, Perdicus didn't know Talia very well. The girl successfully combined all the stubbornness of both her parents.
"And how do you propose to do that, Perdicus?" he asked instead, a neutral expression plastered on his face.
"She knows how the Underworld works my lord, and she is half demon after all. She would return if she realised that the advantages of returning, far outweigh the advantages of staying with the witches."
Cole's eyebrow flew up in interest.
"What did you have in mind, Perdicus?"
Perdicus knew he had managed to gain the Source's attention. He purposefully prolonged the pause that stretched between them.
"She is perhaps willing to risk her own life by staying, but is she willing to risk the lives of the people she cares about?"
Cole nearly laughed out loud.
"The Charmed Ones are more than capable of protecting themselves, Perdicus. I should think that twenty years of fighting against our forces of Darkness, and defeating them, might I add, would have made that obvious."
"We've all heard the stories, milord," agreed Perdicus, pointedly looking at the Source.
Cole stared back. There was a malicious glint in his eyes, as if daring the older demon to speak his mind about what he had meant with that comment. Perdicus visibly shrunk back.
"I did not mean the witches, your highness," he said quickly. "Princess Talia has been living in the mortal world for nearly four months. She is bound to have met and become attached to some mortals."
Suddenly Cole could see what Perdicus was driving at, and he didn't like it at all.
"Some girl friends. . . ? A boy perhaps. . . ? Surely the princess would hate to have something happen to them."
Cole suppressed a wave of panic that threatened to flood through him. Just when he had hoped that his little girl had found some sort of happiness away from the Underworld. . .
"Are you suggesting that something should happen to these mortals Lord Perdicus?" asked Cole, surprising himself with the cool, utterly-lacking-in- emotion tone of his voice.
"Not necessarily milord. Perhaps a simple threat would be enough to make the Princess see the error of her ways."
Cole let Perdicus' words sink in. Once they had, he started thinking a mile a minute. Yes, he decided, if Talia felt that her friends were threatened she would sacrifice herself and come back. Didn't Valdis say that she had found herself a mortal boyfriend?
But, anyone threatening the people she cared about, would have to pay the penalty of invoking the Phoenix's wrath. The almighty Source of All Evil cringed at the thought.
"Talia would react rather badly at such a threat," he finally said.
"Perhaps," agreed Perdicus, "but surely she would understand in time that it would be for her own good."
"Might I remind you, Perdicus, of her history and her reputation?"
Once again Perdicus shrunk back in fear, and even though he hid it well, Cole's trained eyes caught his reaction. Cole had to stop himself from smiling smugly at him.
"You've never seen an angry Talia, my friend. To have her back in the Underworld by force, or by blackmail, would be like storing a ton of very volatile explosives in one's home, next to the fireplace. No, I'm afraid Talia would only ever return to the Underworld of her own free will." Cole's tone stressed the finality of his words. The matter was now closed.
Perdicus attempted to hide his disappointment. He was so sure that he would have been able to convince the Source to unknowingly cooperate with their plan.
"As you wish, my lord," he said even as he bowed. Swiftly he departed from he Source's presence.
Cole watched Perdicus' retreating back with a certain amount of interest. The fool! Had he come up with this "wonderful" plan of his to get Talia to come back, hoping that he would gain his favour? Cole sneered. He didn't like Perdicus. It would take a lot more than that to gain any favour with him!
*******************
Valdis watched with fascination a sleeping Talia. She looked so young and innocent as she slept, that it was dangerously easy to forget that this woman was the Princess of All Evil. He placed a protective hand around her and she cuddled up to him in her sleep. Soon, Valdis fell asleep too.
The light of the fire cast strange shadows on the walls, yet the sleeping lovers were not awake to see them.
******************* Talia ran through the darkness as fast as she could. It was after her - she knew - and it was catching up.
"Talia. . ." the voice of the creature had a deep, echoing quality that allowed it to travel fast through the air, to reach her, and to follow her for a while, before she managed to outrun it. "Talia. . ."
And that's when she saw it.
To say that she saw a bright white light, would be indulging in a cliché, but that's exactly what Talia did see. The light hurt her eyes and she brought her arm up to shield them. She didn't stop running. The thing was still after her and she couldn't afford to let it catch up. She squinted trying to make out where the light came from.
"Over here," said a voice that seemed somewhat familiar. A hand wrapped itself around her wrist and pulled her to the side. Obligingly she followed, then abruptly she stopped. His deep brown eyes watched hers as they widened in recognition.
"Nicholas. . ." she said, bringing her hand to her mouth in horror as she finally noticed the athame buried to the hilt in his chest. "But, you're dead. . ."
"Yes," drawled the man, drawing out the dagger with his two hands. "You saw to that didn't you Talia?"
He thrust the athame in her hands, and, automatically, too horrified for thought, she took it. Her hands were sticky with blood from the athame, she realised. His blood. . .
"I trusted you Talia," he said once more, "yet you betrayed me. You were once the hunter, but now your role has changed. It's not much fun being the prey, is it Talia?"
She couldn't bear it anymore. She dropped the athame and ran.
"Where are you running to, Talia?" asked the same deep voice that had haunted her from the beginning.
"Yes, where are you running to, Talia?" asked another all too familiar voice.
She stopped once again.
"Aunt Paige?"
A silhouette walked out of the light.
"What's wrong, Talia? Didn't expect to find me here?"
"What about me Talia? Did you expect me?"
"Aunt Piper?"
"It has to be done Talia," said a third voice.
"Mom. . .? What's going on?"
"History's repeating itself, that's what!" exclaimed Piper.
"I warned you all this would happen, but you didn't listen, did you?" said Paige angrily.
"Mom, what's going on?" Talia pleaded with the third figure.
Phoebe's face was tear-streaked.
"I tried to save you Talia, I really did, but you're just like your father. You're part demon. You're evil. And now, we have to vanquish you."
"No! Mom! What have I done wrong?"
The Charmed Ones no longer paid much attention to her. They started chanting.
~"I summon the power through the ages
As I read the words from these pages
Let the power of the witches rise
Bring about this demon's demise"~
Over and over again they chanted the spell that Talia herself had written.
"No!" yelled Talia. "What have I done wrong? What have I done wrong?"
"Like you have to ask!" said a new voice, full of malice.
"Wyatt! Talk to them! Please help me!"
"Why would I want to do that, Talia? Especially after what you did to Josh. . .!"
"Josh? What happened to Josh?"
"See for yourself, Talia," he said moving aside so allow to her to see behind him.
Josh's dead, lifeless body lay on the ground. An athame was sticking out of his chest, like Nicholas'. His wide-open eyes stared unseeingly to the heavens, mirroring the horrors of death.
"No!" she said once more. Her voice came out raw and hoarse.
The Charmed Ones continued chanting in the background.
In horror Talia stumbled backwards away from the witches that sought to vanquish her, the demon she was.
Unable to see behind her, she felt herself collide into something. With utter horror, she had an overwhelming sense that she had collided into the very creature she had been running away from. She whipped around to see what it was, but nothing could have prepared her for what she saw. In a black cloak and the infamous mask stood Princess Talia, the Phoenix, the Source's assassin in all her glory.
"It can't be," she squeaked. "You don't exist anymore. I've put you behind me!"
********************
"Talia, Talia, wake up," said a soft, soothing voice as a gentle hand shook her awake.
Talia shot up, awake at last, drenched in cold sweat and gasping for air.
A pair of strong hands grabbed her and pulled her in a crushing embrace.
"Shh," Valdis whispered as he rocked her like a small child, "you're safe. I'm here now." For a while, Talia let herself be comforted as she sunk gratefully in the man's embrace. She did feel safe in his arms she realised. He was warm, whereas she shivered from cold and fear. He was strong and gentle and she welcomed his ministrations.
Then she realised in whose arms she lay. She stiffened. Valdis felt the change.
"Talia. . .? What's wrong?"
"I have to go," she said pulling herself away from him.
Valdis sat there in shock. Within minutes, her cold, emotionless mask had come down again. She carried herself with her usual calm and composure as she stood up and rummaged on the cabin floor for her clothes. If he hadn't been able to see the cold sweat that still covered her body, he would have doubted that this cool and collected young woman was the same person that had, a moment ago, lain limp and quivering in his arms in sheer terror, or the same person that had hours ago called his name in ecstasy in the throes of passion, for that matter.
"You don't have to lock the door. It locks automatically when it closes. Just shimmer out," she said, before she flamed out of the cabin and his sight, without a backwards glance.
Guess what! I've finally found myself a beta reader! And a wonderful one at that!
Nightcrawler, you can laugh at me all you want, but I couldn't work with the html file you sent me. I wanted to add certain things, like a proper title and these notes and I just didn't know how to do it, so I copied and pasted everything back to a word file. Please don't be mad at me! This chapter's dedicated to you.
To everyone who reviewed last chapter. . . thank you so very, very much. You made my day.
And Ori, I think I can tell you that Talia definitely used protection. No glove, no fun! Actually I remember a debate from when I was in school about the impact media, and popular culture, have on individuals. Did you know that James Bond, idol of millions of people around the world and a very. . . active man, is never seen to use protection? There are protest groups signing petitions to have James Bond mention a condom in his next movie! Err. . . Can I say the word condom here? Oh, well!
Okay now, here's a little thing I prepared earlier to show you the logic behind reviewing.
To review is to show me that you love me, and my story. Even flames (though I haven't had any yet!) mean that you've cared enough to actually read it. Any feedback that I get puts me in a good mood. If I'm in a good mood, I'm encouraged to write. And so, I give you the next chapter faster.
Also, I keep thinking that if you care enough to read my story, I should care enough to write it and write it well. It acts as a wonderful guilt trip. I sit at the university café, having coffee with friends, and all the while I keep thinking that I should be in room typing away the next chapter of Talia. Sad aren't I? Still, don't knock it if it works.
Pleeeeaaaase review. . . .
.
.
Chapter 33: What nightmares are made of
"The man, my lord, leaves no opportunity to do good to pass. Between his charity work and his raising of money for the poor, he's practically a saint!
"That neighbourhood was one of the worst in Los Angeles. Gang wars, drug dealing, prostitution; you name it, they had it. Total, marvellous chaos in its purest form! But this man is single-handedly ruining everything for us. He's helping drug addicts through rehabilitation, he's opened a new shelter for the homeless, and he's taken dozens of kids off the streets!
"We've sent other mortals against him, sire; street gangs, drug lords, but so far they've all failed. We need to be allowed to send a demon after him."
The Source nodded his head thoughtfully. He looked into the small, stone pool where the face of a young man smiled up at him. Craig Doyle was twenty- nine years old. A former policeman, he had chosen to return to the neighbourhood he grew up in and had opened, and currently ran, a homeless shelter and a youth centre. His tireless devotion had given the community hope where there was none before.
"Kill him," he said, in a tone that made even the bravest of his subjects' blood, run cold. The little dismissive gesture of his hand let the other demon know that the interview was over.
"Of course, my lord," the demon said. He bowed respectfully before his master and retreated to the shadows where other demons waited their turn for their audience with the Source of All Evil.
Next, an older looking demon with silvery grey hair and beady eyes, stood before the Source, who still stared intently into the stone pool.
"Lord Perdicus, Upper level demon and member of the Evil Council, seeks audience with the Source," announced Xander, who had in the meantime stood in the shadows silently observing the goings on.
Cole Turner, Source of All Evil, looked up at the sound of the name of his next appointment.
"Perdicus," he said regally, advancing towards his guest.
"My Lord," said the demon, bowing.
"What can I do for you?" Cole said as he gazed unflinchingly into the eyes of the older demon.
"Ah, but the question, my lord, should really be, what can I do for you?"
Cole's eyebrows rose at Perdicus' remark.
"I am a father myself, your highness," continued Perdicus, "and as such, I cannot help but sympathise with you at Princess Talia's behaviour."
His voice was as smooth as oil, but Cole was not fooled for a second. Perdicus belonged to one of the oldest and most respected demonic families in the Underworld. For years on end, Cole had suffered at the hands of people like him for the impurity of his blood. His ascendance to the throne not once, but twice, had been a severe blow to the old factions. And Perdicus carried a lot of influence with these old factions. More importantly perhaps, Cole knew that Perdicus was an ambitious man, one who would stop at nothing to get what he wanted. And he possessed the cunning and killer instinct that had made Cole separate Valdis, his son, from the ranks of less capable demons. Yes, Perdicus was definitely a man to watch.
"Children are so utterly irresponsible and inconsiderate these days. They never listen to their parents; always the rebels. Still, what Princess Talia did, was completely unacceptable and I applaud your decision, your majesty, to take such a firm hand with her."
Cole listened politely to Perdicus' rumblings, patiently waiting for the point to all this. Mostly he just wished that the older demon would reach it already.
"Princess Talia's death would be. . . regrettable, to say the least, yet if she continues to side with the Charmed Ones against the Underworld, then of course there would be no other choice. She is powerful, but how long can anyone last with the entire Underworld trying to kill them?"
Cole suppressed a shudder at the recognition of truth in Perdicus' words.
"The princess must be persuaded to come back."
Cole nearly snorted in response. Clearly, Perdicus didn't know Talia very well. The girl successfully combined all the stubbornness of both her parents.
"And how do you propose to do that, Perdicus?" he asked instead, a neutral expression plastered on his face.
"She knows how the Underworld works my lord, and she is half demon after all. She would return if she realised that the advantages of returning, far outweigh the advantages of staying with the witches."
Cole's eyebrow flew up in interest.
"What did you have in mind, Perdicus?"
Perdicus knew he had managed to gain the Source's attention. He purposefully prolonged the pause that stretched between them.
"She is perhaps willing to risk her own life by staying, but is she willing to risk the lives of the people she cares about?"
Cole nearly laughed out loud.
"The Charmed Ones are more than capable of protecting themselves, Perdicus. I should think that twenty years of fighting against our forces of Darkness, and defeating them, might I add, would have made that obvious."
"We've all heard the stories, milord," agreed Perdicus, pointedly looking at the Source.
Cole stared back. There was a malicious glint in his eyes, as if daring the older demon to speak his mind about what he had meant with that comment. Perdicus visibly shrunk back.
"I did not mean the witches, your highness," he said quickly. "Princess Talia has been living in the mortal world for nearly four months. She is bound to have met and become attached to some mortals."
Suddenly Cole could see what Perdicus was driving at, and he didn't like it at all.
"Some girl friends. . . ? A boy perhaps. . . ? Surely the princess would hate to have something happen to them."
Cole suppressed a wave of panic that threatened to flood through him. Just when he had hoped that his little girl had found some sort of happiness away from the Underworld. . .
"Are you suggesting that something should happen to these mortals Lord Perdicus?" asked Cole, surprising himself with the cool, utterly-lacking-in- emotion tone of his voice.
"Not necessarily milord. Perhaps a simple threat would be enough to make the Princess see the error of her ways."
Cole let Perdicus' words sink in. Once they had, he started thinking a mile a minute. Yes, he decided, if Talia felt that her friends were threatened she would sacrifice herself and come back. Didn't Valdis say that she had found herself a mortal boyfriend?
But, anyone threatening the people she cared about, would have to pay the penalty of invoking the Phoenix's wrath. The almighty Source of All Evil cringed at the thought.
"Talia would react rather badly at such a threat," he finally said.
"Perhaps," agreed Perdicus, "but surely she would understand in time that it would be for her own good."
"Might I remind you, Perdicus, of her history and her reputation?"
Once again Perdicus shrunk back in fear, and even though he hid it well, Cole's trained eyes caught his reaction. Cole had to stop himself from smiling smugly at him.
"You've never seen an angry Talia, my friend. To have her back in the Underworld by force, or by blackmail, would be like storing a ton of very volatile explosives in one's home, next to the fireplace. No, I'm afraid Talia would only ever return to the Underworld of her own free will." Cole's tone stressed the finality of his words. The matter was now closed.
Perdicus attempted to hide his disappointment. He was so sure that he would have been able to convince the Source to unknowingly cooperate with their plan.
"As you wish, my lord," he said even as he bowed. Swiftly he departed from he Source's presence.
Cole watched Perdicus' retreating back with a certain amount of interest. The fool! Had he come up with this "wonderful" plan of his to get Talia to come back, hoping that he would gain his favour? Cole sneered. He didn't like Perdicus. It would take a lot more than that to gain any favour with him!
*******************
Valdis watched with fascination a sleeping Talia. She looked so young and innocent as she slept, that it was dangerously easy to forget that this woman was the Princess of All Evil. He placed a protective hand around her and she cuddled up to him in her sleep. Soon, Valdis fell asleep too.
The light of the fire cast strange shadows on the walls, yet the sleeping lovers were not awake to see them.
******************* Talia ran through the darkness as fast as she could. It was after her - she knew - and it was catching up.
"Talia. . ." the voice of the creature had a deep, echoing quality that allowed it to travel fast through the air, to reach her, and to follow her for a while, before she managed to outrun it. "Talia. . ."
And that's when she saw it.
To say that she saw a bright white light, would be indulging in a cliché, but that's exactly what Talia did see. The light hurt her eyes and she brought her arm up to shield them. She didn't stop running. The thing was still after her and she couldn't afford to let it catch up. She squinted trying to make out where the light came from.
"Over here," said a voice that seemed somewhat familiar. A hand wrapped itself around her wrist and pulled her to the side. Obligingly she followed, then abruptly she stopped. His deep brown eyes watched hers as they widened in recognition.
"Nicholas. . ." she said, bringing her hand to her mouth in horror as she finally noticed the athame buried to the hilt in his chest. "But, you're dead. . ."
"Yes," drawled the man, drawing out the dagger with his two hands. "You saw to that didn't you Talia?"
He thrust the athame in her hands, and, automatically, too horrified for thought, she took it. Her hands were sticky with blood from the athame, she realised. His blood. . .
"I trusted you Talia," he said once more, "yet you betrayed me. You were once the hunter, but now your role has changed. It's not much fun being the prey, is it Talia?"
She couldn't bear it anymore. She dropped the athame and ran.
"Where are you running to, Talia?" asked the same deep voice that had haunted her from the beginning.
"Yes, where are you running to, Talia?" asked another all too familiar voice.
She stopped once again.
"Aunt Paige?"
A silhouette walked out of the light.
"What's wrong, Talia? Didn't expect to find me here?"
"What about me Talia? Did you expect me?"
"Aunt Piper?"
"It has to be done Talia," said a third voice.
"Mom. . .? What's going on?"
"History's repeating itself, that's what!" exclaimed Piper.
"I warned you all this would happen, but you didn't listen, did you?" said Paige angrily.
"Mom, what's going on?" Talia pleaded with the third figure.
Phoebe's face was tear-streaked.
"I tried to save you Talia, I really did, but you're just like your father. You're part demon. You're evil. And now, we have to vanquish you."
"No! Mom! What have I done wrong?"
The Charmed Ones no longer paid much attention to her. They started chanting.
~"I summon the power through the ages
As I read the words from these pages
Let the power of the witches rise
Bring about this demon's demise"~
Over and over again they chanted the spell that Talia herself had written.
"No!" yelled Talia. "What have I done wrong? What have I done wrong?"
"Like you have to ask!" said a new voice, full of malice.
"Wyatt! Talk to them! Please help me!"
"Why would I want to do that, Talia? Especially after what you did to Josh. . .!"
"Josh? What happened to Josh?"
"See for yourself, Talia," he said moving aside so allow to her to see behind him.
Josh's dead, lifeless body lay on the ground. An athame was sticking out of his chest, like Nicholas'. His wide-open eyes stared unseeingly to the heavens, mirroring the horrors of death.
"No!" she said once more. Her voice came out raw and hoarse.
The Charmed Ones continued chanting in the background.
In horror Talia stumbled backwards away from the witches that sought to vanquish her, the demon she was.
Unable to see behind her, she felt herself collide into something. With utter horror, she had an overwhelming sense that she had collided into the very creature she had been running away from. She whipped around to see what it was, but nothing could have prepared her for what she saw. In a black cloak and the infamous mask stood Princess Talia, the Phoenix, the Source's assassin in all her glory.
"It can't be," she squeaked. "You don't exist anymore. I've put you behind me!"
********************
"Talia, Talia, wake up," said a soft, soothing voice as a gentle hand shook her awake.
Talia shot up, awake at last, drenched in cold sweat and gasping for air.
A pair of strong hands grabbed her and pulled her in a crushing embrace.
"Shh," Valdis whispered as he rocked her like a small child, "you're safe. I'm here now." For a while, Talia let herself be comforted as she sunk gratefully in the man's embrace. She did feel safe in his arms she realised. He was warm, whereas she shivered from cold and fear. He was strong and gentle and she welcomed his ministrations.
Then she realised in whose arms she lay. She stiffened. Valdis felt the change.
"Talia. . .? What's wrong?"
"I have to go," she said pulling herself away from him.
Valdis sat there in shock. Within minutes, her cold, emotionless mask had come down again. She carried herself with her usual calm and composure as she stood up and rummaged on the cabin floor for her clothes. If he hadn't been able to see the cold sweat that still covered her body, he would have doubted that this cool and collected young woman was the same person that had, a moment ago, lain limp and quivering in his arms in sheer terror, or the same person that had hours ago called his name in ecstasy in the throes of passion, for that matter.
"You don't have to lock the door. It locks automatically when it closes. Just shimmer out," she said, before she flamed out of the cabin and his sight, without a backwards glance.