Howdy ya'll. Sorry this too me soo long. Just playing the real life game. (groans) But here it is at 24 pages long, I hope it's worth the wait. (grins)
Small disclaimer: The song at the end (written in italics) is by Linkin Park. I don't own them or their lyrics, so no sue me. I just thought they went well with Selene's thoughts. (wink) Thanks again and enjoy.
Chapter Nineteen: Shattered Reflections
Lily walked slowly up the stairs of her abandoned building. She easily opened what would have appeared to be her front door, but was merely a façade for those that didn't know her. Once concealed by the dust and dirt of the old school she made her way to her real door and calmly removed the keys from her pocket. She tried to fit one in the lock, but it wouldn't turn. When she pulled it out to examine she discovered that it had been snapped in half, broken.
How the hell am I supposed to get in? She wondered casually. Christopher should be home. She began beating on the door, calling out to her brother. Suddenly, the room got darker, as if night had fallen.
"Strange," She murmured. "It was daylight a second ago." Starting to feel frantic she hurried back outside. Her eyes were met by a pale yellow, fully engorged moon. She ran back inside her apartment, the door miraculously unlocked. Once inside she froze. Everything was crumbling, falling to pieces beside her feet. The lamp beside her bed cracked before her eyes and then fell to the ground in hundreds of pieces. The paint on her walls bubbled and began to flake off, and the sheets on her bed were beginning to burn. Unable to take it any longer she flew from her building and into the street calling for her brother.
The cool air flew on her face as she dove outside, but with the wind brought the sounds. She heard the commotion over in the alley by her house. She closed her eyes. Somewhere deep inside she knew not to go, but no matter how many times she had been here she always went back. The picture was always the same. She would round the corner to find a scene of horrific gore. Blood had covered the brick walls, while two mutilated bodies lay lifeless beside them. Her brother stood in the center of it all, board in hand, and face set in firm determination. In her dream he was always the hero's image, for that was how she saw him.
She watched, like she had done a hundred times since that night, as his body slowly dropped to the ground. In her dream he called out for her, reached for her to save him, and like always she ran to him, but could never reach him. Something always stopped her, like an invisible wall she just couldn't break through. It broke her every time. To watch him, to see him again and again, broken.
She lifted her head to the sky, and screamed at the moon.
Geren's eyes snapped open, ears still vibrating from the horrific cry. He untangled himself from the sheets and listened. There was a moment of silence and then a large clash as something shattering into pieces. He was on his feet in seconds, throwing a pair of sweats on and grabbing a thin tunic from his closet while opening the door all at the same time.
He stepped out into the hallway and didn't bother knocking as he came into her room. A first glance told him nothing, then he saw the broken vase. Beside the pieces sat Lily, arms wrapped around her legs, head pressed to her knees, body wracked with sobs. He threw the shirt over his head and approached her slowly. As he came closer he saw small drops of blood sliding off her fingertips and plopping to the floor.
He knelt down and gathered her too him. She made no attempt to fight him. Gently he stroked her forehead, wiping away the sweat and blood. He felt his mouth go dry and his eyes become a dark crimson. He tried not to breathe too deeply, knowing that it was the smell of her blood affecting him. Instead he concentrated on the soft curves of her face. She had stopped crying, but her closed eyes moved rapidly beneath her lids. "It's all right Calalily. I'll fight your fears for you." He leaned down and kissed her forehead, pulling her a little tighter.
He held her there till her body became still and her sobs quieted. Being careful not to wake her he placed her back in bed and pulled the covers tightly around her. He noticed her hands then, and the gash and covered the palm of her right. The wound was still oozing crimson. She'll need stitches. He thought, remembering that she lacked the regenerative properties of the company he usually kept.
A slight pang gripped him as the realization hit him fully. She isn't immortal. His eyes sought hers. Geren what are you doing? He returned his gaze to her hand and sighed heavily. Kahn will have a fit over this. He'll question her till he knows every detail of how she got this, and then he'll still make her practice with the guns. "You don't deserve that." Geren spoke softly to her.
Taking a deep breath Geren stared at his wrist. Amelia had always told him his blood was different. He healed faster than any death dealer in their coven. It had never been explained to him, just a fluke in his sire he assumed; however, there were times when it came to good use. Bringing his wrist to his mouth he opened his vein, ignoring the slight sting of his fangs. Blood began to pull on his skin. Taking Lily's hand with his, he turned his wrist over and let his blood drop into the open gash. Just a few drops and the wound stopped oozing. A few more and it began to scab. He turned his wrist back over and cut the circulation off till he himself sealed. He watched silently as Lily's gash did the same. In a matter of minutes her hand was as good as new.
Satisfied, Geren pulled a chair from the desk and set it beside her. Just in case she has another nightmare. He assured himself. After all, guarding her was his duty. He gently ran his finger tips over the soft skin of her palm. As he did so, the sleeping girl let out a calming sigh. Feeling a strange need to keep contact with her, he carefully placed her hand in his. As he leaned his head back and shut his eyes, his thumb unconsciously began to lightly stroke her hand, unknowingly assuring her that someone was there.
Lily's eyes slowly blinked open. They were red and soar. When they focused she saw Geren sitting several inches away her, she blinked and saw that the vampire loosely held her hand. She was confused for a moment, till she remembered her nightmare. But why is he here? She glanced around the room and saw the broken glass still littering the floor. Jarring her memory she slid her hand from his and glanced at the gash, only there was none. With surprise she ran her fingers over the skin that should have been on its way to scarring.
"You'll be all right now." A groggy voice sounded from beside her.
Lily brought her blue eyes to meet those of her vampire companion. "You healed it?" She brought her hand instantly to her neck to feel for bite marks, her sapphire orbs flashed with fear.
"No, no. You're still human. I would never..." He paused and ran his hand through his matted hair.
Lily stared at him. His body was sunk low in the chair. A pair of sweat pants hung loosely about his waist, while the ages old tunic clung softly to his torso. There was the hint of stubble growing about his chin, and his raven locks were in utter chaos. Lily's chest tightened. She nervously licked her lips and tried to keep her thoughts from roaming. "You would never what?" She questioned, anything to stop the rising tension in her stomach. She tried hard to look at anything but him, and failed.
"Turn a human." He replied softly.
"What if it was the only way to be with someone?" The words were out of her mouth before she could stop them. She fought the urge to physically cover her mouth with her hands.
She suffered in silence as Geren studied her with indecipherable eyes. "Well that would imply that an immortal has fallen for a mortal, and that's forbidden."
Lily nodded her head sarcastically. "Oh that's right. I forgot you're the vampire that always follows the rules."
A cheeky smile played about his face. "I think you know better than that by now."
Her entire mouth went dry. God he's beautiful when he smiles. She couldn't help it, his playfulness was infectious. "Well I always could spot a fellow rebel. I knew the moment you walked into that room you were trouble."
"Trouble for whom?"
"I'm not sure yet." She said coyly.
He laughed richly. "Well be sure to tell me when you figure it out."
She nodded. "You'll be the first."
Geren caught her eyes and held her gaze for a moment. She didn't resist as he let himself get lost in their depths. Shaking his head he looked up at her. "Are you hungry? Thirsty?"
Lily smacked her lips. "Actually I'm pretty thirsty."
Geren rose and moved for the door, but turned around. "I'll assume you don't want blood. Any other requests?"
Lily raised her eyes hopefully. "You don't have any orange juice per chance do you?" Her voice indicated that she already knew the answer.
Geren cast a strange look at her. "Orange juice?"
She almost felt embarrassed. "It's my favorite." Then she mumbled. "But it's been a while. Lycan's have a very limited menu."
Geren laughed. "So do vampires I'm afraid. All I can offer you is water."
She grinned. "That will be fine."
Geren left and returned moments later with a pitcher full of clear water. He poured her a glass and handed it to her. He watched with interest as she drank deeply, draining half the glass, and set it down upon the nightstand. "Better?"
"Much." She smiled in appreciation. "May I ask you a question?"
The vampire hesitated before taking his seat next to her. "Sure."
"Will I get an honest answer?" She asked suspiciously, knowing his tendency for secrecy.
She saw pearly whites as he nodded his head. "You learn quickly." He complimented.
Ignoring his concealed attempt to change the subject she fired. "Why do your eyes turn red sometimes?"
That one threw him off guard. He visibly retracted in his seat, but was calmed when he saw the innocence behind her query. Many had accosted him for the same particular strangeness, but he saw that was not her intent. "My sire had red eyes." He said simply.
"Your sire?"
"The vampire that turned me. When a vampire becomes emotionally aroused, or is caught in bloodlust, we revert to our vampiric form. This is usually indicated by an elongating of the canines as well as a change in the color of eyes to that of one's sire." His tone sounded professional, as if he were teaching a class.
Lily nodded in understanding. "Selene's eyes always turned blue." She noted.
"Because Viktor's eyes had been blue."
A jolt of anger fired through her as she heard his name. "Bastard." She said softly.
"What?"
Looking up Lily realized her mistake. She was growing far too comfortable with this man. Bringing the focus back to him she continued with her questions. "So who is this sire with the red eyes?"
Geren stared at her for a moment, then answered slowly. "I don't know."
"Excuse me?"
He lowered his eyes to the ground. "I was bitten in 1883. It wasn't meant to be a turning. I was supposed to die, only I didn't." He brought his eyes back to hers, which only told him to continue. He took a breath and did so. "I roamed the streets for five years. Completely out of control, and lost in my never ending hunger. I killed whatever crossed my path, and drew too much attention to myself. That's when she found me."
"Who?" Lily asked, eyes riveted on him.
"Amelia." He spoke her name with such reverence that his affection for her was evident. "She took me in, fed me, clothed me, and taught me to control my urges. I can't explain, but she took a liking to me. In time I became the head of her personal guard of death dealers. We both felt that no one could protect her better than I. She was like a mother to me, and I her son." He could feel the knot growing in his throat. He had not spoken aloud of her since...
"She gave you that necklace didn't she? The one that looks just like Selene's?"
Geren nodded. "It's a status symbol, as well as protection. It marks us as one close to an elder, the color of the jewel tells which one."
"Amelia's is red?"
Geren nodded and traced his fingers down the band around his neck.
"Viktor's is black."
"And Marcus's is blue." He said finally.
"Who has Marcus marked?" She asked.
"I don't know." He answered honestly. "I never paid the other Elder's much mind. Once Amelia had been laid to rest, I minded my own business until they awoke her."
"How old are you?" Lily suddenly was curious.
"One hundred and twenty." He replied.
"Damn." Her eyes went wide, and they both laughed. "I will never get used to that."
"It takes a while." He assured her and smiled. "But I've got many years left." He wiggled his eyebrows suggestively, making her shrill with laughter. He felt a slight warming near his heart.
"So you never met Selene?"
"Only once. Viktor was being put to sleep, and Amelia was being woken up. I was getting my mother back and she was losing her father. We didn't speak much."
Lily shook her head. "He wasn't a good father." She said simply, then before he could question her she ask him one final question. "Why are you in disgrace Geren?"
If there had been color in his pale cheeks, she was sure it would have drained at her words. His entire body froze, his muscles tightened, and his eyes once again flashed red momentarily. She could see pain plague his face, and instantly felt guilt that she had pried so far.
"I was responsible for getting her here safely. I was in charge that night." He swallowed hard now, tears filling his eyes. "I failed her."
Feeling responsible for his sudden hurt she reached out and took his hand, squeezing it tightly in hers. "It's all right. You don't have to."
He shook his head and when he looked up at her there was strength in his eyes. "We were ambushed traveling to Ordoghaz for the awakening ceremony. I was going to watch her be put to sleep yet again, but I had to get her there first. Kahn and I had discussed all the details. He was going to meet us at the station, but when we got there I saw that it was someone else. Taking every precaution I went first to check it out, make sure it was a vampire team and not lycan's in disguise." He closed his eyes. "I should never have left her."
"Geren." Lily said sympathetically and gave his hand a friendly squeeze.
"I approached and learned that it was Soren and his team, but as I turned back to the train he shot me in the back. I dropped like bricks, and when I woke up..." He could not finish then, but he didn't have to. Lily knew the rest.
"It wasn't your fault." She muttered softly. "There was nothing you could have done. Kraven was the one who betrayed her and the coven, not you."
"The rest of the coven didn't see it that way, and neither did I. I failed to do my duty."
Lily sighed heavily. "You and Selene would have gotten along well. You both could have brooded and blamed yourselves into oblivion for things you could not change."
"Why do you keep speaking of her like you cared? You killed her, remember." His tone was a touch harsh, but her words had cut him deeply.
Lily glared at him. "I did care, until I learned the truth." She spoke truth to him now, feeling unable to lie after he had been so honest.
"That she killed your brother?"
"Yes." She replied testily.
"So she just one day decided to up and tell you the truth, then you shot her?"
Lily grimaced at the heartless picture he painted. "I discovered the truth. She left me without anyone. Christopher was the last person I had in the world and she took him away, and when I helped her, followed her into this crazy war, the least she could have done was be honest with me. She could have given me a choice, but instead she took that from me too by hiding the truth. My brother deserves vengeance."
Geren did not fail to notice her use of future tense, but he let it slip for now. "That was what your nightmare was about wasn't it?"
She stared at him, deflated by his insightful observation. "Of course. It never goes away."
"How old were you?"
"Eight."
"Foster?"
"Till I was fourteen, then I split. Jacen was a friend of my brothers. He took me in when I came back, helped me get a job, and fix up the old place." She glared at him knowingly. "But you already knew that."
She thought she saw his cheeks blush. "I am sorry about that." He said softly.
She tilted her head to the side as she examined him. "About the snooping or the kiss?"
His head shot up to look at her. Holding her eyes with his he rose from his chair and straddled his arms over her body, inches from her face. "I'm afraid I'll never be sorry about the kiss."
Lily's mind had gone cloudy at his nearness. She breathed in the musky scent of his sweat from the day's sleep. Her stomach flipped and sent a smile to her face. "Glad to hear it." She whispered against his mouth before letting him press lips to hers once more. The touch was feather light and full of tenderness. It was not passion he wished to show her, but the kindness and caring that came when sharing pain as they had done. She returned it fully.
"You should get some more rest." He said softly as he pulled away. "The sun will set soon, and Kahn will keep you all night. Only two left you know."
"I know." She said softly as dread filled her. Her eyes felt heavy and her body ached.
Geren clasped her hand and leaned back in his chair. His thumb returned to softly rubbing her skin. Without words he told her that he would stay with her while she slept, and in that she found comfort. Wordless she thanked him and slung back into the covers and pillows. Within moments, she was asleep. Geren waited till her breath was even and her body rested peacefully. He smiled, kissed her ever so softly, and left.
An hour later Geren was making his way back to her room, a brown paper bag in his arms, when Kahn stopped him.
"I'm glad I found you." The death dealer spoke quickly. "Come on. We've got to go."
"Where are we going?"
"Hunting." Kahn said firmly.
Geren looked at his back confused. "I have to do something real fast. I'll be right down."
Kahn glanced at the bag in his hands, then at the stair case he knew would take Geren to Lily's room. He raised an eyebrow, but chose not to push the issue. "Very well. You have five minutes." Then he turned and headed toward the garage.
Geren sighed and ran up the stairs only to descend them moments later, empty handed.
Lily awoke a few hours later. She stretched, surprised at how peaceful her sleep had been. She suddenly remembered why. Glancing around the room she almost panicked when she didn't see him, but then a glimpse of red caught her eye. Getting up she padded over to the desk. Laying upon a piece of paper was a single long stem red rose, and next to it the water pitcher had been filled with a bright yellow liquid. She brought the rose to her nose and inhaled deeply. Leaning down she read the note.
I regret being unable to see your eyes as you woke. Forgive my absence, it was unavoidable, but know I would not have left you for less. I hope you slept well.
Yours, Geren
She swooned and laid the note back on the table. Pouring herself a glass from the pitcher she drank deeply. "Orange juice. Bless you Geren." She poured herself another glass and downed it. A contented sigh escaped her lips. Well, he found it. Key to my heart. She laughed at herself. Imagine that Chris. A vampire. You always said he'd have to be unique. She rolled her eyes as she brought yet another glass to her lips. "He had no idea."
Tyran was slowly walking along the dark alleys of the city. He kept his hands in his pockets, head down, shoulders slumped with sorrow. He hadn't been able to eat. He hadn't been able to sleep. Shit, he hadn't been able to sit down. That would mean he'd have to think about it. It would mean acknowledging that he was never going to see his son alive again. He'd been able to stay strong, to somehow fight it off as long as he was with Tamara. She needed him, he had to hold on for her. But then she had gone to sleep. More like she had cried herself into unconsciousness with Tyler wrapped tightly in her arms. Then Tyran felt fear. What did he do with himself now? A walk had been his only answer. He didn't care where he went. It didn't matter.
With his mind heavy, he didn't see the two figures approaching him. They came from behind, like shadows the thrived in darkness. Swiftly, a hand wrapped around and he felt the sting as a needle pieced the base of his neck. His vision became blurry as he felt two more hands surround him. Before another thought crossed his mind, he was lost.
He woke up chained to a mental chair. His head felt as if it had been hit with a lead pipe. It throbbed just behind his left eye. His mouth was dry, and he licked his lips as he moaned and tried to get his bearings.
"Drink this." A voice commanded from above. He looked up and saw the pale face of what could only have been a vampire. His jet black hair appeared to make him whiter, but accented his baby blue eyes.
"What's in it?" Tyran rasped out, trying to sound intimidating.
"It's just water. It will help with the affect of the drug." He held the glass to the lycanthropes mouth.
Tyran emptied the contents of the glass, then looked back at his captor.
"I'm Geren." The vampire said.
"And my name is Kahn." A midnight colored man appeared from the darkness. "We have a few questions to ask you."
Tyran looked from one to the other. They were both clad in death dealers uniforms. "Go to hell." He snarled.
Kahn rolled his eyes and slung a chair in front of the lycan. He straddled it, placing his hands on the back rest of the chair. "Look, we don't have time to play with our prejudices and preconceived notions. Your pack is in danger, as well may be my coven. I want only your assistance in finding some answers and then I will let you go. Can you agree with that?"
Tyran blinked at the creature before him. Had he heard that right? Was a vampire asking HIM to set aside an age old feud? He hadn't been the one holding it. Tyran bit his lip. Or had he? "How do I know I can trust you?"
Kahn nodded in understanding. He rose from his seat and undid the locks around Tyran's ankles and wrists. The lycan was completely free to roam in the middle of a vampire interrogation room. He looked up at the African death dealer in wonder.
"Do as you will." Kahn said calmly.
Tyran narrowed his eyes. "Your not here because of Markus are you?" "No. I'm afraid we come without the knowledge of our master."
"An action punishable by death, if I'm not mistaken."
Kahn sighed. "No mistake." He kept eye contact with the lycan and waited.
Tyran looked suspicious, but his gut told him it was all right. He sat back down in the mental chair, this time of his own free will.
Kahn almost smiled. "Thank you."
"Don't thank me yet. I'll answer your questions as best I can, but if they will endanger my pack in any way you will get nothing from me." Tyran said firmly.
Kahn held out his hand. "I'll agree to that."
Tyran reached out and shook the hand of his immortal enemy. "So what do you want to know?"
"About Selene." Kahn said quickly.
Tyran sat back. "What makes you think I'd know anything about her?" It was an honest question.
"Because we keep tabs on every lycanthrope that roams the streets. You've been around for quite some time Tyran."
The lycan was taken aback. He hadn't realized just how in depth the vampire's research had been. "You know who I am." He said stiffly. "Very good, but that still doesn't mean I have any information regarding Selene."
Kahn exhaled deeply. "I know that your Michael's right hand. He's never seen without you. Surly you must know something about why she killed Viktor."
He called him Michael. Tyran thought, silently amazed. The vampire hadn't used any derogatory names or insults. That's a first. "Why she killed Viktor?" He asked with a more tolerant tone.
"She said something to me before she died. About how we'd been lied to. With both Elders dead and only a psychopath left I can't help but think she may be discovered something I didn't. Now, if you have any idea what that could be I implore you to tell me." There was sincerity in Kahn's eyes.
Tyran took a breath and held it. He knew what the death dealer was searching for. As Michael's closet confidant, the alpha had explained certain things to him. "He started the war." The lycan said calmly.
"Excuse me?" Kahn sat straight up, leaning backwards and catching himself before he almost fell off the chair.
"Viktor. Viktor started the war. When Lucien bit Michael he transferred his memories. Michael told Selene that night in the underground."
Kahn stared at him in horror. Tyran could see the battle between truth and loyalty rage across the death dealers face. "Did you know Sonja?" Out of the corner of his eye Tyran saw Geren inch forward. Kahn shook his head. Words would not come to him.
Tyran sighed and continued. "She was his daughter, but she fell in love with a lycan. With Lucien. Viktor had her killed. Burnt by the sunlight while her mate was chained and forced to watch her die. His own daughter." He stared directly at Kahn. "But he left Lucien to long. When the moon's rays found him he changed and escaped. You know what happened next, what's still happening."
"It's just like Selene." Geren murmured softly from behind.
Tyran looked up at him and Kahn turned to face him.
"What do you mean?" Kahn asked in a raspy voice, still reeling from the blow the lycan had delivered him.
Geren shrugged. "She fell in love with a lycan as well did she not? She cared enough to bite him, to induce the bonds that would bring. Maybe her love was why she slew her own father."
The comment was innocent enough, but Kahn could feel the impact of his words. "Viktor was her father." He said numbly. "And she completed the cycle. She finished what Sonja could not." He swallowed hard and narrowed his eyes, feeling the anger of what his former master had done. "What she was robbed of."
Kahn closed his eyes and leaned his head back. "She was right. Everything I thought, everything I'd been taught to believe was a lie." His voice was barely above a whisper.
"Perhaps now you understand a fraction of what she grappled with." Tyran said softly, still careful to use past tense.
Kahn nodded his head. "Thank you."
Tyran shook his head. "I'm not the one you should thank. She knew you would seek the truth eventually. She would not have sent you to it otherwise."
Kahn rose and held out his hand to the lycan once more. "I appreciate your cooperation Tyran. I hope the day we can talk freely comes soon."
Rising and preparing to leave Tyran once again shook the hand of what had once been his enemy. "It's closer than you think." He smiled knowingly.
Tyran thought he saw the corners of the death dealer's mouth twitch into a smile. "I promised you a safe passage back home. You have my word that neither I nor Geren will follow you back to your den."
Tyran nodded. "Thank you. Good luck Kahn." He meant it.
As he began to descend the stairs he felt a touch lighter. The pain of his loss was still very much with him, but somehow it now seemed justified. A vampire had just captured him and then let him go. In the history of the war he was sure that had never happened before. My son was a part of that. He realized. Even in the most insignificant way, his son had played his part. He had been an instrument in putting a stop to this ridiculous feud. He died for its end. Tyran would make sure that day would come.
Tyler awoke as his father slipped into bed beside him and wrapped him and his mother up in his wide arms. Keeping his eyes closed he pretended to still be sleeping, and waited till the heavy breaths of his father became stable. As stealthily as he could he slide between the adults and quietly snuck out the door.
As soon as he was away from his parents he felt the tears again. His mother had tried to explain what happened to his brother, but her own tears had gotten in her way. All he was given was that his brother was gone, and that he wouldn't be able to see him anymore. Tyler could not believe that. His feet patted softly down the halls to where his brother's office was. He opened the door hopefully and was crushed with an empty room. Blue eyes swelling he sat down on the floor and sobbed quietly once more. Where is he?
Suddenly a thought came to him. He had to find Selene. He had last seen her with his brother and besides, she was his champion, his protector. She will help me look for him. He thought, his faith in her unshakable. Sniffing loudly the baby wolf pulled himself upright and began to patter down the halls once more. He was heading towards the main room, knowing that she would be awake and busy during the night, but a loud noise stopped him.
Frozen, he listened as Selene's voice came to him clear as day.
"It was you. You're the one that told Markus."
Unable to stop himself he ran towards her voice. He knew if he could just talk to her she would help him set things straight, but as he rounded the corner his eyes widened in fear. The vampire would not be able to save him this time.
Selene sat not so patiently upon the cold cement of her ledge. She had waited calmly for Michael to emerge from his meeting but as the sun rose he was still occupied. She waited till the afternoon, at which she fell asleep, then woke to her natural clock as the sun began to set. Now she had half a mind to burst through the door and demand that he return to their quarters with her. There was only one night left till Lily would lead the lycan's down there, and they could not afford the clan to be suspicious of her. I hope he understands that.
She crossed her arms and legs, hunching to stretch her aching back. She may be immortal, but that didn't mean her muscles did not feel the affects of sleeping on a cement slab. She groaned inwardly and again contemplated what to do. That's when she heard the noise from around the building Michael was in. Her ears perked, and she listened closely as yet again there was a rustling.
Inhaling deeply she thought she smelled sweat, but her nose was no where near as tuned as a lycan's. Deciding to investigate she jumped down and slowly approached the corner. Leaning against one wall she twisted her neck around to view the back side of the meeting room.
Flar was the one who was causing all the noise. In the corner of the building there had been a small hole, and the lycan was using his gloved hand to dig it out a bit more. Is he trying to listen? She thought to herself, but then remembered the Flar was a member of the council. If he wanted to listen, all he had to do was go in. Something's not right.
She continued to watch as he finalized his hole, the removed a shiny black gun from his coat. What the hell? She stared as he inserted the barreled into the hole, knelt down to aim, and then... She flew around the corner and kicked the gun from his hand. It slid across the hallway, underneath a table, and landed at the feet of a pair of shining blue eyes.
Flar reared back and faced his enemy.
"You bloods disgust me." He snarled through his clenched teeth.
Selene stared at him, almost unbelieving. She looked at the hole he had been aiming through, and she knew he had been aiming for Michael. Glancing back at him she recognized the emotion that glared back at her. Hate. Pure and simple. A shudder ran though her as she saw herself.
"Even your elders can't keep their bargains!" His voice was hardly discernable, his wolven form already beginning to unleash him, but Selene had understood. Many things fell into place as she registered elder and bargain in the same sentence.
She looked at him in surprise. "It was you. You're the one that told Markus."
Selene dodged as flaming claws attempted to slice her neck. He roared and she tried to talk sense to him. "What are you doing?" She roared in confusion.
"Ending this conflict." He stared at her with flaming yellow eyes. "I will not watch you and your disgusting abomination lead this pack to its death!" Having nothing left he felt the change take him completely and attacked.
He roared and charged her, this time teeth connected with her arm, but she pulled away fast enough to leave his jaws with only leather. "Stop this!" She implored him once more.
The beast shook its head madly and rose to its full height. With incredible speed it came at her, and before she could blink she felt her head connect with the concrete. All her training kicked in then. Her mind went blank as she brought her knees into the monsters chest and hoisted him off her. In seconds she was on her feet, coming at him full force. He tried to swipe at her, but she delivered a quick blow to his head with her foot.
He shook it off, and when she came at him again he caught her leg mid air and flung her backward. Like a jaguar she flipped in mid air and landed on her feet just in time to deflect his snapping jaws with a punch to the head and a knee to the groin.
The lycan whimpered, but would not back down. He had gone to far now, he would either kill her or die. With his head down he barreled towards her, but she launched herself upward, grabbing a hanging pipe from the ceiling and kicked him so hard he flew backward, cracking the far wall.
The pipe gave way beneath her weight and she fell to the ground, a piece of the pipe still in hand.
Flar got up and with a mighty roar he came at her once more.
Selene took the pipe and reared back, at the last moment she swung and connected with his head and sent it flying. His body dropped to the ground a moment later.
Michael and the rest of the council heard the commotion and came running out. What met them was a headless dead lycan, and a blood spattered vampire with a crimson stained pipe in her hands.
Selene let the pipe fall to the floor as she stared in horror at the body before her.
"What the hell is going on?" Michael ran towards her. "Are you all right?"
Slowly, her head turned to him, and the haunted look that he has seen in her eyes the first night he met her had returned.
"She killed him." Tiernan muttered while he knelt over his fallen brother. "The blood killed him!"
A crowd was beginning to gather, and stunned gasps filled the room.
"Selene?" Michael asked her softly, his eyes pleading for it not to be true.
"I..." She stuttered. "He was trying to kill you."
"Impossible!" Tiernan roared.
"I swear it! He was the one that told Markus. He so much as admitted it!" Her eyes quickly found Michael's. He'll believe me.
"Lies!" Tiernan flared again and turned towards the lycan's gathering.
Kendra pushed her way to the front of the crowd, Mark following close behind. Her hands flew to her mouth when she saw Flar's body. Her words jammed in her throat and fear clenched her heart. She looked up at Selene with panic in her eyes.
"She murdered a council member in cold blood! Something must be done." The elderly lycan was eliciting mumbles of agreement from the audience. They were starting to rouse to his rants.
"That's enough Tiernan." Michael said fiercely as he tried to gain control over his pack.
"He had a gun Tiernan. He was aiming inside the very room you were in." There was a hint of desperation behind her voice.
"Then where is it?" He roared.
Selene glanced to where she had knocked it out of his hand, but the gun wasn't anywhere insight. Her eyes turned to Michael and begged him to believe her.
The alpha gulped. "Where is the gun Selene?" He said with pained hope.
"I don't know." She spoke flatly. "Michael..."
"There is no weapon Michael, but the one she used to kill Flar. Her hatred for him was not a secret. You cannot ignore this any longer." Tiernan's angry voice shot straight to the hybrid's heart and shattered it.
"Michael."
Selene's voice brought his eyes to her.
"Do you believe me?" Her voice was barely above a whisper. Her chest burned as she felt the stab of having to ask the question.
He couldn't even speak, but the answer was in his eyes.
Her undead heart stopped, and time seemed to freeze. She couldn't believe the pain that ripped through her, and then there was nothing. "Fuck you." She spat through ground teeth. Without looking at a single soul she turned and walked out of the room.
Michael closed his eyes as tears glided down his cheeks.
"Good riddance." Tiernan snorted as he crossed his arms.
Michael's head hung low as the words of the crowd filled his mind. A low growl rumbled deep with in his stomach. As it rolled up into his throat he threw his head up and roared. "When will this stop!" The entire room went silent as his voice echoed about the walls. His anger and disgust was felt through the room.
"Is there any one here interested in ending this war? How do you expect the vampires to live in peace if you can't even fucking tolerate one amongst you! Selene has done nothing but try to further your cause since she got here. She's killed her own kind for you, been branded a traitor by her own people. Turned her back on everything she knew! What more can she do to prove herself?"
His glare managed to extend to every lycanthrope in the room. "When I was first brought to this place I was told what heartless beasts the lycan's were. Lucien proved that description wrong." He kept his face towards the crowd as he let his eyes change to black and his fangs elongate. "But you've proved him to be a fool!" The hybrid roared, snapping the attention of every lycan in the complex.
"I was made alpha because you all thought I was Lucien's vision, but the hybrid was only a means to an end for him. You've shown his dream to be nothing more than just that, an illusion." He took a breath and let his eyes slip back to their normal brown. "I won't be a part of this anymore. I will not lead a pack that refuses to change."
Slowly his eyes spanned the room. They halted on Tyran, whose grey eyes beamed proudly at him. Nodding slightly he moved down the hall Selene had exited through.
Selene blindly climbed into a car. She wasn't supposed to leave the tunnels incase she might be seen, but that hardly seemed to matter now. With suspiciously dry eyes she drove the damp roads. Her mind was blank, automatically shifting and turning as she drove on. She made the turn onto a dark side road and brought the car to a halt. Looking to her right she realized she was at Lily's house.
Jacen watched through his peep hole as the car drove up. He had heard the engine from down the street and, as had been his practice, was checking to see who it was. To his surprise, it actually stopped at Lily's house. His eyes quickly shot to the rooftops and again he saw the shadows.
Quickly grabbing a sweat shirt he shoved it under his and ran to meet the car.
Selene was shaken from her reverie as a young man tapped on her window. Wearily, she rolled it down. Instantly he shoved a black cloth onto her lap. "Go to the next alley over and walk through the buildings to the house across the street." He brought his face into the moonlight and smiled friendly. "I would wear the hood if I were you."
Selene squinted at him, the sound of his voice familiar. She meant to shake her head, but found herself nodding instead. The man walked back to his street and pretended to wave goodbye to her.
The vampiress did as he'd said, turning off her headlights and parking in the alley behind his house. Taking his advice she donned the shabby garment and hood. Curiously enough, he was standing at a back door and ushered her in.
As she stepped through the threshold she threw the hood off and glared at him. "What is the meaning of all this?"
Jacen looked awkwardly at her. "There's people watching that house. Who?" He continued to stare at her when it suddenly hit him. "It's you!" He flew at her. "Where is Lily?"
Her mind flipped until she registered. "You must be Jacen."
"Do you know where she is or not?"
She took a deep breath. "Yes."
Jacen looked at her expectantly.
"She's at Ordoghaz. The mansion just outside of Budapest."
"That creepy place?" He stared in disbelief. "What the hell is she doing there?" He marched up the stairs and returned with a hand gun. He was inserting bullets as he came down.
Selene shook her head. "How much did she tell you?"
Jacen stopped and looked at her. "What do you mean?"
With each passing moment Selene could feel herself grow colder. It was easier to forget the look in Michael's eyes. If she focused on it to much, she felt like she would break. She remembered the pain well. It was loss. Intense loss. And she had felt it standing in her house, the gore of her family spread around her.
And yet she could not forget all that had happened in the past few months. Lily being the biggest one on her mind. She glanced at the clock on the wall. The sun would be up very soon. She wouldn't be going anywhere for a while. "Sit down." She said firmly.
As if he were mesmerized Jacen did as he was told, bringing the gun to rest on his lap.
Selene glanced around the kitchen. All the blinds were drawn, and there was no skylight to worry about. The room would remain dark. "You said there were people across the street? At her house?"
He nodded. "They've been there a while. I've been keeping track of them. No one seems to be there during the day, but at night the place is crawling."
"Death Dealers." She said quietly, thinking. It could be they are just checking her out. But her gut told her that Markus would never have had the sense for that. He thought himself invincible, always had. No. She told herself. This reeks of Kahn. She shook her head and brought herself back to the human.
"They're vampires." She said flatly, and told him about the thousand year old conflict he was now a part of.
"Jesus Christ." He rubbed his forehead. "You've got to be kidding me."
She just stared at him.
"Fuck!" He pounded his fist on the table and stood up quickly. "This is unbelievable. Leave it to Lily to get caught up in the most outrageous shit." He was pacing back and forth when suddenly turned to Selene and sat back down.
"You a vampire?" He said suspiciously.
She nodded, and brought her lips back to reveal her fangs.
"Shit!" He stood up again and returned to pacing. "I don't believe this. Out of all the fucking things..." He was mumbling under his breath, trying to decide what to do. Then, it was as if there was no choice. He turned back to the...vampire. "You know she never could do things the normal way. I'm surprised she didn't find you sooner." He shook his head again and grabbed his gun off the table. "Tell me the truth is she in trouble?"
It took her a moment to answer. "Yes."
He nodded. "Fine." Then walked through the hall to grab his coat.
"Tell me about her brother." Selene shouted plainly.
Jacen blinked and returned to the kitchen. "I don't have time for this."
"Do you want her to have something to come back to?" She asked him simply, no trick in her voice.
"Of course."
"Then you can't get her now. She'll be safe till tomorrow night, I promise you." She knew Markus would not waste the girl's knowledge of the lycan lair. He was foolish, but not stupid.
Jacen stared helplessly at her. He did not question her honesty. "What do I do then?"
Selene pushed out his chair with her foot. "Tell me about her brother." She repeated.
He watched her curiously as he sat back down. "Why is he important?"
"He's not. I just want to know about him." She was surprised to admit that fact. She had been afraid to ask Lily for more than she provided.
"Christopher was my best friend." He said simply, not sure what else to say. How do you sum up how much someone meant to you in a few minutes?
"How did you meet him?" She supplied. She didn't care what he said, anything to fill up silence.
"He moved in across the street when I was 12." He said simply. "I saw him and this little girl going in and out of the building carrying boxes. Like an idiot and ran over to inform him the building was abandoned. He just turned to me and said 'not anymore' and that was the end of it."
He shrugged and checked if she wanted him to continue. He took her silence to mean yes. "When I turned thirteen later that year he saved my life." He laughed, "Well perhaps that's an exaggeration but..." He shrugged again. "Anyway, I uh, well I started hanging around with some street kids. Bunch of thugs really. One night we robbed an appliance store, but someone tripped the alarm. They all ran and I froze. I couldn't move, and by the time I found enough sense to actually get out of the store, I could hear sirens. That's when Chris showed up."
A faint smile crossed his face at the memory. "He grabbed me and pulled me into an alley. He was walking home from his night shift. He always worked nights, and he always had Lily with him. I learned later that she stayed with an old women while he worked."
"What are you doing out here?"
Jacen looked up at the man who had grabbed him. Green eyes pierced the darkness. The boy thought he saw concern more than anger when he looked at the man.
Christopher let go of the boy's jacket. "You're that boy from across the street. The one who thinks abandon buildings must stay that way."
Jacen gawked, shocked that the man had remembered.
"What's your name?" Christopher asked sternly.
Shaking from either the cold or adrenaline he answered. "Jacen."
Suddenly a tiny head poked itself out from around the figures legs. "Jace." She said softly and pointed.
The boy chuckled softly. "My mother calls me that."
"Then we should get you home to her." The man, who was no more than a boy himself, scooped the four year old up into his arms and took the hand of the thirteen year old. "Just follow me."
The three strolled out of the alley and past the appliance store. The police were already inside, one came running outside, took one look at them, and dashed back in. Jacen and Christopher kept on walking.
Not a word was spoken till Christopher had safely delivered the boy to his doorstep. Jacen ran up the steps and was just about to go inside before a young, but mature voice hollered at him. "I'm going to have to tell her."
The boy's heart sank.
"That is of course unless you want to do some work for me. I'm still getting things situated. If you come help me, five days a week, for two weeks I'll keep my mouth shut." He smiled then. Not the smile of an adult, but of a young boy conspiring with a friend.
Suspicious, and rather annoyed Jacen agreed. Working for this loot couldn't be worse than what his mom would do to him if she found out.
Christopher nodded. "Good. Be at my house at 8."
"I worked my ass off for two weeks." Jacen laughed and could almost feel his muscles aching. "That bastard didn't give me a moments rest, but the whole time he kept finding chances to talk to me. Say just a few things here and there. Before I knew it, working for Christopher became the highlight of my day. Lily took a liking to me too. I think she looked at me like a second brother." He shrugged. "When my two weeks were up, I still kept coming."
"What happened to your gang friends?" Selene asked earnestly.
He shrugged again. "I remained in contact with a few members, but never as a part of their group. I became an outside friend, which suited all of us just fine." Jacen glanced at the clock on the wall. "Fuck, it's almost 3 in the afternoon. I've been up all damn night."
Selene fearfully followed his gaze. Three more excruciating hours till sunset, and it looked as if her human partner was ready to pass out. She didn't blame him.
"So um..." He looked strangely at her. "You can sleep in my room if you want. I'll sleep down here to keep an eye on things."
Cute. She thought sarcastically. "That's fine." She could already feel the panic of being alone with her thoughts stifle her. "Thank you."
"No problem. When can we get Lily?" He asked again, concern filling his face once more.
"This evening." She supplied. "I'll wake you."
He nodded and she moved from the table and climbed the stairs to his room.
"You know,"
Jacen's voice caught her attention and she turned around mid step.
"I have absolutely no reason to trust you, but I know Lily did. The night she left her eyes danced, just like then did when her brother was alive." He smiled softly at the woman. "I can only assume that you had something to do with that."
The words fell heavy upon her heart. If he only knew. But somehow she was grateful for them. She tipped her head kindly and continued up to his room.
She shut the door behind her and leaned against it, shutting her eyes painfully.
Something has been taken from deep inside of me
A secret I've kept locked away
No one can ever see
Wounds so deep they never show
They never go away
Like moving pictures in my head
For years and years they've played
Ever so lightly she banged the back of her head against the door and forcefully willed her tears back. For the first time in centuries, the vampiress had no purpose. Everything she had chosen to live for had been lost to her. Her family, her father, her vengeance, "and Michael." Her stomach clenched and her chest seized up as his face flashed in her mind again.
She opened her icy blue eyes and locked onto the nightstand. The pack of cigarettes seemed to glow in the darkness. She walked over to them and picked them up. "What's the point of being immortal, if you can't enjoy the simple pleasures in life?"
She shook her head. Bloody Kraven. And in the next second she was surrounded in a billow of smoke. Taking the ashtray with her she walked over to the wall and slunk down to the floor. She sat there, letting the feeling of emptiness take her home. With each cigarette she smoked, the wall seemed to grow higher. It was good to be numb, she would rationalize. It was simpler, but it still did not give her reasons. She could not define herself without feeling.
She closed her eyes, and the world seemed to pass her by. She could almost feel it stop, but at the last moment the illusion escaped her, and she opened her eyes to find moonlight shining through the blinds. The alluring blue light cast a hopeful ray upon her foot. Being captured by it she pulled the blinds and let her eyes fall upon the moon in her full glory.
Selene. She thought softly. The first word to enter her head in hours. The goddess who shared her name stared back at her.
Sometimes I remember the darkness of my past
Bringing back these memories I wish I didn't have
Sometimes I think of letting go and never looking back
And never moving forward so there'd never be a past
"You're nothing more than a reflection of the sun." The vampire said angrily. "You spend your entire life reflecting the light of others. Where is your own?" She almost yelled it, the helplessness turning to anger.
Selene began to hear the echoes of voices long since silenced. Those of her family always came first. Their laughter, their smiles, their screams. Her body shivered with disgust as Viktor's fangs pierced her skin, and took her life away. Disgust, hatred, shame; these were the feeling she was left with when these reveries overtook her.
"Because I love you."
Brown orbs stared at her mind's eye. His rugged face looked plain and simple, but the way he smiled at her, as if she were his reason for being, was what made her world stop spinning.
"Now you just have to make the spinning stop."
Selene's eyes snapped open as Lily's voice resounded in her head. Startled eyes glared at the moon as if she had been responsible for the dreams. Lily loved the moon. Selene recalled how often she had caught the girl staring at it. What does she see in you? Selene's mind asked quietly.
If I could change I would
Take back the pain I would
Retrace every wrong move I've made I would
If I could stand up and take the blame I would
I would take all my shame to the grave
The vampire let out a defeated breath. Regret burned like bile in the pit of her stomach. There were so many mistakes, to many wrongs committed. She shut her eyes as she thought of the heinous crimes she had been capable of.
But you were capable of something else once. The voice that echoed in her mind sounded oddly familiar as her niece's image fluttered before her. Their sweet smiles warmed her, and were replaced quickly with an image of Selene placing a necklace around a small girl's neck.
Tears streamed down her face as she opened her eyes to the present.
"All right." She said softly to the lunar goddess. "I'll go get her."
Tamara tried to keep her head up as she walked down the halls. She kept her mind blank, concentrating on the rhythm of her steps. If she let herself think too much, she would have collapsed.
As she rounded the corner and walked past the weapons room the sound of shuffling metal and small clicks interrupted her beat. She paused, and pushed the door open. Selene was once again behind a table laden with weaponry. The female lycan stepped through and waited.
"I want you take the children out of here."
Tamara kept her hands folded neatly in front of her. "It's a full moon Selene. Where do I take them?"
Selene dropped a piece of paper on the table and turned around to the shelf behind her. "That's the address of a safe house. It hasn't been used in years, and the entire room is metal. Everything you need should be there."
Tamara stepped forward and took the paper. She would worry about transporting them later. She watched as Selene prepared herself for battle. "Bring her back Selene, but just make sure you're with her."
Selene stopped and looked up the lycan. "I'll keep my word Tamara. I'll be there to lead the lycan's in, one way or another."
"I never doubted that for a moment." There was a long pause as she stared at the young blood before her. Funny, but she'd never had more faith than at the moment. It brought a smile to her lips. "Kick some ass Selene." She smiled once more, then turned and left.
Jacen's rubbed his eyes and blinked at the ceiling. Glancing around the room he began to notice how dark it was. The moonlight was shining weakly through the blinds. "Shit!"
He grabbed his t-shirt off the floor and threw it over his head. He listened for Selene, but heard nothing. Frantic, he got up and started marching around the room. When he past by the table black swirls of writing caught his eye. He picked the note up.
I'll bring her back to you. It's my fault she's there. It's my place to see her home. Don't do anything stupid.
And I smoked all your cigarettes. You should quit.
Selene
"She smoked all my cigarettes?" Jacen blinked. "She went to get Lily without me!" His voice grew loud. He slammed his fist down on the table and stared up at the ceiling. He took a deep breath and tried to think. When he brought his head back his eyes landed upon the phone.
"There is no way she's going there without me." He ran to the phone and picked it up. He waited for the tone and dialed a number.
"Hello?"
"Odin?"
There was a pause. "Yeah, who's callin'?"
"Jacen." He paused for a moment and thought about what he was doing, then he thought of Lily. "Say Odin, you and the boy's wouldn't be wanting something to do now would you?"
Again there was silence. "Jacen, are you on drugs?"
He snorted. "You know better than that. I have something I need your help on. Tell the guys they can use the big guns."
There was a deep laugh on the other end. "All right punk. Seeing as you've been watching things for us for a long time, we'll help you out. When and where."
Jacen smiled. Quit my ass. He thought quietly as he enlisted himself an army.
----------- Well, I apologize for taking so long to get this chapter out. The scene at the end with Selene was one of the first scenes I ever envisioned when I first started thinking about this fic, so I wanted it to be just right. Writing it; however, proved a tad harder than imagining it. I still don't think it's quite right, but I got tired of messing with it. So on with the story! Thank you all again for the reviews. An extra thanx goes to Moose and Adalon. They've been a great support and have let me bounce ideas off them for a while. Thanks again all!
007 : (Laughs) Thanks for the props! Your enthusiasm is most excellent, and no the review did not show up twice, but I KNOW what coffee will do to a person. ;) Thanks again.
AngryTolkienPurist: Well ya know, I think the plot is solid already. (Bangs cover) in fact, I don't think even I can break it anymore. Shouldn't be any more twists, the conclusion is on it's way. As for a sequel. That's still has yet to be determined. I'm gonna need a lot of prodding to attempt it. Thanks for the review (winks)
Adalon Ithilriel: (sings) Nothings right I'm torn! Er...um...actually I really hate that song. (grin) So we saw more of Jacen now, and of Geren too. Ah, I'm evil. Trust me, it will all work out. So now that you've read this chapter...Flar...is...er...well...dead. So my Flar fan, do ya hate me? (winks) He went down fighting for what he thought was right. (shrug) As for your refrigerator, may I suggest shopping? Always good idea to keep something to throw at already pickled authors. (smiles) Thanks for the review girl!
AsianScaper: Man, do I look forward to your reviews. (grins) I hadn't actually thought about Markus being like Viktor, the connection is unintentional, but I did try to make him sound less reformed since I heard he was younger, and then also the lycan in him I think would affect his demur. The same goes with the pack of Flar and Kraven. I have a feeling that the movie is playing through my subconscious. (winks) It is odd that Erika doesn't have her own agenda. I felt kind of bad, but I'm not giving her much a role. I needed her to show Lily something and well, she did that. I do feel I robed her though, she's such a good character, but it happens. My next fic will pay better homage. Thanks again for the review. Like I said, taking the time to write an insightful review is rare. Thank you.
vampirehuntr00: Moosey, you turn my fic into a reality TV show and I'll..I'll...laugh really hard. (Grins) And watch where your pointing that shot gun will you? Thanks for the review girl. As always, you've been a tremendous help.
Redd: Well Kahn is well on his way to knowing the whole truth. Now we'll just have to see what he does with it. Selene is in a world of trouble now, and Lily...well...(evil grins) I'm just gonna say you won't know what she's going to do until the last chapter. Not too much further. Thanks for all the support and reviews.
VampyricAngel: (bows) thank you so much for the review dear, and for the name. I appreciate all the help you've been giving me as well. Couldn't have done this without ya. (smile) and uh, don't worry about Lily. She might surprise you. (wink)
Rayefire: Someone deleted your hard drive and all your works? (gasps) Your story isn't all lost is it? That is awful! I bet you wanted to kill! I would have. So you think Lily needs a pockliment? Well I was hoping Geren would be one, but uh no such luck. (Laughs) And yes, I did get that name from the David Eddings books. I love those books and he's my fav author. I always have to pay homage somehow. (wink) Perhaps I need a disclaimer? Didn't think about that. Thanks for the review! Good luck getting the puter thing all straighten out. (Groans)
Once again, big, big, big thanks to everyone! You guys are great. Let me know what you think. :)