A/N: Another long chapter. I can't believe I'm writing eight page chapters. I think my longest one on Far From Over was six pages. I wonder what's gotten in to me?
Disclaimer: Guess what? I own everybody mentioned in this chapter except Michael, Selene, Kraven, and I think there's a brief mention of Viktor. But everything else is MINE!!!
Chapter Three: Not Just Another Job
When Ravyn woke the next morning, she pulled on a tank top and exercise pants, ate a quick breakfast, and walked to the gym.
When she opened the door, most of the heads in the front turned, hands going to waists, or ankles, reaching for weapons, but went back to their workout when they saw who it was.
Ravyn walked up to the desk to get her locker key. As the girl handed it to her, she said, "Haven't seen you in a while, Ravyn."
"Been on the job," Ravyn explained.
"Got it done, I take it?"
"Yeah, check's due tomorrow."
"Boss wants to see you after you're done."
"Okay, thanks Joan."
"No problem."
Ravyn stowed her stuff in a locker, then went out into the main gym, first checking that all her throwing knives were in place. The gym belonged to the Assassin's Guild, and all the people there were assassins. It had happened, occasionally, that enemies of the Guild had wandered in, and a fight had ensued. The boss Joan had mentioned was the king of the assassins, and he was the one who gave out jobs. After each job, the assassin had to report to him.
She started her workout with a run around the gym to warm up, and then moved into her normal workout, wondering why Jack would want to see her. She'd already filled her report on the previous nights work. What more did he want?
"Couldn't this have waited until after I'd showered?" Ravyn asked irritably. "I probably stink."
"You look and smell as lovely as ever, my dear," Jack, the head of the Guild and Ravyn's boss, told her. "And no, it couldn't have waited. They need an answer in half an hour."
Ravyn refrained from asking who "they" were, knowing it was an exercise in futility trying to get any information out of Jack, other than what he wanted you to know.
"Have a seat," Jack said, gesturing to a chair in front of his desk. He went around and sat behind it, sitting back and folding his hands across his lap. Ravyn sat in a chair across from him, feeling rather uncomfortable. She had rarely been in Jack's office, preferring to write her reports and each time she was, it was for an unpleasant reason.
"What would you think about going back into partnership with Chris?" Jack asked, surprising her.
Whatever she had been expecting, it wasn't that. "Excuse me?" she said, unsure that she had heard right.
"What would you think about going back into partnership with Chris?" Jack repeated.
Ravyn stared blankly at him for a moment, then repeated stupidly, "Chris?"
"Yes, Chris!" Jack was starting to get a little impatient with his usually quick-witted employee. "Did you forget to have a cup of coffee this morning?"
"No! I mean yes. I mean...I don't know." Ravyn rubbed a hand across her face and stood, pacing the office. After a few minutes of silence, Ravyn stopped pacing and turned to Jack.
"No. Chris and I can't go back into partnership."
"Why not? You two are good friends. And you really did do very well together."
"Personal problems," Ravyn said tersely. She liked Jack but he had an annoying tendency to pry.
Jack sat up and looked her straight in the eye. "This is a really good job Ravyn. You don't want to pass it up."
"How much?"
"Ten grand each."
Ravyn's eyes widened and she whistled. "Who do they want dead?"
"He goes by the name of Viktor. We doubt that's his real name though."
Ravyn's eyes narrowed and she sat down, opening the file Jack slid across the desk.
"He's a very elusive criminal. He showed up in Chicago about twenty years ago, has changed his last name at least a dozen times, but he always keeps the first name Viktor."
Ravyn flipped through the pages. It was a police file—How did Jack get this?—and very through, but there were no pictures, which struck Ravyn as odd. A cold feeling of dread settled in her stomach and she spoke to herself sternly to ward it off.
Stop it! Viktor was dead before you were even born! Mom cut off his head, for heaven's sake! Not even a vampire could survive that! It's not as though he can just grow another head. She resisted the urge to giggle at the thought of Viktor with two heads. She knew what he looked like; there were drawings and paintings all over the manor, and her mother had told her about her grandsire often enough. Selene had wanted her daughter to understand the lingering unease in the Coven and where the natural prejudice the vampires harbored against the lycans had come from.
"I already have an answer from Chris," Jack said, interrupting her thoughts. "I need yours."
"Who contracted it?" she asked, more out of habit then anything else. She didn't really expect an answer, let alone the one he gave.
"The Chicago Police, if you can believe that!"
Ravyn gaped at him.
"That's why I need you and Chris to do this. You both have clean records, besides the fact that you two are my best agents."
Ravyn nodded, eyes traveling back down to the file. A murder charge stared back at her. The Guild tended more towards criminals in their victims, but there were some who would kill anyone, if the price was right. Ravyn and Chris, however, had kept their records clear of innocents. The Chicago police had an unofficial awareness of the Guild and tended to leave its members alone, when the victim was a criminal. But they always investigated—and sometimes solved—innocent murder cases. Since both Ravyn and Chris had no innocent blood on their hands—or teeth, in Ravyn's case—they could work with the Police without fear of arrest.
"I'll do it."
"So you said yes?" Chris asked.
"What else could I say?" Ravyn retorted. "The Chicago Police contracted it! If I refuse, they'll probably come and arrest me, and I'll end up doing it anyway, only I won't get paid. And ten thousand dollars is a lot of money."
They were sitting in a small local café, eating lunch.
"You're telling me!" Chris said, and then he looked closely at her. "You're curious!" Ravyn said nothing, only sipped her tea. "Come on, admit it!"
Ravyn took another sip of her tea, frowning. "I am, a bit. But it's more than that."
Chris bit into his sandwich, raising an eyebrow. Ravyn took a long drink of the tea, hiding her thoughts.
Now what do I say? It's not as though I can say, "Hey Chris, guess what? I'm part vampire and the guy we're supposed to kill has the same name as my grandsire."
"There was a man," she said, choosing her words carefully, "who tried to kill my father, before I was born. He killed my mother's family and lied to her for years about it. He turned my mother into a va—killer." She caught herself quickly. "His name was Viktor. He spelled it the same way as this guy." She tapped the police file lying on the table between them. "Mom killed him, but I'm afraid that maybe, somehow, he survived, or maybe one of his, um, relatives or something is after my family again."
Not too far from the truth, she congratulated herself. If you take out the whole part about the war.
"I see," Chris said, though clearly, he didn't. "That's why you signed on? To find out if it had something to do with this guy your mom killed?"
Ravyn nodded.
"And here I thought it had something to do with my irresistible charm." Chris laughed and Ravyn had to admit, he was irresistible. With his thick brown hair, dancing green eyes, and muscled frame, he was very handsome. And he was funny, and sweet, and charming, and...
Ravyn pulled herself away from her mental list of Chris's charms, and forced herself to focus on the business at hand.
"How are we going to catch this guy?"
"I was thinking the usual?"
"But we don't know where he is, we don't know what he looks like, we don't even know his real name!"
"Good point." Chris chewed thoughtfully on his sandwich, and then said, "Tell you what. You get me a visual, and I'll get the rest of the stuff we need."
"Sounds like you get most of the work."
"Oh, there's a price."
"And what would that be?"
"One kiss." Chris held up a finger. "When we get the bugger, you have to kiss me."
Ravyn eyed him speculatively, trying desperately to fight the blush attempting to color her pale cheeks.
"Deal. But just one," she said, when Chris grinned widely.
"Works for me."
"Come on, you little bastard, where are you?" Ravyn asked her computer, but the question was really addressed to 'Viktor'. She wondered who he really was. Jack had said he had come to the city twenty years ago.
That would be right around the time when Viktor was killed. Note to self: ask Mom if any vampires went missing during that time.
Would she recognize him if she saw him? She had seen pictures of many of the Death Dealers that had died in the Great Battle against the lycans. The battle for her father's life. She thought of a particular vampire that her mother often brought up when she spoke of that battle.
Kraven. I wonder if this 'Viktor' has anything to do with him?
She did another search on her laptop, and this time came up with a site that looked promising. She clicked on it and pulled up a series of pictures. Most were fuzzy and hard to distinguish the pink blobs as human beings, and all had been taken at night. She scrolled down idly, wondering if this site had anything remotely resembling quality. And then she saw it.
It was a frontal view of a man's face. He had thick dark hair that fell to his shoulders, and his eyes were an electric blue. His teeth were bared in a snarl, and the canines were abnormally long and sharp.
I knew it! Kraven, you bloody bastard, is this where you've been hiding all this time? Wait till Mom hears; she's been dying to get her hands on you!
She quickly hit the print button and waited impatiently while her prehistoric printer slowly inked out the lines that would form Kraven's face. When it was done, she snatched it off the floor where it had fallen when the printer released it, grabbed her keys and her phone, and hurried out the door, almost forgetting to lock it in her rush to get to Chris's apartment.
It was late, almost midnight, and Ravyn decided to drive. Traffic would be almost non-existent, and it would get her the ten blocks to Chris's apartment much faster. She could have just called him, but she wanted to see him. Calling herself all sorts of names ranging from love-struck idiot to a bloody irrational moron, she climbed into her car and started the ignition. She rolled down the convertible top, hoping the air would clear her head, and drove quickly to Chris's apartment building.
She ran up the stairs and knocked on Chris's door. There was no response, so she knocked again. After a few seconds had gone by, she impatiently raised her hand to knock again, but Chris opened the door before she could.
Chris's brown hair was tousled from sleep, he was wearing shorts, and his chest was bare. Ravyn forced herself not to stare at his tanned and muscled body, instead looking into his sleepy green eyes.
Even half asleep, he's gorgeous!
"Ravyn?" he asked sleepily. "What are you doing here?"
"I found him!" she exclaimed, brandishing the paper.
"Couldn't this have waited until morning?"
"No. I know who he is, and more important I know his weaknesses."
"Alright, come in." Chris yawned, opening the door for her. She stepped inside, feeling suddenly shy. She had never been inside his apartment before, and she found it oddly...romantic.
Chris turned the lights on, and she followed him into the kitchen. Still yawning, he turned on the coffee pot, and sat down at the table with her.
"Alright, so who is this guy?"
"His name is Kraven," she told him, handing him the picture. "He's an old enemy of Mom's. He betrayed the Cov...her family."
Better keep a closer watch on that tongue of yours! she told herself. That's the second time you've nearly let it slip today!
Luckily, Chris didn't seem to notice, too absorbed in studying the picture.
"You mentioned weaknesses?" he asked, looking up briefly.
"He's sun-phobic, and he's infatuated with Mom."
"That's gross, Ravyn," Chris told her. "He can't be that much older than us!"
"You'd be surprised," Ravyn muttered under her breath.
"What?"
"Nothing. The point is he only comes out a night. He never lets the sunlight touch him."
"Sounds like he has serious mental issues."
"You have no idea."
"You know him?"
"Not personally. But Mom's known him for a long time, and he tried to kill my dad once. Came pretty damn close too."
"I see." He studied the picture for a few more minutes as Ravyn gazed around his kitchen. It was clean, but not decorated in any way, not even a picture hanging on the wall. It seemed so impersonal for someone like Chris.
He looked up from the computer printout, meeting Ravyn's gaze squarely.
"I ran into Cody today," he told her quietly, knowing the young assassin was a bit of a sore spot with her.
"What did he have to say?"
"He's on the job tonight."
"Someday that boy is going to get himself killed," she muttered. "He depends too much on those damned powers."
Cody was sixteen, and very new to the Guild. He was one of the few in the Guild that had powers. His were transportation powers that he depended entirely on to get his jobs done, something Ravyn disapproved heartily of. She knew the dangers of her magic, and could get a job done without it, though she generally preferred it. Cody, however, had no idea of the dangers that could result of using his magic, and Ravyn suspected that one day the boy would run up against someone wearing cold iron and would not know what to do. She had often offered to instruct him in the dangers, but each time she did, he refused. He was a stubborn boy, that was for sure.
"I don't know why it upsets you so much," Chris said conversationally.
"Simple. There are substances out there that repel magic. They're more common than I'd like them to be, but at least I can tell when someone has one. Cody wouldn't know cold iron if it bit him on the nose."
"I see," Chris said, though clearly he didn't. He looked at her speculatively. "You know, you're pretty cute when you're mad."
She blushed hotly. "Chris, we've been through this." She stood up to go.
"You're even cuter when you blush." He stood too, and came around the table to her.
"Chris...We can't do this." He looked into her pale gray eyes, leaning forward slightly.
"Why not?"
"Because....because..." With his lips so close to hers, she couldn't seem to focus and think of reason why they couldn't.
Her cell phone rang, letting out a jazzy Chicago tune from her back pocket, startling her. She jumped, and Chris reluctantly straightened, pulling away from her.
"Hello?" she said, not sure whether she should be grateful or irritated by the interruption.
"Ravyn?" Jack's voice said. "We've got a problem."
"I knew it!" Ravyn exclaimed, snapping the phone shut.
"What?"
"That was Jack. Apparently, Cody's gotten caught. The police are on their way right now. I knew I was going to have to clean up one of his damn messes one day." She started out the door and Chris followed, not bothering to put on a shirt.
"What aren't you telling me, Ravyn?" he asked as she ran down the stairs towards her car and he hurried to keep up.
Ravyn didn't respond. She ignored him completely until they got outside. She climbed in quickly, not bothering with the door and started the engine. Chris could only stare at the car.
"Are you coming or not?"
Chris nodded dumbly and got in.
"Where did you get this car Ravyn?" he asked as the sped down the street.
"Mom gave it to me for my sixteenth birthday. I wanted a red one, but she said that was too flashy for...people like us. I brought it with me when I moved here."
They drove in silence for a few minutes, then Chris remembered his earlier question.
"Ravyn, what aren't you telling me about this?"
She sighed and glanced over at him. "If I can't get him off, or destroy the evidence connecting him to the Guild, I have to kill him."
"Kill him! He's only sixteen!"
"It doesn't matter! He can still force the police to recognize the Guild officially. If they do, we're toast. All of us." She looked at him steadily. "You've got to help me with this Chris."
They were approaching the night club where Cody was supposed to be. Chris nodded reluctantly.
"Just promise me you won't do anything you don't have to."
"Trust me, I won't."
When they reached the club, they found that the police had already found Cody and were questioning him. As Ravyn and Chris got out of the car, she whispered to him, "My name is Evie, and you're my boyfriend Josh."
She walked up to the nearest officer and said, "Thank God, you found him!" She went and embraced Cody and whispered in his ear, "Sister, Evie," hoping he would understand what she meant. She didn't have time for a longer sentence. She drew back as one of the officers asked, "Who are you, miss?"
"I'm Cody's sister, Evelyn," she told them. "Evie for short." She shook the officer's hand and said, "My brother's a bit of a trouble maker, I hope he hasn't done anything serious?"
"That's what we're trying to ascertain, Ms. Evelyn."
"What has he told you already?"
"Nothing. He won't tell us anything. Perhaps as his sister...?" the officer trailed off, looking expectantly at Ravyn.
"Of course. He's a bit shy, but I think I can get something out of him." She smiled brightly at him, cursing her lack of forethought in not making herself blonde. She walked over to Cody, leaving Chris to talk to the police officers.
See if you can get him to let us get Cody out of here! she whispered into his mind.
I'll see what I can do, he thought back.
She took Cody's arm and led him a little ways off from where the police stood. She could feel several of them watching her, but ignored them, leading Cody away.
When they were a few yards away, she turned and looked him in the eye. He had met her before, and was not daunted by her, but now he was very scared and almost cowered in front of her.
"Tell me what happened," she commanded.
"I...uh...well..."
"Tell me," she repeated. "Now." She fixed him with a pale gray glare. "You know what I can do. If I have to into your mind to find out what happened, it will not be pleasant. Particularly for you."
Cody stared at her with wide frightened eyes, and Ravyn felt bad, but she did not relent. Quickly, he told her what had happened.
Apparently, he had been on the job with an innocent girl as the victim. Ravyn frowned at this, but didn't say anything, letting him continue. They were dancing in a remote corner of the club and he had reached for his power to take them out of the club, but something had stopped him. He had panicked, and pulled out the knife that was his weapon of choice. She had screamed and a brawl had ensued, in which he lost his knife and someone called the police.
She frowned as if in thought to disguise the faraway look in her eyes as she contacted Chris.
It's worse than I thought. He pulled a knife on her in the middle of the club. How's it coming with the cops?
I think I can get them to let us go for the night, he told her. But I need you to push them a bit.
Sure thing. Keep talking for a few more seconds, then ask again. He'll say yes.
Quickly, while the police officer was distracted by Chris, she slipped into his mind and waited for Chris's question. When it came, she manipulated his mind so that he agreed, and then she slipped out.
"You know why I'm here don't you?" she asked Cody.
"Jack sent you," he said sullenly.
Chris walked up to them and said to Ravyn, "We can go."
"Get in the car," she commanded Cody. He went obediently, sitting in the back seat. Once they were all inside, she smiled brightly at the cops and said, "I'll bring him back in the morning. Mom will just want to say goodbye to him." The officer nodded dazedly and she rolled up the convertible top and drove off before any of them came to their senses and prevented it.
As soon as they were safely away, Ravyn sighed heavily and glanced at Chris. "I haven't controlled so many minds in a long time. That's hard work."
She smiled at him, and he noticed for the first time that she was sweating slightly. "Are you okay?"
"I'll be fine. I can make it back to the house. I don't think I can do anymore mind control though."
They didn't speak the rest of the way to Ravyn's apartment. When they got there, Cody trailed behind them up to Ravyn's apartment. Once inside, Ravyn turned her anger loose on the boy.
"What in the hell do you think you were doing? Pulling a knife in public?"
"I panicked!" he defended himself.
"Do you know what it was that stopped your power?" Ravyn asked, more to distract herself from the urge to rip the foolish boy's throat out for nearly exposing them.
Cody dug a ring out of his pocket and handed it to her. "She was wearing that, and I think that might have been it."
As soon as the ring touched her hand, Ravyn knew what it was. With a gasp of fear and remembrance, she dropped it to the floor as if it had burned her.
"Ravyn, what is it?" Chris asked concerned.
"Cold iron," she said shakily. "That ring is cold iron. No wonder you panicked. I did too." All her anger melted away as she realized why he had done what he did.
"What?" Cody and Chris said, almost simultaneously.
"Cold iron. It repels magic," she explained. "I had a bad run-in with some a few years back." She looked at Cody. "You know what has to be done." It was not a question.
He nodded. Without taking her eyes of the boy, Ravyn said to Chris, "Would you please go make sure I locked the car? I don't think I did."
Looking more than slightly confused, Chris left, taking her keys with him.
"I'm sorry Cody," Ravyn said sincerely. "I wish it didn't have to be this way. But you had your Guild papers on you, which the police now have, and you pulled a knife in public. At least I can give you an easy death."
"How?" he asked. He was no longer pretending to be macho. He was just a scared boy who knew he was about to die.
Ravyn held up one finger, and the nail extended into a hybrid's claw. "One stab to the heart will do it. And I can ease your mind asleep so you don't even feel it."
Cody nodded. "I'd...appreciate it."
"Do you want me to send any messages for you?"
Cody shook his head and she crossed the room to him. She helped him lie down on the floor and gently eased into his mind. She relaxed it slowly, as it would when naturally going to sleep, and in only minutes, he was asleep in her lap. Biting her lip, she positioned her finger over his heart, tightened her grip on his mind so he wouldn't wake when her claw punctured his skin, and plunged her claw into his chest.
His body shook in her arms and blood welled up in his mouth, but he was dead in seconds. Tears poured down her cheeks and she leaned over the body of Cody and sobbed.
A/N: I know, it's sad, but it was necessary to the next chapter. There was a little hint of Ravyn/Chris in this one (sorry if I've just spoiled something for you, but if you haven't figured it out by now, that's really sad) but we'll see just how much he cares in the next chapter. Also in the next chapter: we have a little S/M, and we'll see what our naughty boy Kraven has been up to. I won't be updating at all next week, because I'll be at camp, but during that time I will probably get something written. Be patient and review, if you haven't already, so I know that someone is waiting for it, and I will hurry up with the posting. I'm back on Saturday, so I'm guessing I'll have something up on Monday or Tuesday. Please review!!
Akemi Akibi: I hear your request. I'll try and grant it, but I'm not making any promises. Her relationship with her parents is a fairly normal one for a teenager, I think. In chapter seven or eight, I think a deeper look into the relationship will work into the story perfectly. Thanks for the idea, and the review!
AquariousF5: I'm glad you like Ravyn. There is going to be a bit of romance for her in this story, and I hope, from this chapter, and chapter two, you figured it out. If you didn't, I'm not going to tell! Hehe
Kesaria: I'm glad you enjoyed it. I really look forward to your reviews; they're always so helpful! I hope I can mix the genres fairly well. Let me know how I do!
Lady K: Chapter 1: Moose doesn't like the mind-reading thing, but I'm glad you do. I don't know what I'd do if one of my most faithful reviewers didn't like it! When are we going to see more on My Immortal? I really really really want to know what happens!!! Chapter 2: You're partially right about Adara. I first read the name in a book of dragon-related short stories and fell in love with that character, and then I found it in an Eddings book and the rest, as they say, was history. Moose was not fond of the Other Worlds thing, but I had to put it in there if I was going to have Evelyn and her kids in there, and trust me, there was no way in hell Adalon was going to let me leave her out. (She's very stubborn sometimes. It gets annoying. But arguing with her is like arguing with a rock.) But the Other Worlds thing is part of Evelyn's character, and you can't leave out crucial bits of someone, just because the editor doesn't like it. And besides, it's important in later chappies. But I'm glad you liked it.
007: She would be omnipotent if she was constantly reading minds. But as a courtesy, she generally stays out of people's minds unless invited. Unless they are her intended victim, of course. But it's sort of like you don't walk in on someone when they're in the shower, and you don't read their mind unless they say you can.
Moose: You've said you're warming up to the story, which is good. It's very difficult to write something when the muse doesn't like it.
Brainfear: Glad you liked it! It's always nice to hear from you, so keep reviewing!!
Samara Morgan-Ring: I'm not entirely sure if your review was directed at me, since you included the name Todoshi (at least I think it's a name), but for now, I'm going to assume it is. I promise I will continue with this. Maybe a bit slower than you'd like, but please don't sic your pink bunnies of nauseating cuteness on me!
Khayla: I was wondering what happened to you. I though maybe the Canadians had done something to you. dodges flying fruit kidding! Glad you liked it.
Xenocharm: No, Chris is not based on anyone; I came up with him before I even went to summer school. It's just a coincidence. And I had to kill Seth. It was the perfect opportunity to wreck some revenge on that...I'm not even going to say what he is, because I can't think of a word nasty enough. And since I can't kill him in real life, I can kill him in my stories. And I will. The cold iron thing isn't random, I promise. It comes in during this chapter (obviously) and in chapter...I think it's chapter six. Maybe five, maybe seven, I don't know yet. But somewhere around in there. And as for Chris's biceps, you can't have the hot male lead have wimpy biceps.
Disclaimer: Guess what? I own everybody mentioned in this chapter except Michael, Selene, Kraven, and I think there's a brief mention of Viktor. But everything else is MINE!!!
Chapter Three: Not Just Another Job
When Ravyn woke the next morning, she pulled on a tank top and exercise pants, ate a quick breakfast, and walked to the gym.
When she opened the door, most of the heads in the front turned, hands going to waists, or ankles, reaching for weapons, but went back to their workout when they saw who it was.
Ravyn walked up to the desk to get her locker key. As the girl handed it to her, she said, "Haven't seen you in a while, Ravyn."
"Been on the job," Ravyn explained.
"Got it done, I take it?"
"Yeah, check's due tomorrow."
"Boss wants to see you after you're done."
"Okay, thanks Joan."
"No problem."
Ravyn stowed her stuff in a locker, then went out into the main gym, first checking that all her throwing knives were in place. The gym belonged to the Assassin's Guild, and all the people there were assassins. It had happened, occasionally, that enemies of the Guild had wandered in, and a fight had ensued. The boss Joan had mentioned was the king of the assassins, and he was the one who gave out jobs. After each job, the assassin had to report to him.
She started her workout with a run around the gym to warm up, and then moved into her normal workout, wondering why Jack would want to see her. She'd already filled her report on the previous nights work. What more did he want?
"Couldn't this have waited until after I'd showered?" Ravyn asked irritably. "I probably stink."
"You look and smell as lovely as ever, my dear," Jack, the head of the Guild and Ravyn's boss, told her. "And no, it couldn't have waited. They need an answer in half an hour."
Ravyn refrained from asking who "they" were, knowing it was an exercise in futility trying to get any information out of Jack, other than what he wanted you to know.
"Have a seat," Jack said, gesturing to a chair in front of his desk. He went around and sat behind it, sitting back and folding his hands across his lap. Ravyn sat in a chair across from him, feeling rather uncomfortable. She had rarely been in Jack's office, preferring to write her reports and each time she was, it was for an unpleasant reason.
"What would you think about going back into partnership with Chris?" Jack asked, surprising her.
Whatever she had been expecting, it wasn't that. "Excuse me?" she said, unsure that she had heard right.
"What would you think about going back into partnership with Chris?" Jack repeated.
Ravyn stared blankly at him for a moment, then repeated stupidly, "Chris?"
"Yes, Chris!" Jack was starting to get a little impatient with his usually quick-witted employee. "Did you forget to have a cup of coffee this morning?"
"No! I mean yes. I mean...I don't know." Ravyn rubbed a hand across her face and stood, pacing the office. After a few minutes of silence, Ravyn stopped pacing and turned to Jack.
"No. Chris and I can't go back into partnership."
"Why not? You two are good friends. And you really did do very well together."
"Personal problems," Ravyn said tersely. She liked Jack but he had an annoying tendency to pry.
Jack sat up and looked her straight in the eye. "This is a really good job Ravyn. You don't want to pass it up."
"How much?"
"Ten grand each."
Ravyn's eyes widened and she whistled. "Who do they want dead?"
"He goes by the name of Viktor. We doubt that's his real name though."
Ravyn's eyes narrowed and she sat down, opening the file Jack slid across the desk.
"He's a very elusive criminal. He showed up in Chicago about twenty years ago, has changed his last name at least a dozen times, but he always keeps the first name Viktor."
Ravyn flipped through the pages. It was a police file—How did Jack get this?—and very through, but there were no pictures, which struck Ravyn as odd. A cold feeling of dread settled in her stomach and she spoke to herself sternly to ward it off.
Stop it! Viktor was dead before you were even born! Mom cut off his head, for heaven's sake! Not even a vampire could survive that! It's not as though he can just grow another head. She resisted the urge to giggle at the thought of Viktor with two heads. She knew what he looked like; there were drawings and paintings all over the manor, and her mother had told her about her grandsire often enough. Selene had wanted her daughter to understand the lingering unease in the Coven and where the natural prejudice the vampires harbored against the lycans had come from.
"I already have an answer from Chris," Jack said, interrupting her thoughts. "I need yours."
"Who contracted it?" she asked, more out of habit then anything else. She didn't really expect an answer, let alone the one he gave.
"The Chicago Police, if you can believe that!"
Ravyn gaped at him.
"That's why I need you and Chris to do this. You both have clean records, besides the fact that you two are my best agents."
Ravyn nodded, eyes traveling back down to the file. A murder charge stared back at her. The Guild tended more towards criminals in their victims, but there were some who would kill anyone, if the price was right. Ravyn and Chris, however, had kept their records clear of innocents. The Chicago police had an unofficial awareness of the Guild and tended to leave its members alone, when the victim was a criminal. But they always investigated—and sometimes solved—innocent murder cases. Since both Ravyn and Chris had no innocent blood on their hands—or teeth, in Ravyn's case—they could work with the Police without fear of arrest.
"I'll do it."
"So you said yes?" Chris asked.
"What else could I say?" Ravyn retorted. "The Chicago Police contracted it! If I refuse, they'll probably come and arrest me, and I'll end up doing it anyway, only I won't get paid. And ten thousand dollars is a lot of money."
They were sitting in a small local café, eating lunch.
"You're telling me!" Chris said, and then he looked closely at her. "You're curious!" Ravyn said nothing, only sipped her tea. "Come on, admit it!"
Ravyn took another sip of her tea, frowning. "I am, a bit. But it's more than that."
Chris bit into his sandwich, raising an eyebrow. Ravyn took a long drink of the tea, hiding her thoughts.
Now what do I say? It's not as though I can say, "Hey Chris, guess what? I'm part vampire and the guy we're supposed to kill has the same name as my grandsire."
"There was a man," she said, choosing her words carefully, "who tried to kill my father, before I was born. He killed my mother's family and lied to her for years about it. He turned my mother into a va—killer." She caught herself quickly. "His name was Viktor. He spelled it the same way as this guy." She tapped the police file lying on the table between them. "Mom killed him, but I'm afraid that maybe, somehow, he survived, or maybe one of his, um, relatives or something is after my family again."
Not too far from the truth, she congratulated herself. If you take out the whole part about the war.
"I see," Chris said, though clearly, he didn't. "That's why you signed on? To find out if it had something to do with this guy your mom killed?"
Ravyn nodded.
"And here I thought it had something to do with my irresistible charm." Chris laughed and Ravyn had to admit, he was irresistible. With his thick brown hair, dancing green eyes, and muscled frame, he was very handsome. And he was funny, and sweet, and charming, and...
Ravyn pulled herself away from her mental list of Chris's charms, and forced herself to focus on the business at hand.
"How are we going to catch this guy?"
"I was thinking the usual?"
"But we don't know where he is, we don't know what he looks like, we don't even know his real name!"
"Good point." Chris chewed thoughtfully on his sandwich, and then said, "Tell you what. You get me a visual, and I'll get the rest of the stuff we need."
"Sounds like you get most of the work."
"Oh, there's a price."
"And what would that be?"
"One kiss." Chris held up a finger. "When we get the bugger, you have to kiss me."
Ravyn eyed him speculatively, trying desperately to fight the blush attempting to color her pale cheeks.
"Deal. But just one," she said, when Chris grinned widely.
"Works for me."
"Come on, you little bastard, where are you?" Ravyn asked her computer, but the question was really addressed to 'Viktor'. She wondered who he really was. Jack had said he had come to the city twenty years ago.
That would be right around the time when Viktor was killed. Note to self: ask Mom if any vampires went missing during that time.
Would she recognize him if she saw him? She had seen pictures of many of the Death Dealers that had died in the Great Battle against the lycans. The battle for her father's life. She thought of a particular vampire that her mother often brought up when she spoke of that battle.
Kraven. I wonder if this 'Viktor' has anything to do with him?
She did another search on her laptop, and this time came up with a site that looked promising. She clicked on it and pulled up a series of pictures. Most were fuzzy and hard to distinguish the pink blobs as human beings, and all had been taken at night. She scrolled down idly, wondering if this site had anything remotely resembling quality. And then she saw it.
It was a frontal view of a man's face. He had thick dark hair that fell to his shoulders, and his eyes were an electric blue. His teeth were bared in a snarl, and the canines were abnormally long and sharp.
I knew it! Kraven, you bloody bastard, is this where you've been hiding all this time? Wait till Mom hears; she's been dying to get her hands on you!
She quickly hit the print button and waited impatiently while her prehistoric printer slowly inked out the lines that would form Kraven's face. When it was done, she snatched it off the floor where it had fallen when the printer released it, grabbed her keys and her phone, and hurried out the door, almost forgetting to lock it in her rush to get to Chris's apartment.
It was late, almost midnight, and Ravyn decided to drive. Traffic would be almost non-existent, and it would get her the ten blocks to Chris's apartment much faster. She could have just called him, but she wanted to see him. Calling herself all sorts of names ranging from love-struck idiot to a bloody irrational moron, she climbed into her car and started the ignition. She rolled down the convertible top, hoping the air would clear her head, and drove quickly to Chris's apartment building.
She ran up the stairs and knocked on Chris's door. There was no response, so she knocked again. After a few seconds had gone by, she impatiently raised her hand to knock again, but Chris opened the door before she could.
Chris's brown hair was tousled from sleep, he was wearing shorts, and his chest was bare. Ravyn forced herself not to stare at his tanned and muscled body, instead looking into his sleepy green eyes.
Even half asleep, he's gorgeous!
"Ravyn?" he asked sleepily. "What are you doing here?"
"I found him!" she exclaimed, brandishing the paper.
"Couldn't this have waited until morning?"
"No. I know who he is, and more important I know his weaknesses."
"Alright, come in." Chris yawned, opening the door for her. She stepped inside, feeling suddenly shy. She had never been inside his apartment before, and she found it oddly...romantic.
Chris turned the lights on, and she followed him into the kitchen. Still yawning, he turned on the coffee pot, and sat down at the table with her.
"Alright, so who is this guy?"
"His name is Kraven," she told him, handing him the picture. "He's an old enemy of Mom's. He betrayed the Cov...her family."
Better keep a closer watch on that tongue of yours! she told herself. That's the second time you've nearly let it slip today!
Luckily, Chris didn't seem to notice, too absorbed in studying the picture.
"You mentioned weaknesses?" he asked, looking up briefly.
"He's sun-phobic, and he's infatuated with Mom."
"That's gross, Ravyn," Chris told her. "He can't be that much older than us!"
"You'd be surprised," Ravyn muttered under her breath.
"What?"
"Nothing. The point is he only comes out a night. He never lets the sunlight touch him."
"Sounds like he has serious mental issues."
"You have no idea."
"You know him?"
"Not personally. But Mom's known him for a long time, and he tried to kill my dad once. Came pretty damn close too."
"I see." He studied the picture for a few more minutes as Ravyn gazed around his kitchen. It was clean, but not decorated in any way, not even a picture hanging on the wall. It seemed so impersonal for someone like Chris.
He looked up from the computer printout, meeting Ravyn's gaze squarely.
"I ran into Cody today," he told her quietly, knowing the young assassin was a bit of a sore spot with her.
"What did he have to say?"
"He's on the job tonight."
"Someday that boy is going to get himself killed," she muttered. "He depends too much on those damned powers."
Cody was sixteen, and very new to the Guild. He was one of the few in the Guild that had powers. His were transportation powers that he depended entirely on to get his jobs done, something Ravyn disapproved heartily of. She knew the dangers of her magic, and could get a job done without it, though she generally preferred it. Cody, however, had no idea of the dangers that could result of using his magic, and Ravyn suspected that one day the boy would run up against someone wearing cold iron and would not know what to do. She had often offered to instruct him in the dangers, but each time she did, he refused. He was a stubborn boy, that was for sure.
"I don't know why it upsets you so much," Chris said conversationally.
"Simple. There are substances out there that repel magic. They're more common than I'd like them to be, but at least I can tell when someone has one. Cody wouldn't know cold iron if it bit him on the nose."
"I see," Chris said, though clearly he didn't. He looked at her speculatively. "You know, you're pretty cute when you're mad."
She blushed hotly. "Chris, we've been through this." She stood up to go.
"You're even cuter when you blush." He stood too, and came around the table to her.
"Chris...We can't do this." He looked into her pale gray eyes, leaning forward slightly.
"Why not?"
"Because....because..." With his lips so close to hers, she couldn't seem to focus and think of reason why they couldn't.
Her cell phone rang, letting out a jazzy Chicago tune from her back pocket, startling her. She jumped, and Chris reluctantly straightened, pulling away from her.
"Hello?" she said, not sure whether she should be grateful or irritated by the interruption.
"Ravyn?" Jack's voice said. "We've got a problem."
"I knew it!" Ravyn exclaimed, snapping the phone shut.
"What?"
"That was Jack. Apparently, Cody's gotten caught. The police are on their way right now. I knew I was going to have to clean up one of his damn messes one day." She started out the door and Chris followed, not bothering to put on a shirt.
"What aren't you telling me, Ravyn?" he asked as she ran down the stairs towards her car and he hurried to keep up.
Ravyn didn't respond. She ignored him completely until they got outside. She climbed in quickly, not bothering with the door and started the engine. Chris could only stare at the car.
"Are you coming or not?"
Chris nodded dumbly and got in.
"Where did you get this car Ravyn?" he asked as the sped down the street.
"Mom gave it to me for my sixteenth birthday. I wanted a red one, but she said that was too flashy for...people like us. I brought it with me when I moved here."
They drove in silence for a few minutes, then Chris remembered his earlier question.
"Ravyn, what aren't you telling me about this?"
She sighed and glanced over at him. "If I can't get him off, or destroy the evidence connecting him to the Guild, I have to kill him."
"Kill him! He's only sixteen!"
"It doesn't matter! He can still force the police to recognize the Guild officially. If they do, we're toast. All of us." She looked at him steadily. "You've got to help me with this Chris."
They were approaching the night club where Cody was supposed to be. Chris nodded reluctantly.
"Just promise me you won't do anything you don't have to."
"Trust me, I won't."
When they reached the club, they found that the police had already found Cody and were questioning him. As Ravyn and Chris got out of the car, she whispered to him, "My name is Evie, and you're my boyfriend Josh."
She walked up to the nearest officer and said, "Thank God, you found him!" She went and embraced Cody and whispered in his ear, "Sister, Evie," hoping he would understand what she meant. She didn't have time for a longer sentence. She drew back as one of the officers asked, "Who are you, miss?"
"I'm Cody's sister, Evelyn," she told them. "Evie for short." She shook the officer's hand and said, "My brother's a bit of a trouble maker, I hope he hasn't done anything serious?"
"That's what we're trying to ascertain, Ms. Evelyn."
"What has he told you already?"
"Nothing. He won't tell us anything. Perhaps as his sister...?" the officer trailed off, looking expectantly at Ravyn.
"Of course. He's a bit shy, but I think I can get something out of him." She smiled brightly at him, cursing her lack of forethought in not making herself blonde. She walked over to Cody, leaving Chris to talk to the police officers.
See if you can get him to let us get Cody out of here! she whispered into his mind.
I'll see what I can do, he thought back.
She took Cody's arm and led him a little ways off from where the police stood. She could feel several of them watching her, but ignored them, leading Cody away.
When they were a few yards away, she turned and looked him in the eye. He had met her before, and was not daunted by her, but now he was very scared and almost cowered in front of her.
"Tell me what happened," she commanded.
"I...uh...well..."
"Tell me," she repeated. "Now." She fixed him with a pale gray glare. "You know what I can do. If I have to into your mind to find out what happened, it will not be pleasant. Particularly for you."
Cody stared at her with wide frightened eyes, and Ravyn felt bad, but she did not relent. Quickly, he told her what had happened.
Apparently, he had been on the job with an innocent girl as the victim. Ravyn frowned at this, but didn't say anything, letting him continue. They were dancing in a remote corner of the club and he had reached for his power to take them out of the club, but something had stopped him. He had panicked, and pulled out the knife that was his weapon of choice. She had screamed and a brawl had ensued, in which he lost his knife and someone called the police.
She frowned as if in thought to disguise the faraway look in her eyes as she contacted Chris.
It's worse than I thought. He pulled a knife on her in the middle of the club. How's it coming with the cops?
I think I can get them to let us go for the night, he told her. But I need you to push them a bit.
Sure thing. Keep talking for a few more seconds, then ask again. He'll say yes.
Quickly, while the police officer was distracted by Chris, she slipped into his mind and waited for Chris's question. When it came, she manipulated his mind so that he agreed, and then she slipped out.
"You know why I'm here don't you?" she asked Cody.
"Jack sent you," he said sullenly.
Chris walked up to them and said to Ravyn, "We can go."
"Get in the car," she commanded Cody. He went obediently, sitting in the back seat. Once they were all inside, she smiled brightly at the cops and said, "I'll bring him back in the morning. Mom will just want to say goodbye to him." The officer nodded dazedly and she rolled up the convertible top and drove off before any of them came to their senses and prevented it.
As soon as they were safely away, Ravyn sighed heavily and glanced at Chris. "I haven't controlled so many minds in a long time. That's hard work."
She smiled at him, and he noticed for the first time that she was sweating slightly. "Are you okay?"
"I'll be fine. I can make it back to the house. I don't think I can do anymore mind control though."
They didn't speak the rest of the way to Ravyn's apartment. When they got there, Cody trailed behind them up to Ravyn's apartment. Once inside, Ravyn turned her anger loose on the boy.
"What in the hell do you think you were doing? Pulling a knife in public?"
"I panicked!" he defended himself.
"Do you know what it was that stopped your power?" Ravyn asked, more to distract herself from the urge to rip the foolish boy's throat out for nearly exposing them.
Cody dug a ring out of his pocket and handed it to her. "She was wearing that, and I think that might have been it."
As soon as the ring touched her hand, Ravyn knew what it was. With a gasp of fear and remembrance, she dropped it to the floor as if it had burned her.
"Ravyn, what is it?" Chris asked concerned.
"Cold iron," she said shakily. "That ring is cold iron. No wonder you panicked. I did too." All her anger melted away as she realized why he had done what he did.
"What?" Cody and Chris said, almost simultaneously.
"Cold iron. It repels magic," she explained. "I had a bad run-in with some a few years back." She looked at Cody. "You know what has to be done." It was not a question.
He nodded. Without taking her eyes of the boy, Ravyn said to Chris, "Would you please go make sure I locked the car? I don't think I did."
Looking more than slightly confused, Chris left, taking her keys with him.
"I'm sorry Cody," Ravyn said sincerely. "I wish it didn't have to be this way. But you had your Guild papers on you, which the police now have, and you pulled a knife in public. At least I can give you an easy death."
"How?" he asked. He was no longer pretending to be macho. He was just a scared boy who knew he was about to die.
Ravyn held up one finger, and the nail extended into a hybrid's claw. "One stab to the heart will do it. And I can ease your mind asleep so you don't even feel it."
Cody nodded. "I'd...appreciate it."
"Do you want me to send any messages for you?"
Cody shook his head and she crossed the room to him. She helped him lie down on the floor and gently eased into his mind. She relaxed it slowly, as it would when naturally going to sleep, and in only minutes, he was asleep in her lap. Biting her lip, she positioned her finger over his heart, tightened her grip on his mind so he wouldn't wake when her claw punctured his skin, and plunged her claw into his chest.
His body shook in her arms and blood welled up in his mouth, but he was dead in seconds. Tears poured down her cheeks and she leaned over the body of Cody and sobbed.
A/N: I know, it's sad, but it was necessary to the next chapter. There was a little hint of Ravyn/Chris in this one (sorry if I've just spoiled something for you, but if you haven't figured it out by now, that's really sad) but we'll see just how much he cares in the next chapter. Also in the next chapter: we have a little S/M, and we'll see what our naughty boy Kraven has been up to. I won't be updating at all next week, because I'll be at camp, but during that time I will probably get something written. Be patient and review, if you haven't already, so I know that someone is waiting for it, and I will hurry up with the posting. I'm back on Saturday, so I'm guessing I'll have something up on Monday or Tuesday. Please review!!
Akemi Akibi: I hear your request. I'll try and grant it, but I'm not making any promises. Her relationship with her parents is a fairly normal one for a teenager, I think. In chapter seven or eight, I think a deeper look into the relationship will work into the story perfectly. Thanks for the idea, and the review!
AquariousF5: I'm glad you like Ravyn. There is going to be a bit of romance for her in this story, and I hope, from this chapter, and chapter two, you figured it out. If you didn't, I'm not going to tell! Hehe
Kesaria: I'm glad you enjoyed it. I really look forward to your reviews; they're always so helpful! I hope I can mix the genres fairly well. Let me know how I do!
Lady K: Chapter 1: Moose doesn't like the mind-reading thing, but I'm glad you do. I don't know what I'd do if one of my most faithful reviewers didn't like it! When are we going to see more on My Immortal? I really really really want to know what happens!!! Chapter 2: You're partially right about Adara. I first read the name in a book of dragon-related short stories and fell in love with that character, and then I found it in an Eddings book and the rest, as they say, was history. Moose was not fond of the Other Worlds thing, but I had to put it in there if I was going to have Evelyn and her kids in there, and trust me, there was no way in hell Adalon was going to let me leave her out. (She's very stubborn sometimes. It gets annoying. But arguing with her is like arguing with a rock.) But the Other Worlds thing is part of Evelyn's character, and you can't leave out crucial bits of someone, just because the editor doesn't like it. And besides, it's important in later chappies. But I'm glad you liked it.
007: She would be omnipotent if she was constantly reading minds. But as a courtesy, she generally stays out of people's minds unless invited. Unless they are her intended victim, of course. But it's sort of like you don't walk in on someone when they're in the shower, and you don't read their mind unless they say you can.
Moose: You've said you're warming up to the story, which is good. It's very difficult to write something when the muse doesn't like it.
Brainfear: Glad you liked it! It's always nice to hear from you, so keep reviewing!!
Samara Morgan-Ring: I'm not entirely sure if your review was directed at me, since you included the name Todoshi (at least I think it's a name), but for now, I'm going to assume it is. I promise I will continue with this. Maybe a bit slower than you'd like, but please don't sic your pink bunnies of nauseating cuteness on me!
Khayla: I was wondering what happened to you. I though maybe the Canadians had done something to you. dodges flying fruit kidding! Glad you liked it.
Xenocharm: No, Chris is not based on anyone; I came up with him before I even went to summer school. It's just a coincidence. And I had to kill Seth. It was the perfect opportunity to wreck some revenge on that...I'm not even going to say what he is, because I can't think of a word nasty enough. And since I can't kill him in real life, I can kill him in my stories. And I will. The cold iron thing isn't random, I promise. It comes in during this chapter (obviously) and in chapter...I think it's chapter six. Maybe five, maybe seven, I don't know yet. But somewhere around in there. And as for Chris's biceps, you can't have the hot male lead have wimpy biceps.