Tristan's Peace - Chapter 6
Disclaimer: I do not own any characters that you may recognize from King Arthur. Nor do I own any that you may recognize from the Dark Hunter Series by Sherrilyn Kenyon. I am merely playing with them for a time. So please don't sue me, I have no money. Nada, zippo, zilch.
A/N: This chapter is mostly for Acheron to explain to Tristan, to bring Tristan up to speed so to speak. Teagan's will come later.
melosine - As you may see, 1500 years or so may have calmed him down a bit. Or slowed that trigger brain of his.
KnightMaiden - Again, I don't mean to confuse you. You have been such a faithful reviewer. If you'd like, e-mail me with any questions and I'll be happy to explain.
op - I don't mean to confuse. Eventually it will make sense. I hope so anyway. It all ties together. I'm bringing those pieces together. Slowly.
dellis - I don't know if I can explain Victor's origin. He's just a man that I once had a nightmare about once. What he did...And I'm glad you like Metallica. "Nothing Else Matters' got me through boot camp. His choices of music are pretty much mine. Every song I list is one that I personally like for whatever reason.
Cardeia - Good, I'm glad you understand the part with Victor. I wanted you to see why Tristan became a Dark Hunter. What would give him cause for revenge.
And you remember the first time Tristan came back. (Grin) Wait and see. You read my mind to much. Especially about the tattoo. Stop doing that!
I'm glad you like the way he asked her. I see so many way this has been done. And most times I gag. This way keeps him more in character. And I do plan on the one-shot about Lancelot. Just keep reminding me.
And for all - On the flash backs: Watch for the year listed at the top of each chapter. Some chapters will be entire flashback scenes. The ones that are within the current year (2005) will be in italics.
2005
Teagan walked into PAX, her nightclub on Monroe Street. It was after hours, so she didn't have to deal with the noise of the club. Nor the pounding of the music.
Normally, she liked to watch the people, but not tonight. Tonight she didn't want to be bothered. This waiting for Ash's rogue Hunter was something she'd rather not do.
Feigning a headache, she had left the business to Joachim. In reality, she hadn't slept all that well the day before, having had another nightmare. They were becoming more frequent and more bizarre.
Ash was being no help at all, saying that she would understand it all in time.
In time? Bull shit. She'd had nothing but time.
After closing the door behind her, the first thing she noticed was the more subdued lights. And the lack of people. Carrick was sitting in one of the tall chairs at the bar. Her head busily buried in the night's tallies.
With a smirk, Teagan pulled the papers out of Carrick's hands, the pencil leaving a line as the paper was taken away.
"What are you doing still here? Where's my squire?" It was after three am and the place was empty, save the cleaning crew, Teagan and Carrick. And Shay was prowling around somewhere outside. Teagan could feel his comforting presence.
Carrick shook her head. "Joachim said something about going home." Teagan didn't miss the blush as she said his name. "Said he's got a test in the morning. Asked me to stay with you."
Teagan touched her fore head, in a sort of a 'duh' moment kind of a way. "Okay. I remember now." She watched as Carrick made her way behind the bar, pouring herself a soda. The proceeded to pour another drink into a heavy clay mug.
"Why don't you just ask him out?"
The younger girl blushed, but she raised her head. "Because he only goes out with the pretty girls." She said as she handed Teagan the mug filled with Mt. Dew.
"Don't sell yourself short." Carrick was such a pretty girl, Teagan thought. The young woman wasn't much taller than her, only about five feet two. Her straight blonde hair was cut short, only to about her chin.
And smart. At twenty five, she already had her bachelors in chemistry and was working on getting her doctorate. When she wasn't spending time at the club, she worked part time in RIT's Chemistry department. Eventually, she wanted to teach.
She had been here as long as Shay and was one hell of a bartender. Teagan kept giving her raises to help her through school. Carrick would always have a place here.
But, Carrick always wondered what the men thought about her, being not as skinny as most of the women who came into the club. She wasn't heavy in any way, Teagan thought. Just curvy.
Carrick pulled out a rag, starting to wipe down the massive expanse of the bar. "Besides, he doesn't even know I exist."
Teagan patted the blonde woman on her shoulders as she passed on her way to the kitchen. "I wouldn't be so sure of that." She made sure she hid her grin by taking another drink from her mug.
0o0o0o
Teagan watched as Seaghdh walked into her club from her vantage point of her office window. He noticed her watching him and waved before he passed under her. On his way up the curved stairs to her office.
Taking two or more steps at a time, Teagan knew.
Shay, as he liked to be called, was a Were-Hunter. A Gerakian Katagaria. A hawk-were. Shay was born a hawk, only able to take his human form after he had hit puberty.
She had known him for the past twenty years. He has been her club's bouncer for the last ten. He had taken a vested interest in PAX along with Joachim. And more often than not, they were the ones who made the place run as smoothly as it did. Teagan owned the club in name only.
And tonight, like all the nights since she had met him, her heart gave a thud.
Tonight he was dressed in his casual clothes. For Shay, that meant worn-out and faded jeans, crock skin cowboy boots and a very worn, very thin, flannel shirt. The kind that felt almost like baby's skin when touched.
The general consensus among most of the women who worked at the club, plus all those that frequented the place, thought Shay was the hottest man alive. A good many of the young women that came to the club, came to see Shay.
He never really paid them no mind. He was polite and firm as he refused to show them any affection other than kindness. But, the girls still came back for more.
He had the longest hair she'd ever seen on a man. Well, beside Acheron. But that man didn't count. It hung well past that distraction he called a derriere. It was the blonde color of a lion's mane, dreads all over. And tonight, like most nights, he had it pulled back into a thick tail behind his head.
And those eyes. Greener than any man's aught to be. Sometimes they changed to the color of emeralds. What was really cool was when he decided to change shape. His eyes generally didn't change when he did. It made for a very different kind of effect.
"Ash just called me." He put his arms around Teagan's shoulders, bringing his face into her neck. "Said he'd be here in about an hour." He inhaled deeply, ensuring that her scent would carry with him throughout the day.
Teagan smiled at him, running her hand along his arm. "Thanks, Shay." It gave a comforting warmth to her. Feeling his strong arms.
She glanced at her watch. His news wasn't good. It was five minutes to four in the morning. That didn't leave anytime to get the Hunter to her house. It was a half hour drive to her home in Bay View. They would be pushing it.
The sun was due to come up at 6 a.m.
0o0o0o
Tristan watched as the city of Rochester, New York went by out of his window. So far, he wasn't impressed with the choice of cities that Teagan had chosen to live in. It was dirty, crowded. Even at this late hour, or early, depending on your point of view. The cab nearly missed driving into a group of drunks as they left one of the bars, wandering into the street.
Tristan's nose wrinkled as one of the drunks bent over, emptying the contents of her stomach along side of the street. Her friends laughing as they fell over one another in their attempt to miss the offering.
Unlike the Dark Hunters, Teagan had a choice in where she lived. According to Ash, she wasn't governed by Artemis. Nor Acheron. He swore that she wasn't a Hunter, though she shared some characteristics that they did.
Acheron wasn't very forthcoming on what Teagan was. Or wasn't.
The elder Dark Hunter's voice brought him out of his reverie.
"Hey, Scout. We're here."
Tristan bent his head, looking out the window of the cab. He had to squint, the light of the neon sign hurting his sensitive eyes.
"PAX?" He looked back at Ash.
"Yup. Don't know why she named it that though." Reaching forward, he paid the cab driver, opening his door as his did. "Let's go. We'll go in the back."
Grabbing his duffle, Tristan followed Acheron to the back of the club, not surprised when the Atlantean walked right in, heading up some back stairs.
Teagan wasn't in her office right now and it would give him time to say a few more things to Tristan.
0o0o0o
"What's this, Shay?"
"DJ Tiesto, I think. Dave down at the Bug Jar had it and thought it would be good for us."
Teagan closed her eyes, letting the sounds of the bass rumble her body. Her body gently moving with the beat. It was dance music, but it was also soothing in a different kind of way. It wasn't as brain pounding as most of the music they played. This had a calming sort of rhythm.
"S'Good. We should keep it and work it in."
Shay gave her a lopsided smile. "Look what else I've found." As he pointed the remote to the player up, the music changed instantly.
"At Last...My Love Has Come Along..." Etta James' sultry voice came out of the speakers placed in every corner, and more, of the large club.
He moved from behind the bar, placing the remote down. His smooth gate bringing him to Teagan, his boots never making a sound.
Teagan shook her head, knowing what he wanted. She couldn't help but smile at him. He knew how to brighten her day.
"Come on. Loosen up." Seaghdh took hold of Teagan's hand, pulling her with him.
Teagan held back, not wanting to go onto the dance floor. "I'm too tired." She even managed not to smile at him.
"Liar." He whispered as he pulled her close, his steps guiding hers.
0o0o0o
"Liar." That one word caught Tristan's attention, bringing him to the large window that overlooked the club down below.
The place was massive. The bar took up one entire wall, well stocked with every know liquor known to man. He could even pick out a few names of the more popular of the micro-brews. The lights up above were dimmed, for which he was thankful. Though there were still plenty. His eyes taking longer than normal to adjust.
A pretty blond girl was sitting behind the bar, her eyes on the dance floor. A smile on her face as she tapped a much chewed pencil along the smooth wood of the bar.
Tristan followed her eyes. His own growing larger at what he saw.
Teagan.
Until now, he had honestly thought that Acheron had been lying to him. He'd done it before. Look at what he had just said to him. Things in Tristan's life just didn't go right. This would be just one more to add to that ever growing list.
She looked...Beautiful.
She looked perfect on that floor, her body swaying with the soft beat of the song. Much different than what he normally listened to. He wondered briefly at what music she did listen to.
She looked so different than when he saw her last. And exactly the same. She was wearing jeans, the kind that held to every curve she possesed. And they rode low on her backside. Just barely covering the tip of the dragon's tail he knew was there. The blouse she was wearing was virtually non-existent, being so sheer that he could make out the deep blue tank she wore. Her tattoo visible through it all.
And it looked intact.
The man she was dancing with turned her around. And as he did, Tristan got his first look at her face in over fifteen hundred years.
His heart lurched toward her, his body nearly following through the glass.
She looked exactly as he dreamed she would. Exactly as she had that night...
Tristan's eyes were on the entrance to the hall. His, along with everyone else's. He was barely listenening to what was being said around him. He had eyes only for the door.
"Wait until you see her Arthur, she's beautiful." Guinevere leaned into Arthur and whispered. "Tristan isn't going to know what hit him."
Arthur looked to where Tristan was sitting. As usual, his face was expressionless, but there was something in his eyes. And this man's eyes were fixed upon the entrance to the hall.
Jols entered first, clearing his throat as he stepped aside. He gave an exaggerated bow, bringing chuckles for all those present.
"I present, Lady Teagan."
At his announcement, everyone stood and faced the entrance.
As Teagan entered, several things happened at once.
Guinevere poked Arthur in the arm. "See I told you." Arthur couldn't help but agree. He tried not to stare, but it was hard not to. Teagan had always been beautiful, but she had never looked like this. She looked like the queen she was.
Guinevere was ecstatic that Teagan was actually going through with this. She knew her friend's misgivings and was happy she had finally put them aside.
"Damn." Lancelot and Gawain said at once. Their sister cleaned up well.
Lancelot knew what this cost her. He also knew what this cost Tristan. Their quiet knight was about to have his world heaved upside down. Seeing his friend's happiness standing at the hall's entrance, Lancelot took Cassandra's hand, bringing her closer to him.
He had found his own happiness. Now it looked as if Tristan and Teagan would finally find theirs.
"So that is the dress that caused all that fuss?" He whispered into Cass' ear. To which she only kissed him in reply.
Dagonet didn't say anything. He didn't have to, Bors did it for him. "By the gods, Red..." He didn't get farther, Vanora hit him on the arm. "What? I was just gonna say she beautiful." He bent to give his wife a kiss. "But not as beautiful as you." He whispered.
All eyes turned to Tristan who was visibly having a hard time keeping the impassive look on his face. His breath caught. Here he was thinking she was beautiful without clothes on. With clothes on? Well, he was having a hard time answering that.
Teagan stood there looking at him. Her head held high. Her hair had been put up, so only bits were falling down. Her dress was one he had never seen before. It was a rich red color. Almost matching her hair exactly. Edges of it were done with golden embroidery, from her shoulders to her waist. But it was the cut of the dress that was most striking. It seemed it was made for her tattoo. Just about every inch of it was showing. When she turned to give Jols her cloak, he got sight of her back. Sure enough, the dress was low enough, that even the tail of the dragon showed. It was made for her.
Whistles could be heard from most of the men. But, Tristan didn't pay attention this time. She looked beautiful.
Only one thing distressed Tristan at the sight of Teagan. He could still see the bruises, the marks that had been left on her, not so long ago. Only now they were fading and hopefully soon they could be forgotten.
And right now, he could forget everything that was around him. The only one in the room was Teagan. Her eyes bright and her face flushed. The heat from her cheeks traveling to her chest, leaving her skin a breathtaking shade of pink.
Aware that all eyes were on him, Tristan came forward to Teagan. Stopping in front of her, he drank in the sight of her. He brought up his hand to cup the back her neck. Her body shivering as he did so. And he didn't think she was cold. She barely leaned into him, but he felt it. Taking this as his answer, he bent low and kissed her.
A/N: I had to cut this chapter into two. Or possibly three. It has gotten out of hand a bit. Well, not out of hand... But, I am so loving this part that the words just keep coming and I keep typing. I do hope you all like this.