Tristan's Peace - Chapter 22
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: Sorry that this is so short folks. This was part of a much larger chapter that I felt I wanted to separate into parts. We are fast coming to the end so chapters may be shorter faster paced. Well, I hope they are faster paced.
2005
Teagan moved silently down the stairs into the basement of the large house. Her bare feet making no noise on the wooden stairs. She wasn't worried about anyone hearing her. Or even knowing that she had even left her room.
This was her house after all. She knew it like the back of her hand. She knew all the back ways and entrances. Hours and hours were spent exploring this house while it still belonged to Rosie. The hidden back staircase had been found purely by accident one day while a raging snowstorm swirled outside.
It was these hidden stairs she had taken to bring her to the basement that was Jac's living quarters.
She didn't want to use her magic because then they would know she was up and about.
And she didn't want anyone to know where she was going. Her original plan had been to go to the library and get the small sword that hung above the fireplace. It's familiar weight would be a comfort in what she was about to do. But for what she needed done, only the Destroyer's blade would work.
Victor had been sent by Artemis to kill Tristan. And according to what had been said to her so many times, only Tristan could kill his executioner. But with the Destroyer's blade, Teagan had an advantage. Nothing survived this Gods made weapon.
This was the one weapon that was strong enough to kill Acheron.
"So where do you think you're going?"
Joachim's sudden arrival should have startled her, but it hadn't. His breathing had given him away. She only turned to look at him levelly.
"Out Jac. And I'd rather you didn't say anything to anybody."
"That's gonna be hard to do." As much as Tristan was glued to her, Jac was surprised he wasn't here now.
"No. It won't."
"You shouldn't be doing this."
"I'm not going to stand by anymore. This has got to end."
"And what do you think you will accomplish going after that man?"
Teagan had come to the locked room. "He's not a man Jac." She held her hands out to Jac, who handed her a set of keys. It was less than a minute and Teagan held in her hand an ornate dagger, one that looked like it was entirely carved in silver. "Give me a head start?" She asked him, handing him back his keys.
Nodding, Jac took his keys and turned away.
0o0o0o
"What in the name of the Gods is that?" If Tristan's stomach wasn't as strong as it was, he would have lost it's contents as he peered into the Styrofoam carton.
"It's your wife's favorite dish. It's called a garbage plate."
"You have got to be kidding me." Tristan's nose wrinkled. He wasn't one to be particularly fussy with what he ate. But the smell of what he assumed was either cole slaw or potato salad and hot dogs covered in something indistinguishable was revolting.
For a while neither man said anything. Ash looking through the refrigerator, while Tristan was poking at the contents of the Styrofoam carton. He gave the Atlantean a look. "I have a question for you."
"Shoot." Ash didn't bother looking at the scout, he was more interested in something on the fridge's door. He picked up a ceramic pitcher and smelled it's contents.
"What's that mark that she's got?"
"Mine." Finding what he wanted, he put the pitcher of pink slush on the counter next to the fridge. Joachim had seen to make some. Hopefully knowing that he'd be over. But then, Teagan did like them so he had probably made them for her.
No one could make a better fresh strawberry smoothie like Jac.
Tristan shrugged. Oh. Made sense. She wasn't a hunter. And everyone had seen Ash's at one point or another. "She said that I have one too."
The older Hunter paused as he was taking down a heavy glass from a cupboard. "You should." Acheron narrowed his eyes. "You do have the bow and arrow don't you?"
Tristan shook his head. "I have nothing but scars. And these." He pointed up to his face.
"Wonderful." Artie didn't even bother to mark him. At least with Zarek she had made him believe that he didn't have his soul, marking him. She didn't even bother with Tristan.
The bitch was going to get a talking to about this.
"So I don't have the out clause?" Tristan couldn't believe he was even think about this. In all his years, he had never wanted to gain his life back. But, holding Teagan's in his pocket, made him think that anything was possible. And the way she just melted back into his life, his body...
It was like she had never left, but had become even more precious to him.
"Oh you do. You do."
"Which is?"
"That I don't know." But he was betting that Teagan did know and had already figured out how to get give the scout back his mortality. He watched as Tristan's face ran the gamut of emotions. The scout's fingers fiddling with the plastic spork that had come with the garbage plate.
He had completely turned around his attitude and thinking, no longer wishing for a quick death. A quick read into Tristan's mind, Acheron knew that this was not the first time that he had felt like this. Past memories and feeling let him know that he had fought these feelings for Teagan. But that once he decided to let her into his heart, she was there for good. She was his entire heart.
Tristan was enamored with the woman. And Acheron could understand why. Teagan was confident. Confident to the point of being able to care for herself. Teagan knew where her faults and weaknesses were, but was not a damsel in distress. She knew when to ask for help when she needed it. Her hair. Those red curls that had originally been his undoing made weak with desire for her.
In short, Teagan had given him a reason to want life and not just a good death.
Little did Tristan know, Acheron had been reading him from the moment he had stepped off the plane. Looking for any reason why Tristan should deserve to live. If Tristan had any reason to live at all.
Seems he did and though it would hurt Ash to give her up, she belonged with the scout.
Teagan had been the one woman to accept him for who he was. What he was. She never ran from his violent mind, embracing it when he needed her to.
The wind howled outside, causing both Acheron and Tristan to look up.
Joachim entered the kitchen, causing Acheron to stop analyzing Tristan's thoughts. In fact, it was Jac's nervous presence and the look on his face that alerted Acheron that something wasn't right. The boy looked worried about something.
Ash quirked an eyebrow. "What's wrong boy?"
"I... um... it's just that..." Joachim stammered, unable to get it out. He wasn't looking at either man. Not wanting to admit that he aided Teagan's escape.
"What?" Both Acheron and Tristan asked at the same time.
"Teagan left."
Sending out his aura, Acheron noticed that Teagan was nowhere inside the house. "Where is she?" He was looking around as if she would suddenly appear and be smiling at them all. All the visions of Tristan's future came flooding into his mind, his eyes swirling in response.
Joachim didn't answer only shuffling his feet. Tristan looked at both faces and sent out his own feelers for her. He wasn't surprised that he couldn't sense her. He found the young woman, Carrick, asleep in Jac's bed, but not his wife. Worry started setting in. "I left her upstairs." He had left her sleeping softly.
Maybe Jac had just overlooked her.
Acheron shook his head, reading Tristan's mind, his braid falling over his shoulders. "Well, she's not there." He was looking at Joachim, the look on the silent, young man's face telling him what he did not want to know. Jac knew she had gone and had let her go. As his mind went in different directions, he felt Tristan's own search in his mind. Quickly closing himself off, he glared at the scout.
"She's not in the house." Jac finally said as Acheron was about to open his mouth.
"Shit." Tristan started to move, to find her, but stopped short. He didn't know where to begin looking for her. He faced Ash, hoping that the Atlantean would be able to find her.
Acheron saw the look on Tristan's face, knowing what he asked. He had already located her, knowing that she would head to the next best place besides her home. "She's at the club." He said as he pulled out his cell phone, hitting the automatic dial for Spurius.
"What's up, Ash?" Came the voice of the Roman.
"Get to the club and find Seaghdh." His long legs brought him swiftly to the kitchen's long table, grabbing up his leather jacket and backpack.
"Gotcha. Why not Adamo?"
"Cause I don't need his whining and it'll already be a drain on you with the scout there."
"On it."
Slamming the phone shut, he moved to stand directly beside Tristan, gripping his forearm tightly. Jac grabbed his jacket that was hanging on the back of a chair, but Acheron stopped him. "No. Stay here where it's safe."
Joachim all but pouted. "I should go and help."
Ash shook his head slightly. He already knew what was about to happen. Tristan's future was telling him. "No. Stay here with Carrick. Keep her safe."
With a muted flash of light, both Acheron and Tristan were gone.