Title: Song of the Siren
Author: Twilight-staruby
Disclaimer: I do not own Nightworld because if I did, I won't be doing fanfic, I would be publishing. :'p
Author's notes: No offense to Shakespeare : ) I have decided to keep the chapters short so that I can update more often kz...
"To be or not to be, --that is the question:--
Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer
The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune
Or to take arms against a sea of troubles,
And by opposing end them?"
-- From Hamlet (III, i, 56-61), William Shakespeare
Chapter Eleven: To be or Not to be
"Dammit, Shadrach. What the hell do you think you were doing back there?" It was the first thing that the infuriated lamia snapped out as he slammed the door close behind him with enough force to shake the rafters.
"Careful about the door. It is a particular favorite of mine." There was a mild tinge of amusement in the vampire's voice as he poured himself a snifter of brandy. "Brandy?" he offered with a tilt of his head, his grey eyes inscrutable.
"You might need after I am finished with you." Angelo snarled at the nonchalance Shadrach was putting on.
It was almost as though he hadn't done anything he wasn't supposed to do.
Like kissing the slayer instead of killing her.
And taking her with them.
The last thought infuriated him so much that he snatched up the brandy he had rejected out of Shadrach's hand and downed it in one go.
"What the hell were you thinking of?" He slammed down the empty snifter onto the oak desk so hard it shattered, the glass shards digging deep into his palm.
He ignored the slight jolt of pain it caused, reveled in it, for it gave him something to vent his anger out on. Even now, the cuts were healing rapidly, shifting the glass shards out of his flesh in the process.
"And here I was thinking you didn't want that brandy." Shadrach commented as he poured himself another snifter and sat himself in one smooth movement behind the desk.
It was a calculated move to remind Angelo that he was merely Shadrach's subordinate rather than a sudden need to sit.
Angelo realized immediately and said with sudden forced calm," So it has and would come to this, over a mere human, a slayer?"
"She might be someone important to me." There was regret, even remorse in Shadrach's tone.
"She could destroy us all." Angelo shoved a hand through his hair, a telltale sign of frustration. "Once the Council finds out that you are harboring a slayer within-"
"They won't." Shadrach cut him off, lifting the brandy to his lips. "The D'Ary twins will not talk. They owe me too much."
And you won't tell either.
It was the unsaid part of Shadrach's sentence. He needn't say, because both of them knew it.
"Perhaps so." Angelo acknowledged, not dismissing the possibility, "But I still think that you are making a mistake."
With that, the lamia left the room, leaving Shadrach alone to stare at the hypnotizing swirl of the clear auburn liquid left in his glass and let himself admit something he did not say earlier on.
So do I.
The first thing Kiele realize when she awoke was that she had a pounding headache.
The second thing she saw was a pair of very curious golden cat-like eyes observing her with a wary and remote expression. Long gold hair fell down like a sheet over her shoulders, framing an exquisite face.
"How do you feel?" It was said in a soft, carefully modulated voice as its owner pressed a small cool hand on her head.
"Headache." Kiele croaked out in a voice that was suffering from an extremely dry throat.
"I suspect as much." Saying so, the woman turned away to a small table not far away, pouring water into a glass and adding some sort powder to it that turned it a soothing pale green.
Turning back, she cupped Kiele's head and lifted her slightly before touching the cup to her lips. Too weak to protest or fight against being given something unknown, Kiele took a swallow and felt a cooling sensation sweep through her and miraculously, the pain ebbed away.
"Better?"
At Kiele's grateful nod, she slipped her hand away and headed towards the door.
Realizing that she was leaving, Kiele called out," Wait. Please."
The woman turned back to regard her with an impassive face, her exotic gold eyes unfathomable.
Suddenly caught at a loss, Kiele blurted out the first thing that came to her mind," What is your name?"
Silence. The woman's eyes narrowed slightly, suspicion filling them before in silence,she turned away to the door again.
"Charise." The softly uttered word was the last thing she heard before the door closed with a soft click.
Left alone, Kiele let herself take in the room she was in.
It was a lovely room. The walls were brushed in a rich burgundy colour, the furniture rosewood. The room reeked of money, old money.
She wondered where she was, and what she was doing here. She didn't really recall much of what had happened before. Except there was this flash of power that had whipped by her…
"I see you are feeling well," A voice drawled out lazily, laced heavily with sarcasm.
A very familiar voice. And everything that had occurred before fell into place in that split second.
She had been together with Shadrach in the rented apartment in Las Vegas then Angelo had arrived.
She shot up rigidly in the bed, her violet eyes narrowed warily at the lamia that lounged casually against the bedpost.
Angelo.
She didn't know when he had entered or how he had gotten so close without her knowing. Her hand automatically crept to her knife which she usually strapped to her thigh.
"Don't bother. It isn't there." He offered casually.
Kiele had the nasty feeling he had read her mind and quickly threw up the mind shields she had forgotten, shielding herself from him.
"How sad. I was really having fun probing into your mind. Funny how twisted it is compared to mine."
"How sad. I was really having fun probing into your mind."
Kiele didn't even bother to answer to his jibe.
"Why am I here? Because the last time you saw me, you tried to kill me."
"Touché my dear. One never brings up such things in polite company." Amusement practically dripped from Angelo's voice.
Much as Kiele tried to restrain herself, she could resist throwing back a, "But you are not polite company are you?"
"I can be, provided when I am with some." With that backhanded reply, he moved away slightly as though making his way out of the door.
Suddenly, he was in front of her, his hand closed gently around her neck, his face inches away from hers.
"Given the choice, I would have killed you slayer. Be grateful you are still living. However, if you should step out of line, hell won't be so far away."
He released her as suddenly as he had grabbed her and was gone in a blink of the eye.
A/N: It is coming to an end finally...after a few more chapters...then I can rest...lolx...:') in any case, the title of the chapter and the quotation has nothing to do with the chapter, or maybe it has... i just like the way it sounds...:'p