Disclaimer: yeah um no. God if only King could be mine.
DEALIaz could hear yelling from the front room, recognised King's voice and grinned. See he was doing most of the yelling and getting nowhere, which gave her immense satisfaction.
She also thought he was an idiot. Considering his audience he could have chosen a better method of approach. Abby was likely to hit him, Ageon could program a missile to get him and Blade would stare him down until chances were good that he would cry.
Iaz giggled at the thought of King crying. It turned into a hacking cough. She had only been off the oxygen mask for a few days and she felt weak as newborn kitten, which bugged her. In the company of Abby and Blade she wanted to look capable and strong. She didn't want to come across as an amateur.
She flicked her attention back to the TV, which was playing cartoons. So she was twenty years old but hey cartoons were cartoons no matter how you were. She was sitting on the tiny couch, which fit approximately one and a half very skinny people.
"It sucks being on a budget," She murmured to herself when King stalked into the room. He looked at her and grunted.
Iaz raised an eyebrow. She heard the door shut and knew the other three had left. King crossed his arms and sighed.
"Oh did they abandon the poor little puppy? Wicked bad people," Iaz joked.
"They left me to look after the children," He replied giving Iaz a significant look.
"See, they do think you can look after yourself." Iaz smirked.
King rubbed a frustrated hand over his chin.
"Careful now. Wouldn't want to get carpet burn." Iaz giggled again. King glared at her before dropping down beside her on the couch that would accommodate absolutely no more than one.
"Hey hey hey!" Iaz cried.
"Suck it up," He snapped, searching for the remote. He seized it and began flipping through the channels.
"Any action movies on?"
"Um no! this is Australian day time TV and we don't get cable," Iaz said.
"But they have cartoons?"
"If you want I'm sure you could find a touching movie on some kid with divorced parents and an alcohol problem."
"Where's Zoe?" King asked looking around. "I think I prefer her company."
"Discovering the delights of Ageons library. It has a thousand books on the universe, archaic mythology and The Tale of Two Cities. That kid did not have a normal childhood did she?"
"Couldn't she handle your romance novels?" King sniggered.
"Oh you're funny." She mocked and then coughed deliberately in his face.
"That was officially disgusting."
"Fuck you!"
"No fuck you."
"Not my type, sorry."
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"We should make this fast," Ageon said quietly.
"Why. Something bothering you?" Abby looked over her shoulder.
"I think my sister and King may kill each other if left alone too long," Ageon answered.
"Probably." Blade contributed one word and kept walking.
"Probably wouldn't worry him much," Ageon said. He didn't think Blade was out of earshot but he didn't care.
"He likes your sister more than King I think," Abby said.
"But he'd gag them both if he had half the chance."
A tiny smile crossed Abby's lips. "Probably."
Abby didn't know it but that was the most Ageon had said to anyone other than his sister for the longest time. Even before the vampires had ruined his life he hadn't been much of a chatterbox. Iaz had been the one that was full of life and always getting herself into messes that she need older twin bro to bail her out of.
He felt he was too busy looking after Iaz to actually relax and have a life of his own but even when she had gotten smarter and could take care of herself nothing changed. He still felt responsible for her.
But around Abby he felt different. He was talking and occasionally smiling. He was opening up.
And god how he hated every second of it.
Iaz was the romantic. She waited to fall in love and really wanted to wear her heart on her sleeve. She had been slightly disillusioned since then but he knew it was still a secret desire. Ageon looked at the truth as a tool. Something to help you get places or what you wanted. It was to be rationed and if you went around bonding with every one you lost that tool.
Ageon ran a hand through his unruly hair and shook his head cynically. He really wasn't a normal person.
They were walking up a steep drive way. A large gate loomed before them.
"So this guy funds the Death Twins?" Blade asked.
"Occasionally. He bought our computer," Ageon stared at the entrance. He didn't like Mr. Mackeroy. He was arrogant and rude and very rich. He was also so fucked in the head it wasn't a joke. If his daughter wasn't a vamp then he wouldn't have bothered with the Death Twins at all.
Ageon remembered the day he and Iaz had gone to him for money. Mackeroy has smiled slowly, predatorily and said that he would give them all the money he needed, "for one night with the pretty blond."
Iaz had riled up, insulted. She threatened to hit him for even suggesting such a thing. Then he shook his head. "Not you." he had said. Then he turned his eyes to Ageon. Ageon did not have a thing against homosexuals. Not that he got hit on by any. Come to think of it he didn't get hit on by any girls really. But there was Mackeroy leering at him, taking his scrawny body, diminished by a lack of food and learning to fight.
Iaz's mouth had dropped open and she was shaking her head. Ageon dropped his eyes and his thought process was wild. They needed this money if they wanted to effectively take on the vampires. He didn't wanted to bargained away like a piece of meat at the markets but they had no choice. Iaz would have stabbed him before accepting help but Ageon was smarter, more practical.
He had nodded his head, assenting to the deal. Iaz was speechless. She could really only gape at the two men. She stared at her 18-year-old twin and wished she could stop it but Ageon made his choice.
Eventually she breathed, "why?"
Ageon's first ridiculous reaction to that question was offence. Was it such a stretch of the imagination that somebody found him attractive and wanted him? Then he realised the question was directed at him. She wanted to know how he could do this and why.
Mackeroy thought the question was for him though. He had sneered.
"We both want things that the other can give. I think it is only fair that we make a trade."
"He's not a thing," Iaz had snapped. "One day I'm going to kill you."
Ageon wished she hadn't said that. Mackeroy might make the deal void but he didn't. He just laughed.
"Not as long as you need me."
Abby watched his silent face and knew he didn't want to be there and felt bad about that. She remembered he was only 20, younger then her when she had gotten into the game. But he had never seemed young to her. Iaz still had the remains of her teenage years clutching to her, occasionally immature, mostly just youthful. A lot like King. But Ageon had the world-weary gaze and stance like he had seen too much and had to keep going.
Now, here, in front of the house he looked almost frightened and he was stuck in memories that Abby couldn't fathom.
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Mackeroy had listened to the request quietly, his eyes sporadically going to Ageon's face. Ageon had kept his eyes on the ground, as if memorising the pattern of the floorboards.
Blade had asked gruffly, explaining briefly what it was for.
"Well I think that can be arranged… for the same deal as last time," Mackeroy said.
Ageon's eyes shot up. He knew there might be a risk of being asked for again but he had ignored it out of necessity.
"What was the last price?" Abby asked suspiciously, observing the way Ageon jumped.
"One night with the pretty blonde." Mackeroy did not smirk this time just stared intently at Ageon.
"You want us to give you a night with Iaz?" Blade demanded, making the same assumption that the Death Twins had originally made.
"Not exactly her," Mackeroy said.
"Me," Ageon quietly stated.
"You?" Abby couldn't keep the shock out of his voice.
'Yes me." For the first time he saw surprise flash across his companions faces. It was particular interesting on Blade's face.
"You agreed to this?" Abby asked.
"Last time yes." Ageon didn't want them to know any of this. Whether it was shame or because they would think less of him, he had wanted to keep it a secret.
"No!" Abby protested.
"You sound like Iaz a little," Ageon smiled weakly.
"No!" Abby repeated.
Blade was of a similar mind. "Let me make you a new deal. I don't kill you right here if you give us the money. Now that seems fair."
"You'd take my life?" Mackeroy blinked. He was unused to people denying him what he wanted.
"Yes," Abby responded, letting the coldness fill her. She would do it.
Iaz wouldn't have killed an innocent human being despite her threats. Not that Mackeroy was innocent, and if he had hurt him Iaz probably would have bleed him to death but she could never open with a threat.
Abby on the other hand looked like she would slice him open if he said the next thing wrong.
"I don't think so," Mackeroy began.
Blade sighed and pulled out his sword. He smiled very slowly so Mackeroy could see his fangs.
"You're one of them," Mackeroy gasped.
"Not exactly. But I'm willing to deal with you violently if needs be."
Mackeroy looked at Ageon and then at the knife at his throat. He quickly decided what he wanted more. Ageon's body or his own life. He chose his life and nodded, agreeing to give them the funds.
Ageon and Abby made eye contact as Blade settled the deal. Ageon smiled, thankful, and Abby returned that with a grin.
AN: Yeah not much to say. Sorry that it has been so long since I updated.
Please review. Constructive criticism.
MD666