Chapter Thirteen: David Bowie
"YEHAW!" Jareth raised his head from the cold concrete ground to watch the beast skim over them and crash into the ground near the opposite end of the tunnel. He knew that voice. And the only place that accent could have come from, well, apart from Texas, was the Vampire slums. A knowing grin found its home on his lips.
Enormous black and spiny wings battered against the ground and the creature raised its monstrous head, giant maws wide and an unearthly screech ripping from its long sinuous neck. A neck he saw a Vampire sat on, her legs wrapped tightly around the beast and a long dagger in her hand. Hissing herself, she jammed the blade behind the creature's skull. It bucked its neck, a Banshee like scream tearing from its jaws, long tail thrashing in its last attempt to throw the Vampire off. Practically growling, the Vampire rammed the heal of her palm in to the daggers pommel, burying the blade up to hilt. One final spasm saw the creature collapse and go still. Still astride the monsters neck, the Vampires head lolled back, a rapturous hiss slipping from her throat as she bared her fangs to the world, savouring the joy of the kill.
He chanced a glance to Sarah. The poor woman looked absolutely horrified. More wings were heard. A dark silhouette fluttered at high speed into the tunnel, clinging to the wall. It turned its hugely eared head towards them, its tiny eyes glinting in the sparse light. Then it scurried up, over the curve of the tunnel and down to the ground, crawling forward on the concrete a few steps before rising to stand. A wide shouldered thing, bat like in appearance with dark grey fur and the Clan Crest of its own branded onto the left side of its chest.
Laughing quietly to himself, Jareth climbed to his own feet, pulling a shocked Sarah up with him. The Vampire untangled her legs and removed herself from the creature to saunter over to them, an over exaggerated sway to her hips. Her dark brown hair cut to level with her jaw, short in stature with an excessively voluptuous figure and ears with a half inch point. She wore a billowed shirt under a metal bodice that stopped under her over large bust, along with well worn boots and leather breaches; wide black ribbons tied to her legs, one on each calf and one on each thigh, the long excess wavering in the slight wind.
"Well, if it isn't General Ribbon Rush," he greeted jovially. "An Echo," he added with a nod towards the Batten.
"Actually my ass got busted back down to Private." Her accent had faded a lot since he had last spoke with her and she no long sounded like a slums girl born and bred. But a trace of it was still there.
"You have to be kidding me! Why?" The outrage was easy to hear in his voice. Ribbon made an excellent General. One part psychopath, two parts domineering bitch and three parts skilled warrior. A formula that worked rather well in battle.
"The new Queen," was her grim reply. "She doesn't believe a flitter like myself really has any use. Ungrateful little brat."
"Flitter?" Asked Sarah, a frown on her brow. Now it was apparent he knew these people it seemed she was much less terrified. She had most likely thought it was an Angel that had flown over them.
"Is that a Sylph?" came the low, almost mournful voice of Echo as he slowly walked over to stand at Ribbon's side.
"Sort of," he answered. "She's one of the descendants, but the magic in her has been roused. And a Flitter is someone, usually a Vampire, that can run almost at the speed of light or sometimes faster."
"She doesn't look very fast," was Sarah's reply as she eyed the Vampire with something approaching jealousy.
"Don' let this little ol' frame fool ya sugar. I'm the faster flitter there is." Sarah's eye twitched at Ribbon's smile. Then he realised. When the Squadron had been in full flow he and Ribbon had been casually sleeping together, and oh Mother of all Magic! Sarah knew! He had gotten up to that part in the manuscript she had given him. This was going to take some serious sweet talking on his part to put her back into a good mood.
To reassure her that he wasn't about to run off with the Vampire, he slipped his arm around her waist. But she continued to glower at his old friend. Then Echo reached up with his leathery wing and draped it over the Vampires shoulders, a similar look of possessiveness about him. That was when he spotted the glint of a silver ring on his hooked thumb like appendage. A glance to Ribbon's corresponding wrist showed a wide bangle, also silver. It was concentrated effort not to let his jaw drop at that.
"I can't believe it, someone actually managed to get Ribbon to be monogamous!" The warning look the huge bat had previously worn suddenly became rather smug. "When did you two get married?"
"Sixty two years ago," replied Echo as Ribbon leaned into him, grinning like a new bride. It seemed they were still in the honeymoon period. Give it another century and they might have hit reality. Sarah seemed to perk up at that revelation as well, seemingly no longer seeing Ribbon as competition. Though the fact that she had was oddly flattering to the King.
"And you," he said to the Batten. "I thought you were going to be distraught for eternity." At that Echo shook his head, causing his wide ears to flap slightly.
"I found the one who killed Lithe-wing and we duelled. I won."
"So I can see, you would not be here if you hadn't. What are you two and that thing doing in this realm any way?"
"Oh, that," mumbled Ribbon, glancing at the creature over her shoulder. "That's a cloud viper. They keep slippin' into this realm and Her Majesty has seen fit to grace me with the clean up job. Any idea why that keeps happening?" At that the King became rather grave and Sarah shot him a worried glance.
"The barrier is being destroyed one descendant at a time." Ribbon swore loudly in Old Vampirean and Echo gave an indecipherable screech.
"When did this start?"
"About a week or so ago. Sarah here is the last one left."
"So you're whining and dining her to keep her safe?" A cocky smirk had replaced the sickened expression Ribbon had worn.
"I'm wining and dining her because she's an interesting and attractive woman." The Batten and Vampire exchanged a wry glance.
"I won't believe that until I see Wedding piercings from you, but then again, if you have the same sense of humour as your sister I doubt it would be visible."
"Don' be ridiculous," laughed Ribbon. "Jareth? Married? A serious relationship would be close enough to a miracle."
"Hey, if you can calm down what is there to suggest that I can't? As I recall you were far more of a whore than me."
"True, but I didn't look as though I was about to vomit when ever someone suggested an actual relationship."
"Now, now children," interrupted Sarah, a playful note to her voice. "If you can't play nice I'll have to separate you." Another glance shared between the married couple. This one with raised eyebrows and odd half smirks.
"It sounds like this one might actually be able to keep you in line," announced the huge bat, his eyes glimmering. But Ribbon was frowning and looking at him oddly.
"Is it just me," she began, a note of uncertainty in her voice. "Or does Jareth look a hell of a lot like David Bowie?"
"How do you even know who David Bowie is?" asked the Sylph. But she turned her grey green eyes to his face. Closely scrutinising his features. "But now you mention it, yeah. He really does."
"Vampires can come and go as they please so I've been to a few concerts-"
"I do no look like David sodding Bowie!"
"Are you sure?" teased Echo. "He might be an illegitimate descendant of yours from back in the day." Jareth could practically feel the colour draining from his face and he suddenly felt rather queasy at the thought.
"I doubt that," he murmured. But even to himself, his voice sounded strained and unsure. More than any one he was fully aware of what he had gotten up to in his youth. "Any way, what is this? Taunt the Goblin King while he doesn't have jurisdiction day?"
"The only time you've ever had jurisdiction over us was when you were our Squad Leader and even then we ripped the piss out of you every chance we got."
"What are you doing about the barrier anyway?" At last, safe territory. Thank you Echo.
"Keeping a close watch on Sarah and reforming the squadron. I've got Vanity on a tight leash and Auranar is back-"
"You mean he survived Celeste?"
"You're as shocked as I am," he told Ribbon. "Are you two rejoining?"
"If it gets me away from that prissy little bitch on the Vampire throne I'm up for it." Echo gave a nod, signalling he would go along with his Vampire bride.
"Then go to my castle and ask for Miffle. He'll prepare a room for you. But make sure you do something about that . . . cloud viper?" Echo gave a nod. "Wouldn't want some poor human running across it." He glanced to the bridges opening and a slight smile found his lips. Escape! "Now if you'll excuse us, the rain has stopped."
It was a relief when the usually departing pleasantries were exchanged. Ribbon doing what she does best and ridiculing him was all well and good, but tonight was not a night he wanted to be mocked. Especially not in front of Sarah. He still couldn't believe the Vampire had actually gotten married. She had been even more wild than he had. And Echo? The old bat had been utterly heart broken for so long that even his realm had not been able to pull him out of the depression that came after his mate had been murdered. Now it seemed vengeance and Ribbon had done what magic had failed to do.
Finally they were back on their way to Sarah's flat, but thoughts of two near kisses would not leave his mind. Even as they laughed and joked on their way. By the time they reached Sarah's door he was close to praying another interruption would not be forth coming. It simply seemed that someone out there didn't like him. Well, someone out there that could actually do something didn't like him. Most people that didn't like him had no choice but to put up with him.
The setting was all wrong for their first kiss. A dank corridor with pealing and stained wall paper wasn't exactly the most romantic place. Not that the door step of the slums or under a half maintained bridge had been much better, but this place was by far worse.
Though the place slipped seamlessly from his mind when he turned his eyes to her once they stood by her door. His glasses had dried off so he could see her now and what a sight she was. The rain had soaked her hair and the tumble to the ground had left her dress speckled with dust and dirt, as well as scraping skin from her knees. Yet none of that harmed her appearance in the slightest. In fact it seemed far truer to who she was. Lending a sort of wildness to the way she looked, even as a blush came to her cheeks and spread across her chest at his not so subtle appraisal of her form.
If her landlord came out now, she would wring his flabby neck. Rain she could handle, having to duck for cover so she didn't get knocked out by some weird looking creature she could handle. Even a meeting with Jareth's ex-girlfriend. But if one more thing got between her and Jareth's lips she would most likely scream. Loudly. Then maul who or what ever had been stupid enough to interrupt.
"Have you enjoyed yourself?" asked the Goblin King, his eyes still lazily surveying her through his glasses, raising a blush from her. But she wasn't exactly going to let something like blushing stop her from smiling at him.
"Definitely, though not having to duck and dive would have been nice." At that Jareth gave a quiet chuckle, taking the chance to take a more firm hold of her waist and pull her slightly closer.
"Interruptions, interruptions, interruptions," he muttered, voicing the annoyance she felt. For what felt like the thousandth time that night, Sarah wrapped her arms around his neck, sighing contently.
"We really should kiss now before another one comes along."
Jareth didn't reply. At least not with words. Wasting no more time he leant towards her and gently pressed his lips to hers, something approaching hesitance in the movement. As though he was testing her reaction. The hesitation didn't last however, mostly likely because her reaction had been to lean into the kiss. Her mind went beautifully blank as their mouths moved as one. Her grip around his neck tightened when weakness threatened her knees. Jareth held her more firmly with much needed support as her stomach fluttered in the most wonderful way. Eyes fluttered closed when keeping them open became a conscious effort. Warmth flooded her, spreading from every point of contact between herself and Jareth.
After what could have been minutes or hours, they finally pulled apart. Both more than a little shaky on their feet and clinging to each other for fear of falling. Biting her lip, Sarah earnestly turned her eyes to the eyes of the Goblin King. His eyes were still half closed and there was the most endearing look of uncertain disbelief on his face. As though he couldn't quite believe that he really had just kissed her. She leaned in again, pressing her lips to his. But briefly this time. A reassurance that he had not imagined it.
At last his cocky smile returned. Gone was the disbelief, replaced instead with a rather smug expression. "Well, that was certainly worth waiting for." Sarah gave a murmur of agreement, doubting her ability to be articulate. "Any chance of seeing you again soon?"
"You could always come to the bar I work at tomorrow night. I'm on stage form half eight until eleven then I have to walk home." She fluttered her eyelashes at him. "It's ever so scary in that area late at night. Walk me home?" He gave a heavy sigh, looking at her with his head tilted. Then grinned, effortlessly picking her up to twirl her around. Her dress flaring from the movement before her feet found the floor again.
"On one condition, well two."
"And what would they be?"
"Well, the first is that from now on I get to tell people you're my girlfriend." Another warm flutter found her stomach as she pretended to mull over Jareth's condition.
"Okay," she replied as flippantly as she could. The look on his face bordered on ecstatic, but she interrupted before he could give a whoop of triumph. "And the second condition?"
"Oh, that?" A roguish yet somehow devilishly charming glint came to light in his eyes as a smirk found his lips. "Kiss me again."
No sooner had he finished speaking had her lips again found his. But this kiss was more playful and she soon shoved him away with a rogue like grin on her own lips, making him stumble back a few steps.
"Now get out of here. You've got a Kingdom to see to," she teased, getting her key out of her bag as Jareth grinned like a child for whom Christmas had come early. "And Jareth?"
"Yes?"
"Don't be late tomorrow or I'll kick your ass." Then with one final amused word he shimmered back to his own world.
"Kinky."
"Jareth!" Too late. He had already gone. Shaking her head in a mixture of annoyance and general hyperness, Sarah quickly let herself into her apartment to lean against the door with a huge grin of her own.
Finding a seat in the bar wasn't difficult, despite the dim lighting. He wasn't too far from the front either. Though she wouldn't be impressed with his half an hour late arrival. She knew about his difficulties keeping track of time though. The bar itself wasn't particularly impressive. It was the sort that most people avoided unless they were absolutely sure they could beat up at least half of the population with ease. The place was clean enough, though the same could not be said of most of its patrons.
That didn't bother him however. He was too interested in her singing to care about décor. What she was wearing was far too revealing for where she was, but she was there to attract more customers so she had her legs on display and was wearing a low cut top. Yet that did nothing to detract from her performance. While she wasn't the best singer around, she certainly had the charisma to catch attention . . . and the assets to keep it.
He watched with a smile as she purposefully over swayed her hips to the music, the microphone to her lips as she sang the powerful rock ballad. Striding across the stage with all the poise a "rock chick" was supposed to have.
A loud twang sounded, like the miss pluck of a guitar.
An arrow appeared at her throat.
He cried out in despair and horror as she fell back, spraying the crowd at the front with her blood as her dark brown hair flailed at the movement.
Another twang. Another arrow. To the left side of her chest this time, where her heart must be. She collided with the drums as he ran toward the stage, headless of his own safety.
A/N Sorry if there are any typos in this but I know for a fact that if I read over it I'll scrap it and start again. This chapter really has not liked me.
Any way, thank you to Naildriven, xXFlippyXx, notwritten, Orion Ciel and sweetbabby33 for reviewing chapter twelve. Just so you know, I'll be going over the full story and correction the hideous amount of spelling mistakes and wordsjoiningtogetherlikethis as I can over the next couple of weeks.
And finally I would like to draw your attention to a review by kambeiisahotoldman, or rather a flame. I'm sharing because I found it funny. When I read the first sentence my heart sank, then I read the second sentence of this (insert extreme sarcasm) very well put together critique of my story (finish sarcasm) and I was in hysterics. Though I was slightly bemused and offended when they told be to "be gay", meaning rubbish when I am in fact a lesbian. Any one else amused by their review of Chapter One?