Anathema's Abode
Chapter 9
Foreboding
The night had been relatively uneventful, sans the sparring session between Sam and her partner that had lasted several hours, as the ghost hunter made her way back home. The enemy had been abnormally quiet, unusual for the current stage in the lunar cycle. Even Maddie had been forced to admit that their actions made no sense, unless the ghost king was taking the time to re-organise his forces. The spectre's silence was most likely the calm before the storm, although Sam could hardly see how the Night Police could be made to be even more ruthless or efficient than they already were.
Despite the welcome familiarity of their presence, Sam could not quell the discomfort that had occurred when several members of the council had sat in to observe her and Valerie's progress, unable to suppress the feeling that her worth was being weighed in their eyes without her knowledge.
Is that all we are to the council? Pawns? Sam questioned, immediately appalled as the mere concept crossed her mind.
The ghost hunter scowled, violently squashing the stray thought. Despite herself, she could not ignore the fact that her previous doubts reminded her of something that Phantom would say. The ghost hunter bit her bottom lip, surprised as she found herself overcome by a overwhelming desire to see Phantom.
It was strange, although not entirely unpleasant, that Maddie's protégé had found someone with which she could freely divulge her opinions. Regardless of his rebuttal, the white haired ghost seemed to genuinely appreciate her independence of thought. And although imagining it was a bit of a stretch, judging their last meeting, Sam could almost believe that her enjoyment of his company was reciprocated by the midian.
Albeit Phantom's refusal to join the brotherhood's cause, Sam was glad that she and the white haired ghost had reached a comfortable truce of sorts, leading to the question if were there others like Phantom out there. After all, Walker's ghost prison was reputed to house more than just mere mortals. If that were to be the case, the brotherhood might finally have a fighting chance against the empire if spectral recruitment were to be made possible-
The ghost hunter started, stopping short in her tracks. Sam felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end, unable to suppress the sudden, irrational fear that she was being followed. No matter how much she wished it to be the case, there was no way that her assailant was Phantom; the white haired ghost would have made his presence clear to her immediately. Which left Sam with absolutely no idea about what she was dealing with.
The ghost hunter rounded the corner of the street, heading in the opposite direction to which she had initially intended, her breath hitching in her throat. Despite the violent disagreements that she and her parents suffered, Sam would be sooner be damned before she led her attacker to her home. Maddie's apprentice picked up the pace, placing a hand on the rucksack inside which her Fenton Thermos was hidden to reassure herself.
"Samantha Manson of the brotherhood?" a feminine voice inquired, in a whisper so soft that if the ghost hunter's senses had not been previously heightened by paranoia, she probably would've missed the stranger's utterance altogether.
"Show yourself," Maddie's apprentice spun to face the voice's source, as she found her insides gripped with chilling fear.
"Relax," the female ghost conceded, azure flames momentarily encircling her form as she faded into vision. "I mean you no harm. He was right," Ember chuckled dryly. "You are fiesty."
"Who are you?" the ghost hunter demanded roughly as adrenaline surged through her body, activating her ghost gauntlets. "What do you want with me?" The silver bracelets extended to cover her fists, familiar artificial energy blazing at her fingertips.
"Who I am is unimportant," the ghost shrugged. "Phantom sent me to find you."
"Phantom?" Sam echoed, taken aback.
"Phantom," the flame haired ghost ascertained, her expression wry. "I take it you remember him?"
"He's pretty much impossible to forget," Sam retorted, shifting her weight off the balls of her feet as she allowed herself to relax her stance. "How do you know him?" the ghost hunter questioned, still wary.
She had been under the impression that the white haired ghost had wanted nothing more to do with her or the brotherhood, having failed to contact her for three months. The midian's rejection of her proposition of an allegiance had seemed absolute. Had Phantom changed his mind? The ghost hunter's breath hitched in her throat. If he had, what had prompted him to do so, and why had he chosen to contact her through the strange female before her instead of seeking her out himself?
Despite the irrelevance of her assailant's appearance, Sam could not help but notice how her cerulean tresses seemed to be aflame, framing her face seemingly with a life of their own. The woman's attire was equally memorable, her startling green eyes accentuated with an heavy application of thick black eyeliner. Whoever this woman was, the ghost hunter had to grudgingly admit that she had style. If not for the fact that the blue haired woman was a ghost, and by default the enemy, Sam would've been sorely tempted to ask her where she had acquired her jeans.
"That really isn't any of your business," Phantom's acquaintance arched an eyebrow. "He says to take your loved ones and get the hell out of Amity Park," the female ghost informed, her expression hardening. "This town isn't safe for members of the brotherhood, and the situation's about to get even worse. It's best you leave while you still can."
"Leave town?" the ghost hunter repeated, stunned. "Phantom wants the brotherhood to abandon our home?"
"There's nothing more you can do for Amity," Ember shook her head, her expression softening. "Its fate has already been decided."
"Why didn't Phantom tell me this in person?" Sam's eyes narrowed in distrust. "I've been out on patrol practically every night for the past three months and he's made no move to contact me."
"He would," the cerulean haired ghost replied, biting her bottom lip as guilt flashed fleetingly across her face. "But he's been otherwise occupied lately."
"Otherwise occupied?" the ghost hunter repeated, incredulous. "He spends his days hiding like a coward from the empire. Would it have been so difficult for him to spare five minutes out of his busy schedule to tell me this face to face?"
"It's more complicated than that," the female ghost sighed, her features betraying her weariness. "But Phantom's made me swear not to tell you. Please, just take his advice and leave Amity Park. It doesn't matter where you go, so as long as it's out of the empire's reach."
"What's going to happen?" Sam questioned, pursuing the subject. "Has Phantom managed to find out what Pariah has planned?"
"I guess you could say that," Ember replied, bitterness evident. "When you next see him, promise me that you'll go easy on him. He never intended for any of this to happen."
"Any of what to happen?" the ghost hunter queried, her confusion rapidly replaced by ire as the flame haired ghost merely shook her head, refusing to answer. "Why should I believe you?" the ghost hunter challenged. "You're one of them."
"You doubt my integrity because I'm a ghost?" the blue haired woman repeated, raising an eyebrow. "That's just typical. And to think Phantom was under the impression that the brotherhood hadn't completely gotten to you."
"How am I meant to trust him?" Sam scowled. "He's already lied to me. Phantom claimed that he didn't have a clan. Your presence here proves otherwise."
"He hasn't deceived you," the blue haired ghost shrugged, hooking her thumb into the pocket of her ridiculously low black jeans. "Because we have no clan."
"We?" Sam repeated softly, taken aback as the sudden realisation dawned. It seemed that Phantom wasn't nearly as alone as she had initially thought. Of course, it had been stupid to assume that the white haired ghost spent the vast majority of his existence in solitude.
Maddie's apprentice allowed herself a sharp intake of breath as she processed the newly acquired information, unable to suppress disquiet and an unexpected sense of loss at her previous assumptions. What had she been hoping for, that he'd be willing to ally himself to the brotherhood in exchange for human companionship? A ghost like Phantom was hardly likely to be lacking in company. Six hundred years was ample time to acquire all manner of acquaintances. With hindsight, the very notion was absurd.
From the looks of things, thiswas the midian's little girlfriend. Suddenly, the female spectre's motives were disgustingly clear. There was no danger. In all likelihood, Phantom hadn't even sent the woman to deliver the message to her; she had sought Sam out on her own vocation to ensure that Phantom remained hers. Who would've thought that ghosts could be so petty?
"Look," the ghost hunter began, fingers curling into twin fists as she felt her unbridled rage bubble dangerously close to the surface."Phantom hasn't come looking for me in over three months. Why are you so desperate to get rid of me?"
"What are you talking about?" Ember questioned, subjecting her to an odd look, bemused by Maddie's apprentice's sudden aggression towards her.
"I'm not interested in a ghost," Sam snapped. "If you want him, you can have him."
"I already have," the female ghost replied, bewilderment evident. "But that was a long time ago. What's dipstick been telling you?" she shook her head in annoyance, as if to clear it. "Anyway," she scowled. "All this is beside the point. Phantom obviously cares about you if he's sent me to warn you to save your kin. What would I have to do to convince you that I'm telling the truth?"
"Just get lost," the ghost hunter snarled, as she began heading back the way she had come, momentarily forgetting in her anger that turning her back on any ghost was a very bad idea. "Stop wasting my time."
"No," Ember hissed as she materialised in front of Sam, barring her path. The ghost hunter dispassionately regarded her, refusing to flinch even as the flames of her cerulean tresses surged around them, displaying the female ghost's fury. "I'm not leaving until you take me seriously. I refuse to be the one that to tell him that you're dead because you're too damned stubborn to listen. Please, you have to inform your superiors."
The concern etched on the female ghost's facade seemed so genuine that for a single, transient moment, Maddie's apprentice could almost believe her.
"Sorry," Sam retorted coldly. "But you've given me no reason to trust you."
"There isn't time for you to find a reason to," the azure haired spectre stressed, exasperation lacing the urgency of her tone. "You have to get out of here as soon as possible."
"Give it up, I'm not leaving this town. And I have a message for Phantom," the ghost hunter growled, pushing roughly past Ember as she made her way to the end of the back street. "Tell him to keep his jealous girlfriends under control."
-
"Good evening, Valerie," Vlad Masters greeted, his gaze flickering momentarily to meet hers before turning his attention back to the screen of his computer.
"Evening. I've brought you something," his apprentice replied, gesturing to the tea tray she held.
"I'm compiling a list of the Fright Knight's most recent sightings," the older ghost hunter informed. "Surprisingly enough, the general hasn't exactly been active for the past fortnight. In fact, he hasn't exited the ghost zone at all barring a single night last week."
"Do you know what has prompted the change?" Valerie Gray's brow furrowed.
"I don't know," Vlad admitted. "My suspicions have yet to prove conclusive. Either the Fright Knight has learned to evade our trackers completely, or Pariah has finally had him replaced. Neither option is particularly welcome."
"You wanted a word?" Valerie queried, as she set the beverage down in front of him.
"Ah, my tea," Vlad Masters stated appreciatively. "Yes," the council member stated. "I believe it is time for us to begin concerning strategies to ascertain that you are elected at the head of the brotherhood."
"Already?" his apprentice questioned, raising her eyebrows in startled surprise.
"I understand that you hold Samantha Manson in deep affection as one of your closest friends," Vlad grunted, as he absently strained his tea. "Nevertheless, her aptitude for ghost hunting is an obstacle that we have to overcome."
"But would it be so bad if Sam were to be the next leader?" Valerie questioned. "She's smart, efficient, and reliable. There's no one that I'd rather be working with. If not for her actions when we were ambushed five months ago, I'd most probably be dead."
"Samantha is too easily prone to independent thought," her mentor commented. "Under her leadership, our traditions will undoubtedly be severely compromised, and I am dubious if many of our brethren will be receptive to the change. If she were to be usurped, it would spell the end of the resistance."
"But what if the changes Sam brings could help us finally win the war?" Valerie argued. "Our age old traditions haven't exactly worked so far."
"Is there something you're not telling me?" Vlad queried, his interest piqued. Was his apprentice's rival already making her intentions to lead clear?
"It's nothing," his apprentice flushed.
"Forgive me if I don't believe you," Vlad replied smoothly, unruffled by Valerie's refusal to divulge whatever it was that she knew. His apprentice would inform him in due time, despite obviously being sworn to secrecy by her best friend. Vlad had ascertained years ago that Valerie Gray's primary loyalties lay with him, and him alone. "In order to ascertain leadership, we have to create the illusion of you being the council's obedient puppet. Of course, once elected, you are free to do whatever you will. But until then, it does not pay to cross them."
"So I'm going to have to create an elaborate lie in order to get them to trust me?" Valerie raised an eyebrow.
"I don't expect you to create an elaborate lie," Vlad smirked. "I expect you to become it."
"But how about Maddie Fenton?" she questioned. "She and half the council are in constant disagreement. Never before has there been such a segregation of views in the history of the brotherhood."
"Maddie is exceptional," her mentor replied firmly. "There is no one more deserving to lead our brethren."
"Not even you?" the younger ghost hunter's lips quirked into a teasing grin.
"Not even I," Vlad affirmed. "I doubt if I would've been able to survive the possession she was subjected to."
"I don't," his apprentice replied, as she unceremoniously deposited herself onto his lap.
"Valerie," Vlad chided, not even bothering to look up from his work as he subjected his apprentice to a halfhearted warning. "We've discussed this. Now kindly get off my lap."
"No," the female ghost hunter replied simply.
The billionaire subjected his apprentice to a significant look, pointedly clearing his throat as she shifted slightly in his lap.
Although Vlad prided himself on his faultless ability to maintain his composure even in the midst of the most impossible situations, god alone knew how progressively difficult the billionaire was finding it to maintain eye contact with Damon Gray during their conversations, whilst harbouring the knowledge that his fellow council member would in all probability brutally maim him should he ever learn that Vlad was taking his daughter to bed on a increasingly regular basis.
"You do realise how awkward you're making communications between myself and your father?" he voiced, quirking an elegant eyebrow. "Do you think he suspects?"
"I wasn't aware that you had a conscience," his apprentice teased, running her fingers through her mentor's silver ponytail. "No," Valerie blushed, as she considered their current situation. "I don't think Dad's even capable of considering the concept."
"I don't blame him," Vlad withdrew, gently shoving his apprentice onto her feet. "This is lunacy. I am old enough to be your father."
I am, in fact, a year older than your father, the billionaire added silently to himself.
"Why does it matter?" Valerie maintained, as hurt flashed fleetingly across her features. "We're both adults. This is a relationship between two ghost hunters."
"A relationship that will never be sanctioned by the council," the billionaire pointed out. "This could severely jeopardise your standing in the council's eyes when they assess your suitability for leadership."
"And what if I don't care?" his apprentice challenged. "I really don't think the council can complain. After all, it's your funding that's keeping us afloat," Valerie continued, gracing him with a coquettish smile. "I think you're entitled to a few royalties."
"And you accuse me of lacking a conscience," Vlad replied sardonically, an approving smirk crossing his features as he allowed his amusement at her response to show. "You'll soon become even more ruthless than I am."
"That was the initial plan, wasn't it?" Valerie retorted, turning to leave. "I told Dad that I'll be training late, so I'm not expected home tonight," she murmured, pausing by the door frame, uncertainty evident.
Vlad shook his head in amusement, a faint flicker of hesitation crossing his features before extending the invitation he knew that his apprentice was dying to hear. "Don't think this means that you get to slack off."
"Wouldn't dream of it," Valerie replied, and the billionaire could have laughed out loud as a wide, almost uncharacteristically goofy grin seemed to spread across her features at his response.
"Good," her mentor replied, the finality in his tone signaling the end of their conversation. "Now leave me in peace to complete this in time for our next council meeting."
-
The man in the corner of the poetry café had been studying her for minutes now, much to the ghost hunter's displeasure, his presence ruining her previous quiet contentment in the peacefulness of her gloomy surroundings. Sam brought her herbal tea to her lips, the sweetness of its aroma ruined as she struggled to disregard the stranger's presence and concentrate on the poem that was being shared.
It was obvious that the man was affiliated with the enemy. It was hardly difficult to notice, even with the untrained eye, that something was very off about him, from the way he moved, or even how he stood with his back against the wall. Everything about him seemed to scream that he had been branded by the empire.
As far as Sam was concerned, it was a pointless exercise on his part. Especially since both of them were aware that she knew that she was being watched. The blood traitor had no reason to suspect her affiliation with the brotherhood. After all, hatred for the ghost king's eyes and ears was not confined merely to members of the resistance; civilians were just as wary of blood traitors as she was. And if the situation were to turn ugly, Maddie's apprentice thought ruthlessly, he was only human.
"May I join you?" the newcomer questioned, acknowledging her presence with a slight nod of his head.
Sam ignored him, training her vision past the hooded figure, pointedly fixating her gaze on the poet upon the dimly lit stage.
The man seemed to have taken her stony silence for accordance, drawing up a seat as he settled himself opposite to her. "I was hoping that we could converse somewhere slightly more private."
"I have no business with you, blood traitor," the ghost hunter stated coldly, acquiescing his presence for the first time as she subjected the man to a glare of glacial standards despite the fact that the dark cowl of his hood concealed his features from Sam's gaze. "Whatever you want from me, I can assure you that you're not going to get it."
"My only objective is to deliver a message," he replied, his tone wry. "The same one that you rejected earlier today."
The ghost hunter started, as she turned to regard the cloaked figure fully for the first time. So her initial assumption of his affiliation with ghosts was correct. He was younger than she had initially anticipated, perhaps a couple of years older than she was, but Sam could instantly recognise from experience that the manner in which he carried himself was that of a seasoned fighter. What would a blood traitor, part of Pariah Dark's surveillance network, have to do with Phantom?
She sought to memorise his features, a task made difficult by the fact that half of his face was obscured by shadows in the dim lighting of the poetry café. Clearly, Phantom was ignorant of the true meaning of solitude. How many more of his acquaintances would she be forced to endure?
"Phantom failed to mention that he had a following," Sam ground out, refusing to admit that the stranger had succeeded in capturing her full attention.
"A following?" the man replied, seemingly amused as the corners of his lips quirked upwards. "Hardly. I am merely a friend."
"A friend?" Sam echoed, skeptical. "Phantom has human friends?"
"This is not the place to speak of such matters," Phantom's acquaintance rose, gesturing for Sam to follow as he lead exited the gloomy building. "No matter how you perceived it, the previous messenger had your best interests at heart. She risked capture to forewarn you," his expression sobered. "Your death would sadden Phantom greatly. Believe me when I tell you that he is going to great lengths to secure your safety."
"Lengths so great that he's twice failed warn me about this apparent threat himself," the ghost hunter snorted derisively as she attempted to disguise her unease, berating herself for allowing her curiosity to comply with accompanying the man out of the safety of the café. If the situation was to turn ugly, the advantage would lie with her opponent.
"Believe me, if there was any way that he could be here right now, he would be," Phantom's acquaintance informed, his bitter tone striking a chord of familiarity deep within her.
"Is he in trouble with the empire?" Sam questioned, struggling discern the hooded man's facade beneath its mask of shadows. Come to think of it, the stranger's self-righteous arrogance, combined with painfully familiar manner in which the his lips had curved upwards earlier had been vaguely reminiscent of...
Except that there was no way that this was possible. If the individual before her truly was Phantom, her equipment would have long alerted to his spectral signature.
Not unless he had chosen to overshadow the man before her. The ghost hunter inwardly shuddered, as she considered the distasteful alternative. Somehow, she would've thought that Phantom would be above the vile act. Perhaps this was why the human had chosen to don a hood. Victims of possession often bore the green eyes of their suppressors, the colour of pure ectoplasm.
If so, what had prompted Phantom to resort to such measures in order to ensure that she obeyed his warnings? As far as Sam knew, the white haired ghost was more than capable of eluding the Night Police. They had never had any previous trouble communicating, apart from Phantom's refusal to appear before other members of the brotherhood. Regardless of the outlaw's the outlaw willful evasion of Valerie when she and her partner were on patrol, there had been ample opportunity for him to contact her over the past months. Sam's eyes narrowed, steeling herself with icy resolve. She had been denied answers for long enough.
"No more than usual," the man shrugged, stopping to lean against the weathered alleyway wall. "In fact, he hasn't been this safe in a long while."
"That great for him," Maddie's apprentice replied absently, mentally rehearsing her next move. The ghost hunter knew that at best, she was only going to get one shot at this. From what she could observe of Phantom's acquaintance's build beneath his cloak, he would more than able to resist her if she didn't have the element of surprise on her side. Physical confrontation had to be avoided unless absolutely necessary.
"Heed Phantom's advice," the stranger implored. "You have to inform Madeleine Fenton about the delicacy of the brotherhood's situation."
"I will," Sam asserted. "But on one condition."
"Name it," Phantom's acquaintance affirmed, relief evident at having finally gotten through to her as he allowed his tall form to relax.
That was when Sam seized her chance. The ghost hunter was upon him in a second, ripping the cowl from his head in a single fluid motion before the man was granted an opportunity to retaliate. Icy blue eyes stared back at her in alarm, as he hastily backed away from her.
The ghost hunter bit her lower lip, as she found herself overcome by a bout of severe disappointment. What had she expected? That Phantom would be under the cowl?
Now that she had unsettled Phantom's messenger, she would be even more hard pressed to attempt to extract information from him. Sam berated herself for giving in to her whimsical impulses, as a far more worrying concept was brought to her mind. Phantom's messenger had flinched at her mere touch, his alabaster skin and the wild disarray of his raven hair suggesting ill health What had the man before her been subjected to in his lifetime, to cause him to be so wary of human contact?
"What has Phantom done to you?" she whispered, her voice dangerously low.
"He hasn't done anything to me," the human adverted his eyes, refusing to meet her gaze.
"Phantom was overshadowing you, wasn't he?" Sam demanded. "That's why you acted so much like him. I've seen firsthand the lasting effects of possession," lavender eyes narrowed in anger. "Why do you allow him to subject you to such violation? Answer me," the ghost hunter growled, as her outrage was met with impassive silence.
"Our relationship is a complicated one," the man replied sardonically, obviously embittered. "Neither of us can survive without the other. Now that I've divulged that little tidbit of information, promise me you'll abandon Amity Park."
"But- how?" the ghost hunter questioned, confusion evident as she struggled to process the umpteenth revelation of the day.
"That," the blue eyed man stated flatly. "Is no concern of yours."
"Phantom's abusing you," she replied, bristling with outrage. "I'm making it my concern."
"I never said that he was," the stranger replied, exasperation flickering across his features in a startlingly familiar manner. If Sam hadn't previously ascertained that he wasn't being overshadowed, the ghost hunter would've been prepared to swear that Phantom himself was standing before her.
Maddie's apprentice opened her mouth to speak before deciding against it, biting back the retort on her tip of her tongue. It was clear that she was going to be incapable of extracting any further information from Phantom's lackey regarding his own situation. "Do you know where he is?" she asked instead. "Why can't Phantom tell me any of this himself?"
"You never run out of questions, do you?" the blood traitor chuckled dryly, pointedly ignoring her queries, much to Sam's immense frustration. "Good night Sam," he bade, offering her a thin smile as he pushed past the bewildered ghost hunter, his footsteps soon drowned out by the liverish silence of the night.
Author's Notes: A nice, quiet chapter before the storm. I'm sorry about how long it has taken me to update. It's not that I haven't wanted to, but I've been completely swamped with schoolwork. I feel really bad about not updating for absolute ages, especially since the next few chapters are the fun parts:D Hopefully, I'll get some spoilers done tonight so that they can go up on my LJ.
Many thanks to: Grumbles, kia, b4k4 ch4n, passionateartist, Sasia93, Mimo-Sene, Manyara, Brightshadow 5, Chaos Dragon, XME, WinchesterPhantom, Musicality, Angelic Kittens, danny-fan101, Emerald Calling, Toyoko, Kirimori, timydamonkey, Xweetok, Black January, Raidon Phantom, CharmedNightSkye, Sweeteen19, wondergirl101, CommonSenseless24, bloodmoon13, Arabic Blessing, FreakLevel27, Tie-dyed Trickster, pearl84 and FunkyFish1991 for their awesome reviews!
As usual, please review. They make me happy:D
Hugs and Kisses,
Twisted Creampuff