Diligo Est Amicitia
Chapter 13: Dare At Deadwood (Part 1)
Bigamericanflirt: Hey, glad you liked this one! I'm updating on my brother's laptop and the only reason I can is 'coz I saved a copy of this chapter in a thumb drive and had to only put the finishing touches. I haven't had time to R & R it yet but I will when I get back!
Draco's Secret Lover: Anticlimactic… I have turned that word over in my mind several times and have found no absolute clarification as to what it is. Sorry, I think my brain's frozen for a little bit until I hit the beach again but I'm going to take it as a compliment. My story is not anticlimactic. Crickes repeats it to herself numerous time, incredibly miming a complete idiot. I am having a magnificent week, thank you and I've returned on to give you this 2175-word update!
RedRogue: Hrm… panicked when I heard that… 'that trailer revealed absolutely NOTHING' but calmed down slightly after that. Lols. No, Ipswich Curse wasn't the least bit boring; my fav bit was when you revealed that Evelyn was the Entity and that Chase and Caleb were half-brothers. Makes sense; both their names start with a 'C'. Going to lay big money? How big? And I'm having fun, thank my lucky stars.
babyxbxgurl: Me too! But mostly, it was about not portraying Caleb as falling head-over-heels with Jamie that he, like Reid and Tyler, will give up everything that is important to their Covenant, namely secrecy, to save her. He has doubts and mixed feelings.
Hecate's Diamon: All in due time, my dear lady, all in due time. I agree and I myself am anticipating the moment they reveal who they truly are. The anonymous reviews part was a mistake; I now accept comments from members and non-members… I agree that they have things to say that are definitely worth hearing a boosts the self-confidence thus enabling oneself to write better. Nah, I don't particular care for flamers much; I write for people who want to read my story and for myself because I want people to know what I'm thinking.
Note: To any non-members who were unable to review for the previous chapter, I am deeply sorry and hope that any of you who do like my story might once again comment on it.
It had been two days since the exposure of the boys' powers to the three newcomers. William had cursed when the girls' told their story and told them that for the time being, they were to lay low. He was in the midst of some big plans for the Pack and had no time as of present to deal with the problem.
The rapport between all of them – meaning the three girls and the Sons of Ipswich - had since strengthened, much to the slight dismay of Kate Tunney and Sarah Wenham. It wasn't like they hated them; they were just slightly envious of the connection Jamie, Lilith and Fin had to the Sons of Ipswich. It was probably the fact that what they had between them was purely friendship, at least for now. Nevertheless, the two girls couldn't help but wonder; what was it indeed that was so special about these newcomers. What drew the boys to them like a moth is drawn to a flame?
"Hey, Fin!" Reid half-ran to catch up with the redhead just a few steps away.
"Yeah?" Fin whipped around.
"Uh… listen… I was just, uh… wondering if… if…" Reid stuttered a little. Why, he did not know. "If you wanna go… out with me."
"Oh." Fin's face fell slightly. How could she break it to him? She certainly didn't like him any more than she did Pogue. "Look, Reid, maybe you got the way I--"
"No, save it." Reid held up a hand, shaking his head. Fin looked slightly hurt. "I… I get what you mean. I just wanted to ask you, is all."
Fin nodded slowly. "I'll see you later?"
"Yeah, yeah." Reid gave her a small smile. They both turned away from each other, walking away slowly. "Hey, Fin?"
Fin turned back around. "Yeah?"
"You wanna grab a coffee sometime?"
Fin grinned. "Why not? I'll call you when I'm free."
Reid nodded, sent her one last smile before turning away and striding confidently down the hallway.
Fin turned back around; glad that the misunderstanding had been cleared and things were fine. She was immediately sorry that she did. Just a couple of lockers away, there stood Lilith. And Tyler was with her. Of course, this normally wouldn't have bugged her but what made her heart swell with incomprehensible emotion was that they were holding on to one another. Clutching at each other's arms and laughing at some private joke. It all seemed so… intimate. She turned away, resolving to take the long way to Maths.
When school was over for the day, Fin Gray had made a decision. Whipping out her cell phone, she speed-dialed it.
"Hey, Fin…" The voice on the other side greeted.
"I'm free tonight. Still wanna grab that coffee?"
It was called Moll's and it was the coziest café in town, complete with plush armchairs and cushions with plenty of space for cuddling. It even had a fireplace and as Reid studied Fin whose features were bathed in the soft glow of the light coming from the hearth, he found himself thinking that Fin was a complete natural in the beauty department. The New England wind blew viciously outside but in Moll's, everything was just perfect… a world of warmth and contentment for atmosphere. It helped of course, that there weren't too many customers in the shop and so they could talk without worrying too much about eavesdroppers.
"So. How long have you actually had these powers?" Fin asked, a small excited smile turning up the side of her lips.
"Since we were thirteen." Reid took a sip of his spicy latte.
"And what exactly can you do?" Fin inquired, her curiousity getting the better of her. "Like… conjuring up fireballs or… making things move with your mind?"
Reid chuckled. "You must be watching too much X-Men." He hesitated slightly. "Anything. We can do anything."
"Anything?" Fin echoed, her eyes wide with amazement. They were even more powerful than she and her fellow Archos combined! Jamie was right; they needed to be cautious.
"Fin?" Reid waved a hand in front of the redhead's face. "You there?"
"Yeah?" She snapped back to reality. "Uh… yeah. Sorry… just had a little…" She made a motion with her hand and Reid nodded but she couldn't miss the slight glint of wariness in his eyes.
Quickly, she changed the subject and they both settled down, the discomfort fading away as swiftly as it had surfaced. And outside, the wind continued blowing as darkness overcame. In the midst of all these shadows and obscurity, a pair of eyes gleamed, the flash passing over its amber orbs as it watched the two of them converse and with such ease. There was something more between them; the owner of the eyes decided. Not a couple but not simply friends either. And this something, it knew, would one day be exploitable.
"I don't know what you're so bothered about, Ty." Reid stated as he moved around the table to take a shot.
"I'm not uptight." Tyler snapped.
"Riiiiight." Reid grinned like a Cheshire cat. "And I'm not blonde either."
"I'm not kidding, Reid."
"Look, it was just one coffee. One."
"It was one coffee and a kiss. I saw what you did." Tyler breathed out angrily.
"You're gonna begrudge me a peck on the cheek?"
"What were you doing taking Fin out anyway?" Tyler followed Reid's every move, just to irritate him further.
"Hey, you know what? What I do and whom I take out is none of your damn business!" Reid glared at Tyler. By now, they had attracted the attention of some of the people around them. Jamie simply tapped her foot impatiently.
When it seemed apparent that neither Tyler nor Reid was going to break off the staring contest, she glared at both of them. "Reid! Would you mind? I don't have forever, you know!"
She and Reid had started a game of pool – the reason being nothing less and anything more than a challenge – and she had been really pissed off when Tyler dropped by and insisted on playing twenty questions with Reid. Of course, she wouldn't have minded so much if Tyler had simply stepped aside while doing it. She had had to worry so much about poking Tyler in the ribs or Reid in the eye while taking her shot that she hadn't scored that well tonight. She could sense that the onlookers were annoyed as well; they had watched the game – and the cause of it – with interest.
Even Nicky, sensing that an actual fight might break out between these two best buds, reached under the bar for his legendary club in case things got ugly. Jamie, sensing what he was about to do out of sheer experience, cast him a look. Nicky nodded, as if saying 'You make sure they don't wreck my bar and I won't wreck their pretty little faces.'
Before either party could take a threatening step toward one another – and Jamie could feel they were about to – she stepped in between them.
"You either stop it." She told them in a stern voice. "Or take this outside." Both of the boys spared her a glance before returning to glaring at one another. Jamie huffed.
"You know, before you met Fin, you weren't such an uptight pussy." Reid spat the insult in Tyler's face and pushed past him, their shoulders clashing harshly as he went by. After taking a few steps away, he swaggered around. "Perhaps this time, if you want something, maybe you should fight for it, baby boy."
He exited out of Nicky's, slamming the door as he went. Tyler turned around and stalked after him, deaf to Jamie's words. "No; don't listen to him Tyler. Don't go out there!"
Jamie tried to grab hold of his arm but lost him due to the mass of bodies that surged up instantly as they left the game area. "Jamie!" Lilith called. She had been dancing to the jukebox with Sarah ever since Reid and Jamie had escaped to the pool table and everyone else seemed to busy to pay any attention to her; Tyler was too occupied trying to find out about last night's details, – which she so did not want to hear, thank you very much - Fin was chatting with Pogue about the latest models of racebikes that were in town, Kate was sending daggers in the redhead's way and Sarah and Caleb had been moping around, dreadfully bored and dreadfully boring.
But Jamie didn't pay much notice to her; in fact Jamie's undivided attention was getting through that door out of Nicky's. Holding Fin's purse in her hand (Fin had asked Lils to hang on to it for a bit while she went to the toilet), she followed Jamie through the gyrating bodies and out the door. She wasn't as empathic as Jamie but then an idiot could sense a strong argument brewing up between those two.
"Why don't we make things easy for Fin? A dare. Loser backs off." Reid challenged.
"You idiot." Tyler whispered. "What's gotten into you?" His voice rose with each word he spoke. "Why're you suddenly so interested in Fin?"
He saw Reid starting to answer, then spotted Lilith creeping out the door, watching the scene with interest. "One night. Just you and me. In Deadwood." Tyler dared before Reid could say anything. The words seemed to echo around the place for a little while as the dare settled and played in their minds.
Suddenly, Reid smirked. "What makes you think I'm going to back off?" He started laughing. "God, Tyler, is that all your sissy little mind can think of? A little sleepover?" He stopped laughing abruptly, a somber look painted upon his face. "I accept. And I'll throw in fifty bucks as well." He saw Tyler nod, felt Jamie tense up behind him. What a girl He thought. Then, he thought of the missing people who had vanished in the mysterious woodland. Those old stories are bullshit. He angrily wiped those thoughts away. I only need to feed little Ty-ty some late night ghost stories and he'll be pissing in his pants before midnight.
"So…" He threw his chin back slightly, striking a cocky pose. "When do we do it?"
"Now." Tyler answered, walking away to get his Hummer. "Tonight."
Reid checked his watch. Eight o'clock. The night was still young. If he declined, he would be disqualified. He shrugged his shoulders and turned around. Jamie stood, glaring at him angrily and muttering incoherent things under her breath. In the doorway, Lilith stood, looking extremely confused.
He strutted up to the other blonde. "Lilith." He nodded. "Gotta borrow your ride for the night. Do you mind?"
Lilith just stared at him. Resisting the urge to roll his eyes, Reid used his Power, then smiled as he felt the cool metal of the keys to the Mazda materialize in his hand. He strutted off to find the car, feeling a sense of urgency as he heard Tyler's own vehicle start its engines. Throwing himself into the driver's seat, he slammed the door shut then raced after Tyler's truck. Pressing the horn twice in a salute of farewell to the two girls standing dumbfounded on the entrance to Nicky's.
"Hey, what's going on?" Pogue and Caleb appeared behind Lilith.
"Nothing." Jamie replied curtly in an edgy tone that suggested otherwise. "Lilith, we need to go."
"Right." Lilith snapped back to reality and nodded. She turned to Pogue. "Look, give Fin a ride home, okay? Me and Jamie need to uh…"
"Get something really important done." Jamie finished for her, already walking over to Fin's bike. "Now let's go." Her voice made the other three wince.
"Here's her purse." Lilith handed the fuzzy orange red wallet to Pogue who took it, confusedly. That being done, she hurried off to hand Jamie the keys and swing her leg over the bike, just in time as Jamie revved it up, put the pedal to the metal and zoomed out of there in a fury of great wisps of smoke. This time, they left Caleb and Pogue dumbfounded.
Only one thing remained on Jamie's mind. Please, let us get there before anything happens. She reached out with her mind, hoping to find something, anything that might tell her of what was going on in Deadwood. Was it quiet tonight? Was it safe? She shuddered as she received her answer.
The Rebellion was on the prowl tonight and she could feel it. Their bloodlust. It was feeding time at the zoo and the boys were unknowingly walking into the cage filled with creatures that longed to tear them apart; just the fact that they were human made it all the more worse. The Rebellion despised humans. They would kill any they could get their hands on but they would not leave the safety of their forest to do it. Tyler and Reid would be the first in decades to enter. They had to hurry.
A/N: Cliffie... darn. I'm really sorry; it's not intentional! My brother's going mad from my "over-usage" of the laptop (P.S. I have only been using it for forty-five minutes for the finishing up of the last paragraph and to answer the reviews so that should tell you how obsessed he is with this thing.) Oh and by the way, the character theories I cooked up are now available on my homepage so check it out and comment. Fin Gray is my pride and joy; I had to go through Hell to find her. Oh, and as a note to RedRogue, you so owe me that 'big money' you were 'laying'... I never intended for Reid to ask Lilith out; that would just spoil what's about to happen next!
Crickes