Chapter 25:

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James rushed through the cobblestone path and hammered on Joe's door. He had already tried Wayne and Glenn's dorm, Nicky's bar, and every inch of the school. Joe was his last hope, and he had to be home. He was always home lately. He had no life since he broke it off with Delilah. So why wasn't he answering the door?

"Has the whole world gone missing?" James complained to the sky in utter frustration.

Then suddenly Joe opened the door and let James inside without a word.

"Sheesh, finally!" James cried, following his friend in. "I've been looking all over for everyone, but-- Have you seen Bee? I can't find her or anyone anywhere… the Covenant's totally gone M.I.A.--"

James stopped talking when Joe turned around to face him. His eyes were black with Using, fire pulsating through them. But his expression was sorrowful, broken and lost. James assumed he was Using in an effort to counter the enormous pain inside him.

"Joe…" James breathed with pity. "You look like Hell."

"Add Delilah to your missing person's list," Joe said coldly. "She's leaving for New York tomorrow."

"Hey, I'm sorry," James said sincerely. "Sit down; I'll get you a glass."

James closed the front door behind him, and set to concentrating on how to cheer up his friend and get him to stop Using, forgetting all about his prior concerns… Like where Beatrice had gone off to…

-

Wayne led Beatrice through the dewy weeds of the field and barren winter trees, laughing as the drizzle became heavier with every step. Having lived in Ipswich their entire lives, both were used to the rainfall at any given time, so they walked together through the meager threat of a storm as if the sun was shining in all its glory. The horse-drawn carriage had been left behind long ago, at Wayne's insistence at showing her his four favorite sights of Ipswich, and such a slow leisure would take too much time with their extensive travels of the past forty-five minutes.

"So," Beatrice counted in her head. "The first fav sight had been the carriage ride through orange trees of Old Dell Road."

"Correct," Wayne agreed with a nod.

"Seen better. The second was the Marblehead Cliff tops overlooking the ocean."

"Yes indeedy, said the greedy man…"

"Been there, seen that. You have eight minutes and yet to impress me. So what's next?"

Wayne laughed and waved for her to clam down.

"Don't get your panties all in a bunch! We're almost there."

Beatrice scowled and gave him a look of warning through her uncertainty.

"If you're showing me the place you lost your virginity, I have every right to murder you."

"Ah, Bee, darling, you know me too well."

Beatrice stopped in her tracks.

"I'm joking!" Wayne laughed, going back to grab her hand again. Beatrice couldn't tell if he was lying or not, but reluctantly continued on anyway.

Wayne motioned into the distance where an old rotting barn rested. Its doors were crumbled, and its walls appeared to be sitting on their last limbs. The wood was dark and water damaged. It was a place she recognized.

"Old Putnam Barn?" Beatrice spat in surprise. "That's your big sight?"

"Beauty and brains," Wayne observed with fondness. "Step lightly now; the clock's ticking."

Once inside, completely drenched and beginning to smell like dirty plants, Beatrice was quite ready for this joke of a date to be over. Still, Wayne led her with a firm grasp to a ladder leading to the second story of the barn.

"Careful now, it's kinda old."

"Ya think?" Beatrice shot harshly. She took the liberty of climbing up first, unafraid of the fragile decaying wood of the ladder and paying almost immediately for that mistake. The step snapped under her foot, causing her to slide down to where Wayne was climbing, fitting perfectly in place in front of him, her back to his chest.

Wayne beamed.

"Not a word," Beatrice warned.

"I'm beginning to think you plan these things…"

"What did I just say?"

Wayne let his eyes darken, grasping Beatrice's waist firmly and letting them float together to the second floor.

"That's how I usually do it anyway," Wayne admitted as they touched feet to the floor. She stared at him for a moment, his eyes looking wonderful in the last of the sunlight. He suprisingly was the one to break off the connection and motioned to the broad window, where the sun was just making ready to set behind the pine trees. The rainclouds that blocked the sunlight's full force made just enough light for a bold rainbow. Flashes of orange, red and green filled the entire sky.

"It's…" she began, not being able to find the words to describe it.

"Really beautiful, right?" Wayne said. "Fitting for the likes of two gorgeous people such as ourselves. Which is why I chose to share it with you. So I'd be feeling pretty special right about now, if I were you."

Beatrice suspected she'd feel extra special when this was all over and done with. She checked her watch for the umpteenth time. Wayne had four minutes left.

"You better work fast, Miracle Man, your time is almost up," she warned. "What's your forth fav sight?"

"Eh," Wayne shrugged it off and concentrated on the sunset before him. "You'll need a mirror for that one."

Beatrice was taken aback by that one, and blinked a few times in confusion. Was he actually being… sweet? Unheard of, in her book. Dirty yes, smooth maybe, flirtatious, definitely… but sweet?

"I used to come here all the time," Wayne said proudly, looking over the barn with fond memories. He put his hand to a nearby wall, where a long row of slashings were etched into the wood. "Yup, many a woman was taken here…"

Beatrice sighed and looked back out the window. Scratch that 'sweetness' bit.

"Please stop talking," Beatrice commanded. "Don't you dare count me on that wall. I'm not having sex with you."

"You'll change your tune soon enough, midear," Wayne assured her with great confidence. Beatrice put her head in her hands with frustration.

"Why me, Wayne? You can have any woman you want…"

"Not you," Wayne pointed out.

"So I'm like, the ultimate challenge, or what?"

"This isn't a game to me."

"Then WHY?"

Wayne smirked and looked back to the sunset.

"WHY?!" Beatrice urged again, shoving his shoulder.

"Why did you agree to this date?" Wayne asked slyly.

Beatrice frowned.

"You forced me," she reminded.

"You could have said no. From my experience, you are quite familiar with the word."

"Answer my question, Wayne."

"When you answer mine," Wayne retorted, standing up straight.

"Well, you seem to have me all figured out. Why don't you answer it yourself?"

Wayne stepped closer.

"Because I want to hear you say it."

Beatrice turned her back to him in offense, but didn't reply. Wayne stepped up even closer, held her shoulders and leaned his mouth close to her ear.

"The date's been over for two minutes…"

"It's over when I say it's over." Beatrice turned to face him, her face bold and challenging. "Now say you love me, and mean it, if you can."

Wayne took this as an invitation and leaned for a kiss, breathing:

"I love you…"

Beatrice abruptly pushed his face away before he could connect.

"Now say you won't ever cheat."

Wayne smiled, and didn't answer for a good moment or so. Beatrice frowned.

"Wayne…?"

Still Wayne thought on the question carefully, and chuckled piteously.

"Now, that's asking a lot…"

Insulted by his audacity, Beatrice immediately turned to go.

"Goodbye, Wayne."

Wayne snatched her hand before she could leave.

"I chase you, because you're you. You're alive, and a bitch, and passionate, and we won't even go into details of how drop-dead, damn SEXY you are. And no matter what girl I'm with, I can't seem to get away from you in my head."

Beatrice froze, her eyes wide in shock. Before she could say a word, Wayne yanked her close and planted his mouth on hers. It felt so right, so Beatrice began to give in, but her head argued with her heart.

"Oh, Lord above, I owe you one…" Wayne panted blissfully to the ceiling between kisses.

"No…" Beatrice tried to pull away, but he held firm, his mouth homing in on hers all-too-quickly.

"Don't make me do this…" Beatrice protested between breaths, sounding close to tears from her exertions. Still Wayne kissed with all his skill and force, to the best of his abilities.

At last, Beatrice managed to firmly shove him away.

"Just… don't, Wayne," she said softly, as Wayne stepped back and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, looking almost sorry for what he had done, but searching her eyes to see if she felt the same. Something tore inside Beatrice at the look on Wayne's disappointed face.

"You crazy fool," Beatrice assured him, closing her eyes to keep back tears. "I'm not going to let myself give in to your spells."

Beatrice sighed, grabbed her jacket off the floor (which she hadn't even realized Wayne had taken off) and turned to climb down the ladder again.

"Aw, but we were so close…" Wayne whined down to her over the railing of the second floor.

"Go take a cold shower, Wayne," Beatrice shot over her shoulder, and stormed out.

Wayne kicked and broke a beam in utter frustration. He then sighed and leaned his weight on the railing again, staring at the knots in the wood like they were silently insulting him.

"I do not understand this woman."

-

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Signed,
--RedRogue