Vengeance by Drucilla Malfoy

Chapter 5

A/N: 12/3/08- I did some editing to all the chapters, just little things mostly. Chapter 4 had the most changes. (Specifically, to the conversation about Henry's lies to Vicki.) I began this story before the episode about Christina aired and before reading the books. Therefore, I turned his story about vampire territorialism into a bit of a not-so-white lie. I suppose that would make this story a bit A/U since that little piece of canon now exists. There will be further discussion of the truth about vampires, including discussion of some of the other species, in the next couple chapters. I've received the suggestion several times that I need a beta. I suppose intellectually I can accept that I do. However, in the past I've had several VERY bad experiences with beta readers. This has made me unwilling to trust them with my stories. So yeah… a bad excuse but it's honest.

Disclaimer: I own neither Blood Ties nor Forever Knight. I'm just playing with them for the moment. And even if you sue me, all I have are student loans, which you're welcome to.

"You're what?" All of Emma's good humor drained at Vicki's words.

Vicki suddenly had the distinct impression Henry's hand on Emma's arm was the only reason she wasn't pinned to the wall.

"I'm sure there's a reasonable explanation." His voice was calm and even, his eyes focused on Emma's face.

"I wasn't investigating you per say." Vicki sat her wine glass down as she explained. "That's just where everything kept heading."

"You said she was a suspect." There was a bit of an accusatory tone in Henry's voice.

Vicki sighed and went back to the sofa. "Your boyfriend's brother hired me to investigate his death. He said he didn't think it was an accident."

Emma seemed to deflate at Vicki's words. She shook her head and made a sound of despair, pulling away from Henry to pace the room. "I knew I shouldn't have gotten you involved. I just didn't… I knew this would happen. I should have seen this. I should have known. I should have just run and let it follow me or take me or…"

"Emma." Henry stepped in her path and grabbed her shoulders. "What are you ranting about?"

"Jacob was an only child. No brothers, no cousins. They're going to destroy you, too. Just like Magnus."

The impact of her words hit him. Someone was trying to get to him through Vicki. "An imposter?"

"What are you talking about?" Vicki approached the vampires.

Henry shook his head and turned to her. "Someone posed as his brother to bring you into this. They're trying to get to me through you."

"Yeah, Coreen, I need you to bring the files on my desk to Henry's." Vicki stood before the large window as she spoke on the phone. "Yeah, fine, whatever, just hurry." She snapped the phone shut and turned back to them. Henry sat on the sofa slumped over his head in his hands and Emma slowly paced the room. "Coreen is going to drop off the files I have."

"You shouldn't have gotten her involved." Henry finally spoke.

"She's already involved. At least this way we can focus her involvement."

He had to admit she was right. The young Goth would only get herself into trouble if they left her to her own devices. "At least we know the Enforcers aren't involved now."

"How do we know that?"

"They're very straightforward." Emma stopped pacing and turned to them. "They would never involve all this deception. And would never, ever use a human." She smirked slightly. "They would think it beneath them."

"Which makes this personal."

"Unfortunately." Emma was interrupted by her phone ringing. "Christina? Yes, it is urgent." She walked out onto the balcony.

"What did she say?" Henry asked when she returned moments later.

"She didn't know about Magnus yet. She's leaving town to night. She said she can get somewhere safe before dawn then she'll be off the continent tomorrow night."

"Good." He seemed to relax a bit.

"If this is personal, it could make it easier." Vicki tried to steer them back on topic.

"Not so much." Emma began pacing again.

"Well, do you have enemies?"

"Of course she has enemies." Henry flew off the sofa and began to stalk around the apartment like a caged animal. "We all have enemies."

"Henry," Emma sighed as she finally joined Vicki, "stop brooding. At least Vicki is trying to be helpful." She chided.

"I do not appreciate being treated like a petulant child in my own home." He threw himself into a chair and crossed his arms.

It took all of Vicki's self control not to laugh as he looked every ounce a spoiled 17 year old prince.

Emma shook her head and glared at him. "The moment you stop behaving like a petulant child I will stop treating you as one." She hung her head a moment. "Do you see what all this stress is doing? Maybe it would be better if I just left town now. Go as far away as possible. Some where he'd never look for me."

Henry scoffed. "You think you can hide from this now? What will you do? Call Carlisle? Run out west and play vegetarian for a few decades? No one would ever look for you there?"

"No, they wouldn't. He actually talked me into trying to go vegan once. It wasn't worth the withdrawals. Can you imagine me fitting into his little family?" A ghost of a smile crossed her face.

"Crazy Aunt Emma?" Henry suggested. "You look enough like Edwards and Alice, maybe you could play the 4th daughter."

She fully laughed at that. "Yeah, the older, rebellious one. You know since I'm actually even older than Aro. That would definitely be interesting. You're right," she shook her head, "it's too late to run now. I should call Alice though; see if she can see anything."

Vicki was glad the ice had broken between them, though she had a feeling she didn't want to know what they were talking about. The door bell rang suddenly, interrupting her reverie.

Henry sped past them and cautiously opened the door. He motioned and Coreen bounced into the room as he secured the door. She handed Vicki the file, rambling about a new book on demonic marking she had found before noticing Emma, who had moved back toward the kitchen.

"Oh no no no, we need to talk before you go all fan girls on me." Vicki pulled her assistant out onto the balcony.

Henry slowly joined Emma and she handed him a refilled glass of wine. They watched Vicki try to lecture the girl whose awe filled eyes never left the vampires inside.

"I hate Goths." Emma stated plainly.

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A/N: Yeah, I know it's been a while but hey at least it's something. (Actually I though I had posted this. It was in a notebook but I forgot.) And yeah, the currently ubiquitous, Twilight reference. I know, I know. In the original version it was a Buffy/Angel reference. But… Henry is trying to make an absurd statement and, since we've already acknowledged other types of vampires, I though the idea of Emma fitting in with the Cullens long term, emo though she can be and though she respects Carlisle, was actually more absurd than her getting along with Spike for any length of time. (Which wouldn't happen either.)