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Post by belle on Aug 1, 2005 17:50:03 GMT -5
“Are you quite certain it was Cillian?” Julianne peered over her thin rimmed rectangle glasses at the two agents sitting across her. It was seven in the morning, sunny, with no indications of the gravity the night before held. Though an immaculate day weather-wise, the sun and warmth did not spread all the way into the city but merely glossed it over in a weak sheen. Despite this, Julianne the head of the Agency and virtual commander of the human forces against vampires had all her office windows thrown open to their fullest extent seemingly in desperation to pull in the sun, and usher in the fresh air Dayna nodded seriously. “It was him. We followed him after he left the Agency last night.” “We were worried about his physical condition. He looked strained and…” “Frightened, like he was being threatened, or under serious pressure from, well, a vampire.” Julianne massaged her temples, sliding her long fingers beneath her red and auburn hair. Cillian was a contender for her position, one she was very eager to give to him as soon as the opportunity presented itself. She was tired of war, she was tired of the Agency and she was tired of vampires. Too long had she fretted nights over attacks, too long had she addressed apology letters to families, and too long had she been part of a world she wanted nothing to do with. Not since her son… Dayna and Ewan were staring at her. “Alright, well, keep an eye on him. He shouldn’t be running with that crowd. Did you hear anything that was said? Any suspicious exchanges?” “Not that we could see. We were out of earshot. We detected two vampires, one male, and one female, and two humans, one Cillian, and one unknown male.” Ewan said. “They were together in the alley on first and ten for approximately 20 minutes.” Dayna added. Julianne hardly had time to marvel at the perfect symmetry in which Dayna and her partner spoke. They were like puzzle pieces that fit perfectly together, all the colors coincided and there were never any forced change of shape that flimsy cardboard allowed when you were trying to push together two pieces you were sure fit together. There were no empty spaces in their lives as partners, as agents. Not like the empty space in her life. “We don’t know what he’s up to Ms. Moore, but there is clearly something going on. It might have to do with the attacks that have been going awry.” Ewan said, obviously having discussed the topic with Dayna prior to attending this meeting. “Those attacks are being altered in our favor, are you saying that is to his credit?” Julianne asked routinely. “He gave no indication he knew why the attacks were being foiled… perhaps he went to find out?” Dayna asked, looking at Ewan. “I have trouble thinking Cillian would run out of his office and find the first vampire he could, and intimidate them into spilling what exactly has been going on. Not to mention there was another mystery person there, which might indicate it was a prearranged meeting.” Ewan said pointedly. “At this point, I just want to know what Cillian is up to, but I certainly don’t want to be stepping on his toes if he’s on a mission that immediately helps the agency.” “You’re right, we cannot act just yet.” Julianne said, perking up, finally able to catch her thoughts. “Well just keep monitoring him, not heavily, but if you guys want to keep an eye on him, you seem to have a knack for it…” She sighed heavily and looked hard at both the agents across from her. “Just, just don’t get caught alright? He’s a good agent, and he’s the type to take us monitoring his movements as a capitol insult.” “Yes ma’am.” Ewan said. He and Dayna stood up simultaneously. Again, Julianne marveled at their perfect symmetry. Nodding a goodbye, they filed out of her office and shut the door. Julianne was left alone in her somewhat sunlight office, a slightly off kilter breeze ruffling the drab curtains she hoped would spruce up her cave. She thought deeply about what her two of her best agents brought to her attention. Cillian was visiting vampires after hours, seemingly in a prearranged meeting. He had traveled from the agency, by car to meet at first and ten, and then went home. What was he doing? Not now, Cillian. Not now, when I need you the most, she thought bitterly. She knew it was hard, because once you were directly involved with the Vampiric world it was incredibly hard to separate yourself. She knew too well. Cillian’s family had perished in an attack on his apartment building in the early years of the war, when she was blind to the existence of vampires and ignorant of the reciprocations of their impacts on humans. How naïve she had been then. She quickly rose on the ladder, using her lofty position in the government to secure a position in the Agency when it was first formulated to combat the vermin that were vampires. She became the Head Agent, the veritable commander of an unseen army, and she was counting on Cillian, who was driven by the loss of his family, to assume command, to take her position and lift the weight from her. She saw it in his eyes, the fury of revenge… the same fury that had dulled in her over the years. She knew that it would drive him, as it drove her, to fight the invisible fight that plagued the city and the world. She reached in her drawer and pulled out a worn, seven year old photo. It had been handled so often that the ends were soft and frayed. A smiling young boy, with dirty blond hair and small frame beamed up at her, smiling to the photographer that took his private school class photos. A single tear splashed upon the lower right corner of the photo, where faded gold embossed letters spelled the name… Guillaume.
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Post by azina on Aug 1, 2005 20:57:04 GMT -5
Oh wow .... I was not expecting that ... not that Guillaume was her son. Wow. Great twist. I can see them wanting to keep Cillian as far as possible from "fraternizing" with the enemy. Very cool. Please keep this going.
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Post by §ilvercell on Aug 1, 2005 21:49:40 GMT -5
Whoa,incedably huge twist!
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Post by belle on Aug 2, 2005 17:25:59 GMT -5
Cillian lay on top of his forest green bedspread, his pale chest rhythmically rising and falling with each breath he took. He lay in silky black under shorts that contrasted strongly with his complexion. He had tried to sleep for the rest of the night, but as the sun was attempting to peek into his bedroom, he found no solace in the unconscious, but simply the same faces turning over in his mind until he was dizzy. He was thankful for the morning, for it put an end to his psychological torment, but was dreading the new day at the agency. Perhaps he should call in sick or maybe go in late, his thoughts strayed to the sleeping medication he had in store for those particularly stressful periods where the war was particularly strong. He could take some and just head in after lunch. His hours were flexible and his boss, Ms. Moore, seemed to have adopted some special liking to him, especially over the last few months. Fine by him, it was always good to get along with the management in his line of work. Deciding against taking the pills because he was unsure of the kind of dreams he would be subjecting himself to if he did force himself into oblivion, he swung his legs off the bed and hobbled to the bathroom to get ready for work. As the scalding water hit his skin, making him itch slightly, his thoughts strayed to vampires. How was it that Leah, such an isolated vampire, who lived in the forest, on the outskirts of the city he presumed, kept herself so pristine? He doubted she'd have access to a shower. With her pale skin and short dark hair he reminded her of a white rose, so delicate, yet full of passion and brilliance unrivaled by any other living thing. She made him think of poetry. Poetry..? Shaking the water out of his eyes he forced himself to think about work, think about the attacks he would have to predict and he was sure he had a meeting in the lab to learn how to work with the new guns that had been created. Supposedly the lab, located on the third floor of the Agency building had found a way to capture UV rays into concentrated doses. One shot with what he figured would be a UV bullet of some sort; the vampire would immediately react if under intense sunlight. He imagined it was a very painful way to die, but wondered how Leah managed to stay unharmed under the harsh lights in his office. The sunglasses might have had something to do with it. Letting his thoughts carry him, Cillian went about his morning routine so unconsciously that he soon found himself walking up the front stone stairs into the Agency, leather briefcase in hand. His dissociation carried him from point A to point B without him even realizing it. He walked into the elevator and hit the button for the sixth floor. His fuzzy reflection in the silver metal of the elevator doors swam in front of him. He watched his reflection split as the doors opened in an eerily symbolic way and he walked confidently to his office at the end of the hall, adjusting his thin glasses as he went. As he walked by, Dayna who was at the water fountain stood up and smiled at him. He nodded and forced a smile and unlocked his office door. Sitting in the seat he put his briefcase on the desk opened it and slipped the silver plated knife inconspicuously out of it and into its familiar spot in the top right drawer. There was a soft knock on his door. "Come on in, door's unlocked." Cillian said loudly, his usual entrance greeting. Julianne more, his highest boss entered the office. Her long red and auburn hair fell straight down her back and she carried a folder and a slight frown into the room. "You really ought to open your windows Cillian. It¡¦s a beautiful day outside." She said, looking at his windows, locked tight. "Well, you know how it is, stuff can get in..." Cillian started, he remembered how a vampire had entered his office without him even noticing. "Bugs and stuff, I'm not fond of bugs." "I see." She said, raising her eyebrows slightly, "Very well, do you mind if I sit down?" "Please do Ms. Moore. How can I help you today?" Cillian asked, removing his briefcase from the desk so they could speak face to face. "Well, I just stopped by to check up on things, progression in the attacks, more and more are being stopped, and I must give credit where credit is due after all." She smiled and the light smatter of freckles across her face seemed to dance. Cillian felt the heat rise in his face. "Oh, well I am not going to take the credit, it hasn¡¦t been me stopping them." He chuckled very unconvincingly, and Leah's pale face, glowing eyes narrowed, popped into his head. "Well then..." Julianne faltered slightly as if she didn't know what to say. "Well, do you know what might be stopping them?" Cillian hoped she didn¡¦t notice his huge gulp of fear. He needed to think fast. "It, it could be a rogue vampire." "A vampire that seeks personal power, or perhaps a double agent, do you think?" Julianne pressed, her mouth slightly open as she peered into his blue eyes, like masks hiding the truth he so desperately treasured. "Maybe just showing people the truth..." Cillian said, remembering Leah's eyes, in their glowing intensity, and her cool breath on his face in the alley. Passion radiated from her. "Excuse me?" "Oh, I'll look into if you need me to. I am perfectly capable of doing field work, Ms. Moore." Cillian said quickly, hoping she hadn't heard or understood him. Julianne leaned forward across the desk, tossing the folder onto it. "Look Cillian, is there something you want to tell me, anything at all?" Cillian doubled back and leaned away from her. He considered telling her everything, everything that had happened since he watched from the crack in his closet door, watching his mother lifted by the throat and hearing her scream, to his sisters crying in the corner as a vampire advanced upon them all the way until his attempts to kill Leah, the last of her line last night, and how she had taken him at her mercy. He longed to shake his bosses shoulders and make her realize what was going on inside of him, how it couldn't be contained any longer. "No." She looked as if Cillian had let her down. Opening the folder she removed a picture and dropped it on Cillian's desk. "If you can think of anything, or something happens¡K well..." She looked away, her blue green eyes downcast, "You¡¦re not the only that has suffered." She stood up, nodded at him, gathered her folder and walked out of Cillian's office. Pulling the photo toward him, Cillian felt the blood drain from his face. He knew this boy, though he looked a little different now. He didn¡¦t even have to look at the name in the corner, flipping it over he saw, in untidy writing, faded black marker. "To Mommy: I love you!" Cillian got up from his desk, walked over to his windows, and opened them as wide as they could be opened.
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Post by §ilvercell on Aug 2, 2005 18:43:19 GMT -5
great chapter.
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Post by belle on Aug 2, 2005 18:55:07 GMT -5
Thanks.
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Post by azina on Aug 2, 2005 20:11:29 GMT -5
Yes, excellent chapter. Great images too ... thank you for the image of Cillian in black silky undershorts. I also liked him thinking of Leah as a white rose. Hmm. I love how you manage to paint pictures.
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Post by §ilvercell on Aug 2, 2005 20:50:51 GMT -5
black silky undershorts,thanks for the mental picture.
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Post by belle on Aug 3, 2005 18:05:38 GMT -5
Leah lowered her face to the creature’s neck. It’s course fur quivering in fear. She stroked it gently and focused her energy on numbing the creature’s mind as it they lay, Leah having brought the creature to the ground in a single pounce. When vampires bite they have two options, they can use their concentration and focus it upon the victim, to eradicate all pain and make the experience so far as pleasurable, or they can rip into the jugular and drink until their heart’s content, usually changing the victim into a vampire. Leah preferred the latter method. She knew the vampire’s greatest weapon by far was the intimidation, the mere threat of draining a human is enough to send the masses into sheer panic. It was the ultimate assault, and humans can’t understand that a vampire feeding on them can be a unifying and essentially beautiful experience. She remembered when she had been changed. She had been in her own bedroom where she felt the safest. She was lifted as easily as a rag doll. He had her in his icy grip and she felt his chilled breath, and the metallic smell of blood overwhelmed her. He clamped down on her and it felt as if she was getting a shot. The sting did not fade however; it remained and grew stronger as her blood left her. She felt her pulse slow and her arms and legs weaken. She did not try and struggled because any move she made hurt her intensely. She remembered feeling like she was being smothered as the oxygen left her body. All her nerves were burning and she was on fire. She screamed and screamed until her lungs could no longer support the choked air around her. Her vision tunneled and she woke up in an entirely new world, her neck sore and her lips bloody from her new incisors that had grown as she was changed. The animal under her firm hold squealed and wriggled out of her grip, scrabbling on the ground and managing to pick itself up and bolt into the darkness. The dark thoughts that plagued her mind had been transferred to the deer that was her dinner. Sighing slightly she stood, resignedly accepting that she didn’t need to feed tonight, only that she wanted to. She had not fed in three nights, but pushed this to the back of her mind. After years of being a vampire, she had never gone this long, but in the midst of war, one genuinely loses her appetite right? She walked through the familiar paths of the forest and saw up ahead the clearing. The moon was full and outside the city, there was no smog to make its shine hazy. The entire forest was bathed in cold silver light. Guillaume was walking across the clearing with an armful of assorted colored blankets. He was walking toward the corner of the clearing where Justin sat, his back against a huge rock. He looked tired and oddly pale in the moonlight. “Where did you get those Guillaume?” Leah asked, smiling as he struggled beneath the crumpled comforter. “A house across the wood…” He pointed west, “Over there.” He quailed under Leah’s stare. “It was in the living room, don’t worry. They won’t even know it’s gone!” “Who’s ‘they’?” Leah asked, stern and slightly concerned. They were vampires, not scavenging thieves after all. “Leah, Justin is going to get cold; you know how cold it gets.” End of discussion. Guillaume threw Justin the comforter. “Thanks Gui.” He spread it before on the ground. Leah walked toward her own makeshift bed, followed by Guillaume. She sat like Justin, her back to the rocks that created a kind of wall in the clearing and he sat next to her, his blue eyes glowing eerily. “I need to talk to you.” “Talk away Guillaume.” Leah said, not her usual self, but irritable and strained. “Keep your voice down.” Guillaume warned her. “Justin and I had a talk when you were out hunting.” “About?” “I want you to change him.” Guillaume said. Leah could barely absorb that statement. “What? I can’t change him!” “He wants to be changed. He wants to be a vampire. He has nothing to lose Leah.” “Then why don’t you change him?” Leah asked angrily. Her arms folded across her chest. “Because, you’re the last of your Bloodline Leah, you need to pass on your legacy, once you die, your Bloodline is gone!” “What do I care about Bloodlines? This isn’t my race! What would I care if this Bloodline died?” Guillaume looked as if he had been slapped in the face. “You used to care! You used to value your Bloodline and your abilities! What happened to you? What happened now that you’re so full of doubt? Your eyes don’t glow as brightly, you second guessing your decisions, and I know you haven’t drunk anything in days.” He looked into her eyes, his face etched with concern. “You can’t hide the same things from me that you hide from the world.” Leah felt strangely hot and uncomfortable, something she had not felt in years, distinctly human. She felt as if her entire world was ripping in two and she had no idea why. She thought of something, someone that might be able to alleviate this alienation however. She swiveled to stare directly at her best friend. “I will not change him Guillaume.” “Why not?” He asked his mouth slightly open, incisors noticeable. She bent close to his face, and could feel the cold of his skin in the moonlight. “Because there’s always something to lose…” With that she rose, ignoring her fatigue and lack of energy and headed east toward the city. She needed to see him.
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Post by §ilvercell on Aug 3, 2005 19:08:31 GMT -5
wow,that's the best chapter yet.
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Post by azina on Aug 3, 2005 20:17:48 GMT -5
This was great ... I bet she will feel better when she sees Cillian again.
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Post by belle on Aug 4, 2005 18:00:59 GMT -5
Cillian ambled into the small foyer of his apartment, fumbling slightly in the dark. He had all the curtains drawn over the windows, and didn’t let the moonlight wash over the familiar rooms, turning furniture into unknown shadows and turning nooks and crannies into unknown oblivions of darkness. He threw his briefcase onto the nearest sofa and stretched after the long day. The weather had been perfect all day, and he had filled out all his piling paperwork for nine tedious hours, not to mention the technology meeting that weighed down his heart, the breeze from his open windows playing across his face. Part of him hoped he’d be getting a visit from his new vampiric friend, even in broad daylight. He knew it was impossible, but how does impossible explain his eyes flicking up to the window every few minutes? He walked the familiar paths to his bedroom, removing his jacket, taking off his tie and unbuttoning his work shirt, the lights still off. The door to his bedroom was ajar and he pushed it open. Something was different. Something was off. Then he saw her. She sat on the very edge of his bed, facing the open window, where his sheer white curtains billowed in the breeze. The moonlight created a rectangle of cold light interrupted by her frozen form. As he stopped in his tracks she turned around. Her skin, deadly pale and her incisors showing beneath her pale pink lips, her eyes glowing green like cat’s eyes. He noticed that the intensity of their shine had dulled somewhat from the first night he had threatened to kill her. The idea of causing her harm now seemed like lunacy now. His breath caught in his throat as she rose from her seat and walked toward him. He could think of nothing to say. “How… how did you get in here?” Officially the lamest thing to say… “The same way I got into your office. No one locks their windows anymore.” “Would a lock stop you?” Cillian smiled. “No.” He thought he saw a faint smile play across her lips. “Why did you come here?” Cillian asked, immediately regretting how rude he sounded. “Should I leave?” Leah asked with worry etched in her voice. She seemed different, as if her confidence was waning with the moon. She could not gaze directly into his eyes, as she did the other night. “No, no… please don’t leave.” Cillian took her hand; it was as cold as ice. She took it back, as if she was scared of his touch. “But why did you come?” Her head hung she lifted it to look into his eyes, her mouth slightly open and her eyes wider than usual; she snaked her hands up his back and pulled him to her. She brought her lips to his in a passionate kiss. He was taken by surprise at her action and by how soft her lips were. He moved his arms around her shoulders and pulled her closer, their kiss prolonged. A sharp pain and Cillian cried out and pulled away. A trickle of blood ran down the middle of his lower lip. His breathing was heavy and he wiped away the blood from his chin. He felt it in his mouth as he gulped. Some kiss. He saw Leah back slowly away from him, staring at the little river down his chin. He took a step toward her and she kept backing away, almost fearful. “Leah… what’s wrong?” “I have to leave. I shouldn’t have come here.” “Why? It’s alright. I’m a fast healer.” He looked spectacular in his white undershirt, his blue eyes reflecting the silver moonlight in the semidarkness of the room. He wanted nothing more than to hold her again, even for another moment for, if nothing more, the sheer irony of the situation. He still felt the tangy metallic blood in his mouth and advanced toward her. Leah avoided his grasp and backed up against the window frame. “I don’t know why I came here tonight, I don’t know… I…” This was most unlike her smooth and confident self. Her pale face was contorted with panic. Cillian went up to her slowly and placed his hand on her cold cheek. He suppressed a shudder at how dead her flesh was under his warm touch ran his slender fingers across her other cheek and it was her turn to be at his mercy. He looked down into her face, “You showed me your truth, now I’ll show you mine.”
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Post by §ilvercell on Aug 4, 2005 18:27:00 GMT -5
Finally,they got together,WOOT!
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Post by belle on Aug 6, 2005 13:47:48 GMT -5
Dayna sat across from Ewan in one of the finest restaurants in the city. She wore a low cut black dress and had her auburn hair pulled back in a tight bun. She donned her mother’s pearl necklace and earring set and wore ruby red lipstick that gave her a dramatic flair that was unrivaled by few women Ewan had ever seen. The dim, warm restaurant was such a relaxing change from the droll agency where there were few smiles and no relaxation whatsoever. It was nice tonight, not to be an agent, to be a human being, to be having a nice sit down dinner with not only her colleague, her friend and lover. She gazed dreamily at her very handsome date across the table. He was wearing a newer suit, jet black with a red tie to match her lipstick. His crisp white shirt looked cleanly pressed and his hair was brushed just the way she liked it. She would often toy with it in her office, when no one else was watching she ran her fingers through his hair and showed him exactly how she liked it. They were still awaiting their expensive plates of food and sipping on Chardonnay. They had covered a broad range of topics this evening and had then strayed to a topic she wished they would shy from. But this was Ewan, and he talked almost of nothing else. He loved his work and was fervent in the office and out. Enthusiastic, super charged and always in a state of contemplation about the war. It was as if he was the grandest general in the military and lived in a constant state of battle sometimes. It actually became quite tiring being around him sometimes. His dashing smile and charm were more than enough to make up for it, she thought, smiling herself. “So I was thinking, maybe we could follow him home or something, make sure he goes straight to where he says, of course we’d have to ask him where he is going after work. If our suspicions are correct, then he’ll be avoiding us and lying.” Ewan took a sip of his wine. “What do you think?” Pulling her eyes away from her beau, Dayna nodded. “I don’t think he’s up to anything malicious, I think he might have had a run in with them.” “What kind of run in?” “Well, obviously a long-lasting one, the vampires could be toying with him, you know, jerking him around a bit. You know how they can get.” “Yeah, but the idea of Cillian jeopardizing our entire establishment, mocking the entire agency, making a joke out of the war that is raging full tilt…” “Ewan, keep your voice down.” Dayna smiled and suppressed a giggle. “You really blow things out of proportion you know.” She took another dainty sip of her wine and smiled coyly over the glass at him. “I do not.” Ewan said, almost pouting. “Then tell me what’s really bothering you.” All traces of her smile were gone. She genuinely knew he had been hiding something from her, and now was her chance to uncover it and deal with it… together. Ewan hung his head in defeat. “I know Moore has designs for Cillian to be her successor. And quite frankly, I don’t think he can do it.” Dayna knew this was coming. “Especially this recent behavior, it’s dangerous to mix with vermin like vampires. Unorthodox and dangerous; think about it, Moore could be trying to place the Agency in the hands of a traitor!” “Calm down Ewan.” Dayna said, irritably starting to creep into her voice despite her efforts to suppress it. “Don’t worry… things will turn out for the best.” “Sometimes…” Ewan started, “Sometimes I wish that maybe we could find something to get Cillian out of the picture. He doesn’t deserve that slot, and well, there are much more qualified people out there…” “Like you?” Dayna asked. “No… like you.” Ewan stated, his eyes widening a little bit, as if he felt she had misunderstood his entire point. She of course, had misunderstood him. She felt foolish. Did she really relay outwardly that she longed for that position? Perhaps the irritability in her voice was her first subconscious reminder that she really did long to be commanding agent. She pushed the thought from her mind. Dayna smiled at Ewan across the table, put her hand on his and batted her eyes in a seductive manner. She really had everything she needed. She had a secure job doing something she loved, talent and ambition, a wonderful partner and lover that would never abandon her, and of course, a comfortable, fast paced lifestyle that she loved. Then there came the crash.
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Post by belle on Aug 6, 2005 14:53:08 GMT -5
“No. Please don’t.” Leah backed away from Cillian’s burning touch. “Why not?” It was her turn to quail under his hot breath tickling her face. It was funny how the roles switched so suddenly. He was so close to her, their noses were almost touching, and he held her hands in one of his, his other hand running through her hair. She had not experienced this much physical contact since she had been human! She didn’t know how to react. She averted her eyes from his face; the blood was still there, soon to become a hard brown line on his flawless face. She couldn’t look at the blood. She was so hungry. Her breath was coming in gasps. She needed oxygen, she need nourishment. ‘Don’t look at the blood. Don’t look at the blood.’ “I need to leave… now.” She tried wriggling out of his grasp, but he had her pinned against the window casement. “Don’t leave; you came here for a reason.” “You have to let me go, please Cillian.” Leah felt all her joints aching with fatigue and dehydration; she called her last bouts of energy from within her. When he did not move away from her she pushed him, hard. He toppled backwards on the bed and fell to the ground. Leah’s green eyes glowed brightly for a faint second and then resumed their diminished luminescence. She felt torn in two. As she gazed at Cillian lying on the floor looking up at her with a mixture of anger and confusion, the moon falling across him, she knew she could never resume a spot in the world she had been born into. She had a war to fight, she had attacks to stop and she had the truth to promote. She could smell the blood in the air. It made her eyes feel heavy, and it tickled her nostrils tantalizingly. The smooth metallic scent was making her head spin. Cillian climbed to his feet and lingered between her and the window, unsure of where to go, afraid to run, afraid to block and afraid to move toward her. She could detect his fear and blood, the very two stimuli that sent vampires wild. She back into a dark corner and sunk to the floor, her head in her arms, her short black hair spilling over them. She needed to rest… she needed to think… just for a moment… A sudden bang brought her sharply back into reality. She lifted her head and saw Cillian rushing forward toward the door. A figure stumbled into it. It had the slim frame of a woman, as she crossed into the moonlit bar from the window she saw that it was definitely an agent. She remembered she had sent Guillaume to follow this one many times, she was a hive of information in every tail, and most of the missions Leah was able to stop came through her or her partner. In the moonlight, this agent looked different. She was in a black dress though it was ripped in several places. She had one pearl earring and a pearl necklace that barely seemed to be hanging on. Her mouth was smudged red from lipstick and her hair, once in a bun was messy and falling out. Her eyes were dark from mascara and hatred. She wore no shoes, though Leah suspected she might have worn some admirable black pumps at one point. Her nylons were ripped and full of holes. She appeared almost drunk in the light. Leah’s chest tightened as she saw that the agent was wielding a thick weapon. It looked like an ordinary gun, but Leah, with her enhanced senses could tell even with her eyes closed what was contained in the cartridge of that weapon. The searing heat that emanated from the gun penetrated her closed eyelids. Guillaume had mentioned something like this. Some new weapon that the Agency was developing, but they hadn’t been able to harness specific details yet. She was sure what would be shot from that gun, there was no mistaking it. UV radiation… The woman pointed her gun angrily at Cillian’s face. She backed away slowly. “Dayna, what’s going on?” “Your fault… your fault..!” She screamed. “Where are they?! WHERE ARE THEY?! I’m going to kill them too!” “Dayna…” Cillian’s voice was remarkably calm for the gravity of his situation. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” “You had a hand in this Cillian. You’re mixing with vampires. You put them up to this! What? Did you want to kill me? Why Cillian! You have EVERYTHING!” She was screaming directly at Cillian and Leah didn’t move. The UV rays harnessed in the gun were making her sweat. “What happened?” “You know what happened! They attacked the restaurant, they attacked The Garden Restaurant. They killed him. You killed him!” “Killed who?” Cillian asked, even though Leah could sense he already knew the answer. “EWAN YOU BASTARD! The vampires came in, a dozen of them, they killed Ewan. You told him we were there. You mixed with the wrong side. This is your fault!” Though a raving lunatic for sure, Leah could see where Dayna was coming from. She had known the attack on The Garden Restaurant was going to happen, she just didn’t know when. So many important officials and Agents were known to frequent there, it was hardly surprising that her kind would pick that spot to strike, after lying dormant from a large ambush for so long. She must have known some of the extent of Cillian’s contact with her kind. Between his reckless hunting and newfound likeness for her, Dayna would of course assume that he might have had something to do with it. “I had nothing to do with that attack, Dayna.” “This gun will kill you too Cillian.” “I know. Just put the gun down.” Cillian said. He moved toward the disgruntled Agent slowly. Leah knew she had to get out of here; her skin was starting to burn even being near the gun. She willed her muscles to move and slowly rose form her crouched position, hidden in the shadow of darkness. She had absolutely no energy so her stealth was useless to her now. She moved slowly against the wall out of the light while Cillian attempted to talk his colleague out of her deranged madness and grief. She was muttering curses at him and gripping the gun tighter as he neared. Leah went to leap out of the window and as the cool air touched her face she heard a scream of rage and a small pang. Her arm was on fire. She was screaming and hissing and experiencing a pain to a degree she felt couldn’t exist and shouldn’t exist, the force of bullet turned her so she had a fleeting glimpse of Dayna about to fire the UV gun again. She saw Cillian it seemed in slow motion take Dayna to the ground, knocking the gun out of her hands and sending her sprawled on the floor. She screamed in animalistic rage as Leah’s vision started to flicker. Her mouth was partly open, and her eyes their normal green, no trace of glow to them at all. The pain had become so intense she was paralyzed. She saw Cillian put his knee on Dayna’s chest and felt something brush the top of her head through the pain. She threw her head back and saw a pair of glowing blue eyes wide and set upon her face. She felt herself being lifted and the cool air like water on her fire-born body. The pain didn’t disappear, but it dulled and her vision fluttered. Her last image, Cillian looking toward the window in horror, sent her into blissful unconsciousness.
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