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Part 2, Chapter 5.2
Sydney was in motion before Harrington recovered. Karen was moving away from him, and he lost his grip on her as he tried to right himself to give a more accurate shot. Sydney reached him before he could, kicking out at his wrist. The gun flew from his hand to land near the trunks, skittering as it hit the floor. Harrington stared at her in shock, so she took the opportunity to lash out at his face with her right fist. He retaliated immediately, knocking her back a couple of steps. She dodged his next blow and gave another of her own. He growled savagely, sounding more beast than human, and lunged at her, grabbing at her throat. She batted his hand away and swung out a leg, sweeping his out from under him. As he went down, he grabbed her jacket, taking her with him. They grappled there on the floor for several minutes, Sydney on top but unable to loose herself from Harrington. He was surprisingly strong for his size, and the muscles under his pale skin felt like wire. She wasn't expecting the sudden buck of his body that knocked her to the side. She struggled to regain her position, but he overpowered her and rolled on top. This time, his hands had no trouble finding her throat, and once they were clamped on, they were as strong as steel. She pulled at them with her own hands, feeling the restriction the pressure was putting on her airway. Soon, she would be unable to breathe, and after that... Harrington's eyes seemed to glow eerily as a savage, inhuman expression came to his face. “It is not yet night, but I will feed,” he hissed in a tone so far removed from the one he had greeted them with the day before that it was hard to believe he was the same person. “The only thing you'll be feeding on is prison fare.” Sydney heard through the buzzing in her ears. There was a clunk, and Harrington's hands loosened as his body collapsed limply on top of hers. “Are you all right, Syd?” Nigel asked. “I think so.” She struggled to shift Harrington's body off of her and onto the floor. Nigel was standing above her, a vase in his hand. “I thought you said the trunks were filled with money and jewelry.” “And a vase.” “Obviously.” She sat up carefully, rubbing her throat. Claudia and Karen were again hunched together, the former holding the gun in hands so shaky that Sydney hoped the safety was on. Nigel reached out a hand and helped Sydney to her feet. “What do we do now?” “What do you mean?” “About all this? We found the treasure, but it's rightfully Harrington's—even though he was willing to kill us because we knew its whereabouts.” “And because we know he killed June and Aunt Melody.” “Not to mention the fact that we know his secret. No wonder Cougar disappeared last night.” “You read?” He nodded. “I read.” “I'm tempted to just leave him in here and throw the coin in the Atlantic Ocean.” “Syd.” She smiled at him half heartedly to show that she was kidding...sort of. “I wish we could prove that he's a murderer. We still don't know where he hid Melody's body.” “Well, that's one good reason to keep him alive.” “There is that...” Her words trailed off as she was body slammed by what felt like a wall. She stumbled into Nigel, and they fell in a tangle of arms and legs, with something bearing both of them to the floor. “Don't shoot, Claudia!” Karen cried out, “You might hit Nigel or Sydney.” Struggling to free herself, Sydney thought that was sound advice. She blinked as pain shot through her head when it was cracked against Nigel's. She saw little white stars when it immediately happened again. Breath, hot and foul, puffed into her face as she heard Harrington's crazed beast voice say, “Scream and moan, flesh and bone, the prey to bleed as the monster feeds. It reeks of death, ripping into flesh...” Claudia screamed. It was so shrill that it sliced through the fog in Sydney's brain. It was followed by a growl that didn't come from the man pinning both her and Nigel, and unlike his growl, this one had no trace of humanity in it. Instead, it was a feline roar of rage. Claudia screamed again, and Sydney felt Harrington's heavy body roll off of her. Then, it was Harrington's turn to scream. It was high pitched and very human, cutting off in the middle. She turned to rise, not quite believing what her eyes were telling her. Alfred Harrington was lying on the floor, dead eyes staring at the ceiling. His throat had been shredded. Sitting on his chest, its jaws dripping with his blood, sat an enormous cat. The cat looked at her, intelligence in its deep golden eyes. Its gaze was compelling, drawing her in. With effort, she looked away. “Nigel.” He was on the floor, his eyes closed. “Nigel!” she said again, more urgently. He blinked. “Am I alive?” “Yes, thanks to Cougar.” Without warning, the cat began to change. Arms shortened; legs lengthened. Fur retreated, and so did ears and fangs. The transformation was swift, like watching a DVD set on fast forward. It took less than a minute for the cat to become a very normal looking, very naked, Cougar Harrington. Blood still dripped down his chin, and he self-consciously wiped at it with his wrist. Nigel sat up quickly, his hand gripping Sydney's arm. “How...? I thought they could only change at night. We haven't been in here that long.” “I was born different,” Cougar explained softly. “I've never needed the darkness to change...and I've never hungered for prey. It makes me sick what they do—Uncle Alfred and Amanda and my cousin, Brian. I couldn't stop them before. They hunt together, so overpowering them was out. I could never go to the police—not without winding up in a cell next to Nic's. Or in some laboratory experiment. Now, my uncle will disappear and no one will know what happened...like Nic's Melody.” “You didn't have to kill him,” Sydney protested. “Yes, I did. My uncle didn't leave loose ends. Can't you see, he would have hunted you down, and he wouldn't have given up until all four of you were dead. You would have been prey in his hunt. I couldn't let it happen this time, not when I could finally stop it.” “How do you know we won't go to the police?” Cougar shrugged, muscles rippling along his trim body. Like his uncle, he was thin and catlike even in human form. “I don't much care if you do. It's worth it to know Uncle Alfred can no longer hunt.” Sydney glanced to the side to see Claudia and Karen carefully approaching. Claudia still held the gun, but her arm was limp at her side. Cougar glanced at them too and nodded in acknowledgment. It didn't seem to bother him that he was naked. The blood had bothered him more. “Now that your uncle's dead,” Sydney commented, “I guess this belongs to you. Any idea what you'll do with it?” He shrugged again. “Probably donate most of it. What I'm interested in is the family records. I need to know if there was ever another like me...Oh, by the way, Sydney, I managed to find out where they buried your aunt.” “What?” She sat up straighter, her body suddenly more tense than it had been during the scuffles with Alfred. Cougar's eyes burned into hers as he said, “I will take you there and then, maybe, just maybe, I will finally have peace.” -------------------------------- Sydney had no idea what she was going to say. Words had tumbled around in her mind for the whole drive through the snow covered countryside, but none of them seemed right. Now, she stood in the doorway of the familiar lounge with Nigel at her side, studying her uncle. He was sitting in his usual chair, a tray with the forgotten remains of his breakfast nearby. She wondered what her news would mean to him and whether he would really comprehend it at all. Would it liberate him or push him even further under? Maybe it would do neither and his life would go on as it had for the past twenty-five years, merging the past and the present until he had no idea what was real and what wasn't. Nic must have sensed her standing there because he turned his head and said, “Hello, Sydney.” She felt her eyes widen in surprise that he had immediately recognized her. Elbowing Nigel gently so that he'd follow, she entered the room. “Hello, Uncle Nic. How are you this morning?” “Tired,” he said sadly, “so tired. And alone. Brown eyes haunt me. I see her smile when I sleep. I'm never alone but always alone...” “I understand.” The funny thing was that she was beginning to. She wondered what it would be like to love someone so much that his death would completely incapacitate her. The thought was frightening, but it was also compelling. What must Nic and Melody's life together been like? This time, she did not take the chair across from him. Instead, she knelt in front of him and looked him in the eye. It was reassuring after all that had happened to have ice blue regard her instead of shades of green. “We have something to tell you.” “News about the coin? Sydney has the coin, Melody. She has the coin...but you will not die again.” “No, the news isn't about the coin. It's about Melody.” “Melody's dead,” he whispered, putting a hand on her shoulder. “They killed her.” “Yes, she is,” Sydney agreed, “and there's nothing we can do about that. You've known all these years. Harrington told you, didn't he? It was Alfred Harrington who came to visit you when they put you in here, wasn't it?” “He killed her...killed my Melody...she's lost...lost...and I can't find her...” Nic seemed less lucid than usual, but Sydney plowed on. He had to be told, and she knew if she didn't tell him, no one would. “It's all right, Uncle Nic. Nigel and I found her. We found Melody.” The hand on her shoulder squeezed and she saw real understanding go through his eyes. “You found her?” “Yes,” she assured him softly. “We found her, and she will be laid to rest with Isabelle and Makaio. Now, her soul can find peace.” Nic began to tremble, and tears came to his eyes. Sydney's heart ached for him as they overflowed and started to slowly slip down his cheeks. “Found...” he mumbled, “...found at last...she can finally sleep...” “Yes,” Nigel said, coming up behind Sydney and putting his hand over Nic's, which still rested on her shoulder. “Now, she can finally sleep—and it's because of you. You helped to find Melody.” The tears continued to drip down his face, but he didn't say another word. Sydney and Nigel stayed for a little while longer, just watching him. They saw the joy with the tears, and she was sure Nic was communing with his dear Melody once more. As she got up to leave, she kissed her uncle gently on the forehead, promising to be back soon. He didn't acknowledge it, but that didn't matter. She intended to keep the promise anyway. ----------------------------------------- When they got back to Sydney's house, Claudia hurried upstairs to pack. It was New Year's Eve, and she had tickets to one of the biggest bashes in New York. Using her cell phone on the long drive from Clarksville, she had managed to book a flight on a plane that would get her there on time. The rest of the way home, she chattered on excitedly about what the party would be like. Karen answered her eagerly, but Sydney found the discussion gave her a headache. When she glanced at Nigel, he made a gun with his fingers and pretended to shoot himself in the head. Sydney laughed, causing Claudia to emerge from her rant long enough to ask what was so funny. Sydney shot Nigel a dirty look and made up an answer she hoped would appease her friend. She needn't have worried. Claudia was in “all talk and no listen” mode. Claudia packed faster than Sydney had ever thought possible. Within fifteen minutes of bounding upstairs, she began lugging stuff down. Nigel watched her for a bit before giving in and politely offering to help her. “You're so sweet!” she exclaimed, which he took for a yes. It took them longer to bring the stuff down that it had for Claudia to pack it. Even so, soon Sydney's Jeep was filled with pink luggage. The four of them stood in the living room as the reality hit them. It was time to say good-bye. Sydney found herself not wanting to. Despite Claudia's silly and often annoying quirks, she thought of her as a flighty but lovable little sister, and she had missed Claudia's joy terribly in the two years since the great job in New York had lured her away.. Claudia's bright blue eyes filled with tears, and she bit her lip. Lowly, she said, “I don't think I really want to go.” Sydney forced a smile. “You've got to go some time. Think of the brilliant job you've got waiting for you.” She sighed. “I know, but it's so far away. I'm going to miss you guys.” “We'll miss you too,” Nigel said, the honesty plain in his voice. “Life is certainly more interesting when you're around.” She threw her arms around him, startling him. “I'll especially miss you, honeybun! We always have so much fun together.” He squeezed her back firmly. “You should come visit more.” “I will,” she said, pulling away and turning to Sydney. They regarded each other silently for several heartbeats. Despite the fact that they were completely opposite in every way possible, both in appearance—where one was rail thin, with pale skin, eyes and hair, and the other was dark and curvy with just a hint of the exotic in her features—to their personalities, they had somehow become very close friends. “Thank you again for inviting me for Christmas,” Claudia said, swallowing hard. “You're welcome. Maybe we can make it our little family's tradition.” “I'd like that.” She threw her arms around Sydney, crushing the older woman in a strong grip. Sydney smiled and hugged her back just as hard. “You behave yourself in New York, you hear me?” “Yes, Mommy.” Claudia laughed through her tears. When she pulled away, she was wiping her eyes with her thumb. She swallowed again and turned to Karen. “Okay, I guess I'm ready.” Karen nodded and grabbed Sydney's keys off of the coffee table. She would be taking Claudia to the airport. While she was doing that, the relic hunters would be performing the labourous task of taking down the tree. Sydney and Nigel followed Claudia to the entryway, where she and Karen put on their outside clothes. Claudia talked the whole time, her little girl voice light and gay. She insisted the other three come and visit her soon. “My apartment's certainly big enough, and we'd have loads of fun.” “Call us, and we'll see if we can get our schedules to match,” Sydney told her. “Now, hurry up or you're going to miss your plane.” Claudia hurriedly finished zipping her jacket as Karen opened the door. She gave a little wave, and then the two of them headed through the snow to the Jeep. Sydney and Nigel stood in the open doorway to watch them go. Once Claudia got in the the Jeep, she started waving wildly, and they waved back. The three of them waved until Karen turned out of the driveway and Sydney's Jeep disappeared down the road. As she closed the door, Sydney sighed. “It was nice having all of you here for Christmas.” “It was great,” Nigel agreed. “Despite being threatened by a crazy cat-man, it was a nice Christmas.” Her face broke into a smile and she punched him in the arm. He winced comically and rubbed it, causing her smile to turn into a laugh. “I hope we do get a chance to do this again next year,” she said. “Me too.” She took his elbow when he would have went to the living room and steered him towards the kitchen. “How about some hot chocolate?” “This may be the last chance I have in some time, so yes.” Then, he paused as they reached the kitchen door. “...uh, Syd...” “What?” His arms reached out unexpectedly and wrapped themselves around her. Sydney squeaked in a most undignified way as Nigel pulled her close to meld her body to his. She didn't even have time to absorb this, or the fact that their bodies fit together way better than she expected them to, when he kissed her. It was a sweet, soft kiss that sent an excited tingle through her body. Letting the flow take her, she returned the hug, allowing her fingers to come up and caress the back of his neck. The moment lasted much too briefly, and she was slightly out of breath when he pulled from her and she demanded, “Nigel, what the hell?” A cheeky grin spread over his face as he pointed upwards with his eyes. Sydney followed his gaze to see that Karen, ever hopeful, had left one spring of mistletoe above the kitchen doorway. Feeling evil and want to get back at Nigel for not warning her before he kissed her, she shrugged and said, “Well, in that case...” She felt Nigel's surprise as she pulled him back into an embrace and kissed him firmly. Her body hummed in pleasure as he tangled a hand in her hair and responded to her kiss with enthusiasm. I could really get used to this, she thought before completely losing herself to the moment. ------------------------------------------------ Sydney was sitting by the ocean, listening to the surf as it gently claimed the sand. The sun was warm on her skin, and the white grains tickled between her toes. There was a slight breeze, damp but pleasant, that played freely with her hair. Peace surrounded her, bringing with it a soothing calm. For once, she was happy sitting still. “Sydney.” She looked up, shading her eyes with one tanned hand and smiled at the slight woman who had silently approached her. The woman smiled back and lowered herself to sit beside Sydney in the sand. She appeared to be the same age as Sydney, and her eyes and hair were just as dark. That was where the similarities ended. “Hi, Mom,” Sydney said. “It's been a long time since we've met here.” Usually, now, when she dreamed of her mother, it was of vague moments, full of motion. She attested that to the frantic pace of her life. “Yes,” Rosemarie Fox agreed, putting her arm lightly around Sydney's shoulders. “You are so grown up now. I'm so proud of what you've become.” “Are you really?” she asked eagerly, looking into a face she barely remembered but still missed longingly every day. “How couldn't I be? You are doing amazing things. You grew into an honest, honourable woman. What more could I want?” “Sometimes I wonder if it's enough,” Sydney admitted quietly. “You will always be enough.” The arm around her shoulders squeezed. “Thank you.” “No, sweetie. I'm the one who should be thanking you.” Rosemarie waved her free hand towards a figure Sydney hadn't noticed. It too was a woman, taller and curvier than petite Rosemarie, and more Nigel's age than Sydney's. Sydney recognized enough of her own features in the face to know she was seeing Melody. The face was more serious than she remembered, with sad brown eyes. “You found her,” Sydney whispered. “No, you found her. You found her and brought her back to us. We don't have to search for her anymore.” “But what about Uncle Nic?” She didn't know why she asked about him in that perfect moment of time. The question just slipped from her lips. Her mother did not get angry as she half expected. Instead, Rosemarie said, “He is welcome here among us. When he comes, he and Melody will each be whole again. We wronged him back then, Sydney, Maman and I. We didn't understand the bond that held them together.” “I like him.” “Compassion is one of your gifts, Sydney. It's one that I'm most proud of you for.” Then, Rosemarie's arm loosened, and Sydney knew their brief moment was over. Her mother paused only to kiss her lightly on the forehead before walking towards her sister. Only once did she turn back, blowing a kiss on the wind as she had when Sydney was a little girl. Alone again, Sydney sat in the sand contemplating the gift she had just received. After what seemed like a long time, she too got to her feet. Brushing the sand from her clothes, she began walking in the opposite direction, towards Nigel, and towards life. The End
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