Ash stood, stretching lazily, cat-like, and stalked out of the room in search of food. His breath came a little short and he frowned. He was hungry. The dangerous kind of hungry. Sighing, he told himself they'd be out of there soon. He hoped. It had only been a day, but surely whatever was going to happen soon. The Night World obviously knew of Aradia's prophecy, so they must be planning to act. He just wished he knew what to do. He didn't even have a clue what it was all about.
"Ours is not to question why, Ash."
Glancing up to see Julian sat at the kitchen table, he gave him a flippant smile.
"It's all very well saying that, but I don't much like the ending to that statement."
"Everyone dies, Ash."
"What a cheery way to start the day." Pouring himself a ridiculously strong coffee, he sat down heavily and stared into its black depths. Stirring it, he glanced up at Julian, then looked at him for a bit longer. "Jules?" Pastel blue, almost lilac eyes looked over at him. "I... when we get out of here, will you come see Mary-Lynette with me?" There. It was out. Though what Julian would make of it. A grin spread over his sculptured face, but, fortunately for Ash, whatever was going to be said was interrupted by Jenny walking in, and Julian's jaw dropping. She did look good, Ash would admit. Good enough to eat. Grimacing, he touched his delicate fans with his tongue, pleading with his hunger to go away. Glancing over at his cousin, he sniggered at the look on his face - Julian was so engrossed with staring at Jenny, blue eyes wide, that he didn't even rebuke Ash for his laughter. He just kept on gazing at this vision in green that had appeared before him. With a smile, she sashayed past him and sat next to Ash.
"I couldn't possibly have a coffee, could I, Julian?"
He blinked at her, then stood, taking a few moments to recover the power of speech. "Uh, ja." He poured the coffee, added sugar and cream, then placed it in front of her. She smiled at him, utterly enjoying the attention, and sipped the coffee.
"Perfect," she smiled.
"Uh-huh," agreed her soulmate, smiling in return. Ash shook his head, the two engrossed in staring at each other that he was getting completely ignored. He stood, stretching, then staggered forwards as a bang rocked the house. He looked over at the love-birds. Julian was stood up straight, telling Jenny to stay where she was, glancing up at Ash. "That was the seals being broken."
Ash' eyes widened, knowing Julian had a talent at creating incredibly strong seals - it must have taken an incredibly powerful witch to break those. Julian moved for the door, when Winnie rushed in, eyes wide.
"Was that-?"
"Yes. Stay here. We'll get the other humans in here, you protect them - with your life, Winnie." Ignoring the look on her face at that, Julian left. He seemed to have grown a few inches, such was his change in character, his presence increased incredibly by his determination. Ash nodded at Winnie.
"I'll be back in a mo, I'll go round up the vermin." His grin down-toned the seriousness of that word, but as he hurried after his cousin, he realised how serious the situation was. The humans were already running towards them, and Ash ran up, herded them towards the kitchen. "In here!" He yelled. When Audrey and Michael were in, the last two, he looked towards Julian, who was pointed Lupe to the kitchen. She bounded over, grey eyes serious.
"Ash, Jules needs you with him. This is serious - really serious."
"I know, Lupe. You're staying to protect them?" She nodded, and Ash strode over to Julian, who was letting bursts of orange flame burn the first wave of the intruders - about ten shapeshifters in their animal form. Julian threw Ash a hand gun, made especially for this purpose, as it shot bullets made of 75% silver - enough to knock a 'shifter out, though not kill them. He had no weapon in his own hand. Ash commented on this.
"I don't need a weapon," Julian said, eyes narrowed. Ash had never seen his cousin like this, so determined, so in control. So in charge. "If you can get upstairs, start getting them up there. I'll do what I can down here, but I need to find the witch who broke my seals," he said, firing another bolt of orange, clearing the stairs of two 'wolves, who turned and growled at him. Ash ran up the stairs, hitting one of them, saw another, stronger bolt of orange slam the other shifter into the wall. Following orders, Ash got to the top of the stairs, and was greeted by a shower of glass as a vampire slammed into a window from the outside. Ash punched him against the wall, knocking him out. He frowned at the other three vampires - mades, by the look of them, and grabbed a table at his side, snapping the legs off it. He grinned dazzlingly at them, and they frowned at him.
"You're a traitor, Redfern."
"Yup. And you're dust," he added, superfast reflexes allowing him to sink the makeshift stake into the vampire, then turning to the others. "Now might be a good time to run away, screaming," he told them, twirling the stake in his fingers. They leapt at him.
"Are you alright?"
"Fine. Go help Winnie and Lupe guard the humans."
"You and Ash can't keep these of yourself."
"Go help Winnie and Lupe," Julian said, glaring at Nillson, not forgetting how much he and Lupe had hurt him when they'd - he gave a cut-off motion with his hand, both to cut off the thoughts and fury in his mind, and whatever Nillson was about to say. "Shut up and do it." Pushing past him, harder than was strictly necessary, Julian left the main hall and entered a corridor. A shudder ran down his back, the place only lit by a small window curtained thickly. The door slammed shut behind him, and he turned, staring at it. He turned back as he heard a high, wavering laugh.
"I never thought I'd see this," a familiar voice said. Turning again, slowly and frightened, to see what that which he hoped he'd never see in this lifetime.
Tall, curvaceous and beautiful, with ever changing eyes, stood Maya, the first vampire. Dark curls fell down her shoulders, eyes glimmered scarlet, the blue to match his own.
"Julian," she said, her voice wrapping around him, then her arms, as she moved forward with unnatural speed, even for a vampire. She stroked his face, ran a finger down the newly acquired scar, and kissed him. She let him push her off her. She merely smiled. "I heard you were around. Though I hoped - so much - you'd stay with us. With the winning side."
"I'm with the winning side, Maya." His voice was dangerous, but shouts and growls were heard again through the door behind him, and his breathing came fast with his fear, and Maya never missed a trick.
"Then why are you afraid?" Moving close to him again, she bit his ear gently, sending waves of pleasurepain through him, sending a drop of warm blood trailing down his neck, rousing memories of the past, of a thousand years or more, when he had chosen her as his willing plaything. She had liked his power, though she had her own in abundance. They had parted ways when he had bored of her, too much like himself. And now they were here again, the balance of power having changed, very much to Julian's disadvantage. He stepped back.
"I mean it. We have three Powers already."
She cocked her head and gave a toothy smile. "Oh yes, but that's the beauty, you see? We need one - kill it, seduce it to our side, it matters not - and we win. You know it, I know it, and the odds are so well stacked in our favour. And the prophecies. One from the twilight to be one with the dark. Almost as though they're telling us you're on a loser, my dear." Her hands were on him again, her mouth on his, making him dizzy. "Change sides now, be with me, or die."
Jenny. A scream pierced the air, and Julian's insides went cold as Maya smiled cruelly in front of him. He ran, the door opening before him, to see Winnie and Lupe trying desperately to wrench a vampire from Jenny's throat. Fear filled Julian, then disappeared as a strange feeling swept over him.
I'm going to black out, he thought. Good. I can't watch this. He heard Maya cackle behind him. But he didn't black out. He suddenly felt more awake than he ever had. Without an ounce of decision, he felt Power rise within him, increase, hurting in its intensity. But he wasn't afraid. Couldn't be afraid of this power, for it was shining, it was pure, it was light.
"Do you think he's okay? Oh, god, Audrey, what if-"
Audrey interrupted her, a finger on her lips, then taking her hand. "Jenny, he will be alright. It all will. They had warning, they know what's going on. It will be fine." The worried look on Audrey's face didn't help. Looking around, Audrey's mother and father were discussing something in undertones near the coffee percolator, Michael was listening in to Jenny and Audrey's conversation. He shrugged as her gaze swept past him. The red-haired witch, Winnie was standing guard at the door, and it seemed Lupe was just keeping herself in check, a growl rising in her throat.
"How did they break those seals? Who could do that?" She asked Winnie, but Winnie just shrugged at the werewolf, eyes wide with what Jenny hoped desperately wasn't fear.
"I don't know," Winnie whispered, fingering the black dahlia on a chain around her neck. "But... they must be strong. And to have all these followers." She shook her head, not understanding what was going on. "Other than that, I don't know any more than you do." She jumped back, giving a yell as the door opened and Nillson walked in. He glanced at Winnie, a stake in her hand, ready to strike, then shook her head and him. "I could've-"
Whatever were going to be her next words were interrupted by a bear sinking its claws into Nillson's back, splattering her face with the vampire's blood. She made a small noise in her throat. Lupe howled, her shape beginning to morph into that of a wolf. Winnie reacted first, orange witchfire pummelling into the bear. Her lip was shaking. Jenny stood, staring at Nillson, covered in blood. He sat up, and a half-wolf Lupe pulled him into the room. Audrey was gripping Jenny's shoulder, watching as Winnie sent a barrage of orange fire into the entrance hall, where 'shifters were amassing again. Jenny watched as Ash fell from the balcony overlooking the hall, twisted like a cat in mid fall, so that the vampire that has his hands around Ash's neck broke his fall for him. Rolling to his feet, he shot at a few animals, glancing over at Winnie.
"Little help, here?" He yelled, and Winnie nodded, stepping out of the door. Jenny gave a scream as a 'wolf ploughed into her, throwing her into the door, snapping the door off its hinges. Jenny stepped forward to help her, but Audrey pulled her back.
"No! Jenny, we have to get out of here!" A tear ran down Audrey's face, and Lupe, back in human form, was indicating they leave via another door. Nillson got to his feet, pale but stable, and headed towards Jenny, to pull her away from the door. Orange fire told her Winnie wasn't dead, but she still wanted to check on her. She moved quickly out of the door, and it the arms of a trio of waiting vampires, fangs showing, eyes silvery and cold. One of them, a tall, muscular woman grabbed at her and bit her. The pain made Jenny cry out, try to push her off, try to stop the other getting into the kitchen and hurting her friends. Then, something happened. Jenny didn't know what it was until she was told later, but it saved her life. A flash of incredibly bright, incredibly pure, blue light from an unknown source. Jenny closed her eyes against its brightness, but it made no difference. Then everything was dark. This wasn't dying, Jenny had done that once, but been saved by Julian. She opened her eyes, and saw who had saved it this time.
"Julian," she whispered. He was looking at her, startled, eyes wide and pale, innocently blue. His hand was stretched out before him, as though he'd called upon the witchfire. He then fell forward, shining hair fanning out before him. Ash ran to him, checking he was okay, but Jenny still felt too shell-shocked to move, her limbs not responding. Ash gave the thumbs up, a smile on his face that was utterly happy, almost overjoyed. And the 'shifters, the vampires. They were... gone. Jenny blinked, taking in the scene before her. Where there had been a dozen or so 'shifters, and the three vampires, was just Winnie, sat, startled, looking at Julian in Ash's arms as he tried to wake him, and holding her throat, her top covered in blood. She yelped as she saw someone - a woman? - run out of the door, a blur of black and red leather. Jenny felt her own throat - complete, not a mark on it. Recovering her mobility, she ran over to Julian, still unconscious.
"Is he alright?" She whispered, stroking the scar on his face. He was pale but completely untouched, not a clue to tell her why he'd collapsed or what just happened.
"He's fine," grinned Ash. "In fact, we all are." his face turned solemn, and grey eyes looked seriously at Jenny. "He's the fourth Wild Power, Jen," he whispered, then laughed. "You hear that, Winnie?! Lupe!? We got 'im! We've won!!"
"Not yet, Ash," muttered Julian, long, dark lashes quivering as his eyes fluttered open. Then he grinned, eyes cobalt, then that impossible blue when you press against your eyelids too hard. "But I am, aren't I?" He spoke in a hushed tone, looking up at Ash, who grinned, then realised that he was still holding his cousin. Blushing, he let him go, and helped him to his feet. Leaning on Ash, Julian offered a hand to Jenny, who took it, then wrapped it around his waist, helping Ash support him. "We still have to get to the Millennium battle with all four powers intact - and still on our side," Julian added.
"But we have you now," Winnie said in hushed tones, staring at him in awe. She then looked at her friends. "We can win this!" She then looked back to Julian, and Ash. "But we need to get you to Las Vegas, now." Taking charge, Winnie strode over to Nillson and Lupe. "Lupe, you stay here, look after the humans. I don't think they'll need it, but..." Her voice trailed off, and she looked at Nillson. "You'll come with us. I know Thea had a flight for her and Eric to see Thierry with James and Poppy, we'll just have to meet them at the airport and get their tickets off them." She turned and headed for the door, but was interrupted by Julian's voice, low and bitter.
"So this is what it means to be a Wild Power? To have things decided for you? To do nothing but what you're told? Illyana might be okay with that. I'm not."
"We have to get to Thierry's-"
"I know, Winnie. But." He turned to Jenny, and took her into his arms, holding her tightly, his face against hers.
I love you, Jenny, he said, the soulmate link providing access to his feelings as well as his thoughts. Utterly happy, but afraid, and sad to be leaving her so soon as well.
And I you, Julian, she whispered, softly, wrapping in him her love. I'll come and see you as soon as finals are over. I'll be with you. For everything. She felt his gratitude, and then melted into him as they kissed, their minds one, just as their souls were. After that moment of utter one-ness, she let him go, led by Ash and Winnie, and waved at him.
"You'll see him soon, cherie," Audrey told her as she linked her arm.
"I miss him already," Jenny whispered, the ache that had started the instant he had moved away from her intensified as he left her sight. To her own horror, she'd started to cry. But, she realised, as Audrey held her, and Michael put a comforting hand on her arm, she had friends here to look after her. And she'd be with her soulmate soon. Soon.