by Willow
Eddie slipped in his window and shut it behind him against the rising sun. He pulled the curtain closed and secured it before removing his bandana, sending curly, fey-blond hair around his face. He pulled off his boots and threw himself into bed. He should sleep. He had to sleep. There was nothing else to do but sleep. And tomorrow night, he'd be onstage again. Eddie closed his eyes and pictured himself singing. That was a pleasant image, and one he enjoyed a great deal. He fell into a deep, dreamless slumber.
Franklin left the police Station. According to the records, his daughter had died, but her body had disappeared. He would not believe that child to be dead till he held her heart in his hands.
Tenth frowned. That focus was not teleporting. He had to wonder why. A short consultation with the journal of the focus creator told him why. To prevent theft, it could only be moved magically if it was being carried or worn by someone. And any teleportation would take the person wearing it as well.
"What a bother," Tenth muttered. "I shall have to go and get it myself."
The door opened, revealing a pretty, delicate dark haired elf frame, tightening the belt of her robe.
"Hi." Em smiled. "You're a healer, right?"
"Yes?" Lirilith said, arching an eyebrow.
"I have a problem," Emerald said, lowering her face shamefully. "Would you consider taking money to help me get rid of some scars?"
"Scars?"
Em smiled. "Yeah. And I really would like them removed." She pulled the sleeve of her tunic up, displaying the ones on her arms. "The ones on my torso are worse." Lirilith's breath drew in sharply.
"I'll see what I can do."
Eddie woke at dusk, and had to pry his eyelids open. "Gods, I feel like shit," he thought to himself.
"Get up, Eddie."
"Go away, Ari." There was a low chuckle.
"Late night?" came the human's soft and kind voice.
"Yeah, a little."
"I have your breakfast here."
"Don't want it. Go away."
"What did you do anyway?" Anne-Marie asked, setting the tray down on the table beside his bed, and taking a seat on the edge of his bed.
"Just went for a run," mumbled Eddie, and managed to sit up. He fell right against the headboard. Ari put a hand on his forehead.
"Well you seem alright."
"Feel like shit," muttered Eddie unhappily. Ari stood up and puttered around his room, pulling out a fresh set of clothing, and drawing the curtains to let in the dim light of the city.
"Drink your breakfast, and you should feel better." With a snort, Eddie grabbed the cup on the tray and drank. He sighed and collapsed back onto his bed.
"Come on, get up," prodded Anne-Marie. "Don't make me dress you like a child."
"Go away."
"You know I won't."
"Yeah. I know." Eddie got up and pulled his shirt off, then stopped and looked pointedly at Anne-Marie.
"What?" she said innocently.
"Do you mind?"
"Be downstairs to carry your stuff to the stage in fifteen minutes. I let you sleep as long as I could."
Emerald smiled happily, and tucked her leggings away. "That's amazing!" she said to the healer. "I wouldn't have believed this could be done."
"There was magic in the wounds, keeping them scars." Lirilith explained to her. "You know, it just occurred to me, you look really familiar."
"Yeah, alot of people say that."
"So how did you get a mage that pissed at you?"
"I married him." Em flashed the dark haired healer a rogueish grin, and handed her the cash she'd promised, which Lirilith was sure would keep her rent paid for the next four months. She decided not to ask any more questions, and watched the young elven girl disappear into the early night. She wondered how much longer that kid would live.
Eddie plodded down the stairs, and right into the closet where their instruments were stored. Only a few cases were missing, and they all belonged to Mystre. She was probably setting up her drum set already. The thing was ancient and she'd been having trouble with it lately. Jaycen walked in right after him.
~Finally up, Eddie?~ he asked softly.
~Yeah.~
~You look tired.~
~I am.~
~why? Get a little bit of nookie going on with Anne-Marie, hmmm?~ Eddie gave his brother a dirty look, and picked up a case to carry it to the stage. Jaycen picked up another and they walked towards the stage. "I met the most fascinating chap in lilac the other night," Jaycen said as they walked. Eddie remained silent, knowing full well that he coudln't stop his brother, and anything he said would probably bring on more details than he wanted to hear. "You know, most men of his age and stature coudln't pull that look off, but he carried himself quite well, I think," Jaycen contined on, speaking softly in his musical voice, as Eddie paused, setting the case down a breathing heaviily. He shouldn't have gone out last night.
"Are you okay?" Anne-Marie's voice asked softly, behind him.
"Fine," smiled Eddie, but he coughed slightly, and the young woman frowned. "Really." Shaking her head, Ari went on. Eddie picked up the case and continued onto the low stage, where Jaycen was helping Mystre set up her drums. The blonde drummer looked up at him and grinned.
"It really was a long night, huh, Eddie?" she said with a slight quirk to her lips.
"Oh, hush," muttered the blond, he started to help, becase Myst was having trouble. Ari stuck her head through the door at the back of the room.
"You guys had better hurry up, you're due to start in a half hour."
Eddie groaned, and turned his attention more firmly to the instruments, while Jaycen, remarkably unconcerned, chatted amiably with Mystre. Jacyen was as light hearted as ever and Eddie was in the midst of the performers second nightmare. The first nightmare being walking on stage and not knowing what to do once you were there, and the second, the one that made him fumble-fingered and his head and heart pound, was being booed off stage. His fear was unfounded. Nothing like that had ever happened to the band, or even anyone he knew, but it didn't stop him from being scared. In the half second of silence that always followed the first note of the music, he died, again, and again, and again.
And again. Eddie stared out into the crowd, as the intro played, somehow acutely aware that what they played was not what these pepole were used to. He licked his lips though and sang, forgetting those curious looks, and feeling nothing but the music around him.
Em rubbed at her now scar free arms uncomfortably. 'I dunno if this is worth it,' the petite strawberry blonde thought to herself. 'Everybody is looking at me.' She looked down at the vast amount of leg inbetween the edge of her tunic, and the tops of her boots. 'I'm not sure that avoiding my father is worth this.' Besides that, her hair kept getting in her eyes, now that she'd freed it from the wraps on either side of her face. She heard a faint strain of music, and turned, then entered a bar. Maybe she'd get drunk and cause some trouble, which never failed to make her feel better. Or maybe she'd just listen to some of that music. It was unfamiliar, but very good. She paused in the doorway and looked into the smokey room, searching it. No one she knew. Happily Em slipped into the room, and went to the bar, getting a drink, mind starting to drift even before she drank it. Ah, to forget for just a little longer.
"*I'll march this road I'll climb this hill, upon my knees if I have to,*" Eddie's voice pulsed to the music. His eyes were closed, and he swayed in time with the music. "*I'll take my place upon this stage, I'll try, I'll wait till the end of time for you like everybody else!*" The music swelled, taking him away. This was a better escape then roof running. He could feel the crowd's adrenalin filling the room around him. This wasn't the kind of music they were used to, precisely, but when music felt so good, it didn't matter did it? He smiled at the darkness of his eyelids.
Emerald was pleasantly buzzed. The edges of her mind were just barely blurred enough to keep her fears at bay as she listend to the pulsing music. She opened her eyes and looked at the singer. He wasn't bad looking, when you came down to it. His ears were a little small, but he was obviously elven. Maybe he was one of those strange half-elves she'd heard about. But the oddest thing was, he looked really familiar. Emerald started moving forward to get a better look. A little closer to the stage than she'd started out, Luse sat and took a pull at his drink. He liked this band. They played the way he felt. Even if what they said didn't make sense half the time. Soemthign about the singers bugged him though.
"*Just as every cop is a criminal, and all the sinners, saints, to end this game, just call me, Lucifer, 'cause I'm in need of some, restraint!*" sang Eddie on stage. Squinting, Em stepped forward and was then sent sprawling by someone's hip, straight into Luse.
"YOU!" she snapped sharply.
"You?" spat Luse. Em drew her hand back and planted a right hook in Luse's face.
"I HATE you, you with your stupid speed, and your stupid sword, and your stupid luck and your stupid balance!" Every word was puncuated by a blow. Luse blocked most of the blows, but every now and then, one got in. Each one that did had surprising force for her size. Eddie wrapped up the song and leapt off the stage, grabbing Luse's hand as the dark elf drew back to smack Em.
"Hey- stop fighting!" he said, grabbing Em's hand with is other. Emerald and Luse turned and looked at him.
"You?!" they said as one.
~ah, Crow.~ thought Eddie.
~You're in for it now~ is brother's voice chimed in his head. ~see what good deeds'll get ya?~
"EMILY!?" a voice thundered. Em looked over her shoulder, saw her father and took the best disguise she could think of. She grabbed Lusiphur by the ears and hauled down, kissing him and laying her ears down into her hair. Luse struggled, but didn't pull back as hard as he could, becase Em's sharp nails were digging into his ears, tender flesh that he liked where it was. So he bit her lips and tounge, trying to get her to let go. It didn't work. She bit back. He felt one hand release, and was about to tear away, when he felt his holster get lighter. Emerald kneed him savagely in the balls, then knocked the dark elf over the head with both hands, hands that were wrapped around his gun, throwing him to the ground, and leapt up onto the table, firing at her father.
"NO!" yelped Eddie as the crowd began to panic. He leapt for Emerald, at the same time as Luse so they collided, first with each other, then with the table, sending Em onto the ground.
"STOP!!" yelled Eddie at the top of his lungs. The entire bar turned to face him. There was a moment of silence. His soft mouth was curled into a snarl, around ivory fangs.
"OH SHIT!"
"CROW!"
"It's a.."
"VAMPIRE!!!!"
Eddie sighed, but only half of the bar panicked over that. The other half, already weakened by listening to his voice all evening, were in fact, stopped.
~You just can't do anything on your own, can you?~ his brother's voice laughed in his mind.
"Oh shut up," muttered Eddie, as Jaycen called out, making the lights dazzle, and the rest of the crowd look at him.
"You heard the man! Stop!" Jaycen clapped his hands, and the rest of the bar ground to a halt. He chuckled to himself, but then noticed two people weren't affected by that spell. Two very dangerous and annoyed individuals. Emerald brought Luse's gun around to point at Eddie's head, almost point blank, and Luse went for his sword. Then they froze. Anne-Marie sat down heavily.
"They have... powerful egos," she said, breathing deeply. Her indigo blue eyes closed in consterntation, deepening the spell that held the two elves motionless. Mayhem lay his instrument down and shook his head. Havoic exchanged a look with Jaycen, who shook his head and laughed softly. Mystre set her drum sticks across one of the drums and leaned forward to see what would happen next. Jaycen hopped down from the slightly raised stage, and clucked his tounge.
"Silly little soft hearted Eddie." he said. Eddie turned his back on his brother and took the gun out of Emerald's hands. He then straighted her paralyzed fingers, and gently licked the blood away. Fire in Em's eyes danced. Eddie smiled apologetically. Then the faint drops of blood hit his stomach, and his head swam. "Ahhhh."
Meanwhile, Jaycen looked over Luse apprasingly. "Yummy," he said with a faint grin. Havoic frowned as Jaycen reached out and wiped away the blood dripping from where Em's nails had gouged the dark elf's ears. He touched it to his lips, and smiled, leaning over to lick the rest of the blood from Lusiphur's long, tapered ears. Then he bowed his head to kiss the blood away from Luse's lips. Eddie felt his brother's intention and turned. ~Jace, no, elf blood packs a hell of a punch!~ As from her seat on the stage, Anne-Marie called out in pain. "He's trying to break free!" She clutched her head.
"Jaycen, what are you doing!?" Havoic growled. Jaycen was french kissing Luse. Suddenly the blond elf pulled back and staggered. He giggled. "Heh. Wow."
~You're hurting Ari,~ Eddie growled in his brother's mind, ~and upsetting your boyfriend. Was that really worth it? to kiss an unresponding elf?~
"You bet!" grinned Jaycen.
Mayhem cleared his throat. "Just a suggestion guys, but I think we should, perhaps get out of here, before your suggestion wears off."
"Oh no!" said Mystre. "I just got these things set up!"
"I think going home is a good idea," frowned Havoic jealously.
"He's right," Eddie sighed. "We should go home. You can't run away from your problems."
"Why not?" Jaycen asked, Tilting his head. "Shut up, Jace," the band and Ari chorused. The blond shrugged, and moved to help Myst take her drums down.
"Can you let the girl go, Ari?" Eddie asked. "I think she needs an explanation." The blond singer looked at Luse, then out over the crowd. "And a head start."
"Gladly." Emerald found that she could move.
"Stinking bloodsucker," she snarled, jerking back. Eddie held her wrist in a firm, but not painful grip.
"Now that's not very liberal," he said, and coughed slightly. Ari gave him a sharp look, then returned all her efforts to keeping Luse down.
"You should just make her forget," Mayhem said. "And then they're always-" He made a slash across his throat and a cutting noise. "She's not going to listen."
"I want to try." He turned, having noticed that Em was hitting him as hard as she could on the back of the head.
"That won't do any good," laughed Jaycen, from where he was putting a guitar away. "Trust me. He got his mom's thick skull."
"Shut up, Jaycen, you're drunk."
"Oh yeah!"
Eddie looked calmly at Em. She stopped with her hand cocked to hit him again. "I'm giving you a head start away from here. I'm trying to be nice. Please stop hitting me."
Emerald stopped and looked at Eddie with a slightly surprised look. "Thanks. I appreciate that."
"What are you going to do?"
"Leave," Eddie said, shaking his head. "Mayhem, go try and talk partial wages out of the owner. We're going to need them."
"Since when are you in charge, Eddie boy?"
"Since I'm the only one who'd thinking clearly, Mayhem."
"Rightio." The musician made a lazy salute and was off. Anne-Marie took a small black box out of her pocket and pushed a few buttons, then murmured into it.
"Nat's waiting for our signal. It was time for Eddie's check up anyway." Eddie groaned and dropped Em's wrist.
"Wait here. I have to go pack up our clothes." He disappeared, leaving Em standing confused and scared in the middle of the floor.
"Don't worry." Anne-Marie said through painfully gritted teeth. "It bugs the hell out of me when he does that, too." Em whimpered.
"He's a mage," she said in a tiny voice. "I really hate mages."
"It's alright. He's a nice guy." Eddie appeared, laden with bags.
"Did you get all my clothes?" Jaycen asked, from where he was sprawled on the edge of the stage.
"You might be useful, you know," Mystre said, prodding him with her foot.
"Nope. Drunk as a skunk on blood," said Jaycen cheerfully. Eddie shook his head and set the bags down. Mayhem came back in.
"I got half wages, guys," he said. "It took a little persuasion, but I got them."
"Good," Eddie said. They all got busy packing up the instruments, excpet for Jaycen, who had passed out, and Ari who was too busy keeping Lusiphur from killing the lot of them. Emerald disappeared into the crowd, then came back a moment later, her shoes splattered with a dark red substance. Eddie sniffed.
"Do you smell blood?" he asked the air.
"I don't know what you're talking about." Em said. They paused to look at her.
"Oh you're still here, are you?" Eddie said. "I hadn't expected that."
Em smiled.
"I want to see how you're getting away with all that junk," she said, pointing at the bags stacked on the edge of the stage. Jaycen lay against it, snoring slightly. Then suddenly there was a flash of bright light and the pile disappeared. The band (minus Jacyen, who had gone with the baggage) stood in a group, and a disk of light apeared on the wall. "That's how. Bye!"
Havoic, Mayhem, and Mystre went right through. Eddie paused, and looked at Anne-Marie.
"I can't stand up," she whimpered. "The bastard is damn hard to keep down. It's like he has help or something." Eddie walked over and easily lifted the dark haired woman. He walked to the portal. Ari's eyes closed and her face screwed up wth concentration.
"Wait!"
"What?" Eddie turned to face the petite strawberry blonde elf.
"You can't leave me here with him!" yelped Emerald "I won't have the life expectancy of a bottle of whisky at an AA meeting!"
"I'm sorry," Eddie said, sounding genuinely upset. "I wish I could take you with us, but well, you don't belong where we're going."
Em looked over her shoulder, then back at Eddie, framed by the strange silver portal.
"How long will I have?"
"Less than a minute on the crowd, and less than that on your dark elven friend."
"I'm going to die."
"You'll manage. You always do."
"How do you know that?"
"Just a feeling."
"Goodbye then."
"Goodbye, Emily Balmi."
"What?"
Eddie stepped through the portal. Lusiphur twitched once, and Emerald ran. The psychotic dark elf started to move, swearing at Anne-Marie's ancestors. (Which contained more animals than one would have thought, at least according to Luse.) The portal closed, and the room exploded into the panic that had been quelled several minutes before hand.
"OH MY GOD!" screamed a voice. "HE'S DEAD!"
Part One | Part Two | Part Three | Epilogue