The world closed around her in a silent void where only the sound of her heart pounding and the sound of Hunter breathing echoed inside her head. Rashel heard nothing, felt nothing.
Finally, victory was in her reach. Hunter stared up at her, too stunned to react. One second he was holding Beth the next 'The Cat" was standing over him about to drive wood through his heart.
"No!" Beth shouted and dove for Rashel, hitting her full force from behind. both rolled across the sand. Beth leapt to her feet, holding Rashel's bo.
"Lignum Vitae?" Beth tested the weight of the bo in her hand, "Hardest wood on earth." She swung it against the pilings of the cottage. It cracked on the first impact, and splintered in half with the second.
"You don't know what you're doing!" Rashel shouted, "Damn it that was an expensive boken!"
Hunter pushed himself to his feet, "Good job Beth," he sighed, suddenly feeling very tired, "now she has two weapons."
You idiot!" Rashel cried, alarmed that Hunter was on his feet. She snatched the broken weapon from Beth's hands, while keeping her eyes on Hunter who didn't move. He seemed to be considering his next move instead of getting either out of her sight or preparing for a counter attack.
"Under normal circumstances you would already be dead, Cat."
"Shut up." Rashel said, catching his chin with the broken edge of her bo. Hunter's head snapped back and with a grunt he fell on the sand.
"What do you think you're doing?" Beth knelt by Hunter. "You knocked him out."
"I prefer him that way."
"What is your problem?"
"My problem is he killed my mother, broke her neck, turned a four year old into a vampire, and tried to make a meal out of me."
Beth's stomach turned. Had Hunter become that evil? "There had to be a reason for it. There has to be. He never attacks unless he's provoked."
Ash and Poppy crossed the sand to the threesome below the cottage.
"You two alright?" Ash asked., looking from Rashel and her broken bo to Beth in her torn robe that hung off one shoulder to Hunter, prone on the damp sand. Rashel and Beth glowered at each other over Hunter.
Quinn and Thierry splashed through the water at a dead run. They slowed their pace when they noticed Hunter was unconscious.
Quinn tweaked Rashel's ear.
"Ow."
"You never listen do you?" He teased. "And you let a small girl break your bo? I need a new partner."
"So what do we do with our friend here?" Ash asked pushing Hunter with his foot .
Beth swatted at Ash. "Get away, I'll take care of him." She raked the hair off Hunter's forehead and studied the huge bruise and bump coming up on his chin, and wished she had an ice pack.
"S'cuse me?" Poppy said. "I thought I heard you say you'll take care of him?" She squatted down so she could see Beth. "Uh, you do understand that he's a vampire, right?"
Rashel and Quinn looked at each other.
"Poppy, there's something you need to know." Rashel said. "They sort of already know each other."
All eyes were on the tiny black haired girl kneeling in the sand, trying to rouse Hunter.
"I think someone needs to explain." Poppy said, confused by the curious exchanges going around the group.
"They're soulmates." Rashel felt her victory sliding further away by the second.
Ash burst out laughing, "Oh, man this is rich! The mighty Hunter Redfern falls victim to his own family's curse. I guess the old powers have a sense of humor after all."
Rashel sighed, "He was anything but sad at finding her."
"Maybe the lightening fried his brain?" Poppy said, smiling at the idea of a brain damaged Hunter.
The group watched the yacht sail into the harbor a little ways from Beth's cottage.
"James will be here in a minute." Ash said, motioning toward the dock.
"Quinn, I need to tell you something." Rashel whispered.
Quinn raised an eyebrow, "Oh?"
She motioned him away from the group. With her back to the rest of the group, Rashel took a deep breath and the words tumbled out, "I think she's an old soul. Your mother to be exact."
Quinn looked like someone had staked him. He whirled around, studying Beth with acute intensity, scrutinizing every inch of her. Beth had almost onyx black eyes, wavy black hair, fine boned hands, and a pixy face with just a smattering of freckles on her tiny nose. She looked exactly like his mother, like him, they were the image of each other. He turned and walked away, Rashel following close behind him.
"What is wrong Quinn?" Rashel asked, out of breath from having to run to keep up with him.
"Why in the Hell didn't you kill Hunter?" He asked spinning around. Rashel collided with him. "Dammit, if he's really her soulmate that's going to make him technically my step father. Sounds like another lovely chapter in the misadventures of my life."
She caught his hand "Look. I don't like this either, but we have no choice in this. You know we can't choose our soulmates. At one time you were the second most hated vampire in the nightworld."
Quinn expelled a deep exasperated breath. "I just want to be left alone for a while. This was not the eternity I had envisioned."
Rashel watched him walk away, uncertain about how she felt over the entire situation herself. One second she had Hunter right where she wanted him, the next she knew she would never have the chance again.
"Hey," Ash called "where's he going?" He pointed at Quinn's back.
"He'll be back in a little while." Rashel answered, making her way back to the group. "Right now, we need to get inside."
James and Ash lifted Hunter and followed Rashel toward the beach house.
"Where are you going?" Beth asked, plopping her hands on her hips.
"To that house." Rashel said, beginning to get irritated with Beth.
"That is my home, and I didn't invite you in."
"Great." James muttered "Would you like to join Hunter in la la land?"
"Which of you want to take me on." Beth grabbed a piece of driftwood. "I already knocked your 'slayer' off her prey."
No one moved. No one really wanted to approach Beth for fear of hurting her. It would be no contest and they knew it. Besides, if they hurt her and Hunter found out there would be Hell to pay.
Quinn Rashel called I need a smart mouthed old soul put to sleep for a while.
Beth swayed and rubbed her eyes but she didn't fall. She shook off the almost overwhelming desire to sleep. She vaguely recognized the sensation. Hunter had trained her centuries ago how to resist in case Maya found out about their relationship.
"Let me guess," Ash sighed "She's immune to Quinn."
Thierry, who had stepped away to make a call, caught up with the group. "Why aren't you inside?"
"Joan of Arc here won't let us in. It's her home and she has the keys." Ash said, daggers shooting out of his eyes at Beth.
"Did you introduce yourselves or just rush in for the kill?" Thierry asked. "Because I wouldn't let a bunch of nameless vampires who just tried to kill my soulmate in my home either."
Corrected, they looked at each other.
"I am Thierry DesCoudres. I am the leader of this group of would be rescuers. I'm afraid that when Hunter is involved we react first think later. For that I apologize."
Beth trudged toward the house, "C'mon, put Hunter in my room. I can't carry him anyway."
After Hunter was safely secured in Beth's room, the group gathered in the living room, with the exception of Quinn. Thierry introduced everyone.
"And the black haired young man who is walking off some pent up frustration, is Quinn. . . "
"John Quinn?" Beth asked, trying to conceal her happiness. He was here, her son was here. Why did that make her happy? She didn't have a son, did she?
Thierry frowned, "How do you know his name?"
"I am. er was, his mother, I think?"
The room went as silent as a tomb. Thierry whipped out his cell phone.
"Lupe, I need Aradia and Thea here immediately."
***
Quinn lay in the grass staring up at the sky. Being a preacher's son had its drawbacks.
Like right now, he thought.
He found himself wondering if there really was a God. If there was how could God be so cruel? Was he bored or something? Did he play games like this just to kill time between milleniums?
"If you're real, " he said, "then what are you up to?" The sky made no response, just as he expected. "This is some kind of sick joke you're playing."
Quinn held up his hand. "One: You let Hunter make me a vampire, two: you let my father kill Dove then he tried to kill me. Three: You allowed Hunter to become my mother's soulmate. Four: You gave me a human soulmate who loathes my being a vampire. She loves me; I'm certain of that, but she just can't get past the vampire part because of Hunter. Five: You send my mother back and she's obviously younger than I am. What kind of joke is that anyway? Well, I'll tell you. It's sick, just plain sick." He muttered. "I'm suposed to be happy about all this when it's your own fault. Did I ask for this? Did I hear you say 'hey John! how 'bout a long stint of life as a vampire?' Don't you have a flood to cause or a meteor that needs to be put on a collision course with the earth or something; perhaps a plague, instead of messing with my life?"
Then it hit him. He was crazy talking to the sky, worse yet, his hand. There was no God. Hadn't this been proven to him many times over the past three centuries? If Rashel had seen this she would have staked him to the ground right then and there. The last thing they needed was a psycho vampire on the loose.
A shadow crossed him and Quinn sensed immediately it belonged to Rashel.
"I had to get out for a while too." She said settling beside him and staring up into the sky. "What are you looking for?"
"Answers," Quinn sighed. "Answers."
Rashel raised up on one elbow, facing Quinn. "I'll give you an answer." She smiled impishly and poked a blade of grass up his nose.
"You devil!" Quinn laughed and pulled her head to his. Their eyes locked. "Paybacks are hell."
"But revenge is sweeter." She reminded him just as his lips touched hers.
***
The room spun crazily around Hunter. He squeezed his eyes shut then blinked really fast trying to make them focus. Lignum Vitae, wood of life, the hardest wood on the face of the earth and The Cat's wood of choice. He hated the human who first learned of its extraordinary strength. His chin throbbed and ached. The idea that the bone could be cracked or broken crossed his mind. Hunter tried to recall the last time he had been struck so hard but couldn't. He had to give it to the human; she was very strong and cat-like. She and Quinn deserved each other.
He tried to sit up only to discover his wrists were tied together behind his back with bast. "Damnation!" He hissed.
Ash stood in the door watching Hunter swing around and try to stand even though he was tied up. It reminded him of a damsel in distress tied to the train tracks as a train approached.
"I was going to check on you, but I see you're all tied up." Ash said trying his best not to laugh. "I'll try you again later, when you're not so busy." He started to walk away.
"Dammit, Ash Redfern, You let me out of this ridiculous rope!" his voice dripped with venom.
"Ooohhhh, I'll have to ask Thierry about that. You see we have this little problem with you, like, you're our enemy."
Thierry DesCoudres was here? Well that bit of knowledge clinched it. The council had always suspected Thierry was helping the Daybreakers. They just couldn't prove it. Hunter sat on the bed. Problem was he couldn't turn Thierry in or the council would discover Beth. Now he was an outcast, a damned Daybreaker.
"Well you just do that." He snapped at Ash.
Thierry, James, and Ash appeared a few seconds later. Beth tried to get past them, but couldn't.
"Haven't you done enough!" She shouted at them. "It's bad enough you tried to kill him and lay siege to my home, but tying him up like some animal just doesn't win any brownie points with me!"
They stared at her like she was doing the Macarena naked.
"Your point is?" James asked.
She plopped her hands on her hips, "Let him go. He isn't going anywhere without me any way. He's outnumbered five vampires, two witches, one slayer, vampire hunter whatever she is, and one human to just him. Not to mention he's injured."
"You forgot the werewolf and they get nasty when they're over looked." Ash said, pointing at Lupe who was standing on the stairs.
"I'll toss her a T-bone."
Lupe swore under her breath and skulked up the stairs wishing Thierry would let her have one round with the little human. Just one and her wise cracking mouth would be framed on Lupe's wall for a memento.
"Sounds like they deserve each other." Thierry grinned. Maybe they should leave Hunter to her.
"Remember your captive?" Beth said, nodding her head in Hunter's direction. "You know the one you're going to release Right Now."
"Just untie his feet." Thierry said to James.
As soon as James moved, Beth darted past him blocking Hunter from the others, plopping her hands on her hips. She shot them a look that clearly dared them to approach her. Thierry shook his head, thinking how ridiculous they must look. Three mature vampires being way laid by a petite human girl
"I'll untie him." She raised a defiant chin to them.
"We're not going to hurt Hunter." Thierry tried to reassure her, but it was obvious that she didn't believe him. "As you wish, it is your home."
James muttered under his breath and headed up the stairs.
As soon as his hands were free, Hunter caught Beth and kissed her. Her hands went to his face,
"Easy Beth, the chin is a bit tender." Hunter said, completely forgetting the group gaping at him.
She smiled, kissed his chin.
"This is so disgusting." Ash said. "A kid kissing Hunter."
"Just the thought of anyone kissing Hunter makes my stomach hurt." Poppy said.
Hunter shot them a dirty look over Beth's head. They were right, she did look rather young. He questioned his own sense. What if she was just a kid?
"Just how old do you think I am?" Beth asked, glancing around the room wondering where her purse was. Its strap poking out by the bed caught her attention.
Ash shrugged, "I dunno, twelve maybe thirteen."
Beth snorted, dug around in the purse beside the bed and tossed her driver's license to Ash
"I'll be eighteen next week. I graduated from high school last year, one year early, and I've been accepted at Harvard to study biochemistry starting this fall.
"I'll be damned, you're so small." Ash said. "Are you sure this isn't a fake I.D.?"
Quinn and Rashel appeared in the hall. "She's just short Ash, like me.
Ash turned, "Oh man what happened to you two?"
Rashel had grass and sand all over her clothes and leaves and dead sea grass sticking out of her hair. Quinn looked like someone had rolled him through the trash bin.
"None of your business." Quinn retorted, a mischevious twinkle glittered in his eyes.
Rashel automatically stiffened when Hunter stood.
"There was no reason to restrain me." He shoved Beth behind him, seeing Rashel go on the defensive. "Or knock me out. I don't like that."
"Sounds familiar." Quinn muttered. Rashel bit her lip to keep from laughing and tightened her grip on the dagger in her waistband..
Beth peeked out and was amazed at what she saw. They had all gone into 'vamp face' mode as Buffy the Vampire Slayer called it. She seriously wanted to call Rashel "Buffy".
Thierry was the first to speak. His voice was deeper and it resonated with authority through the room
"I think we should all calm down. Hunter, you will answer to me personally if you cause trouble.
"Yes, Lord DesCoudres." Hunter nodded his head in resignation; not that he had an icicle's chance in Hell of getting out of the house with Beth any way.
Hunter might have been Maya's descendant, but he also knew that Thierry was one of the Lords of the Realm. He had absolute authority and even Hunter was obligated to obey. They all filed out of the room going back to the living room where Thea and Aradia waited.
Thea sat at the table flipping through an ancient leather covered book. Aradia stood at the open sliding glass doors. The afternoon ocean breeze rustled her long white skirt and poet shirt sleeves. Beth was impressed at her sight. She was beautiful.
"Hello Sarah Quinn." Aradia said. "How do you like modern life?"
Beth frowned. "My name is Beth and I don't remember much about my previous life."
"Hunter Redfern, do you know why you were given a second chance in this world?" Aradia asked. She still had her back turned to the room.
"No." Hunter shrugged, interested in the witch's question.
"I have a feeling that you made a promise that you didn't keep." Thea said.
"Is that so, Hunter?" Aradia turned to Hunter. Her eyes seemed to look through him.
"I don't remember. It's been more than three hundred years."
That intimate moment shot through Beth's mind again. "I think I know what it is." She said, her cheeks burning.
"Oh?" Aradia turned toward Beth.
She had the attention of the whole room. Beth gulped, trying to figure out how to break the suspense without telling all the details.
"Well, they were, ummm, talking in the forest one night and Hunter vowed to protect Sarah with his life."
"And she died somehow?" Aradia asked.
"Edward killed her, me." Beth felt Sarah's presence getting stronger.
"My father wouldn't kill you." Quinn said, trying not to lose his temper.
"He bashed my skull in, John, for trying to protect you."
"You're either lying or you don't remember correctly."
Beth grabbed Quinn by the arm, "Don't you remember all the blackeyes, swollen cheeks, and bloody lips I had? I always said I fell or ran into something."
Something started creeping up Quinn's spine. It tingled and made his skin crawl. He remembered that. He should have known his father was capable of hurting his mother. Edward had always been difficult to please. Quinn knew that from personal experience. Memories of numerous beatings coame back to him in a rushing tide. Why didn't he think of that before? He should have known if Edward didn't hesitate to strike him, he did the same to his mother. Sudden guilt over failing to protect her churned in his chest. He should have known.
"Okay." Aradia interrupted. "So you died before Hunter could protect you. Is that what the teachings say? A vampire will return for his soulmate if there is a promise left unkept?"
Thea shut the book and coughed as dust flew up from the cover. "I'd say that pretty much sums it up."
"What you're saying is that I came back to keep my promise?" Hunter asked.
"Exactly." Aradia nodded in agreement.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
