Angel of Fire (con't)
* * * * *
"Look, Leandra, you’re the only one registered at the high school right now," Delano Saldivar raged on Monday
morning. "Therefore, you HAVE to go! It’s almost certain that the Dark Angel is currently in this city. And with
Iliana Harman presently attending the same high school as he, who knows what could happen? If you don’t go, we
could lose him to the Night World, Iliana might be hurt or BOTH! Come on, Leandra! We need you right now to go
to that school!"
The golden lioness shifter coolly stood her ground, apparently not hearing a word her fellow Daybreaker said. "I’m
staying here to question the Lamia, Delano," was the only reply Leandra made. It was obvious she wouldn’t change
her mind.
"Leandra," Destiny said softly, pleadingly, putting a hand on the shorter girl’s shoulder to get her attention. "Things
like this happen and it hurts, I know. But we have to go on with life because there are people out there that are
counting on us. We have responsibilities, responsibilities that have to be taken care of now. And time is not going
to stop just so that we can collect ourselves enough to handle them. Be strong, Leandra! Nick’s not lost to you yet
and we won’t let that ever happen. Have faith in us, trust us." Her midnight blue eyes begged her friend for
understanding.
For a second, the golden irises looking into Destiny’s own faltered and the dark haired witch thought she might
have triumphed. But Leandra quickly collected herself and the stubborn glint came back into her eyes. "I know
what you mean, Destiny. But we can’t be strong until we’ve somehow come to terms with our worry. This is my
way. I’m sorry to let you guys down today, but my first priority right now is Nick. Besides, in my state today, I’d be
useless to you at the school. You asked for my trust. You know you have it, but that’s not the issue right now. I
need you to understand. DO you understand?"
"Yes," Destiny sighed in defeat.
Leandra cast her golden gaze at Delano.
Grudgingly, the Lamia met her eyes and quickly looked away. "I understand," he muttered unhappily. "So now
what are we going to do about Iliana and the Dark Angel?" he added.
Destiny checked her watch. 7:34 am. School wouldn’t start for another 40 minutes. "We could give CD a call and
get them to fax me some fake papers. I think there might be time enough for me to register before school starts. IF
we hurry," she added.
Both Leandra and Delano didn’t move. Instead, looks of astonishment were on their faces.
"Are you crazy?!?!" the Lamia cried. "Thierry doesn’t know that Nick’s missing yet. I plan to keep it that way. He’d
freak as soon as the news got to him!"
Leandra nodded her head in agreement.
"Funny, the one time this morning you two agree, it’s against me," Destiny commented wryly, then got to the point.
"Okay, so Thierry might have a heart attack or two when he finds out. But he’s a couple thousand years old, he’ll
live. Besides, we can’t keep it from him for long! He said he’d call two times a week to check on Nick. And do you
have a better way of getting the third Dark Angel on our side?" The witch shot pointed glares at both her peers.
Delano’s dark brow was raised and his lips were fixed in a thin line of vexation. He knew he’d been beaten. Again.
"This is just NOT my day," he muttered. More loudly, he said, "Fine. We’ll do it, but you’re making the phone call.
I don’t want to have Lord Thierry with a hernia on my back."
"That’s fine with me, Delano," Destiny said calmly, then marched off into the kitchen to make the call. "It’s time to
check up on Gabriel and Selena, anyway," she added, mostly to herself.
Leandra, having gotten her way, now lounged on the yellow and white striped couch and smiled a very feline smile
as she pointed out, "You’re going to have to talk to him anyway, Delano. We all will. It’s a just a matter of who
speaks first that you’ve settled. So, you better brace yourself for a scolding, because this little story will NOT please
Lord Thierry’s ears."
"How come YOU’RE not freaking out at the moment?" Delano growled in irritation at the lioness’s apparent
tranquility over the whole matter.
"Because I’ve got bigger things to worry about than having the Big Cheese scream my ear off. We mustn’t forget
WHY Thierry is going to be pissed. I’m focusing on how to get Nick back, not how to handle the psychotic
vampire." Suddenly, Leandra’s half-serious tone became all business. "Besides, he knows I’m going to be greatly
affected this. He doesn’t want a hysterical shape-shifter on his hands as much as you don’t want him barking
obscenities at you like a dog."
"We’re going to get Nick back, Leandra. I promise you that," Delano said, his compassion finally surfacing.
However, Leandra didn’t care a thing for his tone. "Don’t make me promises you might not be able to keep,
Saldivar. Don’t get my hopes up just to have them hit rock bottom." She shot him a meaningful glance.
Before the Lamia could make a reply, Destiny called from the kitchen, "Delano, Thierry wants to have a word with
you."
Biting his lip, Delano silently got up from his place on a chair and stiffly walked to the kitchen. Seconds later,
Destiny came out of the kitchen and plopped herself down on the seat Delano had been occupying.
"So, how’d it go?" Leandra asked, trying to sound nonchalant. Judging by her friend’s expression however, the
lioness already knew the answer.
The crease between Destiny’s brows eased a bit as she glanced up at Leandra. "Well, it wasn’t too terrible, but
certainly not the best reaction I could hope for. He’s going to fax the papers over though, so looks like our plan just
might work." She tried to manage a small smile.
"Leandra, your turn," Delano said quietly as he re-entered the living room. Dejectedly, he made himself
comfortable on the carpet and leaned back against a wall.
"Hello?" Leandra said when she’d picked up the phone. She steeled herself for the worst.
"Hey, Leandra. How are you doing?" Thierry asked gently on the other line.
Ugh, why did he have to sound so pitying? "I’m fine, Lord Thierry. As well as can be expected. But, if you’ll excuse
my boldness, I appreciate your concern. However, I would much prefer if it were spared."
Thierry was a bit taken aback by this comment, but didn’t let this on. "Ah, I understand perfectly. I’m sorry."
"Oh, really Lord Thierry, there’s no need to apologize, it’s just I - "Leandra started hastily.
"No, Leandra, that’s fine," The blond vampire Lord assured. "I believe I quite owe it to you. You’ve never been the
type that wanted people to feel sorry for you. But that’s beyond the point now. I must go soon, but could I ask a
favor of you?"
"Yes, of course, Lord Thierry. Whatever you want."
"It’s quite simple, really," Thierry said with a laugh. "I just want you to keep me informed, all right? Destiny and
Delano especially, seem to be slightly scared of me," -- slightly? Yeah, whatever. That was the understatement of
this decade! -- "and though that fear is absolutely needless, I can’t seem to convince them of it. I can’t say I’m
pleased with this recent development, but I have faith" -- that word again -- "in all of you, so I’ll not be sending any
extra men as of yet. But I need to be informed, do you understand, Leandra? Even if I trust you, I need to know
what’s going on. I have to take necessary precautions to protect other people who are not as capable as you under
my protection. Do we have an agreement?"
"Of course, Lord Thierry." Leandra replied dutifully, now counting the seconds until he would hang up.
"Great! Oh, I’ve got Lady Hannah on the other line. I’ll talk to you soon, Leandra! Bye!" Thierry said quickly, then
promptly hung up.
The golden haired girl let out a long sigh of relief. It was so stressful to talk to that guy. Of course, his opinion of
himself was essentially correct. He was usually harmless, but there were times when he got into one of his bad
moods...
"Okay, I’ve got it all!" Destiny suddenly cried from the office.
Leandra peaked her head out of the kitchen door frame to see what the excitement was about.
Destiny was now bustling down the hallway with a wad of papers in her slender hands and a backpack over on
shoulder. As she walked past the living room, she called out, "Okay guys, I’ll be going now. Wish me luck, be back
by three. Bye!" The last word was almost unheard as she shut the door behind her willowy frame.
Seconds later, before Delano and Leandra had even had time to fully recover from that crazy whirlwind of
excitement, the doorbell sang its metallic tune.
Expecting it to be Destiny, who had forgotten something or other, Leandra rushed over to the door. "Destiny, what
the hell have you..." The shapeshifter trailed off as she realized she wasn’t staring at the upper torso of a female. A
feeling of dread washed over her as she slowly lifted her head up to the person’s face. Emerald green eyes stared
calmly back into her own saffron ones.
Even though she perceived that this guy knew exactly who she was, just as she knew exactly who he was, she
quickly blurted out, "Uh, sorry. I don’t want to buy anything a door-to-door salesman has to sell. Buh-bye!"
Immediately, she shut the door in his face.
"Delano!" she called as she leaned against the heavy wood, "We’ve got trouble!"
@~~>~~>~~~
Marcellus D’Alimonte raised an amused eyebrow at the heavy oak door in front of him. Seconds ago, Leandra Leon
had been standing in its place, calling him Destiny McNite. He was curious to know why she would have thought
he was such a person in the first place, but that could wait. Right now, he had to actually get IN the house.
Through the thick door, the vampire could hear quite plainly, the pretty Leandra yelling for her partner in
lovey-dovey goodness to come to the door. Marcellus scoffed that she actually thought such as weakling as Delano
Saldivar could be a match for him.
Calmly, Marcellus rang the doorbell once again. If that pathetic Lamia or hypocritical shapeshifter got the notion to
attack him, he’d be able to hold his own, no problem. *But only as a last resort,* he reminded himself. *Remember
why you’re here in the first place.*
Just as Marcellus raised his hand to the ring the bell for a third time, the front door flung open. Well, maybe not to
the extent of a fling, but it opened fast enough for the black haired vampire to be slightly fazed.
"What are you doing here?" Delano Saldivar’s furious expression filled his fellow vampire’s vision. He barked the
phrase as more of an order than a question. Leandra was nowhere to be seen.
Seeing a small glint of fear behind Delano’s coffee-brown eyes, Marcellus fought the urge to snicker and taunt him.
*Not such a hot-shot now that the tiger’s found your den, now are you?* He wanted to say. Instead, he made do
with, "I’m sorry, have I disturbed you?"
Delano’s reply was a rude snort. "Where’s your partner, Marcellus? The Queen Parasite?"
Marcellus tried to keep the deep bitterness out of his voice as he replied, "My sister or the Queen Parasite as you so
ardently call her, is now completely out of my life. I’ve left her and the Night World. I want to join Circle
Daybreak." He was quite nonchalant, as if he thought evil vampires came up to your door everyday, proclaiming
they wanted to be your best friend.
"How stupid do you think I am, D’Alimonte? Oh yeah, you want to join us! Maybe as a spy!"
Marcellus put on his most sincere expression, previously reserved only for Keiara. "I think very highly of you, Mr.
Saldivar. Believe me, this is no joke. I mean what I say. After all, has it not happened before? Citizens more
notorious and infamous than I have suddenly changed their tune and joined Circle Daybreak. Are not John Quinn
AND Braeden Soterios, both close friends of yours, examples of such people? Why can you not believe I want to do
the same?"
"Because you have no good reason to want it," Delano replied quite tartly.
Marcellus raised a brow at this. "And since when were you such an expert on other people’s thoughts, Mr. Saldivar?
If you must know, I have a perfectly good reason to join you. My sister, Keiara, seems to have found her ‘soulmate’
and no longer has time or need for me. She’s much too preoccupied with Mr. Right to plot anything amoral and
without her, scheming is tiresomely boring. If I don’t connive, there is no place for me in the Night World. So, I’m
hoping to fine a place in Circle Daybreak."
"So you can plot some evil scheme in our midst? Sorry to inform you, D’Alimonte, that’s not the way we operate."
"Did you not hear me the FIRST time, Mr. Saldivar? I am no longer scheming!" Marcellus was quickly getting fed
up with this conversation. It wasn’t going anywhere. So, before Delano could retaliate with another snide and
all-together useless remark, the made vampire plowed on. "Look, how about we make a deal. That way, we can
stop wasting our time standing out here. How about you let me come in right now and let me stay for the day. I
swear on my honor that I have not come here to intentionally cause you trouble. If I don’t pass inspection, you can
kick me out, but at least give me the benefit of the doubt. After all, isn’t Circle Daybreak supposed to be know for
its compassion?"
"Not all members-" Delano managed to growl before a soft voice cut him off from behind.
"Delano, let him in," Leandra said quietly but commandingly, so that her friend could do nothing but what he was
told.
"Thank you, fair lady-" Marcellus began as he stepped over the threshold.
Leandra’s golden eyes flashed as she met Marcellus. "Don’t get too comfortable around here, Marcellus. Remember,
you could very well be out of here by sunset." With that warning, she coolly strode away, leaving the two vampires
alone in the front hall.
After the lioness shifter had disappeared completely from sight, Marcellus turned to Delano. He tried giving the
hostile Lamia a warm smile, but having little practice at such things, it looked much more like a victorious sneer.
Needless to say, this did not win points with Mr. Saldivar.
"Don’t get over-confident here, D’Alimonte," he echoed Leandra’s admonition. "You have until Destiny gets back
this afternoon. Then, we pass judgment." Coldly, Delano brushed past the other vampire, taking the hallway
Leandra had gone down.
Not knowing what else to do, Marcellus followed a safe distance behind.
* * * * *
"Well, Ms. MacIntosh, you’re a very lucky girl. If you had come five minutes later, you would have been late for
your first period class!"
Destiny McNite stood in front of the secretary’s desk, waiting impatiently for her schedule with a pasted smile on
her pretty face. It wasn’t as if the man before her, Mr. Kalisdro, wasn’t nice enough, but Destiny had been waiting
at this desk for the last 15 minutes. If he kept babbling on about anything and everything, it wouldn’t matter how
‘lucky’ Destiny was, she would be late for class. *Mr. Kalisdro must be a pretty lonely guy, to be discussing his
personal life with a person he’d just met 20 minutes ago*, Destiny silently observed. He was presently complaining
about his ex-wife and Destiny finally decided this was enough.
"Mr. Kalisdro... Mr. Kalisdro!" The gorgeous witch gestured for his attention. "Could I have my schedule, please?
First period starts in ten minutes."
The short, plump man seemed to snap out of his reveries and focus on Destiny’s face for the first time. Confusion
clouded his beady brown eyes for a moment, his heavy eyebrows creasing until they joined. Then a large, if a bit
sheepish smile broke out from his round face.
"Oh yes, your schedule!" he exclaimed. The piece of paper was in his hand and he peeked at it before he handed it
over to Destiny.
As she gratefully took the page, Mr. Kalisdro said, "Well, Deliyah, your geography class is on the second floor,
directly above us. Just take that stairway over there and directly on your right side. Nice meeting you!" he called as
Destiny zoomed out the door.
"Uh...you too!" Destiny replied half-heartedly after a brief, expectant pause. That was one man she had no desire to
ever meet again! At least there was no way for him to track her down, if he suddenly turned into some crazy stalker
guy, which wouldn’t be all that hard to fathom. Circle Daybreak had sent her fake everything. Records, driver’s
license, name, none of them showed a trace of who she really was. At Glen Brook High, she was Deliyah
MacIntosh, just turned 18 on February 24th and living with her Grandmother in the country.
Destiny had no trouble finding room 216 when she emerged from the stairs. At least Mr. Kalisdro knew how to give
directions.
Self-consciously, Destiny walked into the room. Half the class was already there. They all abruptly stopped their
conversation and gawked when she appeared. But among their surprised expressions, there were five faces that
smiled in recognition and welcome.
"Unity," petite and golden Iliana Harman mouthed the word. Galen Drache, Raksha Keller, Nissa Johnson and
Winifrith Arlin, Iliana’s bodyguards silently echoed the greeting.
Destiny smiled warmly, unable to reply in words when the class was staring at her.
Preoccupied with the whole exchange between her fellow Daybreakers, Destiny hadn’t realized that the Grade 12
geography class wasn’t just gaping at her. A muscular, chestnut haired boy had followed her into room 216 and they
were marveling at his beauty as much as hers.
"Well, you two must be Deliyah MacIntosh and Dion Vitani," the teacher, a gray haired Mr. Gambel, stated as he
pushed his wire-framed glasses up the bridge of his nose to get a better look at the pair. "Do you already know each
other?" he added as an after thought.
When Mr. Gambel mentioned that there were two new students instead of just her, Destiny twirled around and her
midnight blue eyes met with a very nice looking chest. Slowly, she lifted her eyes, first over his collarbone, then
neck and finally to his face. A puzzled yet amused expression illuminated his handsome face and Destiny thought,
*he’s kinda cute, but no where near as great as Devon*.
Quickly, she swatted THAT thought away. She couldn’t be thinking about a dead soulmate right now with more
pressing matters to take care of. Mr. Gambel had said that this was Dion Vitani, the third Dark Angel. Well, she
better get to know him!
Before she could say a word of introduction though, Dion answered Mr. Gambel’s question, "No, I don’t believe
I’ve ever had the pleasure of meeting, Miss MacIntosh or anyone else in this school, for that matter." As he called
her by her alias, Dion looked down at the witch with a small, friendly smile.
"Well, I’m sure both of you will have no trouble getting to know the students at Glen Brook High. Now, if you
would please take those two seats at the back, we’ll begin today’s class," Mr. Gambel said amiably. He gestured to
the desks he had referred to and turned back to what he’d been writing on the board before Destiny and Dion had
come in.
As they sat beside each other in their designated seats, Destiny leaned over, offering her hand and whispered, "Hi!
My name is -"
"Destiny McNite, I know," Dion supplied before the witch could finish. Like nothing at all was amiss, he reached
over and shook Destiny’s now limp hand.
The expression on her face was one of amazement. Destiny’s midnight blue eyes opened wide as saucers, her open
mouth rivaling their size. She was frozen in place by surprise and took more than a few seconds to finally compose
herself.
"Do not be so astonished, Ms. McNite. Even a rogue like I have heard of your name and seen your pretty face.
Your fame precedes you, my dear, even if you don’t realize it. The only help that fake name is going to be is to
prevent the human students from spreading your name to lurking Night Worlders," Dion said quite frankly with a
smile of amusement and slight apology on his handsome face.
Quiet laughter bubbled up inside of Destiny as she replied, "I guess I really should have seen this coming." Then, a
thoughtful frown suddenly sprang to her face. With a skeptical smile, she pointed out, "If I didn’t know better, I’d
think that you were flirting with me, Mr. Vitani."
Unexpectedly, a look of absolute sincerity crossed Dion’s face. "Flirt? Of course not, Ms. McNite. I admit, you’re a
very attractive lady, but I know of your total devotion to the one you love. Besides, believe it or not, I’m saving my
full charm for that special someone..." He drifted off as a sound startled him enough to look over.
A full, knowing grin spread out over Destiny’s face that she hid behind a cough. She could imagine Dion’s initial
reaction to the sight of Iliana Harman. *His eyes must be as round as a full moon right now,* she thought.
And indeed they were. *She’s the one!* An excited voice screamed in his head, as their eyes met across the room. A
spark of recognition also flickered in Iliana’s violet eyes before their connection was severed by Mr. Gambel’s voice
calling their names.
"Mr. Vitani! Ms. Harman! If you would please grace us with your presence at this time."
Red-faced, with sheepish half-grins on their faces, the two students turned away from each other and were
immediately fascinated by their notebooks.
Quiet bursts of laughter erupted around the classroom and Destiny couldn’t help but join in for a second. But a
second look at Dion and Iliana made her stop. There was something going on here. When she focused, she could
feel it. It wasn’t just that Dion visibly knew that Iliana was a Wild Power and Iliana couldn’t possibly know that
Dion was her Dark Angel. No, it was something else and Destiny had a premonition that this could lead to serious
problems in the near future.
* * * * *
"You’re on SPEAKING terms with Iliana Harman?!" Dion Vitani asked in wonder as he walked with Destiny
towards to their next class.
A modest smile spread across Destiny’s lips. Even though she was considered tall, she still had to lift her head to
look at Dion as she replied, "Well, it’s not THAT big of a deal. We’re friends, but then she’s friends with almost
everyone, the girl’s so friendly."
"But still, this is Iliana Harman! She may have plenty of human friends, but I would think few of our kind are
allowed to be that close to her," Dion argued.
Destiny shook her head, indicating gently that her friend’s theory was incorrect. "When it comes to Iliana, it’s not a
matter of being allowed to like her. Thierry couldn’t stop people from loving her if he locked her up in a gold
plaited cell for the rest of her life. She just attracts people. But don’t worry. Keller’s team makes sure the Night
World can’t get close to her. However, on one aspect you are very right. Iliana does have quite a number of human
friends."
The expression on Dion’s face said that he still didn’t totally believe what Destiny was telling him.
Ignoring the look, the dark-haired witch silently reflected on what she had seen between Dion and Iliana Harman,
letting the boy beside her lead her to wherever the biology classroom was. Suddenly, she realized there was a simple
way to test her hypothesis. Abruptly, she stopped in the middle of the hallway, causing someone to bump into her
and curse before he continued on his way around her.
"Dion," Destiny said when he looked back to see what was keeping her. "How would you like to meet Iliana
Harman?"
From the pleasantly surprised smile on his face, he would like it very much.
This reaction, of course, Destiny had already predicted. "Well, I’m supposed to meet her and the other’s for lunch
today. Since you and I seem to have become friends, why don’t you join us? That is, unless you had something else
planned already?"
Dion’s raised brow seemed to say, ‘Are you kidding?’ Vocally, he replied, "I think you already know the answer to
your question. But are you sure I’ll be welcome? I mean, you all seem to be very close friends and then, you know,
there’s me, the rogue."
With a jokingly skeptical eye, Destiny scanned Dion from head to toe. His dark chestnut hair fell straight into
stormy gray eyes that were filled with uncertainty at the moment. There was really no way to describe his nose other
than ‘perfect’ and beneath them were almost-full lips that were capable of lighting up his whole face when the
occasion arose. On his tall figure, - he was easily 6’0’’ - a form-fitting gray knit T-shirt fit nicely above a pair of
black jeans. A navy Ralph Lauren jacket pleasantly wrapped up the whole package. On anyone else, the outfit
might have looked preppy, but on him it was sexy, perhaps even intimidating to some.
"Oh, I’m sure Iliana won’t mind," Destiny assured with a smile as they resumed their stroll down the hall. She, of
course, was only speaking for the Witch Child. What her guardians might think...well, that would be a sight worth
seeing.
@~~>~~>~~~
Marcellus was growing impatient. And not just a little anxious. And it was beginning to show.
He had to find Corin and get him out of this safe house before the sun set or Keiara would never trust him with
anything again. Not to mention that she would wreak havoc on this whole neighbourhood and then his brilliant plan
would be a bust.
But how was Marcellus going to accomplish such a task without the Daybreakers suspecting, if they watched him
with a hawk’s eye every minute? Even if he managed to get out of their sight, he didn’t know where Corin was
being kept. As far as he could tell, that information would be kept secret until Destiny McNite came home and the
three Daybreakers passed judgment about him. Marcellus was seriously beginning to doubt he’d be allowed to stay
after that. It was a stroke of pure luck and insanity that he was in this house in the first place, he realized. These
Daybreakers were harder to beguile than most. He shouldn’t have expected less.
Well, there weren’t many options for him to choose from. So, as Marcellus sat miserably on the yellow and white
striped couch in the Daybreak safe house, he grudgingly accepted the fact that sitting was all he was going to be
doing for a long time.
* * * * *
PART 8:
PART 9:
PART 10:
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