Angel of Fire (con't)
* * * * *
"Hey guys! This is Dion Vitani. I think you saw him in geography," Destiny said as she and Dion stopped in front of
Iliana’s table at lunch.
The expressions of surprise and recognition told Destiny that they, indeed, remembered Dion.
"Dion, this is Raksha Keller, Galen Drache, Winifrith Arlin and of course, Iliana Harman," the dark haired witch
finished with a gesture towards the Witch Child.
A charming, if a bit nervous, smile lit up Dion’s face. "It’s...an honour to meet you all," his shortage of words was
brief.
The Daybreakers in Iliana’s party said much the same about Dion but something told Destiny their words were
much less sincere.
As soon as the gray eyed boy got settled in a chair across from Iliana, Keller and Galen pulled Destiny away from
the table. When out of earshot of the others, a full-blown scolding ensued.
"What do you think you’re DOING, Destiny?!" Keller practically screamed in exasperation. Lowering her voice at
Galen’s insistence, the shapeshifter continued, "Circle Daybreak sent you here to keep Dion as far away from Iliana
as possible! How could you do just the opposite and practically invite him to be her best friend? This is ludicrous!"
The witch passively looked at her friend with deep midnight blue eyes. Their height put them eye-to-eye, making
the act more effective. "Look, Keller, I know why I’m here. But don’t you think it would work in our favor if Dion
met Iliana? Everyone loves her, he was already in love with the idea of her! If Dion knew what he would be
destroying by going to the Night World, don’t you think he would stay with us?"
"No." But Keller’s reply lacked the conviction of her previous outburst. Destiny had a point, Iliana could win
almost anyone over.
The Prince of Shapeshifters was nodding his head. "What Destiny says does make sense," Galen said. "But just in
case anything goes wrong, one of us has to be with them at all times, Winnie and Nissa included. Okay?"
"Of course! I didn’t expect anything else," Destiny admitted.
Dion and Iliana were engrossed in their conversation by the time Keller, Galen and Destiny quietly rejoined them.
Seeing the way the other Daybreak agents loosened up and accepted Dion after Keller’s news, Destiny was glad she
had kept quiet about her doubts. She seriously believed what she had told her friends and it would do to keep it at
the for now. Besides, from the expression of adoration on his face, there was no way Dion could ever hurt Iliana.
Except a part of Destiny that assured her that he would.
@~~>~~>~~~
"It’s been eight hours, Marcellus. Where’s Corin, whom you promised so confidently?" Keiara whispered into
nothingness. The clock read 2:47 pm. What was taking so long?
Deciding she was tired of sitting in bed, being a potato, Keiara made a quick decision. If the Daybreakers wouldn’t
give Corin back, she’d sent them a message. Nothing so big that it would put Marcellus under suspicion, but
something that would let them know she was watching.
Picking up the phone, she dialed a now familiar number.
"Hey Brock, you going anywhere right now? No? Well, you are now." Keiara proceeded to give Brock Fontainne
directions on what he was to do.
"Remember, I want only her hurt. There shouldn’t be anyone with her, so it’ll be easy. Just make sure there are no
witnesses, go that?" Keiara’s lavender eyes flashed with determination. This vampire better do the job right, he
knew first hand she did not tolerate mistakes.
"Good. Let me know when you’re done."
* * * * *
It wasn’t until after school that Destiny saw Iliana again.
"So, what’d you think of Dion?" She asked , sounding falsely cheerful, even to her own ears. She didn’t know why
she had such a feeling of dread.
A genuinely happy grin spread across Iliana’s beautiful face. Her lilac-coloured eyes lit up at the mere mention of
his name. Destiny’s tone seemed to have escaped her. Destiny wasn’t the only one to notice and the others seemed
as concerned as she.
"Oh, I think he’s great! I’ve never met anyone like him. He just feels...right, you know? And he seems so nice!"
Iliana gushed.
Keller and Nissa’s eyebrows shot up at the expression in her voice. Iliana hadn’t sounded like this since her ‘I am
100% human" days. What was going on?
*Let’s hope he really is nice,* thought Destiny. It wasn’t that she didn’t like or trust Dion, but he WAS Iliana’s
Dark Angel.
"Oh, there he is!" The petite blonde cried none too discreetly. "Do you think I should go say hi?"
Everyone who was in a 40 meter radius from the Wild Power turned their heads.
The vampire-werewolf half-breed had just stepped from the front door into the March sunlight. A light breeze
immediately declared war on his previously neat brown-black hair. Turning at the sound of Iliana’s outburst, a ray
of sun illuminated the puzzled half-smile playing on his lips.
Even from where she stood, 60 meters away, Destiny could see the glint of delight in eyes the colour of a stormy
sky. And as if he were a Siren and she, a wayward sea captain, Iliana steadily made her way towards Dion, heedless
of all else.
By the time the tiny blonde was within speaking distance, Dion had regained his charming smile. "Hello, Iliana!
Nice to see you again!" he called as she neared.
A pretty smile glittered upon Iliana’s face, shining as bright as diamonds. "Hi Dion! I’m surprised you remembered
my name."
This reply got a laugh out of Dion. "How could I not? Let me assure you, it’s hard to forget that pretty face after
one’s seen it."
Behind the pair, Keller sidled up to Destiny, "This is too much, Destiny. They’re already flirting with each other! I
can’t believe Iliana doesn’t realize the kind of trouble she’s putting herself in! Her mind has jumped overboard! We
have to stop this!"
Personally, Destiny thought it was kind of cute, but she understood where Keller was coming from and she herself
couldn’t shake her sense of foreboding.
"Dion!" she called to him. Even though he seemed fair vexed at her interrupting his conversation, she barged on
while she had his attention. "If you’re going to get a ride home with me, we better be going. I’ve got homework to
do and I’m willing to bet you do too." It wasn’t lie. She HAD promised him a ride home.
Dion opened his mouth to protest, but seeing the warning glint in the witch’s eyes, he decided otherwise. Turning
back to Iliana for one last second, he said, "Destiny’s right, I should be going. It was great talking to you. See you
tomorrow?"
"Of course!" Iliana replied, like she hadn’t thought anything else was possible. Which was probably true.
Glancing back as she and Dion walked away, Destiny saw Winnie flash her a grateful smile.
"Why did you DO that?!" Dion demanded as soon as they were out of earshot.
Destiny spun her head around, startled at the intensity of his voice. Her long black hair whipped around with her
and struck him in the face as it flew by, adding to his agitation. Regarding the Look on his face, she didn’t even try
to think of an excuse. "Dion, I’m sorry. Really, I am. But there’s something you’re not understanding here. Come
on, we’re almost at my car, I’ll explain there." Reaching for his arm, Destiny meant to lead him to her rented silver
Mercedes.
Gently, but with barely contained energy so that she knew he was still upset, Dion shook free of her hand. "Why
can’t you explain now? What’s so important that you had to tear me away from Iliana and then make me wait to
explain? Or is there no reason and you just need time to think of a good lie?"
Destiny sighed. She knew where her friend was coming from but he didn’t have to make a scene. It definitely wasn’t
helping the situation. Keeping her voice low so humans wouldn’t overhear, she explained, "This is Night World
oriented, alright, Dion? You want me to explain to you right here, right now? Out in the open? Who knows who
could be listening? Humans could overhear, or worse, the Night World. Do you want that? Didn’t think so. So, if
you would, sir, please come with me." Without looking back, the witch marched away to her car, dark hair
billowing behind her.
Out of curiosity and the fact that he didn’t feel like walking home, Dion followed. Climbing into the passenger seat,
he asked, "Well, we’re here. You can tell me what’s so important now." He couldn’t keep the slight pout out of his
voice or lips.
The expression on Destiny’s face when she turned was completely unexpected. Dion had sensed that the subject
was serious, but not guessed how serious, until now.
"Look, Dion, I know you’re upset about me dragging you away from Iliana, but I have a perfectly valid reason for
doing it. No, no, don’t interrupt," Destiny raised a slender hand to stop him, then continued.
"As you know, Iliana is the third Wild Power, the Witch Child. And have you heard of the Dark Angels?" A
hesitant nod told her that he had.
"Well, then I’m sure you know that Iliana has a Dark Angel, who can protect or destroy her. And guess who that is?
You." At the incredulous look on his face, Destiny repeated, "Yes, you, my friend."
Incredulity was replaced by bewilderment on Dion’s face. "So why did you take me away? You said that I could
protect her. What’s wrong with that?"
Destiny shook her head. "I said, protect or destroy, Dion. That’s why I took you away."
Realization finally registered. He positively blew up. "You don’t think that I would actually HURT her, do you?
Goddess, Destiny! What kind of monster do you think I am? I would never! Never! You must realize that! Destiny,
I love her, can’t you see? You know what love feels like, I know it. You’ve felt it before, you found your soulmate.
Can’t you see that I could never hurt Iliana, can’t you see?"
Caught off-guard at the mention of Devon, Destiny quickly got her emotions in check and replied, "Dion, on the
surface, just looking at you two, I can see the truth in your words. I wish I could believe you, I want to. I can see
that you love her, Dion, but that doesn’t mean you can’t hurt her. I mean, Devon loved me and he hurt me, more
than once. Besides, I’m a witch as you know, and I’ve had some pretty reliable premonitions. So..." She drifted off
with a shrug, knowing she’d made herself understood.
Dion leaned back into his seat with a heavy sigh. Talking more to the car ceiling that to his friend, he said, softly
bitter, "So, cruel Fate has said I’m going to hurt her, has she? Destiny has decided we won’t be together?"
Turning so he was once again facing Destiny, he continued bleakly, "Well, what can I do but hope that they, and
you are wrong? I’ve only known her one day, but I can’t imagine being without her and I couldn’t live with myself if
I hurt her. So, Destiny, what do you think I should do? You’ve already played the part of your namesake, you’ve
given me my future, but at least propose a way I can avoid it. Isn’t it said that men can change their destinies?" His
gray eyes now looked black in his despair, but a light of hope still blazed on. Destiny hated to put it out.
Starting the car to stall for time, she finally had to reply. Not having the heart to tell him that she really didn’t think
there was any way for him to change this destiny, she said, "Let me think on it, Dion. Let me see what I can come
up with." With that, she pulled out of the parking lot.
Most of the trip was made in silence. After Dion had given her the directions to his house, there wasn’t much to
say. Destiny was surprised to find that he lived quite close to the Daybreak safe house and she could take most of
the same streets she would have anyway. That was good since she didn’t know the city streets that well yet.
*I could give him a ride everyday,* Destiny speculated. *Yeah, if I haven’t ruined our friendship for life,* she
added.
"Destiny, look out!" Dion cried, bringing her back from her thoughts.
Focusing on the road again, the witch saw a non-descript blue Caravan careening their way. Though there was
plenty of room on the other side of the deserted street, the van seemed intent on driving straight at Destiny.
Warning bells sounded in her head and Dion obviously came to the same conclusion as she.
"It’s the Night World!" he cried as Destiny tried in vain to avoid the vehicle.
There was no way of getting away from the van. If the witch swerved one way, it mirrored her. If she went the
other, it did the same.
"Damn! What do I do?"
Destiny didn’t realize she had said it out loud until Dion replied, "I don’t know! But we better think fast!"
Seconds before the Caravan was going to crash into their car, something told Destiny to stop. Slamming her foot on
the brake pedal, she almost flung Dion out the windshield.
"What the hell are you doing, Destiny? They’re coming straight at us! Are you just going to WAIT for them?!" He
continued hysterically on his tirade as Destiny pushed him out of the car door, following suit on her side.
Finally seeing what she meant to do, Dion scrambled off the road, dashing for the sidewalk.
However, there was no need for him to run. Inches away from the bumper of the silver Mercedes, the van screeched
to a halt.
Surprised that the sound of grinding metal hadn’t come, Destiny stopped running and turned around. The blond
haired driver of the car was staring at Dion, a puzzled, ‘Where did he come from?’ look on his face. Finally noticing
that the dark haired witch he had almost killed was glaring at him, remembering every facial feature, the driver
immediately put the Caravan into reverse and sped away.
"What was THAT for?!" Dion demanded, as they two of them headed back towards Destiny’s car.
"I have no idea," Destiny answered truthfully. Quietly, she and Dion got back into the car.
The rest of the way to Dion’s house was made in silence. If she didn’t know better, she would have thought her
friend was spooked.
Just before he stepped out of the car, his neighbour’s door opened. A man and a woman walked out.
Turning back towards Destiny, Dion asked in disgust, "You think she likes him?" He meant the woman who was
shamelessly clinging to the man.
With an expression of mock seriousness, Destiny answered, "Yes, I think she does. She’s sticking her chest out like
a blowfish."
Quiet laughter follwed Destiny as she pulled out of Dion’s driveway, a smile on her face.
* * * * *
"Have you seen the way she’s been acting? She’s in love, I tell you," Raksha Keller assured her team when they got
home that day. Home being a small condo five blocks south of the high school.
The three people around her, fellow Daybreak agents and friends, nodded their agreement.
"This is exactly how you acted when you met Galen," Winnie joked, earning a half-playful glare from her boss.
"Okay, this is serious," Keller said, becoming all business. "I mean, I’m all gung ho for love, you know. But she’s
falling in love with her Dark Angel! The one person that has any real chance of killing her. What do we do?"
"What else can we do? We have to keep them apart until Destiny wins him over for sure," Nissa replied cooly.
Galen was less optomistic. "I don’t mean to be negative here-"
"Galen, you’re never negative," Winnie piped up before he could finish.
Casting her a wayward smile, Galen continued, "But if we wanted only to win him over, I think Iliana would do a
better job. Isn’t the real reason we want to keep them apart because we’re afraid he’ll hurt her? And I think we all
know that, ultimately, it doesn’t matter what side he’s on. He has the potential to hurt Iliana and we can’t risk
that."
"Why don’t we just request that Circle Daybreak sends us somewhere else?" Keller suggested. "They proposed the
idea when we first heard Dion was close by. It shouldn’t take too long to get everything arranged. They probably
have most of the paperwork ready."
Her friend seemed to like the idea.
"But there is just small one problem," Nissa pointed out. "It’ll take Daybreak at least until tomorrow to get
everything ready. Which means that Iliana is going to be in the same school as Dion for at least another day. It’s
going to be hard to keep them apart. Besides, Iliana’s guarenteed to object to this plan. She’s not dumb. She’ll know
why we’re moving her and she’s not going to like it."
Galen shrugged helplessly. "What else is there? I hate to tear her away from love, but first and foremost, we need to
keep her safe."
There was truth in the prince’s words. No one opposed him though they knew the arrangement would probably
make Iliana miserable.
Keller finally broke the heavy silence that hung over the room. "Well, I guess I should go call Theirry," she
remarked glumly and left, the other agents following.
* * * * *
"Delano! Leandra!" Destiny called when she barged through the front door. She started to say Nick, but
remembered at the last second that he wasn’t there.
Taking off her jacket as she made her way to the living room, she said into the air, hoping they could hear,
"Goddess, have I got news for you guys! You will not believe..." Destiny drifted as she caught sight of a strange
figure sitting on the yellow striped couch she was about to throw her jacket on.
"What are you doing here?" Her tone immediately turned stony, her eyes sparkling black in her terror and rage.
"How’d you get in?" she demanded.
A less than thrilled expression on his face, Marcellus D’Alimonte replied, "Why don’t you ask your friends? After
all, they’re the ones who let me in." As he said this, he leaned forward, green eyes boring into Destiny’s.
Thinking his words were false, Destiny didn’t rise to the bait. "I’m not going to look over my shoulder just so you
can jump me, D’Alimonte. How stupid do you think I am? Delano and Leandra would never let you in."
"Oh, but they did. Didn’t you, Delano?" Marcellus glanced behind the witch and she couldn’t help but look back
with him.
Delano Saldivar and Leandra Leon stood side-by-side against the back wall. Destiny eyed them incredulously, but
the expressions on their faces plainly told the truth.
A hurt and puzzled look came to her eyes. "How could you? Why? You do realize that he’s probably here to kill us,
don’t you?" Whirling towards Marcellus again, she said to him, "And how long have you been here?"
Calmly, Leandra spoke, "Destiny, calm down, all right? Come on, sit down," she indicated a chair across from the
made vampire, "then we’ll explain everything."
"Yeah, I leave for a day and suddenly you guys are friends with a mortal enemy," Destiny muttered unhappily, bit
sat down.
"Now, it’s like this," the golden shapeshifter began. She proceeded to explain how Marcellus had gotten inside the
house, Delano adding a few details where he was involved.
"We told him that we’d decided to let him stay or not when you got back," Delano finished, shooting a dark glare
towards the vampire still sitting on the couch.
Destiny was staring at her friends as if they were both dumb idiots that would lose their way in a bathroom. But
when she opened her mouth, no one expected her answer. "So, you guys have been worrying about him" - a jerked
finger towards Marcellus - "all day. Have you forgotten about our other vampire friend in the basement? You’re
saying you just LEFT him there all day? Goddess, are you Daybreak agents or nincompoops?"
Looking more vexed than he had a right to be at Destiny’s answer, Delano said angrily, "Of course we haven’t
forgotten about the other vampire. But I think we should get this matter fixed up first. Now if you will Destiny, we
need to talk in private."
"This matter wouldn’t NEED to be ‘fixed up’ if you hadn’t let him in, in the first place!" She pointed out just as
heatedly, but a begging glance from Leandra made her follow Delano and the shapeshifter into the study.
"You better stay where you are," the Lamia growled at Marcellus before shutting the door behind him.
Marcellus answered quite sweetly, "Where would I go?"
But as soon as the door was closed, he knew exactly where he was headed. The basement. That was where Destiny
had said Corin was, didn’t she?
Quickly darting down the hall, he mentally went through the doors he had seen leandra and Delano open. The only
on they hadn’t gone through was a narrow wooden door at the end of the hall. Marcellus had assumed it was a
closet, but now knew otherwise. Easing the door open, he ran down the flight of stone stairs without a sound.
His eyes adjusting immediately to the darker room, Marcellus surveyed it quickly, not missing a detail.
The walls of the unfinished basement were filled with pink insulating material. Wooden beams kept the ceiling from
collapsing and the ground was bare, cold concrete. The only natural light coming in was from a small slit of a
window on the southern wall. Overall, not a very cheerful place.
Finally, Marcellus’ emerald eyes glimpsed a dark form in a corner. Deep blue eyes steadily gazed back at him,
unwavering as the vampire drew closer.
The first thing Marcellus did was undo the gag on Corin’s mouth. Motioning for him to stay quiet, he started
untying the rope that bound Corin’s wrists.
"Took you long enough to get here," Corin commented dryly.
"I wouldn’t say anything if I were you," Marcellus replied, none too happily. He had never liked Corin. If it weren’t
for Keiara, he wouldn’t have been here at all.
"Oh, drop dead," muttered Corin at Marcellus’ remark.
"Don’t make me repeat myself, Mainprise," the made vampire warned dangerously. "Besides, be careful what you
wish for. I’m your only hope of getting out. After observing Daybreakers up-close and personal, I’d have to say you
don’t have much of a chance of getting out without me."
The sandy haired Lamia grumbled something incoherent but otherwise stayed quiet.
Suddenly, Marcellus rose from his crouching position behind Corin’s chair.
An openly confused look on his face, the Lamia demanded of Marcellus’ retreating form when he got his voice
back, "Where are you going? I’m not free yet! Hey, come back here!!"
Marcellus whirled around, vexed expression and all. "If you will quit screaming, you will see that you are indeed,
unbound. However, I would advise you to act like you are still captive until the Daybreakers and I come down here.
Then, pretend like you haven’t seen me until then and run for the door. I will subtly block their way and they will
have no idea I helped you escape. I would NOT advise you to disregard my command," he said in a low, dangerous
tone. "If you have any more questions, I am terribly sorry, but I have no time to answer them. You’ll have to ask
Keiara when you get to her." Without another word, he turned and vanished from sight.
Well, there wasn’t really much for Corin to do but wait back in puzzled amusement and wait for the Daybreakers to
come.
@~~>~~>~~~
"Well, we’ve come to a decision," Delano announced when the 3 Daybreakers re-entered the living room.
Marcellus was back, sitting in the exact same position, not a hair out of place. There was no evidence that only
seconds before, he had been racing madly around the house. "I can see that," he replied in a slightly mocking
voice.
"Don’t be smart, D’Alimonte," Destiny snapped, training deep blue eyes on him for a long, tense moment.
Marcellus didn’t even blink. Which wasn’t to say that he wasn’t nervous, just that he’d had a lot of practice at not
looking nervous when he really was. Perhaps that didn’t make sense, but perhaps it wasn’t meant to. Whatever.
"So, what’s the verdict?" the made vampire asked, sounding calm and uncaring when he was really just the oppsite.
With the composure of a queen, Leandra stepped forward, looking Marcellus straight in the eye. Her own eyes were
pure gold. Hard-looking and opaque, no emotion showed through. "You get to stay...for now. We’ll see what we
think of you in a few days."
Inside, Marcellus whooped for joy. Outside, he smile gratefully and calmly, all sincerity and replied, "Thank you, I
will not disappoint you."
With a dark glare that told Marcellus that Delano didn’t improve at all, the Lamia assured him in a low voice,
"Don’t worry, you won’t have the chance," and stalked off angrily.
Keeping the self-satisfying smirk off his face was hard. Goddess, was he going to love it when Corin escaped. That
would teach Delano a lesson he certainly deserved. The guy was SUCH a prick!
* * * * *
PART 11:
PART 12:
PART 13:
PART 14:
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