Angel of Fire (con't)
* * * * *
Thanks to Dion’s insightful comment, the two friends were not late for class. They were however, late to lunch. Or
rather, Dion was late for lunch. And so was Iliana.
It all started quite innocently. Despite Keller’s team’s determination to keep Dion and Iliana apart, they had
managed to meet up right before lunch and sneak off to a secluded little corner in the music room. After her first
experience with dining in a music room, Iliana had discovered that most music rooms were good hiding places too.
What the two didn’t know was that while they were hiding in their secluded little corner, Keller’s team, along with
Destiny (who had finally been enlightened about Iliana leaving after a whole morning in the dark), were frantically
searching the halls for the couple.
But Dion and Iliana probably wouldn’t have cared much anyway. They were quite absorbed in each other at the
moment.
"Goddess, Dion! It feels like I haven’t talked to you in years! I can’t believe the others. I mean, even Galen was
against us being together! Sweet, gentle, Galen!" Iliana burst out as soon as the door to the music room was closed.
For a moment, Dion recalled what Destiny had told him the day before. It seemed like ages ago. "I can see that you
love her, Dion, but that doesn’t mean you can’t hurt her," she had said about Iliana.
He banished the thought from his mind. He wouldn’t hurt Iliana, never mind what Destiny said. Never mind that he
had believed what Destiny said just yesterday either. All he had to do was try really hard not to do anything wrong.
Then, nothing would happen. They could be together.
To show the Fates that he wasn’t afraid, Dion stepped towards Iliana and wrapped her small figure in his arms.
"I’ve missed you too," he murmured into her silky hair, exhilarated at the feeling of touching her for the first time.
The tingles began even before their lips met. After they did, the world seemed to explode in light. It was exactly like
the descriptions Iliana had heard and read about. The light, the feeling of belonging, the love, everything was there
and all the more exhilarating because it was happening to her!
*Dion? Dion, are you alright?* the little witch asked suddenly, realizing that her soulmate didn’t feel half as thrilled
as she.
Abruptly, almost harshly, he pulled away. Horror filled his eyes as he scrambled to get as far away from the Wild
Power as possible, gasping for breath. Chest still heaving, he said, aghast, "Goddess, Iliana. What are you doing to
me?"
Hurt and confusion registered on Iliana’s face and she tried desperately to keep her tears at bay, to no avail. Why
the sudden change? "What do you mean, what am I doing to you? Don’t you realize what this means, Dion? We’re
soulmates. We belong together," she whispered.
"But, but you talked to me. In my MIND! Goddess, can you see my mind? Can you look into me? Iliana, please
don’t. You don’t want to see who I am," Dion pleaded, out of control.
"Dion, what are you talking about? This is what comes with being soulmates. I don’t care what bad things you’ve
done in the past. They’re in the past and I’ll still love you," Iliana assured, calm now that she knew why Dion was
afraid. Slowly, she walked towards him, like someone trying to befriend a frightened kitten. He didn’t blanch when
she touched his shoulder and embraced him in a hug. After a while, he managed to hold her back and the tension
from his body eased a bit.
Hesitantly, Dion found his soulmates lips and kissed her again. Immediately, he was lost in the bright light that was
the essence of her mind. She was just so, GOOD, that it overwhelmed him. Even if he tried he couldn’t find any
thoughts or memories that were truly dark. The worst part of her life would probably be the week she spent running
and fighting Azhedha.
Dion knew for a fact that Iliana wouldn’t find anything half as pleasant inside of him.
Just as he remembered that she could see inside him as well as he had seen her mind, Dion heard Iliana say, *Dion,
I don’t know what you’re talking about. You’re just as good as me, if only you would see that."
Such a powerful feeling of love and certainty enveloped him right then, that for a second, Dion believed her. *I love
you,* he replied in his mind, feeling hopeful for the first time in a while.
*I love you, too, Dion,* Iliana answered affectionately. His mind seemed to blossom and open at her words and the
Witch Child took advantage of it. Immediately, she went exploring through his memories, looking at the older ones
first. Most had a smiling woman in them, small and blond, with gray eyes like Dion and pale skin.
When Iliana asked, there was a pause before Dion explained verbally, "That’s my mother. I guess."
*You guess?* It was asked mentally.
*I don’t remember much about her. Look a bit more and you’ll see she died when I was 5.*
Iliana knew that Dion was still slightly uncomfortable about her looking through his memories, but she just had to
know what was going on with him. Obviously, Dion wasn’t going to provide the answers. His jumbled emotions
told her that he didn’t even know the answers himself.
Slowly, Iliana sorted through the memories, briefly seeing Dion at 2, being read to sleep or him at 4, being pushed
on a swing, all by his mother. The only recollection of his father in those early years were when Rafe Vitani was
with Dion’s mother and they looked terribly in love.
Finally, the blonde girl found the scene Dion had told her about. There he was, a little dark haired boy with
vulnerable gray eyes, huddled close to his father, as he looked up at the large mahogany coffin that was so much
higher than he.
"Where’s mommy, daddy?" she heard Dion ask in such with such innocence and bewilderment that it broke her
heart because she knew where ‘mommy’ was.
In answer, Rafe effortlessly picked his son up and Dion saw what was in the coffin for the first time. Even at 5, he
knew what this meant. "Mommy!" he cried anyway, reaching out for her, as if by some miracle she would sit up and
hold him and live again.
When nothing happened-as Dion had known-he swirled around and buried his little head into his father’s shoulder,
sobbing. It wasn’t until then that Iliana realized Rafe was crying too. The truth be told, she had never in her life
seen a grown man cry and this was a bit of a surprise, even if she had realized that Dion’s mother was his soulmate.
Slowly, she withdrew from the memory. It wasn’t until she did this that Iliana realized Dion had been pleading with
her.
*Iliana, please. I don’t want to relive any of this. I can’t. Please, Iliana,* he was saying over and over in her mind.
Physically, he was clinging to her, holding her close as if she were a life boat in a vast ocean of nothingness. Silent
tears flowed down his cheeks but Iliana had the vague feeling that he didn’t even realize they were there.
In body and in mind, the Witch Child closed her violet eyes and pressed her lips to Dion’s, trying to comfort him.
*I’m sorry. You loved her and I had to bring it all back again. I’m sorry.*
*Goddess, I don’t know what’s wrong with me. I’m not usually like this,* the vampire/werewolf explained as he
gradually calmed down.
*I know.* Of course she did. Iliana felt like she knew everything about him. How he acted, what he felt, everything.
But that didn’t matter right now. Right now, she just wanted to be with Dion, to feel his arms around her and be
one with her soulmate.
As she did this, Dion’s tension finally disappeared. He finally let himself feel complete. *How do you do it?* he
asked in amazement.
*Do what?*
*Be so....so, GOOD! You, you complete me.*
*What’s a soulmate for, silly?* Iliana asked with a delighted laugh, pulling away from the kiss for the moment.
*Besides, I’m not that good.*
*Believe what you like,* Dion smiled and they both fell silent again.
"We should be going," the gray-eyed boy finally said. "Lunch is almost over."
Iliana agreed, but just as they were reluctantly pulling apart, one last memory surfaced out of nowhere. Startled, the
Witch Child froze to see what it was.
"Don’t you DARE talk back to me, you miserable, son of a bitch!" Rafe Vitani was screaming as his fist came in
contact with his son’s jaw. A sickening thwack sounded as Dion fell to the floor.
Before Iliana had any time to react to this, the 14 year old boy was picking himself back up. There was a small trail
of blood at the corner of his mouth, but he ignored it. Instead, in a lightening quick motion, Dion was swinging
punches and kicking his father in rage. "Don’t call mom a bitch!! If anyone is a dog, it’s you! You’re a mongrel, a
cur!"
Surprised by the whole exchanged, Iliana let go of Dion in shock. She would never have imagined her soulmate’s
life was like this! She had sensed hurt and bitterness, but hadn’t checked into what he was upset at. Besides, how
could any father treat their child that way? Didn’t Rafe love his son?
Mistaking her shock for disgust, Dion backed away from Iliana with a pained expression in his face. Despite all that
Rafe did and said, he was Dion’s father and he loved him. He had never forgiven himself for fighting back and he
was sure it had just cost him Iliana’s love. "I told you, you couldn’t love me," Dion whispered, gray eyes shining
brightly as he gazed at his soulmate. Not giving her a chance to say anything, he turned his back and strode out of
the room.
"Dion!" Iliana called when she finally found her voice again. But by that time, he was long out of sight.
As Dion was stalking down the hall, Destiny saw him and ran to catch up. "Dion!" she cried, much like Iliana had.
Reluctantly, he turned around.
"We’ve been looking all over for you!" Destiny said as she got closer. "Where have you...Is everything all right,
Dion?" she inquired softly, noticing the odd glistening of his eyes.
"Don’t worry, I’m fine. But I should get my books," replied Dion as he started down the hall again.
"Oh, Destiny?" he stopped abruptly and turned around again.
"Yes?"
"Mind introducing me to Leandra after school? I think I know a guy she’ll like."
* * * * *
Marcellus D’Alimonte was positively teeming with frustration. "Keiara, I want to hurt Destiny, not Nick! Now, will
you help me think of something or not?" demanded he into his cell phone.
On the other end, the flame haired vampire made a gesture of exasperation. "Do I have to explain everything to
you, little brother? Destiny cares about Nick, they’re friends. So, if we kill him, we’ll be getting revenge on your
little girlfriend, too."
"She’s not my girlfriend!" Marcellus cried indignantly, they quickly lowered his voice. It wouldn’t do for Delano or
Leandra to hear. "And I understand your reasoning, Keiara, but I want her to know it’s her fault. And since we
kidnapped Nick before I met her, she won’t feel as guilty as I want her to feel."
"SO why don’t you just tell her it’s her fault?" Keiara demanded crisply. She wondered absently how bad this girl
had hurt her brother. It must of been pretty bad for Marcellus to want to hurt her so much.
As Marcellus huffily started answering her question, Keiara suddenly decided she didn’t want to hear another of his
rambling explanations. "You know what, little brother? You’re being just a bit too picky. I’ve given you a
suggestion. Live with it or come up with something else yourself." She cut him off the middle of a word and
promptly hung up.
Marcellus stared at his cell phone in open-mouthed disbelief. He had had people hang up on him before, but never
his sister. He suddenly had the impression of his world falling to pieces. What was going on?
@~~>~~>~~~
For the rest of the afternoon, Dion avoided Iliana like a mouse avoiding a cat. He felt about as big as the rodent,
too. He was feeling awfully guilty, though about what he wasn’t sure.
As soon as the final bell rang, he dashed out of calculus, hurrying toward his locker. At all costs, Dion wanted to be
long gone when Iliana came along, which he knew she would be.
His vampiric speed and werewolf senses were turned to the max. in his sprint towards the locker. He was being
careless, he knew, but right now he didn’t give a damn who saw. All he knew was that he couldn’t face Iliana, he
just couldn’t.
Biology and geography textbooks were thrown into his locker while calculus and English went into his backpack. In
his great rush, Dion slammed his locker door with a bang that echoed through the halls. Turning a sheepish smile
towards any staring students, he ducked his head on his way out of the school.
When he was almost to the door, he heard a familiar voice behind him.
"Dion! Dion, please!" Iliana pleaded, calling desperately down the hall.
Destiny was already waiting for his in the parking lot when he arrived. When she saw Dion coming, she turned on
her heel towards her car and in a matter of minutes, they were driving off to the safehouse.
The whole time, Dion sat rigidly in his seat, breathing quickly, shallowly. His whole body was tense, his muscles
ready to spring him at the slightest disturbance. To bridge the silence, Destiny turned on the radio.
"We’re comic dispensers, we crack up all the sensors..."
"Through constant pained disgrace, the young boy learns their rules..."
"(polka music)"
"For you were my thrill on blueberry hill..."
"Da, da, da..."
"Oh yes, he lost his donkey, his dear beloved donkey..."
Hell, Lafayette, Colorado had NO good radio stations! In the end, Destiny settled for a station currently playing
Lauryn Hill.
"It could all be so simple,
Is this just a silly game
No matter how I think we grow,
As painful as this thing has been,
I know you care for me...
Suddenly, there was a loud boom that stopped the music and made Destiny slam on the brakes. For a second, all
was silent except for the sound of screeching rubber, then the blares of car horns screamed behind the silver
Mercedes.
Shooting a frantic look at Dion to make sure he was all right, Destiny nearly suffered from cardiac arrest when she
saw his pale face, closed eyes and look of pain on his features. Then, her eyes traveled down the length of his arm
to where his hand rested close to the now dented and useless car radio. She could put two and two together.
"Dion, what the hell did you do that for?!" the witch shouted into his ear, not caring how sensitive his hearing was.
"We could have been killed!! Are you insane? What were you thinking?!"
His eyes blinked open and Dion peered at her with irises so cloudy gray and huge, Destiny felt she was being
swallowed by a storm. "I’m sorry, Destiny. I really am. I have no idea why I did that. It’s just the song, it just
wouldn’t end, it just kept going on and on... I felt like it was mocking me and I had to stop it. I had to stop it or I’d
go crazy."
A wave of empathy broke over Destiny and her anger was washed away. But before she could offer words of
comfort, an especially loud HONK! reminded her she had stopped traffic in the middle of the road. When she had
almost reached home, Destiny finally replied to Dion’s confession, "I know what you mean. When I lost Devon,
there were times when I just had to do something or lose my mind. I should have realized. But you have to
remember something. Though, we’re the same, we’re also different. Devon is gone, I can’t get him back in this
lifetime. But you still have a chance with Iliana. She’s your soulmate and could never really hate you." Destiny said
this because, of course, she had heard about what had gone on in the music room. Unlike other people, however,
she would not reprimand Dion or urge him to make up not-so-subtly because she under stood him where others
might not. Finding you soulmate did these things to you.
Her friend and passenger didn’t say a word but the thickness in the air had dissipated and Destiny knew she had
gotten through to him. At least partly.
*I hope Leandra doesn’t think I’m trying to set her up with Dion,* thought the witch, her mind drifting.
As if she had heard her thoughts, the lioness stepped out of the house the instant the Mercedes pulled into the
driveway. The golden haired Leandra’s dark brow creased in bewilderment as she said to Destiny, "Do you and
Marcellus still have something going? He’s been brooding all day, like he’s pinning away for some lost lover."
Destiny suppressed a giggle as her imagination conjured such an unlikely scenario. "Oh, Leandra, this is Dion
Vitani, the Dark Angel," she said quickly when she remembered the boy beside her. "Dion, this is Leandra Leon,
the shapeshifter I’ve been telling you about."
"Uh... pleased to meet you," Leandra responded belatedly. She had been busy staring at the chestnut haired boy
with an obvious expression of curiosity, attraction and guilt. There was no way she could start checking out guys
like Nick was never coming back. It wasn’t like he was dead and little did Leandra know then, if anyone died that
week, it wouldn’t be Nick.
The same look that was on the lioness’ face was mirrored on Dion’s as he almost dreamily took the hand she
offered. "The pleasure’s all mine, I’m sure," he breathed, looking for all the world like he was going to kiss her
hand.
*Not bad,* Destiny observed shrewdly. Dion’s eyes weren’t bulging out of his head like when he had laid eyes on
Iliana, but she was his soulmate and extraordinarily gorgeous under any circumstances. And Leandra, well, she
seemed quite taken with the Dark Angel. Of course, this relationship would never progress past friendship. They
would get Nick back and Dion make up with Iliana and everyone would be happy. As least, that’s what Destiny had
to make herself believe.
When it was obvious they would be ‘shaking hands’ forever without outside intervention, Destiny self-consciously
cleared her throat. Nothing, no reaction. With a sigh, the witch opened her door, softly slamming Leandra’s slim
figure and snapping her out of her reverie.
Contritely and hastily, the lioness pulled her hand away, allowing her golden mane to hide her embarrassed cheeks.
"We should probably go inside," she said softly to no one in particular.
Destiny and Dion followed her soundlessly inside.
"Hi Delano!" Destiny’s hair swirled around her shoulders as she met Delano’s kiss halfway. She was by no means
shy of PDA’s. "So, what’s this I hear about a pouting Marcellus? Where is he?" she inquired the instant they pulled
apart.
A small chuckle escaped the Lamia’s full lips. "He’s been moping around in the guest room since you left this
morning. He’s probably still there."
"Did you find out about Nick?"
"No. We tried, but he just snapped at us. The guy’s unnaturally moody." Delano acted thoughtful, with a tiny
thoughtful smile and a thoughtful nod of his dark head.
Destiny laughed out loud. "Guess we’ll just have to see what he’s up to," she said to everyone gathered in the front
hall.
"Lead the way, love."
* * * * *
"I looked into your eyes,
And my world came tumbling down.
You’re the devil in disguise,
That’s why I’m singing this song for you.
To know you,
Is to love you.
You’re everywhere I go,
And everybody knows,
I fell in love with a beautiful stranger."
*Well,, how appropriate,* Marcellus thought dryly to himself, just as a knock sounded on his door. "Who is it?" he
demanded, turning off the radio and that dratted song.
"Destiny, Delano, Leandra and Dion Vitani," came the reply.
Destiny, great, the last person in the world he wanted to see. But she had said Dion Vitani was with her, the one
person he needed to see right now. Sometimes, the irony of life was just too much.
Marcellus slowly got out of his chair and opened the bedroom door. "Welcome," he said sardonically with a wry
smile.
"So, what’s this I hear about moping, D’Alimonte?" inquired Destiny in a teasing tone. Leandra, Dion and Delano
were lined behind her, in that order.
Goddess, she was beautiful. Why did she have to be the only woman who had ever resisted him?
Some of Marcellus’ feelings must have slipped beneath his carefully neutral stare because Delano moved forward
and placed a hand possessively on Destiny’s shoulder. A warning flashed from his dark eyes; one that Marcellus had
no intention of acknowledging. Destiny didn’t want him, but Delano obviously didn’t know that yet.
Just to annoy his Italian rival, Marcellus graced only Destiny with his most charming smile and leaned against the
door frame. "Moping? What are you talking about? Okay, I might not have been at my best today, but I’m feeling
fine...now." At the last word, Marcellus placed two fingers down under Destiny’s chin and tilted her face until he
could look directly into her deep blue eyes. No one missed his meaning, especially Delano. He could feel the Lamia
bristle with animosity.
Destiny slipped out of Marcellus’ fingers without a word. If she was bothered, she didn’t let it show. "All right, if
you say so," she replied quite cheerfully, like nothing out of the ordinary had happened. "Guys, I don’t know about
you, but I’m famished. I’m going to get a snack."
Leandra eagerly followed her friend to the kitchen, dragging Dion along by the hand.
"Watch what you’re doing, D’Alimonte," Delano warned when they were the only 2 left. "If you so much as touch
her ever again, I will personally see to it that you don’t live to see another dawn."
Marcellus laughed contemptuously at the idea. "What makes you think you’re a match for me, Saldivar? I’m
how many centuries you elder?"
Delano’s eyes glowed with a dangerous light, "Don’t underestimate me, Marcellus." He met the other vampire’s
eyes for a moment longer in silence, then promptly turned and stalked away.
"Don’t worry about your precious Destiny, Saldivar," Marcellus murmured at Delano’s retreating back. "I
wouldn’t hurt her. But you, my friend, are a different matter altogether."
@~~>~~>~~~
Blood spurted into Nick’s mouth as he bit his lip to keep from screaming.
"You think you’re so tough, Angelface?" Corin Mainprise growled into his ear as he punched Nick in the stomach.
"Well, I’ll have crying like a baby by tomorrow." This was followed by a blow to Nick’s jaw that had him seeing
spots.
"Easy, love," a velvety voice warned as a trickle of blood formed at the edge the shapeshifter’s mouth. If Keiara
could have it her way, Nick would be dead by now. But, there was Hunter to think about and they did want to try
and win the Dark Angel over. She just had to be satisfied with this.
Mentally, the redhead tightened her hold on Nick’s mind and his body jerked in pain. She was lucky he was weak or
he probably would of sent her sprawling by now. Of course, she conviniently forgot that fact. Keiara hated feeling
inferior to anyone, even if he was a Dark Angel.
"That’s enough," Keiara finally said when she felt Nick’s consciousness going. Stepping forward, she checked the
rope that bond him to the leg of the bed. It was secure, of course. After all, she had paid a few witches a great deal
to have a binding spell twined into the hemp so that no shapeshifter could change when bound with it. It had better
work.
Glancing up at Corin, she allowed a slow smile. "Let’s go. I don’t think Mr. Corona is in any shape for company at
the moment."
* * * * *
PART 18:
PART 19:
But you’d rather make it hard.
Loving you is like a battle,
And we both end up with scars...
No one loves you more than me,
And no one ever will.
That forces you to act this way?
Forces you to scream my name,
Then pretend that you can’t stay...
You always seem to let me know,
It ain’t working...
And when I try to walk away,
You’d hurt yourself to make me stay.
This is crazy...
I just can’t be with no one else...
‘Cause no one’s hurt me more than you,
And no one ever will...
You said you’d be there for me...
You said you’d die for me...
Why won’t you live for me?"
PART 20:
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