Angel of Hope (con't) * * * * *
Today was the day. Raksha Keller and Rashel Jordan watched the front doors as the students poured out, keeping an eye out for LeAnne or
Braeden and waiting for Destiny and Tier.
They were in plain sight of the whole student body, two deathly beautiful girls both projecting the same aura of power and control. The faint, late October sunlight and the brisk, cold breeze made dark halos of their hair. This, of course, brought not just a few whispers and stares. "Hey, Mike, what’s going on? First, it’s that Destiny chick, then that gorgeous guy yesterday, talking to LeAnne. Now, there’s those two girls over there, looking like super models who own the world." "Candice, I don’t care. The more hot babes there are in this school, the better. I’m going to talk to them, you coming?" At this, Keller shot a deadly look towards Mike and he quickly backed away, getting the picture. "You think this plan is going to work?" She asked Rashel a bit awkwardly. When they had first met, the two girls had hated each other with a passion, but over time, they had eventually grown to be close. Nonetheless, Keller felt strange admitting any weakness to Rashel and vice versa. "Well, it better, don’t you think?" Rashel retorted. As much as she tried to sound non-chalent, she couldn’t hide her doubt. "Everything depends on this. If we get this right, we might get LeAnne as well as get Ash and Leandra back. If we
mess up, Ash and Leandra are as good as dead and the Night World will have two of the Dark Angels." If she had known, she also could have added that Gabriel and Selena would be kidnapped.
It was at that moment that Destiny chose to show up. "Hey guys!" Then, more quietly, "See anything strange going on today?" "From what I understand, LeAnne is meeting Braeden at his house at 4," Keller informed her while walking away from the
school and to the side parking lot, "so that’s the time we should be ready for." "We’ve already called Delano and let him know," Rashel added. "He’ll have Nick and Quinn ready by the time we get
there." Then, just noticing that Tier was not in their happy little circle, she asked carelessly, "By the way, where’s Pierre or whatever his name is?"
"Tier," Destiny corrected. "He had to finish the quiz he missed yesterday in History. He should be here soon." Keller crossed her arms over her chest and impatiently blow a strand of dark hair away from her face. Of course, that didn’t help and the silky tresses still flew wherever they pleased. "Well, he better hurry up because we don’t have time to
wait an eternity for him." It was that little moment of impatience that shattered their perfect plan. For impatient people are careless people and the
three Daybreakers didn’t notice the small figure that had been eavesdropping on them quickly slip away and disappear into the crowd. * * * * * "Hunter, look, just calm down, all right?" Braeden Soterios pleaded over the phone. He tried to make himself sound as arrogant and self-assured as usual, but even to his own ears it was a pathetic act and Hunter knew it. "Don’t give me that crap, Soterios! I know something’s up and I don’t know what it is, but you better not mess this
assignment up. Otherwise, I’m going to make sure you wish you never heard of LeAnne Wong." Hunter Redfern sneered on the other line. Braeden’s heart almost stopped right then. Did Hunter just imply he knew about him and LeAnne? *No, no, it can’t be,* his mind insisted, *It was just a strange choice of words. There’s nothing to worry about.*
"SOTERIOS!!!" The Lamia leader bellowed in anger.
The phone slipped out of Braeden’s hand and he dived to prevent it from hitting the hardwood floor, banging his shoulder off the wall in the process. Goddess, he was a nervous wreck. "Y-yes?" The Pharaoh stuttered, wincing in pain. Steam could almost be heard seething from Hunter’s ears. This boy was really grinding his nerves. And they called him the
best! "You just better get this right, Soterios. You’ve yet to live up to your reputation as the Pharaoh. I can’t see what my father saw that was so good about you. But because he made you and we’re almost family, I’m going to give the benefit of the doubt. But if you mess up, Soterios, there will be no second chances." With that, he slammed the phone in the
cradle. Slowly, Braeden picked himself up off the floor. Just as he hung up the phone, a loud knock sounded at the front door.
Impatiently, the person kept banging the door as Braeden made his way to the door, muttering about common courtesy.
"What?!?!" He practically hollered as he threw open the door. Immediately, he regretted the action.
LeAnne’s bottom lip quivered as she silently stood in the doorway, cowering slightly away from the imposing olive
skinned boy in front of her. Instantly, Braeden’s face softened immensely and he quickly reached towards the Dark Angel and enveloped her in his
arms. "I’m sorry," he murmured over and over into her thick black hair. Goddess, had he really just exploded at the one
person that had finally brightened up his life in 600 years?
It sounded trivial, that he should feel so worried about yelling at someone in an instant of rage. But then Braeden thought
of everything else he’d done to LeAnne. Just walking in and tearing her world in two, brainwashing, making her think she
loved him so she would do what he wanted, just to name a few. Of course, the last point was hurting him a lot more than
her right now, but Braeden knew he’d been a pretty bad boy and the lying wouldn’t stop now. It couldn’t and he was
going to hurt LeAnne even more before the day was done.
"Braeden, honey, it’s okay, really," LeAnne insisted as she disentangled herself from his arms. "I have something I really
need to tell you." The Pharaoh gazed at his girlfriend for a moment in astonishment. The only thing he could think of saying was, Huh? "Uh,
okay, what is it?" he finally uttered. "Today after school, I heard Destiny with these two other girls, talking about you and me. They know your name and it
sounded like they were planning something against you to save me. Now, why would they want to do that? Is there
something you’re not telling me?" The little Asian girl demanded, all business.
Braeden felt like he had been cut in two. The inside part desperately wanted to tell LeAnne everything. It didn’t want
to throw away it’s only hope of salvation. But his outside self stayed cool and collected and lied so perfectly the toughest
critics couldn’t have said he wasn’t marvelous. Terrible was the internal struggle and LeAnne started to get a bewildered look on her face as she wondered what
was going on with her new boyfriend. One minute, he was denying everything profusely. The next, he all but confessed
that he had kidnapped Ash Redfern and Leandra Leon and planned to kill them no matter what.
"What going on, Braeden?" LeAnne said quietly with such cold authority that The Pharaoh immediately stopped in
mid-sentence. His mouth hung open, silently moving like a fish out of water.
"Don’t lie to me, Braeden. I want to know the truth. I can take it, whatever it is, I promise." There was a hint of
uncertainty in the Asian girl’s voice, but she was determined to learn the truth at any cost. What was the love of her life
hiding from her? Shakily, Braeden drew in a raspy breath. He did and didn’t want to tell at the same time. Letting LeAnne know what was
really going on would mean the fall of this mission. And after that pleasant little phone call from Hunter Redfern, The
Pharaoh had no false illusions about what would happen to him.
On the other hand, as Braeden had recognized earlier, this could be his only chance for redemption. But really, even if
confessing all he’d done would mean burning in hell for the rest of eternity, Braeden didn’t care. The only thing that really
mattered was that LeAnne Wong, his only love, his soulmate, wanted something of him and Braeden would do anything to
make her happy. Yes, soulmate. Finally, The Pharaoh had admitted it to himself that the pretty little Oriental Flower he’d been sent to
seduce wasn’t just an attraction that he’d momentarily caught his eye. This was love, plain and simple. This was what it
was like to find the one person in the whole world that had been made especially for you and never want to let them go.
There was just one question left to answer. Where to begin? Well, the beginning was always a good choice and that’s
almost exactly where Braeden started. Of course, he left out his past, it wouldn’t do to dredge up those memories just
yet. It might be too much for her to take at a time.
By the end of his whole tale, LeAnne was quite visibly shaken up. God, this was the boy that she supposedly loved and
he had done all THAT?!?! Slowly burning someone to death, skinning someone alive, making someone slowly bleed to
death for days... Well, if one thing could be said about The Pharaoh, it was that he always killed slowly. LeAnne had
thought she could handle anything, but this was too much. How could she ever trust Braeden again? From what he had
said, the Night World had sent him to kill her too.
"Show me," the petite dark-haired girl whispered in a shaky, but still commanding tone.
Without a word, The Pharaoh took her small, almost child-like hand into his own tanned and long-fingered ones.
Pretending he hadn’t noticed the slight tensing of her muscles when he touched her hand, Braeden led LeAnne towards
the basement stairs. Braeden’s heart began to race faster with every step he took. This could mean the end of his relationship with LeAnne.
This could mean losing his soulmate forever. *But when was she really yours to begin with?* A small voice asked tentatively in his mind. The answer to that question, of course, was obvious. Never.
"Is anyone else..." LeAnne drifted off, letting the question hang precariously in the air.
"No. No one else is here. I sent them to feed before you came. Somehow, I knew this was going to happen today," the vampire added sadly.
He looked so lost, LeAnne almost felt sorry for him. Almost, not quite. Braeden Soterios had done too many gruesome things in his life to be so easily forgiven. The pair had now come to a heavy wooden door. A normal human would have had quite a time trying to push it open, but Braeden did so with ease. "I suppose I’m supposed to be impressed," LeAnne muttered stonily. "No," Braeden replied quietly without a trace of his usual arrogance or even hope in his voice. Instead, he gazed steadily
at the stone floor. Any reply was cut short by the sight that confronted LeAnne. Her hazel eyes widened as she took in the scene. "You unimaginable bastard!" She cried out and smacked Braeden across the face. * * * * * Leandra slowly and painfully slipped out of her trance-like state and focused on what was going on around her. If
Braeden was smacked again, she wanted to see it.
"You unimaginable bastard!" LeAnne Wong was screaming at her boyfriend. "LeAnne, honey, come on. Listen to me! Please!" Braeden begged, practically down on his knees. Now, Leandra was sitting on the cold floor, with her mouth hanging wide open. Never in her lifetime or anyone else’s for that matter had she expected to see The Pharaoh act in such a manner. He was groveling. "Ash," the lioness whispered, hoping neither Braeden or LeAnne would realize she was awake. "Huh? What?" Ash Redfern groaned as he arduously woke up to a cold, damp floor beneath him and chains around his wrists. This wasn’t at all what he’d expected. He had been dreaming about Mary-Lynette, his soulmate, and had counted
upon waking up in her arms, safe and warm. This place was definitely far from safe and warm.
"Shhhh!" Leandra ordered in fear. But there was nothing to worry about. LeAnne was too busy throwing her fit and
Braeden was too busy trying to calm her down. "Look."
LeAnne was shouting, "I can’t believe you! How could you do this to them? What did they do to you? I demand you let
them go right now!" A pained look entered Braeden’s gorgeous features and if Leandra hadn’t known better, she would have sworn he
wanted to listen to LeAnne. "Honey, look, I can’t all right? I just can’t do that. They’ll kill me-"
"Hah," LeAnne snorted. "Right. Just like you said Jezebel Redfern was going to kill you. You were going to make me
murder an innocent girl and I actually agreed. God, what was I thinking?! Well, I’ve changed my mind Braeden Soterios
and I will NOT speak to you until you let those two go! Oh, and DON’T call me honey!" With that, the Asian girl
marched out of the basement prison.
Leandra, still not believing that The Pharaoh was capable of caring about anyone but himself, wondered what had
possessed LeAnne to yell out such a hollow threat. But soon, she began to doubt if the threat was so hollow. She and
Ash could both see Braeden’s face quite clearly and he actually looked sorry.
*What’s going on?* The shape-shifter wondered.
Seconds after his girlfriend’s (perhaps ex now) departure, a set look appeared on The Pharaoh’s face. With
determination in every stride, he bounded up the stone stairs and a moment later, a door could just be heard slamming
above.
"What’s up with that?!" Ash rasped in bewilderment. His voice was weak and groggy, not at all like the normal, clear and
arrogant voice Leandra was used to.
He needed blood and they both knew it. It felt like days since they’d been captured and Ash hadn’t fed for a few days
before that.
"If we get out of this, I am NEVER, and I swear upon this, NEVER going into a fight without feeding again!" Ash vowed,
quietly, but in a very determined voice.
All the promises in the world would be useless if they didn’t get out of this alive.
About ten minutes after Braeden went running after LeAnne, two burly vampires pounded down the stairs, clearly looking
for their boss. One of them had short golden hair cut in a crew cut with menacing topaz eyes. The other was a dark haired
vampire with icy cold blue eyes.
"Where the hell is that God damn kid!" Blondie hollered as his steps down the stairs shook the prison walls.
Tall, dark and ugly snorted. "How should I know? Like you said, he’s a God damn child, doesn’t know anything. I don’t
know WHAT good ol’ Hunter Redfern was thinking when he put him on this assignment. He’s probably out serenading
some girl."
Leandra wanted to laugh at how right Tall, dark and ugly was.
"Well, we have enough troubles as it is, without the kid. Those two dragons that we were supposed to have by today
aren’t here. But the show must go on. We’ll have to think of something on the way. Let’s get these two loaded into the
van."
Now, Tall, dark and ugly turned cautious. "Even if he is a kid, Soterios is our leader. He’s not called the Pharaoh of
Death without reason, you know. And, he’s a favorite of Hunter’s, they’re practically kin. Maybe we should wait. If we
mess anything up, it’s off with our heads."
"Aw, Brad, stop being such a worry-wart. We’ll leave a note and tell him to meet us at the mall," Blondie persisted. At
the same moment, he swung the metal door to their little cell open and started towards the 2 Daybreakers.
Immediately, Ash and Leandra pretended to be out cold.
Without another word of argument, Brad slung Ash’s body over his shoulder and trudged back up the stone stairway.
* * * * *
"Okay, okay, I’m calm, I’m calm," Destiny McNite recited over and over as she walked towards the entrance of the
mall.
It was a tense time for everyone, this was their only chance. Goddess, Nick had been rambling like an idiot all day,
worrying about this mission. Now Destiny could ALMOST understand why some people didn’t stay with their soulmates
and chose their boyfriend or girlfriend instead. Of course, she didn’t know anyone that had done anything quite so wacky.
Yet.
"Hah!" Quinn retorted, "Yeah right! Now, look at me and you’ll see complete and total calm." He, of course, was just as
nervous as Destiny, if not more.
"Okay, everyone knows what they’re doing, right?" Delano clarified one last time.
Rashel rolled her eyes and muttered, "Do we have a choice?"
Not fazed one bit by Rashel’s remark, Delano barged on like a crazed aerobics instructor on Prozac. "All right then
people! Places! You know what to do!" Then, he ran off towards his post at HMV.
As soon as he was out of sight, Quinn shot everyone a Look, making them all burst out laughing.
Between fits of giggles, Tier managed to gasp out, "He’s like that Richard or Robert Simms guy. God, totally over
excited."
Just then, Rashel, who had come up for a breath noticed a dark blue van pulling into the parking lot. "Uh, guys? They’re
here."
Now, it was all business.
Quinn and Rashel were posing as a couple shopping at Suzy Shier. Keller was going to go with Nick to meet the Night
Worlders, just so they wouldn’t become too suspicious. Back-up was what they expected and if Keller were there,
maybe they’d be stupid enough to think that she was the only one there.
As for Destiny and Tier, the corridor that the Daybreakers and Night Worlders was supposed to meet had a bend in it
and behind the bend was a row of telephones. Destiny and Tier would be there, ready to help out if anything went wrong.
And, if by any chance, Braeden felt a need to peek behind the corner, the Daybreakers had a plan too. It was very
simple, really. The witch and human would simply start making out. A witch could easily pass as a human if one didn’t
look too closely and they would just be written off as a giggly pair.
Of course, that was ONLY as a last resort.
Everything was SUPPOSED to have turned out right. Nothing was SUPPOSED to have gone wrong. But this wasn’t at
all as the Daybreakers had planned it. It also wasn’t anything like the Night World had anticipated. Everything was going
to go wrong and there was nothing anyone could do to stop it.
@~~>~~>~~~
LeAnne Wong stumbled through the forest, gasping for breath. On one side of the trail, there was a fast flowing stream,
the other, a sheer rock wall. The setting sun shone brightly through the trees and played on the highlights in her hair,
making her an easily sighted target.
The shadow behind her easily kept up, trying not to look terrifying, but was too used to being the hunter that nothing
helped. He easily looked the role of predator in the game of cat and mouse.
*God, I mean Goddess, how could I have let this happen?* LeAnne thought in desperation and regret. *How? What if I
die because of this? Just because I didn’t listen.* She thought back to when she had first been warned about the world of
the Night. Of the creatures in children’s fairy tales that one wouldn’t have dreamed were real...
No, she couldn’t go there. Regrets were useless. Besides, she was being a bit melodramatic. Braeden probably wouldn’t
hurt her. LeAnne knew almost for a fact that he really cared about her. And before, she couldn’t have heeded Destiny’s
warnings because she had been under The Pharaoh’s spell as soon as she’d laid eyes on him. She hadn’t even realized the
trap. But even if Braeden didn’t want to kill her, the Night World certainly did. Of course, first, they wanted her to murder
Jezebel Redfern, but when that was done, there was really no use for her. LeAnne doubted that even The Pharaoh could
stand up to the Night World leaders, whoever the were.
Goddess, she was really beginning to wear out. She was panting like a dog now and it wasn’t a pretty simile. It was time
to accept this and face Braeden, LeAnne knew. But it was so hard. Every time she saw him, her heart beat faster and
electricity seemed to crackle between them. But LeAnne had seen his real nature. How could she even LOOK at a
monster like that, let alone touch, kiss or love him?
*LeAnne, honey, please. Stop it. We need to talk. I won’t hurt you, you know that,* the chocolate haired vampire
begged from behind her. He hadn’t listened to her. He was still calling her honey.
*Be brave,* LeAnne urged herself. Slowly, she turned around on her heel, bracing herself for the sight of Braeden
Soterios.
@~~>~~>~~~
Who cared if she was panting like a dog? To Braeden, she was beautiful. Quickly, almost faster than the eye could focus,
Braeden was rushing towards his soulmate, wanting to hold her in his arms.
An icy voice stopped him. "Braeden, don’t get any closer."
Immediately, he halted in his tracks. If this was what LeAnne wanted, he would have to respect that. He was too close to
losing her already. One false move, he could not afford. "Okay," Braeden whispered, trying not to sound hurt.
"Don’t, don’t look at me like that, all right?" LeAnne’s voice began to crack. Goddess, this wasn’t how she wanted it to
turn out at all, She was losing control almost before one minute had passed.
Braeden continued to gaze steadily at her with those intense and now full blue eyes, to look straight into her soul. Finally,
seconds before LeAnne was ready to totally cave in and listen to her desire, he spoke quietly, "I’m sorry."
Silent tears spilled from LeAnne’s eyes. Tears for herself, for Braeden, for anyone that had ever felt torn between
consciousness and desire. "Sorry’s not going to cut it, Braeden."
The vampire looked ready to bawl like a baby. But he just sniffled a bit (it would be quite comical really, if the situation
weren’t so depressing). Staring down at the dirt beneath his feet and thinking how he should really be a part of it, he said,
voice full of emotion, "I know you don’t believe me when I say this, LeAnne. I know what kind of person you think I am.
But I’m not lying. It’s true, LeAnne." Now looking straight at her, Braeden declared almost inaudibly, "I love you."
She couldn’t take it anymore. Goddess, this was killing her. His eyes, his words...how she wanted to believe him. Closing
her eyes against the fresh flow of new tears, she whispered, "Words are worthless, Braeden, if you can’t prove them."
Then, LeAnne spun on her heel and ran.
Behind her, Braeden stood his ground. It was useless trying to run after her again. He had lost her and he knew it. With a
gut wrenching cry, The Pharaoh sank down to the earth. Bringing his face into his hands, he silently mourned his loss.
*The Pharaoh. Ha!* He thought. That title was what had cost him his love, his soulmate.
At least, that’s what he tried to tell himself.
* * * * *
From his post across from their meeting place at HMV, Delano gave a small smile. He wasn’t a fool, he knew the
seriousness of the situation. But it was good to know that he had made his friends, especially Destiny, laugh, if only for a
second.
Destiny.
Goddess, how he loved her. Even after all these years, he still felt the same way. Delano didn’t care if he never found his
soulmate in his whole life, which might add up to be quite a few years since he was Lamia, so long as he could hold
Destiny in his arms just once more.
Ever since Devon’s death, she had stayed away from men. Oh, she still had many boy friends, just not boyfriends. And
Delano could feel that secretly, inside, she’d promised never to fall in love with another again. How the vampire wished he
could change that. But he respected Destiny too much. He wouldn’t pressure her. They had a whole lifetime ahead of
them, if they survived the millennium. Which Delano planned to do, no matter what. If he’d learned anything from Devon’s
death, it was that life was short if you weren’t strong enough, if you didn’t fight hard enough. Delano hated Devon for
letting Destiny down. He’d left her. He hadn’t fought to live. Well, Delano vowed he wouldn’t make that same mistake.
He would fight for life and he’d win. And no matter what, no matter how long it took, one day, he would have Destiny.
With a jolt, Delano was brought out of his thoughts. He sensed other Night People, not the Daybreakers. Two vampires
strode casually into the mall. A frown tightened his features as he realized that The Pharaoh wasn’t one of them.
*What’s he planning?* The Italian Lamia wondered, half in amusement, half in fear. *Quinn,* he called with his mind.
*Do you see them?*
*Sure do. Couldn’t miss them.* Came the grim reply.
*What do you think they’re up to?*
*Beats me. And Rashel too. But it definitely isn’t good.*
Delano agreed. He felt like he was watching a scene on a movie screen unravel in front of him and he wanted to yell
warning to the good guys. But if he did, the other people watching the movie would scold him or in this case, would tear
him and everyone else to shreds.
The two vampires, both burly, one blonde and one with dark hair, amiably walked into the corridor.
It was all an act. Delano stretched his hearing so that he could eavesdrop on the conversation. He knew Quinn was doing the same. "...asked you once, where’s Leandra and Ash?" Nick demanded, sounding a bit shaky, but otherwise in control. Delano
had to give him credit. A lot was at stake for Nick Corona. His friend and girlfriend’s lives for one. His own and the other Daybreakers well-beings for another. The vampires cackled. Yes, really cackled like the old crones one would see in a mortal movie. "You’ll see," one of them growled, voice malicious and scornful. Nick’s voice shook with barely controlled anger. "I don’t want to SEE! I want to KNOW! Now!" In reply, the vampires laughed again. What could a measly, little shape-shifter do to them? Apparently more than they anticipated.
Now, Nicholas Corona wasn’t known for his temper. He could usually keep it at bay. But when he finally burst, it was in a big way. And this time was no exception. Delano could feel his friends’ anger and frustration. He knew something was going to happen. And when he felt the burst of energy that came from the small corridor, he wasn’t the least bit surprised. An impossibly clear picture of Nick’s hand
around one of the vampire’s throats, blasting his psychic energy into their body, their mind, came into Delano’s head. He’d seen Nick do it before and it wasn’t pretty. The Lamia almost felt sorry for the vampire. Even before realization came in full force, Delano was sprinting towards the hallway, Quinn and Rashel hot on his heels. The scene he beheld was even worse than he’d expected. "Shit!" Delano cursed under his breath. This was turning into a total disaster. @~~>~~>~~~ *Goddess, shit!* Destiny thought, lips pressed against Tier Brandon’s. Quickly realizing that she shouldn’t be thinking such a thought while in a lover’s arms, she turned her mind onto more happy, sexual things. She could sense Tier’s confusion. After all, the two vampires hadn’t turned the corner, hadn’t checked to see if anyone was there. He didn’t realize that there was a hole in their plan. Even if the vampires didn’t physically look to see who was around the corner, they could scan the vicinity with their minds. Destiny had felt the little tendrils of one of their minds prying at her own. Immediately, she had embraced Tier. She couldn’t say anything or the vampires would hear and she had to get his mind off the mission. That was the only way the vampires wouldn’t become suspicious. Unfortunately, it didn’t seem to be working. Tier was trying to pull away. Silently, Destiny prayed to the only Angel she knew. Devon, her soulmate. < Destiny almost believed that Devon had heard her. She perceived Nick’s furious cry, then Delano, Quinn and Rashel’s footsteps as they rushed to help. Quickly, the witch released Tier, almost throwing him away in her hurry to get to her
friends. Obviously, the human boy was still quite puzzled, but this was no time to ask questions. Right behind Destiny, Tier
ran and nearly bumped into her when she stopped short. He peered over her shoulder and almost groaned at what he saw. * * * * *
PART 18:
PART 19:
PART 20: P>Subconsciously, Leandra Leon thought she heard the sound of a hand coming into contact with a face. Hard. She hoped that the face was The Pharaoh’s. The thought brought a smile to her lips.
PART 21:
PART 22:
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