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Nightshade.
Derek sat alone at the bar
slowly sipping from his glass, while Mariah came up
from behind and touched his shoulder. "It's nice to know I'm
not the only one
who gets up this early." She said to him as she moved behind
the bar. Grabbing
a glass she poured herself a drink from his bottle. "I can't
remember the last
time you stayed here for the day."
"I just needed to think."
"Oh." She said adjusting
one of the straps of her silk nightgown. "About
anything in paticular.... or anyone?"
Derek set his glass down
and looked at her for the first time. He always hated
that, no matter what mood he was in, and no matter how he tried to
hide it, she
always seemed to know.
"Let me guess....."
She put a finger to her chin. "It wouldn't be the lovely
Emily Quartermaine, would it?" Derek looked into her eyes.
"Oh dear, you have
fallen hard haven't you?"
"I haven't felt this way
in a very long time. I can't really explain it. I've
had other mortal women, but none of them have....... touched me like
she has."
Mariah just smiled.
"I know what you mean. I've become quite.... fond.... of
her myself." She took his hand. "In fact, if I thought
she was at all
intrested, I might see what could develop." She came around and
sat on the
stool next to him. "If it helps, Emily has said much the same
to me about you."
Mariah tenderly carressed
his cheek. "My dear son. You don't know how lucky
you both are. Most people go their entire lives without ever
finding, or
knowing, what you and Emily seem to have known from the moment you
met." Derek
grasped her hand and held it tight. "It's so rare, and you...
you have found it
twice."
The telephone rang and Mariah
reached over to answer it. "Yes?.... Yes.... As
a matter of face he's right here, hold on." She held the reciever
out to Derek.
"It's Venus."
Derek took the phone.
"Hello?.... Where?.... When were they found?.... How
long can you sit on it?.... Damn.... I know.... Just do what you can....
Sundown's in a couple of hours, I'll see you then." He hung up
phone and took a
long drink directly from the open wine bottle.
"Trouble?" Mariah
asked concerned.
"Oh yeah."
"What is it?" She
asked becoming increasing worried.
"V said that the police
had found the bodies of two young women lying in the
park, both had their blood completely drained."
"Open wide." Lucky
playfully said as he held a spoonful of ice cream in front
of Liz's mouth and then slipped the spoon between her parted lips.
They were sitting in front
of the couch on the living room floor, with Liz
resting her back against Lucky's chest. Lucky brought up another
spoonful and
she shook her head. Lucky placed the bowl on the coffee table
and began to
tenderly kiss Liz's neck.
"That's nice." She
murmured, then gasped as hit 'the' spot below her ear.
"It gets better."
Lucky replied as he tilted her head back and kissed her
mouth.
The sound of the phone ringing
broke the mood. Liz reluctantly got up to
answer it. "Hello?" Her eyes widened and she looked at
Lucky. "Hey Em.... No
you didn't interrupt anything.... Okay.... Bye." Liz walked over
and sat on
Lucky's lap. "Emily's on her way back."
"I guess that's my cue to
leave." Lucky tried to get up, but Liz refused to
move off his lap.
She wrapped her arms around
his neck. "You are coming with me to Nightshade
tonight aren't you?"
"Yeah, I'm coming."
He said standing up with her still holding on. "I have to
run by the club and talk to Mike so I may have to meet you there though."
"You'd better." Liz
said planting a kiss on his lips before he left.
"Are you still eating?"
Robin asked as she came from the kitchen carrying a
wine bottle.
"Not anymore." Brenda
said swallowing a mouthful. "It's all gone."
As she sat down Brenda poured
herself some more wine. Robin noticed that
Brenda's hands weren't very steady as she took the bottle from her
and poured a
small amount into her own glass before filling it with blood.
Robin took a
drink and closed her eyes as she savored the taste. "You had
better slow down."
"Too late." Brenda
said in a sing song voice. She leaned over and playfully
elbowed Robin. "Don't worry, I'll be perfectly fine in a couple
of hours." She
grinned. "That old hast fealing.... fast healing thing."
Robin started to giggle.
"You're drunk."
"Yeahhhhh. Don't you
look at me like that. After what they're doing to me, I
have a right to get plastered."
"Jax and Sonny?"
Brenda flopped back onto
the couch and looked up at the ceiling. "I don't know
what to do about them. No that's not right, I do know what to
do. I just don't
wanna to do it."
"You've made a decision?"
Robin asked while she stroked Brenda's hair.
Brenda turned her head to
Robin, her words slightly slurred. "I care about
him.... Hell, I don't know.... maybe if Sonny hadn't come back or I
hadn't died,
I might've convinced myself that I truly loved Jerx."
"Jax."
"That's him." Brenda
tried to sit up, but fell back. "Whoaaaa.... room
spinning."
Robin grabbed her and helped
her sit up. "What about Sonny?"
Looking at Robin, Brenda's
face changed. "I love him Robin and I want him
back, but I don't know if I should take him back. He hurt me
so badly."
"And how do you know that
he won't do it again?"
"Exactly." Brenda
grabbed Robin's hand and held it tightly. "I barely
survived last time, I almost lost my mind." Brenda took a deep
breath and was
slowly sobering up. "I saw him the other night."
"What happened?"
"He came by the loft to
talk, but he wound up holding me while I cried like
some little girl." Brenda closed her eyes. "Oh Robin, it
felt so good to have
him hold me again." Brenda opened her eyes, now completely sober.
"Now all I
have to do is tell Jax, and I don't want to hurt him again."
"It'll hurt him a lot more
if you let him go on believing that you're in love
him."
Brenda sighed. "When
did our lives get so complicated?"
"Speak for yourself, I have
the man I want." Robin said grinning.
"And you just love rubbing
it in don't you, Bat Girl?" Brenda said sa
rcastically.
"Seriously. You can't
put this off."
"I know." Brenda leaned
back. "I'm just not sure I want to fire the first
shot of World War III."
The loft,
early evening.
Aaron and Methos were tripping
over each other in the kitchen. While Aaron
made show of preparing the salad, Methos stood at the stove fixing
his
fettuccini and commenting on why Aaron can't just use bottled salad
dressing
like normal people, instead of making his own. Aaron looked at
him
disdainfully, and Terry just shook her head smiling as she gathered
dishes and
went to set the table.
There was going to be four
for dinner. Methos had told Aaron about the woman
he had started seeing and Aaron had him invite her over. Both
Aaron and Terry
were a little curious about this woman who seemed to have had such
an effect on
their old friend.
Terry was arranging the
linens and the silverware when she was interrupted by
the door buzzer. Opening the door she greeted Eve Lambert with
a kiss to her
cheek. "Please come in."
"Thank you." Eve said.
Mariah took Eve's coat and
purse and set them near the door. Turning back she
got her first good look at her. Methos was right, she was very
lovely,
beautiful in fact. "Would you care for a glass of wine."
Eve nodded and Terry
poured her a glass just as the men came out of the kitchen.
An hour later they were
sitting around the dining room table enjoying a very
fine meal. Eve and Terry spent almost the entire dinner talking
to each other,
leaving the men feeling a tad left out.
"This was fabulous."
Eve said appreciatively as she took a last bite of
fettuccini.
"Thank you." Methos
and Aaron said simultaneously, causing both women to
laugh.
"Anyone for coffee?"
Terry piped in. She stood to begin clearing the table,
and Eve gestured to Methos and Aaron to stay seated, and she rose to
help Terry.
"She's beautiful Methos."
Aaron said when the women were out of earshot.
Terry and Eve returned a
few minutes later with a tray and the group moved into
the living room. The next couple of hours were spent chatting,
Aaron and Terry
learning about Eve, and she learning about them. Finally Eve
stood up.
"I'd better be getting home....
I have early rounds at the hospital tomorrow."
After Aaron and Terry said
good night to her, Methos walked Eve out to her car.
"They like you." He said kissing her warmly.
She kissed him back.
"I like them too."
They made plans for tomorrow
and Methos stayed outside until he saw her car
disappear. Aaron came up behind him and Methos didn't flinch
when he put his
arm around him.
"She's a great lady, old
man."
"She certainly is."
Placing his arm around his old friend they walked back
into the loft.
Once inside Aaron poured
a couple of drinks and handed one to Methos. "The two
of you seem pretty close. Have you considered telling her?"
Methos sat on the couch
and Aaron sat next to Terry who snuggled up to him. "I
don't know yet."
"What's stopping you?"
Terry asked shoving one of Aaron's hands off her thigh.
Methos chuckled at the two
of them. "We've only known each other about a week.
I don't think that's long enough to hit her with the life and times
of the
world's oldest man."
V paced back and forth in
front of the park bench, she let out a small yelp
when a hand touched her from behind. Turning around she punched
Derek in the
chest. "Dammit don't do that!"
"Sorry." Derek said
as he quickly moved past her. "Is this where they were
found?"
V came up next to him.
"Yeah. Right over there." She said pointing. "They
were lying behind those bushes, there was barely an attempt to hide
them. The
ME put the time of death just before sunrise."
Derek surveyed the ground
and the surrounding area using his keen vampire
senses to try to find something the police would have missed, but there
was
nothing. "Did you find anything?"
"Nothing. Not a damn
thing, they were both clean." V touched his arm. "This
could get very dicy my
friend. My surperiors aren't stupid, they are going to want to
know what's
going on. So the sooner we find out whose responsible for this,
the better off
we'll all be."
Derek turned to face her.
"I know whose responsible." V asked him who. "That
doesn't concern you. What you have to do is bury this thing before
the wrong
people start asking questions."
Emily exited the elevator
and started for her apartment, she was about to place
the key in the lock when a hand grabbed her around her mouth.
"Don't scream, just listen."
The female voice whispered. "Your life is in
danger." Emily struggled against the woman, but couldn't break
free. "Tell
your man that he has made a dangerous enemy."
The strange woman released
her hold and Emily spun around to find no one
standing there. She leaned back against the wall and started
crying.
CHAPTER 10
The Quartermaine mansion.
Dinner at the Quartermaines
always ended the same way. An argument, usually
started by Edward, would disrupt the meal to the point where just about
everyone
would lose their appetite causing them to retire to the study for a
much needed
drink.
Edward had just finished
pouring himself another whiskey. "I've made a few
more calls to my friend the judge, within a month Michael will be us
where he
belongs."
Monica looked at her father-in-law
with disgust. "He belongs with his father
Edward."
"But he's not with his father,
is he?" Edward replied smugly. "No. He's with
that tramp Carly Roberts alone, now that your son the mob boss has
taken up with
Robin Scorpio again." He moved to stand in front of the fireplace.
"This is
just the chance we've been looking for, now all that we have to do
is convince
Carly that Michael belongs here."
"And how are you going to
do that Father?" Alan asked.
"By paying her of course.
I think she'll be more receptive to an offer since
Jason is no longer standing behind her."
"Edward Quatermaine you
even try it and I'll make you the sorriest man who ever
lived." All eyes in the room turned to see a livid Lois standing
in the
doorway. She walked over to Edward and shot him an evil stare
that caused him
to turn away. "I can't believe you're even considering doing
what you're
thinking." She turned shot the same glare at Alan and AJ.
"And you two, how
can you even entertain the idea of stealing Jason's child."
"He belongs with his family
Lois." AJ said defiantly.
"He's with his family AJ,
his mother." Lois shot back.
"That tramp doesn't deserve
to raise my great-grandson." Edward interjected.
"Why? Because you
say so." Lois was now losing her temper. "Now I know all
about Miss Carly Roberts, and what she did to AJ, but don't you dare
try to tell
me that's the only reason you want Michael."
"What are you talking about?"
AJ asked a little confused.
"You want to get back at
her, and you want to get back at Jason for cutting you
all off."
"That's ridiculous."
Edward blustered.
"It's the truth. He
refused to live in this house, he refused to let you..."
She said pointing at Edward. "...run his life, and he dared to
think that he
could decide for himself how to live his life."
"And look at the decisions
he's made. He's taken over for Sonny Corinthos, my
grandson is nothing but a common criminal."
Lois almost laughed.
"And that's what really bugs you don't it? Everytime he
makes the evening news your name is right bedside his and everyone
knows that
he's related to you." She started to poke Edward in the chest.
"And that's why
you want to take his son."
"Well spoken my dear."
Lila said. She watched the entire scene and smiled to
herself knowing that only Lois could put the three men in her life
in their
place.
"You don't know what you're
tal......" AJ started to say, but he was
interrupted by Ned.
"Forget it junior, you'd
better quit while you're behind." Ned came over and
kissed Lois on the cheek and she blushed slightly. "All three
of you know that
Lois is right."
"Thanks Nedly." She
whispered.
Derek opened the door to
Mariah's office, sitting on the sofa were Liz, Mariah
and Emily. He closed the door and Emily looked up. Upon
seeing him she
immediately ran to him, he wrapped his arms around her as she buried
her face
into his chest. Discreetly Mariah and Liz vacated the office
to give the two of
them a few moments alone.
He walked her back to the
sofa and set her down gently. "Are you alright? She
didn't hurt you?"
"No. She just frightened
me." Emily said wiping a tear from her face, feeling
a hundred times better now that Derek was here.
"I'm sorry." Derek
turned away from her. "This is my fault. If it weren't
for me your life wouldn't be in danger right now."
"Danger from who?
And why did that woman warn me?"
"I can't tell you, not yet."
He turned back around and clasped her hand
tightly. "There are things about me that you have to know, and
I promise you
when this is over I'll tell you everything."
"Okay. I'm going to
hold you to that." Emily said as held herself close to
him.
Outside in the club, Mariah
and Liz were sitting in one of the boothes. Robin
came walking over and saw the strain on their faces. She asked
what was wrong
and Mariah told her.
"You think it could be the
same ones who caused that little scene the other
night?" Robin asked sitting down as Liz slid out of the booth
and went to the
bar.
"I'm certain of it."
Mariah said offering a cigarette to Robin, who waved no.
"These upstarts.... there are always a few in every generation who
think the
rules that we've lived by for thousands of years don't apply to them."
"They have to be stupid
to take on Derek, him being an Enforcer and all."
Mariah takes a deep drag
and closes her eyes before exhaling. "My instincts
tell me intelligance isn't something these youngsters are blessed with
an
overabundance of." Robin's cell phone rings and Mariah chringes.
"Blasted
things, I hate them."
Robin laughs as she answers
it. "Hello.... Jason.... You can't?.... Well
okay.... No I'm going to stay here for awhile longer....Okay.... I'll
see you
back home.... I love you.... Bye." Robin closes her phone looking
disappointed.
"Well there goes my plans for the evening."
"Something wrong?"
"Jason was supposed to meet
me here and then we were going to the theater, but
he has to go to New York tonight on.... business."
"Business?" Mariah
raised an eyebrow. "Well I guess that means you're stuck
spending the evening with me." She smiled.
Robin returned her smile
as Derek and Emily came out of the office. Emily came
over and kissed Robin on the cheek. "I'm gonna head home."
"Alone?" Robin asked
and Emily nodded. "I have an idea. Jason has to stay in
New York tonight, so why don't you spend the night with me in the penthouse."
Emily started to shake her head. "It'll make me feel better and
it will make
Jason feel better too when he finds out."
Emily threw her hands up.
"Okay, okay. I'll stay, but just for tonight."
Derek then escorted the
two women out of the club. They stopped and said good
night to Liz who was waiting at the bar for Lucky to arrive.
Mariah came up and
sat next to her.
"Emily will staying at Robin's
tonight." Mariah said as she lit another
cigarette.
"That's probably a good
idea." Liz said taking a drink.
"What's a good idea?"
A voice from behind came.
"Hey, babe!" Liz gave
Lucky a quick kiss and then introduced him to Mariah.
Lucky took her hand and
stared at her. Liz elbowed him in the stomach and
Lucky looked down embarassed. "Pig." Liz said rolling her
eyes.
Mariah laughed a little.
"Don't be too hard on him Elizabeth, I seem to have
that effect on people." She got off her stool allowing Lucky
to take her place.
"Have a pleasent evening you two." Mariah then turned and went
to her office.
Lucky and Liz didn't hear her as they were too busy kissing.
Wyndemere.
Stefan handed Sarah a cup
of coffee and then offered one to Alexis. "Natasha?"
"Thank you." Alexis
said.
Sarah took a sip.
"Dinner was delicious Mr Cassadine."
Stefan took a seat next
to Alexis. "Please Sarah, I've told you before call me
Stefan."
For the next hour or so
the three of them chatted. Sarah found out that Alexis
was really Stefan's sister, not his cousin. She also found that
she was aware
of his association with the Watchers, and although she's not an official
member,
Alexis does help Stefan out occasionally with his research and other
duties.
Sarah asked if Nikolas knew
and Alexis said he doesn't. Nikolas has other
concerns she explained, such as taking over the Cassidine business
empire on his
25th birthday. As they spoke Alexis noticed that Sarah would
glance at Stefan
and then turn away before he noticed. She took a sip and smiled
to herself at
the thought.
"Where's Nikolas?"
Alexis asked Stefan. "I thought he was going to join us."
"He went into the city earlier."
Stefan said. "He hasn't been himself the
last few weeks."
"That may be partly my fault."
Sarah said causing both Alexis and Stefan to
look at her.
Stefan then spoke.
"Sarah it has nothing to do with you." Alexis looked at
Stefan, hearing genuine concern for this young woman's feelings in
his voice.
"Nikolas is just going through some things. His mother and Luke
Spencer taking
his sister with them to North Carolina while Laura recuperates from
her injuries
has upset him as well."
"I know that, but seeing
me here all the time isn't helping."
Alexis leaned forward.
"Sarah, Nikolas treated you very poorly when he broke
things off with you for another woman. I think that seeing you
here has just
forced him to understand how badly he handled the situation."
She reached out
and took Sarah's hand. Alexis got up. "Now that I've had
a very fine meal, I
think I'll head back to the hotel."
Stefan got up too and followed
her to the door. "I've been meaning to talk to
you about that? I would like you to come back to house.
I'd like you to come
home, Natasha."
Alexis smiled and held him
tightly as a tear rolled down her cheek. "Thank you
Stefan, I'll pack my things." Stefan held the door open and watched
her walk
down to the dock.
Sarah came up slowly behind
him. "I guess I'll head home too."
Stefan turned around and
took Sarah's hand. "Well I'll wish you good night
then."
"Good night." Sarah
leaned forward and kissed his cheek tenderly.
As Sarah stepped back Stefan
squeezed her hand tightly, but gently and pulled
her back to him. Sarah let out an involuntary gasp as Stefan
placed his other
hand on the small of her back. She parted her lips as Stefan
leaned down and
kissed her mouth.
They stood there for over
a minute, lost in the moment. When they finally
ended the kiss, Sarah's face was flushed and her entire body felt warm
and
Stefan could barely speak, his voice now a loud whisper.
"Good night, Sarah."
Sarah said nothing, she
just smiled at him and walked past him into the night.
Stefan closed the door and walked back to the living room. He
sunk in his
chair, staring at the floor and thinking only of the feeling of holding
Sarah so
close to him.
Sarah stood outside the
door taking deep breaths. She finally calmed herself
down enough and started for the boat dock. Nikolas came out of
the darkness
when she left. He had witnessed the entire encounter in the open
doorway and
stared coldly in the direction he saw Sarah leave.
Brenda's house.
Jax sat on the sofa listening
to Brenda explain, but not hearing a word she was
saying. She invited him over for what he thought was going to
be a quite
evening alone, the first they had in a long time. But instead,
Brenda was
telling him that she was leaving him for Sonny, again.
After several minutes Brenda
became aware that Jax wasn't moving. "Jax?" He
didn't respond. "Jax?" She said again.
She said his name several
more times and he finally looked at her. "U
nbelievable. Jerry warned me and I still let you do this to me...
again."
"Jax...."
"You want Sonny Corinthos
so bad, fine, you can have him." He got up and
walked to the door. "And whatever he does to hurt you this time....
you deserve
it."
Jax walked out leaving the
door open behind him. Brenda walked over and closed
it slowly. She held arm out and leaned on it sighing. "That
went well, didn't
it?"
As Derek left the building
where Robin and Emily lived, he sensed someone
following him. He quickly turned down an alley and waited for
whoever it was.
The small form of a woman came into the alley and Derek quickly grabbed
her by
the throat. His eyes blazed gold and his fangs were extended
as he held her
against the wall.
"Please don't hurt me."
Melissa said pleading her own eyes shifting color.
"Why were you following
me?"
"I wanted to warn you."
Derek slowly lowered her
to the ground, but still held her tight. "It was you,
you were the one outside of Emily's apartment."
"Yes." Melissa was
still shaking with fear. "I wanted her to tell you what
Zed was up to."
"And what is he up to?"
Derek lessened his grip as Melissa began to tell of
Zed's plan for revenge. "And he thinks by killing me, he'll automatically
move
into a position of power here?" Melissa nodded. "Why are
you telling me this?"
"Because I hate him."
Melissa then told him the story of how she became one of
Zed's crew. Derek felt pity for this woman who was brought into
this world of
thiers against her will and was now at the mercy of a man who was cleary
insane.
"You have to protect me. When Zed finds out I'm gone, he'll know
what I've
done."
Derek placed his arm around
the crying woman. "Don't worry he won't hurt you.
Zed is through hurting anyone." Together they walked into the
darkness.
Neither one noticing a shape behind them lauch itself into the air.
CHAPTER 11
The practice hall,
early the next day.
Brenda and Aaron were sparring
while Methos sat at the side watching intently.
As they spun around Aaron left himself open for an obvious attack.
Moving her
sword as though she had fallen for the trap, Brenda feinted quickly
then brought
the blade back in a quick half circle. Aaron just barely countered
the attack
and lost his grip on his blade when Brenda followed up with a sharp
blow across
the back of his sword.
"Where the hell the did
you learn that move?" Aaron asked laughing as he
picked up his sword.
"From him." Brenda
replied pointing over at Methos. "We had a little session
earlier and he tried the exact same stunt."
Methos had walked over and
was standing next to Brenda. "Only when I tried
it.... it worked."
Brenda grabbed her sword
case and started upstairs. "As much as I would like
to stay here and beat you again." She said playfully poking Aaron
in the chest.
"I'm gonna run upstairs and take a shower before I go see Robin."
The two men had drifted
over the couches, and as Methos watched Brenda
disappear up the stairs he turned to Aaron. "So just how good
is Brenda?"
"Truthfully?" Aaron
shrugged. "She can hold her own against most of us. Give
her a few more years of experience and she'll be one of the best.
Her and
Elizabeth." He finished, his voice filled with pride.
"You wouldn't be exaggerating
just a bit, would you?" Methos remarked.
Aaron shook his head.
"Nope. I'd bet anything that she and Elizabeth can take
care of most of the younger ones out there."
"I wouldn't make that bet
if either of them met up with Richie Ryan." Methos
remarked.
"I wasn't counting him."
Aaron said as finished wiping his blade. "But I tell
ya this. I'd give Brenda better than even odds against Duncan
MacLeod, you the
know the weakness he has for dark brunettes."
Methos started laughing
and put his arm around Aaron as they too went back
upstairs to the loft.
Emily and Liz's.
Lucky groaned as the sound
of the ringing phone pierced his eardrum. Not
looking, he reached over and picked up the reciever and handed to Liz.
She
propped herself up on Lucky's chest and spoke.
"hello?" She said
not fully awake. "No Mrs Quatermaine, Emily's not here....
She spent the night with Robin.... Okay.... Bye."
She handed the phone back
to Lucky, who lifted his head off the pillow so he
could put the reciever in it's cradle. He picked up the alarm
clock that was
next to the phone. "It's six o'clock. You want to get up?"
Liz didn't even bother to
open her eyes. "No." She snuggled closer to him
before drifting off to sleep again. Lucky lifted his head and
smiled at her.
He then tossed the alarm clock onto the floor and went back to sleep.
Emily stretched as she walked
down the hall. Seeing the door to Robin's room
slightly ajar, she peeked her head in. Robin was lying uncovered
on her back.
From the door Emily couldn't tell if Robin was breathing, she was about
to check
when Robin suddenly shifted in her sleep. Exhaling in relief,
Emily quietly
closed the door the behind her and continued on her way to the kitchen.
Holding a cup of coffee,
she settled herself onto the couch. She looked around
the penthouse. All traces of Carly's stab at decorating were
now replaced by
Robin's subtle and refined tastes. There was one odd thing though,
there were
no plants anywhere in the room, apart from a vase of roses on the endtable
next
to her.
A knock on the door startled
her. <Who could that be?> She got up to answer
it, suddenly realizing she was still dressed in the t-shirt she wore
to bed.
She ran her hands through her long hair and tried to pull the shirt
that stopped
just below her waist down a little further. Positioning herself
behind the
door, she slowly opened it.
"Brenda." Emily quickly
invited her in.
Brenda hugged her.
"Hey Em. What are you doing here?"
"Jason spent the night in
New York last night and Robin invited me to stay."
She explained deciding not to bother her with the incident outside
her
apartment.
"Is Robin still asleep?"
Brenda asked.
"No she's awake."
A voice from above came.
Robin came downstairs wearing
her silk robe. She hugged Brenda and the two
headed for the kitchen, while Emily went upstairs to get dressed.
Brenda
watched as Robin took a wine bottle from the refrigerator and poured
it contents
into a coffee mug, she then placed the mug into the microwave for several
seconds. Brenda repressed the naucious reflex as Robin drank
from the now
steaming cup.
"I told Jax." Brenda
said.
"How'd he take it?"
"He was calm." Brenda
told her as they walked into the living at got
comfortable on the couch. "In fact, he was really calm.
He didn't get angry,
he didn't throw things, he just stayed calm. It was kind of scary."
V looked through the peephole
to see who was pounding on her door. She brushed
a strand of wet hair out of her face and checked the towel wrapped
around her.
She opened the door and saw Jax leaning against the door frame.
He swayed
slightly as he looked at her.
"You're drunk." She
told him as she helped him inside. "What happened?" V
asked as she sat him down on the arm of her couch.
Jax exhaled and V got a
smell of alcohol. "Brenda Barrett happened."
<Damn her. She
did it again.> V thought. "Let me get you some coffee."
"I don't want coffee, I
want to wallow in my own stupidity for a while."
Jax reached out to grab
her, but pulled the towel off her instead. V stood in
front of Jax completely naked. He just stared at the beautiful
woman before
him, and then his eyes rolled back and he fell backwards onto the couch
unconscious.
Robin touched Brenda's shoulder.
"You had to do it, Bren. You couldn't let
things go on the way they were."
Brenda tried to smile.
"I know. You're right, but this is the second time
I've ripped out Jax's heart." She got up and paced around in
front of Robin.
"And whatever happens as a result, it's going to be my fault."
Robin glanced up at her,
a look of concern on her face. "You don't think Jax
will do something, do you?"
"Robin I don't know."
Brenda shrugged her shoulders. "He wasn't exactly
rational when it came to Sonny before this, and now that I've chosen
Sonny over
him again... I don't know what he'll do."
In the international terminal
at the airport an attractive woman with honey
blond hair approached customs. The attendant looked up at her
and smiled.
"Anything to declare this, Miss?"
"Just this." She said
with just a hint of a english accent in her voice.
She placed a three foot
long case on the desk in front of her and opened it to
reveal a sword. She produced an official looking piece of paper
from her coat
and handed it to the attendant. The man looked over the document that
stated the
woman was a private antique dealer specializing in ancient weapons
who was
bringing a rare sword to a potenial buyer for evaluation.
The attendant handed the
paper back and closed the case for her. "Enjoy your
stay Miss, and welcome to the United States."
"Thank you." The woman
said sweetly, then walked through the airport and
hailed a cab.
"Where to ma'am?"
The driver asked.
"Port Charles Hotel."
"No.... I don't know how
much longer we will be here.... There's been a problem
and I don't feel good about going back home until it's taken care of....
No Nat,
it's nothing you need to worry yourself or Nick about.... Yeah,
I know, I miss
you two too.... Okay, get back to work.... Talk to you later.... Bye."
Terry
hung up the phone just as Aaron came from the bathroom.
He had a towel around his
waist and was busy drying his hair with another.
Terry shot him a angry look. "Hey! You took one without
me."
Aaron walked up and kissed
her. "I waited for fifteen minutes. How's Nick and
Natalie?"
Terry giggled. "Sorry.
They're fine. Nat's wondering what's taking us so
long to get home."
"I'll bet she is."
Aaron said as he continued to kiss her neck.
Terry ran her nails down
his bare back. Coming to his waist she reached around
and undid the towel. It fell to Aaron's feet and he picked up
his wife and
carried her to the bedroom.
"Where do you think you're
going?" Lucky said as he grabbed Liz by the waist.
Liz laughed as she allowed
herself to be pulled back to bed. "I'm going to the
kitchen to get something to eat. I'm hungry."
"So am I." Lucky said
as kissed her slowly and passionately.
As the intensity increased
Liz raised her arms and Lucky lifted her nightshirt
over her head. Lucky buried his face into her neck, kissing his
way down her
throat as she wrapped her arms around him. He rolled her onto
her back as his
mouth found her breasts. While his tongue traced the area around
her nipple,
his left hand slowly traveled down her stomach.
Finding the waistband of
her underwear, his fingers brushed over the silky
material, causing her to gasp slightly. If her lungs could hold
enough air, Liz
would have moaned as he slipped his hand inside. Lucky continued
to kiss her
mouth, neck and breasts, but Liz could take no more of his teasing,
and despite
her labored breathing, she managed to gasp. "Lucky... please...."
Those were the words Lucky
wanted to hear. All the while he was kissing her,
he tried to surpress his own desire and need and tried to please her.
He kissed
her mouth again and Liz let out a small cry as he entered her.
She wrapped one
leg around his hip and tried pull him even deeper into her.
Lucky gave up any hope of
maintaining control and surrendered totally to the
pleasure of being with the woman he loved more than life itself.
He pulled his
mouth away for a moment to push a lock of hair off her face.
Her cheeks were
flushed, her eyes were dilated with desire, her lips were full and
swollen from
his kisses.
They moved together for
what seemed like an eternity, then Liz's body tensed up
and she practically bit into Lucky's shoulder as she tried muffle her
scream. A
second after Liz, Lucky groaned as well, finally reaching his own peak.
Trembling slightly, Liz pulled him down to her and kissed him.
Lucky reluctantly rolled
off of her and onto his back. Liz curled herself next
to him and with a look of contentment on her face drifted off to sleep.
Lucky
looked at the sleeping form next to him and wondered what he had done
to
derserve such a woman.
He couldn't help but wonder
how long such peace could last. He was going to
find out..... and soon.
CHAPTER 12
The Gatehouse.
Ned poured Lois another cup
of coffee. She smiled sweetly up at him.
"Thanks."
After leaving the mansion
last night they came here to the gatehouse and just
talked to each other until the early hours of the morning. Lois
told him that
she missed everyone and decided it was time for her to move back to
Port
Charles. Ned practically started beaming at the news that his
daughter would
living close to him.
As they talked they drifted
onto the subject of their marriage and the cause of
it's end. Over the last several months, Ned told Lois, he had
started to
realize that she was right when she said that the family business was
taking
over his entire life, but during this trip to Dallas he had come to
a decision
of his own.
He was leaving ELQ.
He'll stay on for one more year to find a replacement. He
wasn't going to let Edward decide who was going to take the reins from
him. He
wanted someone he felt he could trust in the position, someone who
would run the
business with some common sense and not just an eye for the bottom
line, but if
he didn't find someone suitible in that time, he'll go ahead and let
Edward
choose. Edward could give it to AJ and junior could run the company
into the
ground for all he cared. He has given his share to the family,
more than his
share. Now it's his turn to get what he lost back.
Lois smiled as she heard
this, she was so proud of him for making this
decision. As he was talking, Lois realized that Ned made his
choice to leave
just about the same time she decided to come back to PC. She
shook her head
thinking that someone up there must be having a good laugh.
As the evening progressed
they drifted off the subject of his family and the
business. Lois had dug out of her purse the most recent pictures
of little
Brooke Lyn. Ned smiled proudly at the beautiful little girl,
who he was sure
would grow up to look just like her mother. As Lois talked him
through each
picture she kicked off her shoes and snuggled up next to him.
Ned could smell
her perfume, she was wearing his favorite scent.
He reached over to take
the next picture from her and their fingers touched.
It felt as though a surge of electricity passed through them both.
Ned leaned
over and hesitantly touched Lois' lips with his own. Lois parted
her lips ever
so slightly and quickly darted her tongue into his mouth. Not
wanting to
release their now interlocked fingers, Ned wrapped his right arm around
his
former wife and pulled her to him as he leaned back on the couch so
that Lois
was know lying on top of him.
It was Lois who finally
broke the kiss, but both of them were breathing hard
stunned at the depth of the connection between them that was still
there, even
after all this time. Lois bit her bottom lip, unsure of what
to do next. She
looked down at Ned. This man has broken every promise he ever
made to you, her
head said. But he also loves you and gave you beautiful daughter,
her heart
replied.
Ned looked up at Lois, her
long curly black hair was draped over her face. He
reached a hand up and brushed some of it aside so that he could see
her
beautiful blue eyes. Lois looked down at him and their eyes locked.
She knew
he was telling her the truth, whatever lies he told her in the past
didn't
matter, he was telling her the truth now.
Lois kissed him again with
renewed intensity. Surrendering his mouth she
whispered into his ear. "Make love to me Eddie."
Ned had dreamed of hearing
those words almost every night since Lois left him,
and each time he reached out to touch his angel, he would always wake.
But this
time it was no dream, Lois was really here. They made love right
there on the
couch before Ned carried her upstairs to the bedroom they once shared
as husband
and wife. They made love twice more that night before falling
asleep in each
others arms.
Lois drank her coffee as
she tried, unsuccessfully, to push thoughts of last
night and Ned lying next to her where he belongs from her mind.
She sat the cup
down and coughed a little as if clearing her throat. Ned sat
down across from
her and looked like he wanted to say something.
"About last night."
Ned and Lois said at the exact same time. They stared at
each other for a second and then laughed.
"You first." Ned said.
"Nah, you go ahead."
Lois said back.
Ned shifted in his seat
unsure of exactly how to begin. "What happened last
night.... between us...." He stammered. "I'm not going
to pretend that....
what we did has magically erased everything else that happened....
I know it
hasn't.... and I want you to know that there was someone I was seeing...."
Lois got off the couch and
knelt in front of him. "Ned...." She said taking
one of his hands. "Bren told me all about Alexis Davis."
She brought her other
hand up to his face. "I know that we still have a lot things
to straighten out
between us and it's gonna take time, but what last night did prove
is.... that
we still love each other." Lois released Ned's hand and brought
hers up so she
could frame his face. "Yeah, you heard right." She said
as a tear rolled down
Ned's cheek. "I love you. I never stopped." Lois'
eyes were starting to tear
too. "And I want to give us another chance."
Ned just stared at her,
tears now flowing freely down his face. He reached
down, picked her up and kissed her passionately. "I love you
Lois." He said,
his voice overcome with emotion. "Please come home."
Nightshade,
that afternoon.
As is her custom Mariah was
the first one up in the club. She sat at the bar
in her nightgown, slowing sipping her glass, puffing occasionally on
a burning
cigarette and reading the Port Charles Herald. Contrary to what
some believed
Mariah didn't live in one the back rooms of the club, she instead lives
in a
secret converted loft apartment just above the club.
The staterooms in back were
currently occupied by only three people. Two of
them were taken by a couple of young men passing through on their way
to New
York City. The third, it was being used by a young woman brought to
her
establishment by Derek the night before. Mariah inwardly questioned
his
decision to bring her here. If her sire is a crazy as Derek seems
to think, her
presence could be an invitation for trouble.
Mariah lifted her head at
a sound behind her. "Good afternoon, my dear." She
pivoted on her stool to look at the young lady before her. Amazing
what a
little soap and water can do Mariah thought.
Melissa stood before the
elder vampire wearing a nightgown identical to the one
Mariah was wearing. Her face, cleaned of the garish makeup she
was forced to
where by her sire, was quite lovely and gave her a look of innocence,
an
innocence that was taken long ago. Her hair, that once hung down
to her waist,
was so dirty and natted that Mariah was unable to even get a brush
through it
and so she was forced to cut it all off. It was now shoulder
length and styled
in a most attractive way.
Melissa stepped forward
slowly a little self-conscious about her new a
ppearance. "Where are my clothes?"
"I burned them." Mariah
hopped off her stool and seemed to glide across the
floor. "Don't worry." She said placing an arm around her.
"I'm sure we can
find you something suitible to wear." Not to mention clean she
said to herself
as they made their way upstairs to Mariah's loft.
Sweat beaded down Brenda's
chest as she hit the body bag, finally ending her
workout with two quick upercuts. Breathing hard she looked down
at her bruised
knuckles, a couple were even bleeding, but she watched as the breaks
in her skin
slowly closed up and the purple marks disappeared. Over a solid
hour of
punching a heavy bag and she still possessed a model's hands.
Brenda picked up a bottle
of water, she took a drink and then poured the bottle
over her head and neck. She felt the buzz and turned her head
towards the door.
"Hi V." She said seeing who it was. V said nothing as she
marched over to
Brenda and punched her in the face. She grabbed her nose and
felt it crack as
she wiped the blood away. "What the hell did you do that for!?!?"
Brenda had never seen V
like this. "You had to do it, didn't you? You had to
hurt him again?"
"What the hell are you talking
about!?"
"I'm talking about Jax!"
V said losing what was left of her temper. "You
couldn't decide between him or Sonny, so you just strung him along
while you
made up your mind. You let Jax fall in love with you all over
again and then
you just ripped his heart out!"
"Listen...." Brenda
started not liking at all the way V was speaking to her.
"I'm sorry for what I did. I know a made a huge mistake in the
way I handled
this whole thing and I should've told Jax the truth, but don't you
dare accuse
me of deliberately hurting Jax. Just who the hell do you think
you are?"
"I'm someone who cares about
him, unlike you!" V blurted out.
Brenda suddenly realized
why V was so angry with her. Her own words and the
look on her face told Brenda the whole story. "You're in love
with him." She
whispered.
"What?" V said suprised.
Brenda came close to her.
"You are. You're in love with Jax."
V turned away from Brenda.
She was right, V did love him and has for a long
time, practically from the day she first met him. But he was
in love with
Brenda and nothing she could do would change that, so she pushed any
thought of
the two of them being together right out of her mind. And it
worked, until that
night they kissed, that is.
"Ohhhh, goooddd."
V sighed as she turned back around to face Brenda. "I'm
sorry."
"Forget it." Brenda
smiled. "I probably deserved it. I take you've seen
him." V nodded. "How is he?"
"He's at my place sleeping
off what looks and smells like an all night bender."
Jax groaned and grabbed his
head as he sat up in bed, in a strange bed, in a
strange room, in his shorts. He looked over at the nightstand
and saw a small
bottle of aspirin with a note attached. "Take these." The
note said in V's
handwriting.
He picked up the bottle
and walked, well stumbled really, to the bathroom. Jax
filled a glass with water and took a few of the pills. Another
note was taped
to the mirror. "Now take a shower." On the seat of the
toilet were a couple of
folded towels and a robe. Jax reached in and turned on the water,
when it was
hot enough he stripped off his boxers and did what he was told.
The boat carrying Sarah Webber
arrived at Spoon Island. One of guards helped
Sarah step onto the deck then returned to his post. She had only
gotten a dozen
or so yards from the dock when a voice startled her.
"What are you doing here?"
Sarah stared at Nikolas.
He didn't look at all like himself, there were
distinct bags under his eyes and it was clear he hasn't shaved for
several days.
"I'm here to see Stefan."
"So it's Stefan now is it?"
Nikolas walked slowly toward her. "You didn't
waste any time did you? Moving from the son to the father."
"I'm not going to listen
to this." Sarah turned to leave, but Nikolas grabbed
her arm.
"I know what you're doing,
I saw you." Nikolas' voice grew hard. "And I'm not
going to let you take advantage of him."
"What are you talking about?"
"I saw you kiss him.
The woman my father was going to marry was killed in
front of him. He has not recovered from that and I'm not going
to see you use
him to try to make me jealous."
Sarah shook herself loose
from his grasp. "You really are full of yourself
aren't you? Believe it or not Nik, I've gotten over you.
And as for whatever
you saw between Stefan and I, it's none of your business."
She started back toward
the house, but Nik spun her around. "You continue with
this little scheme of yours and I swear... I'll make you very sorry."
Robin answered the ringing
phone. "Hello?.... Oh, hello Carly."
"Robin. Where's Jason,
he was supposed to come by and visit with Michael
today." Carly said not bothering to hide the disdain for Robin
in her voice.
"He had to go to New York
on business." Robin also didn't bother to hide her
feelings for Carly.
"Why wasn't I told.
Michael was expecting to see his father today. He's going
to be disappointed when Jason doesn't come."
"He's a baby Carly, he won't
notice."
"I know what's going on
here. You can't keep Jason from his son or me."
Robin shook her head, only
Carly could turn Jason's business trip into a plot
by Robin to keep them apart. "Carly.... I'm not keeping Jason
from Michael, or
you."
"The hell you're not!
Jason wouldn't go to New York without coming to see
Michael first. Now you get Jason, I want to talk to him!"
Robin started laughing,
even though there was nothing funny. "You don't
listen, do you? He's not here."
Carly was losing her temper.
"I will talk to him. And when I do he's going to
know what kind of vindictive little bitch you are!"
Robin jerked as Carly slammed
the phone in her ear. "Nice to talking to you
too Carly."
While Mariah searched through
her closet looking for something that Melissa
could wear, she spent the time looking around Mariah's loft, the ceilings
were
high and supported by wooden rafters, and a skylight, covered by a
retractible
metal shutter, dominiated the ceiling. The space was divided
into separate
areas and the rooms were laid out to create a homey, intimate feel.
Melissa looked over the
things Mariah had accumulated over the years.
Pre-revolutionary Russian art, post-revolutionary French antiques,
Italian
tapestrys, 500 year old china, and hanging above the fireplace, an
exquisite
painting of Mariah herself.
"I think I've found something,
finally." Mariah said coming out of her
bedroom. She held a dress in front of Melissa. "Yes, I
think this will do very
nicely."
"Why are you doing this?"
Melissa asked. "Helping me, I mean."
"Because Derek asked me
to." Mariah replied as she held out her hands for
Melissa's nightgown. "He told me of your master."
Seeing that Mariah wasn't
going to leave the room, Melissa took down her
nightgown. "What did he tell you?"
Mariah took the gown from
her and turned her back while her guest removed her
underwear. "Enough to know that you are worthy of help and don't
deserve the
fate that's coming to your former companions." Hearing the zipper
on Melissa's
new dress go up, she turned to face her. "Very lovely."
"What's going to happen
to them?" Melissa asked concerned.
Mariah walked around the
young woman admiring her. "You need not worry about
that. Your master Zed has, and if you'll forgive the bad pun,
bitten off more
than he can chew this time and it will cost him and the others their
lives."
"You're going to kill them?"
Mariah led her into the
bedroom and sat her down in front of the mirror and
started to brush her hair. "Not I, Derek will see to their deaths,
that is his
job." Mariah looked at the girl's reflection and saw that she
still didn't
understand. "They have broken the law, rules that we have lived
by for
thousands of years. And it is clear to me by your reaction that
your master has
left you quite ignorant of them as well."
"He never told me anything."
"We live by laws my dear,
laws that keep us safe from the outside world."
Mariah picked up a bottle and sprayed Melissa's hair with water.
"When those
laws are broken it endangers us all. Your friends have broken
the law. They
made kills in the city and left them where anyone could find them,
and they have
threatened the life of the Prime Enforcer and two others who are close
to him."
"And for that they're going
to be killed?"
"Not just that. There
is Zed's crime against you, and I'm certain dozens of
others, that he will answer for as well." Mariah sat the brush
down and turned
Melissa around. She placed a hand to her cheek. "Your nightmare
is almost over
my dear. By the next sunrise your master will be dead.... and
you will be
free."
"That little bitch!!!"
Zed's voice echoes through the vacant wharehouse. His
three remaining followers stood silently behind him. He turned
around to face
them, his eyes blazing red. "Sunset is in a few hours, we move
tonight." He
pointed to the two men. " Tane, Marcus, you will handle Mr Enforcer.
I want
his slut to die first.... in front of him." He walked up to the
woman.
"Shannon, the other is for you. Now I know we haven't found anything
about him,
but...." He ran his boney finger down between her ample cleevage.
"I think you
can handle whatever comes.... up"
As he turned Shannon spoke
through a seductive smile. "What about Melissa?"
Zed didn't turn around,
he just flashed an evil grin. "She's mine."