Entre l'Amour et la Mort Chapter 16, part 2
Title: Entre l'Amour et la Mort
Author: P-L
Word count:12,552
Fandom: The Hollows, AKA the Rachel Morgan Series, Rachel/Ivy
Rating: M
Disclaimer: Those characters belong to Kim Harrison. I'm just having a little fun with them.
Summary: A run gone wrong sets events into motion, events that lead to a bittersweet realisation... and the birth of Rachel's worst nightmare.
The hours passed in miserable silence only broken up by the ragged sound of my sobbing. I managed to sleep a little, but it was more like slipping back into unconsciousness than resting and didn't rejuvenate me. Time flowed sluggishly until finally, I opened my eyes and found green, piercing eyes looking back at me. The "spear" in my arm was gone. I felt like I'd been run over, backed up on then run over again, but it wasn't the soul-crushing agony of the vampire venom. My heart hurt like hell to make up for it, though.
"You're awake." The beautiful elf woman stated softly, a hint of what looked like genuine compassion in her eyes. "Good. Ivy has been asking after you."
"Ivy's awake?" I asked, my thoughts flowing about as quickly as molasses, which suited me just fine. The elf nodded her answer, her demeanour meek and subdued. I extricated myself from the tangled covers I had entangled myself into in my restless sleep and sat on the edge of the bed, rubbing some of the unreal soreness in my muscles.
"What, no nasty words?" I asked when she stood at my side with her hands behind her back, as quiet and erased as she had been before our fight. "I broke your kneecap, as I recall. Your nose, too."
"I heal very quickly." She answered quietly. "It is one of the advantages of serving Nathalie. As for nasty words, I hold no grudges against you. My earlier intervention was nothing personal. Nathalie would not approve of this discussion, but I do believe she went too far yesterday. She can be quite rash when one of her line is hurt."
"Fuck me, I never thought I'd see an elf play servant to anyone but another elf, let alone an undead vamp..."
"I am aware of the irony of my situation." She replied without a trace of anger, her hands staying firmly clasped behind her back. "However, I find it suiting for a pure-blooded elf to be serving as a low-blooded master vampire's Scion. It is a fitting twist of fate."
"You lost me there. Don't bother," I cut her off before she could explain, too weary to put up with it, "it's the story of my life anyway..." Never seeing anything coming, never understanding my own feelings before it was too late... These things had cost me my life with Ivy. I couldn't believe I'd had only a day with her. It wasn't fair. I knew life rarely was, but this was just ridiculous... in a horrible heart-breaking way. "Is Jenks all right?" I asked coolly, stowing my hostility for her bitch mistress. Angel's regrets were obvious, at least.
"I broke the spell holding him down on the promise that he do nothing to harm myself or Nathalie. He has been in here to see you a few times, but he left when some of Ivy's other acquaintances arrived."
"Who?" I demanded to know, feeling my blood turning cold with dread in my veins.
"A young vampire named Erica, and a human man named Matthew Glenn, whom I believe is a FIB agent."
Oh, sweet mother of god... Erica. What was she going through? My own brother and I were pretty much estranged, but them? She and Ivy were so close. Plus, Ivy had died before passing her bloodline on to her child. Their mother had to be so angry, for all the wrong reasons. Way to tear up the family. The young vamp had to be in hell right now. And Glenn... Ivy said Glenn was starting to feel more for her than she could respond to. He had to be in a pretty rough place as well.
"Where is she?" I asked frantically, an irresistible protective urge to see her overcoming me. She would desperately need comfort, a very vulnerable position when in the vicinity of a master vampire.
The dry sound of pixy wings and Jenks' answer made me turn around with a sigh of relief. At least he was okay.
"Nathalie's talking to her one on one." Jenks' landing on my shoulder was not quite as seamless as usual. He didn't look too good; his clothing was in disarray, and I could hear him cuss silently. It was a bad sign. If only his pride was wounded, he would act flamboyant about it, taking Tink's name in vain left and right. Only when it was serious did he swear under his breath, as to not worry those around him. "I tried to talk her out of it, but fuck me, Rache, that undead bitch knows how to get her hooks into you when you're down. She won't touch Erica, I'm sure." He added before my impulse to storm in and turn Nathalie to ashes, headache or no headache, could become more than a spike in my blood pressure. "Besides, I can hear them, and she has no claim to Erica. There's no way she could pull that shit off twice. She's..." he listened intently for a second, "calming Erica down right now. Probably all show, but Nathalie's not harming her."
"Yeah, okay." I hated this but cooled off, for now, and mentally switched off my grief. I had to keep it together a bit longer. I could break down for good once I was out of here, but for now, I had to compartmentalize.
"How are you holding up?" He asked with gentle concern, his wings brushing softly against my neck, the closest he could do to giving me a hug. I couldn't answer him; my voice caught in my throat and came out as a choked sound of anguish. I was definitely not okay. "I know. Oh, Rache, I know. Hang in there. I called David. He'll be here soon, and we can get home. You shouldn't be driving in that state."
"Glenn." In my distress over Ivy and Erica, I'd forgotten all about Glenn. "What about him? How is he?"
"Rache..." Jenks began, and I could hear in his voice that whatever happened was bad. "He's... I tried to talk him out of it, but like I said, that undead bitch knows how to twist someone around when they hurt..."
"What did she do? Glenn?!" I shouted and jogged out of the room without waiting for a reply, leaving Nathalie's quiet Scion behind. Jenks cussed some more on my shoulder as my rapid steps jostled him, but he hung on right until we stood in the sun-drenched living room. The wall of windows was broken in one section where Ivy had plummeted to her death, a large, mate black shutter having sealed the hole against the elements of sunlight harmful to vampires. The tall black man was lying on the couch, his eyes shut and his shaved head shiny with sweat. "Glenn!" I was dizzy from the run and stumbled a bit, but in a second I was by his side. His massive chest rose and dipped slowly, and he had a pulse, and I quietly thanked God. "What did that monster do to him?" I had my answer after I gave him a quick once over.
He'd been bitten.
"She bit him?!" I asked while fingering his collar to get a better view at the clean mark on his neck, already adding this to the long list of things I wanted to stake Nathalie for.
"Nathalie, no." Jenks answered from his perch. "It was Ivy, Rache. He was with her just before you woke up. Nathalie had her blow-up doll over there make some calls on Ivy's cell. Erica and Glenn were those she could reach. She got hold of Ivy's mom too, but she doesn't have a sun-proofed car, or she'd be here. Small favours."
"Oh, Glenn, why did you..." A sudden, panicked thought occurred to me. "Ivy's an undead now! Did she infect him? Is he going vamp?"
"No." Jenks reassured me. "He's fine, Rache. He smells okay, she just took a lot from him. She didn't even rough him up or anything. Not a scratch on him, I swear. He's just sleeping it off. Still, it makes me sick just thinking about it."
"Oh, why did you go and do that, you silly cookie..." I whispered again.
"Grief, of course." Jenks seethed. "That, and Nathalie filled his head with some nonsense about the importance of Ivy's first meal."
"It is hardly nonsense, master pixy." Angel piped in quietly. "The first meal of a newly reborn vampire is important. It helps them awaken and adjust. The deeper the feelings of the host towards them, the greater the effect. Mr. Glenn was the only one available aside from myself to provide Ivy with the blood she needed. I would have offered to take his place, but he was much more suited to the task, seeing as he obviously cares about her."
"Whatever." Jenks flipped her off. "That little fairy whore still took advantage of his grief to help fix her own damn mess!"
"Nathalie acted with the best interests of her charge in mind." The raven-haired elf calmly defended her mistress. "Ivy is still her responsibility for a time. She has expressed her desire to stay in this city, but she will need to be recognised by Rynn Cormel and admitted back into his Camarilla first." A knock at the door made her turn away from us. "More of your friends, I wager. I will be back. Should you decide to speak with Ivy before you depart, she is in the same room Dorothy was in. She might be asleep, but I think she will appreciate it if you woke her up."
Speaking to Ivy? I chewed on my lower lip as I considered it, torn. I knew more or less what to expect if I did. Heartbreak, tears, a woman who wore Ivy's face but wasn't her. A shell, a shadow. On the other hand, I owed Ivy a clean break from me. I wouldn't be her source of blood, and I certainly wouldn't be her Scion. I had to tell it to her face. She'd earned that much.
Entre l'amour et la mort... I never would have imagined you would abandon her. Nathalie's voice taunted me as it echoed in my mind. I didn't know whether I was a weak coward, a callous ass or simply a sane woman, but the sacrifice Ivy might require of me were too great. With a choked sound, I gathered my resolve and rose to my feet, beginning to make my way towards the room Ivy awaited me in.
As it turns out, she wasn't asleep when I pushed the door. She faced the window in her room, her back turned to me, her slender body wrapped in a cotton robe that had no doubt been swiped from the bathroom where we had shared a shower just a few hours ago. It was hard to believe it hadn't been a lifetime ago.
I almost fell to my knees observing her. There she was, my Ivy, basked in sunlight that glinted in her gold highlights, the bane to the undead. For one, hated second I believed with all my heart that she had somehow survived the fall, that it had all been a horrible, horrible dream I had just woken up from. Ivy began to turn around, a small, almost timid smile on her lips, her mien so calm and subdued she looked no more the part of a predator as a duckling. Only when I looked into her eyes did the illusion shatter. There was almost nothing there. She could stand into "the sun" like this because those were specially treated windows. The tip of her fangs peeked through her slightly parted lips; she wasn't used to their new length, and she didn't hide them properly. She was dead.
"Hello, Rachel." She spoke with her usual grey silk voice, as smooth and melodious as ever, yet sounding so terribly hollow.
"Ivy." I somehow managed to push the words past the lump in my throat. "How are you?"
"I'm... different." She spoke softly, her hand rising in front of her face, her eyes focusing on it intently as if she studied the slow flexing of her fingers and found it fascinating. "I know I'm different now. Am I... dead, Rachel? Is that why the world is so bright? So clear?" God help me, she sounded as innocent as a child, not at all like a perfect predator of the night.
"Yes." I murmured, my eyes burning with overflowing tears. "You... you died, Ivy. I'm so sorry."
"Why are you so sad?" Ivy walked slowly towards me, incomprehension on her pretty, innocent face. "I don't understand. I'm still here. See?" Her hand slowly rose to my cheek, her fingertip tracing the wet path a tear had left there.
"Your body is still there, Ivy, but your essence, what made you you is gone. Do you understand?" Her head tilted in quiet confusion. "Your soul is gone, Ivy. That's why I'm sad. Because of that, we can't be together anymore."
"I... scare you?" She asked, and I nodded truthfully in reply. "I..." She lowered her gaze to her chest and pressed a hand to it. "I know I should feel something here, but I don't... I don't like this, Rachel."
"I know. God, I know. You scare me, Ivy. I wish to God things hadn't turned out this way, but they have. I'm so sorry."
"But I've always scared you a little." She reasoned with the simple logic of a child. "Why can't we be together anymore?"
"Because you need things now, things I can't give you." I explained with a voice wispy with anguish. "You're not the woman I love anymore, Ivy. She died."
"So you're leaving me?" She lowered her head before she spoke, her short bangs falling in front of her eyes to obscure them from view. There was a knock at the door I barely heard and didn't remotely care about. With a trembling hand, I pushed those locks of silky hair away to look straight into the strong, vulnerable creature's eyes when I said that yes, I was leaving her.
My heart almost stopped in terror at what I saw. The cinnamon coloured orb staring back at me was no longer a flat, empty and soulless eye. There was something lurking within it, something viciously intelligent and calculating yet playful, like the eye of a cat playing with a mouse. A corner of Ivy's mouth lifted barely perceptibly in a nigh-invisible smirk. With a frightened gasp, I pulled my hand away, but not before that terrible eye winked at me. I stumbled backwards, almost straight into Rynn Cormel's broad chest. Strong, large hands steadied me effortlessly, but I was too busy staring at Ivy to care. It was gone. Whatever I'd seen in the depths of Ivy's eyes, if it all hadn't been a figment of my imagination, was gone.
"Rachel, Ivy." Cormel said flatly from behind me. "I hope I'm not interrupting something?"
"N-no." I stammered, still shaken and only wanting one thing; getting the hell out. "You haven't. I was j- I was just leaving."
"Ah. In that case, I would like a word with you first. Ivy, if you would excuse us?" He gave her a polite nod to which she didn't reply, as if she didn't understand what the meaning behind it was. She looked like a child again, but I was sure of what I saw. I wasn't quite clear on what it meant yet, that's all.
Only when we were out of the room could I spare enough worry to curse. Shit. It obviously hadn't been David at the door, but Cormel. He looked pissed, and with good reasons. Ivy siding with him had been one of the stronger bases to his claim of power. Now that both she and Kisten were dead, the foundation of the Cincinnati Camarilla's power was gone. Trouble ahead for him...
"I am not having a good day so far, so I will be to the point." Cormel stated after leading me away from obviously prying ears. "Now that you have so blatantly failed to safeguard Ivy's soul, what are your intentions regarding our accord?"
"What?! I just lost her, you bastard, and that's all you can think about?" Damn it, he wasn't even pretending to care anymore. I'd never seen him so angry.
"Her loss is unfortunate, however I have a very limited window to react to it before the stability of this entire city becomes at risk. I want this settled now, Rachel. Can I count on you to continue your research on your own, or do I have to tighten the noose?"
"I'm not letting you blackmail me, you ass!" I grunted and tried to shrug him off, but the undead was many times stronger than I was. He couldn't stop my mouth though. "You can shove your very absent soul up your ass! I wasn't doing this for you, I was doing it for her!"
"Have you made a deal with Nathalie, to be so confident that you can dismiss me?" He asked with a cruel, hard glint in his eyes. "I didn't think so." He turned smug, finding his answer in my silence. "Now, unless you wish to be Ivy's "welcome to the fold" gift, I would suggest keeping up your efforts, perhaps even redoubling them. I truly have no desire to cause you pain, but my goals are too important to let you turn away from them now. I will integrate Ivy into the Camarilla. I know that once her stupor dissipates, she will be a valuable asset, and she will be a perfect reminder of the fate that awaits you should you become lax in your efforts or complain too much for my tastes. Am I clear?"
Fuck, I'm sick of those undead... "Yes." I acknowledged grudgingly. I just wanted out of here. I was sore, tired, hungry and mourning. I felt like a hundred feet below rock-bottom.
"Do not make me crack the whip, Rachel. I'd much rather..." He was cut off mid-threat by loud footfalls in the hallway that made us both glance towards them.
"Mr Cormel." David growled politely at the undead. "I believe this is entirely un-gentlemanly. Would you kindly let my Alpha go?" The were was in full alpha mode, oozing authority and confidence, the effect only made more intimidating by the fact he wore his gunslinger outfit, complete with jeans, huge plated belt buckle, leather duster and cowboy hat. Slung over his shoulder was his big-ass vampire killer rifle, but what really nailed the effect was the very clear influence of the Focus in his voice. David was the Primal Alpha, the bearer of a demon-made curse that allowed him, amongst other things, to turn humans into weres. It added not only to his presence, but also to his natural abilities, and made him very scary when he put his mind to it.
"This place still stinks with death. I'd rather not add a few dozen bullet holes to the mess. You didn't kill a friend of mine, only manhandled another. I don't particularly want to kill you." He added as he casually gripped his rifle and worked its mechanism, the AK chambering a first round with a loud clack. I didn't miss the subtle emphasis he put on you, which suggested he wanted to kill someone, most probably Nathalie. Maybe he cared about Ivy more than I gave him credit for.
I could see the dilemma on Cormel's face. Backing off could be interpreted as a sign of weakness, something he could ill afford with a new, possible challenger to his authority. Ivy was slated to rule Cinci after all, no matter what claims Nathalie had briefly exerted over her. But on the other hand, he was standing in a freaking corridor, and David had an automatic rifle. Even an undead would think twice about going up against that. Sure, I was in the way, but the man was an unnaturally good shot. My own safety didn't really concern me here.
"Indeed. I will see you soon, Rachel." He backed off, releasing his death grip on my shoulder. "If you will excuse me, I still need to speak to Ivy."
"What an ass." David muttered under his breath and thumbed the safety on his gun the instant Cormel disappeared into Ivy's room. "Come here." He took me in his arms, the scent of were and aftershave mixing pleasantly in my nose, though my heart was too deadened for me to truly appreciate it. "Are you okay?" He asked me very gently. I shook my head in the crook of his neck, and his grip on me tightened as tears welled up once again in my eyes. "I didn't think so. Come on. Let's not give those bastards the satisfaction. Ceri was just a few steps behind me. I told the crazy woman she didn't need to come, but she insisted. She can be a lot scarier than any of those undead leeches." A quiet chuckle escaped me at the admiring tone of his voice. He was right there, but the tiny uplift to my mood didn't last.
As on cue, a loud slap reverberated through the apartment a heartbeat after he said that. A frantic, angry female voice came from the living room, the language not one I could recognise. I was still positive it was Ceri's voice, though. We arrived to see her shouting in a beautiful, swirling tongue that seemed more appropriate for long chants in moonlit forest clearings than verbal abuse. And it was definitely verbal abuse, the victim being no other than Angel. A bright red mark was clearly visible on her pale cheek, one that matched the small, delicate hands of my blond elf friend, whom by the way I had never seen half so pissed.
What the hell did Angel say to her? I thought as spittle flew in her face and another slap landed with a clear sound on her cheek. Thin, bloody lines were left on her skin. Ceri had scored her with her fingernails...
"I gave up trying to split them up." A vaguely awake Glenn leaning slightly on the closest wall informed us. "All the black-haired one did was bow to her, and then Ceri was all over her."
"Glenn..." I touched his arm in concern while keeping an eye on the two women. "Are you okay?"
"I know you think I'm a tool for doing this," he rubbed the sore mark on his neck after nodding without a touch of enthusiasm, "but I needed closure. I needed to see Ivy was gone. It wasn't anything like her usual bite. I was only food to her. I can mourn her now." His jaw clenched, his pride obviously the only thing keeping him together.
"I'm sorry." I whispered, shocked that so many would be mourning Ivy. And she thought she was a monster in life. I wished she could see these people who loved her and understand just how important and loved she'd been.
"My lady, I..." The black-haired elf tried pointlessly to get a word in through the stream of obscenities Ceri was spouting like there was no tomorrow.
"I cannot believe that you would disgrace your station this way!" Ceri abruptly switched back to English. "Have you forgotten your bloodline's sworn duty?! You are a Guardian, for the love of God! Serving a monster who could callously murder one of the most decent, honourable women this world has ever known? What could possibly possess you to do such a thing?"
Wait, she's a guardian? Dork! Green eyes and black hair? She told you all guardians had them. How could you not see it? Ceri had once explained to me the role Guardians played in elven society. They were supposedly these badass warriors entrusted with the safeguarding of royal lines. As I recalled, ancient elves had instilled specific dominant genetic traits in royal and guardian lines, blond hair and green eyes being the distinctive mark for royals, black hair and green eyes for their honoured guards. Quen was one, even with a human parent... and Angel was too, apparently. No wonder Ceri was upset. From her point of view, Angel was a traitor to her own people.
Ceri's hand met Angel's face twice again before the black-haired woman lost patience. Quicker than thought, Ceri's wrist landed into Angel's grip, her emerald green eyes turning as hard and piercing as they had been when she fought me.
"I offered you the deference due to your long-dead status, and this is your answer? You judge me, without even trying to understand me?" She snarled at Ceri. "I have my own reasons for serving her. I made this choice long ago, and I stand by it!" The air around them took on a charge, becoming thick and heavy. Both of them were tapping lines, blond and black hair getting tousled in a gust of wind from another dimension. I knew that if they had at it, not much of the living room would be left.
"Shit! Rache, David, Glenn, get the hell down!" Jenks shouted at us, but before the two women could turn the living room into an inferno, a deep, powerful voice toned, its gender impossible to discern.
"Enough!" Nathalie commanded with irresistible authority, having emerged from what looked like an office on the other side of the large central room. Instantly, her Scion released both the line and Ceri's arm, the blond elf standing down as well, though her eyes were still tossing daggers at Angel, while the Scion's face became unreadable at once. "Mistress Elf, I am afraid I cannot tolerate such a blatant attack on my Scion." She declared, coming to stand besides the taller of the two elves, her presence chilling everyone except her Scion. "I took her in when her own people turned their back on her. You do not hold the moral high ground here. She has merely done what was needed to survive."
"Just like a jackal living off your carrion." She snapped, turning her formidable ire towards Nathalie. "I should extinguish the unlife from you for what you did to Ivy, vampire." Ceri declared, not even slightly cowed by the aura Nathalie was pulling. "Give me one reason why I should not strike you twice dead where you stand!"
"Just one? Well, if you insist..." Nathalie mused as she slowly looked Ceri up and down, her cold grey eyes coming to rest on her baby bump visible beneath her sweater. "I'm sure your physician has warned you of the dangers vampire saliva poses to an unborn child. If I were to get a fang in, your precious child may suffer all its life for your rash actions. What kind of mother would endanger her offspring this way?"
"Do not underestimate me, foul creature." Ceri warned, her hair starting to float once more over an absent breeze. "You would never get close enough."
"I already did." Nathalie smiled broad enough to show the full length of her needle sharp fangs, her hand rising slowly in front of her face, a single finger on it extended. "Perhaps it is you who should not be so quick to underestimate me." She mocked Ceri as the elf blanched. Nathalie's fingernail was covered in blood, blood that I suspected matched the slow drip from the thin, bloody line on her cheek. Damn, the woman was fast. It just wasn't fair...
"You monster." Ceri was still angry, but I could see the vampire had shaken her to the bone. Her whole body trembled, her focus wavering. "You... monster." She repeated again and again until I put a steadying arm around her. Nobody, it seemed, was strong enough to defeat Nathalie. I felt thankful that so few vamps ever reached her age.
Staring her in the eyes, she suggestively licked Ceri's blood off her fingertip before turning her back to us dismissively. "This monster's thirst for blood and death is already slaked. I am growing tired of this. You came for Rachel, and now you have her. I want you all gone from this place, so I can settle my charges in peace."
"I'm not leaving without Erica." I protested, trying to steal a look past Nathalie into the office. The young vamp was there sitting in a chair, her back hunched as if a great weight was crushing her. I couldn't leave her here for Nathalie to toy with.
"I've got her, Rachel." Glenn offered, stepping up to Nathalie with his head high. "I'll get the kid out when she's ready. Maybe talk to her a little. We got along fine when her big sis introduced us."
"I said all of you, detective." Nathalie objected, her grey irises starting to thin in annoyance. "I do not believe I invited you to stay."
"Yeah, and all the clout in the world won't help you get away with assaulting a straight FIB agent in front of a witness. How about you indulge me?" One of Nathalie's eyebrows shot up in surprise at the human's gut. My pride of him did pretty much the same thing. I knew Glenn was a great guy, but this was in a league of its own. "Go on, Rachel. Take care of them." He addressed David, who answered with a grave nod. "We'll be okay."
"Rache?" Jenks whispered very quietly in my ear. "I think I'll stay for a little while too. You know, just in case." I nodded in acknowledgement, and a fraction of a second later, he was gone.
"Come on. It's time to go home now." David took my shoulder and guided me out, while I did the same with an arm around Ceri. Together we walked out, leaving friends, enemies and one terrible unknown behind.
"Silly, stupid elf!" Ceri berated herself once we were in the hallway. "I only had to blow every window out and the sun would have done the work for us. How dull-witted could I be?" She uttered several more curses before turning to me with huge, shimmering eyes. "I'm so sorry, Rachel. When she threatened my daughter, I... I just couldn't think anymore. I couldn't avenge Ivy. I'm sorry."
"Hey, hey." I shushed her even though I was on the verge of tears again. "I know what it's like. She's completely ruthless, and she's a freak of nature. Between her and that Scion of hers, she's damn near invincible. It's okay."
"No, it's not okay, Rachel." Her voice broke. "Ivy... she's gone now, and it's this monster's fault! Oh, Ivy... I'm so sorry. Rachel..." I held her close, her scent of green leaves mixing with the musk of were coming from David, whose arms came around the two of us, and the dual scents of redwood and vampire incense that was mine. We held each other for a long time, each of us remembering the woman Ivy used to be, a strong, determined protector ready to go to any length to keep her loved ones safe.
I knew we would all miss her terribly... but in the background of the grief and sorrow I felt, I couldn't get rid of the fear that took hold when I looked into Ivy's eyes and saw that malicious intelligence. Something told me I had not seen the last of Ivy Tamwood.
I hoped to God "something" was wrong...
With cold, narrow focus, my eyes tracked the black limousine as it emerged from the sun-proof access of the building I stood in. Warm sunlight, rendered harmless by the special armoured glass, heated my cool skin. In my hand, a cell phone, a number already dialled on the little screen, my thumb hovering over the "call" button.
"Playing them all was quite impressive, I must say, but this? Are you sure about this?" Nathalie asked from behind me. My eyes never left the car down below. "Once you press this button, you will be committed to your course of action. There will be no going back."
"I'm sure." I answered. The car stopped at a red light. It was only a few meters away from the end of the shadow cast by the building. It would be in direct sunlight in just a minute. "You opened my eyes when you killed me. Rachel's safety cannot depend on anyone but me anymore. There can be no more shady deals with the devil, no more conditional protection. I'm the only one who cares about her for her. No one else does. At best they would use and discard her, at worst kill her outright. I will not sit by and let this happen any longer."
"Hmm, no hard feelings, then?"
"I would have entertained some if you'd let her die. But you saved her, and you gave me your little gift. I think we're even now."
"I'm glad to hear it, Ivy. It would tear Skimmer apart if I had to kill you again."
"Your death would bring me nothing, Nathalie. Once I am the master of this city, with Rachel by my side, I look forward to a long friendship between us. Give Skimmer my best when you see her again, would you?"
"I will be sure to. Do you mind if I stay and watch the fireworks?"
"Not at all." The transversal light turned yellow. My immobile heart almost began beating again. The light turned green, the limo starting to move. Just as its tail bumper emerged from the shadow, I hit the call button. Every window on the limo was simultaneously blown from its frame, the armoured, sun-proof glass mostly intact even after it flew many feet into the air. Sunlight flooded the interior of the vehicle, instantly killing any undead inside. Gleefully, I savoured my victory. I had just killed Cincinnati's master vampire, the first step in reclaiming what was rightfully mine.
"Is that all?" Nathalie pouted. "I hoped for something a little more spectacular."
I only smirked in response. A second later, the incendiary charges I'd laid along with the shaped ones in the windows blew up as well. A fireball several meters in diameter erupted from the windows, guaranteeing that no one was left alive inside the limo.
"Is this more to your taste?" I asked innocently, making Nathalie laugh.
"Oh, Ivy... you truly are a wonder. How I wish you had been born to my Camarilla..." With a smile, she bowed to me politely. "Now, how else may I assist you before I go?"
I gestured to the soft cotton robe I wore. "I will need something to wear. I have a war to fight."
A/N: Phew... That was a long one. Hope it's not too much of a clusterf***... Anyone still wanna kill me, or can I come out from under my rock?
Author: P-L
Word count:12,552
Fandom: The Hollows, AKA the Rachel Morgan Series, Rachel/Ivy
Rating: M
Disclaimer: Those characters belong to Kim Harrison. I'm just having a little fun with them.
Summary: A run gone wrong sets events into motion, events that lead to a bittersweet realisation... and the birth of Rachel's worst nightmare.
The hours passed in miserable silence only broken up by the ragged sound of my sobbing. I managed to sleep a little, but it was more like slipping back into unconsciousness than resting and didn't rejuvenate me. Time flowed sluggishly until finally, I opened my eyes and found green, piercing eyes looking back at me. The "spear" in my arm was gone. I felt like I'd been run over, backed up on then run over again, but it wasn't the soul-crushing agony of the vampire venom. My heart hurt like hell to make up for it, though.
"You're awake." The beautiful elf woman stated softly, a hint of what looked like genuine compassion in her eyes. "Good. Ivy has been asking after you."
"Ivy's awake?" I asked, my thoughts flowing about as quickly as molasses, which suited me just fine. The elf nodded her answer, her demeanour meek and subdued. I extricated myself from the tangled covers I had entangled myself into in my restless sleep and sat on the edge of the bed, rubbing some of the unreal soreness in my muscles.
"What, no nasty words?" I asked when she stood at my side with her hands behind her back, as quiet and erased as she had been before our fight. "I broke your kneecap, as I recall. Your nose, too."
"I heal very quickly." She answered quietly. "It is one of the advantages of serving Nathalie. As for nasty words, I hold no grudges against you. My earlier intervention was nothing personal. Nathalie would not approve of this discussion, but I do believe she went too far yesterday. She can be quite rash when one of her line is hurt."
"Fuck me, I never thought I'd see an elf play servant to anyone but another elf, let alone an undead vamp..."
"I am aware of the irony of my situation." She replied without a trace of anger, her hands staying firmly clasped behind her back. "However, I find it suiting for a pure-blooded elf to be serving as a low-blooded master vampire's Scion. It is a fitting twist of fate."
"You lost me there. Don't bother," I cut her off before she could explain, too weary to put up with it, "it's the story of my life anyway..." Never seeing anything coming, never understanding my own feelings before it was too late... These things had cost me my life with Ivy. I couldn't believe I'd had only a day with her. It wasn't fair. I knew life rarely was, but this was just ridiculous... in a horrible heart-breaking way. "Is Jenks all right?" I asked coolly, stowing my hostility for her bitch mistress. Angel's regrets were obvious, at least.
"I broke the spell holding him down on the promise that he do nothing to harm myself or Nathalie. He has been in here to see you a few times, but he left when some of Ivy's other acquaintances arrived."
"Who?" I demanded to know, feeling my blood turning cold with dread in my veins.
"A young vampire named Erica, and a human man named Matthew Glenn, whom I believe is a FIB agent."
Oh, sweet mother of god... Erica. What was she going through? My own brother and I were pretty much estranged, but them? She and Ivy were so close. Plus, Ivy had died before passing her bloodline on to her child. Their mother had to be so angry, for all the wrong reasons. Way to tear up the family. The young vamp had to be in hell right now. And Glenn... Ivy said Glenn was starting to feel more for her than she could respond to. He had to be in a pretty rough place as well.
"Where is she?" I asked frantically, an irresistible protective urge to see her overcoming me. She would desperately need comfort, a very vulnerable position when in the vicinity of a master vampire.
The dry sound of pixy wings and Jenks' answer made me turn around with a sigh of relief. At least he was okay.
"Nathalie's talking to her one on one." Jenks' landing on my shoulder was not quite as seamless as usual. He didn't look too good; his clothing was in disarray, and I could hear him cuss silently. It was a bad sign. If only his pride was wounded, he would act flamboyant about it, taking Tink's name in vain left and right. Only when it was serious did he swear under his breath, as to not worry those around him. "I tried to talk her out of it, but fuck me, Rache, that undead bitch knows how to get her hooks into you when you're down. She won't touch Erica, I'm sure." He added before my impulse to storm in and turn Nathalie to ashes, headache or no headache, could become more than a spike in my blood pressure. "Besides, I can hear them, and she has no claim to Erica. There's no way she could pull that shit off twice. She's..." he listened intently for a second, "calming Erica down right now. Probably all show, but Nathalie's not harming her."
"Yeah, okay." I hated this but cooled off, for now, and mentally switched off my grief. I had to keep it together a bit longer. I could break down for good once I was out of here, but for now, I had to compartmentalize.
"How are you holding up?" He asked with gentle concern, his wings brushing softly against my neck, the closest he could do to giving me a hug. I couldn't answer him; my voice caught in my throat and came out as a choked sound of anguish. I was definitely not okay. "I know. Oh, Rache, I know. Hang in there. I called David. He'll be here soon, and we can get home. You shouldn't be driving in that state."
"Glenn." In my distress over Ivy and Erica, I'd forgotten all about Glenn. "What about him? How is he?"
"Rache..." Jenks began, and I could hear in his voice that whatever happened was bad. "He's... I tried to talk him out of it, but like I said, that undead bitch knows how to twist someone around when they hurt..."
"What did she do? Glenn?!" I shouted and jogged out of the room without waiting for a reply, leaving Nathalie's quiet Scion behind. Jenks cussed some more on my shoulder as my rapid steps jostled him, but he hung on right until we stood in the sun-drenched living room. The wall of windows was broken in one section where Ivy had plummeted to her death, a large, mate black shutter having sealed the hole against the elements of sunlight harmful to vampires. The tall black man was lying on the couch, his eyes shut and his shaved head shiny with sweat. "Glenn!" I was dizzy from the run and stumbled a bit, but in a second I was by his side. His massive chest rose and dipped slowly, and he had a pulse, and I quietly thanked God. "What did that monster do to him?" I had my answer after I gave him a quick once over.
He'd been bitten.
"She bit him?!" I asked while fingering his collar to get a better view at the clean mark on his neck, already adding this to the long list of things I wanted to stake Nathalie for.
"Nathalie, no." Jenks answered from his perch. "It was Ivy, Rache. He was with her just before you woke up. Nathalie had her blow-up doll over there make some calls on Ivy's cell. Erica and Glenn were those she could reach. She got hold of Ivy's mom too, but she doesn't have a sun-proofed car, or she'd be here. Small favours."
"Oh, Glenn, why did you..." A sudden, panicked thought occurred to me. "Ivy's an undead now! Did she infect him? Is he going vamp?"
"No." Jenks reassured me. "He's fine, Rache. He smells okay, she just took a lot from him. She didn't even rough him up or anything. Not a scratch on him, I swear. He's just sleeping it off. Still, it makes me sick just thinking about it."
"Oh, why did you go and do that, you silly cookie..." I whispered again.
"Grief, of course." Jenks seethed. "That, and Nathalie filled his head with some nonsense about the importance of Ivy's first meal."
"It is hardly nonsense, master pixy." Angel piped in quietly. "The first meal of a newly reborn vampire is important. It helps them awaken and adjust. The deeper the feelings of the host towards them, the greater the effect. Mr. Glenn was the only one available aside from myself to provide Ivy with the blood she needed. I would have offered to take his place, but he was much more suited to the task, seeing as he obviously cares about her."
"Whatever." Jenks flipped her off. "That little fairy whore still took advantage of his grief to help fix her own damn mess!"
"Nathalie acted with the best interests of her charge in mind." The raven-haired elf calmly defended her mistress. "Ivy is still her responsibility for a time. She has expressed her desire to stay in this city, but she will need to be recognised by Rynn Cormel and admitted back into his Camarilla first." A knock at the door made her turn away from us. "More of your friends, I wager. I will be back. Should you decide to speak with Ivy before you depart, she is in the same room Dorothy was in. She might be asleep, but I think she will appreciate it if you woke her up."
Speaking to Ivy? I chewed on my lower lip as I considered it, torn. I knew more or less what to expect if I did. Heartbreak, tears, a woman who wore Ivy's face but wasn't her. A shell, a shadow. On the other hand, I owed Ivy a clean break from me. I wouldn't be her source of blood, and I certainly wouldn't be her Scion. I had to tell it to her face. She'd earned that much.
Entre l'amour et la mort... I never would have imagined you would abandon her. Nathalie's voice taunted me as it echoed in my mind. I didn't know whether I was a weak coward, a callous ass or simply a sane woman, but the sacrifice Ivy might require of me were too great. With a choked sound, I gathered my resolve and rose to my feet, beginning to make my way towards the room Ivy awaited me in.
As it turns out, she wasn't asleep when I pushed the door. She faced the window in her room, her back turned to me, her slender body wrapped in a cotton robe that had no doubt been swiped from the bathroom where we had shared a shower just a few hours ago. It was hard to believe it hadn't been a lifetime ago.
I almost fell to my knees observing her. There she was, my Ivy, basked in sunlight that glinted in her gold highlights, the bane to the undead. For one, hated second I believed with all my heart that she had somehow survived the fall, that it had all been a horrible, horrible dream I had just woken up from. Ivy began to turn around, a small, almost timid smile on her lips, her mien so calm and subdued she looked no more the part of a predator as a duckling. Only when I looked into her eyes did the illusion shatter. There was almost nothing there. She could stand into "the sun" like this because those were specially treated windows. The tip of her fangs peeked through her slightly parted lips; she wasn't used to their new length, and she didn't hide them properly. She was dead.
"Hello, Rachel." She spoke with her usual grey silk voice, as smooth and melodious as ever, yet sounding so terribly hollow.
"Ivy." I somehow managed to push the words past the lump in my throat. "How are you?"
"I'm... different." She spoke softly, her hand rising in front of her face, her eyes focusing on it intently as if she studied the slow flexing of her fingers and found it fascinating. "I know I'm different now. Am I... dead, Rachel? Is that why the world is so bright? So clear?" God help me, she sounded as innocent as a child, not at all like a perfect predator of the night.
"Yes." I murmured, my eyes burning with overflowing tears. "You... you died, Ivy. I'm so sorry."
"Why are you so sad?" Ivy walked slowly towards me, incomprehension on her pretty, innocent face. "I don't understand. I'm still here. See?" Her hand slowly rose to my cheek, her fingertip tracing the wet path a tear had left there.
"Your body is still there, Ivy, but your essence, what made you you is gone. Do you understand?" Her head tilted in quiet confusion. "Your soul is gone, Ivy. That's why I'm sad. Because of that, we can't be together anymore."
"I... scare you?" She asked, and I nodded truthfully in reply. "I..." She lowered her gaze to her chest and pressed a hand to it. "I know I should feel something here, but I don't... I don't like this, Rachel."
"I know. God, I know. You scare me, Ivy. I wish to God things hadn't turned out this way, but they have. I'm so sorry."
"But I've always scared you a little." She reasoned with the simple logic of a child. "Why can't we be together anymore?"
"Because you need things now, things I can't give you." I explained with a voice wispy with anguish. "You're not the woman I love anymore, Ivy. She died."
"So you're leaving me?" She lowered her head before she spoke, her short bangs falling in front of her eyes to obscure them from view. There was a knock at the door I barely heard and didn't remotely care about. With a trembling hand, I pushed those locks of silky hair away to look straight into the strong, vulnerable creature's eyes when I said that yes, I was leaving her.
My heart almost stopped in terror at what I saw. The cinnamon coloured orb staring back at me was no longer a flat, empty and soulless eye. There was something lurking within it, something viciously intelligent and calculating yet playful, like the eye of a cat playing with a mouse. A corner of Ivy's mouth lifted barely perceptibly in a nigh-invisible smirk. With a frightened gasp, I pulled my hand away, but not before that terrible eye winked at me. I stumbled backwards, almost straight into Rynn Cormel's broad chest. Strong, large hands steadied me effortlessly, but I was too busy staring at Ivy to care. It was gone. Whatever I'd seen in the depths of Ivy's eyes, if it all hadn't been a figment of my imagination, was gone.
"Rachel, Ivy." Cormel said flatly from behind me. "I hope I'm not interrupting something?"
"N-no." I stammered, still shaken and only wanting one thing; getting the hell out. "You haven't. I was j- I was just leaving."
"Ah. In that case, I would like a word with you first. Ivy, if you would excuse us?" He gave her a polite nod to which she didn't reply, as if she didn't understand what the meaning behind it was. She looked like a child again, but I was sure of what I saw. I wasn't quite clear on what it meant yet, that's all.
Only when we were out of the room could I spare enough worry to curse. Shit. It obviously hadn't been David at the door, but Cormel. He looked pissed, and with good reasons. Ivy siding with him had been one of the stronger bases to his claim of power. Now that both she and Kisten were dead, the foundation of the Cincinnati Camarilla's power was gone. Trouble ahead for him...
"I am not having a good day so far, so I will be to the point." Cormel stated after leading me away from obviously prying ears. "Now that you have so blatantly failed to safeguard Ivy's soul, what are your intentions regarding our accord?"
"What?! I just lost her, you bastard, and that's all you can think about?" Damn it, he wasn't even pretending to care anymore. I'd never seen him so angry.
"Her loss is unfortunate, however I have a very limited window to react to it before the stability of this entire city becomes at risk. I want this settled now, Rachel. Can I count on you to continue your research on your own, or do I have to tighten the noose?"
"I'm not letting you blackmail me, you ass!" I grunted and tried to shrug him off, but the undead was many times stronger than I was. He couldn't stop my mouth though. "You can shove your very absent soul up your ass! I wasn't doing this for you, I was doing it for her!"
"Have you made a deal with Nathalie, to be so confident that you can dismiss me?" He asked with a cruel, hard glint in his eyes. "I didn't think so." He turned smug, finding his answer in my silence. "Now, unless you wish to be Ivy's "welcome to the fold" gift, I would suggest keeping up your efforts, perhaps even redoubling them. I truly have no desire to cause you pain, but my goals are too important to let you turn away from them now. I will integrate Ivy into the Camarilla. I know that once her stupor dissipates, she will be a valuable asset, and she will be a perfect reminder of the fate that awaits you should you become lax in your efforts or complain too much for my tastes. Am I clear?"
Fuck, I'm sick of those undead... "Yes." I acknowledged grudgingly. I just wanted out of here. I was sore, tired, hungry and mourning. I felt like a hundred feet below rock-bottom.
"Do not make me crack the whip, Rachel. I'd much rather..." He was cut off mid-threat by loud footfalls in the hallway that made us both glance towards them.
"Mr Cormel." David growled politely at the undead. "I believe this is entirely un-gentlemanly. Would you kindly let my Alpha go?" The were was in full alpha mode, oozing authority and confidence, the effect only made more intimidating by the fact he wore his gunslinger outfit, complete with jeans, huge plated belt buckle, leather duster and cowboy hat. Slung over his shoulder was his big-ass vampire killer rifle, but what really nailed the effect was the very clear influence of the Focus in his voice. David was the Primal Alpha, the bearer of a demon-made curse that allowed him, amongst other things, to turn humans into weres. It added not only to his presence, but also to his natural abilities, and made him very scary when he put his mind to it.
"This place still stinks with death. I'd rather not add a few dozen bullet holes to the mess. You didn't kill a friend of mine, only manhandled another. I don't particularly want to kill you." He added as he casually gripped his rifle and worked its mechanism, the AK chambering a first round with a loud clack. I didn't miss the subtle emphasis he put on you, which suggested he wanted to kill someone, most probably Nathalie. Maybe he cared about Ivy more than I gave him credit for.
I could see the dilemma on Cormel's face. Backing off could be interpreted as a sign of weakness, something he could ill afford with a new, possible challenger to his authority. Ivy was slated to rule Cinci after all, no matter what claims Nathalie had briefly exerted over her. But on the other hand, he was standing in a freaking corridor, and David had an automatic rifle. Even an undead would think twice about going up against that. Sure, I was in the way, but the man was an unnaturally good shot. My own safety didn't really concern me here.
"Indeed. I will see you soon, Rachel." He backed off, releasing his death grip on my shoulder. "If you will excuse me, I still need to speak to Ivy."
"What an ass." David muttered under his breath and thumbed the safety on his gun the instant Cormel disappeared into Ivy's room. "Come here." He took me in his arms, the scent of were and aftershave mixing pleasantly in my nose, though my heart was too deadened for me to truly appreciate it. "Are you okay?" He asked me very gently. I shook my head in the crook of his neck, and his grip on me tightened as tears welled up once again in my eyes. "I didn't think so. Come on. Let's not give those bastards the satisfaction. Ceri was just a few steps behind me. I told the crazy woman she didn't need to come, but she insisted. She can be a lot scarier than any of those undead leeches." A quiet chuckle escaped me at the admiring tone of his voice. He was right there, but the tiny uplift to my mood didn't last.
As on cue, a loud slap reverberated through the apartment a heartbeat after he said that. A frantic, angry female voice came from the living room, the language not one I could recognise. I was still positive it was Ceri's voice, though. We arrived to see her shouting in a beautiful, swirling tongue that seemed more appropriate for long chants in moonlit forest clearings than verbal abuse. And it was definitely verbal abuse, the victim being no other than Angel. A bright red mark was clearly visible on her pale cheek, one that matched the small, delicate hands of my blond elf friend, whom by the way I had never seen half so pissed.
What the hell did Angel say to her? I thought as spittle flew in her face and another slap landed with a clear sound on her cheek. Thin, bloody lines were left on her skin. Ceri had scored her with her fingernails...
"I gave up trying to split them up." A vaguely awake Glenn leaning slightly on the closest wall informed us. "All the black-haired one did was bow to her, and then Ceri was all over her."
"Glenn..." I touched his arm in concern while keeping an eye on the two women. "Are you okay?"
"I know you think I'm a tool for doing this," he rubbed the sore mark on his neck after nodding without a touch of enthusiasm, "but I needed closure. I needed to see Ivy was gone. It wasn't anything like her usual bite. I was only food to her. I can mourn her now." His jaw clenched, his pride obviously the only thing keeping him together.
"I'm sorry." I whispered, shocked that so many would be mourning Ivy. And she thought she was a monster in life. I wished she could see these people who loved her and understand just how important and loved she'd been.
"My lady, I..." The black-haired elf tried pointlessly to get a word in through the stream of obscenities Ceri was spouting like there was no tomorrow.
"I cannot believe that you would disgrace your station this way!" Ceri abruptly switched back to English. "Have you forgotten your bloodline's sworn duty?! You are a Guardian, for the love of God! Serving a monster who could callously murder one of the most decent, honourable women this world has ever known? What could possibly possess you to do such a thing?"
Wait, she's a guardian? Dork! Green eyes and black hair? She told you all guardians had them. How could you not see it? Ceri had once explained to me the role Guardians played in elven society. They were supposedly these badass warriors entrusted with the safeguarding of royal lines. As I recalled, ancient elves had instilled specific dominant genetic traits in royal and guardian lines, blond hair and green eyes being the distinctive mark for royals, black hair and green eyes for their honoured guards. Quen was one, even with a human parent... and Angel was too, apparently. No wonder Ceri was upset. From her point of view, Angel was a traitor to her own people.
Ceri's hand met Angel's face twice again before the black-haired woman lost patience. Quicker than thought, Ceri's wrist landed into Angel's grip, her emerald green eyes turning as hard and piercing as they had been when she fought me.
"I offered you the deference due to your long-dead status, and this is your answer? You judge me, without even trying to understand me?" She snarled at Ceri. "I have my own reasons for serving her. I made this choice long ago, and I stand by it!" The air around them took on a charge, becoming thick and heavy. Both of them were tapping lines, blond and black hair getting tousled in a gust of wind from another dimension. I knew that if they had at it, not much of the living room would be left.
"Shit! Rache, David, Glenn, get the hell down!" Jenks shouted at us, but before the two women could turn the living room into an inferno, a deep, powerful voice toned, its gender impossible to discern.
"Enough!" Nathalie commanded with irresistible authority, having emerged from what looked like an office on the other side of the large central room. Instantly, her Scion released both the line and Ceri's arm, the blond elf standing down as well, though her eyes were still tossing daggers at Angel, while the Scion's face became unreadable at once. "Mistress Elf, I am afraid I cannot tolerate such a blatant attack on my Scion." She declared, coming to stand besides the taller of the two elves, her presence chilling everyone except her Scion. "I took her in when her own people turned their back on her. You do not hold the moral high ground here. She has merely done what was needed to survive."
"Just like a jackal living off your carrion." She snapped, turning her formidable ire towards Nathalie. "I should extinguish the unlife from you for what you did to Ivy, vampire." Ceri declared, not even slightly cowed by the aura Nathalie was pulling. "Give me one reason why I should not strike you twice dead where you stand!"
"Just one? Well, if you insist..." Nathalie mused as she slowly looked Ceri up and down, her cold grey eyes coming to rest on her baby bump visible beneath her sweater. "I'm sure your physician has warned you of the dangers vampire saliva poses to an unborn child. If I were to get a fang in, your precious child may suffer all its life for your rash actions. What kind of mother would endanger her offspring this way?"
"Do not underestimate me, foul creature." Ceri warned, her hair starting to float once more over an absent breeze. "You would never get close enough."
"I already did." Nathalie smiled broad enough to show the full length of her needle sharp fangs, her hand rising slowly in front of her face, a single finger on it extended. "Perhaps it is you who should not be so quick to underestimate me." She mocked Ceri as the elf blanched. Nathalie's fingernail was covered in blood, blood that I suspected matched the slow drip from the thin, bloody line on her cheek. Damn, the woman was fast. It just wasn't fair...
"You monster." Ceri was still angry, but I could see the vampire had shaken her to the bone. Her whole body trembled, her focus wavering. "You... monster." She repeated again and again until I put a steadying arm around her. Nobody, it seemed, was strong enough to defeat Nathalie. I felt thankful that so few vamps ever reached her age.
Staring her in the eyes, she suggestively licked Ceri's blood off her fingertip before turning her back to us dismissively. "This monster's thirst for blood and death is already slaked. I am growing tired of this. You came for Rachel, and now you have her. I want you all gone from this place, so I can settle my charges in peace."
"I'm not leaving without Erica." I protested, trying to steal a look past Nathalie into the office. The young vamp was there sitting in a chair, her back hunched as if a great weight was crushing her. I couldn't leave her here for Nathalie to toy with.
"I've got her, Rachel." Glenn offered, stepping up to Nathalie with his head high. "I'll get the kid out when she's ready. Maybe talk to her a little. We got along fine when her big sis introduced us."
"I said all of you, detective." Nathalie objected, her grey irises starting to thin in annoyance. "I do not believe I invited you to stay."
"Yeah, and all the clout in the world won't help you get away with assaulting a straight FIB agent in front of a witness. How about you indulge me?" One of Nathalie's eyebrows shot up in surprise at the human's gut. My pride of him did pretty much the same thing. I knew Glenn was a great guy, but this was in a league of its own. "Go on, Rachel. Take care of them." He addressed David, who answered with a grave nod. "We'll be okay."
"Rache?" Jenks whispered very quietly in my ear. "I think I'll stay for a little while too. You know, just in case." I nodded in acknowledgement, and a fraction of a second later, he was gone.
"Come on. It's time to go home now." David took my shoulder and guided me out, while I did the same with an arm around Ceri. Together we walked out, leaving friends, enemies and one terrible unknown behind.
"Silly, stupid elf!" Ceri berated herself once we were in the hallway. "I only had to blow every window out and the sun would have done the work for us. How dull-witted could I be?" She uttered several more curses before turning to me with huge, shimmering eyes. "I'm so sorry, Rachel. When she threatened my daughter, I... I just couldn't think anymore. I couldn't avenge Ivy. I'm sorry."
"Hey, hey." I shushed her even though I was on the verge of tears again. "I know what it's like. She's completely ruthless, and she's a freak of nature. Between her and that Scion of hers, she's damn near invincible. It's okay."
"No, it's not okay, Rachel." Her voice broke. "Ivy... she's gone now, and it's this monster's fault! Oh, Ivy... I'm so sorry. Rachel..." I held her close, her scent of green leaves mixing with the musk of were coming from David, whose arms came around the two of us, and the dual scents of redwood and vampire incense that was mine. We held each other for a long time, each of us remembering the woman Ivy used to be, a strong, determined protector ready to go to any length to keep her loved ones safe.
I knew we would all miss her terribly... but in the background of the grief and sorrow I felt, I couldn't get rid of the fear that took hold when I looked into Ivy's eyes and saw that malicious intelligence. Something told me I had not seen the last of Ivy Tamwood.
I hoped to God "something" was wrong...
With cold, narrow focus, my eyes tracked the black limousine as it emerged from the sun-proof access of the building I stood in. Warm sunlight, rendered harmless by the special armoured glass, heated my cool skin. In my hand, a cell phone, a number already dialled on the little screen, my thumb hovering over the "call" button.
"Playing them all was quite impressive, I must say, but this? Are you sure about this?" Nathalie asked from behind me. My eyes never left the car down below. "Once you press this button, you will be committed to your course of action. There will be no going back."
"I'm sure." I answered. The car stopped at a red light. It was only a few meters away from the end of the shadow cast by the building. It would be in direct sunlight in just a minute. "You opened my eyes when you killed me. Rachel's safety cannot depend on anyone but me anymore. There can be no more shady deals with the devil, no more conditional protection. I'm the only one who cares about her for her. No one else does. At best they would use and discard her, at worst kill her outright. I will not sit by and let this happen any longer."
"Hmm, no hard feelings, then?"
"I would have entertained some if you'd let her die. But you saved her, and you gave me your little gift. I think we're even now."
"I'm glad to hear it, Ivy. It would tear Skimmer apart if I had to kill you again."
"Your death would bring me nothing, Nathalie. Once I am the master of this city, with Rachel by my side, I look forward to a long friendship between us. Give Skimmer my best when you see her again, would you?"
"I will be sure to. Do you mind if I stay and watch the fireworks?"
"Not at all." The transversal light turned yellow. My immobile heart almost began beating again. The light turned green, the limo starting to move. Just as its tail bumper emerged from the shadow, I hit the call button. Every window on the limo was simultaneously blown from its frame, the armoured, sun-proof glass mostly intact even after it flew many feet into the air. Sunlight flooded the interior of the vehicle, instantly killing any undead inside. Gleefully, I savoured my victory. I had just killed Cincinnati's master vampire, the first step in reclaiming what was rightfully mine.
"Is that all?" Nathalie pouted. "I hoped for something a little more spectacular."
I only smirked in response. A second later, the incendiary charges I'd laid along with the shaped ones in the windows blew up as well. A fireball several meters in diameter erupted from the windows, guaranteeing that no one was left alive inside the limo.
"Is this more to your taste?" I asked innocently, making Nathalie laugh.
"Oh, Ivy... you truly are a wonder. How I wish you had been born to my Camarilla..." With a smile, she bowed to me politely. "Now, how else may I assist you before I go?"
I gestured to the soft cotton robe I wore. "I will need something to wear. I have a war to fight."
A/N: Phew... That was a long one. Hope it's not too much of a clusterf***... Anyone still wanna kill me, or can I come out from under my rock?