"A big truck, a dip in the road, and no power steering were more than enough to send us over the embankment after we clipped a tree. I swear we rolled forever." She shivered as a small chill ran through her body. "I don't know how long I was out, but when I woke up I just wanted to pass back out. At first all I could make out was glass and blood. God there was so much blood. I focused myself and looked over to the driver seat. To this day, I have no idea how he was still breathing. I think the only thing holding his head on was the way the seat had jarred forward into the steering wheel. I just started sobbing because I thought he was dead and less at the fact that I was probably going to die. I was losing blood by the pint and I kind of hoped the car caught fire and just exploded before I bled out.
"I remember trying to move, just to assess what was wrong and heard him gurgle. Even in the dark of the car I could see his grey eyes cut towards me. I remember telling him to just take it easy and that I was right there for him. I didn't want him to think he was going to die alone and you know what, he squeezed my hand as hard as he could and told me to "do it." I had no idea what the hell he was talking about and I kept telling him to just be quiet. Finally, he said it to me again, and this time he added, ‘drink.' I looked around like he was insane and then I met his eyes and it dawned on me what he was saying. I started to freak and he just grinned at me. I didn't even have to ask how long he had know, because he whispered out ‘2 years' before Icould even get my mind focused.
"I tried to argue with him, but he looked at me like he was going to strangle me if he had the strength. I told him I couldn't take the risk of turning him into some monster, but he kept urging me. I remember saying to him that I wouldn't take his life, no matter what, and he just looked at me with such hurt. He had never asked me for anything and he gave me everything without question. I convinced myself that it wasn't about saving myself, but just putting him out of his misery." Clarion sighed and cracked the bones in her neck. "I did it and I watched him expire. It was unreal to me then and for a long time after." They sat quietly for a few moments until she continued.
"I got him out of the car and I torched it, so everyone would think I died in the fire. I said my goodbyes to him and ran off. I showed up for the funeral and hung in the background and watched them mourn us both. In all my life I had never felt so alone until right then, because I was the cause of everything. I left Louisiana and just sort of roamed for a couple of months until I got the urge to go home and get my stuff together. I knew I could never explain to the boys what happened, but that didn't stop me from wanting to see them." Clarion huffed and fought the tremble in her voice. "I don't know why I walked up to the house, it wasn't like I was going to go in, but I couldn't seem to stop my feet. In hindsight, I could smell it." Yoshi touched a hand to Clarion's neck as an act of support. The redhead sighed. She closed her eyes to the memory that played like a film reel in her mind. "Maybe if we had lived in some mountain town I could have convinced myself that some wild animal had made its way to the house. Hell even broken out of the zoo, but this animal walked on two legs. God, it was like a feeding frenzy. Savage and rushed and frantic. It was a mess, just a mess." Clarion's voice hitched, but she didn't cry.
"I just left." She shrugged. "There was nothing I could do and I didn't know what to do. Was I supposed to go and kill every vampire I knew? Should I have harassed all the vagrants and deviants? I didn't know then and I don't know now, but it seemed the only thing to do was leave and I did. That was six years ago and this is the only time I've been back."
Yoshi continued to rub the smaller woman's neck as they sat in silence. "We could go some place else."
Watery green eyes looked at the dark woman and Clarion grinned. "Nah pahtna', this is my home. The next time I leave it, if I leave it…will be on my terms. I've been running all my life for one reason or another and I think it's high time I put my feet on the ground. Besides, I got good reason now."
"Oh yeah," the hunter smiled, "what's that, saving the world?"
Clarion grinned. "You." Clarion's grin got wider as Yoshi's cheeks filled with red. "Blushing becomes you." Clarion laughed as Yoshi nervously looked at the ground. Clarion placed her hands on both sides of the dark woman's face and turned her head so that they were face to face. She leaned in and gently kissed the Hunter.
"I'm supposed to say something here aren't I?"
Clarion giggled and kissed the dark woman several times. "Actually I liked the perplexed look you get when you're unsure of what to say."
"Okay."
Clarion burst into laughter as the taller woman made the face in question. "C'mon silly, we got work to do before the sun goes down."
Yoshi allowed Clarion to get off the hood of the car and then pull her to her feet. Clarion tugged on her hand as she started for the car door only to be stopped as Yoshi pulled back. With the least amount of effort, Yoshi pulled the smaller woman to her and without warning or pretense silenced Clarion's unasked question with a deep kiss. A weak kneed Clarion broke away a long moment later when she felt light headed. Yoshi's strong arms held her up as she got her bearings. The red head shook her head and smiled as stood firmly. "You know something Samurai, you've certainly got a way with words."
Yoshi shrugged and hit the smaller woman with an innocent lopsided smirk. "It's in the handbook."
Clarion burst into laughter and guided the taller woman to the car. "All right funny lady, we got shopping to do and a book to find before the sun goes down."
Yoshi slid into the passenger seat and closed the door. "What happens when the sun goes down?"
Clarion started the car and put it in gear as she turned to the woman at her side. "Well Elmer, we're going a' huntin'…and it ain't duck season or rabbit season." They sped off down the road and the dark woman couldn't hide the smirk that came to full lips out of habit.
CH 10: The Art of War
"I mean, I still don't understand why we didn't just get four laptops, heck maybe six." The Hunter's voice was heavy with sarcasm as she entered the library with her arms full. She smiled and Clarion rolled her eyes.
"Keep it up smartass. I just wanted the top of the line and those three were it….just be happy I paid for them." She wiggled her eyebrows.
"I'm so proud." She said dryly and then added, "honest." The tall woman looked at the boxes scattered about the cement floor. "So what's all this stuff for?"
Clarion nudged a box with her foot and looked at the small mess that had formed before them. "Well, once we find what we're looking for, we may need help from the boys."
Blue eyes cut to the red head as she stood in silence with a furrowed brow. "And..", she prodded.
She drew in a short breath. "A book actually, not sure what kind, but I do have a clue where to find it." She nibbled at her lip. "Of course that doesn't mean it will be there."
"Is it ever." Yoshi mumbled the words. Clarion heard the whispered words and swatted the dark woman on the butt as she walked out of the library. White teeth were displayed as Yoshi grinned appreciatively at Clarion's retreating frame. "Don't try to distract me."
Without missing a step and looking over her shoulder, Clarion responded as she walked to the bedroom. "Wouldn't dream of it Samurai. Besides, we have to go see one-eyed Lou!" Green eyes danced with mirth as she let out a giggle and entered the bedroom.
The dark woman burst into laughter at the red heads antics as she followed. "One-eyed Lou, eh? Does he have a peg leg and silver teeth?"
"No, that's Pirate Joe. One-eyed Lou is just a regular guy."
Yoshi chuckled. "Yeah right. Larieux, nobody you know is ‘just a guy', so what's his deal. He lost his eye in the Crusades or something?" Yoshi asked her questions as she began to discard her clothing.
Clarion grinned as she exchanged her blue jeans for black chinos. "Nah, he lost it at Mardi Gras a few years back."
Black eyebrows rose in curiosity. "Really?"
Clarion held in her laugh. "Yeah, really." She was all smiles. "Do you know how fast those beads travel? Man, he got one right in the eye from some guy on a float." She chuckled softly. "It was pretty funny."
Yoshi frowned as she exchanged her tank top for a sports bra. "Where is the humor in a man losing an eye?"
Clarion couldn't help but smile at the Hunter's concern. "I'm not that callous, but trust me, when you meet him, it'll all become clear."
"Whatever." Her shoulders rose with a shrug.
Yoshi slipped on a pair of black pants and bent over at the waist to tie the laces on her black workboots. She seemed oblivious to the Clarion, who sat down on the bed and watched as the dark woman transformed into the Hunter. Gone was the curious grin that always seemed to tickle the edges of her mouth. In its place was a mask of focus and ritual--Clarion watched as if bewitched.
What appeared to a lycra tank top, was actually made of a thin body armor that kept the Hunter cool when she overheated and warm when she was on the verge of freezing. A top this, she slid on a small vest that clipped together at her sternum and guarded her upper body. Clarion couldn't help buy think that a few Vampires might like to get their hands on that piece of armor. Finally, the Hunter donned a simple cotton t-shirt that clung to her deltoids and did well to accentuate the cut of her biceps. The red head spoke not a word as green eyes followed the path of Yoshi's hands as she strapped her tanto in to the small of her back and her knife to her hip.
Leather bracers covered the area from her wrist to a little more than a third of her forearm. Green eyes grew wide with excitement and fear, as the twitching of a muscle sent forth two silver spikes from the bracers. The spikes retreated without sound and Yoshi grabbed her long Trench coat from off the wall. The coat made a crisp snapping sound as the jet black material was whirled through the air, slipping her arms into the coat. Out of habit and ritual, the Hunter pulled out hair from inside the collar and smoothed down her lapels. Her movements were precise and practiced as she gave herself a once over without aid of a mirror and then turned around to retrieve her blade. As if taking in light, the pupils of her eyes dilated as she recognized Clarion's presence in the room.
The dark woman gave the smaller woman a lopsided grin that Clarion was in no shape to return. The Hunter felt the faintest of blushes rising up her neck as the red-head gazed at her with no hint of shame. When Clarion sat there silent, Yoshi shifted from one foot to another and darted her eyes about the room for fear of meeting the wanton gaze of fair-skinned lover, and losing the focus that she had attained. Finally, Yoshi found a spot on the wall just to the right of Clarion and stared at it as she cleared her throat. "You okay in there?" Yoshi's voice was like a low purr. She let out a cough as she realized what effect she was having on the smaller woman. "Larieux?"
A smile swept over the red head's face as she sat up straight with a small shiver. "Yeah, yeah, I'm here." She wet her lips and stood from the bed. "Just enjoying dress-up time." She winked at the now grinning Hunter and reached across the bed to pick up the sword. Clarion was sure her heart stopped as the Hunter's strong voice shook her body with the word, "No!"
At the sound of her own voice, Yoshi crossed in front of Clarion and picked up the blade in a blur of motion. The smaller woman wasn't sure if she should be upset or simply scared, so she just backed up until the bed stopped her movement. She could feel blue eyes seeking her out, but Clarion cast her gaze elsewhere unsure again for the first time in so many weeks as to what the Hunter was about to do. Yoshi breathed deeply without a sound as she calmed herself, stilling the raging energy that flowed through her. She opened and closed her eyes slowly as she watched the woman before her look to the ground in order to avoid her. Yoshi wanted to kick herself at scaring the small woman, but it had been a reflex that was in their best interest. Her voice was just above a whisper, but the deep timbre of her voice carried to Clarion as if she were next to her ear.
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to yell," Clarion looked up at her instantly, clearly relieved. "It's just that…this blade is very particular about who handles it. Kind of like a barometer of feelings, and I don't want you to hurt yourself." She managed a grin which the smaller woman returned.
"But why now?", she asked with curiosity.
"You remember what happened with Magnus's sword?" Clarion nodded, not even needing to conjure up the memory of the severe burn she got. "Exactly, but," Yoshi tapped the red head on the nose, "if I give you permission you can handle it, okay?" Clarion smiled widely and drew the taller woman into an embrace. Yoshi just went with the actions of the younger woman, only being careful to avoid cutting her with the sword in her hand.
Clarion pulled away and brushed her lips against the Hunter's. "C'mon let's go."
--------
Clarion followed the path of dark woman as they left One-eyed Lou's. Clarion could only smile as she watched Yoshi's broad shoulders shake with another round of laughter. Clarion met up with Yoshi at the car and just shook her head at the smiling woman. "So you agree with me right?"
Yoshi looked at Clarion and smiled. "He certainly is unique, but I was right…he's definitely not just some guy." Clarion shrugged. "In fact he seems to be suffering from a bit of lycanthropy."
Clarion snorted. "Either that or he's just one hairy son of a bitch."
Both women laughed. "So what is he really?"
"Lou used to be a Guardian and now he's a Watcher…unofficially."
Yoshi furrowed her brow in thought. "Guardian? Guardian?"
"You ever heard of Edrigan?"
Understanding lifted Yoshi's features. "Sure, Merlin's creation, the beast and the man were one."
Clarion nodded and lit a cigarette. She took a deep drag and exhaled thick smoke rings. "Man if only these things could kill me." She winked at the scowling woman and continued talking. "Anyway, he had some weird fall out or accident and now he just sort of watches. He's just your basic demon now. Not really good or really bad, just somewhere in between awaiting opportunity."
"Hmm."
Clarion arched an eyebrow at the woman. "What?"
She grinned. "Two hundred years ago, I would have killed him on the spot. A hundred, and I would have just beat him up. And now, now…I can't even tell what the hell he is." She shrugged.
Clarion eyed her with concern and tossed her cigarette. She stood between Yoshi's legs as the taller woman leaned back onto the hood of the car. Clarion pushed the long coat aside as she wrapped her arms around Yoshi's waist careful to avoid the dagger in the small of her back. "You second guessing yourself again Samurai?"
Yoshi let out a small chuckle as jade eyes bored into her own eyes, making her weak in the knees. "It was just a relapse, I promise."
Clarion arched her eyebrow to comic proportions and gave the taller woman her own lopsided grin. "All right then, because you can't be flaking out on me tonight."
Yoshi smiled. "No flaking." She leaned down a bit and kissed the red head on the forehead, the nose, and finally the lips. The gave each a small squeeze and moved apart. "So tell me about this Warlock book, so I'll know what I'm looking for."
Clarion chuckled as she picked up her still burning cigarette. "Still good." she spoke to herself and then looked at the woman cloaked in black and her words finally registered. "Well, you don't have to worry about what it looks like, we just need to get inside and I'll take care of that."
Yoshi folded her arms across her chest and stood to her full height. "We?"
Had Clarion been an inexperienced smoker or even fully human she might have choked on the amount of smoke she inhaled, but instead she only exhaled a plume of smoke. "You've lost your mind, if you thinking you're walking into a den without me to pick up something you've never seen before nor can you read, so you should rethink this one." Clarion's voice was calm but was verging on being annoyed.
Yoshi sighed and took a step towards the simmering red head. "Larieux, would you let me do my job. There's no need for us to both go down there and get hurt."
Clarion spat out a laugh and flicked her cigarette to the ground. "So, it's okay for you to go and get hurt?" She moved closer to the dark column of a woman and poked her in the chest. "You can't do this without me and even if you could I wouldn't let you. So get off your high horse or I'll be forced to get nasty."
Yoshi rolled her eyes and stifled the angry comment that she wanted to make. "Okay, Larieux, fine, you want this to be a two-man operation, show me what you got."
The statement caught Clarion so off guard that she took a step back and regarded the slightly grinning woman with a confused look. "Wh-what, you want to fight or something?"
Yoshi chuckled and leaned back against the car. "No. I want you to explain to me why it is that you think you're necessary for this part. I mean, all you need to do, is lead me to the den, give me the map, and wait for me."
Green eyes drew to small slits as Clarion rested her hands on her hips. "You know Hunter, if I thought you'd feel it, I'd give you a mouth full of fist." She huffed. "Of all the arrogant… and damn it, just plain chauvinistic things to say. I should wait. Ha! What do I look like, Scarlet fucking O'Hara?"
"I didn't know Scarlet and O'Hara had a relationship." Her face was blank as she spoke.
Clarion's cheeks were almost as red as her hair. She let out a small growl and punched Yoshi in the arm out of frustration and amusement at herself. "You're an ass Yoshi." She rolled her eyes and stepped back as Yoshi shrugged and rubbed her arm. "Oh stop humoring me."
Yoshi stopped rubbing her arm and regarded Clarion seriously. "Really now, I'd rather you not go," she held up her hand as Clarion started to protest. ", because you're too important in all this and I'm not running the risk of dropping you into a trap." Blue eyes held fast to green in a moment of silence.
"I hear you Yoshi, but just trust that you will need me. You don't know who or what's down there and you've all but admitted that you don't feel up to par, so I'm not running the risk of dropping you into a trap." Clarion drew her the back of her hand across Yoshi's cheek. "Besides, I can be of some help to you."
Yoshi smiled and stood up straight. "Oh yeah. You got some cloves of garlic and wooden stakes in your back pocket?" Long arms reached for the pockets in question and the red head danced out of her reach.
Clarion giggled. "Who the hell decided that garlic was a Vampire deterrent? Garlic is only the staple of every good meal." She scoffed. "Humans are so insensitive," she added playfully and then retrieved a what looked like a compact from her pocket. "No wooden stakes, but I do have Gopher dust." Clarion smiled like she had a secret.
"Gopher dust, huh?" Yoshi was far from convinced. Clarion opened the small case to reveal a heap of grayish-black powder and smiled harder. Yoshi had no idea how not to be sarcastic in the moment. "Uh, so you're going to blow fairy dust in their eyes and I take them down in the commotion?"
Clarion's proud smile turned into grin. She just nodded her head as the dark woman chuckled. She allowed the Hunter to get her chuckles, knowing she had the upper hand. "You finished Samurai?" She sucked her teeth and waited for Yoshi to gather herself. Clarion took a pinch of the powder in her hand and closed the case with her free hand and put it away. Green eyes, that held no mischief looked up at the grinning Hunter. "Give me your hand." Clarion's voice was calm and sweet without a hint of malevolence.
Yoshi eyed the smaller woman with suspicion. "You're not going to spit in my hand are you?"
Clarion shook her head. "Your hand." Her tone was still calm, if only slightly irritated.
Yoshi held out her hand, palm down hovering over Clarion's hand. Clarion lifted her own her hand until their palms met and then she gripped Yoshi's hand and Yoshi did the same. Clarion said nothing for a moment as Yoshi waited. "Well, you know, now that I think about it, this does feel like special dust. I mean this just isn't sand from the ocean, oh no. It's like super sand." She smiled cheekily and Clarion continued to nod.
She turned their hands over three times and stopped when Yoshi's hand was once again on top. She slowly pulled away making sure that she kept Yoshi's attention with her eyes. Clarion clasped her hands behind her back and spoke matter of factly. "You know sand would probably be a lot better than that flesh-eating bacteria."
Yoshi looked at her oddly and then followed the gaze of Clarion's eyes to her hand. Yoshi slammed into the side of the car as she shook her hand wildly in an attempt to dislodge the microscopic creatures that were eating away at the flesh of her hand. Her movements were chaotic as she screamed in fear and what she thought was pain at seeing the bone of one of her fingers.
Clarion rocked back on her heels as she watched the Hunter shake out her hand hard enough to break her wrist. Finally, with the smuggest of looks Clarion spoke. "Something wrong with your hand puddin'?"
Blue eyes filled with fear, looked to Clarion. "M-m-m-my hand, fuck, my hand!" She was beyond panicked as her flesh disappeared.
"There's nothing wrong with your hand."
"Yes, my…" Yoshi trailed off as she looked to the hand in question and saw she could no more see the bone and muscles of her hand than she could see through walls. Disbelieving blue eyes darted from her hand to Clarion and back for several seconds. "My…but…I could see…what…holy crap." She let out a sigh and finally looked up at the grinning red head, who was fighting hard not to burst into laughter. Yoshi hung her head in shame and mostly embarrassment. She cut her eyes toward Clarion and shrugged. "Do you want to rub it in now or later?"
Clarion let out a low snicker. "I was thinking…later." She winked at the slouching woman. "You ready to go now?'
Yoshi stood up straight and nodded. "So, um uh, you want to tell me about the book we're going to find."
Clarion shook her head and opened the car door. "Just get in the car and I'll tell you everything you need to know." Clarion attempted to glare at the tall woman, but she ended up kissing the air in her direction and then getting into the car.
* * *
CH 11: ‘Smile Pretty and Watch Your Back.'
The soles of their shoes made no sound as the unlikely pair of Hunter and Vampire traversed the gravel road leading to the crumbled ruins of a church. Yoshi let out a snort as they crouched beside the dilapidated head of what was once a gargoyle. Her voice barely carried on the air, but she knew the red head at her side would pick up her words. "They do have a sense of humor don't they." Even in the dark, Clarion's smile was blazing as she turned towards Yoshi and winked.
"I was taught to do the opposite of what was expected, and when Mama D said hide in plain sight I took it to heart." Yoshi just nodded and followed Clarion as they edged their way forward and stepped through the ruined archway of the church. What remained of the altar covered the entrance to the crypt, with its fallen legs and broken body. Yoshima swept her coat tails back from her body as she squatted down next to Clarion. "Once we're down it'll just be getting from point A to point B. We might get lucky and it'll be clear, but-
Yoshi nodded. "You just get the book and let me deal, okay." She gave her shorter partner a small grin.
Clarion smiled as well and placed a quick kiss on the Hunter's lips. "No showing off Samurai." She wagged her finger at a barely grinning Yoshi.
"I'm not in any shape to showboat. In and out, trust me." She took a breath of restlessness.
Clarion just nodded. "Ready?" As Yoshi nodded Clarion took a small breath and swung open the hatch with ease. Clarion shrugged her shoulders as if to say, ‘here goes nothing' and dropped into the dark.
Just as the dark material of her coat cloak shrouded the Hunter, Yoshima draped Clarion with her presence. It was only breath that separated them as they walked in the dark. Yoshi held her drawn blade at her side ready for whatever might spring from the dark. She adjusted her eyes to gather the bare minimum of light there was in the tunnel and could sense nothing ahead of them. Of course this didn't put her at ease, because most often, the walking dead did not give off energy. Their short walk came to a stop as Clarion stood before a sliver of light at her feet. There was no time for second guessing or hesitation as Clarion eased open the door and let the false light spill onto their forms.
If someone had been in their immediate area they would have made quite a picture. Clarion's green eyes glowed fiercely iridescent as she summoned demon strength and stood poised to strike, with flaming red hair. Behind her, merely a shadow that stood more than six feet tall was a dark vision, with the only source of light glinting off the steel of a blade held high above her head ready to attack. Clarion calmed herself as she realized there was no immediate threat. When she turned towards Yoshi her eyes gave off no iridescent light.
"We got about a 200 yards to go. They're here." She sniffed the air. "I don't know how many."
Yoshi seemed to look past Clarion as regripped her blade. "About 12." Her voice was low.
Clarion couldn't stop the arching of her brow at the Hunter's words. "You can tell?" She didn't mean to sound surprised.
Yoshi barely shrugged. "They smell."
A wisp of a smile reached Clarion's lips. "And you say you're out of practice."
Yoshi only grinned as they continued forward side by side. Both Hunter and Vampire sensed the presence of another in the hallway, bringing them both to a quiet stop. "Qui marche mes couloir cette nuit? Who walks my halls this night?
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