Clarion stood, dusting herself off and inspected the man before her. He brought his sword back down to his side as he looked at her. Green eyes lost her glow and she grinned. "Out of the frying pan and into the flame, no?"
Colin shrugged. "Doesn't have to be."
A shrill scream made Clarion jump. She looked over her shoulder and then turned back to the man. "Yeah, you try telling her that."
He grimaced. "I'd appreciate it if you did that yourself." He scratched at his scar out of reflex.
"She give that to you?" His non-response was answer enough. Clarion just nodded her head. "Fine, I'll just send her a postcard from Bali."
Colin couldn't help but smile. "Can't let you do that."
Clarion pouted. "And here I was starting to like you."
"Hate to be an ass to such a pretty lady, but well you know."
"Yeah, I do and thanks for the compliment, not so bad yourself there." She shrugged. "As much as I'd love to stick around I'm afraid that's not been decided by me."
"How do you mean?"
Clarion looked up and then back to Colin. "Six of them. Big and ugly. You can't watch me and kill them."
Colin smiled crookedly. "Clever girl indeed."
Clarion wasn't really sure why she did it, perhaps to be a tease, but none the less, she stepped towards the Irishman and planted a kiss on his cheek before she darted out of the kitchen, wishing him luck. Colin shook his head in disbelief as he reloaded his bow and raised his sword. "Who needs luck when I got a six foot Hunter two steps away from being in love." He smiled wildly: it was going to be an interesting evening.
---------
Twenty minutes later Yoshi and Colin emerged from a man hole in an alley a mile from where she parked. As Yoshi stepped away from the man hole, she resheathed her blade and shook her body. When she finished she had made a nice sized piece of splatter art on the concrete. Colin looked no better, as he tried to wipe blood from his face only to smear more.
"Buggar! I feel like I've been slimed." He looked to the sullen woman who went to a nearby wall and leaned against it. "You hurt, love."
She shook her head. "Nothing a little sleep won't take care of."
He walked towards her and stood. "You sure?" She nodded. "Don't worry, she got out."
Suddenly Yoshi stood up straight and stepped into Colin, so that they stood toe to toe. "How? Where?"
Colin gently pushed on her shoulders. "Calm down lass. She's absolutely adorable you know." He smiled at the woman, but only got a growl in return.
"Why didn't you grab her?"
"Well you shithead, I was otherwise occupied by six night crawling freaks attempting to draw and quarter me at a snails pace."
Yoshi fell back into the wall with a wet slap. "I apologize."
"It's accepted, now how about we clean up and you go get me that pint of Guinness you promised me." Yoshi pushed off the wall and sighed. "Matter of fact I think you own me a few pints." Yoshi nodded and started walking with slumped shoulders. "Hey," he called after her, "don't feel so bad, she's out and you know you can find her if you need to." They locked eyes for a moment, neither finishing his comment. Hey patted the tall woman on the back as they walked off. "C'mon I need a bath and you need to get piss drunk." Yoshi just laughed instead of arguing, hoping that a night swirling in alcohol might make a difference. But as sure as the sun would rise tomorrow she knew it wouldn't.
* * *
CH 15: ‘I looked all over and all I found was a phone number on the stairs.'
It was only with the orange colored fingertips of sunrise that Clarion finally rested. However, it was a rest that was short lived when her phone rang an hour later. Clarion bumped her forehead on the foot of the couch as she sat up from the floor and grabbed the phone.
"Speak."
"Thank God you're alive...Jesus Christ chick, you had me shitting bricks ten pounds big."
Clarion let out a light chuckle as she rested her back against the couch and adjusted the phone on her shoulder. "Hey Ri."
The man on the other end let out a skeptical laugh. "That's all I get is a ‘Hi Ri.' I should jump through the phone and beat your scrawny little ass."
Clarion sighed and mumbled to herself. "Why does everyone keep saying that."
"What?"
"Nothing, Riley. Look, I'm glad you called I need to talk to you."
"Your damn right, so get up off your ass and let me in."
Clarion darted her head around her apartment. "Where are you?"
"Getting off the elevator." She let out a snort of laughter and then hung up the phone as she sprang to her feet and opened the door.
Riley did his best to try and crush the still tender Clarion in a hug as he came through the door in a rush of tangible energy. He opened his mouth to make some off color remark to Clarion when he noticed the broken coffee table pushed off to the side, the stacks of cds out of the cabinet along with books, piles of glass, and the bulging piece of plastic that was doing little to keep the chill winter air out. He let go of Clarion's shoulders with a squeeze as he walked her apartment. He came back out of the dining room and leaned on the kitchen counter as he regarded the compact woman standing in the living room.
He slanted his gaze somewhat as she meekly shoved her hands into the pockets of her warm-up pants. Her hair was freshly askew as if she had just woken up, all though she looked like she had been up all night thanks to her bloodshot eyes, which took a certain energy from her normally vibrant green eyes. Her lip was cut and there was a large purplish bruise on her right cheek that matched well with the black eye that graced the left of her face. Riley sighed as he caught the despondency in her eyes. He clicked his tongue on the roof of his mouth and then clapped his hands together.
"Okay, sit down first." Clarion gave him a wisp of smile as she collapsed onto the couch. Riley shook his head as he tossed his jacket on the couch and then ripped off a few papertowels and filled them with ice. He gave his bundle a healthy twist and then sat down next to Clarion as he held the ice to her eye with care. She let out a sigh as she closed her eyes to the touch. In the dark Clarion was assaulted with the images of deep blue eyes and strong hands that had healed her a week before. On the notion that those hands would probably strangle her, Clarion opened tear filled eyes and gave Riley a toothy grin just to show that she wasn't completely out of it. Riley shook his head. "All right soldier, you hold that to your eye while I make tea and then you start explaining why you look you've been in a Rollerderby that took place in your living room.
Clarion chuckled. "I felt like it was more of an American Gladiators kind of thing."
Riley glared daggers at the smirking woman and then turned to his task. "Yeah, I know you always wanted to join the W.W.F., but as you can see it's hell on your appearance."
"I thought beauty was on the inside."
"Tell that to Linda Tripp."
Clarion shook her head in amusement. "You're a bad man Riley."
He waved a manicured hand through the air. "Hey supposedly I'm going to hell for a ton of other things, so I don't think one dig at a backstabbing snitch is going to hurt."
"Not choosing sides I see."
Riley laughed as he returned to the couch and handed Clarion a mug of tea. "On the contrary, he was a man, he got caught, Hillary's going to divorce his ass and go on to better things. Karma always wins in the end."
Clarion dropped her smile and suddenly looked serious. "What if it never ends?"
Riley crinkled his brow and sat back, tucking one leg under the other and stretching an arm across the back of the couch. "What's that supposed to mean?"
Clarion shrugged and then winced in pain. Riley immediately reached out to touch the woman but she held up her hand. "It's cool."
Riley let out a huff. "No it's not. You look like you just went a round with Oscar De la Hoya."
Clarion stuck out her chin. "Did I lose?"
"I'm not laughing at that."
Clarion's hair bounced as she tossed her head from side to side. "I know, but you want to."
Riley sucked his teeth. "Anyway Rocky, do I get to know what happened?"
Clarion sighed loudly as she sat her mug down and ran both her hands through her hair. "Will you accept I'm in trouble, for an explanation?"
"If you'll accept another black eye."
They shared grins. "Well, I'll be honest…I'm going to lie to you, but I'll try to hit most of the important parts."
"This better be a good lie, and all the important parts better be real important." He slanted his eyes at her as he watched her squirm uncomfortable. "You were supposed to be prepared for this sweetie."
"Yeah, yeah. You remember what happened two years ago in Adam's Morgan?"
Riley shook his shoulders as an imaginary cold wind rattled his frame. "Of course honey. After that night, I believe in the wolf man the boogie man, and all the X-files conspiracies." He grimaced. "Please don't say those things are involved in this?"
Clarion started to say, ‘I am one of those things', but she held her tongue and merely swallowed the comment instead. "I'm afraid so."
The thin man rolled his eyes. "How the hell can you just be so non-chalant, Claire. I know you're calm and collected, but a Vampire is still a Vampire, I just don't get it."
Clarion shrugged as much as she could. "What can I say, I'm from N'awlins."
"Ha! I'm from New York smart ass, but that doesn't mean I enjoy muggers."
"I'm just used to different shit Riley, I don't know what else to say." The serious quality to her voice left him no want to push the subject any further.
"Fine." He nodded. "Is that why you've been gone for two days." She nodded. "They give you the delicate makeover?" Clarion nodded again. "This what happened last week?" Another nod. Riley sighed as things begin to fall into place for him. "Is talk, dark, and possibly an impulse killer a part of this." Clarion let out a small grin as she nodded. Riley ran fingertips across his short hair-do. "You're leaving town." It wasn't a question, but Clarion nodded anyway. They sat in silence for a solid minute until, Riley let out a puff of air, slapped his thighs and stood up. "Let's get you packed."
Clarion looked up at the high brow of Riley and grinned. "That's it?"
He threw his hands up. "What am I supposed to say? If I had the good sense God gave me, I'd walk out of here faster than a fart in a dust storm, but I don't have that luxury, because you are my friend and I care about you."
Clarion smiled sincerely. "You are so sensitive Riley Witherspoon."
Riley rolled his eyes and gave Clarion the finger. "And you're a fag hag." He turned and walked towards the bedroom, chuckling along with Clarion.
Clarion got up off the couch with a giggle. "I thought fag hags were straight?" She stopped in front of the bookcase as she searched the case for three tomes.
Riley called out from the back, "I've never really been clear on that one, but I'll consult the handbook later."
"There's a handbook?" Clarion stood at his side in her bedroom.
He shook his head. "You're pitiful."
Clarion looked about the room. "Damn, maybe that explains my choice of dates lately."
Riley looked up from a drawer. "Something wrong with big, bad, and homicidal?"
Clarion rolled her eyes and walked to her closet. "Stop that, and no nothing's wrong with her..technically."
"Clinically?" Riley laughed as he dodged a balled up t-shirt flung at his head. "What's the deal I thought she was helping you."
"Well, yeah, but help comes at a price."
"A price you say?"
"I think it has more to do with Karma than anything." she answered with a shrug, and then mentally added, ‘and the little known fact she's on a short list with people trying to kill me.'
"It'll get you every time."
"True. Hey, do me a favor and take down the paintings."
"Good Lord, Claire, how serious is all this?"
Clarion smiled brightly to alleviate some of his worry. "I'm not giving them to you permanently, I just want you to hold on to the suckers, for a couple of months. I'm not giving up my babies that easily."
Riley lightened up somewhat as he snapped his fingers and groaned. "Damn, and here I thought I was going to be getting a sweet deal."
She laughed and touched his shoulder. "Well, for a man that gets to cut and dye my hair as well as drive around a 67' Stingray I think you're doing okay." Clarion held her ears as Riley let out a squeal and began hopping around the bedroom. "If you drive like you celebrate, I'm not giving you the keys."
Riley quickly sobered. "Just jokes." Riley visibly slowed his breathing and gave Clarion a toothfilled smile. "How short?" She shrugged and he clapped his hands together. "Who cares, will figure that out later. So, what are we packing?"
"Pretty light, it's not that cold down South."
Riley raised a brow. "Is it ever?"
The two friends burst into a round of giggles as they each gave their own answer to his rhetorical question.
--------------
Even though Riley had clearly been joking when he suggested fire-engine red for a hair color, Clarion thought it was the best idea since toilet paper. They fought like they were crazed housewives vying for the last Princess Beanie Baby, as they stood in the hair product aisle of a local Wal-Mart. Only after the store manager shot the quarreling pair an awkward and concerned gaze, did Clarion acquiesce and settle for a little less Angie Everhart and a little more Gillian Anderson; in hair color.
After it was over, Clarion and Riley sat on the edge of her bed and just stared into the mirror for a while. Clarion rubbed her hand across the back of her neck right were her hair now stopped. She cocked her head to the right side and then the left and finally let a breath go.
Riley turned to her. "That bad?"
Clarion ran a hand through her newly sheared locks and grinned. "No, but I do wonder what else I can do with it. It's awfully flat."
"No worries, will layer it, but it's fine. I like it, all though I wouldn't suggest trying to make a ponytail."
"Not enough, you think?" They both smiled and Clarion glanced at her watch. It was almost 4:30p.m. and Clarion planned to be out of her apartment and off the street by five.
Riley caught her action and grimaced. "You looking to bolt?"
Clarion nodded. " ‘Fraid so, I should probably be off the street by sundown."
Riley groaned. "Shit, I almost forgot what the problem was here. Where will you go?"
Clarion shrugged. "Someplace safe, and then I'll get out of the city within the next couple of days, if not tonight." In truth she knew she would stay for the next three, since it would do her no good to leave D.C. when she was on the verge feeding.
Riley nodded and then eventually stood up. "All right chick, let's get your stuff together and get you out of here."
Clarion stood and stopped Riley before he left the room. "Thank you for doing this for me, I know I'm asking you a lot and not telling you a thing, but I just-
He quieted her with a wave. "Claire honey, you're my family. I'd give you my lung if you needed it. It's dusty I know, but if you needed it, I'd give it up in a second because I know you'd do the same." Clarion smiled and whispered an ‘I love you' into his ear as she embraced Riley and then proceeded to make their finally sweep through the apartment.
Sunset was still a good thirty minutes off when Riley parked the car a block from St. Francis in front of a generic chain motel. Clarion hoisted her duffel bag over her shoulder and smiled as she watched Riley get into her car. She leaned down and stuck her head in the window. "Keep it clean and no lewd sexual acts in my car Ri."
"I probably couldn't top yours so why bother."
"Funny, jack ass. Hey look, I'm sure you're going to get a few phone calls inquiring about me. Um, tell whoever, whatever you want, but just give me a few days before you start spilling the beans."
"Right now, saying you died and went to Jerusalem sounds like a good idea."
"I'm with you there, pahtna'."
"Go on girl take your country ass out of here. By the way, you look like a snorkel with that tuft of hair."
Clarion giggled and pulled on the tuft of hair that was curtailed by a rubberband and best resembled a palm tree. "I was trying something new."
"The idea is to be inconspicuous not a beacon of light."
"Shut it. Get out of here and take care of my babies."
Clarion waited until the red of her car was swallowed up in rush hour traffic before strolling down the block past St. Frances and into the cemetery.
* * *
CH 16: Back in the Saddle again
In her dreams Yoshi awoke to the soft calls of birds, the smell of the outdoors, and an oddly familiar crown of blonde hair fanned out across her shoulder. In her dreams, Yoshi wore a smile of contentment as she embraced her golden-haired lover and gave no thought to beginning the day. In reality, Yoshi awoke to the sound of jackhammers that only existed in her head. What didn't smell like alcohol, smelled like alcohol that disagreed with her stomach. And as for the blonde beauty in her arms, the tall woman was lucky her sword was in its scabbard, or she would have sliced herself to death. Yoshi moaned herself into motion as she rolled to the side of her bed only to make the short drop to the floor. The subsequent thud she made immediately awoke Colin, who was taking up most of the bed.
He opened weary brown eyes to see a disarrayed mop of black hair rise above the bed. Hands appeared on the spread and two half-lidded and blood shot blue eyes peered over the bed. She moaned and Colin laughed. Since she hadn't found her voice yet, Yoshi settled for flipping Colin the bird. "It lives." he said through a chuckle. Yoshi grunted for a comment and then Colin watched as she tried to stand. On the third try she fell towards the wall and managed to stay upright. In Yoshi's mind the floor was moving side to side and the ceiling was spinning, so she moved towards the bathroom with her back firmly affixed to the wall. Colin sat up on his elbows and grinned crookedly with empathy as he watched Yoshi make it to the bathroom. "Hey if you hit the toilet this time I'll make you some lunch." Colin got a painful moan in response and then the door slammed shut. Colin collapsed back onto the bed and wore a grin of both mirth and concern on his face. He let out his own moan as he folded himself into the covers: it was going to be a long day.
_________
By 5:00p.m. Yoshima Miakoda was the picture of health and she was beating Colin to a pulp to prove it. While she lived on the third floor of the warehouse, the second floor housed her dojo. For the fifth time in a row, within the last hour, Colin found himself on his back with a practice sword digging into his throat. He swatted the blade away in a fit of frustration and then accepted the long arm that hoisted him to his feet.
He walked to the edge of the mat and retrieved his water bottle. He managed to actually ingest some of the water that he emptied over his face. Yoshi sheathed her blade and joined him in a drink. He glanced at the woman to his right and sneered with only the barest intention of malice. "All right, you win, you got me, I'm done, no more."
She curled her lip up at Colin and then gave him a lopsided grin. "Wuss."
He nodded without shame. "I'll admit without hesitation lass. I'm a wuss, but I'm a live wuss."
She let out a smug laugh. "Only cause I'm letting you." Colin actually looked hurt for a moment, but then seemed to take it in stride as he tossed his head from side to side and shrugged. Yoshi caught the gleam in his eye too late, as he dropped his bottle and launched himself into her body.
They fell to the ground with a slap, with Colin on top of her and in a position of leverage. After a hard forty seconds of struggling, switching hand holds, maneuvering leg locks, back bridging and grunting, Yoshi conceded with a yelp that she was pinned. With her chin to the ground and her arms bent behind her, Colin let his weight sag onto her legs just a little longer so she knew he had her. He leaned down into a florid ear. "You never could wrestle punk."
Yoshi laughed. "No need. True Samurai would have cut your legs out from under you before you had the chance to react."
He nudged her in the side with his knee as he began to slowly ease off her; prepared for her explosion of retaliation. "Samurai, Samurai, whatever. Yeah, and I'm about to start walking the earth with Cain from ‘Kung-Fu'."
"You might lose a few pounds." Colin laughed and jerked his grip on her arms causing her to wince in pain.
"And you could stand to not be so ugly."
"Well, I've been looking into plastic surgery."
Colin laughed fully as he relaxed his grip and placed a wet kiss on her cheek. "My beauty, when you go in for the face-lift, I'll do some lipo-suction." The two shared a laugh as Colin stood up and helped her to her feet.
"You're still a cheater Colin."
He shrugged sweaty shoulders. "I never said I wasn't." They laughed some more and traded punches as they ascended the stairs to the top floor. "So what are we planning?"
Yoshi stood in the open door of her refrigerator and stared at her mediocre food products. "I'm planning on finding Clarion. You need to get on a plane and start gathering."
"Are we really ready for that yet?"
"Maybe not, but I want everybody on alert."
"So this is a one woman job?"
Yoshi stepped away from the fridge. "Is that selfish?"
Colin regarded his normally reticent friend with sympathy. "Hell no. I definitely think this is something you need to do on your own, but I don't want you to think you're alone."
"Don't think I can handle it?"
"On the contrary. I think you will handle it. I think you're going to go in with both guns blazing and you're going to scare the girl half to death and if she survives she's not going to want to help anymore than you want to kill her."
"What do you mean by that?"
"Exactly what I said. I didn't want to kill her and we had a two-second conversation, so I know you don't want to kill her, no matter what law says."
Yoshi raised both brows and moved towards Colin. "You talked to her?"
"Yes, buttmunch. I told you last night."
Yoshi frowned. "You could have told me the secret of life and I wouldn't remember."
Colin wiggled brown eyebrows. "That's why I told you last night. I mean, I value our friendship and all, but I value my life as well."
"Cheater."
"So what's the plan?"
Yoshi begin stretching her muscles. "First, I'm calling her friend Riley and see if he can help. Then I'm going to her apartment and from there scour the city."
"Why not the church?"
"If she's on the run, she won't go there, because she knows I'll look."
"Then would she rely on Riley?"
"Their friends and besides he'd jump in front of a Mack truck for her."
"How do you figure that?"
Yoshi let out a snort of laughter as she walked to the bathroom. "Because he was ready to claw my eyes out the last time we met." Colin's laughter filled her ears as she stripped her clothes and headed for the shower.
-------------
Riley was nestled in his couch with his cat, sipping red wine and feeling quite proud of himself for having given the run-around to Yoshi when she called. It was a feeling of pride that quickly turned into scared shitless, as he returned from the bathroom to find the shadow of a woman standing by the balcony doors petting his cat. Riley shrieked to high heaven and disappeared into his bedroom only to return with a large cross in his hand.
Yoshi chuckled as she stepped out of the shadow and sat the cat down on the floor. "I'm not Catholic or really religious, so I'm not sure what you want me to do with that."
Riley frowned as he stiffened his shoulders and thrust out his weapon further. "Shouldn't you explode or melt or something?"
Yoshi nodded and smoothed her coat under her as she took a seat on Riley's couch. "I'm not what you think I am."
Riley looked quizzically at the dark woman on his couch and cocked his head to the side as he watched his cat rub against her pants leg. "I guess you're not." He lowered the cross to his side. "But you're something, I know that much."
"Is that an insult or a compliment?"
He shrugged slim shoulders and sucked his teeth. "Take your pick." He tossed the cross on the couch. "It didn't do me any good in highschool either. Should I offer you something to drink or did you raid my cabinets while I was in the little boys room?"
She arched an eyebrow. "No thank you."
"Fine." Riley picked up his wine glass and stood in front of the couch with his arms folded across his chest. "Was our phone interview not enough for you?"
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