The door was ajar and the apartment was mostly dark. Yoshi, sensing no danger opened the door and closed it softly behind her. The light over the stove was illumination enough. Blue eyes went to the broken glass on the kitchen floor and then she turned back to the left to take in fully what she had seen out of the corner of her eye. The sliding door was wide open, curtains billowing in the cool night air. The coffee table was halved and the couch was on its side. Yoshi walked into the kitchen and bent down to pick up the broken glass. She stopped in mid crouch as she looked up. Whatever thread of sanity she had left snapped as she took in the smashed window. She stood quickly and bounded through the dining room, stopping at the edge of the window. A small glint of hope filled her insides as she saw the balcony directly beneath the window.
Yoshi turned on her heels and headed back through the apartment in search mode. Maybe she got out. Yoshi stood in front of the bookcase and began pulling out books and thumbing through every one. Perhaps she could find an explanation for her fears. She gave up after she finished off 3 of the five rows and drew up her hair in frustration. She looked around the room with her hands on hips. "What are you trying to find Yoshi? Maybe Colin's right and she left the city. Or maybe they've taken her. Or maybe she's dead?" She didn't voice her next thought out loud. At least that way I'll know she wasn't a… Yoshi couldn't even bring herself to finish her thought. She jolted out of her morbid mood with a snap of her fingers and walked through an archway, down a short hallway and entered Clarion's bedroom. She slapped the light on and couldn't help but crack a smile.
There on the mirror was a short message written in lipstick. "How cleishe is this? J Sorry I had to break our date, but something came up. If all goes well, I should be at St. Francis by dawn. Smooches." Yoshi sat down on the queen-sized bed and dropped her head into her hands. "And what does that mean if you are at St. Francis in the morning?" Yoshi shook her head in frustration as she let her hair loose and shrugged out of her jacket and collapsed on the bed. She slammed the pillow over head in effort to not only take in Clarion's sweet scent but to try and muffle the echoes of Colin's words in her head: ‘She needs to feed soon', ‘is she that strong?', ‘she's using you', ‘believe in something larger than yourself'. Sleep would not come quickly for the dark warrior this night.
* * *
CH 13: A priest, a rabbi, and a reverend are sitting in a boat in the middle of a lake…..
It was going on ten in the morning when Yoshi finally awoke with a jolt in Clarion's bed. For a moment, she forgot where she was and why, but upon seeing the lipstick on the mirror she remembered. Her head pounded as if she had gone on a drinking rampage the night before, but she knew she wasn't that lucky. The tall woman slugglishy dragged herself from the bed and busied herself by cleaning the apartment. She left an hour and half later still in a haze of confusion, but she knew eventually she was going to have to go to the church. She had hoped she could just wait Clarion out, but the nagging feeling in her gut and the pounding in her head told her otherwise. She didn't bother calling the boys as she made her way to her home to get a change of clothes.
Light stretching and a steamy shower seemed to put some life back into the tall woman, who finally picked up the phone and called the store. Tully answered.
"The Orchid, Tully speaking, can I help you?"
"It's me." Her voice sounded like glass being dragged over gravel.
Tully flinched. "You went out drinking?"
"I wish. How's everything there?"
"Cool, Colin called and Nate's got something you need to see for yourself."
The woman sighed. "Let me guess, the wannabes belonged to Goethe Stolova."
"One step ahead as always."
"Not really, just lucky."
"Huh?"
"Uh, nothing." She sighed. "Look, if Colin calls back, tell him I've got some stuff to take care of."
"Anything else?" Tully listened to the woman breathe for a moment. He sensed she had more to say, but he wasn't about to pry.
"Um..yeah.." She drew in a breath. "Um, Cla-Clarion hasn't come by has she?"
"No, but some dude named Riley came in looking for you."
"Yeah." Her voice picked up. "Hey, if he comes back give him my cell number. Better yet, tell Nate to get his number and call him."
"Will do, uh you need anything else."
"Just water my plants and no wild parties, I'll try to check in soon."
Yoshi let the towel drop from her waist as she walked to her bedroom and sifted through her dark wardrobe for something to wear. Yoshima Miakoda had been raised to be a shadow. She learned how to move like one, fight like, live like one, and of all the things she enjoyed over the centuries was her ability to dress like one. The phrase permanent midnight came to mind as the statuesque woman stepped out into the afternoon sun ready for anything. She removed her black trench coat as she waited for her garage door to open. The raising of the door revealed booted black feet, black denim-- that left nothing to the imagination about the power that rested in her legs, and a tight-fitting long-sleeved mock turtle neck that creased nicely into the sections of her muscles when she flexed. Dark hair pooled out around her shoulders and black glasses took away the only color on her person. Yoshi automatically popped the trunk on her black 73' Camaro and dropped her jacket and two scabbards inside the trunk. She made sure the lock was secure and then brought the engine to life.
-----------
Yoshi stuck her dagger in the small of her back before she swung on her coat and ascended the steps of the church. She took a deep breath and then pulled on the brass handle of the door. As she expected at nearly one in the afternoon on a weekday, the church was veritably empty. Yoshi crossed the vestibule and wondered when was the last time she had been in a Cathedral. Apparently, the memory was too far gone for her to remember, so she merely quieted her thoughts as she walked down the center aisle. She felt a grin tug at her lips as the incense made its presence known in her nostrils, reminding her of her father for the briefest of moments. Out of respect Yoshi genuflected as she passed the alter making her way to the confessional booth.
She stepped inside and immediately the small slide was pushed back from the screen that separated her from the priest. Yoshi spoke first. "Forgive me father for I have sinned. It's has been three centuries since my last confession." Yoshi heard no movement beside her and then just as quickly the door opened. The priest that greeted her wore a slight look of expectation which instantly dropped to a look of disappointment as he took in Yoshi's form.
The small man looked Yoshi up and down and then spoke. "Hunter?" Yoshi stood and the small man stepped aside and let her walk out of the booth. He grimaced and then turned around and begin walking. Yoshi followed the priest down the aisle and through a hallway into the rectory. He waited for her to enter and then closed the double doors behind her. He stood in front of the door with his hands in front of him, right hand clasping his left wrist. He wore a long black robe that touched the tips of his shoes and cinched in at the waist. His collar was visible, but he wore no cross around his neck as Yoshi expected. They eyed each other for a moment as Yoshi finally took a seat in a chair.
He was a small man, only about 5'1" and he appeared to be of Hispanic descent. He combed his dark hair back and there was only the faintest hint of his hair line receding. Finally, after a minute or two of silence he moved from the door and stood across from Yoshi, out of her reach. "The great Yoshima Miakoda, to what do I owe this visit?" Yoshi sat up a little straighter and arched a brow at the middle-aged priest. He smirked. "It is my job to know who the Hunters are."
"So you can alert them." Slight annoyance swirled around her words.
"So I can give them a chance."
Yoshi nodded at the verbal blow. "Are you going to give me a chance Father?"
He let out a chuckle. "Why should I?"
"I didn't think you were supposed to discriminate Father?"
"I don't..but you do."
Yoshi again bowed her head to the verbal assault. "I came to you for help Father, not to ask for your betrayal."
He raised a brow. "I'm intrigued now." With that he sat down. "By the way, it's Father Munez."
Yoshi bowed in her seat. "Father Munez, I'm looking for a mutual friend."
"Forgive my sarcasm, but I find it hard to believe we have the same friends."
"Perhaps not, but in this case, we may." He gestured for her to continue with a nod of his head. "Do you know where Clarion is?"
The priest didn't skip a beat in making his reply. "I don't think I know a Clarion."
Yoshi let out huff of air and arched her brow as she looked at the confident priest. There was no look that was going to convince this man of her sincerity, so she compromised. "Fine, Father. I'm looking for a ‘friend' that's in trouble and I think you might be able to help find that ‘friend.'"
"What if I haven't seen the friend in question?"
Yoshi leaned forward resting her elbows on her knees, feeling just a tad more confident. "Perhaps, you know how I can locate my friend."
"Wouldn't that possibly compromise others?"
"If she's…if my friend is where I think, than I promise that the end justifies the means."
"I'm sure it does."
Father Munez shifted in his seat as he watched emotions play over the face of the Hunter. "What if you're friend is safe?"
"Then I'd like to know." Her voice was filled with more urgency than she intended.
Father Munez grinned. "Why does it matter?"
Yoshi grumbled as she sat back in her chair. "It matters because I have to know. It's my job."
The priest let out a knowing "aha" as he stood and wandered towards a bank of candles that stood in the corner. He appeared to be contemplating the candles for a moment and then he turned back towards the dark woman who was obviously waiting for an answer. He regarded her for a moment as he crossed his hands behind his back and moved closer. He could see the vein pulsing in her neck. She was almost scared and they both knew it. He licked his lips before speaking. "So, it is the great Yoshima's job to find her friend." He smirked and walked around her stopping when he stood behind her. He leaned down towards her ear and spoke in a whisper. "Why don't you just quit or you're going to cause the death of lots of people for no good reason."
Yoshi turned around in a flash of motion, grabbing the priest by the collar as she stood up and hoisted him up as well. He grabbed on to her hands and stared her dead in the eye without a drop of fear in his eyes. She dropped him and stepped back, unsure of whether she should be ashamed in her action or just humbled. Father Munez smoothed out his robe and sat down. He held out his hand and gestured towards a seat next to him. "Sit Yoshima." The tall woman clenched and unclenched her fists as she slowed her breathing and then took the seat offered. "I don't mean to offend you Hunter, but you're heart does not appear to be in this, and well saving a friend takes a lot more than simple obligation." He caught her eyes and held them as he spoke. "You don't walk into the recesses of Hell because you're obligated. You don't win wars out of duty. You don't triumph because it's your job. You survive because you need to. The need is like air. You are victorious because you fight with every ounce of your being. You prevail because you have heart and you believe in the greater good. And most of all, you are willing to leave a piece of yourself on the battlefield not out of a debt to God and country, but because you believe in God and country." He sat back in his chair and took in her features as his words hung in the air. He saw the smallest hint of water gathering in her eyes and watched as she broke their stare and shifted her view to the floor.
He sighed before his soft voice entered the silence of the room. "She'll find a way out."
Yoshi's head sprang up and two teardrops fell to her jeans. "Is it true?" Her voice was barely above a whisper.
He stood up from his seat and touched a hand to the side of her head. "You'll need to find that out for yourself." He held his hand to her head as he watched her shoulders slump and she dropped her hand again. He removed his hand and moved back as she emitted a faint growl.
Blue eyes suddenly flashed with rage as she lifted her head and stared at the priest. "You need to tell me how to find her." Her voice was firm, strong, and void of feeling.
Father Munez turned his back on her and shook his head. He grabbed a long match from the stand and walked towards the candles again. "You think I'm going to tell an angry Hunter how to find a lair, in the hopes that you only save your friend." He raised his eyes to the ceiling quickly. "Forgive me, but fuck you." He crossed himself and then lit a candle. He heard her stand as well as the intake of air before she spoke.
"Father Munez, please." He turned at her plea. "This is about the greater good. It's about everybody's life, everything, all of it."
The priest stiffened his shoulders. "Stolova lives."
Yoshi stood. "Then you understand."
"I understand that the outcome is written."
Yoshi raised her hands in the air in frustration. "Screw what is written Father! The Day- Clarion must be found!"
He couldn't help but smile. "You won't believe it till you see it, will you. No matter how much you read, no matter how many neon signs are blinking or arrows are pointing, you simply will not believe." He walked towards the woman until he was craning his neck to look her in the face. "I don't think you're even capable of belief." Yoshi stood with her hands on her hips as the conducted a stand-off. It was only with the heavy -pounding in her head and perhaps a heavy heart that she sat down." Father Munez turned to retrieve his seat and smiled to himself.
Redden eyes locked with the priests' as Yoshi looked up. Her voice was barely audible as she spoke. "I must find her Father Munez. I have to….I, I-I need to." He bowed his head at her admission. "She's in trouble, I can feel it, and I don't know if she'll make it out this time." Yoshi sat back and ran a hand through her hair. "And you're right, I won't believe it until I see it, so as far as I'm concerned you're all wrong." He smiled. "Will you help me?"
The priest stood and let her words hang in the air as he walked the other side of the rectory and leaned over a table. When he returned to the now standing Yoshi he held out a slip of paper. "If she's in trouble that'll lead you to her." He snatched the paper back before she could grab it, much to her obvious irritation. "Understand something Hunter, all the duty, honor, and work ethic in the world won't make much difference if you don't believe in what you're doing." This time he let her take the card.
"I just don't know how."
The priest smiled and began guiding her to the door. "Let me tell you a joke Yoshima."
She looked down at the priest and arched a brow. "A joke?"
"Just walk with me and listen." The tall woman nodded and began walking with the priest. "Okay, a priest, a rabbi, and a reverend are out in the middle of a lake fishing. After a little while the rabbi slaps his thigh and says, ‘Oh, man I left the cooler on the dock.' Reverend looks at him and says ‘okay we'll just row back.' The rabbi says, ‘nah, I got it covered.' With that he stands up takes a breath and steps over the side of the boat onto the water. The reverend watches wide-eyed as the rabbi walks across the water to the dock and back to the boat. Rabbi gets back and the reverend's all aglow. ‘How'd you do that, oh my!' Rabbi shares a smile with the priest and looks to the reverend and says, ‘Faith, got to have faith.' Yoshi stops at the door of the cathedral and stands as Father Munez continues his tale.
"A little later, the priest sucks his teeth and says, ‘Man, I left the other rod on the dock, I need it.' Before the reverend can say anything, the priest holds up his hand and shakes his hand. He then stands up and proceeds to walk across the water to the dock and back. Once again, the reverend is just mesmerized. The priest sits down and smiles at the reverend. ‘It's all about faith, got to have it.' They start talking philosophy and a little while later the rabbi looks up and says, ‘oh my goodness, I left my lucky lure in the car.' Before he can stand up the reverend stands and shakes his head. ‘That's okay, I'll get it.'
"The priest and the rabbi look at one another and then back at the reverend. The priest looks up at the reverend and asks him if he's sure. The reverend is adamant. He says, ‘Oh no, I got it, it's all about faith, and I've got faith.' The three men share a smile, the rabbi, and the priest sit back and watch as the reverend straightens his shoulders takes a deep breath and steps off the side of the boat. The reverend drops straight down like a hole opened up in the water." Father Munez looked up at the arched brow of Yoshima just to make sure he still had her attention. "The priest and the rabbi lean over the side of the boat waiting for the reverend to resurface, and the rabbi leans over to the priest and says, ‘Do you think we should have told him where the rocks were?'"
Yoshi raised both brows at the punch line as she smiled and fished for a response. Father Munez looked comically at the perplexed woman and frowned. "Was it that bad?"
"No, but what's it supposed to mean?"
Father groaned as he opened the front door for the tall woman and they stepped out onto the steps. He put his hands behind his back and shook his head at the questioning woman. "It means that finding and having faith isn't always about snake oil, incense, and High Mass. It means that sometimes it's about knowing where the rocks are. It's about seeing what's right in front of you."
Yoshima smiled and held out her hand to the priest. They shook hands and he watched with a small grin as the shadow of a woman descended the stairs and somehow managed to blend in with the wandering pedestrians well enough for him to lose sight of her.
* * *
CH 14: I should've turned left at Albuquerque
3:30p.m.
It was Vince Lombardi who said something to effect of, you know you've played well when you lay on the field exhausted and victorious. After sprinting like Marion Jones for a full minute, Clarion had probably broken her own record for the 400yard dash, she was extremely exhausted, and she was hoping like hell that she'd be victorious, but she'd settle for being alive.
The bath had been great. The meal of rare lamb chops made her want to puke at first, but then as she felt a pulling sensation in her teeth, she realized that her 6 months of nibbling on rare meats and bloody cocktails was up. Clarion devoured the meal and felt an adrenaline-fueled surge of power run through her body. When she had left for her bath she noticed that there were two hallways outside her door, one to the left and to the right. With a strained eye Clarion watched her water bearer of sorts turn down the left after bringing her meal. So it was decided that when the time came she would run right. She gave a call to her guard and got him to smirk pleasingly as she asked for seconds. She him a playful him a playful shove, stepped into his blindside and jammed her fork into his eye. As he began a quick descent to the floor she rammed her knee into his chin, probably causing him to lose of is tongue as well as knocking him out.
She made sure her wooden stake, courtesy of the end table was still lodged between the waistband of her pants and her underwear, and then she took off. She found a set of stairs and was up it a if it was an escalator moving at light speed. It was only through a heightened sense of smell that she was alerted to a Vamp at the top of the stairs. Clarion did her best John Elway touchdown leap impression and attempted to hop over the beast. Her legs connected with his head and they went down in a pile of arms and legs. He let out a yelp and she knew she was screwed so she did the only thing she could do: she screamed. Unfortunately, for the Vamp pulling at her legs it wasn't a scream of pain, but rather a scream of a surging life force. When Clarion rolled over green eyes glowed like neon lights and her fangs were glistening with anticipation. She let out a growl as she dug newly sharp nails into his neck slicing at his juggler. She managed to avoid the profuse spray of blood as he rose up and fell backwards.
Clarion was on her feet again running with new power. It was clear she was in someone's house, but she didn't have time to catalog antiques, she was still searching for an out. She was taken down by two Vamps just as she exited what appeared to be a den. They slid across the tiled floor of a kitchen, only stopping when Clarion's head slammed into a cabinet on the island. She had no time to feel woozy as she was picked up by the throat and hurled across a counter. She landed on a table which did well to break her fall. She curled into a ball as she received a few swift kicks to her back and then she was up again held by her throat and rammed into a wall. Fiery eyes that glowed red seared her flesh as stale breath was launched in her face. "I told him to chain you to wall you scrawny bitch."
Clarion clawed at the massive hand around her throat and gurgled with strained laughter. "Hey I worked hard on this figure, so I'd appreciate at some sensitivity you pock-marked shit head." She howled with pained laughter as he slammed her into the wall again. He turned to his companion. "Alert the others." Just as his companion was about to walk out of the kitchen, a one-armed Vamp bleeding from head to toe fell into the kitchen.
His companion dropped to his knees and asked in the dead language, "What the hell happened?" The bleeding Vamp uttered one word before he passed out. "Hunters." The Vamp stood and passed his eyes over Clarion and then to his brother. "Bag the bitch, Hunters are on there way." The two Vamps nodded and then they're attention was grabbed by the hysterical laughter coming from the blonde pinned on the wall. The man holding her slammed her again and spat out, "What's so fucking funny?"
Clarion looked down into red eyes and smiled as she used their language to voice her comment: "Too late."
---
3:05p.m., Parking Garage of Holy Cross hospital
Colin settled into the bucket seats of Yoshi's car and took a reverent whiff of the smell of leather. She leered at her friend and barely waited for him to put on his seat belt before she pulled out of the parking lot at 65mph. They hit a main thoroughfare and the Irish man was finally able to catch his breath. "Where's the fire?"
"Stolova's got Clarion."
Brown eyes went wide. "He has the Daywalker?"
Yoshi gritted her teeth. "He's got Clarion and we need to get her."
Colin rolled his eyes at her stringent disbelief. "Whatever," he grumbled, ", where?"
"It's a row house near Adam's Morgan."
"A row house?"
"Big basement, leads to sewer system."
"Little travel in the daytime."
"Perhaps, but they grabbed her last night."
He turned to the dark woman who was speeding in and out of traffic like she was trying to beat her top score on a video game. "What! Why the hell did we wait till now? She could fucking be dead!"
Yoshi turned cold blue eyes on him for a split second. "She's not dead and I had to go talk to a priest. It took me this long to find her."
"Ugh." He ran a hand through his thin brown hair. "How many."
"It's a nest, so who knows."
"A nest. A fucking nest! Me and you and a nest." He chuckled.
"Problem?"
"Not a one, love. I'm just thinking I probably haven't had this much excitement since '65."
An evil smirk graced Yoshi's lips. "Which one?"
"I'm thinking 1665."
Yoshi fully grinned. "Crazy Scotsman."
"You're fucking-a right there. Ahh, good times." He smiled at the woman who sped around a corner like she was on rails. "You owe me a few pints of Guinness when we get out of this you know."
She chuckled from her gut. "We get out of this we're going to Ireland to get them." Colin let out a howl and pumped his fist in the air.
"The irate Irishman rides again! You wouldn't happen to have a flask back in here would you."
Yoshi shook her head as she pulled to a stop three houses from their destination and atop a manhole. "You're such a stereotype Colin."
He beamed. "Hey all the best writers are crazy drunken Irishman."
She hopped out of the car. "I'm still waiting on your novel. It's under the seat." She popped her trunk and swung her coat on. Colin stepped out of the car and glanced at her scabbard with a frown. "It's in the back." With that she gave two forceful stomps to the grate and disappeared down the storm drain. Colin slammed the trunk with a smile and followed.
--
The two Hunters touched fists and split, unspoken instructions and vows spoken so many times that neither felt the need to voice them. Yoshi took to the bottom floors searching rooms and Colin found the steps and went up.
Colin stood in the door way of the kitchen with his sword at his side and a crossbow raised in the other hand. He cocked his head to the side as he took in the view. One Vamp was down with another kneeling beside him, but his real attention was on the blonde that was pinned to the wall by an arm. He got a glimpse of her eyes as she choked out a laugh and sighed inwardly. He wasn't going to be the one to tell Yoshi. He caught the blonde's eye and winked, that's when she started laughing hysterical. Colin no doubt thought it a shame, he could tell even from this vantage point that she was probably a lot of fun. If she could laugh in this situation, he would love to see her after a few drinks--another life time perhaps. He shrugged off his thoughts as he pulled the trigger.
Clarion once met a woman who described the death of a Vampire like a solar explosion. Light and heat imploded and would burst forth as their hearts were destroyed. Some Vamps disintegrated upon losing a head or receiving a stake to the heart. A few even melted at the touch of silver and some boiled to death in holy water. Others would get shot, drop to the ground and convulse until their bodies simply came apart at the seams and rapidly decayed. When the arrow pierced the heart of the Vamp holding her up, Clarion fell to the floor with a thud, and found herself sitting in ashes. Before the remaining Vamp could reach for her his head left his body with a whizz of air.
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