Ash sat in the passenger seat, his gaze occasionally flicking to the speedometer as the Roadster continued along the road at a speed slightly above the limit. “Ever get pulled over?” he asked.
“Never,” she said. “Well, almost never…twice…last week.” She glanced at him, giving him an impish grin. “Not too much traffic out here anyway. That’s why I bought the place.”
“And will we be making it there by dawn, or will I be scraping fried Dark-Huntress off the driver’s seat so I won’t be stranded?”
“Keep your dog collar on,” she said, glancing at the collar he had around his neck that seemed in place with the Goth look. “And might I add, it’s a nice collar… very fetching.”
“Goes with the outfit,” he replied drolly.
The car suddenly decelerated at the same time Tria reached up and touched a button on her visor. Down the road, Ash could see gates opening in a large fence, the heavy metal dark in the predawn light.
“Remember, I prefer not to slam into the back wall of a garage.”
“I’ll keep that in mind,” Tria said as she swung into the driveway, tapped the button again, then another one. The gates shut as the garage door opened. “Staying long?” she asked in a conversational tone as she drove into the garage and stopped a hairsbreadth from the back wall.
“About a week.” Ash got out of the car, slightly relieved that they had made it in time, and in one piece. “You’re going to have to stop leaving it to the last minute to get back,” he told her. “Consider it an…order.”
“Okay.” She walked around the back of the car, and motioned for him to follow. Walking out the side door, she pointed. “Guest house is just over that hill.”
“When I stay with a Hunter, I usually stay in their house.”
Tria looked at him. “That’s interesting. I’ll go get you a key for the guest house and be right back.” She turned and went though the garage and into the house.
Snorting in amusement, Ash waited as he watched the sun rise over the hill. She really had cut it close in coming back, and he had to make sure he made her see the importance of returning earlier. He had no desire to see her turn into a shade through sheer stupidity on her part. Knowing that part of her attitude was common in Dark-Hunters during the first fifty or so years after their death when they tried to push the limits merely because they were already dead, he was willing to cut her a little slack; but not much.
Tria walked out of the house, holding a key in her hand. She held it up, waiting for him to take it. He slowly took it from her hand and turned for the door. “Ash?” She waited until he turned back. “You don’t have to stay in the guesthouse,” she said, as if it had been his idea all along. “There’s plenty of room here.”
Ash stared at her for a few moments, noticing that she was straining to keep a straight face. “You’re a pain in the ass.”
“I was aiming for royal pain,” she said. “But hey… got all week to upgrade your opinion.”
He watched as she spun back and then motioned for him to follow. She was certainly acting strange, even for her, and he wanted to find out what it was. He walked into a large kitchen, complete with the latest in appliances. Stopping to grab a bottle of water from the fridge, Tria continued on through an arched door and into an open living room.
“Trinity!” she yelled.
Ash walked to one of the two couches and sat on the cushions as he waited for the squire to arrive. He looked up as a pretty young woman walked out of a small hallway, wiping her hands on her pants.
“Can’t a girl even use the can without-“ she paused when she noticed Ash, “you letting me know that Ash is here so I wouldn’t be making a fool out of myself? Hi, Ash.”
“Trinity.” He smiled slightly.
Tria rolled her eyes as her squire stared at Ash, and snapped her fingers in front of Trinity’s face, making her jump. “Stop staring. Ash will be staying here for about a week, so be a good squire and prepare a room, or something. “ She gave her a quizzical look. “Today would be ideal, if that’s all right with you?”
“Yeah, yeah,” Trinity said, finally pulling her gaze away from Ash. Grumbling under her breath, she stomped up the stairs and out of sight.
Tria looked at Ash. “You don’t need complete darkness, do you?”
“No.” He let his gaze wander around the windowless living room. The house was large, reminding him of an updated, slightly smaller version of an antebellum mansion. “You can go to bed if you want. I’ll be fine.” If he didn’t know better, he thought he saw something similar to fear flash through her black eyes at the mention of bed. “Anything wrong?”
“Nope,” she replied, a little too quickly. “So, um, help yourself to anything in the house. Pool’s outback, etcetera, and so on.”
“Got a computer I can use?”
“Come on,” she said, motioning him to the kitchen. He got up and followed her through to the door that led to the basement. “There are only PCs,” she said. “Mine and Trin’s.” She placed her palm on a small security disk beside the door, then opened it.
Ash took one step in to her bedroom and stopped. He watched as she went to the counter under the wall mounted TV, and took something out.
“Keep the drive, I’ve got plenty,” she said as she handed him a slim laptop and a small jump drive. “The whole property is wired for internet access. Just plop your ass anywhere, and you’re set to go.”
“Thanks,” he said dryly as he took a look around her room. “I’ll let you get to sleep and see you tonight.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The sun beat down on the dry Nevada landscape, heating the air above it to nearly intolerable temperatures that warped the horizon. Deep below the baked ground, a community thrived, its only purpose that of destruction.
Created far too many years ago to combat a threat that never really came to fruition, the Sumerian gallu soon destroyed that which was to confine them. Enlil, leader of the Sumerian gods, confined them to the previously barren desert in an uninhabited area to stop their killing. No one ever envisioned that the nuclear testing of twentieth century would weaken the bedrock enough for them to gradually escape.
World domination was within their grasp a few months previous, with the pending release of the seven Dimme, demons that made the gallu look like tame kittens. Originally sealed in a tomb by three Sumerian gods, and with a time release, victory seemed within the Gallu grasp, since the Sumerian pantheon was all but destroyed.
Unfortunately, two remaining Sumerian gods and a Greek/Atlantean goddess with Sumerian blood managed to seal the Dimme tomb for another three thousand years. On the plus side, one of the Dimme managed to escape before the sealing, and the gallu wanted to find her to use for their own gain.
Now, the Gallu leader, Kessar, remained underground with his demons, plotting their next move, and sneaking out a few at a time to create havoc wherever they could. Since one bite was all that was needed to convert humans, they were spreading to all major areas in the world.
Needing an ally against the Dark-Hunters, and mainly Acheron Parthenopaeus, Kessar forged a trice with their old enemy, the Daimons. Stryker, the Spathi Leader, worked out a tentative alliance, willing to allow someone else do the dirty work, so he could destroy them at a later date and take over. Not that Kessar trusted him, but it all came down to the lesser of two evils.
At the moment, he had his sights set on converting the Dark-Hunter leader, and use his powers to conform the world to his whims and wishes. After he had Ash, he wouldn’t need Stryker, and looked forward to one bite converting the Spathi leader, too.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A lone swan floated over the crystal surface of the small pond, majestic amidst the well-manicured lawns and artistically placed rocks. Trees shaded the area, casting shadows over two antique benches that sat on opposites sides on the pond. Here, it seemed like a curtain had been drawn, separating the area from the outside world.
Ash looked up at the setting sun, and stood from his seat in the grass. After sleeping the morning away, he had spent most of the afternoon sitting under a tree by the artificial pond on Tria’s property, looking through the Internet, and contacting other Dark-Hunters. He had made appointments with three other Huntresses, and wasn’t exactly looking forward to next week when he would be dropping in on the Amazon, Zoe. The woman wasn’t fond of men, and since Ash was about as alpha male as they came, she barely tolerated him, only being civil because she knew he could undeniably kill her.
Leaving the pond behind, he walked past the small guesthouse that Tria had originally offered him, and continued up the gravel path over a small hill to the back of the main house. Set on ten acres, all he could see were trees or the large property wall, and wondered what the rest of the place looked like. He basically knew the layout, having received all the information when she arrived at the house for the first time, but there were times when he wanted to actually look around to get a better feel for places.
Letting himself in through the garage door, then into the kitchen, Ash stopped and listened. Someone was playing music, the melodious voice strong over the guitar. Gently walking to the door that led to the living room, he was surprised to see Tria playing a guitar and singing. Her back was to him, but that didn’t hide the haunting beauty of her voice as she sang “Weak In The Knees” by Serena Ryder. Where the original singer had a slight rasp in the song, Tria’s voice was strong and clear, bringing a different facet to the lyrics.
Ash leaned against the wall to listen, as the words seem to surround and caress him with harmonious serenity. The thought that he should walk away crossed his mind, but he rarely got to enjoy moments like this, so he remained. As the song ended, Tria tilted her head slightly, then launched into the opening guitar riff of “Sweet Home Alabama”, the song that most sanctuaries played to let their clientele know that Ash was around.
Smiling at being caught listening, he straightened and watched as she put the guitar on the stand by her chair, and stood. She faced him, and he couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow at her outfit…tight black jeans, and a see-through black lace top over what looked to be a satin bra, and lightly shook his head.
“What’s on the agenda for tonight, boss?”
Ash sighed. “Stop it with the boss, all right? Your Majesty, or Mr. Parthenopaeus will do.”
“Yeah,” she replied slowly. “I’ll get right on that, Ash.”
“Good.” He mentally willed the laptop he was still holding to the room he was staying in. “If you want to finish getting dressed, then we’ll be going.”
“I am dressed,” she said. “Grant it, not all of us can pull off the ripped shirt look like you can.”
Ash had to inhale to keep from laughing. “No, no… the half dressed look is good on you. Very…fetching.”
Tria arched an eyebrow. “And you call me a pain in the ass.” Grabbing her jacket off the back of the chair, she started for the garage door. “Got a few things to do before I hit the city. Tag along if you want.”
“I like to see what all the DH’s do,” Ash said as he followed her out, shutting the door behind him. “As long as it’s legal.”
She stared at him over the top of the car. “That would depend on your definition of legal.” Ignoring his stare, she got into the car and laughed.
Ash sighed and shook his head as he got into the car. He was a little cramped, and had to move the seat back to a more comfortable position. He had just pulled the seatbelt over his long frame when the car started and backed up.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The alley was narrow, overcrowded with dumpsters and cardboard boxes that held some of the city’s homeless as they slept through the warm spring night. Silent amidst the sounds of the traffic filtering through from each end, four figures walked through the alley, eyeing the boxes and those residing in them.
One of the figures bent down to pull a tarp off, jumping back in surprise as a ball of fire lit the air as it flew between his chest and the tarp. The four looked to the end of the alley, stopping as two people stared back at them.
“Nice shot,” Ash said in a conversational tone.
“Thanks,” Tria replied, then turned her attention to the four in the alley. “Right. Okay. Two choices. I kill you, or,” she motioned to Ash, “he kills you.”
“They’re not going to buy that,” Ash said as the four approached.
“Why not?”
“They’re Gallu.”
Tria’s mouth dropped open slightly, and then she turned an accusing glare at Ash. “You brought them here,” she said. “This city was virtually Gallu free before you showed up.”
“Are you always this dramatic?” he asked, his gaze never leaving the approaching Gallu.
“Well, yeah!” she gave him a look like it was obvious. “When shit like this happens, I tend to get very dramatic. Oscar-worthy, in fact.” Without looking, she threw her hand out, hitting the lead Gallu between the eyes with a fireball.
He flew back against a dumpster, then landed on the ground. The remaining three ran at the Dark-Hunters.
“Oh, for fuck-“Tria sighed. “Why can’t Daimons and Gallu just run the other way for once?”
“Then we’d have to chase them,” Ash said as he raised his hands and delivered two god bolts to two Gallu. “Personally, I hate running.”
The remaining Gallu stopped and stared at the two before turning and running in the opposite direction.
“Get him,” Ash said. “I’ll take care of the other three.” He watched as Tria took off after him. Remember, between the eyes, or sever the spinal column are the only ways to stop them, he though to her. He watched her go, then gathered the three bodies together, and used his powers to set them on fire. Looking around, and satisfied that his powers were also keeping the alley occupants asleep, he stood back to watch the fire.
Around the corner, Tria sprinted to keep up with the running Gallu. She couldn’t use her Dark-Hunter power on the streets, least someone see her, and had to rely on her agility to close the gap.
The Gallu headed for the center of a deserted intersection, and easily pulled a manhole cover up. He paused to look at Tria, snarling to reveal the double row of fangs, then climbed down through the hole. He looked up at her as she appeared above him, and gave her a look that dared her to follow.
“Oh, like I’m that stupid,” she told him, holding back on the urge to fry his nasty demon ass. With her luck, there would be a gas line next to him, and that would look real good on a performance evaluation…if Dark-Hunter’s had them, that is.
Sighing in disgust, she bent over, grabbed the man hole cover and dropped it back in place. Rule number one of chasing something: never follow any demon into a dark hole without knowing what was lying in wait.
Turning, she jogged back to the alley, grateful that Ash was using his powers to conceal both the smoke and stench from the burning bodies.
“Lose him?” he asked when she stepped into the alley.
“Sort of. He vanished through a manhole, and I wasn’t stupid enough to follow him.”
“Good idea.” Ash continued to watch as the flames took away all traces of the demons. “A Dark-Hunter convert would be like gold to them.” He turned as the flames flickered out, leaving nothing behind but ashes.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
The island of Neratiti sat off the coast of New Zealand, its pristine beaches awash in the early morning light. All but invisible to outside forces, the island existed out of normal time and space. Neratiti disappeared and reappeared at the whims of its owner, Savitar, who was an enigmatic god of sometimes questionable, highly selfish, and possibly scrupulous, principles. He did what he wanted, to whom he wanted, and didn’t care one way or another what anyone thought.
The morning sun peeked through the tapestries that covered the windows in his palace, the golden hues highlighting furnishing and pillows as it made its way to the bed and its occupants. Savitar lay on his side, his arm curled protectively around one of the few beings in the universe that he cared for. Aiden Falconidae slept soundly, unaware of the dreams and premonitions going on in the man behind her.
He had known for a long time that the Gallus were out, and trying to convert humanity, but had stayed out of the growing conflict. Timelines were set out, and anything he did to change them could bring a disaster far worse than any he could prevent. So, Savitar watched as a select few battled the demons. It was stuff that nightmares were born from, but it had nothing to do with the one that now had his mind in its grip.
The images in his mind were jagged and disconcerting, but he could make out their meaning with a clarity that he wished he didn’t posses at times. He could make out Ash, and the Atlantean seemed to be wounded in a way that no one should have to endure. His dream also showed him, with succinct precision, Ash changing into his true form, a frightening spectacle in itself. Savitar knew that when Ash turned demon, there was always a danger of him doing something that would release his mother, Apollymi, the Destroyer, and seal humanity’s fate.
Savitar rolled over in his sleep as the demon continued to rant in his dreams, the marbleized blue skin, and oversized fangs hinting at pain and anger, and holding a promise of burning retribution.
As fast as it began, the images stopped. Savitar’s eyes flicked open and he sat up in his large bed, looking around for something that wasn’t there. He blinked a few times, then shook his head to clear it.
A hand wrapped around his waist. “You okay?”
“Yeah, babe.” He patted Aiden’s hand. “Just a dream.”
Lying back down, he wrapped his arms back around her and pulled her close. The dream was first in his mind, and he needed to work through just what it was telling him.
It had been months since he’d last seen Ash, and he stopped himself from speaking with him now. Ash wasn’t a stupid being, and knew that Savitar never contacted him without reason.
If Savitar told him, then Ash would have advance knowledge of his actions, and if he knew Ash, and he did, the immortal didn’t like it when he knew certain things about the future. Whereas Savitar was omnipotent, and knew everything about everything, Ash was unable to see his own future, or that of those closest to him.
Free will was high on Ash’s list, and screwing around with that, even with good intentions, was something that tended to piss him off. So, tell him and spare enormous emotional pain, or to not tell him, and let him be happy for a little while. Technically, it should have been a no-brainer, but Savitar knew Ash needed that happiness so that he could take steps to fulfill a destiny that no one but Savitar knew the Atlantean possessed. 1
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Love the bantering between Ash and Tria....
Savitar!!!! boo-yeah! uh-huh uh-huh
okay, I'm off to read part three.. -
excellent
Great writing! I can't wait for the next chapter.
beginning: 4, language: 4, plot: 5, ending: 4, dialog: 5, characters: 5.
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WHERE Savitar was omnipotent ....
I can't wait for the next!!!
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Thanks
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'held the some of the city’s homeless' - not positive but pretty sure that 'some' should be 'sum'
oh my darlig ash... if you dont have a place you can stay with me... lol!
anywhos- i really like these demon things but found the whole history part a little too developed. i was thinking that the information could be spread out a little more. like tell the background and then bring up future plans later? just an idea... -
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I was thinking that this afternoon, actually... about the history. might just edit it and spread it out over a couple places...
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