Title: Hunter's Fall (Parts 10/10) 
Author: Ravenlock, Rua Bran 
E-Mail: ruabrannw at yahoo dot com 
Date Submitted: 14/July/99 
Rating: 15 
Spoilers: NW - DoD, TC, SM, BD 
Disclaimers: The NW is the sole property of LJ Smith. I am merely
borrowing her characters for a while and adding a few of my own.
Beth Quinland/Sarah Quinn, and Edward Quinn are my creations, I'll
add others later. 

Summary: Fate gives Hunter a second chance to find his soulmate
courtesy of Delos 

                   ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Part 1: 

     A soft ocean breeze gently rustled the lace curtains in Beth's
room. The sound of waves lapping at the beach just beyond the
window filled the room, lulling Beth into a deep sleep.

     Fog enshrouded dreams floated through her mind. A distant,
voice called her name. She recognized the voice. It was the man
with flaming red hair and golden eyes like a hawk. 

     Slowly, the dream unfolded again, drawing her inside its ever
growing web.

     "Edward, why kill her?" A woman dressed all in black with a
creamy colored scarf on her head cried. She was kneeling over the
tiny body of a girl who was dressed in a soft gray woolen gown a
tiny mop hat on her head. Puritans, the New England Puritans
something told her. Suddenly Beth was the older woman and the girl
was not a girl, but a teenager. A tiny boned slender teen. She had
soft brown hair and vacant brown eyes that stared straight ahead .
Thick scarlet blood trickled from the corner of her perfect mouth.
A huge piece of wood protruded from her chest.

     "She was a demon, Sarah!" Edward paced the floor, "We must
destroy the demons before they take over;" He grabbed Sarah by the
hair of her head and flung her face first against the wall. Her
head made a loud cracking sound as it crashed into the giant logs
that made up the small structure, "including our son." He hissed,
kicking her in the back, knocking the breath out of her. "He has
sold his soul for that dead bloodsucking demon bitch."

     Sarah's head ached. Wet, warm, stickiness trickled down her
face. She saw two husbands in place of one. The floor seemed to
buckle and roll under her. She fought against the dizzying
blackness that tried to swallow her and pulled herself up using the
table for support. Her kidneys seemed to quiver from the blow he
had given her back. Cramps shot through her abdomen and her hand
flew immediately to her stomach. The babe, she thought frantically.

     Hunter! 

     Her mind called out to him before she could stop it. He
couldn't come here. Not now. Edward would kill him. He would kill
John too. Sarah tried to regain her senses, to argue with Edward
even if it meant getting killed.

     "Please don't kill him, Edward. God said judge not least ye be
judged." 

     "Silence woman!" The echo of his hand against her face bounced
through the small room. Sarah fell backward hitting her head
against the sharp corner of the table. The impact caused a deep
indentation in the back of her skull. "I will see thee hang too if
thou try to protect John. Mother's love has no authority over
God's"

     A loud ringing filled her ears. Her face burned with the
imprint of his hand. The sweet, coppery taste of blood filled her
mouth. She couldn't move and the room was quickly becoming a black
and gray blur. A serene sense of calm overwhelmed Sarah and she
knew Hunter was nearby. He was coming for her. 

     "No." She whispered, knowing he could hear her voice. 

     A loud crash startled her. Despite the growing nausea and pain
spreading through her stomach, Sarah managed to look up at her
rescuer. Hunter's face was hard with fury. His eyes sparkled with
an angry golden flame.

     "Ah, the demon's father has come to claim his daughter's body.
I'll see thy family burn at the stake."

     "I have no fear of thy wrath Edward Quinn." He lifted his arms
and great black sheets seemed to drape over him from the tips of
his fingers to his waist. His clothes ripped over the rippling
muscles that bulged in his arms and back. Tiny pointed ears peeked
out of his hair.

     "Hunter please don't" Sarah whispered. She wanted Hunter to
comfort her as she died, but in the same desire she wanted Edward
to die as well.

     Sarah cowered by the table, but she couldn't take her eyes off
the scene taking place in front of her. Hunter punched Edward, his
head snapped back. She heard the bones in Edward's neck crunch.
Edward's pitiful screams pierced the murky evening as Hunter stood
in the shadows only his eyes showed prominently glowing a blazing
gold. There was no where to go. Unable to move Edward began to
pray.

     "That's right pray for your black soul for I am the wrath of
thy God." Hunter's voice was low and soft. 

     She recognized the inflection, "Hunter." 

     "May he have mercy on thy black soul." Then, like a great
bird, Hunter flew across the room. He lifted Edward's limp body in
the air.

     "Is thy soul prepared?" 

     Edward's eyes were huge with fear. He made a pathetic
whimpering noise, but he didn't speak. Sarah felt a strange sense
of calm settling over her; death was near. 

     The black wings outstretched blocking her view of Edward. She
a surprised gasp and the sound of flesh being sliced into in the
same second, followed by eerie silence. Strong arms lifted Sarah
and Hunter held her close to his heart.

     "He will never hurt you again." Hunter whispered against her
hair. 

     "John?" 

     "He will be fine. He's just confused." 

     "But . . ." 

     "Hush, save thy strength little human." He gently lifted her
into his arms. She felt safe. Even in his strange form Hunter was
still the kindest of souls. Her eyes drifted shut.

     Sarah didn't remember the trip to Hunter's secret home. The
world was black and icy. She shivered and searched mentally for
Hunter. She could sense his presence even if she couldn't see him.
She tried to open her eyes. Slowly they found a focal point. Maeve.

     "Don't move." Maeve said in a hushed whisper. 

     "Hunter?" 

     "Hunter is outside. I will allow him to see thee after I
finish this spell." 

     Sarah's whole body seemed stiff. She couldn't move. Her heart
seemed to stop and her lungs felt frozen. She needed to sit up. No,
she HAD to sit up. She found no resistance when she sat up.
Standing wasn't a problem either. She glanced back at the pallet
and felt faint. Her body was still lying there. Her mouth gaped
open in horror.

     "I told thee not to move." Maeve tossed crushed herbs and
leaves over Sarah's body. "Soul departed find no rest until thou
hast found the silver thread of love again."

     "I'm dead?" She moved to stand and stare at her body. Her face
was swollen, black and bloody. Blood matted her hair to her head.
Her clothes were torn and stained with blood.

     "Yes." Maeve's eyes filled with tears; "There was nothing we
could do to save thee, if only Hunter had found thee when thou wast
younger."

     "Younger?" Sara saw a blinding light and never heard Maeve's
response. The tunnel spun around her and exploded.

     Hunter ran in. "You let her go?"

     "I couldn't help it. She moved and then she was gone." Maeve
pressed herself against the wall afraid of what Hunter might do in
his grief. 

     He only knelt by Sarah's body, "Weak human. Thou wast so
damned weak." 

     "No Hunter, do not curse her weakness." She whispered, laying
a trembling hand on his shoulder.

     "Do not speak to me of curses, witch." He shrugged her off.

     Maeve frowned, "I might be thy wife, but thy heart belonged to
the little human."

     "I have no heart." He said flatly.

     He gathered Sarah's cooling body against his and smoothed her
hair. Maeve turned away as his broad shoulders began to shake. Tiny
Roseclear stood in the entrance.

     "Come little one, father is sad." She said taking her by the
hand.

     "Why, mother?" 

     The word soulmate seared through Maeve. She had known Hunter
didn't love her. Their marriage was only to bind the witches to the
lamia and end the bickering. Besides, love had no place in this
repressed era. But seeing the actual proof that soulmates existed
and proof that Hunter truly loved someone else hurt more than Maeve
could have ever imagined.

     "Thy father's human soulmate has died." 

     A flash of blue lightening sizzled outside Beth's window,
startling out of her sleep. 

     "Great, a storm." She muttered, feeling strangely exhausted by
her dream. She shuffled to the window and closed it. Hunter's voice
was still in her head.

     "I'm crazy, I have to be."She said, rubbing her throbbing
temples. 

     She flopped on her bed and shut her eyes. The voice became
louder. Something deep in her heart responded. He needed her. 

     Beth slowly rose. She didn't remember pulling on the robe or
going outside but when she awoke she was standing at the water's
edge scanning the horizon.

     "You have to see a psychiatrist." She told herself as she
turned away. The burnt black spot on the beach stopped her in her
tracks. 

     "Probably where the lightening struck." Beth looked up. The
sky was full of stars and the moon shone brightly on the ocean.
There wasn't a cloud in the sky. "What the . . .?" 

     In the center of the burnt spot something shifted and groaned.
Beth stood transfixed. It was him. Hunter Redfern. Her soulmate. 

     No, her mind shouted, it's impossible! He's just a dream! But
the dream was lying on the ground in burnt clothing and in pain.

     Without knowing why, she ran the short distance, and knelt
beside Hunter. She turned him on his back even as she recognized
the burning tingling sensation shooting through her fingertips. 

     Dear God, he was real. She thought in shock.

     My soulmate, her body seemed to sing in profound joy. We've
finally found each other. Tears slipped down her cheeks. Surely she
was dreaming this too.

     Hunter's eyes opened and immediately his teeth dented his
lips. Beth reared back. He didn't recognize her.

     "What do you want human?" 

     "What?" Beth repeated, confused by his reaction. 

     Hunter turned and flipped her to the ground in one catlike
move. Strangely enough, Beth felt unafraid.

     "Don't you fear me?" He clicked his teeth for emphasis. He
laughed wickedly, "You should." He raised his head and opened his
mouth wide fully intending to tear her throat out and darted toward
Beth's neck. 

     "Hawk, no!" Beth heard herself scream. 

     The damp skin of his teeth grazed the flesh of her neck. He
seemed to be wrestling with his own sudden awareness of the
electricity that sizzled between them. He raised his head and
despite herself, Beth stared straight into his eyes. She saw
flickering rage, pain, and disbelief.

     "What did you call me, human?" He hissed with such hate that
Beth flinched. A little tendril of fear curled in her stomach.

     "Hawk, you are Hawk." She reached a forfinger up to touch his
teeth but he shied away.

     "How do you know to call me Hawk. No one has called me that in
over three hundred years." 

     Though his teeth had retracted, he was still very agitated.
Beth knew she must remain calm, no matter how scared she was
getting now that the danger had apparently passed.

     "I have dreamed about you for six years." 

     "Dreamed?" 

     "I've dreamed about Sarah Elizabeth Quinn and my husband
Edward, and my son John Quinn, and Dove and about you." She
couldn't seem to stop the words. "Maeve said she couldn't do
anything for me and I was dead, you were crying." 

     Hunter put his hand over her mouth, "You weren't there, how do
you know these things?" Gold eyes searched hers accepting the truth
even as he tried to verbally deny it.

     "I told you I dreamed them." 

     He looked doubtful, "What is your name?" 

     "Elizabeth Sarah Quinland, my folks call me Beth . . . " Her
voice trailed off as Hunter ran his hand through her jet black
hair.

     "It can't be." He was whispering. "She died, in my arms, she
died. I couldn't help her."

     "I was too old." Beth said, finishing his sentnece for him. 

     Hunter's eyes narrowed. "Why do you call me HAWK if you are
truly Sarah Quinn?"

     "You have the golden eyes of a hawk. Your name is Hunter. The
hawk is a hunter."

     Hunter sat back on his heels in confusion. He had an old soul
who happened to be his soulmate lying on the ground in front of
him. By law she had to die because she was a human with knowledge
of his world. But by all that was sacred, he couldn't carryout his
own law. He couldn't kill her. Instead, he wanted to carry her into
her cottage and make love to her until three hundred years of
longing were gone.

     He swept her up in his arms, the last memory of carrying her
playing in his mind like a nightmare. He reminded himself that she
wasn't dying this time.

     "How old are you?" 

     "Why?" Beth asked even as something from her previous life
answered the question for her.

     Now Hunter looked concerned. "Do you remember anything about
me from your previous life?"

     "You mean about your being a . . ." Reality slammed into her.
"Vampire." 

     With one shove, Beth wrenched herself free from Hunter. She
stumbled backward but somehow managed to keep her balance. She
wasn't dreaming, those teeth he had sported just moments earlier
were real and she was in real trouble. She wanted to kiss him and
run like hell at the same time. 

                   ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Part 2: 

     Rashel moved quickly, quietly over the sand, hurrying toward
the drop off point where Quinn and Thierry were going to deposit
the latest shipment of human slaves they had intercepted. She, Ash,
Poppy and James were there to make sure no one from the nightworld
caused a problem. She lifted her binoculars to survey the area. 

     A couple on the beach below caught her attention. She focused
on them expecting to find a couple making out. The girl had long
jet black hair and looked very petite, wearing only a nightgown and
a robe. The man facing her was wearing burnt, tattered clothing and
had red hair the color of...Hunter Redfern's

     The binoculars fell out of Rashel's hand. Surely she hadn't
seen that scene right. Hunter was reported dead three days ago. She
grabbed the binoculars again and focused them on the couple below.
The breath in her chest froze. It was Hunter and the girl backing
away from him looked terrified.

     Quinn! She shouted with her mind, willing the thought to be
carried to the yacht still far from shore. She swung the binoculars
out to the ocean hoping they were closer. 

     A white blob bobbed on the ocean. She saw Quinn's dark head
pop up, followed by Thierry's. 

     A concerned reply came, What is it?

     Hunter's on the beach.

     A few moments passed and she saw them climb down to Thierry's
speed boat in tow behind the yacht. 

     Rashel, don't engage him, he's too powerful for you by
yourself. 

     Rashel frowned, the human girl was in trouble, how could she
just wait? Hunter could kill the girl and be gone by the time Quinn
and Thierry got there. Ash and Poppy were nearby, but not close
enough. She had to protect the girl.

     Rashel, Quinn said firmly, Stay put, I'll be there shortly.,
Rashel ignored him and slipped down the hill. She pressed her back
against the cottage's pilings. Risking a peek at the couple facing
off on the beach, she tried to come up with a plan to keep Hunter
at bay until help arrived.

     "Sarah," Hunter said. "You said you dreamed about me. Surely
you dreamed everything."

     Beth shook her head, "It was a nightmare, you were so evil. I
begged you not to kill him."

     "What did you want me to do?" Hunter almost shouted. "Did you
want to die there and hope he didn't toss your body out for the
buzzards to eat?"

     "No." Beth said, her initial knee jerk reaction wearing off.
"No, I just wanted you to take me away so I could die in peace."

     Hunter was still. The skin that had been scorched by the
lightening was falling in patches and floating away on the breeze.
New soft skin was under it. Beth watched in fascination. She had
forgotten about his amazing ability to heal himself. There were so
many things that she remembered in pieces here and there. One
particularly x-rated scene flashed in her mind.

     Hunter looked like he read her mind. "Sarah." 

     Beth jumped, "Beth, my name is Elizabeth Sarah this time." She
said, hoping she didn't look too embarrassed or guilty. She was
feeling like she had gone insane. She was barely clothed standing
on a deserted beach talking to a vampire about a past she shouldn't
be able to remember anything about. Worse yet he was agreeing with
her on the details of her dreams. Maybe she was still dreaming and
she would wake up shortly.

     "I don't regret killing Edward Quinn." 

     That did it. She wasn't insane, she'd stepped way beyond
insanity. She stood stock still when he finally moved toward her.
All the time she had been backing away he had only stood there with
a slightly confused, dumbstruck look on his face. The look on his
face now was anything but confused. Nor was it the angry, rage
enshrouded mask was wearing when he'd attacked her. The look
impacted in her mind. He was going to kiss her.

     Rashel's stomach turned. Hunter killed Quinn's dad? Her mind
raced frantically, how would the girl know that unless. . . . No,
no no no she couldn't be an old soul, could she? Rashel moved
quietly til she was behind a sand dune and crouched low, listening
to the conversation

     "I, I can forgive you for killing my husband, but I can't
forgive you for making John a vampire. He was my only child and you
took him from me." Beth shook her head. She had to get control of
herself. Waffling back and forth between Sarah and Beth made her
feel insane again as did that half smile on Hunter's face. She was
still backing toward the sand dune.

     "If I couldn't have you with me forever, I could have part of
your heart, and that was Quinn."

     Beth wiped the tears that suddenly started spilling down her
cheeks with the back of her hand. "He was all I had!" 

     Rashel's eyes widened. The girl was Quinn's mother? She
pinched herself. This had to be a sick nightmare. And now the
feeling that there was more to Hunter than the evil man he showed
the entire world was sinking in. Rashel started to see him in a
different light as she put the pieces together. Hunter killed
Quinn's father because he had somehow mortally injured Quinn's
mother. He had changed Quinn because he wanted to have something of
Quinn's mother after she died.

     Nausea swept over Rashel and she fought the urge to puke. The
reality of what she was hearing was really sinking in. They were
soulmates. Hunter and Quinn's mother.

     Oh God, she groaned. Oh God, they're soulmates. 

     Who? Quinn asked. 

     Hunter and the girl, she's an old soul. 

     You talking to Hunter? 

     No, eaves dropping. 

     Rashel peeked around the dune, uncertain what to do now. 

     Hunter reached out and wiped the tears off Beth's cheeks. "I
would never intentionally hurt you."

     His hand darted out catching her less than resistant body and
drew her closer and the desire to run left her. She couldn't help
touching his cheek too. She knew this man, Hunter, in every
intimate meaning of the word. Everything about him was rugged and
raw. Every emotion showed in him. One minute he could look fierce
and imperious, like a hawk ready to swoop down on its prey. The
next, he was a man who loved his soulmate beyond all comprehension.

     Her heart thundered as he leaned in close to her and gently
touched his lips to the sensitive skin of her neck. She shivered
knowing he wanted to taste her blood and God help her she wanted it
too. Her pulse was racing, breathing rapid, shallow breaths, she
brushed her hair back off her shoulders when a black blur flipped
over the sand dune and landed squarely against Hunter knocking him
to the ground. Rashel stood straddling him with her bo drawn, fully
prepared to impale him. 

                   ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Part 3: 

     "This kitten has claws." Rashel hissed under her breath. Anger
and revenge poured through her veins. She had Hunter Redfern, the
vampire who had murdered her mother right where she had always
dreamed: under the tip of her bo and he wasn't even fighting.

     The world closed around her in a silent void where only the
sound of her heart pounding and the sound of Hunter breathing
echoed inside her head. Rashel heard nothing, felt nothing.

     Finally, victory was in her reach. Hunter stared up at her,
too stunned to react. One second he was holding Beth the next 'The
Cat" was standing over him about to drive wood through his heart.

     "No!" Beth shouted and dove for Rashel, hitting her full force
from behind. both rolled across the sand. Beth leapt to her feet,
holding Rashel's bo.

     "Lignum Vitae?" Beth tested the weight of the bo in her hand,
"Hardest wood on earth." She swung it against the pilings of the
cottage. It cracked on the first impact, and splintered in half
with the second.

     "You don't know what you're doing!" Rashel shouted, "Damn it
that was an expensive boken!"

     Hunter pushed himself to his feet, "Good job Beth," he sighed,
suddenly feeling very tired, "now she has two weapons."

     You idiot!" Rashel cried, alarmed that Hunter was on his feet.
She snatched the broken weapon from Beth's hands, while keeping her
eyes on Hunter who didn't move. He seemed to be considering his
next move instead of getting either out of her sight or preparing
for a counter attack.

     "Under normal circumstances you would already be dead, Cat." 

     "Shut up." Rashel said, catching his chin with the broken edge
of her bo. Hunter's head snapped back and with a grunt he fell on
the sand.

     "What do you think you're doing?" Beth knelt by Hunter. "You
knocked him out."

     "I prefer him that way." 

     "What is your problem?" 

     "My problem is he killed my mother, broke her neck, turned a
four year old into a vampire, and tried to make a meal out of me."

     Beth's stomach turned. Had Hunter become that evil? "There had
to be a reason for it. There has to be. He never attacks unless
he's provoked."

     Ash and Poppy crossed the sand to the threesome below the
cottage.

     "You two alright?" Ash asked., looking from Rashel and her
broken bo to Beth in her torn robe that hung off one shoulder to
Hunter, prone on the damp sand. Rashel and Beth glowered at each
other over Hunter.

     Quinn and Thierry splashed through the water at a dead run.
They slowed their pace when they noticed Hunter was unconscious.

     Quinn tweaked Rashel's ear. 

     "Ow." 

     "You never listen do you?" He teased. "And you let a small
girl break your bo? I need a new partner."

     "So what do we do with our friend here?" Ash asked pushing
Hunter with his foot .

     Beth swatted at Ash. "Get away, I'll take care of him." She
raked the hair off Hunter's forehead and studied the huge bruise
and bump coming up on his chin, and wished she had an ice pack.

     "S'cuse me?" Poppy said. "I thought I heard you say you'll
take care of him?" She squatted down so she could see Beth. "Uh,
you do understand that he's a vampire, right?"

     Rashel and Quinn looked at each other. 

     "Poppy, there's something you need to know." Rashel said.
"They sort of already know each other."

     All eyes were on the tiny black haired girl kneeling in the
sand, trying to rouse Hunter. 

     "I think someone needs to explain." Poppy said, confused by
the curious exchanges going around the group.

     "They're soulmates." Rashel felt her victory sliding further
away by the second.

     Ash burst out laughing, "Oh, man this is rich! The mighty
Hunter Redfern falls victim to his own family's curse. I guess the
old powers have a sense of humor after all."

     Rashel sighed, "He was anything but sad at finding her." 

     "Maybe the lightening fried his brain?" Poppy said, smiling at
the idea of a brain damaged Hunter.

     The group watched the yacht sail into the harbor a little ways
from Beth's cottage.

     "James will be here in a minute." Ash said, motioning toward
the dock.

     "Quinn, I need to tell you something." Rashel whispered. 

     Quinn raised an eyebrow, "Oh?" 

     She motioned him away from the group. With her back to the
rest of the group, Rashel took a deep breath and the words tumbled
out, "I think she's an old soul. Your mother to be exact." 

     Quinn looked like someone had staked him. He whirled around,
studying Beth with acute intensity, scrutinizing every inch of her.
Beth had almost onyx black eyes, wavy black hair, fine boned hands,
and a pixy face with just a smattering of freckles on her tiny
nose. She looked exactly like his mother, like him, they were the
image of each other. He turned and walked away, Rashel following
close behind him.

     "What is wrong Quinn?" Rashel asked, out of breath from having
to run to keep up with him.

     "Why in the Hell didn't you kill Hunter?" He asked spinning
around. Rashel collided with him. "Dammit, if he's really her
soulmate that's going to make him technically my step father.
Sounds like another lovely chapter in the misadventures of my
life." 

     She caught his hand "Look. I don't like this either, but we
have no choice in this. You know we can't choose our soulmates. At
one time you were the second most hated vampire in the nightworld."

     Quinn expelled a deep exasperated breath. "I just want to be
left alone for a while. This was not the eternity I had
envisioned."

     Rashel watched him walk away, uncertain about how she felt
over the entire situation herself. One second she had Hunter right
where she wanted him, the next she knew she would never have the
chance again.

     "Hey," Ash called "where's he going?" He pointed at Quinn's
back.

     "He'll be back in a little while." Rashel answered, making her
way back to the group. "Right now, we need to get inside."

     James and Ash lifted Hunter and followed Rashel toward the
beach house. 

     "Where are you going?" Beth asked, plopping her hands on her
hips. 

     "To that house." Rashel said, beginning to get irritated with
Beth. 

     "That is my home, and I didn't invite you in." 

     "Great." James muttered "Would you like to join Hunter in la
la land?" 

     "Which of you want to take me on." Beth grabbed a piece of
driftwood. "I already knocked your 'slayer' off her prey." 

     No one moved. No one really wanted to approach Beth for fear
of hurting her. It would be no contest and they knew it. Besides,
if they hurt her and Hunter found out there would be Hell to pay.

     Quinn Rashel called I need a smart mouthed old soul put to
sleep for a while. 

     Beth swayed and rubbed her eyes but she didn't fall. She shook
off the almost overwhelming desire to sleep. She vaguely recognized
the sensation. Hunter had trained her centuries ago how to resist
in case Maya found out about their relationship.

     "Let me guess," Ash sighed "She's immune to Quinn." 

     Thierry, who had stepped away to make a call, caught up with
the group. "Why aren't you inside?" 

     "Joan of Arc here won't let us in. It's her home and she has
the keys." Ash said, daggers shooting out of his eyes at Beth.

     "Did you introduce yourselves or just rush in for the kill?"
Thierry asked. "Because I wouldn't let a bunch of nameless vampires
who just tried to kill my soulmate in my home either."

     Corrected, they looked at each other. 

     "I am Thierry DesCoudres. I am the leader of this group of
would be rescuers. I'm afraid that when Hunter is involved we react
first think later. For that I apologize."

     Beth trudged toward the house, "C'mon, put Hunter in my room.
I can't carry him anyway."

     After Hunter was safely secured in Beth's room, the group
gathered in the living room, with the exception of Quinn. Thierry
introduced everyone. 

     "And the black haired young man who is walking off some pent
up frustration, is Quinn. . . "

     "John Quinn?" Beth asked, trying to conceal her happiness. He
was here, her son was here. Why did that make her happy? She didn't
have a son, did she?

     Thierry frowned, "How do you know his name?" 

     "I am. er was, his mother, I think?"

     The room went as silent as a tomb. Thierry whipped out his
cell phone. 

     "Lupe, I need Aradia and Thea here immediately." 

                                 ***

     Quinn lay in the grass staring up at the sky. Being a
preacher's son had its drawbacks. 

     Like right now, he thought. 

     He found himself wondering if there really was a God. If there
was how could God be so cruel? Was he bored or something? Did he
play games like this just to kill time between milleniums? 

     "If you're real, " he said, "then what are you up to?" The sky
made no response, just as he expected. "This is some kind of sick
joke you're playing."

     Quinn held up his hand. "One: You let Hunter make me a
vampire, two: you let my father kill Dove then he tried to kill me.
Three: You allowed Hunter to become my mother's soulmate. Four: You
gave me a human soulmate who loathes my being a vampire. She loves
me; I'm certain of that, but she just can't get past the vampire
part because of Hunter. Five: You send my mother back and she's
obviously younger than I am. What kind of joke is that anyway?
Well, I'll tell you. It's sick, just plain sick." He muttered. "I'm
suposed to be happy about all this when it's your own fault. Did I
ask for this? Did I hear you say 'hey John! how 'bout a long stint
of life as a vampire?' Don't you have a flood to cause or a meteor
that needs to be put on a collision course with the earth or
something; perhaps a plague, instead of messing with my life?"

     Then it hit him. He was crazy talking to the sky, worse yet,
his hand. There was no God. Hadn't this been proven to him many
times over the past three centuries? If Rashel had seen this she
would have staked him to the ground right then and there. The last
thing they needed was a psycho vampire on the loose. 

     A shadow crossed him and Quinn sensed immediately it belonged
to Rashel. 

     "I had to get out for a while too." She said settling beside
him and staring up into the sky. "What are you looking for?"

     "Answers," Quinn sighed. "Answers." 

     Rashel raised up on one elbow, facing Quinn. "I'll give you an
answer." She smiled impishly and poked a blade of grass up his
nose.

     "You devil!" Quinn laughed and pulled her head to his. Their
eyes locked. "Paybacks are hell."

     "But revenge is sweeter." She reminded him just as his lips
touched hers. 

                                 ***

     The room spun crazily around Hunter. He squeezed his eyes shut
then blinked really fast trying to make them focus. Lignum Vitae,
wood of life, the hardest wood on the face of the earth and The
Cat's wood of choice. He hated the human who first learned of its
extraordinary strength. His chin throbbed and ached. The idea that
the bone could be cracked or broken crossed his mind. Hunter tried
to recall the last time he had been struck so hard but couldn't. He
had to give it to the human; she was very strong and cat-like. She
and Quinn deserved each other.

     He tried to sit up only to discover his wrists were tied
together behind his back with bast. "Damnation!" He hissed.

     Ash stood in the door watching Hunter swing around and try to
stand even though he was tied up. It reminded him of a damsel in
distress tied to the train tracks as a train approached.

     "I was going to check on you, but I see you're all tied up."
Ash said trying his best not to laugh. "I'll try you again later,
when you're not so busy." He started to walk away.

     "Dammit, Ash Redfern, You let me out of this ridiculous rope!"
his voice dripped with venom.

     "Ooohhhh, I'll have to ask Thierry about that. You see we have
this little problem with you, like, you're our enemy."

     Thierry DesCoudres was here? Well that bit of knowledge
clinched it. The council had always suspected Thierry was helping
the Daybreakers. They just couldn't prove it. Hunter sat on the
bed. Problem was he couldn't turn Thierry in or the council would
discover Beth. Now he was an outcast, a damned Daybreaker.

     "Well you just do that." He snapped at Ash. 

     Thierry, James, and Ash appeared a few seconds later. Beth
tried to get past them, but couldn't.

     "Haven't you done enough!" She shouted at them. "It's bad
enough you tried to kill him and lay siege to my home, but tying
him up like some animal just doesn't win any brownie points with
me!"

     They stared at her like she was doing the Macarena naked. 

     "Your point is?" James asked. 

     She plopped her hands on her hips, "Let him go. He isn't going
anywhere without me any way. He's outnumbered five vampires, two
witches, one slayer, vampire hunter whatever she is, and one human
to just him. Not to mention he's injured."

     "You forgot the werewolf and they get nasty when they're over
looked." Ash said, pointing at Lupe who was standing on the stairs.

     "I'll toss her a T-bone." 

     Lupe swore under her breath and skulked up the stairs wishing
Thierry would let her have one round with the little human. Just
one and her wise cracking mouth would be framed on Lupe's wall for
a memento.

     "Sounds like they deserve each other." Thierry grinned. Maybe
they should leave Hunter to her.

     "Remember your captive?" Beth said, nodding her head in
Hunter's direction. "You know the one you're going to release Right
Now."

     "Just untie his feet." Thierry said to James. 

     As soon as James moved, Beth darted past him blocking Hunter
from the others, plopping her hands on her hips. She shot them a
look that clearly dared them to approach her. Thierry shook his
head, thinking how ridiculous they must look. Three mature vampires
being way laid by a petite human girl

     "I'll untie him." She raised a defiant chin to them.

     "We're not going to hurt Hunter." Thierry tried to reassure
her, but it was obvious that she didn't believe him. "As you wish,
it is your home."

     James muttered under his breath and headed up the stairs. 

     As soon as his hands were free, Hunter caught Beth and kissed
her. Her hands went to his face,

     "Easy Beth, the chin is a bit tender." Hunter said, completely
forgetting the group gaping at him.

     She smiled, kissed his chin. 

     "This is so disgusting." Ash said. "A kid kissing Hunter." 

     "Just the thought of anyone kissing Hunter makes my stomach
hurt." Poppy said.

     Hunter shot them a dirty look over Beth's head. They were
right, she did look rather young. He questioned his own sense. What
if she was just a kid? 

     "Just how old do you think I am?" Beth asked, glancing around
the room wondering where her purse was. Its strap poking out by the
bed caught her attention.

     Ash shrugged, "I dunno, twelve maybe thirteen." 

     Beth snorted, dug around in the purse beside the bed and
tossed her driver's license to Ash

     "I'll be eighteen next week. I graduated from high school last
year, one year early, and I've been accepted at Harvard to study
biochemistry starting this fall.

     "I'll be damned, you're so small." Ash said. "Are you sure
this isn't a fake I.D.?"

     Quinn and Rashel appeared in the hall. "She's just short Ash,
like me. 

     Ash turned, "Oh man what happened to you two?" 

     Rashel had grass and sand all over her clothes and leaves and
dead sea grass sticking out of her hair. Quinn looked like someone
had rolled him through the trash bin.

     "None of your business." Quinn retorted, a mischevious twinkle
glittered in his eyes.

     Rashel automatically stiffened when Hunter stood.

     "There was no reason to restrain me." He shoved Beth behind
him, seeing Rashel go on the defensive. "Or knock me out. I don't
like that."

     "Sounds familiar." Quinn muttered. Rashel bit her lip to keep
from laughing and tightened her grip on the dagger in her
waistband..

     Beth peeked out and was amazed at what she saw. They had all
gone into 'vamp face' mode as Buffy the Vampire Slayer called it.
She seriously wanted to call Rashel "Buffy".

     Thierry was the first to speak. His voice was deeper and it
resonated with authority through the room

     "I think we should all calm down. Hunter, you will answer to
me personally if you cause trouble.

     "Yes, Lord DesCoudres." Hunter nodded his head in resignation;
not that he had an icicle's chance in Hell of getting out of the
house with Beth any way.

     Hunter might have been Maya's descendant, but he also knew
that Thierry was one of the Lords of the Realm. He had absolute
authority and even Hunter was obligated to obey. They all filed out
of the room going back to the living room where Thea and Aradia
waited.

     Thea sat at the table flipping through an ancient leather
covered book. Aradia stood at the open sliding glass doors. The
afternoon ocean breeze rustled her long white skirt and poet shirt
sleeves. Beth was impressed at her sight. She was beautiful.

     "Hello Sarah Quinn." Aradia said. "How do you like modern
life?" 

     Beth frowned. "My name is Beth and I don't remember much about
my previous life."

     "Hunter Redfern, do you know why you were given a second
chance in this world?" Aradia asked. She still had her back turned
to the room.

     "No." Hunter shrugged, interested in the witch's question. 

     "I have a feeling that you made a promise that you didn't
keep." Thea said. 

     "Is that so, Hunter?" Aradia turned to Hunter. Her eyes seemed
to look through him.

     "I don't remember. It's been more than three hundred years." 

     That intimate moment shot through Beth's mind again. "I think
I know what it is." She said, her cheeks burning.

     "Oh?" Aradia turned toward Beth. 

     She had the attention of the whole room. Beth gulped, trying
to figure out how to break the suspense without telling all the
details. 

     "Well, they were, ummm, talking in the forest one night and
Hunter vowed to protect Sarah with his life."

     "And she died somehow?" Aradia asked. 

     "Edward killed her, me." Beth felt Sarah's presence getting
stronger. 

     "My father wouldn't kill you." Quinn said, trying not to lose
his temper. 

     "He bashed my skull in, John, for trying to protect you." 

     "You're either lying or you don't remember correctly." 

     Beth grabbed Quinn by the arm, "Don't you remember all the
blackeyes, swollen cheeks, and bloody lips I had? I always said I
fell or ran into something."

     Something started creeping up Quinn's spine. It tingled and
made his skin crawl. He remembered that. He should have known his
father was capable of hurting his mother. Edward had always been
difficult to please. Quinn knew that from personal experience.
Memories of numerous beatings coame back to him in a rushing tide.
Why didn't he think of that before? He should have known if Edward
didn't hesitate to strike him, he did the same to his mother.
Sudden guilt over failing to protect her churned in his chest. He
should have known.

     "Okay." Aradia interrupted. "So you died before Hunter could
protect you. Is that what the teachings say? A vampire will return
for his soulmate if there is a promise left unkept?"

     Thea shut the book and coughed as dust flew up from the cover.
"I'd say that pretty much sums it up."

     "What you're saying is that I came back to keep my promise?"
Hunter asked. 

     "Exactly." Aradia nodded in agreement. 

                   ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Part 4: 

     A tomb was noisier than the living room. No one knew quite
what to say. Hunter looked weary and was in need of a shower and
clean clothing. Beth studied the back of her folded hands. The
remaining group in various stages of shock and disbelief looked at
Aradia and Thea.

     Rashel glanced at Quinn trying to gauge exactly what he was
thinking or feeling. He was deep in thought, looking as if he were
accepting what he was hearing. And he finally broke the silence.
"You made a promise you couldn't keep? Imagine that." His tone was
accusing and cold.

     "I've always kept my word." Hunter almost shouted, "Damnit I
can't be everywhere t once." 

     "You let him kill my mother!"

     "I didn't know she was in danger." He looked a Beth, hoping
she would back him up. Instead she looked like she was in shock. 

     "I guess that's right." Quinn hissed. "You were too busy
making me into a vampire to notice my father was killing your
soulmate."

     "I was concentrating on Dove's cry and trying to figure out
where you were. I arrived too late to help anyone." Hunter said,
wondering why he was bothering to explain himself to Quinn in the
first place.

     The room remained silent as the two men squared off. No one
wanted to get in between them. Only Ash remained close, apparently
unworried that they could start throwing punches.

     "Too late, sums it up nicely doesn't it?"

     "Don't try making me feel guilty over this."

     "Guilty? You have no conscience!" Quinn shouted pointing his
finger in Hunter's face.

     "For three hundred years, I've lived with the knowledge that
I, a damned vampire with a witch for a wife, had absolutely no
power to save the woman I loved. How do you think I felt?" He raked
his hands through his hair. "I couldn't do anything except pray
that Maeve was merciful and gave her something that would keep her
out of pain."

     "I don't believe you." Quinn said, "I don't believe this whole
situation. Why would you even care that she died. You hate humans."

     "All humans except for one tiny defiant human who would just
as soon get killed than let me help her. " His hands wrapped over
Beth's shoulders, "I would have gladly traded places with Sarah."

     Rashel abruptly stalked out of the room and Quinn suddenly
knew how helpless Hunter felt. Soon Rashel would be too old to
change. If she were mortally injured . . . Quinn shut the thought
out of his head. It hurt too much to think about. 

     Beth started to speak but Aradia grabbed her hand. Beth stared
at her. For a blind woman she was terribly accurate. 

     "Let them work it out." Aradia said under her breath.

     Thierry interrupted, determined to get back to business as
usual before another word could be said, "We'll sort this out
later. Right now, we have a shipment of teens who need to be
returned to their homes." Thierry said. "Lupe, James, and Poppy,
you start contacting the appropriate agencies and make sure
everyone gets to where they're going safely. Quinn, you and Rashel
take the yacht back to Boston. We'll meet back at the mansion in
three days."

     As soon as they left, Thierry began issuing more orders.
"Thea, Hunter is in need of a healer, I trust you are up to the
task?" He eyed the large black bruise on Hunter's chin and actually
felt kind of sorry for him. Wood was the only substance on earth
that could hurt a vampire. Judging by the size of the bruise and
the way his chin had swollen, it had to really hurt.

                                 ***

     Warm ocean water lapped at Beth's bare feet as she watched the
yacht carrying Quinn and Rashel back to sea. It was a tiny dot on
the horizon. Two minutes later it was gone. Without understanding
why, Beth felt lost. John hadn't even said goodbye. Rashel never
reappeared after John and Hunter's shouting match. Perhaps it was
just as well no one said anything.

     Morning sun beat down on her head as she walked along the
shore. Seagulls fluttered overhead begging for scraps. Last night,
Hunter had been a dream, a figment of her imagination. Now he was
real and her whole world had crashed into a shattered heap at her
feet.

     She looked out at the horizon one more time hoping the yacht
would come back. She could accept reincarnation. She didn't have a
choice. But the world looked very different to her now.

     There were witches, werewolves, and vampires. There had been
at least one of each in her kitchen this morning. Despite the warm
morning, Beth felt chilled. She looked at her watch. 10:30 am. 

     Three hours had passed since Hunter somehow exploded on her
beach. In a few minutes, he had attacked her, she had attacked
someone who, for all practical purposes, was technically her
daughter-in-law, and found a boy who was her son from a previous
life. Worst of all, she couldn't keep from calling him her son
despite his being a year older.

     She picked up some shells and threw them one by one into the
ocean. Folding her arms over her chest, Beth shivered. She sensed
Hunter before he wrapped his arms around her from behind. 

     He couldn't seem to help himself. Beth was human; vermin, but
he didn't care. She was meant to be his. Someone somewhere had
chosen her for him and there was nothing he could do to change that
decision, not that he wanted to anyway.

     Beth leaned back against him, resting her head on his
shoulder. He was tall and solid and warm. She knew he would try to
get her to become a vampire. Had she been young enough three
hundred years earlier, she would have but now things were
different. Or were they? She wasn't so sure she could find the fine
line that separated her present self from Sarah. The line blurred
more and more by the minute.

     "You don't have to decide now." Hunter whispered in her hair.

     Beth shifted, startled that he could read her thoughts. "You
can read minds?"

     "Unfortunate gift from my mother. Most vampires can sort of
read minds, kind of a premonition thing more than actually hearing
someone's thoughts. But I can hear your thoughts."

     "A soulmate thing maybe?"

     She felt him smile against her head, "Yeah, but also a strong
hereditary trait in the Redfern line." He kissed her ear. "I know
this is confusing, you're not Sarah but you are. And I'm not the
same person you remember. I've done horrible things that I'm
ashamed of when I see you."

     "Horrible things?" She bit her lip, knowing he was going to
confess things to her that she wasn't so sure she wanted to know
about. 

     "I'm not your regular garden variety vampire. I'm an elder on
the Night Council and because of that position, I've had to pass
sentence on my own people and on humans."

     Beth had that sinking feeling again. "Pass sentence?" She felt
Hunter tensing. He didn't want to have this discussion right now,
but he was going to be honest and she knew it. "You've killed
people?"

     Rashel came to mind.

     "Not by choice but by law." He said, knowing that he was
trying to use it as an excuse. A miserable, weak, unmerited,
prejudiced excuse. He felt cheap and guilty over it. Everything
that had brought him to this point had all been one big lie one
that he was tired of carrying on. There are no app'eals courts in
my world. There is a trial, a sentence, and an immediate execution
of that sentence."

     "Did this law exist three hundred years ago?"

     "No." One simple word. He knew she already had the feeling of
what had happened in the aftermath of her death.

     That sinking nauseating sensation was spreading through her
now. It was like molten lava pouring over her skin, burning and
searing through to her soul.

     "Who made the law?" Her voice was almost a whisper. She
already knew and she knew why. If Hunter would only admit it.

     "I did, to protect my people from yours."

     "To protect your people!" She swung around; "You can kill us
like snapping twigs off of trees. We're the ones who need
protecting!"

     "Is that why witches were burned at the stake or hanged,
drowned, pressed to death? How about vampires? You ever see a
vampire who hasn't been staked properly?" He started to walk away
then turned on his heel facing Beth. "Wood is like arsenic or
cyanide to a vampire. If the stake isn't properly used, it is a
slow agonizing death. One that your people discovered. That's why
we don't rule the world. Humans breed quickly and kill everything
they fear or can't make into something that they can accept."

     Beth rubbed her temples. In that light, the human race looked
like barbarians.

     "But your ancestors were human weren't they?" Hunter nodded,
knowing exactly where she was going with this argument. He'd heard
it before, in another lifetime. "Then your people and mine are
kinda like housecats and mountain lions. Both are cats just
different types."

     "Don't ever tell a night person that they're related to
humans, you'll never live to take another breath." Hunter said with
a grim smile on his mouth. 

     "What about Rashel's mother?"

     Hunter paled. He had regretted that night for many years. It
was humiliating to admit to himself, let alone anyone else. He had
killed out of pure bloodlust, not out of justice or self defense,
but pure rage and hunger.

     "I had been held in a cell by the night council for not
killing a human toddler I had been ordered to kill. They kept me
there for a month without feeding me and then released me into the
carnival crowd. I was told to tell them how sympathetic I felt
after feeding on vermin all night."

     He looked distant, lost in his own tormented past.

     "You just can't imagine what bloodlust feels like. It's like
an animal trying to claw its way out of your gut. You feel raw
inside almost on fire." Those demons had tortured him all these
years and now he had to face them in front of someone who wasn't a
stranger but was. "Timmy was an easy target. Alone and in the dark.
I didn't want to take much, just enough to make the pain go away. I
couldn't stop myself and took too much. I didn't want him to die so
I changed him. Rashel's mother walked in on us. I didn't mean to
kill her and Rashel was in danger because she saw the whole thing.
I wasn't really going to kill her, just scare her away, far away."

     "Was she truly in danger?"

     Hunter nodded, "The council had her aunt's house torched. Her
aunt died in the fire. Some vampire hunters I was friendly with
agreed to take her in so she would be protected. The rest, as they
say, is history."

     Beth's mind whirled with the information. "You never told her
the truth?"

     "She wouldn't have listened or believed me, besides it's for
the best that she does hate me. She's safer this way."

     "You should tell her what really happened." As an
after-thought she asked, "What happened to the toddler?"

     "She's one of the wildpowers." 

                   ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Part 5: 

     Hunter waited while Beth threw more shells into the ocean. A
ghost of a smile crinkled the corners of his eyes. Everyone was
leaving this afternoon and that meant Beth and he could have some
private time to themselves so that they could talk.

     Beth mulled over what Hunter had told her. She didn't have any
reason not to believe him, but the rest of the group did. From all
she had heard, he had slid down a slippery slope in the time since
they last saw each other. For all intents and purposes he had
become an evil person to protect himself and those he loved.

     She supposed he did what he had to in order to survive. But no
matter what had happened, she couldn't deny what she felt for him.
That silvery cord bound her to him regardless of what he had done
in the last three hundred years. And right now that cord was
shortening. Beth could feel him near her without having to touch
him or even see him reaching for her. She just knew where he was
and what he wanted to know.

     "I'm not sure about the vampire thing." She said in a low
voice. The warmth of his hand on her shoulder started doing strange
things to her heart.

     "I know, do what you have to. I'll be okay with your
decision." He sighed, the hope that she would want to change to
stay with him forever faltered. She wasn't one hundred percent
Sarah. But some part of him had secretly hoped that she would be a
little more receptive to the idea. Puritans had been hard to
convince because of their strict religious beliefs.

     The night he found her in the woods lying on a bed of soft
moss came back to him. She was weeping and her dress was torn.
"Goody Quinn, art thou injured?"

     When she looked up at him, her lip was bleeding and her eye
was swollen and purple. At that particular moment he wasn't too
concerned. Humans were brutal beasts to be fed on, nothing more,
nothing less. He didn't particularly care if they killed each other
as long as there were a few left around to feed his family.

     "I will take thee to Edward." He reached out to help her stand
but the infernal woman turned her back to him and snubbed.

     "Let me be. Perhaps there is a hungry beast in the wood who is
hungry for human meat." She pulled her knees to her chest and laid
her head on them.

     "Women," Hunter grumbled to himself. No matter what race they
belonged to they were all the same. Impossible creatures.
Absolutely contrary and impossible.

     He reached out again, this time she started to slap his hand
away. Sparks flew the instant their flesh touched. He caught her
hand out of shock, to keep from falling, to never let her go again
and the world faded away into a pink haze. they stared in shock at
each other, then smiled. Soulmates.

     Beth grasped his hand, startling him out of his thoughts. She
tugged on it lightly. "Walk with me." 

     Hunter happily walked beside her. The feel of her small,
delicate boned fingers twined through his. When was the last time
he'd walked along the beach with a beautiful woman without feeding
on her, he wondered?

     Ash leaned against the railing watching the latest "odd
couple" walk along the beach. Hunter looked like a towering giant
beside the tiny-framed girl who barely came to his shoulder. The
sight struck a deep melancholy chord in his own heart. He missed
Mary-Lynette.

     Footsteps on the deck startled him. Had he been so deep in
thought he wondered as the presence of the visitor struck him.
Rowan slid to a halt in front of him.

     "Uh oh. " She said grabbing Ash and pulling him inside the
cottage. "What are you doing here?"

     "Me?" Ash asked. "What are you doing here? Are Kestrel and
Jade with you?" 

     "Uh, yeah, you need to disappear quick." She said pushing him
toward the stairs.

     "What are you doing?" 

     "Mary Lynette and Mark are with us." 

     Ash looked like a deer caught in the headlights. "I'm not
hiding from her."

     "She hates you with a violent passion Ash. You promised to
come back in a year and didn't. Beth invited her here to help her
get over you."

     Part of the morning's conversation came back to him. "Her
cousins, Goddess, you're two weeks early."

     "We thought she'd be happier if we brought her here early. Now
get upstairs until I can figure out something to do."

     Ash pulled free from his sister's grasp and headed for the
front door. She was here and he wanted nothing more than to touch
her. Nothing was going to keep him from her this time. The door
swung open before he could get to it and he found himself face to
face with Mary Lynette.

     "Get out." Mary Lynette said quietly, stepping aside for Ash
to leave. 

     "Mare, we need to talk." 

     "I have nothing to say to you except GO TO HELL!" Then she
made an unexpected move kicking him in the shin.

     "OWW!" Ash hopped around on one foot. "some things never
change." 

     Ash had barely put his foot on the floor when Mark punched him
square in the nose knocking him on the sofa that turned over
spilling him onto the floor. Ash lay sprawled on the floor.

     Okay, he thought, I deserved this, but if he were any other
human I'd kill him. He touched his hand to his nose. It was
bleeding.

     "Stay away from my sister you ass hole." 

     Ash eyed the duo warily. Mark had gotten taller and muscled
all over. He inspected him a little closer. No he wasn't anything
but human. An angry protective human.

     "Ash, maybe you'd better leave for a while." Beth said from
the sliding doors. 

     Thierry bounded down the stairs with Thea close behind. 

     "Your soulmate I assume?" Thierry asked, looking relieved that
there wasn't any real trouble and rather amused to see Ash sitting
on the floor with a bloody nose. He wisely bit back a smile.

     Sitting up, Ash pinched his nose, surprised that it was
actually bleeding. "It just doesn't pay to get out of bed
sometimes."

     Thierry smiled at Mary Lynette, "I am pleased to meet you. My
name is Thierry DesCoudres."

     Mary Lynette glared at him then at Ash. "Leave before I find a
piece of wood with your name on it."

     Ash started to argue but Jade shook her head. He took her cue
and left without another word.

     "And I don't want to hear any excuses for the dirt bag from
you, Thierry." 

     Thierry frowned, "I make no excuses for anyone." 

     "Good." 

     "I need to make a few phone calls" Thierry said disappearing
into the kitchen..

     Thea gaped at Mary Lynette.. 

     "Mare, you were very rude to Thierry." Kestrel gasped. "He's
the oldest vampire in the world. He's 'the' leader of Circle
DayBreak."

     Hunter cleared his throat. Until now he had not been noticed.
All three sister's spun around and the room filled with hissing and
flashing fangs. Beth backed up to Hunter, startled. Ok, maybe he
had been even worse in the last three centuries than she first
thought.

     "Beth, move away from him." Mark said, his hair bristling on
his neck. This man had to be Hunter Redfern judging from what all
Jade had told him and the sisters' reaction.

     "I can't." 

     "Why not?" 

     "He's my soul mate." She looked up at Hunter. "Can I expect
this reaction from most people we meet?"

     Hunter sighed. He had a lot of proving to do before he'd ever
be trusted again. "Pretty much."

     Mary Lynette flopped into the closest chair. "I would
like-just for one day-to totally forget about soulmates."

     Beth motioned Hunter to go upstairs. "You need a shower. I
think Mark may have some clothes that will fit you?" She raised an
inquiring eyebrow at Mark.

     "Sure." Mark grabbed his suitcase and started up the stairs
after allowing Hunter to go first. He might be Beth's soulmate but
that didn't mean he was totally trustworthy.

     "Okay," Beth said. "This has been a long day. I suggest we all
have some lunch, introduce ourselves, and relax."

                                 ***

     Beth paced the floor nervously. Mary Lynette had laid down for
a good cry and a nap. Ash's sisters had gone to hunt; Mark had
taken Ash, Thea, Aradia, and Thierry to the airport. Hunter was
still 'freshening up' after receiveing explicit directions from
Thierry about what Thierry expected from Hunter. Flashes of very
intimate moments from their past kept inserting themselves into her
mind. She ran her fingers through her hair, looked around and
picked up a rubber band. She pulled her hair into a slightly askew
ponytail then paced some more.

     She stood at the bottom of the stairs, praying Mary-Lynette
would appear. Instead, Hunter came to the top of the stairs with
just a towel on. Beth averted her eyes and fled to the sofa. Hunter
chuckled inside her head.

     What's wrong little one? You've seen me in less. 

     "Sarah may have seen you naked, but Beth hasn't." She said
trying not to look at him now that he was beside the sofa.

     "Beth." 

     She looked up at him without thinking. Her heart slammed into
her ribs. He was beautiful, like a god with flaming red hair and
flashing gold eyes. Muscle rippled in his perfectly male body. She
felt the color rising in her cheeks.

     "Would you prefer I put some clothes on before or after I kiss
you?" His weight made the sofa sag a little.

     Now she was shaking. She wasn't afraid of him just those wild
memories. "Umm, wh..what was the question?"

     Warm lips softly touched hers, gently tasting, caressing,
leading her. The world was forgotten. Beth actually thought she
would faint for a moment. She remembered his kisses.

     I remember you. I remember this. Beth sighed 

     What else do you remember? 

     Knowledge exploded in her mind. Now she knew him, Hunter, her
Hunter. Not the ruthless leader the other vampires knew, but the
man inside him. He was never the demanding lover. Always gentle,
taking care that she was as satisfied as he.

     "You okay?" He asked looking concerned because she was so
silent. 

     "Huh? Yeah, yeah, I'm fine." Beth smiled. When had he stopped
kissing her? 

     "Maybe we should go upstairs?" 

     Beth considered the invitation. "Hunter....." 

     He put a finger on her lips, "Not for what you're thinking."
He traced the vein in her neck with the same tenderness he had just
kissed her with. He wanted to taste her blood, to make that
intimate connection between their minds. Her heart's pace picked up
beating even faster. 

     "No interruptions. Mary Lynette is in a deep, deep sleep, and
everyone else is out."

     Beth smiled wickedly, "No husbands to drive a stake thru your
heart?" 

     Hunter's grin widened, "Exactly." He kissed her again. This
time Beth sank her hands into his hair pulling him close. She felt
his mouth warm and soft on her neck. Forget upstairs. 

     There was a brief pain like getting a shot and then he was
there in her mind. A pink haze swirled around them. He looked young
and vulnerable instead of tired.

     Look at you, Beth gasped. 

     Nothing like a pink haze to rejuvenate a person. He said in
awe looking at the dizzying fog swirling around them. There was a
tiny tinkling sound with flashes of silver here and there.

     Forgotten, stored away memories flew. Their first meeting. The
unbridled emotion sank in. They saw each others' lives. The horror
and the violence both had survived.

     Where does this all end? Beth wanted to know. 

     She heard something from Hunter that sounded like a garbled
answer and realized she could enter his mind as easily as he
entered hers.

     It was dark and scary a few rays of light shone through like
sunshine through a dirty window. Miriads of faces twisted around
violently. People screaming in fear. A little boy, Timmy, cried out
in terror and then was laughing as Hunter tossed him in the air.
She saw Rashel as a little girl watch in horror as her mother's
head snapped back with a sickening crunch.

     Four little girls dressed in solemn black dresses jumped
around Hunter's legs crying "Father, father, me next." as he picked
up one at a time and swung them around and around.

     A small body covered in animal fur lay in a candle lit cave. A
man wept over her. Beth moved closer, trying to see over his
shoulder. Who was under the fur? The man moved and blood red hair
shone like a flame in the candlelight. Beth gasped when she managed
to peer over his shoulder.

     Hunter tried to push her away from this scene. 

     Beth don't. 

     Who. . . She knew. Sarah. That was Sarah's body lying there.
Her face was swollen and purple bruises stained perfect skin. Blood
was dried in her hair making it look like a hard cap glued to her
head.

     Flashes of Edward's death exploded. Beth drew back. 

     Oh God, Oh God, you killed him! I begged you not to kill him,
but you did anyway!Accusation echoed both in her eyes and voice.

     Beth, Beth, don't do this. He tried to catch her hand but she
shrunk awayfrom his touch.

     You turned into some kind of demon and killed him! 

     Beth shoved at him mentally but he wouldn't budge. Instead he
was back in her mind.

     Calm down. 

     I don't want to. You didn't just kill him, you tortured him
first. Memories that had been blurs in her dreams were vivid and
clear because she could see Edward through Hunter's eyes. Edward's
eyes were wide with terror as he stared into the eyes of the man
who called himself 'The Wrath of Thy God" She could hear the thick
sucking sound of Edward's joints as Hunter dismantled his body one
joint at a time. Edward slowly bled out what was left of his blood
that Hunter hadn't taken. Beth gagged and spun away from Hunter.

     There had to be somewhere to hide from him even in her mind.
Beth ran and slammed into a wall that wouldn't budge. She pushed at
the door.

     What the hell. ...? 

     Only you can open it Hunter said. He sounded tired and alone
and sad again.

     "I don't want to." The haze disappeared. Reality crashed
around them. Beth was dizzy and frightened. Hunter picked her up in
spite of her protests and took her to her room.

     "You'll need rest. I'll leave now since we seem to have a
problem we can't get past even after three hundred years."

     Despite herself, Beth slept while Hunter let himself out. He
looked up at the window to the room where she was sleeping, closed
his eyes, turned and walked away.

     Two werewolves in half form peered through her bedroom window
moments later.

     "Is she the one the council wants?" The black werewolf asked. 

     "That's her. The human from the sixteen hundreds. She knows
too much about the Redferns and the nightworld." 

                   ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Part 6: 

     Hunter walked along the beach for miles. His mind wandered
back over the past few hours. Someone, somewhere probably thought
this was a joke. He looked up at the early afternnoon sky. Perhaps
Maeve was finally having her revenge and he hoped she was enjoying
herself now that her spell had worked and he still didn't have
Sarah . . . Beth. . . his soulmate. Surely the hell he'd been
through over the past three hundred years would have made her
happy.

     "The things women pick to cause problems." He muttered.

     Now that he'd really had time to think about it, maybe he
should have just left Edward with a broken neck Truthfully, he
didn't really have to dismember his body one joint at a time. But
by god, that was the most satisfied he had ever been. Finally
seeing that tyrant afraid instead of terrorizing and torturing
Sarah. Hunter's temper flared just thinking about it.

     The sun finally started working its magic on him, draining his
energy. Hunter slipped into a small abandoned cabin and sat in the
darkest corner he could find and allowed himself the rest he'd been
robbed of over the last few weeks.

                                 ***

     Petra leapt thru Beth's bedroom window. Shattering glass
sprayed all over the room

     Beth didn't move. Exhaustion from losing blood and the shock
of Hunter's appearance having overwhelmed her.

     "This is too easy." Petra said to Lyrhae as they stood at each
side of the bed studying the girl sleeping in it. She sniffed the
air, "No vampires around, just another sleeping human in the next
room.

     Mary Lynette sat up at the sound of shattering glass. She
eased herself onto the carpeted floor listening to voices in Beth's
room. She didn't recognize the voices. Grabbing a can of mace from
her purse she sneaked down the hall, drew a deep breath and burst
into Beth's room. Two werewolves, in half form, stared at each
other then at her.

     "Well, well, it ain't sleeping beauty." Lyrhae said.

     "Cute, dog breath." Mary Lynette snapped, glancing around the
room. Not a bit of silver to be found. She backed out of the room
slowly as Petra advanced on her step for step.

     "Nice doggie. You wouldn't want to play fetch would you?"

     "Only if you're the stick." Petra growled.

     Where were those huge candlesticks? Mary Lynnette asked
herself arming her can of mace. She sprayed Petra and spun around
while Petra howled in pain and shook her head. There! A long heavy
silver candlestick sat on the table in the hall. Mary Lynette
grabbed it and waved it in Petra's furry face..

     "Ohh, look the doggy didn't like the Pepper mace. She really
won't like this." She jabbed at Petra with the candlestick, "It's
silver and I'll knock your brain out if you come near me."

     "I really don't like humans." Petar said changing into a black
werewolf with silver tipped fur. She bared her teeth and lunged.
Mary Lynette swung the candlestick like a ball bat sending her
rolling down the stairs. 

     Petra rolled to her feet, laughing. "Some other time human."
she snarled, running out the door.

     Mary Lynnette ran into the room where Beth had been. Her bed
was empty and the curtains were flapping outside the window.

     "Beth!" She screamed out the window. The two werewolves fled
carrying their prize. Mary Lynnette sank to the floor, shaking
uncontrollably. Tears slipped down her cheeks. Why was it that
everytime Ash disappeared she got attacked by a werewolf.,she
wondered?

     Kestrel appeared a minute later to find a hysterical Mary
Lynnette cowering in a corner with the silver candlestick.

     "What's going on?" She hugged Mary Lynnette trying to calm her
down.

     "Two black werewolves, they, they took Beth." Tears poured
down Mary Lynnette's cheeks. "I fought with another werewolf." She
said into Kestrel's shoulder.

     "Oh shit, it's the council."

     Kestrel summoned Jade and Rowan who seemed to materialize out
of thin air.They heard a car door slam.

     "Mark's back." Jade said with a bright smile on her face.

     "Not right now Jade, we got two wolves to catch. My bet is on
Petra and Lyrhae. She said they're black."

     "That means the council is on to her," Rowan said as she
followed her sisters out the window. "But how?"

     After what seemed like an eternity the sisters returned empty
handed.

     "I'll call Thierry." Kestrel said.

     "Looks like we're going to Vegas," Jade said to Mark "Mare is
in big trouble because she saw the werewolves take Beth."

     Mary Lynette frowned. She was really beginning to hate
werewolves.

                                 ***

     Her head hurt. Beth pressed the heel of her palms into her
temples. She didn't remember having a headache after Hunter bit her
before. 

     "Oh God." She moaned. What had she done? "Stupid, so stupid."
Hunter had left after she freaked over seeing him kill Edward. How
many times head she dreamed about that? She knew why he did it. She
knew how he did it. But why did it send her into hysterics every
time?

     She opened her eyes. "What on earth?" She sat up. This was not
her room nor her house. Something warned her not to call for
Hunter.

     You'll give him away. A voice whispered in her head.

     "Hey boss! She's awake!" Someone called.

     Beth leapt to her feet. There were no windows, just a skylight
overhead and a door with a plexiglass window. A plain cot with a
blanket stood in the corner. Nothing to use for a weapon.
Instinctively she pressed her back against the wall when the door
swung open. A tall hooded, cloaked figure seemed to float in. 

     "Sarah Quinn?" A scratchy female voice questioned.

     "Beth Quinland."

     "Ahh an old soul. Mother's spell worked." The woman pushed the
hood back. She had fine feminine features, huge violet eyes, pale
skin and tiny nose, and perfect elongated fangs indented her lips.
But what really caught Beth's attention was the thick head of
bloodred hair.

     "Roseclear?" The name came out of her mouth without a thought.
It was just there immediately.

     "You are Sarah." Roseclear said with absolute conviction. She
actually looked overjoyed.

     "Why kidnap me?"

     "Because you know about the nightworld and by our law you must
die. You see there is a reward for those of us who bring humans to
the council."

     "Hunter will never let you get away with this."

     "Oh, but he will." Roseclear leaned into Beth's face and
grasped her chin with cold fingers, forcing Beth to look into her
eyes, "because my father is dead."

                                 ***

     In the deserted cabin Hunter's eyes snapped open. "Beth!"

     Even as Hunter ran to the cottage, he knew Beth wasn't there.
The last time he was too late to help her flashed in his mind. He
couldn't live without her this time. He just couldn't face life
without her. Hunter rounded the corner of the cottage and almost
ran into Mary Lynette who was still carrying the candlestick.

     "Where have you been?" Mary Lynette asked shaking the
candlestick at Hunter. "Two werewolves took off with Beth half an
hour ago and where were you? Shopping at McBlood's are us?"

     Rowan, Kestrel, and Jade stood with their mouths hanging open.
They had never heard anyone talk to Hunter like the scum he was but
Mary Lynette didn't seem to care. She tossed her candlestick into
the open van door and rummaged around until she found a wooden ball
bat. She had originally planned to beat Ash's head in with it,
however, Hunter would suffice.

     It was hard to tell what Hunter was thinking when she turned
around ball bat in hand. Then he shocked them all by smiling, he
actually chuckled. The sisters exchanged stunned glances, fearing
he had gone mad.

     "Vermin, no one in my world ever speaks to me with such
insolence." Hunter said while leaning down so that she could see
the shifting colors of his eyes. "I'll let you live if you can
remember who I am and how to speak to me."

     "Oohh, I'm really scared. So why don't you kill me now?" Mary
Lynette challenged. "I've killed one werewolf and nearly knocked
the brain out of the one attacking Beth. Surely a big headed
vampire full of himself isn't much different."

     Jade gasped and started for Mary Lynette but Rowan stopped
her. 

     Hunter sighed, more amused than irritated. Ash's soulmate
certainly had nerve, like Beth "I need to feed and you look more
and more like dinner with every word that comes out of your mouth."

     "Mare," Rowan warned, "Back off." She tugged on Mary Lynette's
shoulder. "Hunter, we're going to Thierry's home in Vegas. You may
join us, but no feeding on these two humans." Rowan motioned to
Mark and Mary Lynette. "We're no match for you but we will protect
them with our lives."

     "Are you sure you want to make that kind of commitment to that
particular vermin?" He pointed at Mary Lynette, his golden eyes
turning a funny silvery color for a brief second before he looked
up at the broken window . Petra's handiwork. She liked to make
grand entrances. He cast an appraising glance at Mary Lynette. He
couldn't remember any human surviving one of Petra's attacks. He
wondered too why Petra had taken Beth instead of killing her. Maybe
it wasn't Petra.

     "The werewolf you brained have black silver tipped fur and
blue eyes?" 

     Mary Lynette nodded. Hunter pursed his lips. If Petra had
harmed Beth in any way she would literally be a dead dog..

     "Then the council elders found out about her somehow." Hunter
flopped into the front passenger seat of the van feeling every bit
as tired as he looked. "Is Thierry's jet waiting for us?"

     Kestrel frowned, "Yes." 

     "Good, airports are a good place to feed." 

     Mary Lynette rolled her eyes and climbed into the driver's
seat; ball bat at her side. 

                                 ***

     A black limousine waited at the airport. Tinted windows
concealed its occupants as it whisked them to Thierry's mansion.
Hunter hid a smile. He had never set foot on DesCoudres' estate and
had to admit it was impressive. His own home paled by comparison. 

     Nilsson opened the door. "He wants Mr. Redfern to come to his
office immediately."

                                 ***

     Hunter strode across the thick plush carpet to the desk where
Thierry was working. 

     "Beth is being held in the waiting chambers outside the main
council room." Thierry said without even looking up. "Her trial is
at midnight." He pushed back from the desk and stood. "Normally, I
do not interfere in these cases, however, I have been invited to
sit in on this particular trial and that makes me uncomfortable
because of who I am and my relationship to Circle DayBreak."

     "I understand and I would like to help, but understand that I
am not affiliating myself with your cause permanently. I am my own
cause."

     Thierry nodded. "I expected as much so you'll understand when
I say, make one wrong move that jeopardizes DayBreak and you will
be killed right there on the council floor."

     "The same for your people." 

     Thierry nodded in agreement. "Now we need a plan." 

                                 ***

     Beth frowned at Roseclear as she continued with her tirade.
"You caused my mother to die of a broken heart."

     "She married Hunter as part of a business deal. What ever
happened to her wasn't my fault."

     "Oh, but it is your fault. Your very existence is reason
enough." Roseclear shoved Beth. "I watched my father weep over your
dead body and I was thankful you were dead. I thought my mother and
father would stop arguing until she told me she had cast a spell to
bring you back. She died a few months later of a broken heart."
Roseclear advanced on Beth who pressed her back into the wall.
"Father didn't cry over her. He merely buried her. He and Quinn
teamed up and went on their merry way. He forgot about his
daughters. He only had eyes for his 'son'. Your son." She lifted
Beth by her throat and threw her against the cot, toppling it. The
corner of the cot jabbed into her cheek bone. "I hated you, but I
hate Quinn even worse. If I hadn't already turned you in to the
Council, I'd kill you myself and take pride in knowing I hurt Quinn
as well."

     Beth pressed her fingertips to her throbbing cheek. "I hope
you get a great reward for your commitment to the NightWorld."

     "I will, believe me, watching you die a horrible death will be
reward enough." 

     The door slammed behind Roseclear. Beth quelled the urge to
call Hunter. She couldn't jeopardize his life. Beth looked over the
room again. There had to be something to use as a weapon. She sat
on the cot and shot back to her feet. A wooden cot. She turned the
cot over. Surely she could fashion some kind of weapon out of an
inconspicuous part of it. After a few moments, Beth had taken the
screws out of one end of the cot using her acrylic fingernails as a
screwdriver. She managed to balance the cot against the wall and
drape the single sheet over it to disguise the fact that it no
longer had a leg. She swung the wooden leg into the wall, breaking
it off into a jagged sharp point. 

     "Buffy eat your heart out." She concealed the makeshift stake
in her shirt. "A vampire didn't design this holding cell." She said
looking at the precariously propped cot. "Or there would have been
a metal bed." She might be about to die, but she'd be damned if she
wasn't going to take a certain red haired vampire with her.

     The door opened again, "It's time." A black cloaked figure
told her. 

     "You're not going to handcuff me or something?" 

     The cloaked figure shrugged, "Escape attempts have never been
successful. So why bother?" The female voice asked.

     Beth's heart plunged, her hopes momentarily dashed. Then
raising a defiant chin and squaring her shoulders she followed the
woman into a dark hall. She wasn't going to give the council the
satisfaction of a human grovelling and begging for her own life.
She was going to show them the defiance and determination of her
own race and face her death without a sound. They would not have
the pleasure of seeing her cry or hearing her pleas for mercy.

     They paused outside the main council room. The woman pushed
her hood back and gave Beth a reassuring smile.

     "Help is coming." Beth gaped at Rowan's familiar face as she
pulled the hood back over her head to conceal her identity. 

                   ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Part 7: 

     Beth followed Rowan, dressed like the grim reaper, into the
candlelit council room. Her heart sank into her stomach as
goosebumps rose on her skin. The room was cold and silent and she
could feel all eyes upon her. Beth shivered. Candles burned on
tables providing just enough light so she could see the outline of
each member present. She was seated in the center of the room. 

     A tall hooded figure stood. The image of Darth Vader popped in
her head. "I am Jacob Marcineaux elected leader of the Joint
Council. Are you Sarah Quinn, also called Elizabeth Quinland?" He
towered over her, so close that his robes brushed her skin making
her tremble even harder. If help were actually coming she wished it
would hurry. 

     Deliberately taking her time in answering him, she stood,
squaring her shoulders, determined that he was not going to
intimidate her. "I am." She looked up at him, defiance blazing in
her eyes. "Why do you care?" 

     "I care because rumor says you have knowledge of my world?"
His grave voice reminded her of the deep and somber judges she had
seen on television. 

     Beth cocked her head to the side, "What world might that be?
Are you from Mars or something?" 

     Snickers came from the group. 

     "Don't be a smartass, " Jacob growled, his fangs glinting in
the candlelight, "or I will forego the trial and have you for a
little appetizer. Do I make myself clear?" When Beth didn't
respond, he repeated his question slowly as though her were
speaking to a stubborn two year old. "Who told you about the
NightWorld? Tell me and I might let you live." 

     Beth snorted and rolled her eyes, "I don't believe you're
going to let me live, but to answer your question, your flea bitten
puppies leapt through my bedroom window. If that isn't a clue that
there really are werewolves I wouldn't know what is." 

     Whispers of disapproval flew through the room. Jacob held his
hand up and the room silenced instantly. 

     "You are correct, I sent them to retrieve a human with
dangerous information because we have heard from a reliable source
that you are an old soul, a reincarnation if you will, with
knowledge of my world." Jacob moved closer to her, "How do you know
about my world?" 

     Strange tickly sensations crept over her scalp. She felt
someone trying to probe into her thoughts. Beth struggled to
maintain control of her mind. The probe withdrew slightly. Suddenly
a powerful force slammed down over her thoughts capping them,
neatly deflecting the probes. Beth was relieved, someone was
helping her shield her thoughts. Who, she wondered, squinting to
try and make out faces. All she found was hooded figures except for
one whose face she couldn't see. 

     "I....I dream about it." 

     "I see. What do you dream?" Jacob continued slightly more
forceful this time, almost agitated as if he knew he was being
prevented from probing her mind. His finger slipped under her chin,
raising her face to his. 

     "That really isn't any of your business." 

     "If the girl dreams of the Night World then she must be
psychic, possibly a forgotten witch." Thierry interjected, hoping
to sway the council into believing she could actually be a night
person or delay them long enough for his people to get into
position outside the council room. 

     Beth recognized that voice and a little hope crept into her
heart. If Thierry was here, was Hunter nearby? 

     "She is a danger to us if she can identify a night person to a
human." Someone from the corner of the room said. 

     "I am no danger to anyone. People would think I'm a lunatic if
I accused someone of being a vampire or werewolf. How am I a
danger?" She shoved his hand away and pushed him. She wasn't going
to be killed without giving them a real reason to kill her. 

     "How do you know Hunter Redfern?" Jacob demanded, shaking
Beth. She tried to pull free stumbling over the chair when he
suddenly released her. 

     Beth rolled over and kicked the chair at Jacob. "He lived in
my colony in the sixteen hundreds. My husband killed his daughter.
He made my son a vampire. His wife was a witch. That was when
witches were burned at the stake, funny how the tables have
turned." 

     Thierry, the only Night person not wearing a cloak, ran his
hands through his hair. Beth was not helping herself by being
beligerent. Not that being passive would help either. But
deliberately provoking the council would bring the trial to a quick
end. 

     "Did Hunter tell you of the Night World?" Jacob loomed over
her like the grim reaper. 

     "No, my son came to the cabin after being missing for about a
week with big fangs hanging out of his mouth. If you were a Puritan
in the sixteen hundreds what would you think?" Beth gestured
wildly, "I'll tell you what we thought, he was demon possessed.
Orthodontists were unheard of back then." 

     Now. Thierry called to Hunter . 

     Hunter appeared in the entrance wearing his family's cloak and
coat of arms. Whispers flew as he strode to the center of the
floor, taking his place beside Beth. The bloodred cloak swung
around his ankles. Candlelight bounced off the gold trimmings. The
images of fern leaves could be seen when the light struck the
fabric at just the right angle. A lion shimmered nestled amongst
the leaves of a giant redfern on the coat of arms. The
constellation of Orion sparkled in the lion's eyes. While many of
the others wore simple cloaks, there were a few wearing their
family's colors and Hunter's colors belonged to the oldest family
known to the Night World. Redferns. Maya's descendants. Only
Thierry could match the family's age. He was also technically a
Redfern because Maya, the first vampire, made him a vampire in the
stone ages. 

     Beth stared up at him thinking how demanding and regal he
looked. A hard set to his jaw, flashing gold eyes, and grim pursed
lips. He looked every bit the Lord he was. In that instant she knew
he was accustomed to being obeyed immediately and his word was law.

     "Why are you trying this girl?" Hunter demanded, helping Beth
to her feet. He examined Beth's black eye, "Why torture her?" He
asked trying desperately to not lose his temper. 

     A tiny twinkle in his eye told her she didn't need to be
afraid. Beth trembled nearly sinking to the floor in relief. He was
here, once again, to rescue her. 

     "Your own law strictly forbids humans who have the knowledge
of our world to live." Jacob reminded Hunter. 

     "Am I on trial as well?" Hunter's voice was deep with barely
repressed anger. 

     "No, we are merely trying to establish how much knowledge she
has." Jacob's voice faltered, no one had ever dared question
Hunter's authority no matter what position they held in the Night
World. Hunter looked like a deadly angel in his cloak and coat of
arms, The wrath of god someone had once called him. 

     "If she had little knowledge before, how much do you think she
has now?" Hunter asked, speaking to Jacob with ridicule dripping
off his voice. "This trial was unwarranted. There should have been
an investigation first." 

     "It's obvious she has more than a little knowledge." 

     "Well, " Hunter snorted, "she has even more after this fiasco.
I agree with Lord DesCoudres, she could be a forgotten witch."
Hunter said with absolute conviction. 

     "Witches are our enemies now!" Someone from the shadows said,
"Even if she is a forgotten witch, traitors must die as well." 

     "You will not kill her." Hunter said quietly. "The dark
witches can give her a potion to make her forget everything." He
pointed to Roseclear. "Is that not true daughter?" 

     Roseclear bowed her head, "Aye Father, 'tis true." Her mind
raced for a new plan. 

     Thierry shifted uncomfortably. This was not going the way he
had planned. If Hunter could just delay the council just a few more
seconds. 

     Jacob's eyes narrowed on Hunter, "Why do you care what happens
to the girl?" 

     Hunter was quiet. "Because she could be Quinn's mother and I
do not think it fair to judge her by some law that did not exist in
her time." 

     "So you do not deny she has knowledge." 

     "She says she has knowledge because she dreams. There has
never been a denial of knowledge from her or myself." He turned
toward Thierry who kept his emotions carefully guarded. 

     "You've gone soft on us, Redfern. " Jacob hissed. "You have no
say in this proceeding. Step aside, I have heard enough of this
nonsense. She is no witch. She is a human, vermin, food." 

     Hunter's heart plummeted. Had he enforced the nightworld law
so often that there was no pardon, no other options? Not even the
Cup of Lethe? Had he actually created this monsterous web of
prejudice in the name of self preservation? Looking back, it was
rather short-sighted of him. Now Beth was going to pay for his
short sightedness once again with her life. 

     Jacob's voice boomed , "By nightworld law, Elizabeth Quinland
is sentenced to be pressed until her life is gone." 

     "No!" Hunter shoved Beth behind him, "You'll have to kill me
first." 

     Jacob dropped his hood and turned his head slightly, "Do you
dare obstruct justice prescribed by your own laws?" 

     "You won't kill her." Hunter said, preparing to defend Beth
with his life. 

     "I should have killed her." Roseclear muttered. 

     Four guards were moving toward Hunter and Beth. Their eyes
glazed over with the need to carry out their orders, hoping to get
to feast on the remains once she was dead. 

     "Very well, Hunter Redfern you are exiled from the Night World
to the Dark Kingdom for obstruction of justice. If you do not step
aside and allow the vermin to be executed you will join her in
death." Jacob said, unwilling to sentence a powerful leader to
death for fear of civil war among the night world houses. The
murmuring in the room carried to a crescendo when Hunter didn't
budge. 

     "I suppose you'll have to kill me too." The guards hesitated,
not sure what to do. Jacob had given the order to execute the human
but Hunter was a Lord. Thierry was transfixed by the scene in front
of him. He knew all to well how Hunter felt. If Maya had succeded
in killing Hannah, he would have made her kill him as well. 

     Tears steamed down Beth's face, She tugged at Hunter trying to
make him move. "No, oh God Hunter don't do this. I'll come back.
Remember the spell?" 

     "Hush, Beth I can't be alone again." 

     "You don't understand." Beth said, desperate to make him
listen. 

     "We'll die together." 

     The first guard wrenched Beth from Hunter. Pandamonium tore
lose. Hunter ripped into the poor man who never stood a chance.
Hunter stood motionless facing Jacob holding the guard's head in
his hand. The sound of blood dripping filled the suddenly soundless
room. Beth reeled in horror at the man's body still writhing on the
floor. 

     "Who's next?" Hunter asked, his body seemed to be melting and
expanding at the same time, growing taller and filling with
rippling muscles. His cloaks ripped into shreds as his massive body
tore through the delicate fabric. Beth recognized the shape from
her dreams. He was shifting. Instead of the demon bird she thought
he was in the dream, she realized he was a gargoyle. The guardian,
of course, her guardian. It made sense now. He couldn't let her die
this time when he'd sworn to protect her forever. 

     The other three guards paused. Thierry was on his feet now
realizing there would be no peaceful resolution to this trial.
Fifteen of the deadliest members of Circle DayBreak were just
outside. A light breeze filled the room and an almost inaudible
whisper drifted on it. 

     "You are sentenced to die as well!" Jacob shouted at Hunter,
apparently unphased by his new form. 

     Beth drew her makeshift stake and swung it at the one guard
who tried to grab her from behind. He drew back clutching his arm
blood spurting between his fingers. 

     The breeze turned into a violent gust of wind whipping through
the room extinguishing all the candles. The whispering voice
changed volume shouting over the violent wind still blowing over
the room. 

     "I am the fifth; blue fire in my blood, hidden from the world
long ago . Unto my chosen soldiers I give my strength, use it well
my friends" Blue Lightening flashed outside the windows for
emphasis, unnatural thunder, sounding more like a heartbeat rolled
on the hot evening air. A rolling rushing sound roared gaining
clarity and intensity as it approached shaking the room violently..

     Windows and doors exploded inward as the fighting arm of
Circle DayBreak rushed the room behind the wind led by two golden
leopards and a gray werewolf. Many startled council members fearing
the rumored power of the blue fire fled not caring to see who was
attacking. 

     Hunter led Beth out of the fray. "Straight down the hall, Mary
Lynette and Thea are waiting for you." He said returning to the
fight. She watched him leave. She didn't fear him. For once in her
many lifetimes, she didn't fear his shapeshifter form. 

     Beth glanced at the exit weighing her options. She couldn't
just leave Hunter here, but she wasn't exactly in a position to
help him either. She hugged her makeshift stake to her chest. Cold
fingers clamped over her arm. 

     "Looks like I'll have to carry out the execution." Roseclear
hissed. 

     Beth stabbed at her, the stake slashing across Roseclear's
eyes and cheek making a deep red wound. The vampire howled in pain
and let go of Beth who fled back into the council room. 

     Hunter was rolling across the floor tangled with Jacob in a
snarling mass of flashing teeth and ripping flesh. Ash grabbed
Beth. Mary Lynnette would never forgive him if he let something
happen to Beth. He looked for the easiest safest route to send her.
He saw Roseclear standing in the entrance to the council room. 

     "Get out of here!" He shoved her back toward the door where
Roseclear stood, blood running down her face. 

     "Rose, get her out of here!" 

     Roseclear smiled a triumphant demonic smile. "Of course." Her
golden eyes settled on Beth's throat thinking what a tasty treat
she was going to enjoy. 

     "No, she'll kill me!" Beth struggled to free herself from
Roseclear's grasp She kicked Roseclear in the shin and retreated a
few steps. She fumbled for her stake. It fell from her hand and
rolled to Roseclear's feet. Beth cast a desperate glance back at
Hunter just as he drove a wooden knife, Rashel had tossed to him,
into Jacob's chest. She knew he'd never reach her in time. She
concentrated all the strength she had in screaming for help
mentally to anyone who could hear her, if anyone other than Hunter
could hear her. 

     Roseclear raised the stake that Beth had dropped. Ash's blonde
head jerked around at the scream he barely picked up, understanding
suddenly what Beth had tried to tell him. Beth was backing away
from Roseclear who was preparing to throw the stake as though it
were a javelin. Beth stood frozen in place. There was nowhere to go
as the stake flew through the air. 

     A tall lanky body topped with white blonde hair flashed in
front of Beth as Ash threw himself between Beth and the stake
Roseclear. It sank deep into Ash's shoulder. He sank to the floor,
stake protruding from his shoulder. Blood poured from Roseclear's
mouth in a deep crimson stream. She slowly turned to face the
person standing behind her. 

     Hunter watched the last of his children collapse in a heap of
bones and dried leathery looking skin at Beth's feet. A large
wooden knife stuck out of the corpse's remains. Beth fell into
Hunter's arms, weeping. 

     "It's over now. We're going to be okay." Hunter whispered in
her hair already shifting back to his human form. "Let me see your
eye." He lifted her chin. "I never dreamed Rose would hurt you. I'm
sorry." 

     "Hunter, I think I'm going to . . ." 

     He caught her as she fainted. The room was empty except for
the bodies of the council members who had been brave enough to
fight and a couple of DayBreakers who were ministering to injured
members. Quinn looked up at Hunter with a ghost of a smile on his
face as he and Rashel knelt by Ash. 

     "Thank you Ash." Hunter said, laying Beth on the floor to
assist with Ash. 

     "This isn't good. " Quinn said studying Ash's wound. "It's got
to come out now or you'll be dead before we get back to Thierry's."

     Ash nodded to weak to talk and braced himself against the
wall. Quinn wrapped his fingers around the stake careful not to
move it any more than he needed to. 

     "On the count of three. One. . . two. . . three." Quinn yanked
the stake out of his shoulder and fresh blood welled up out of the
wound. 

     Ash groaned and slumped over on Rashel. "We need to get him to
a healer quick." 

                                 ***

     Sun streamed through the window. Beth rolled over and
stretched taking a deep breath of the fresh desert morning air
flowing through the open window. She sat up. This wasn't her room.
Then she remembered she was in Thierry's home. She sat back against
the headboard and closed her eyes. Hunter stirred in the armchair. 

     "How do you feel?" He asked scrutinizing her every feature.
Thea said she wasn't hurt all that much, except for the black eye
which she had applied a salve to earlier in the morning. The puffy
blackness was almost gone. 

     "Fine, a little tired. How long have I been asleep?" 

     "About sixteen hours." 

     "How's Ash?" 

     "He'll live unfortunately." 

     Beth bit back a smile, drifting back into sleep. She could
understand that comment. She sensed Hunter's anxiety and opened her
eyes. 

     "What are you thinking about?" 

     "What is it about shape shifting that bothers you so much?" 

     Beth fingered the coverlet trying to figure out how to word
her answer. "I think it's the Puritan thing, demons, devils and the
like. It is so much a part of our life from back then that it's
spilling over into this life." 

     "I think I understand." He said moving to sit by her on the
bed. "I would never hurt you on purpose." He took her hands in his.
"I don't want you to fear me." 

     A feeling slowly unfolded like a flower inside her heart. It
blossomed out into understanding. He had been protecting her then
as he had just last night, the only way he knew how. He was keeping
his promise. Her heart pounded as he massaged her hands. He leaned
forward and kissed her injured eye, then her cheek, her mouth,
slowly he moved to her neck, but he didn't bite. He nuzzled her
neck dropping butterfly kisses along her shoulder. 

     Suddenly she knew what she wanted, beyond any doubt. 

     "Hunter?" 

     "Mmmm?" 

     "Am I too old this time?" 

     Hunter stopped mid kiss. He cupped her face in his hands, "Are
you sure?" He asked, searching her eyes for any trace of
uncertainty. He found none. 

     "Yes." 

     "What about your family?" 

     "Do they have to know?" Beth had to admit she hadn't given it
much thought. 

     "No, it would jeopardize their lives as well." 

     "Is there any reason I couldn't continue with my life even if
I'm a vampire if no one knows?" 

     Hunter thought for a moment. She had a point. There might be a
coming fight at the turn of the millenium but there was no reason
to not live life as if everything was still the same. She didn't
have to give up her family or her life. He could stay with her and
no one would ever know. No one would care. Except Quinn. 

     "How do you think Quinn will feel?" 

     "I think he'll be okay with it." A male voice said from the
door. Quinn winked at the couple and walked away thinking how cool
it would be to have his mother, so to speak, around forever. He
couldn't help but wish Rashel would reconsider soon. That old
feeling of helplessness crept over him again. It disappeared
instantly when he saw the raven haired kitten curled up in a
recliner eating an orange. 

                   ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Part 8: 

	Rashel's lips turned up in a wry smile when she noticed Quinn 
watching her,  "So how is Beth?" 

	"She's fine." Quinn slumped into a chair next to Rashel, keeping 
Beth's decision to become a vampire a secret until she wanted to share the 
news herself.

	"You don't look very happy." 


	Quinn snorted, "How would you feel if you just discovered Hunter 
Redfern is now technically your stepfather?"


	"Point taken."  Rashel bit back the urge to smile.  She thought she 
had truly lost her mind thinking that it was sweet of Hunter to cater to Beth 
hand and foot and that it was funny the way Quinn was starting to behave 
toward Beth.  He seemed to accept that she was a reincarnation of his mother, 
even if she was younger than he was, thought not by much more than a week or 
so.


	Thierry shook his head. "I have to admit I've never seen such a 
dramatic transformation. It's almost like Hitler having a change of heart at 
the last second."

	
	Hunter slipped quietly into the room as well. "I've never been 
compared to Hitler before."

	Everyone laughed except Hunter, who was distracted by the process he 
had begun with Beth.

	"Problem Hunter?"  Thierry asked.

	"Nothing I can't figure out for myself."  He shot Quinn a 'keep your 
mouth shut' look.

	Quinn shrugged indifferently and leaned back in his chair.  "How's 
Beth?"

	"She's sleeping."  Hunter snapped, looking as though he were 
contemplating snapping Quinn's neck for antagonizing him.

	Quinn just smiled innocently back at him, inwardly surprised that 
Hunter was protecting Beth from the very people she trusted.  Hunter didn't 
trust Circle Day Break, he realized.  An eclectic group of illegal vampires, 
half-breeds, people who had everything to loose if their affiliation to 
Circle Day Break were known and Hunter did not trust them enough to protect 
Beth now that she was truly one of their own, human or not.

***

	Mary Lynette wore a track in the carpet outside the room where the 
healers were working on Ash. Ever since she'd held his bloody unconscious 
body on the frantic ride from the council meeting, she'd had a lot of time to 
think. Her opinion of Ash and his way of life had changed. She had never 
thought, much less wanted him to sacrifice his life to save someone else's. 
That took courage and a lot of guts, something she didn't think he had. The 
fact that he even bothered to assist with the assault tore at her too. He 
always acted like he didn’t care about someone other than himself.


	The door opened and four sober looking witches exited. Thea motioned 
Mary Lynette inside. Ash didn't move. He didn't even look like he was 
breathing.


	"Is he okay?" She asked, searching Thea's face for answers or any 
kind of indication that Ash would be okay.


	Thea frowned, "He's going to be really weak for a long time. Vampires 
and wood don't agree with each other. Wood is like poison, the longer it 
stays inside a vampire's body the deadlier it becomes. In this case, Quinn 
got the stake out, but not before Ash got a good dose of poison, plus the 
stake shattered his collarbone. Under normal circumstances the bone would 
already be healed if it weren't for the wood poisoning."


	The night she backed Ash up to a tree waving a stick of wood at him 
flashed before her. Mary Lynette had been enthralled with her power to keep 
him at bay with something as insignificant as a piece of wood, a limb no 
less. Now she felt like an idiot. She didn't know she could have killed him; 
he'd said she could, but she didn't believe him.


	"When will he wake up?" 


	Thea shrugged helplessly, "I don't know." 


	Mary Lynette sat on the bed facing Ash and brushed the wayward 
tendrils of hair out of his face. Did he know she was here? The connection 
they had seemed to be missing. Mary Lynette's heart stopped. "No Ash, don't 
give up now."


	He stirred a little, then sighed. Mary Lynette watched his face 
hoping those gold eyes would pop open and some smart aleck remark would come 
out of his mouth, but it didn't happen. He didn't move again and her heart 
fell.


	"Ash please say something." Her voice shook. 


	"He just needs some time, Mare. His body took quite a shock, it's not 
easy for a human to recover from this kind of injury either."


	Mary Lynette nodded in understanding. She leaned over and kissed him 
lightly on the lips. No sparks, no electricity, nothing. She wasn't sure what 
to think or do except get out of the room for a while.


	"I'll be downstairs if he wakes up." MAry Lynnette walked down the 
stairs, deep in thought.  She unconsciously stepped over Keller's tail and 
sidestepped Galen as well.  Only after she crossed to the study did she turn 
around, realizing they had shifted and were lying on the floor at the bottom 
of the stairs.

	"Don't tell me, I don't want to know."

	Keller grumbled at her. Galen reached out playfully swatting Keller 
on the head with his paw.

	Mary Lynnette shook her head and closed the study door.  She sank 
into an overstuffed armchair and drifted into dreamless sleep.

***

	Beth stretched a long luxurious cat like stretch. Her body felt 
wonderfully powerful and feline. Hunter's arm was draped around her waist.  
She rolled over and Hunter smiled into her eyes.


	"How do you feel?" He asked, suddenly anxious, watching her every 
move. 


	"Mmmm, I feel . . .hungry?" 


	"I'll take you hunting when you get your vampire legs under you." 


	Beth sat up. Despite the power threading through her muscles she was 
clumsy and weak.


	"I'm told it takes a little getting used to. How did Poppy put it; 
like trying to learn to ride a bike, all wobbly and exhilarating at the same 
time."


	"Wobbly is certainly the word for it." Beth said, trying to stand 
using Hunter's arm for support.


	After a few awkward moments, she was standing and walking, though 
slowly, but gaining confidence.


	"Now, let's hunt."  Hunter smiled motioning her to the balcony that 
wrapped around to another landing.  There they could drop to the ground and 
use a hidden trail which lead out of the mansion's grounds.

***

	Ash scowled at the pain in his shoulder and at the nurse fussing over 
him. 

	"There now, that shoulder is looking much better." 

	The woman was raving on madly about how to care for his injury and 
the benefits of massage therapy to regain the use of his arm. Ash really 
didn't care about anything but finding Mary Lynette. He didn't remember 
anything about the ride home or the days that followed. Thea told him Mary 
Lynette stayed at his side just about the whole time. He hadn't sensed her 
presence in that time. Nor could he sense her now even though he knew she was 
downstairs.


	"Maybe it's the injury somehow interfering. You could feel her before 
you got hurt right?" Thea asked, having stepped into her grandmother's 
over-sized shoes as counselor to those who needed it.


	Ash thought for a moment. Yes, he had sensed her when they met at 
Beth's home. He had made a beeline for the door where she was standing.


	"So give it time. Maybe you two could learn to love each other 
despite being disconnected." Ooh, she winced; she sounded like a telephone 
operator.


	"If Suzy nurse here would leave, I'd go find M'lin." 


	The nurse pulled the bandage tight. 


	"Ow." 


	"Sorry." The healer apologized with little sympathy. 


	After what seemed like an eternity, Ash was allowed to search for 
Mary Lynette.  It was strange trying to find someone he couldn't sense. It 
was as if his vampire abilities were gone too. He felt rather weak and dazed, 
but determined to find Mary Lynette. He didn't have to look long. He found 
her talking to Beth and Hannah.


	"Ash," Beth jumped up and hugged him. "I'm glad you're better. Thank 
you for saving my life!"


	Something was different about her. She was graceful and agile like a 
. . . vampire.


	"You're welcome," Ash said, taken aback. "Umm, Mare, can we talk?" 
Hunter breaking yet more of his own rules?  The man was certainly changing 
only time would tell if the cahnge was for the better. 

	
	Mary Lynette gulped, she didn't want to talk. She wanted to leave and 
stay away forever. "I guess."


	Hannah and Beth left quietly. Hannah squeezed Mary Lynette's hand as 
she passed her.


	"I don't know to begin." Ash said fidgeting with the sling his arm 
was resting in.


	"I do, Where in the Hell have you been, don't you know how to read a 
calendar?"


	"I couldn't risk leading someone back to you, like Quinn.' 


	"Quinn is a good guy." 


	"Not when I met you he wasn't. You know what Hunter did to that 
guard? Well that's what Quinn would have done to you with out even blinking 
an eye."


	"You could have called or written." 


	Okay, she had a point there. "You're right, I should have except 
things have gotten really complicated in my world. What you've seen these 
past few days is only the beginning. I can't walk away even for you because 
that might mean death to my family and you as well."


	Mary Lynette's chin trembled, "You can't or won't?" 


	"Mare," Ash reached out to touch her but she jerked away, out of his 
reach. 


	She had wanted him to change, but not like this. What she had been 
after was the elusive perfect man. A dream or vision that could never be. He 
had instead become a loyal soldier fighting to preserve humanity, not the 
happy go lucky person she met two years earlier.


	"I can walk away. I'm going home tonight Ash. Don't bother coming 
back to Briar Creek, you're not welcome in my home."

	Ash stood helplessly by, watching Mary Lynnette turn away from him.  
The muscles in his throat worked constrictively but he didn't say a word to 
stop her.  Perhaps it was for the best that she did walk away.  Maybe that is 
what they both should do...just walk away.  It would probably save her life 
in the millenium battle fi she were far far away in her little safe haven in 
the hick town of Briar Creek.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Part 9:

Beth help Mary Lynette carry her bags to the van. "Mare are you sure you 
wanna leave things like this between you and Ash?"


    "He says he can't walk away from this fight even for me." She said, 
throwing a suitcase in the back.


    "Would you think of him any better if he did turn his back on his world 
for you?"


    Mary Lynette paused, considering the question. "I don't know." Put that 
way, she looked like a heel, damning him for doing exactly what she wanted.


    "Mare, " Beth said softly, "for the first time in his life, he's doing 
something right."


    "I know" 


    "Am I missing something here?"  The pained look on Mary Lynette's face 
confused Beth. "Never mind."  She took her by the hand and led her inside. "I 
want you to see something."


    Mary Lynette followed Beth upstairs to a balcony over looking the garden 
area. A crystal clear pool sparkled just below. Quinn and Rashel were 
enjoying a late night swim. Movement by one of the giant columns caught Mary 
Lynette's attention.


    "Ash is down there." Beth said innocently. 


    She didn't have to tell Mary Lynette, she could almost sense him. His 
loneliness seemed to swallow him. It showed in every stiff move he made. He 
sat down, his back against the column and rested his good arm over his knees 
watching the couple frolicking in the pool.


    "He didn't come back for your own good. When you accept that you two will 
be happy again."


    "He broke his promise." 


    "Mare, you know way down in here that he couldn't come back."  Beth poked 
Mary Lynette in the chest. "I really don't know what the problem is, the REAL 
problem but I think you'll find his arms the safest place in the world 
instead of hiding in that shell you're in."


    "You and your psychology are beginning to spook me." 

    "Why don't you give him that bracelet you bought for him to break the 
ice?" 


    Mary Lynette glowered at Beth, "How did you know about that?" 


    "I'm psychic, anyway today is his birthday and he didn't even look at the 
card or open the gift Circle DayBreak got him."


    "Oh." She watched Ash lean his head back against the column looking up. 
At the stars, she realized. He really did look at the stars, probably wished 
on them too. She had a feeling she knew exactly what he was wishing. The same 
wish he'd made the day he left Brair Creek.


        "Mare, if not for yourself, then do it for him. He's so very 
different from what you think about him. Look at it this way. He's a typical 
macho teen-age guy who likes fast cars and pretty girls. So what if he's a 
vampire? He loves you even without the soulmate thing working between you two 
right now."


    Mary Lynette thought for a few minutes. When had Beth become so 
insightful? Look who her soulmate was, if anyone deserved a cold shoulder 
from a soulmate, it was Hunter Redfern.


    She dug around in her purse and pulled out the box holding the bracelet 
she had purchased a few weeks before he was supposed to return to Briar 
Creek. She studied the heavy silver trinket. His name was engraved on the top 
and on the underside her initials plus the word SOULMATES.  Rowan's 
suggestion so that the NightWorld couldn't trace her by her name.


    She dropped the bracelet into the box and looked at Ash again. 


    "Tell Mark that we're staying a little while longer." 


    Nervous butterflies felt like they riding an angry ocean wave in her 
stomach as Mary Lynette pushed the French doors open. She was calling a 
truce, right here, right now, and swallowing her pride. She rubbed her thumb 
over the velvet jeweler's box like a worry stone. She could do this, she 
really could. Quinn and Rashel brushed past her casting a knowing glance in 
her direction. Quinn actually winked at her.  Mary Lynette took a deep breath 
and stepped around the column.


    "Hi." Mary Lynette said, her voice was barely audible. 


    Ash didn't move. 


    "Ash?" 


    He didn't answer so Mary Lynette started to leave. 


    "Don't leave." 


    She halted. He hadn't moved. He wasn't even looking at her


    "Are you all right?" 


    "I'll live unfortunately." He still didn't look up at her. 


    "Ash, it's difficult to talk to you if I can't see your face." 


    "I thought you were leaving tonight." He didn't look at her and Mary 
Lynette swallowed past the lump in her throat.  He wasn't making this very 
easy for her.  


    "No, I had to do something first." 


    Ash looked at her. She really couldn't tell in the dimly lit garden but 
his face looked wet and his eyes were all red and puffy.


    "You sure you're okay, are you in pain?" 


    "You could say that." He pressed his fingers into his eyes like he had a 
headache.


    "I . . . .I brought you a birthday present. It isn't anything fancy but I 
thought you'd like it." She held the box out to him.


    Ash looked at the box like it might bite him. He took it from her hand. 
Mary Lynette wondered if he had ever been given a present from a girl.


    "A box?" 


    "Open it silly." She said, sitting beside him. 


    Ash opened the box and fingered the bracelet like it was the most 
precious thing he'd ever seen or touched.


    "It's beautiful." He said holding it up and turning it over. The word 
Soulmates jumped out at him. "Thank you, Mare."


    "Let me help you." Mary Lynette took the bracelet from him and fastened 
it around his wrist. The silver links glistened in the moonlight.


    Ash caught her hand as she drew back. He kissed her wrist, the palm of 
her hand, each fingertip. Mary Lynette watched spellbound. Shivers of delight 
ran up her spine. He gently tugged on her hand drawing her close. The 
electricity started to tingle where their bare skin touched. It was back, or 
maybe it had never left, getting mired down in the hurt and anger instead. It 
didn't matter anymore as his lips touched hers in the barest of kisses. 
Tentative at first then increasing in demand until they were breathless. Pink 
mist swirled around them; silver thread weaving in and out of the clouds. 
They were together again.


    When Ash pulled away Mary Lynette was surprised to find herself leaning 
against the column where he had been.


    "If we had kissed like that at Briar Creek, I would have never left." 


    Mary Lynette put her fingers to his lips; "I don't want to talk about 
that." 


    Ash suddenly looked serious. "You didn't stay for my birthday. You didn't 
know about it."


    Mary Lynette hung her head. "No, Beth told me after giving me a good 
lecture." 


    "I'll thank her later." He said, pulling her close again meaning to pick 
up where they left off.


    "I'm sorry for acting like a bitch." 


    "I suppose I deserved a little of it.  After all, I could have contacted 
Rowan to let you know about the change in plans."


    Mary Lynette wound her fingers in Ash's shirt, "Come here." 


    Hunter stood behind Beth watching her while she watched Ash and Mary 
Lynette. 

    
    "I see you've been busy." His hands went to her shoulders, gently 
massaging them.


    "Yeah."  She leaned back resting her head on his shoulder with a self 
satisfied smile lighting her face.


    "Have I told you I've really missed you over the past three hundred 
years?" He asked, molding her body to his, his hands slipping down slowly 
exploring and memorizing every curve.


    Beth found it hard to breath, "No, I don't think you did."  Her smile 
widened. 


    "Come inside and I'll show you."  He turned her head just enough to 
whisper in her ear, "So Sarah and Beth will have the same memories." He 
dropped a soft kiss on her neck and goosebumps dotted her flesh.

    
    The comment she'd made at the beach house came back to her and she 
chuckled. 


    "What's so funny?" 


    "Oh nothing, but that's the most original come on I've ever heard." 


    "Oh, and just how many have you heard?"  He rested his chin on the top of 
her head, enjoying the scent of her freshly washed hair while unbuttoning her 
shirt.


    He sounded so jealous that Beth couldn't help herself. 


    "Lots," she started, when Hunter suddenly swept her up in his arms, "but 
none directed to me."  She laughed when he growled playfully, then kicked the 
french doors that opened onto the balcony shut.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Part 10:

	Hunter slept peacefully beside Beth. She watched the gentle rise and 
fall of his chest, wondering how long it had been since he had really rested. 
She traced the line of his arched red eyebrows. All the hard lines and sharp 
edges to his face were erased by sleep. He looked every bit as youthful as 
she did. And as handsome as sin.


	Her lips turned up in a crooked smile. He was accustomed to being 
obeyed without question. She could tell that by the way he walked and talked.


	John, Quinn, she told herself, he wants to be called Quinn, had the 
same posture.


	They were one and the same. Hunter had taught Quinn to be the very 
definition of a RedFern heir. After being changed. Quinn had obviously become 
very ruthless, or so she thought after over hearing a conversation between 
Rashel and Hannah. Beth was thankful Rashel had turned him around, just as 
she was glad Hunter turned so easily. But would he stay that way?


	Piercing gold eyes blinked at her, still heavy with sleep. 


	"What's wrong little one?" 


	"Don't mind me, my thoughts wander when I first wake up, by the way, 
what happened to the toddler you refused to kill?"


	Hunter smiled, even white teeth sparkled just behind his lips "You'll 
get to meet her."


	"Oh?" 


	"Jezebel Redfern, Jez. Her father was a vampire, her mother a human. 
I just couldn't kill her. It wasn't her fault her parents broke the law."


	"I've heard her name mentioned. She has a soulmate named Morgead?" 


	Hunter nodded, closing his eyes. Beth leaned over him and kissed him 
firmly on the lips.


	"Beth, I wouldn’t do that again if I were you." Hunter warned without 
opening his eyes.


	"Why?" She tried not to laugh, putting on an innocent pout instead. 


	"Because we don't have time, not that I don't want to, but we are 
expected downstairs in about ten minutes."

*** 

	Thierry rubbed his chin, deep in thought. The volunteer who had tried 
to feed Ash reported that he refused, again. By all estimations Ash should 
have gone into bloodlust by now. Starving vampires were a menace to anyone 
and everyone.


	"It could be the poison from the wood in the stake, maybe it made him 
sicker than he let on." Aradia said.


	"That could be," Thierry agreed "but, it still worries me." His 
thoughts wandered back to Hunter's story.


	Hunter and Beth appeared, hand in hand. 


	"Problem with Ash?" Hunter asked. 


	"He hasn't fed in a week." Thierry said, standing and offering his 
chair to Beth.


	"And he's not a stark raving mad lunatic?" 


	"No and he's not the least bit interested in feeding." 


	"What do you think of this, Aradia?" Hunter asked the sightless girl 
sitting across from Beth.


	The girl stiffened slightly at the question. Obviously she knew he 
expected an answer other than 'I don't know'. The entire atmosphere in the 
room changed from relaxed to tense.


	There it is, Beth noted in disappointment, the man who always got 
what he wanted had just reappeared.


	In a few seconds he was no longer relaxed. Just back to business as 
usual. Except he rested his hands on her shoulders and gently rubbed.

	
	*It's all right Beth. After the millenium battle everything will be 
different, less tense.*


	Beth covered his hands with hers and nodded. 


	Thea sighed,  answering for Aradia, "As far as we know, there is no 
reason for him to lose his appetite."


	"Maybe he's trying to please Mare?" Beth said. "Love can rob you of 
your appetite."


	"We can't ignore the need to feed Beth, you know that." Hunter gently 
reminded her.


	"Must be a human thing." James quipped, noting the funny look on 
Beth's face. 


	While the conversation continued on over Ash's problem, James found 
himself fascinated by Hunter and Beth's relationship. Hunter seemed so very 
different and Beth was absolutely glowing, like she had just fed.


	He leaned back in his chair studying her closely this time. She was 
different, but the same. He couldn't quite put his finger on it. Then she 
looked directly at him; her eyes were a silvery black. She was a vampire. It 
was all he could do to keep his jaw from dropping to the floor in 
astonishment..


	For all his denial of allegiance with Circle DayBreak, Hunter had all 
but joined them. First, by killing the elected leader of the NightWorld and 
ripping the head off another noble's son. Now he had made a human a vampire. 
No one in the NightWorld would lift a finger against Hunter for any reason 
except changing humans. Not even allegiance with Circle DayBreak, because 
allegiance was a matter of mood. One day a damned DayBreaker the next a sworn 
enemy to the same group.


	"Well, it's settled then." Hunter said "Beth and I will return to my. 
. . our home in Massachusetts."


	Beth's face lit up. He was taking her home. Rolling green hills and 
pastures filled with spring fed ponds danced through her mind.


	"If there's a problem with Ash, don't hesitate to contact us, we'll 
do our best to help."


	Thierry looked hopeful and started to speak but Hunter raised his 
hand before Thierry got the words out of his mouth; "We are not allying 
ourselves to any particular side of the coming battle. Whatever happens, 
happens."


	Thierry bowed his head to hide a smile, "I see." He raised his head 
and met Hunter's steady gaze, "Do what you must to protect Beth and I 
certainly understand." He said, resting his hand on Hannah's shoulder.


*** 

	A black Mercedes waited outside Thierry's home for Hunter. As it 
pulled away, Thierry, Hannah, and James watched from the giant plate glass 
window in Thierry's library.


	"Did anyone else notice something unusual about Beth?" James asked. 


	"You mean that she's a vampire now?" Thierry grinned, looking at 
Hannah who arched her eyebrows at him.


	"I'm still thinking about it." She looped her arm around Thierry's 
waist, "I still have a little time you know."


	"He's on our side." James said. "He's stepped to far into the circle 
to back out. He just doesn't know it yet."


	Hannah nodded, "Some men are pig-headed when it comes to denial." 


	All three said in unison, "Hunter." 

***

	The scenery hadn't changed much in three hundred years, Beth decided. 
Vibrant green hillsides dotted with houses still covered the area she had 
once called home. The car turned down a narrow, winding road after first 
unlocking a gate. Beth's face lit up. Hunter had preserved practically all 
the land that had belonged to her family as well as his. A huge brick 
colonial house blended smoothly into the back drop of giant elms he had 
managed to protect form the blight that had all but decimated the other elms 
in the area.


	"Are you pleased?" 


	"Yes, I can't believe you managed to keep all this land to yourself." 


	"Believe me, it wasn't easy." 


	The car stopped in front of the house. The servants lined up to greet 
their returning master. All were decked out in their formal receiving livery; 
the same blood red color that Hunter had worn to the council trial. Each 
curtsied or bowed as Beth and Hunter passed. Hunter stopped at the top of the 
piazza,

	
	"This is Beth, your new mistress. You will attend her every whim and 
fancy. Her word is mine. You may all return to your respective posts."


	Amidst the scurrying servants Beth spotted a small wooden structure 
just beyond the tree line. She turned loose of his hand and headed toward a 
familiar looking cabin.


	"Beth wait!" Hunter called after her. 


	She stepped inside. Somehow it just didn't seem as wonderful as she 
remembered it. Sarah had called it cozy and inviting. Beth called it filthy 
and a hovel. Strange how three hundred years could change one's perspective.


	Hunter's shadow crossed the room. "You okay?" 


	"Yeah, I was just thinking how much different I feel about this place 
than I did back then."


	"'Back then' this was a nice home." He said, grateful she hadn't gone 
into hysterics over memories from their past. He motioned her out the door 
toward a garden where there were five well-kept graves. Simple headstones 
marked each one.


	Maeve Harman Redfern, Edward Quinn, Sarah Quinn, John Quinn, she knew 
this was to keep anyone from looking for both John and Dove

	"I told everyone that they all died of some kind of fever."  Hunter 
said, "That way their graves were not disturbed by anyone who might not 
believe the whole family died.  Disease, as you recall, was as good a 
deterrent as any when it came to grave robbers.".


	Sarah's grave was covered with red phlox. "Maeve was jealous of 
Sarah." She said, noticing that there were no other flowers on the other 
sites.


	Hunter nodded, "I know, but she also knew that neither Sarah nor I 
had any choice in the matter. I think, in the end, she accepted what she 
couldn't change. That's why she cast that spell to make you come back "


	A slight breeze stirred Beth's hair and she looked in its direction. 
Two women dressed like pilgrims smiled at her, one with light brown hair and 
luminous brown eyes, the other was a tiny frail woman with jet black hair and 
equally dark eyes. Sarah and Maeve, Beth decided. Each turned away and walked 
together into the meadow melting into a hazy mist and then they disappeared.


	"I think you're right." Beth said, feeling happier than she had ever 
been. Together she and Hunter walked into the same meadow where they found 
peace, happiness, and love. For a while they chose to ignore the call to 
return to the real world in preparation for the millenium battle.


The End.

© Rua Bran Ravenlock ruabrannw at yahoo dot com)