Devil Inside

Brandy Isaacs

Text Copyright © Brandy Isaacs

All Right Reserved

Cover Art Copyright © Tina Pugel

This book would not have been possible without the support and encouragement of my brilliant and patient friends Shannon, Anita, Edgar, Katie and Devan.

Table of Contents

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 23

Chapter 24

Chapter 25

Chapter 26

Chapter 27

Chapter 28

Chapter 29

Chapter 30

Chapter 31

Chapter 32

Chapter 33

Chapter 34

Chapter 35

Chapter 36

Chapter 37

Chapter 38

Chapter 39

Chapter 40

Chapter 41

Chapter 42

Chapter 43

Chapter 44

Chapter 45

Part One

“You know you want to see his penis.  You should just go talk to him,” Harley laughed.

“I do NOT want to see his penis.  And besides, I don’t see you talking to the hottie that keeps looking over here,” Jamie shot back rolling her eyes.

Chuckling, Harley responded, “That’s because he is more than a three shot hottie.  Come on, let’s get another Jagerbomb and work on a game plan.”  Harley led the way back to the bar to buy another round of shots.  She slipped her way through the crush of people to gain a spot at the bar with Jamie following in the path that she carved.  Harley, Jamie and several of their friends were hanging out at Jay’s, one of the few bars in Lexington to play good live music.  A rock band was on stage currently.  Harley couldn’t remember the name of the band but they were talented.  They only played cover songs but had pretty good renditions.  For the past hour or so both girls had been working up to initiating some sort of contact with the two guys whose attention they seemed to have caught.

Jamie had been particularly interested in a small guy with sandy blonde hair.  He had been standing at the side of the crowd in front of the stage with a group of guys and girls.  He kept not-so-casually looking over his shoulder in Jamie’s direction.  He wore jeans and a light colored polo shirt and his hair had been gelled in the “I fixed my hair but I’m trying to not look like it kind of way.”  Harley smiled to herself as she watched Jamie peeking at him out of the corner of her eye.  Jamie was taller than she was and had light brown hair that curled in a way that Harley had always been jealous over.  Right now her friends pale green eyes sparkled in excitement.  Typical, she thought, Jamie always goes for the little ones.  Harley, on the other hand, had her eye on the big guy in the corner who looked like trouble.  She laughed to herself, realizing how predictable they both were.

The guy she had been sneaking glances at was sitting in a booth near the bathrooms; he had been alone the whole night.  So there was a good chance he was single, Harley thought to herself.  He wore a hooded sweatshirt and dark jeans and was casually rolling his beer bottle along the edge of its bottom.  He had long dark hair and broad shoulders.  He was watching the crowd intently and every so often Harley caught him looking at her a little longer than he seemed to be looking at everyone else.  Whenever she tried to catch his eye, he would look away.  Slowly, as if he didn’t care that she saw that he was watching her.  The brief glances caused her stomach to tingle excitedly.  Despite the fact that the guy kept coming back to her, he seemed to be serious about his crowd watching.  He didn’t look as if he was having a bad time; he was just apparently really interested in the bar’s crowd.  Harley lost sight of him when a group of dancers drifted into her and Jamie’s path to the bar.  The two women had to wait, laughing, until the dancers drifted away before they could finally continue on their way.

Harley and Jamie finally made it to the bar with minimal jostling.  Three shots in and Harley was finally feeling the warm numbness spreading from her stomach to her limbs.  She was just buzzed enough to not care that so many people were in her personal space.  She elbowed her way to the front of the bar.  “Two Jagerbombs” she yelled when the bartender pointed to her.  Her fingers were starting to feel clumsy from the alcohol she had consumed and she struggled to pull the wad of bills from her pocket.  As she tried to get a grip on the money, several bills slipped from her grasp and fell to the floor.  Laughing, she looked to see if Jamie had noticed the classic drunk behavior, but Jamie didn’t seem to have noticed what had happened because she was staring over Harley’s shoulder.  Figuring that Jamie was checking out the short blonde guy, Harley steadied herself on a bar stool and bent to retrieve the money.  As she did so she discovered what had caught her friend’s attention.  The “more-than-three-shot-hottie” had already bent to pick the money up from the floor.

Harley wondered how he had gotten through the crowd so quickly.  When she and Jamie began to make their way to the bar he had been near the bathrooms.  The fact that her muscles had frozen in a crouched position was the only thing keeping her from falling over.  She felt as if her stomach had dropped to the floor.  What if he had heard them?  Oh, how embarrassing!  Harley’s hand remained suspended in the air over the money while he scooped the money up swiftly.  She met his eyes as he held the bills out to her with a small smile.  The unexpected encounter left her unprepared and stupefied with an incredibly dry mouth.  OK, get a grip Harley.  Close your mouth and say something.

Suppressing her embarrassment, Harley returned his half smile.   “Thanks.”  Well, that’s a start.  At least you managed to form a complete and intelligible word.

“No problem,” More-than-three-shot-hottie replied.  His voice was deep and rough and while he didn’t speak overly loud Harley had no trouble hearing him.  It was as if her senses had tuned themselves to his unique frequency.  He held the bills out to her again as they both stood.  Please don’t let me fall, please let me stand like I’m more sober than I actually am.  She accepted the bills and tried her best to look charmingly sheepish.  “I call it Jager-fingers,” she laughed.

“It happens,” he chuckled and shrugged one shoulder.  Harley threw out a quick head-to-toe, attempting to send the subliminal message “Hey, you’re so hot I am checking you out right to your face.”  He was tall.  Not so tall that it was awkward to look him in the face.  He was solidly built but didn’t look like a gym-rat that spent all of his time working on his muscles.  His hair was long and black brushing his shoulders in that carefree kind of way that only lucky people were born with.  He was beautiful in the way that antiques were beautiful even though he looked to only be maybe in his late 20s.  Antiques were sturdier and their beauty came from the way that they bore the years of use they had seen.  The lines and scars that marred their surfaces only added to their beauty.  While he didn’t have any noticeable scars, his face was worn and looked as if he was used to working outside.  He was somewhat pale and had a strong jaw line and noticeable cheek bones.  They weren’t exotically high but they showed an ancestry that was probably Native American.  His mouth was set firmly and carved into a half smile.  His eyes were a dark blue, so blue they were almost black and were filled with a wary amusement.  He was so undeniably mysterious and delicious looking that it wasn’t fair.

Harley realized that they had been staring silently at each other long enough to be weird.  The stare down was broken when a look of indecision suddenly shifted his features.  He broke away with a polite nod picked up his fresh bottle of beer and melted back into the crowd.  What was that?  She stared after him perplexed.  It was a dangling teaser that had half annoyed and half intrigued Harley.  She turned slowly to meet Jamie’s amused gaze.

“Well, that was one giant fail.”

“I was completely caught off guard!  I had no time to prepare at all.  Is it just me or was he even hotter up close?” Harley feigned breathlessness, fanning herself.

Jamie tried to restrain her laughter.  When it still threatened to bubble up, she put her hand over her mouth.  Harley scowled at her and crossed her arms.  “OK, OK.  Fine.  Watch this,” she said with a smirk.  Harley turned to the bar to pay for their drinks and ordered two beers.  She handed one shot to Jamie and held the other up in salute.  “Here’s to growing a pair.”  Jamie and Harley knocked their shots back in unison—a feat that took practice.  Harley grimaced against the sourness of the shot.

“What are you going to do?” Jamie asked shuddering and giving the empty shot glass a scowl.

“I’m going home with that man tonight.”  Jamie had thrown the dare out there and Harley was going to take it—even knowing that Jamie had only been half serious.

“Are you sure that’s a good idea?” Jamie asked shaking her head and trying not to smile, already knowing Harley’s answer.

“Am I sure now?  Absolutely.  Tomorrow?  I will probably regret it.”

“Then why do it?” Jamie rolled her eyes good-naturedly.

“Cause it will be damn fun.”  Harley had that feeling in her stomach, the one daring her to live, to do whatever she felt like.  Despite the nagging voice of reason telling her this was a bad idea, her heart picked up in anticipation of the adventure to come.

Harley smiled at Jamie and asked, “Will you be OK on your own?”

“Yeah, yeah,” she answered, chuckling.  “I’ll go hang out with Jason and Olivia.  Have fun and make sure you do something I wouldn’t do.”

“You know it,” she retorted, wiggling her eyebrows.  Jamie acted like she disapproved, but her and Harley both knew that she was jealous that Harley could throw caution to the wind and act on her desires.  Jamie’s subtle urging was her way of living vicariously and Harley was usually willing to oblige.

Harley picked up the two beers from the bar and scoped the crowd.  Hottie had been sitting near the bathrooms and it was there that she found him again.  He was still sitting in a booth alone as he had for most of the night.  He watched the crowd with a slightly amused smile on his lips despite the intensity in his eyes.  Harley made her way towards the booth, zigzagging and shimmying around the crowd.  She hoped she looked more graceful than she felt.  She couldn’t really believe she was doing this, if she was honest with herself.  She could tell she was pretty drunk because that was the only time she would put herself out there like this.  Usually, she just waited until a guy approached her.  But she had had just enough liquid courage and just enough of a dare from Jamie that she was going through with it.  Besides, the guy approached her first.  She refused to allow herself to think too much about what she was doing.  Else she would think better of it and change her mind.  Halfway there Hottie looked her way and saw her coming.  As their eyes met she refused to look away.  He didn’t look particularly uninviting.  He simply looked curious and maybe a little surprised.

As Harley made her way towards his table she concentrated on not making a fool of herself.  She placed her feet carefully and did her best to avoid letting the crowd bump her too much.  Falling flat on her face would not make the impression she was hoping for.  Arriving at his table she forced her face to give him a sly smile that alluded to more confidence that she actually had.  She held the beer in her right hand up and said, “A thank you.  For being nice and not stealing my money.”

Hottie smiled quietly, “You are welcome.  But you really didn’t have to buy me a beer for that.”   Harley met his eyes.  They weren’t unfriendly, but there was a hardness to them that Harley found intriguing.  It would have been easy to describe his eyes as cold; yet, the intensity of their navy color reminded her more of a warm summer sky darkened with storm clouds.  Harley took a deep breath to give herself time to speak clearly.

“Oh, I’m glad to.  My name is Harley by the way.  Harley Finn.”

“Seriously?” he chuckled

Harley laughed.  “Yeah.  My dad was a Batman fan.  It’s even worse,” she answered sheepishly.  “My middle name is Quinn.”

Hottie laughed a little harder.  “I’m sorry.”

“No, it’s fine.  I’m used to it.”  She held the beer up and raised her eyebrows.

“Sorry—sure.  Thanks,” he quickly recovered, extending his hand somewhat reluctantly towards the empty side of the booth.  “My name is Levi Bonham.”

“Nice to meet you,” Harley responded, sliding into the booth.  It was when she sat down that she realized that she hadn’t really thought things through much further than this.  Now that she was sitting on the other side of the table from him she wasn’t sure what to do next.  Willing herself to not be a socially awkward, weirdo she smiled and tried to think of a question that was conversational and yet not cliché.

“Have you ever been here before?”  Wow—that was just a rearranged version of do you come here often.  Good job, Harley.

Levi seemed to be trying to suppress a laugh as he answered, “No.  I’m just passing through really.”  He seemed to relax his shoulders and let go of some of his reluctance as they talked.

“Sorry.  That was the lamest question ever, right?”  Harley decided to own her awkwardness.  When social graces fail—self effacing humor saved the day.

“It’s pretty classic,” Levi finally let loose the soft chuckle he had been holding back.  His laugh raised the hairs on Harley’s arms.  She couldn’t figure out what was so enticing about this guy.  He was good looking in her opinion—really good looking.  But she realized that plenty of women would have seen him as too rough and scruffy.  No, it wasn’t looks that Harley found so captivating.  Harley suspected that it was the coarse and guarded attitude that he gave off.  It was in the tense way he carried his shoulders and the wary look in his eye.  Harley almost sighed out loud.  The man’s entire demeanor screamed enigmatic and troublesome.  Predictable.  That was just the type of guy that she always gravitated towards.

Levi seemed to take pity on her, “Do YOU come here often?”

Harley chuckled.  “Yeah, my friends and I come here quite a bit.  There are not a lot of bars in Lexington that have good bands and good crowds.  You said you were passing through, from where?”

“All over really.  Most recently I was living just outside of Atlanta.  I’ve been here for about a week.”

“Nice.  What brought you to Lexington?”

Levi seemed to hesitate.  “Sorry,” Harley tried to retreat.  “I guess that could be a personal question.”

“No, no it’s fine.  I do consulting work so I get to travel a lot.  I decided to rest here for a while.”

“Wow, that’s pretty awesome.  I’ve kind of always wanted to do that—travel for work.”

“It’s incredibly freeing.”

“I bet.”

The conversation reached a natural lull.  They both watched the band for a minute.  The silence didn’t feel uncomfortable at all.  Instead, it felt as if they were both feeling the music.  Just enjoying the sounds.  Harley was well aware of him sitting across the booth from her.  It was like a line from one of her favorite TV shows—her body was like one of those dogs that point—and her body was pointing at him.  He seemed to relax even more as they listened to the music.  Harley couldn’t help thinking it was because she wasn’t pressuring him to talk.  Guys like him didn’t talk a lot and bombarding him with words would on put him on edge because he would be forced to talk more than he would really want, either that or be rude.  Harley let him settle in even more and waited.  Not overly talkative herself, she had always enjoyed being able to silently appreciate the moments around her.

He shifted in the booth and his knee brushed against her knee.  The touched zinged all the way up her leg and pulled at her breath for a second.  He glanced at her as if he felt the same thing.  It was all Harley could do to not reach out and touch him.  She wanted to run her hand along his forearm that he rested on the table.  She wanted to brush the fine hairs and feel the muscle flex beneath his skin.  Harley tore her eyes away from his arm when she noticed him notice her staring.  She felt her face heat up slightly even though she willed it to not give her away.  He didn’t seem concerned by her staring; rather his eyes softened for just a moment before he smiled softly at her before refocusing his attention on the band.  Harley did the same, relieved that he let it go.  She knew she wasn’t experiencing some sort of mystical, meeting of souls.  She was simply feeling the rush of endorphins that came along with meeting someone that she found incredibly attractive.  That combined with the alcohol made her entire body alive and extra sensitive.

They both continued to watch the band for a while.  A young blonde woman swayed drunkenly in front of the small stage, teetering on her high heels.  Suddenly, the drunken girl’s equally blonde and drunk friend stumbled out of the crowd and half fell and half hugged her.  Giggling they both crashed to the ground.  Harley laughed and covered her mouth slightly embarrassed for the girls but mostly glad to be entertained by their antics.  She realized that Levi was smiling slightly too.  Their eyes met in a shared camaraderie that relaxed them both even further.

“They remind me of these sorority girls that used to come to the bar that my friends and I went to when I was in college. They always got too drunk, too early, and ended up dancing in front of the bar like that,” she told him.

Harley told the first “drunken people show” story and Levi matched her story with one of his own.  Before she knew it they were trading stories like old friends.  Despite the fact that he appeared to be enjoying himself, he never seemed to fully let go and laugh unrestrained.  Instead, his laughter—or chuckle—died rather quickly on lips that never fully opened.  Harley didn’t think it was due to a lack of interest or humor.  It just seemed as if he had something else on his mind.  It was just enough to maintain his mystery but not enough to deter her interest in him.  Whenever she would begin to think that maybe she should leave him alone, he would draw her back in with a question or a light touch on her arm or hand.  Each touch tingled long after he pulled away.  Eventually, Harley found herself relaxing and getting more and more comfortable with Levi.

After Harley told a particularly entertaining story of watching a guy try to pick up a girl their laughter died off in an awkward silence.  Harley was pretty sure that their unspoken, yet mutual, attraction was now hanging in the air.  She imagined that she could see the chemistry in the air between them.  A blue electric current flowed back and forth between them.  Their eyes locked and neither one of them backed down.  It wasn’t a stare down in some creepy way.  Instead, it was as if they were trying to figure each other out through eye contact.  Issuing a challenge and seeing who could come away with the upper hand.  Harley was fully aware of how hard her heart was beating and how shallow her breathing had become.   She wanted nothing more than to lean across the table and taste his skin—but first she was going to have to work up the nerve to make some sort of move.  Otherwise, if I dive across the table and lick his face he’s probably going to think I’m pretty weird.  Finally, Levi looked away taking a sip of his beer.

Subconscious victory flowed through Harley and instilled in her a greater confidence.  As Harley searched for a way to invite him back to her place without sounding like an idiot, Levi broke the silence.

“Look, I’m not really someone you should to get involved with.”  He held her gaze intently.  Knowing where she was headed, he had apparently decided to forgo any pretenses.

Unable to stop it, a laughed barked out Harley.  “Seriously?  Does that usually work for you?”  She was a little disappointed.  While his demeanor was strong, he hadn’t struck her as arrogant, or as someone who played games.  While she was somewhat disenchanted, it mostly just made her a little less intimidated.  He didn’t seem quite as perfect now and she was surprised that the mystery had been contrived the whole time.

He looked baffled for a minute.  She decided to cut away the bull.  “Look, you don’t have to work some kind of angle at this.  Don’t try the whole ‘bad boy—I’m dangerous’ game.  OK.  It’s kind of old.  I appreciate the effort though.”

Levi sputtered.  “No.  I’m not playing some kind of game,” he seemed a tad annoyed.

“I’m not either,” Harley answered.  “I’m just looking for a good time.”  Harley was used to guys who were good at the game—even when they didn’t realize they were playing it.  He would insist that he wasn’t interested in a relationship for one reason or another.  He would build her up, insisting that she deserved more than he could offer.  Then he would not be able to resist and take her home.  He would insist that he would call, or he would try to nicely end things in the morning.  Making promises that he wouldn’t keep.  Harley would end up feeling jilted and confused.  And if Levi was going to try to play by traditional rules, then it was just end up messy with them both claiming foul.

Levi was definitely caught off guard at that.  His look shifted from slightly annoyed to slightly amused.   “Are you sure about that?” recovering, he asked slyly.

“Am I sure about what exactly?”  Could she go home with this guy and have a brief but intense fling?  Sure.  She knew that going home with a strange guy was risky.  But that was part of the allure.  That was what made it more exciting.  She was a good judge of character, and admittedly lucky in the fact that she hadn’t come across any serial killers.

“Are you sure that you want to go home with me?  Just for tonight?”

“Oh, I’m positive about that.”  Harley purred, fully in the swing of things now.  Now that she knew that she wasn’t off base and that Levi was equally interested in her, she was off and running.  She was ready to cast aside the games and subterfuge and simply finish what they both had started—and do it honestly.

He chuckled and held her gaze, “Ok, well I need to pay my tab.”  Harley was pretty sure that he was trying to call her bluff.  She figured he didn’t take her for the type of girl to go home with a strange guy.  He was going to be in for a surprise, Harley wasn’t afraid of her sexuality.  She understood why she did the things she did.  Some people would probably judge her for it, but she enjoyed sex.  She was an adult who made responsible, albeit, sometimes impulsive decisions.  This wasn’t the first time she had gone home with a guy—and it wouldn’t be the last.

“You do that.  I’m going to go to the bathroom before we leave.  I’ll meet you out front?”

“I’ll see you there,” he said, meeting her challenge and sliding from the booth.

Harley’s pulse pounded harder.  Her hands were cold and every nerve felt jumpy with excitement.   Harley was as excited as she was nervous; she had to restrain herself from doing a happy dance on the way to the bathroom.  Levi was seriously hot—she couldn’t believe her plan had actually worked.  He caused the kind of smoldering that you only read about in trashy, erotic novels.

Luckily the bathrooms were mostly empty.  Harley quickly peed, washed her hands and assessed her reflection in the mirror.  She blotted away some of the shine on her face with a paper towel.  Wiped away some smudged mascara.  She ran her fingers through her dark red hair.  Her green eyes sparkled impishly.  All in all, she would have to say that she was having a good body image day.  Her face was strong and her mouth small.  She was pretty, but in an everyday kind of way.  She might not stand out in a crowd, but she knew she was pretty the unique way that was her own.  She was thin but not skinny.  Short but not awkwardly short. She may have been average, but there was nothing wrong with that.  OK, enough pep talk.  Let’s do this.  She smiled at herself and left the bathroom.

A small part of her feared that Levi wouldn’t be waiting for her.  That he had changed his mind, but she forced that thought away.  Coming out of the bathroom Harley looked across the bar and found Jamie and the rest of her friends at a table on the other side of the bar.  She made eye contact with her friend and waved goodbye.  Jamie laughed, shook her head and returned the wave.   She turned towards the door and saw Levi waiting for her just inside the bar.  She smiled at him and he smiled back as she began to thread her way through the crowd.

Suddenly a hand grabbed her arm, halting her in her tracks.  Looking back she saw a trim, blonde guy grabbing her arm.  Not hard enough to hurt, but hard enough to be creepy.

“Hey, you aren’t leaving are you?”  He leered drunkenly with glassy eyes.  He wore a tight white graphic tee-shirt and equally tight jeans and reeked of obnoxiousness.

Harley narrowed her eyes at him, “Yes, I am actually.”  She tried to tug her arm away but he held on.

The guy studied her for a moment and with a look that was astute enough to show through his drunkenness.  “I know you.” He said simply.

“No.  You don’t know me,” Harley rebuffed his lame come on.  Wow, most definitely a creep.

He brushed it off, “You need to come have a drink with me first, baby.”

Harley jerked her arm away roughly.  “No.  I don’t.”  The force and surprise of her ripping her arm out of his grasp threw him off balance and he stepped back.  He quickly lunged forward to grab her again.  She squared her shoulders and held her ground.  Holding up a hand, she told him in no uncertain terms to back off.  “Don’t.  Just don’t.”  He stopped in his tracks and she held his gaze defiantly for a few seconds while he considered his options.  Finally, he surveyed the crowd and seemed to consider whether it was worth causing a scene in the middle of so many people.  Giving up, he rolled his shoulders and melted back into the crowd muttering something that looked like “bitch” as he went.   Harley relaxed and let out the breath she had been holding.  She hated drunken idiots too far gone to realize that level of aggressiveness was out of line.  They were borderline dangerous.  The only people they didn’t pose a real threat to were the girls equally too drunk to realize that those guys were the douche bags that used women and tossed them away.  She had encountered a lot of drunk guys like him before, but something about how quickly he turned angry gave her the chills.

Harley turned back towards the door to realize that Levi had closed half the distance between her and the exit.  He was standing still, eyes focused on the crowed behind her.  He must have seen the jerk accost her and had been making his way to intervene.  He seemed unsure how to finish, as if he was considering going after the guy versus staying with her.  She laughed and made up the rest of the way to him.  He smiled at her appreciatively, apparently deciding not to follow the guy.

“Sorry.  That guy was a douche.   Are you ready to get out of here?”

“Definitely.  You handled that beautifully,” he gave a small laugh.  He reached out and cupped her face.  He didn’t seem know what to make of her.  It was obvious that he was impressed with the fact that she didn’t need a knight in shining armor.  His ego didn’t seem bothered by it—instead he seemed more turned on by it.  Finally, he got it—he realized that she was serious.  She wasn’t an overly sentimental girl playing games that she couldn’t handle.

“Yeah, spend enough time in bars and you learn how to get rid of guys like that.”  She swallowed hard.  It was hard to keep her cool with this guy touching her face but she forced herself to not break out into shivering squeals.

“I love a girl who can handle herself.”  He leaned in as if he was going to kiss her.  Inches from her mouth he hesitated.  He was close enough that Harley could feel the heat from his body and his breath on her face.  He wore cologne that smelled expensive and intoxicating.  It wasn’t until he pulled away that she became aware of the crowd around them again.  The closeness of his body, the heat and his scent had temporarily created a bubble around them both.  As he pulled away and dropped his hand from her face, the roar of the music and crowd came rushing back in at the same time as her breath.  She looked into his face and she could tell that he felt the same way.  His eyes had gone impossibly dark.  She could barely make out any blue at all and his lips were parted as he breathed deeply.

He grabbed her hand and without a word walked quickly towards the exit.  She had to trot to keep up with his longer stride and her face split into a goofy grin that she was glad he couldn’t see.  As they emerged from the bar the cool night air rushed over her skin.  The black tank top that she wore was slightly too cold for the fall weather but since she hadn’t planned on being outside long it hadn’t mattered.  Now, as the air washed over her arms she felt tiny pricks as goose flesh rose.  She welcomed the crisp air against her raw senses.  It was refreshing and invigorating.  Levi glanced back at her.

“Here,” he said letting go of her hand and unzipping his dark gray hoodie.

“No, I’m fine.  I don’t mind the cold.”

“Well, if you don’t take it, it’s going to get a lot colder,” he pointed to a motorcycle parked across the street.  He smiled and held the jacket out to her.  Underneath he wore a black tee-shirt that fit snugly.  She could tell that he was well muscled and she wanted to run her hands over his shoulders.  Some kind of tribal looking tattoo trailed into the crook of his left arm from underneath his sleeve.

She looked to where he was pointing.  “Oooh.  OKaaay,” she said hesitantly.

“Have you ever been on a bike?”

“No.  I can’t say that I have ever come across the opportunity,” she answered honestly.

He smiled wickedly.  “Well this night is going to be exceptionally memorable then,” he laughed.

She returned the laugh and accepted his jacket.  She slipped it on and shivered, but not from the cold air.  The jacket still held his warmth and smelled like him.  It swallowed her in warm softness.  The sleeves hung over her hands and the bottom came down to mid-thigh.

He took her hand again and led her to the bike.  After helping her on he swung his leg over and started the bike.  The bike forced them to sit extremely close.  Levi’s back and hips were pressed into her and she closed her eyes and enjoyed the sensation until he started the bike.  It roared to life underneath her and she reflexively grabbed the bike seat for security.  It rumbled powerfully beneath her and she giggled silently at the parallels that ran through her head.  Levi reached behind him and held his hands open.  It took her a second to figure out that he was searching for her hands.  She grabbed his warm, rough hands and he pulled them around his waist where he placed them at his belt buckle.  He left them there with a pat and warned, “Hang on.”  She gripped his belt and fought the urge to giggle.  That urge was quickly sucked out of her as he roared away from the curb.

She kept her face close to his back to try and block the wind from her eyes as he ripped through the streets.   She couldn’t be sure how fast he was going but it seemed supersonic to her.  Buildings and lights blurred past her.  At this time of night, there was not much traffic and the streets were quiet except for the roar of the bike they rode.  She only had a vague sense of where they were.  With every corner she felt the world shift beneath her.  She let go and accepted the wild ride on the back of the metal beast.  She was acutely aware of how masculine Levi seemed guiding the monster beneath them.  The movements in his legs, the flexing of the muscles in his arms as manipulated the gas and brakes.  The leg that tapped the ground as they barely stopped at one turn in particular.  Before she thought about what she was doing she slid her hands up and away from his belt buckle.  She liked the feel of his muscles beneath her hands and she felt his abs contract as she rubbed her hands over them.

Just as Harley was getting comfortable with the ride it was over.  Levi guided the bike into the driveway of a small house at the end of a quiet street.  When he shut the bike off the world was thrown into shocking silence and she was forced to drag herself out of the excitement of the ride.  She wasn’t entirely sure where they were.  She hadn’t been paying very much attention to the surroundings.  The best she could make out was that they were somewhere on the south side of town and not far from many of the surrounding horse farms.  When he climbed off the bike the return of the cold night air was a shock to her front that had been warmed against him the ride.  He held his hand out to her, helping her climb off the large bike.  When her feet hit the ground she stumbled slightly due to the numbness in her feet and legs.  They both laughed at her clumsiness.  “Do you live with other people, she asked?”

“No.  I’m just renting the place short-term.”  The house was small but cozy looking, surrounded by other small, cozy looking houses.  The neighborhood looked like most other neighborhoods on this side of the city.  The houses were cookie-cutter, pre-fab buildings younger than she was.  Neighborhoods like this could never quite feel like home compared to the older subdivisions that acquired their character through the generations that lived in them.

Levi led her up the walkway to the front door.  Her hand felt tiny in his large, calloused one.  It was late and the street was quiet.  It seemed like they were the only ones awake and the feelings of isolation only intensified the electricity between them.  Harley waited patiently as Levi pulled keys from his pocket and unlocked the door.  He held the door open for her and she walked in timidly.  She surveyed the living room in front of her as he shut the door behind them.  The place was sparsely furnished.  It had a couch and a stereo and a small table and that was the only furniture she could easily see.  It was obvious he hadn’t spent much time in this house.  The place felt empty and unused.

Harley dropped her purse to the floor and gasped when Levi’s arm wrapped around her chest, pulling her back against him.  With his other hand he swept the hair away from her neck and buried his face against her skin.  He wasn’t wasting any time, for which she was glad.  She hadn’t been looking forward to awkward chitchat.  She could feel the scruff of his jaw and his soft, warm lips as his kissed from the curve of her neck to behind her ear.  He nipped at her skin playfully and the air rushed from her lungs.  She tingled all over and forced herself to get rid of any lingering self-doubts and let go and enjoy the sensation.  He roughly pushed her against the wall face-first.  A moan escaped from her as he pressed his body against hers.  He placed his hands against hers pinning her to the wall and she could feel the rumble in his chest as he growled against her ear.  She sighed and pressed herself against him cat-like.  She was glad there was no hesitation.  She had been building up to this all night and was relieved it was finally happening.

They half stumbled, half carried each other from the living room, guided by Levi.  Half their clothing was discarded along the way.  When they reached the bed—a mattress on the floor—Levi pushed her back until she fell back onto the mattress.  The giggle at her lack of grace died in her throat as Levi climbed over her.  The intensity with which he looked at her took her breath away and took all the humor out of the situation.  It wasn’t a forced and exaggerated intensity.   Harley could tell he didn’t realize he was even doing it.  He kissed his way from her ankle to her thighs, watching her reaction as he did so.  Harley normally would have found it uncomfortable and overly exposing propped up on her elbows, watching a guy do that.  But she couldn’t look away from Levi’s blue eyes, and he held the eye contact steadily.

Finally, throwing her leg over his shoulder, he kissed her most sensitive areas.  In relief, she let go of the breath she had been holding and let her head fall and arched her back.  He broke away suddenly, “Watch me,” he demanded.  Looking up, Harley met his eyes again.  They seemed to glow almost black as he kissed her again.  He wasn’t timid or shy.  He didn’t hold back and tease things along.  He set a pace that consumed him as much as it did her.  It wasn’t long before she had to look away as her muscles tensed and her breath came in short gasps.  She grabbed his hair as she felt her body explode and convulse.  She wasn’t normally overly vocal in bed, but she wasn’t able to hold back the cry that escaped her throat.  Levi didn’t give her a chance to recover; he barely slowed down before coaxing her to climax again.  She lost count of how many times she came.  Her mind went blank as she gave him control.  He back arched off the bed and she gripped the pillows and sheets in handfuls.

When Levi pulled away from her, Harley collapsed against the bed, gasping for air.  Without hesitation he quickly kissed and nibbled his way up her stomach, to her breasts, her neck and finally her mouth.  He gripped her hair and her hip as he plunged into her.  Again, he hadn’t hesitated or prolonged the anticipation.  The unexpectedness of the contact brought another gasp of pleasure from Harley.  She threw her legs and arms around him, trying her best to not dig her nails into his back too hard as they melted together.

The sex wasn’t like any other drunk sex Harley had ever had.  He used his teeth and mouth like most people used their hands.  Each sharp nibble to her neck, ears or breast sent chills spreading over her body.  They were able to lock onto each other fiercer than almost-strangers should be able to.  There wasn’t any awkward fumbling or moments of giggling or apology.  It was an experience that thrummed throughout Harley’s body.  She wasn’t used to being able to let go and let a guy take control.  Normally, if she wanted to make sure she enjoyed herself, she had to guide and direct the sex—either vocally or subtly.  Not with Levi, though.  He knew what to do without having to be guided.  He noticed each gasp, shudder and moan and used them as cues to direct himself.  She wasn’t sure how long the sex lasted, but she was almost glad when it ended.  As it was, she was pretty sure she was going to have trouble walking and the intensity was almost too much to bear.  She could barely breathe and her muscles felt like jelly.

She lay, half straddling Levi, face down on the bed, trying to catch her breath.  Levi lay beneath her but seemed none the worse for the wear.  He breathed deeply but didn’t seem to be over tired.  Someone must be in good shape, Harley thought to herself.  The time since her last drink, the cold night air and the exertion was sobering her up.  She could feel herself starting to wind down.

“Are you ok?” Levi asked her.

“Oh, yeah,” she breathed.  She hated it when guys asked that and fought the urge to cringe at the question.  “Are you?” she laughed.

“Oh, yeah,” he echoed.

She looked up at him and blinked to refocus her eyes.  For a second, when their eyes met, she could have sworn they were solid black.  Not just the pupils, they weren’t just dilated to cover most or the entire iris.  But his entire eyeball seemed black, with no white at all.  She squinted and cocked her head to the side trying to figure out what she had seen.  It was gone as soon as she had noticed it.

“What?”

“Nothing.  I think my eyes were being funny.”

“Hmm.  Weird,” he responded mildly.   “Do you need any water?”

“Water would be great.”  She rolled off him so that he could get out of bed.  Taking stock of her position she was amused to realize her head was at the foot of the bed.  She righted herself and pulled a sheet back onto the bed and covered up partially.  She didn’t cover herself completely—instead she ignored the insecurities that were trying to creep in with sobriety. She looked around the room for the first time.  It was as sparsely furnished as the rest of the house.  Just a mattress on the floor and a couple of odds and ends next to it—a phone charger and a book the title of which Harley wasn’t able to make out.  Despite the lack of furnishings or personal possessions, Harley was comfortable in Levi’s rented house.  She didn’t feel as if she was intruding into his world since there was so little of him in the house.

A short time later Levi came back into the room carrying a bottle of water.  It looked as if he had already drunk half of it.  He was still naked.  She smiled at his lack of modesty—not that he needed to be.  He was as sexy without his clothes as he was in them.  The tattoo Harley noticed earlier disappeared over his shoulder and crept down his side and added to his rough, mystery.  His hair was more tousled than before in a great “I just had sex” kind of way and Harley wanted to run her fingers through it.  She ran her fingers through her own hair and hoped that she was pulling the sex-hair look off as well as he was.  She accepted the bottle from him and chugged most of what was remaining.

“Hope you didn’t want any more of that,” she laughed.

“No.  I’m fine,” he smiled, sliding back into the bed and getting comfortable.  Up close she could tell that he looked drastically more tired than she had first thought.  She could make out the beginnings of dark circles under his eyes.  “Feel free to stay here as long as you would like,” he told her and looked as if he was already falling asleep.

Harley sighed and snuggled into the bed as she tried not to laugh.  It was amazing how quickly guys fell asleep after sex.  She did want to rest for a while before she left decided, settling down on her side of the bed.  Levi threw an arm around her waist and buried his face in her hair.  Reflexively, she stiffened a bit; she hadn’t expected Levi to be the cuddling type.  She was comfortable and cozy now but she knew that when she woke up she would leave.  In fact, she should leave now.  But it would be weird if she did because then it would become an obvious recognition of the fact that this was a one night stand.  Instead, she forced herself to relax and eventually allowed herself to drift off to sleep with Levi curled behind her.

Chapter 2

She didn’t know how long she slept—but it was a dream about fire that woke her up.  An intense burning surrounded her.  She could smell the acrid smoke and it filled her lungs painfully.  It was a brief, yet intense dream.   She woke up on the verge of a cough, gasping for air.  She immediately remembered where she was—there wasn’t any lingering confusion.  Rather, she came wide awake immediately due to the surge of adrenaline her dream caused.  She hadn’t had this dream in a long time and was dismayed to have had it again.  She really hoped she wasn’t going to start having the reoccurring nightmares of fire again.  She had lost countless hours of sleep during the last episode and it had taken therapy to finally rid her of them.

She blinked, rubbed her face and rolled onto her back.  She could see Levi asleep with his back to her and she was glad that she hadn’t woken him up.  The tattoo that she had seen last night was etched from his elbow, up to his shoulder and down most of his back and side.  There were many intricate lines and details.  Flames, devilish creatures, swords, eyes and all sorts of weird symbols were drawn among the tribal lines.  It was beautiful and must have taken many, many sessions.  She wanted to run her hands over the ink and study it in detail.  But she also wanted to leave before he woke up.  She hoped to avoid the awkward “Hey, we had sex last night.  But now we need to say goodbye,” moment.

She slowly, quietly slid out of bed.  Thick curtains blocked most of the light so she had to feel around the floor to find her clothes.  She followed the trail of clothing out the bedroom door and into the hall.  Smiling and shaking her head, she struggled to disentangle their shirts.  She retrieved her cell from her purse that was still lying in the foyer and used Google Maps to figure out which street she was on.  Luckily, she was just down the road from a major intersection and shopping center so she shouldn’t have any problems getting a cab to find her.  A thanks to the gods of technology, she thought, relieved that she wouldn’t have to wake Levi for his address.

She got dressed in the living room and crept silently from the house locking the doorknob behind her.  She got the house number from the mailbox and called a cab company.  One was promised to arrive in about 15 minutes.  At least she should have some time to compose herself a little.  She hoped to avoid the obvious walk of shame as much as she could.  She pulled her shoulder length red hair into a short pony tail and used a tissue to blot her face and make up.  Luckily she had gum in her purse as well.   As she sat at the curb waiting for the cab she smiled up at the early morning sun.  Memorable night indeed, she chuckled to herself.

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The cab let Harley out in front of the apartment that she shared with Jamie.  The sun had just reached full glory as she climbed wearily out of the cab.  She really hoped that she would be able to sneak in and crawl into bed without waking Jamie.  She opened the door as quietly as possible and slipped inside.  She took her shoes off and locked the door behind her.    She made her way quietly to the stairs but with her foot on the first she was stopped by Jamie’s voice coming from the couch.

“Good morning,” her roommate said with a snicker.

Harley gave her a sheepish smile.  “Morning!” she said with an overly bright tone.  “What are you doing on the couch?”

“After you left we had a drinking contest.  By the time I got home I was too drunk to bother with the stairs,” she chuckled, stifling a yawn.

“You’ll have to tell me about it later.  I’m exhausted.  I didn’t go to bed until almost dawn.  I’m gonna go back to bed for a while,” Harley said.

“Don’t even try it.  Don’t try to avoid it.  We’re both awake now.  Get your ass over here and tell me what happened.”

Harley laughed, realizing that she wouldn’t be able to get out of this one she made her way to the loveseat and plopped down.  “Did you ever talk to the little, shifty guy?”

“By the time he got up the nerve we were getting ready to leave.  He got my number though.”

“Awesome!”  Silence fell over the pair.  Jamie was waiting for Harley to dish the goods, and Harley was imagining what happened after she left.  If Jamie had gotten that drunk and did end up talking to Shifty, things probably happened that Harley would have preferred to not happen.  Jamie didn’t handle herself around guys very well.  She didn’t figure anything too bad had happened since Jamie was home, and alone.  But still, she would have to call Jason later to find out exactly what happened.  The only thing that she regretted about last night was leaving her friend, drunk, at the bar alone.  She liked to watch over her as much as she could.

Harley and Jamie had been friends since high school.  Their bond was one that was based on opposites.  As crappy as Harley’s parents had been, Mr. and Mrs. Andrews had been ideal.  After she met Jamie she had spent more time in their house than in her own foster parent’s house.   Mr. and Mrs. Andrews had been hesitant to let Jamie go to college an hour away, but they had felt better knowing that Jamie and Harley were going to get an apartment together.  They respected that Harley was more “world wise” than Jamie, and they knew that Jamie was more cautious than Harley.  They knew that where one girl lacked, the other excelled and that they would be able to look out for each other.

“Stop stalling!  That guy was majorly hot.  I wanna hear details!”

Harley laughed and dodged the pillow that Jamie slung at her, “Ok, ok!  We went back to his place.  He rides a motorcycle—you know that was the first time I’ve ever been on a bike.  It was scary as hell.  Fun though.  Anyway, we went to his place.  We had sex.  And holy damn it was good.”

“Ooo,” Jamie squealed.  The squeal was cut off abruptly when she flinched and grabbed her head.

“Ha!  Hung over much?”

“Maybe a little,” Jamie groaned.  “Are you going to see him again?”

“Not that I plan on.  I didn’t get his number or anything.”

“Pfff!  What did he say when you left?”

“Well…nothing.  I left before he woke up.”

“Harley!”

“What?!”

“Why do you do that?” Jamie asked, staring at her over the arm of the couch.  The look on Jamie’s face was a little sad and a little disappointed and maybe a little annoyed.

“Do what?” Harley asked, feigning ignorance.

“Did you at least use protection?”

“Of course.”  Jamie narrowed her eyes at her.  “We did!  I promise!”

“But why do you end things before they even start?”

Harley was silent.  She could have given her a lot of answers and offered a lot of explanations.  Hell, Jamie probably knew the answers herself.  Instead of answering, Harley decided to leave Pandora’s Box closed and go with the easy, safe answer, “Because—why bother?  I don’t have time for a relationship.  He’s only here temporarily.  What’s wrong with us just having a good time?  Scratching an itch, so to speak, and moving on?”

Jamie shook her head at Harley and settled back down on the couch.  “You’ll never know what can happen if you never give it a chance.”

“Mmmph,” Harley grunted at her.

Jamie looked at her seriously, “And you really do need to be careful.  There has been a lot of druggie stuff going on lately.”

“What does that mean?”

“I’ve just heard a lot from some of my clients at the outreach center.  And a dark mysterious guy just shows up out of the blue.  You don’t know anything about him.  He could be a dealer for all you know.”

“Oh, and the little shifty guy is just fine, right?” Harley snorted.

Jamie didn’t respond to that for a moment.  Harley knew that she was trying to think of a way of defending herself and not offending Harley at the same time.  “You’re right.  He could be a drug dealer too.  All the more reason for both of us to be more careful.”

Harley rolled her eyes at her friend but didn’t argue because she knew Jamie had a point, she just didn’t want to admit it.  Finally, Harley felt like she had let the moment be serious for long enough.  “I’m going back to bed.  I didn’t get much sleep last night,” she wickedly tossed at Jamie as she bounced up the stairs.

“You’re incorrigible,” Jamie called after her with a laugh immediately followed by a groan.

Harley stripped off her bar clothes and kicked them into the laundry basket.  As she did so she caught sight of the fading bite marks across her thighs and stomach.  She chuckled to herself as the memories of the night before washed across her.  The memory of Levi’s intense blue eyes caused a flutter in her stomach.  She pulled on a tee-shirt and climbed into bed.  She buried her head to block out the increasing sunrise and sighed.  A small nagging in the back of her head partially wished she had waited until he woke up before she left.  The troublesome voice wondered what would have happened had she stuck around.  But another voice told her to grow up and be realistic.  She had gotten exactly what she was after and things were exactly as she had intended.

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Harley didn’t sleep long.  The combination of the sun butting its way into the room and fact that she had chores to do this Sunday prodded her out of bed by noon.  After showering and then making her way downstairs she found Jamie still under blankets watching romcoms on TV.

“Ugh,” Jamie grunted in greeting.

“Agreed,” Harley answered.

They watched Kate Hudson try not to fall in love with Mathew McConaughey for a while in silence.  Finally, when a commercial came on Harley ventured into the conversation she hoped wouldn’t start a fight.  “So…what happened with Shifty after I left?”

“His name is Eric,” Jamie answered somewhat grumpily.

“Uh huh.”

“Nothing happened really.  He kissed me.  He asked me for my number.  I gave it to him.  Maybe he will call…maybe he won’t,” she answered, trying to sound more nonchalant than she actually was.

“Uh huh.”

Jamie ignored her.  Harley just hoped Jamie didn’t spend the night making out with the guy in the corner again.  If that’s what she wanted to do—fine.  But Jamie didn’t go home with guys.  And she picked guys who expected her to go home with them.  When she didn’t, they didn’t usually call.  Harley hoped she was wrong.  If not, she would be picking up the pieces soon.  While she didn’t mind being there for her, she hated seeing her friend hurt.  She didn’t press further though because she sensed that Jamie would only get hostile if she did—Jamie didn’t like feeling like people thought she was naive.  Instead, they watched the rest of the movie in silence.  Eventually, they roused themselves from the couch to take care of the chores they both had to do and ordered a pizza.  The grease from the food and the movement helped drive the remnants of their hangovers away.

Harley noticed, but chose not to say anything about the way that Jamie kept looking at her phone.  Jamie was always running after a guy and Harley was always running away from one.  She half smiled to herself.  It’s no wonder they were such good friends—opposites attracted as they always said.

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The rest of the weekend passed uneventfully.  So did most of the week.  Jamie was a social worker, a thankless and stressful job that she, nonetheless, loved.  Jamie liked to save people, especially children.  Harley often wondered if it was her own past that inspired this in her friend.  Or, if Jamie was her friend because of her past and the feelings it brought out in her.  Jamie was a classic nurturer and was capable of profound empathy.  Harley was sometimes jealous of the way that Jamie could feel so much without it consuming her.  She was able absorb emotions at the same rate Harley tried to cast them off.

Harley worked at the local newspaper in the research office and it was her job to check facts and maintain the archives.  It was dusty, boring work but it gave her quiet time and didn’t require her to work too closely with other people.  She knew she would be happier somewhere else, but didn’t really have the motivation to try to find another job.  She liked collecting and maintaining the past.  She liked being the source of knowledge for the staff.  While Lexington was on the small side, it was large enough that she was able to stay busy.  At the very least, she never ran out of Wildcat facts to check for the local sports reporters.

It was Friday, late afternoon, and Harley wasn’t able to ignore the antsy feeling that had been growing all week.  Levi had gotten into her head more than she had expected.  She tried to deny it, but she really wanted to see him again.  She had had several dreams about him over the week.  In the dreams she relived their night together.  She woke up sweating, out of breath, and more than once felt compelled to finish the dream on her own before she could go back to sleep.  She didn’t have sex dreams often and they would be much more enjoyable if she didn’t keep waking up in the middle of them.  She just couldn’t help feeling like she wasn’t finished with him and it seemed like her subconscious wouldn’t let her dreams finish as a way to point this out to her.  She had accidently moved from playing with fire to stomping around in it.  Even though she knew the outcome she felt compelled to carry this through.  Kind of like picking a scab—once you got started you had to finish no matter how much it hurt.  She made up her mind and began closing down her office and putting away projects that she hadn’t been able to concentrate on anyway.

Jamie was out of town visiting her parents, but Jason was usually willing to stir up some excitement with her.  He didn’t take much convincing; they agreed to meet at Jay’s at eight o’clock.  Harley went home and made a quick dinner.  Then she straightened up the apartment just in case this night actually worked out and they somehow ended up back at her place.  Harley realized that the chances of finding Levi at the bar tonight were slim.  And even if she did, he might not want a second round.  It didn’t hurt trying though.  And it was better than sitting in the house and moping around.  Until she finished this, or at least tried to finish it, she wouldn’t be able to get him out of her head.

Harley met Jason outside the bar at eight.  He had light brown hair and cat-like gold eyes and was impeccably dressed as always.  They had been friends for years—nearly as long as Jamie and Harley.  Jason Lane was the guy that always managed to fit into whatever crowd he found himself.  He was the person who everyone liked because he was able to skim the surface of social dynamic without being dragged down and cast into a specific role.  Harley and Jamie often unconsciously relied on Jason to be the doorway to their adventures.  He was the one who was outgoing and naturally likable enough to get them invited to whatever social function they felt like attending.  People wanted him at their parties because he was never boring and he could bring the life out of any party.  Wherever he was his primary goal to ensure that he always had a good time— and as a result everyone else was sure to have a good time too.

“I hope you find Mr. Hottie, because Olivia is meeting me here.  So at least one of us will be getting action tonight either way.” Jason and Olivia Benning had been dating for months now and still going strong.  Harley had always assumed that Jason would end up with someone like Olivia.  He was so naturally charismatic that he just drew people to him effortlessly.  Olivia was sweet and calm enough that she grounded Jason.  With her soft blonde curls and huge brown eyes, she could bring out the softer side in anyone, even Harley—as much as she hated to admit it.  While Jason was still the life of the party, he wasn’t so focused on himself when he was with Olivia.

“Fair enough,” Harley laughed and followed Jason into the bar.

Harley didn’t see Levi when she first scanned the bar, but it was still early.  Her plan was to keep an eye out for Levi and if she saw him she would give him an open and friendly acknowledgement.  She would leave it up to him to approach her this time.  This way there was little risk to her ego.  If he didn’t take her up on the subtle invitation then she wouldn’t completely look like an idiot.

The first band was just getting warmed up when Olivia arrived and threw her arm around Jason.  “Hey sweetie,” she greeted Harley with a kiss on the cheek.  Harley tried not to cringe away.  Olivia was a sweetheart who refused to be rebuffed by personal bubbles.

“Hey Olivia,” Harley laughed uncomfortably.

It wasn’t long before Olivia and Jason were dancing off to the side.  Jason would have normally been the type to jump onstage and dance.  Olivia preferred not to dance at all.  So this was their compromise.  Harley smiled indulgently at them.  They made such a cute couple.

Without warning Harley was suddenly very aware of her surroundings.  Like an electric current in the air the space directly behind and to her left buzzed with enough intensity that she couldn’t ignore.  The reason for the vibration became immediately obvious when she felt her body hum of its own accord.

“You know, it’s rude to leave without so much as a ‘see ya later.’”  The rumble in the voice vibrated through her ear and she struggled to not openly shiver.

Without turning, Harley responded smoothly, “Well, you were just so…wore out…that I just didn’t have the heart to wake you.”  She wasn’t able to stop the smile from spreading across her face.

“Oh, I had just intended on letting you get some sleep.  I figured you needed to recoup before round two.”

“Hah!”  Harley finally turned to look up into his face.  He was doing a remarkable job keeping a straight face with only a hint of laughter threatening to break through the usual hardness of eyes.  He held a bottle of beer out to her.  “How many of these before you are ready to get out of here?”

Accepting the beer, Harley wasn’t sure what to make of that comment.  “What are you trying to imply?”

Levi smirked a bit.  “I’m saying that you only had the guts to come talk to me after drinking last weekend.  I didn’t know if it was going to take being drunk before you had the guts tonight.”

“Hey, I wouldn’t do anything drunk that I wouldn’t do sober,” she retorted, trying not to laugh at his antagonizing.  “I just have the nerve to do it after drinking.  But hey, I already know you are a sure thing now—so it’s not going to take that much effort on my part.”

Levi barked out a rare, full, laugh, “Fair enough.  They both watched the dancing and the band play for a while.  “So do you want to stick around here for a while?  Or do you just want to go?” Levi asked after they had both finished their beers.

“Let me just tell my friends I’m leaving.”  Harley made her way across the dance floor to Jason and Olivia.

“Whooo hooo,” Jason laughed playfully.  “Go get you some!”  Olivia punched him half-heartedly and Harley laughed good-naturedly at his teasing.

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This time, they didn’t jump each other immediately upon entering Levi’s house.  Instead, they sat on the back porch and drank a beer first.  In the quiet neighborhood Harley was able to make out the chirping of insects.  That and the dampness of the air reminded her of her childhood and of the times that she had sought refuge with her dog.  She had spent countless hours sleeping in the dog house with her beloved pet.  For a moment a spark of sadness threatened to creep its way into the mood but she quickly brushed it away.

She watched Levi staring out into the darkness for a while.  He really was an incredibly attractive man—all darkness and rough edges.  He was much hotter than the guys Harley was used to being with; normally she wasn’t able to find the self-confidence to go after them.  Not even after drinking.  But something about Levi put her at ease.  He was intense and imposing, but not because he was so good-looking.  Instead, it was because of an inner strength he exuded.  He made her feel hot in comparison.  Not just because he was attracted to her physically, but because she was strong enough to take control of her own wants and needs.  He seemed to recognize her strength and appreciated it.  She smiled to herself.

“What?” Levi asked without turning looking at her.

Busted.  “Nothing,” Harley answered sheepishly.

Levi finally turned to look at her with a small smile that still didn’t quiet meet his eyes.  She smiled back at him.  He held his hand out to her and when she took it he pulled her into his lap.  She straddled his waist and stared down at him and him up at her.  It sent tingles all down her spine as he ran his hand over her—up her sides and down her arms.  There wasn’t anything overly sexual about it—it was just his need to feel her and her skin that turned her on.

Later, as they lay in bed catching their breath Harley felt Levi watching her.  Her back was to him as they both lay on their sides.  She realized how much she enjoyed laying here with him and it made her uncomfortable.  Levi insisted that he wouldn’t be here long and it was pointless to start an impossible relationship.  Harley also realized that his leaving was probably one of the reasons she found him so irresistible.  Knowing that it was only a matter of time before the relationship would end—and end peacefully—was the easiest way to have a “portion controlled” relationship.

Deep down she knew that the reason she pushed people away was because of her parents.  Even before they died they hadn’t been the best parents a girl could have.  Before her father set that fire that had killed both him and her mother they had both been drug addicts.  Nefarious characters came and went through their house regularly and she became very good at keeping people at bay.  She had learned at a young age that you couldn’t rely on people.  If you couldn’t rely on your parents how could you rely on anyone else?

Eventually, Harley felt Levi settle down behind her.  He wrapped his arm around her waist and sighed into her hair.  It was a resigned sigh and she couldn’t tell if it was the result of him being resigned to her, their situation or something else.  Harley left it alone.  She didn’t want to begin a conversation that she didn’t want to finish.  She resisted the temptation to lean back into Levi’s chest.  She still found it surprising that he was the type to cuddle.  He seemed so guarded that she would have guessed him the roll over and go to sleep kind of guy.  Getting to see a softer side of Levi made her soften to him even more and Harley resented it a little.  It was like he was playing a game after all, and not playing fair.

Harley came awake with a start, at first she wasn’t sure where she was.  She nearly panicked when she realized something was holding her down.  As sleep faded away, she realized that it was Levi’s arm.  Light peeked around the edges of the dark curtains so she knew morning was well advanced.  Glancing at the clock at the bed side she saw that morning had come and gone—it was almost noon.  “Shit!”  She rubbed her face clearing her thoughts.  It was Saturday, so she wasn’t missing anything important.  But she had slept half the day away.  She tried to sit up but Levi’s arm weighed her down.

“Hey,” she croaked, nudging his arm.  He jerked, and grunted when he realized who was tapping on him and immediately covered his head with the blanket.  “Hey!” she repeated louder.

“Humph” he grunted.

“I’ve got to go,” she pushed at his arm again.  He groaned and pulled his arm away from her and burrowed deeper into the blankets.  Someone certainly isn’t a morning person.  Harley managed to roll out of the bed and out from under his arm and began searching for her clothes.  While she was relieved he wasn’t making a big deal out of her leaving, she was slightly offended that he couldn’t even be bothered to wake up.  He was the one who had tried to cuddle all night.  She located her shirt next to Levi’s side of the bed and began to pull it on.  Suddenly a hand snaked out from the blankets and grabbed her ankle.  Startled, she nearly fell.

“Leave your number this time,” Levi grunted.

Harley paused.  Finally, she answered with a quiet, “OK.”  She quickly collected the rest of her things and called for a taxi.  She had left her phone number under a magnet on his (empty) fridge.  Part of her hoped that he wouldn’t call.  Another part of her hoped that he would.  She tried to not think about it too much.  She knew he was leaving and if she did think about it too much, it would only complicate things further.  She ignored her voice of reason and decided to see things through to the end no matter what.  Sometimes it was worth the hurt to live a little.

As she was leaving she saw a duffel bag lying near the door that led to the small garage attached to the house.  Normally, she wouldn’t go through Levi’s, or anyone else’s, things.  But the glint of metal caught her attention.  She briefly considered ignoring it, but curiosity got the best of her.  She squatted over the bag and opened it a little further.  In addition to what looked like workout gear she could see the handle of a knife poking out of the side.  Harley raised her eye brows.  She didn’t pull the knife out but she could tell it was a large one.  Um, so I hope that is just a hunting knife.  She figured the most reasonable explanation would be some sort of hunting knife and she refused to let her mind jump to the least logical conclusions—serial killer, ninja assassin?  Instead, she left the bag as she found it and quietly left the house feeling even more conflicted than she had been already.  If this was a movie, this would be the point that the main character would begin to get suspicious and imagine all the wrong things.  Harley shook her head.  There was always a logical explanation for things like this.  It’s just a hunting knife.

Chapter 3

The next several weeks didn’t seem real.   Harley worked, hung out with her friends and met up with Levi several times a week.  He continued to be a mystery.  He was quiet and would often watch her when she wasn’t looking.  She didn’t mind because she did the same thing to him.  Neither shared too much personal information or asked too many personal questions.  It was better that way—not getting too familiar.  She didn’t ask him about the knife, but did find out that the consultation work he did was in security, which offered a logical explanation for the knife as well as his wary, guarded attitude.  Harley was relieved to know that she wasn’t sleeping with a serial killer.

Three weeks after meeting Levi, Harley was seeing him out.  It was not long before dawn and it was the first time that he had come to her house.  Jamie was out of town again, but Levi had insisted that he needed to leave—that he had a meeting he had to be ready for in the morning.  They stood on the porch saying their goodbyes.

“I should be leaving Lexington soon.”

Harley laughed, “You’ve said that for two weeks now.”

“I know,” he said with a half smile.  “I really do need to get moving.  The project that I was working on has been done for over a week.”

Harley ignored the weight growing in her stomach.  She swallowed and found her mouth dry.  “OK.”

“For some reason, though, I’m finding it hard to go.”  His voice was playful, but held a slight gravel that hinted that he wasn’t happy about feeling compelled to stay.

Harley scowled at him, “Well, if you need to go you should go.  You don’t have to stay on my account.”

He gave her a small smile.  “I didn’t mean it that way.  I’m not blaming you.  I just—I don’t know.  I feel like I need to do something still and I haven’t figured out what it is yet.”  After a brief pause he looked at her, “I’m glad I’ve gotten to pass the time with you while I’m here.  But if I haven’t figured out why I’m still here soon—I’ll need to go ahead and go.”

Harley had realized that he didn’t make eye contact without a reason.  He would look at her, but unless it was during sex, or one of the rare times he was saying something really important, he usually looked at her mouth or past her.  He made eye contact with her now.  A small bit of sadness lurked behind the toughness in his eyes.  He looked away, staring out into the night as if he was searching for something.

He let go of a breath he had been holding.  “I meant what I said when we first met.  I’m really not someone you should get involved with.  I’m never in one place for very long.”

Harley rolled her eyes, “Haven’t you learned yet?  I do what I want.  Even if I regret it in the long run,” she laughed.

Harley ignored the warning; she didn’t feel the need to interrogate him.  She didn’t feel the need to seek explanations.  He was being honest with her.  If he had to go, he had to go and she could tell he was bothered by it.  Their relationship may be based primarily on sex, but he was considerate and nice.  He didn’t speak for her and he didn’t get mad if she talked to other guys.  He asked her light, conversational questions about her day.  He asked her opinions on food and movies.  Harley felt that he appreciated her and respected her for who she was.  They were simple considerations—but not always common in guys—especially the tough acting ones.  She just always felt comfortable and appreciated around Levi.  She tried very hard to not let their dynamic make an impression on her, but she was fighting a losing battle.  She knew it would be hard when he left.

Finally, Levi turned away from the railing and kissed her forehead.  She watched him walk to his bike and roar away.  She wearily rubbed her face and turned to go inside.  As she did so, she caught movement out of the corner of her eye.  It was off to the side near the small copse of trees to the right of their driveway.  She peered into the darkness trying to discern what it was that she had seen.  It seemed like the darkness itself had moved—or as if someone wearing all black had been hiding in the trees.  After she didn’t see anything else she convinced herself that it must have been an animal.  This late at night—or early in the morning—it was easy to let the shadows play tricks with your imagination.  But, just in case she made sure that all of the doors and windows were locked before dragging herself upstairs and plopping into bed.

Several hours later she woke up for good when Jamie came banging into her room.

“Good afternoon!” she sang and jumped into the bed with Harley.

“Ugh, what are you doing,” she groaned.

“Get up!  We are going shopping today, remember?”

“Again, I say—ugh!”

“Hey, we have been planning this all week.  You knew that when you decided to stay up and party all night.  Now get up.”  She began poking at Harley through the blankets.

“Ok, Ok,” Harley squealed.  She hated being tickled and Jamie knew it.  She began working her way from the blankets.  When she was able to extricate her head she was greeted with a smiling Jamie.  “Get out of my face, psycho!” She laughed.  She couldn’t actually be mad at Jamie, even though a dull ache pounded in her head insisting she hadn’t had enough sleep.  “When did you get back home anyway?”

Jamie bounced out of the bed, “About an hour ago.  I’m going to make lunch while you shower.”

“What if I hadn’t been alone in here?” Harley asked laughing but half serious.

“Then I would have finally gotten to officially meet Mr. Hottie.  I’m going to call him that too, by the way.”

Harley shook her head.  “How are Mom and Dad,” she asked, changing the subject.

“They’re good,” Jamie answered.  “They were mad you didn’t come to visit with me.”

Harley frowned.  She would have liked to see Jamie’s parents but she hadn’t been able to join her friend this time.  “I know.  I miss them too.  I couldn’t get off work yesterday though.”

“I know.  I just told them that you were shacking up with a guy you met at a bar instead of coming to visit.”

Harley’s mouth fell open in exaggerated shock.

Jamie laughed.  “I’m kidding!”

“What’s got you in such a good mood?” Harley asked climbing out of bed and tripping on the sheet as she went.

“Nothing, can’t I just be in a good mood?”

“Sure, but you are just in an extra good mood.”  It only took a second for Harley to figure it out.  “Shifty finally called, didn’t he?” she laughed.

“…YES!” Jamie conceded.  “But that’s not the only reason I’m in a good mood.  I’m also excited to be hanging out with my best friend.  We’ve barely seen each other for like a month.”

“I know,” Harley smiled.  Now that she was awake she Jamie’s excitement was beginning to wear off on her.

Harley turned the water on as hot as she could stand it and climbed into the shower.  She let the water pound against her sore muscles.  She hadn’t felt bad about not going to the gym in a while since she and Levi were giving each other such a workout.  It didn’t seem fair that he was both gorgeous and really good in bed.

“Harley!” Jamie called poking her head into the bathroom.

“What?!”

“Do you want ham or turkey?”

“Um…turkey sounds good.”

Harley listened to Jamie bounce her way down the stairs.  She hoped this guy didn’t mess with her friend too badly.  The fact that it had taken him a month to call wasn’t a good sign.  Jamie didn’t seem to care about that though.  Harley would just try to bite her tongue and be there for her if and when she needed it.  Jamie had always been there for her.  They had been friends for a long time and Jamie was the only one who knew the whole story about her parents.  And she was often the voice of reason that Harley needed.  If Harley trusted anyone it was Jamie and if Jamie needed her she would be there for her.

------------------------

That evening Harley and Jamie were unloading their bags after a long day of shopping; they had managed to fill the trunk of Jamie’s small car up.

“How did you not see a fallen sign in the driveway?” Harley laughed.  She was giving Jamie a hard time for driving over the fallen No Parking sign.  It had been laying at the edge of their driveway for days now.  It looked as if someone had hit it with their car because it wasn’t torn out of the ground; it was broken off.

“It’s dark!  It blended in!”

“I can’t believe you didn’t get a flat tire,” Harley responded, shaking her head.  She began pulling shopping bags out of the trunk.

“If this is what happens when we don’t hang out often, we need to make sure we hang out more,” Harley laughed.  “We need to spread this out.  I think I gave my back account whiplash today.”

“I know.  It’s just been so long since I’ve bought new clothes.”

“Me—," Harley broke off when movement caught her eye.  In the same copse of trees as the night before Harley could make out the silhouette of someone standing against the tree.  Immediately, every hair stood on end.  There was nothing NOT creepy about the guy, and she was sure it was a guy.  He was dressed in dark clothes and he had a hood pulled low over his face.  The street lights didn’t shine bright enough to clear the shadows away from his face to reveal much detail at all.

“Huh?” Jamie began but broke off as she followed Harley’s line of sight.  She didn’t say anything for a few seconds.  Finally, she whispered, “What—who, is that?”

“I don’t know,” Harley answered in a hushed voice.  “Do you have everything?”

“What?”

“All of you bags?  Do you have all of your bags?”

“Yes, why?”  Neither of them had taken their eyes off the man just inside the trees.  So far he hadn’t made a move.  Neither had they.  Instinct told Harley to stay still, just as she would if confronted by a wild animal.  Apparently, Jamie was getting the same message because she hadn’t moved either.

“Just start walking towards the house.  I’ll follow you and keep an eye on him.”  She finally risked looking around.  It was late and no one seemed to be out.  There were a few lights on in some windows, but a lot of college kids lived in the area.  People tended to ignore loud noises, even shouting, so Harley wasn’t confident if he attacked that anyone would come to their rescue or even call the cops.

When Harley shut the trunk Jamie began walking towards their townhouse.  The door was maybe fifty feet from the car, but once they got to the door, they still had to unlock it and get inside.  They slowly made their way towards the door still keeping an eye on the man in the trees.  Movement directly in front of the women revealed the mistake that they had made.  While they had been watching the man in the trees, they had not been watching what was in front of them.  Another man stepped from the shadows of their porch, blocking the stairs that led to their front door.

Both Harley and Jamie froze.  The situation had shifted from creepy, to undeniably dangerous. The man in front of them was young but he was sweaty and had heavy bags under his eyes.  His eyes themselves were impossibly dark and seemed to shine even in the low light from the street lamp revealing an unnatural quality to the man’s gaze.  The man was clearly hungry and clearly intended to make a meal out of the two women in front of him one way or another.  Harley recognized the eager smirk that pulled his mouth into a grimace and his eyes burned with feverish excitement.  Harley took a moment to be surprised by drug addicts in the suburbs.  While it wasn’t unheard of, it was still surprising.  You were more likely to encounter drunken college students passed out on your porch than potentially violent addicts.

Jamie took a step back and Harley followed suit.  When the man on the porch realized that Jamie was fumbling for her phone in her purse he began to descend the steps.  With unspoken agreement, both girls dropped their bags and turned to run.  Harley’s heart hammered in her chest.  Jamie had managed to get her phone from her purse but it didn’t do much good.  When they turned, they found that the man from the trees had made left his position to block them from behind.  Harley stopped short and Jamie, unable to stop in time, bumped her from behind.  They were trapped between the two men.

Harley tried to remain calm, “OK, OK.  You want money, right?”  Her heart thudded painfully and her mouth was dry.  She gestured to the bags on the ground, “Take it all.  Whatever you want, you can have it.”  Jamie’s grip on her arm was turning painful.

“Oh, we’ll take whatever we want alright.  But first we have a job to do,” the man in front of them leered.  The man behind them sniggered almost comically.  It was then that she noticed the knife in the guy’s hand.  The moonlight glinted off it of it like a warning light.  Harley felt her blood turn cold and held her hands up in surrender.  This wasn’t a simple robbery.  Her heart was pounding so hard in her ears she was afraid she would pass out.  She fought to form a clear thought.  She had to do something; she couldn’t just stand there and let them both die.  Jamie gripped her arm even harder.  The adrenaline that pumped through her body clouded her thoughts.  The flight reflex was strong, but she knew if they ran the men would be on them in an instant.  Think, think, think…she couldn’t help but wonder what “job” he could possibly be referring to.  She didn’t even know them, and was pretty sure Jamie didn’t either.  Unless they were someone that Jamie worked with in the outreach center

The man in front of Harley motioned towards their fallen bags with the knife, “Pick up your stuff and get into the apartment.  Be quiet about it.  And do it slowly.”

She turned her back to the man with the knife, pulling her arm out of Jamie’s vise-like grip.  She could tell by the way Jamie was acting that she didn’t know the men either.  Harley kept glancing at the man that seemed to be in charge out of the corner of her eye as she went.  She hoped that by complying with what he said that it would keep him from doing anything too rash.  She closed the distance and bent over the bags.  Man number two moved closer to Jamie, but he didn’t seem to have a weapon.   She couldn’t believe this was actually happening to her.  Stuff like this only happened in books and movies.  Not real life.

Thinking quickly, Harley knew that if there was going to be a shot to save her and Jamie, this was it.  She had read enough true crime to know if these men got them into the house, there wouldn’t be much hope.  Neither man covered his face, or wore gloves.  Both men were dressed in dirty clothes and smelled badly—like something nasty that had been burnt.  The man with the knife had dirty blonde hair and was the taller of the two.  The shorter man had darker hair and a more angular face.  Both man’s eyes were glassy and had an almost animal sheen to them.  They were easily identifiable and Harley knew what that if the men didn’t care that their victims could identify them it didn’t bode well for either woman.  The likelihood that she and Jamie would walk away from this at all was slim.  She also was not going to count on someone coming along to call the police.  Sadly, most people wouldn’t even if they happened to see something.  Jamie seemed too frightened to move, so she knew she had to do something herself.

Bending over the bags she looked up at Jamie, and tried hard to send her a message that she was going to do something.  Jamie seemed to get the message because her eyes widened in alarm for a fraction of a second.  Harley bent over the bags and gathered as many as she could in two hands.  She took a deep breath—her senses were on such high alert that she could hear the air moving in and out of her lungs and her nostrils flared as she took a breath tensing for what she planned to do.  She gathered her strength and in one fluid motion she stood up and simultaneously slung the bags as hard as she could at the man with the knife behind her.

It didn’t cause too much of a distraction, but taking about eight full shopping bags to the face will cause you to pause for at least a second.  In that second Harley made a dash for the fallen street sign.  Harley hadn’t even known where she was going to go until she was moving, but now she darted forward fast enough to rival an Olympic sprinter.  The sign lay at the corner of the driveway, on the same side of the car that they were on.  If she could at least make it to the sign she might have a hope of hitting the guy with it.  Maybe if she was lucky she could knock him out and run for help.  Or even better maybe she could get the knife away from him.  Her hope was that as she did this, Jamie might be able to wiggle away from the man without the weapon and run for help or her phone.  She knew she was doing a lot of hoping, but at least she wasn’t giving up.

She had to run past the man to make it to the sign in the shortest distance and time.  She considered running around the car and avoid having to pass by the man for an instant, but discarded that idea because of the extra time it would take.  It seemed that luck may be on her side after all as one of the bags had impaled itself on the knife.  As she ran past she saw him slinging the knife trying to dislodge it.  She had maybe thirty feet to cross to reach the sign and she made it in about three strides it seemed.  She made a desperate dive towards the sign at the same time as she saw the man free the knife and lunge after her.  She landed roughly on her knees and she could feel the pavement tear at her jeans and her skin.  Harley grabbed the sign post with both hands and lifted.  It was heavier than she expected and she didn’t get it off the ground in time.  She felt and saw the shadow of the man loom over her as she still struggled to lift the metal sign.  It was only half way off the ground when the man crashed on top of her.

The man’s weight slammed down onto Harley, she heard scraping as the sign grated against the pavement of the driveway.  Harley was surprised that she didn’t feel any pain.  Not the weight of the man, or the metal biting into her hands, or her raw knees.  Her mind was too shocked to process what had happened for several seconds.  With a high-pitched shrieking sound inside her head, awareness came rushing back.  The man was partially slumped over her, held up by the sign post that was lodged in his chest.  A warm sensation on her arm drew her attention.  Blood.  The man’s blood ran down her arm.  She followed the trail of blood and it seemed like it must have virtually exploded from his chest.  Some part of her brain told her this had to mean that the sharp end of the sign post had been driven into his heart—killing him instantly.

The shrieking sounds continued to pierce through her head and it finally registered that it wasn’t coming from inside her head.  Instead, it was coming from Jamie.  Maybe ten seconds had passed since Harley threw the bags at the man, and in those ten seconds Jamie continued to struggle with the other man.  It was taking her body too long to regain its functions.  Her brain kept telling her body to get up and help her friend, but it wasn’t responding.  Harley watched the struggle in front of her as she fought her own battle.  Sluggishly, she shoved the man off her shoulder and he slumped to the ground, the sign grating against the ground again and it seemed so loud that she was sure someone would hear it and be alerted to what was happening.  The look frozen on the dead man’s face was one of shock, as if in the last second of his life he was aware of what was happening.  She attempted to climb to her feet, but her legs moved as if they were in quicksand dragging her back down to the ground.

Harley realized she had underestimated the second man.  He fought to get a solid grip on Jamie as she wiggled and kicked.  She could tell the man was very strong, but Jamie was moving so much that he was having a hard time getting her under control.  It didn’t take long before the man held her against him with one arm though.  It’s wasn’t a hold that would have immobilized Jamie for long.  But it did hold her long enough for the man to reach into his pocket.  Harley tried to call out a warning to Jamie, but the sound died, strangled in her throat.  This man may have been the smaller of the two, but he was still strong.  He still had his grip on Jamie when he pulled the knife from his pocket and flicked it open.  It was smaller than the first man’s knife.  But it still gleamed wickedly sharp in the moonlight.

The man glared at Harley over Jamie’s shoulder, “It’s too bad,” he sneered.  “We really wanted to play with you first.”

Harley had just made it to her feet when she saw the knife blur through the air.  Jamie’s eyes widened and her back arched.  Time slowed down and she could hear her heart pound inside her head and she could feel the pressure building up inside her skull.  She could see the breeze lift Jamie’s hair from her shoulders and she could feel the cold air against her own face.  Harley was stuck in a nightmare in which she was unable to move.  The knife flashed through the air again and Jamie’s legs gave way.  As she fell to the ground, Harley’s legs gave out as well and she fell with her friend.  She was unable to tear her eyes away from Jamie’s eyes.  Tears fell from her friend’s green eyes and rolled down her cheeks.  There was a look of hopeless finality in Jamie’s eyes and it sucked all the air from Harley’s lungs.

Suddenly, a figure burst from the night behind the man as he stood there with a sickening grin on his face.  Harley hadn’t really seen the figure arrive, he was just suddenly there.  The newly arrived man hesitated for only a moment.  Her best friend’s murderer continued to gloat, oblivious to the stranger behind him.  The new arrival shifted and the moonlight illuminated part of the new guy’s face.  If her body had been capable, she would have been even more shocked when she realized the figure was Levi.  He was dressed all in black and a hood obscured some of his face, but she recognized him easily.   His look was one of controlled fury.  The dim light showed that his jaw was set and his lips were pressed together in a hard line.  As he stepped closer Harley was able to see the rest of his face under the hood.  There was something wrong with Levi’s eyes.  They were solid black.  Just as she thought she had seen before, they were solid black—no white or blue showed at all.

Levi made a quick thrusting motion that Harley had trouble following.   Time had seemed to slow down as she had watched her friend die.  But now it sped up again with a dizzying rebound.  She realized that Levi must have stabbed the man in the back because the tip of a knife was now poking through the man’s stained shirt.  Blood bubbled from his mouth and added to what was flowing out of his chest.  He was dead before Levi shoved him away, ripping the blade from his back at the same time.  Harley’s eyes followed the movement of the knife as Levi slung the blood off the blade; she recognized it as the one she had seen in his bag a week after having met him.  It was at least a foot long and gleamed silver against the light from the stars.  He sheathed it somewhere on his back and stepped around the dead man at his feet.  He bent over Jamie and felt for a pulse at her neck.

Harley didn’t need to interpret his body language to know that her friend was dead.  She knew when she saw the light die in Jamie’s eyes that she was gone.  His shoulders slumped for just a second before he recovered.  Levi stood slowly and stepped closer to where Harley still kneeled.  Crouching in front of her, he finally met her eyes.  His eyes were no longer black; they were the normal deep blue and looked very, very sad.  The regret in his eyes conflicted with the anger than hardened the rest of his features.

“Can you stand?” he asked softly.  Despite the gentleness with which he spoke, the sound jolted Harley.  The words spoken to her directly were proof that she wasn’t just watching the events unfold in some kind of horror movie.

Harley struggled to speak.  She knew her body had officially gone into shock.  She realized that she was shivering uncontrollably and the shivers were quickly turning more and more jerky, teetering towards convulsions.  But Harley wasn’t able to stop her body’s awkward movements.   She felt so numb that it seemed as if she was floating outside of her skin.

Harley met Levi’s eyes and opened her mouth to speak—but again nothing came out.  Levi quickly stood and pulled Harley to her feet by her shoulders.  He looked at her grimly and shook her slightly.

“Harley!  You have to pull it together.  We have to get out of here before more come.”  He shook her again, this time more roughly.  With great effort, Harley nodded her understanding.  She didn’t understand why more would come.  Or even more of what.  But she knew that he was more rational than she was right now.  She knew that she wasn’t thinking clearly, so she deferred to him.  He put his arm around her shoulders and led her away.  He didn’t carry her weight or support her too much.  Instead, he made her walk on her own and thereby forcing her to regain control of her own body.  Her legs felt weak and rubbery as she staggered along.  The effort that was required to put one foot in front of the other was great enough that it forced her to focus on the here and now.  As they walked away the wind blew Harley’s hair into her face and with it came the burnt scent that had clung to the two attackers and she realized how heightened her senses must be to be able to smell the men from this far away.

Levi led her to a black SUV and opened the passenger door for her.  Absurdly, at a time like this, she wondered where the truck came from.  She hadn’t seen him driving anything other than his motorcycle in the month that she had known him.  Her brain was still trying to hash this out as he firmly helped her into the seat and shut the door after making sure that she was fully inside.  She could smell the newness of the leather and plastic of the interior.  Numbly, she tried to remember what you were supposed to do for someone going into shock.  Levi jumped into the driver’s seat and without hesitation, started the vehicle.  He floored the gas pedal, leaving a trail of rubber as he pulled away from the curb.

Chapter 4

Harley was amazed at how calm she felt during the whole car ride.  She knew that it was a false calm, however.  The shock had done something to her senses—it made everything seem surreal and fake.  Her heart thudded dully and her lungs pushed air out and pulled air in.  Her skin buzzed and her eyes couldn’t quiet focus on anything.  The speed at which Levi was driving made her vision problems worse.  Everything blurred past the windows and she couldn’t figure out where they were or where they were going.  She could hear the muted grinding of the tires on the pavement and the sound vibrated through the car making the numbness that she felt even worse.  She slowly looked at Levi, trying to make sense of him even being there.

Levi was dressed all in black—black cargo pants and black military boots.  His black shirt was long-sleeved and form fitting.  She could see the black straps of the holster that held the huge knife at his back, they wrapped around his shoulders like gun holsters in the movies.  He wore black leather gloves and she could hear them creak as he flexed his grip against the steering wheel.  She could see that they were slightly discolored and refused to think about what was staining them.  Feeling her eyes on him, he glanced her way.  The look in his eyes was one of regret and sadness and anger but he didn’t speak and for that she was grateful.

Harley looked out the window again, trying to figure out where they were going.  Police.  Reason tried to force its way into her brain.  But instincts slammed that door quickly shut.  Going there would require thinking about what had happened.  On some level her brain knew that she couldn’t handle that yet.  She kept trying to make out the street signs as they sped past them.  She desperately wanted to know where they were.  The roads were familiar but they weren’t clicking into place.  Each time her mind was getting a grip on the street they would be too far away for her brain to finish before it tried to focus on the next street.  Unable to bare the street signs any longer closed her eyes.  But they snapped open again when she felt something on her arm.  It was sticky and clung to her.   She knew what the red stuff was, but her mind again slammed that door shut before finishing the thought as well.  She began counting the street signs to distract herself from trying to figure out their names.  Eventually, the street signs grew farther and farther apart and the trees grew thicker.  As they passed large sprawling fields she realized that they were driving away from Lexington.  They were most likely going east because they had not gone through the downtown area to reach the farms to the west of the city.

It felt like they had been driving for hours when Levi finally slowed the truck down and turned into the driveway of a small white house.  They were well away from the city and she hadn’t seen any other houses for several miles.  There were too many trees, clumped too close together for them to still be amidst the sprawling, pastured horse farms.  Instead, they were surrounded by a natural forest, approaching a house that looked as if it was someone’s weekend getaway.  They hadn’t spoken for the entire ride and the sounds of the engine and the road had filled up the silence.  Levi had left her to process the events in her own way while he kept his attention on the road and made sure that no one followed them.

As they approached the quaint house Levi drove around a path to the back and parked so that the vehicle wouldn’t be seen from the road.   Without saying a word he shut the engine off and climbed out of the truck.  He quickly walked to her side of the SUV; Harley’s eyes followed his every movement.  She was in awe of him at the moment.  She had known that he was involved in security, but on some level she pictured that as being the guy in a uniform hanging out at the front of a store.   But the way that he was dressed, the way that he handled that guy—the fight—she was now picturing something much more military—something more lethal.

Levi opened her door and held out his hand silently.  Harley looked at the outstretched hand for a moment and when she saw that he had taken off the gloves she reached out to take his hand.  She paused when she saw how much her hand was shaking compared to how steady his was.  He grasped her hand in his and helped her from the truck.  Her legs still seemed numb and clumsy and she scuffed her feet multiple times as he led her to the back door of the house.  She looked into the dark woods that surrounded them but couldn’t see anything in the shadows.  Everything was quiet and she couldn’t hear any animal sounds.  It was as if they had gone quiet out of respect for the seriousness of the situation.

Levi unlocked the door and held it open for her and she stepped inside, pausing just past the doorway.  The house was pitch black and the lack of light from outside left her completely blind in the unfamiliar room she had stepped into.  She stood motionless and tense.  Nerves still on edge she fought against the fear that something was going to burst from the darkness to attack her.  Levi flicked on a light as he shut and locked the door and Harley blinked against the sudden brightness.  Her senses were still overly sharp and it took a few seconds for her eyes to adjust.

The house was one good sized open room that had a living room area and kitchen combined and could probably be better called a cottage.  Two doors off to the side must have led to a bedroom and bathroom.  This cottage looked much more lived in than the house Levi rented.  There still wasn’t anything personal about it, but it had more furniture and looked like someone had actually spent significant amount of time here.  Turning, Harley regarded Levi, who was standing quietly behind her.  Neither of them spoke for a moment.  Levi watched her carefully.  She looked down at herself.  Her right side—the right leg of her jeans, her right arm and the right side of her sweater were splashed with blood.  In the bright light of the cabin she wasn’t able to deny what it was that was slowly drying into a stiff stickiness.  She looked from herself back to Levi.  She could slowly feel the shell that the shock had built begin to crack.

Something must have shown on her face finally because Levi stepped closer to her and wrapped his arms around her.  All the air whooshed out of her lungs and she gasped for breath.  She stood there with her arms at her side, underneath Levi’s strong steady arms and tried to make sense of what was happening.

“What happened?” she asked.  “Who—who were those men?  Why were you there?”  With each question she came closer and closer to hyperventilating.  The words left her mouth in an uncontrolled whoosh of air.  It felt like her lungs had sprung a leak.  She had to stop before she lost her last bit of control.  She fought to breath calmly.

“We can talk about it when you calm down a little.  It’s a complicated story.”  He spoke, the calmness of his voice grated at Harley’s already raw nerves.  It did seem fair or right for him to be so calm when she felt like she was about to burst apart.

“When I calm down?” repeated bewildered.  “I can’t calm down!  Jaime—she was the only family—," she broke off unable to go there yet.  “We have to call the police!  That man—I—he—,” she began to lose her breath again.

“Breathe, breathe, breathe,” Levi repeated soothingly and slowly.  Some part of her knew he was right.  She had to calm down or she wouldn’t be able to think rationally.  Harley pulled away from Levi and began to pace in circles around the main room of the cottage.  As she walked she forced herself to take deep slow breaths.  Levi watched her silently leaning against the stove, waiting on her to regain her composure.

When she finally stopped pacing several minutes later, Harley sat at the small dining table that separated the kitchen area from the living area.  Seeing that she was finding calm, Levi opened a cabinet and removed a bottle of Jack Daniels and two glasses.  He sat opposite her and opened the bottle, Harley watched him poor a few swallows into each glass.  He pushed one towards her and she accepted it gratefully.  Now that the numbness that came along with the shock was wearing off she needed something to help numb the feelings that were threatening to overwhelm her.  She wanted to take the edge off as much as she could before the walls finally came crashing down.  She took a deep breath and swallowed half of what was in her glass.  She shuddered and blew a shaky breath to relieve the fire that followed the liquor down.  She could feel the heat of the drink spread through her limbs and begin to warm the chill that radiated from inside her.  Levi drank half of his drink and turned the glass slowly between his hands.

“OK.  Talk to me,” Harley prompted.  “What the fuck was that?  Who were they?  What did they want?  And where are we?”

Levi took a deep breath, “One question at a time.  I’m not entirely sure what they wanted,” he admitted.

Harley felt her hackles raise and she slammed her fist on the table, “Bullshit!  You know SOMETHING,” she insisted.  “Who are you?”  She knew it wasn’t fair to be this mad at Levi.  He had helped save her life but she couldn’t help but take her frustration out on him.  She was suddenly, painfully, aware of how little she knew about him.

Levi looked at her steadily.  “I guess a better question would be WHAT am I?” he responded looking away from her to stare out into the blackness beyond the kitchen window.

Harley watched him bewildered.  “What does that mean?”  Harley braced herself for the answer.  CIA, NSA some other set of letters she had never heard of, surely.  How in the world did this actually happen?  This wasn’t some movie.  Stuff like this doesn’t actually happen in real-life, Harley thought to herself.  Not for the first time that night she wondered if she had lost her mind or had been drugged without her knowledge.

He rubbed his face with both hands and looked very tired.  He took a deep breath sitting back in the chair and folded her arms across his chest.  “I’m a part of a group called the Nocte Preasidio.  It’s Latin for Night Guard.”  He held eye contact with her and she refused to look away.  The look on his face was of calm confidence.  She could tell he wasn’t eager to tell this story, but judging by the look on his face he was laying it all out there.  She sensed a challenge behind his narration.  As if he was challenging her to believe the story he was going to tell her.

“And that is what exactly?”  Harley forced herself to be patient.  She felt like they should be doing something, not sitting here and talking.  They needed to talk to the police.  They would want to know what happened.  She would need to explain how she got away.  She didn’t know what she was going to tell them when they asked her why she left.  She felt the sharp pain of the reality of what had happened.  It was pushing at the cracks in the barrier.  It wouldn’t hold much longer and she would have to face what had happened.  Every time she came close to acknowledging it her breath caught in her throat and she felt a sharp pain slice at her stomach that sucked her breath away.  She struggled to deal with one thing at a time and she was getting more agitated because this was adding one more thing to all that she was having to process.

Growing more frustrated, Harley waited without saying anything, her jaw clenched painfully.  “You are going to have to have an open mind and hear me out,” he began hesitantly.  “And you are probably still going to have more questions than answers when I’m done.”  That’s a dead giveaway something big and crazy is coming.  She watched him warily.

“OK…” she responded cautiously, trying to be patient and let him tell his story in his own time.  The longer she could focus on his story, the longer she had before she had to think about what had happened.

“The Nocte Preasidio is a group that hunts—polices—the worst of the worst.”

“I’ve never heard of them,” Harley answered shortly.

“Well, we aren’t exactly a part of the general public.”

“You’re what?  Like special forces or something?”  She figured he must be some sort of agent one that hunted the worst kind of criminals.  That’s the logical explanation, right? She asked herself.

“Well—something like that,” Levi answered.  He continued to hold eye contact with her and Harley again felt like he was challenging her to believe him.  It was as if he was testing her to see how long she would continue to listen to him.  Harley could handle a lot of things but right now she needing to focus on his story and not the events of the night.  She wasn’t ready for anything else yet.

“Keep going,” she looked at him pointedly.

Levi took a deep breath before continuing.  “Our organization is definitely covert—it’s not a part of any government.  We aren’t a part of any military.”  He paused, considering his words carefully, “We also aren’t exactly human.”  Harley felt like she had been punched in the gut.  If this had been a movie, the music would have scratched to a halt.  Levi let that blunt statement hang in the air as Harley searched for some understanding of what Levi had just said.

Harley almost laughed but it was a reflexive response that her body actually didn’t have the ability to make happen.  “What the fuck are you talking about?”  She could feel the anger growing inside her again, tinged with despair.  On top of everything, Levi was either messing with her or crazy, and the callousness and unfairness of either was more than Harley could bear at the moment.

Levi sighed heavily, “We—I’m—not really…human.  The Nocte are something…different.  There is another group as well.  They are called the Lux Vigilum—the Light Watchers.

Harley could feel her mouth hanging open stupidly but couldn’t think of anything to say at the moment.  Her brain still wasn’t functioning fully and she wasn’t sure that she was hearing him correctly.  Levi continued with his story.  “Have you ever heard of the theory that there are different dimensions?  Layers of other dimensions that overlap ours.”

Harley moved her mouth, wide eyed, trying to form words.  Something in her demeanor must have answered his question affirmatively because Levi continued.

“It’s true.  There are other dimensions—we think there is at least one other one.”  He looked out the window and into the dark again.  “What I’m going to tell you is going to be hard to believe.  I will do my best to answer your questions—and prove that I’m telling the truth.  But if you don’t believe me—then you just don’t.  But now that you are involved, I have to tell you everything I can.  It’s the only way you will be able to make the right decisions and protect yourself.”

When Harley still didn’t interject he continued, “Records were never properly kept, and sometimes they were lost or destroyed, so we don’t know how long ago the other dimension was discovered.  We don’t even know which dimension found the other first.  We don’t know the first time that a being from one dimension made contact with the beings in the other dimension.  From what we do know—it’s been thousands of years.”  Harley stared at him in disbelief.  He didn’t back down under her scrutiny but continued with his story.

“The separation between the dimensions is thin.  The typical ‘veil’ that you usually hear it described as, I think of it as sort of a curtain—one that is threadbare and has holes.  It allows beings to cross over into our world.  No one has figured out how to cross to their side yet though.   But, beings from this other dimension have crossed over to our dimension.  They don’t seem to have a physical body—at least not here—so they bond with humans.  The Nocte and the Lux come from one dimension—of the dark and the light that exist there.  There is a third type of being too.  We think it comes from the same the dimension—but we aren’t sure.  They come from something that—well can only be described fire.  I mean, they come from something that is distinctly similar to fire.”  He paused in his story to assess Harley’s reaction.  She continued to watch him with her mouth slightly parted incredulously.  She didn’t blink or speak.  She had become a living statue of disbelief.

Levi decided to continue since she didn’t seem ready to ask any questions.  Taking a deep breath he took up the story again.  “The beings that come from the ‘fire’ are—evil, I guess is the best word.  They are the beings that thrive on pain and suffering.  The humans that they bond with cause horror and terror.  Not all humans who do bad things are bonded with these beings.  But a lot of them are—they’re called the Ignis Turba, it means fire horde in Latin.  We call them Burners.

He paused again, giving Harley time to absorb what he said.  She took a deep breath and gulped down the last of her drink.  Wincing as she did so, but waiting quietly for him to continue.  He finished his drink and poured them both another double shot.

“When these beings bond with humans, the humans acquire incredible strength and healing abilities.  We also don’t age.  It’s pretty amazing.”  His eyes animated excitedly for a brief second.  “The Ignis’ sole purpose is to feed off the pain and misery of humans.  And it’s our—the Vigilum and the Praesidio’s job to hunt the Ignis.

“Even though the perks of the job are incredible, there are some drawbacks too.  One of which is the Nocte are virtually confined to the darkness.  We can go out during the day—but we are weak and vulnerable during the day.  Our healing abilities barely function and we aren’t any stronger than humans really.  The Lux are the same—only confined to light.  The Burners can go into either.  They don’t seem to be affected by the light and dark as we are.”

He paused again, giving Harley time to process and ask questions if she had any.  But she still hadn’t figured out which question to ask first.  Levi picked up where he left off when Harley didn’t interrupt.  He continued to hold her gaze steadily.  He met her stare with confidence shadowed only by slight weariness.

“The Nocte hunt the Ignis at night.  The Lux hunt the Ignis during the day.  The two men who attacked you—they were Ignis.  I think they were fairly young—they weren’t as strong or fast as older Ignis.  I’m not sure if they just happened to target you or if they came after you because of me…” his thoughts drifted off as he considered this.  He looked away from her and stared out into the darkness as if he was searching for an answer.

Harley slowly began to regain some of her senses and finally found her voice, “Oh my god,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper.  Levi narrowed his eyes at her, trying to figure out where she was going.

“Are you crazy?  Or are you fucking with me?”  Harley gripped the edges of the table, trying to hold onto her control a little longer.  She could feel her finger nails sink into the aged wood of the surface.  She gritted her teeth and waited for him to answer.

“Well I’m definitely not fucking with you—the crazy part is debatable,” he said with a wiry smile.  But, I told you I would try to prove it to you, right?  You remember the first night we were together?  You said my eyes looked funny.   They were all black right?  They probably did it again tonight—when I was fighting?”

Harley didn’t answer his question; she just waited for him to continue.  “That was the Nocte.  It happens when I get—excited.  When I’m fighting, and apparently during sex sometimes.  I’ve never really known it to do that before though…” his thoughts carried him away for a second again.

The little control that Harley had finally gave way.  She jumped to her feet and the chair she was sitting in slammed into the wall behind her with a crack and she picked the heavy wooden table up just enough to slam it back down with a bang.  The movement and sound brought Levi to his feet as well.  Both of their glasses had tipped over and the pungent aroma of the liquor wafted through the air as it pooled across the surface.

“Black eyes?!  People do that with contacts every day,” Harley snarled.  “Why are you doing this?”  She kicked the chair out of her way and stalked around the table to stand in front of Levi.  She looked up and him and was seething with fury.  Levi didn’t back away or hesitate in the face of her anger and disbelief.  Her anger was so strong that it burned through her body and she could feel the heat of it radiating from her and burning her lungs.

As Harley watched, Levi’s eyes began to dilate entirely.  Literally.  The blue and white slowly disappeared as the black widened across the blue and then the white until his eyes were solid black.  Harley hesitated.  Contacts?  But how did he just make them appear.  Harley’s confusion gave her pause.  He blinked again and his eyes went back to normal.

“OK.  Nice trick.  How did you do it?”  She was still filled with rage but she forced herself to focus on Levi’s trick.  Curiosity nudged her fury aside slightly.

“I can call on the Darkness if I need or want to.  The eyes are the dead giveaway for us all.  The Lux’s eyes turn white.  The Ignis’ eye shine like an animal’s almost.”

Harley was exasperated, tired, scared, angry and very, very sad.  But for a second she remembered the two men’s eyes.  She had thought they were shiny because of drugs, but…No!  Ridiculous!   She was at the end of her rope and the ugliness and the pain of the entire night rose up from her guts.  “So you are saying that you are—what?  A demon, creature—whatever.  And that the demons—creatures—that you hunt may have attacked my friend and me because of you?”  The pain boiled through her and her chest heaved as she tried to breathe normally.

Levi finally hesitated, “Maybe.  I don’t know if they came after you because of me.  But I think they might have.  The Ignis can sense us—the Nocte and the Lux.  They may have caught my scent on you.”

“So you are saying that Jamie’s—Jamie’s—”   Harley choked on the word, “—dead—because of you?”  Whether what he was saying made any sense, or contained any truth or not—Harley finally had an object to project her fury onto.

“Maybe.  Or it could have just been—" Levi’s words were cut off when a fist slammed into his nose.  It took several seconds for Harley to realize that it had been her fist, partly because she didn’t even feel it.  Everything inside of her had finally exploded with the admission that Jamie was dead.   The punch had completely caught Levi by surprise and snapped his head back just slightly.  She doubted a punch from her could do much damage, so she was surprised when blood gushed from his nose.  She was even more surprised to realize his nose was broken which she could tell because of the way the lower half pointed just slightly to the left.  Levi seemed equally stunned.

It took a few seconds for him to collect himself; he stood there wiping the blood away with his shirt.  During this time Harley felt the anger begin to leave her body.  As she watched the blood drip from his nose she remembered the feel of the blood dripping down her arm.  Her stunned gaze met Levi’s and he smiled at her.  It was a humorless and rueful smile—and as she watched, Levi’s nose stopped bleeding.  Before her eyes the bridge of his nose moved on its own accord.  Working from the inside out—his nose straightened itself with a faint crunching sound.  Levi’s winced slightly and finally spoke.

“Do you believe me now?” He stared at her pointedly.

Harley’s blood suddenly turned to ice and she didn’t know what to believe.  She made one last effort to find some sort of rationale.  “You haven’t drugged me have you?”  It wasn’t really meant to be a question but Levi answered it anyway.  “Nope.”  Harley’s mind struggled to come to terms with the facts.              I’ve only ever seen Levi at night.  That hadn’t seemed all that strange because of our schedules.  On three different occasions I’ve seen his eyes turn black all on their own.  He is deadly serious and doesn’t seem crazy at all.  This explains the weapons and his constant wariness and paranoia.  And the most convincing evidence of all—I’ve just seen a broken nose heal itself.  And most importantly, Harley thought to herself, believing Levi’s story means that I don’t have to believe that a random, awful, act took the life of the best friend I’ve ever had.

As her brain decided it didn’t have the energy to fight the story that Levi was telling her, her body also decided it didn’t have the energy to hold onto her control any longer.  The tears that she had been holding back since seeing Jamie fall finally broke through.  They started small at first and grew in intensity, and as the sobs wracked her body, her knees gave out and she collapsed into herself, sinking to the floor.  Her mind couldn’t make sense out of the chaos and her heart and nerves couldn’t take the pain of everything that had happened.  Her body had finally decided it was done and let the tidal wave of emotions break through the wall.

Levi sank with her and wordlessly wrapped his arms around her, pulling her into his lap.  She wanted to fight him.  She didn’t want his comfort and not just because he might very well be crazy.  And she certainly didn’t want him to see her crying.  Even worse the whole night might have been his fault.  But she didn’t have the strength to push him away, nor the motivation if she was honest with herself.  Harley cried for the pain and anger of losing her best friend.  She cried for the frustration and guilt that she felt over having not done enough, or for having done too much.  She cried because the man that she cared about was either crazy or lying to her or had just shattered her beliefs about the world as she knew it.  Levi let her cry and didn’t try to coddle her; he seemed to understand that she had to cry it out.

Finally, Harley was able to pull herself together and took a shuddering breath.  She had not cried the pain out—but she had let enough out to shut the door again.  She raised her face from Levi’s chest and used her own shirt to dry her face off.  She couldn’t bring herself to look at Levi as she spoke, “I have a lot of questions.  I’m not saying I believe you.  I’m not saying I don’t.  I just—I just can’t ask them right now.”  With the pain pushed aside and buckled down for the time being, Harley felt hollow and empty.  Not unlike a Faberge egg that could shatter with the least bit of pressure.

“I understand,” he said simply.

“Shouldn’t we call the police or something?” she asked, finally looking up at him.

“No,” he answered flatly.  Harley opened her mouth to protest but Levi interrupted her.  “We need to stay here.  No one knows about this place and shouldn’t be able to find it.  I don’t know if those Burners were after me or you, or even Jamie, but they’ve got our scents now and it won’t be hard for them to find it.  If there are Burner’s really after one of use, those two’s friends won’t be far behind them.  I heard sirens as we were leaving which means someone called the police.  There’s just too much attention on the scene right now—we would be risking our own lives as well as the lives of others if more Ignis were to come looking for us.  They aren’t likely to find us here.”

“But the police are going to want to know what happened.  They will want to know what happened to me!  People are going to think I’m dead—or, Jesus!  They might think I did this!”  Harley could feel the panic rising again.

“Calm down, OK?  We will deal with all of that soon.  Right now, you need to rest.  Collect yourself and we will figure out what to do.”

Harley wanted to argue but Levi was right about one thing.  Whether the Ignis were after her or Levi, if they went back and—IF Harley believed him—they decided to attack again, they could be endangering anyone who was in the way.  Not to mention the fact that—IF Harley believed him—she didn’t want to face more “creatures” or whatever they were.  Her nerves were shot and now that the adrenaline was wearing off she could barely think she was so tired.

Harley slid herself off Levi’s lap and he let her go.  Using the table and the chair that Levi had been sitting in, she pulled herself to her feet.  He didn’t help her stand, but he stayed close, spotting her in case she fell again.

Harley looked down at herself, assessing the condition of her clothes and skin.  “I really need a shower before I can sleep.”

“Of course.  The bathroom is on the left.  There are towels and everything you need in there.  I’ll find you something to wear while you shower.”  He seemed relieved to not have to tell more of his story and Harley was relieved to not have to hear any more of it right now.

She started to walk away but Levi’s voice stopped her.  “I’m sorry,” he said simply.

“Me too,” she answered wearily, turning away and escaping into the bathroom.

In the bathroom she pulled her clothes off, carefully, trying not to touch the bloody parts anymore than she had too.  She climbed into the shower and turned the water on as hot as she could stand it.  She sat underneath the stream, letting the water wash away the blood and winced when the water sprayed against her skinned knees.  She watched as the “man’s” blood washed off and mixed with her own blood before draining away.  Now that she had cried out the pain she felt numb.  She considered what Levi had told her.  It was an unbelievable story—but did she believe it?  It seemed a part of her had already decided to believe it.  She was still here.  Had she completely disbelieved it she would have ran out of the house or found some kind of way to get away from Levi at least.  She certainly wouldn’t be taking a shower, preparing to stay the night with an insane man.

Harley wondered if there was even a remote chance that she would have believed him if they hadn’t been attacked.  She tried to picture hearing this story not having just been attacked by two strange madmen.  Not having just seen her best friend killed.  She didn’t deny that it could be the reaction to the attack, or the alcohol or maybe even her tender feelings toward Levi that made her want to believe his story.  Regardless, she didn’t feel in danger from Levi but she wanted to wait until some of the shock had worn off before she made a final decision about his character.

Harley could tell that the bathroom door had opened because of the cool draft that drifted into the shower.  She didn’t say anything, preferring to let Levi think that she hadn’t realized he had come into the room.  She didn’t know what to say to him and wanted to avoid talking any more for now.  She could see his silhouette through the shower curtain as he laid a stack of clothes on the closed toilet lid and left the bathroom quietly.  She remember all the times that Jamie had burst into the bathroom while she was showering—to ask her questions, to tell her something funny or ask her opinion on something.  They were the kind of friends who didn’t need boundaries.  The loss of her friend left a raw wound in the middle of her chest.  She didn’t know what she was going to do without Jamie.  Who was going to be the voice of reason for Harley now?  Her last connection to a real family was gone.  Harley pushed the despair down, only allowing herself to deal with small bits at a time.

Harley pulled herself to her feet, resolving to deal with the madness of the night as best as she could.  She quickly washed and shut the water off.  Levi has left a large tee-shirt—obviously one of his—for her.  It was a black tee-shirt with a tribal looking pattern on the front.  She thought it was a band’s logo but she couldn’t remember which band.  He had also left a pair of boxer briefs that looked—hopefully—new.   Both pieces of clothes were too big for her, but were vastly better than the blood soaked clothes she had been wearing, which were no longer crumpled on the floor.  Levi must have taken them away.

When she left the bathroom she found Levi pulling the curtains carefully closed over the windows.  He looked over his shoulder at her when she stepped out.  “You can have the bedroom.  I’ll sleep on the couch.”

“Why?”

“I just kind of figured you wouldn’t really want me sleeping with you.  You haven’t figured out if I’m a crazy person yet, right?” he asked somewhat regretfully yet reasonably.

“No.  Not really,” she answered honestly.  She took a deep breath, “but you can sleep in the bed too.  I guess if you were going to kill me, you would have by now.”  Levi sensed what she refused to admit.  She didn’t want to sleep alone.  Sleeping with a potential psycho—yet non-dangerous person—was better than sleeping alone right now.  Not when every time she closed her eyes she saw either crazed, glassy eyes—or sad pale green ones staring back at her.

“Sure,” he nodded.  “You go ahead and get in bed.  I’ll finish locking up.”

Before turning to the bedroom she surveyed the small cottage again.  “Where are we anyway?”

Without looking at her Levi answered vaguely, “Just one of the many places the Praesidio use for Nocte shelter.”

Harley didn’t press for more details, the words Praesidio and Nocte threatened to send her head spinning off her shoulders.  Instead, she shook her head and turned towards the other door leading off the main room.  She opened the bedroom door to find a spacious bedroom with a large and comfy looking bed.  She didn’t even care that her hair was still wet; if she didn’t get into bed soon she would collapse on her feet.  She climbed into the bed and turned away from the door.  The mattress was soft and she sank into it gratefully.  A few minutes later she heard Levi come into the room and shut the door behind him.  He climbed into bed facing her but saying nothing.  When she didn’t move closer to him he reached out and pulled her across the bed to his chest and she let him.  She gave in and wrapped a leg over his hip and tucked her head under his chin.  She sometimes wished she didn’t feel so comfortable with him but she couldn’t deny that she did and right now she needed some comfort.  Neither Levi nor Harley spoke, preferring to let the silence carry them both off to sleep.

Eventually, Harley felt Levi relax as sleep overtook him.  She wondered if it was because dawn was approaching.  She didn’t know if he had to sleep during the day not.  She was surprised at how easily this line of thinking came to her; she realized that a part of her really did believe him.  She was a little envious because she didn’t think she would ever be able to sleep again.  Every time she closed her eyes she came face to face with the horror of what had happened.  Harley forced herself to focus on the tattoo on Levi’s arm.  She tried to make out the intricate lines and details.  She now realized that the symbols and pictures were probably more just art or fancy designs.  They seemed to have too much pattern and detail to be random.   She could see black eyes and black flame intertwined with swords.  She wanted to touch the pattern carved into his skin but she resisted the temptation.

Harley tried to distract herself by focusing on counting the breaths that she took like they were sheep.  She concentrated on making sure each breath was drawn in and held in for the same number of seconds.  While at the same time she alternated between feeling trapped by Levi’s arm across her body and comforted him next to her.  Finally, Harley had forced herself to relax enough and hypnotized herself enough that sleep pulled her in and she drifted off to fitful dreams.

Chapter 5

Harley opened her eyes slowly.  She felt like she had been hit by a train, and all the reasons why came tumbling down like bricks from the sky.  First the pain in her knees flared when she stretched her legs out, pulling at the raw skin.  She wanted to believe Jamie’s death had been a horrible nightmare but her brain had enough of avoiding the truth and didn’t hold back as it flashed through the events of the night.  Harley drew her legs up into a fetal position and gritted her teeth again the tears that threatened to spill.  She took several deep breaths, forcing the pain back down.  She refused to give into despair.  If she let go and let it all come crashing down, she felt like she would never find her way back out of it.

Harley rolled onto her back and realized that Levi was not in bed with her anymore.  The room was dark and she couldn’t hear any sounds from the rest of the cottage.  Sitting up she was startled to realize that she had slept for over twelve hours.  From lack of light around the edge of the curtains she could tell that night had already fallen.  She took stock of her condition this morning.  Her entire body hurt and she felt as if she had slept fitfully the whole night.  Her body was heavy with too much sleep but her brain had come awake too quickly for her to have ever really been deeply asleep for long.

Harley rubbed her face slid out of bed.  Levi wasn’t in the main room of the cottage either.  She stumbled around until she found a note that he had left on the refrigerator.  He had left to collect some things that they would need from the store.  He asked her to not leave before he got back.  She didn’t know where he thought she would go; they were in the middle of nowhere and she didn’t have a car or a cell phone.  She had dropped her purse with the rest of her bags the night before and hadn’t taken the time to pick it up before fleeing.  Harley found a can of soup in the kitchen among some other random nonperishable food.  She didn’t know how long Levi would be gone and she was starving.  Apparently, her body had used up all its reserves in self defense last night and now it needed to replenish itself in a desperate kind of way.

The first few bites of food brought a painful kick to her stomach.  It had been a long time since she had eaten and her stomach was still dealing with her nerves.  Her hand shook as she spooned broth and noodles to her mouth.  She knew it wasn’t just nerves that caused the tremors.  She felt raw and broken, inside and out.  As Harley ate she reviewed the things that Levi had told her the night before.  The logical part of her brain determined that he was crazy.  If he really believed this stuff then he belonged in a mental institution.  On the other hand, she couldn’t deny that there was some truth to his story.  And there were things in the world that people couldn’t explain.  Maybe this was one of them.  She needed to create a plan of action to bring some kind of order to the chaos.  First thing was first; she needed to figure out what she was going to tell the police about the night before.  Then she needed to figure out if she was still in danger.  And she definitely needed to get some more answers from Levi.

After putting her bowl in the sink she went to the bathroom to wash her face and see if she could find something to brush her teeth with.  She looked in the mirror and barely recognized herself.  Despite having gotten so much sleep during the day she looked like she hadn’t slept at all.  Her dark green eyes were blood shot and she had dark bags under them making her look older than her twenty-five years.  Her entire body was sore and her skinned knees burned.  She looked through the cabinet until she found some peroxide and used toilet paper to clean the scrapes.  Afterwards she paced around the main room of the cabin trying to figure out what to say to the police but questions for Levi kept interrupting her train of thought.  She alternated between pacing and trying to sit calmly as she waited for Levi to return.  Her entire body crawled with anxiety and she could never sit still for long before needed to get back up and continue pacing.

Night was well established before she saw headlights heading towards the cabin.  She followed them to the back door and peered cautiously out the window to make sure that it was Levi.  It was—Harley was surprised by how relieved she was to see him.  He wasn’t wearing the “special-ops-all-black” anymore.  Instead he was wearing jeans and a long sleeved red tee-shirt with a black ski cap.  Casual was a good look for Levi and she was surprised by how attracted she still was to him despite the fact that he was a potential psycho.  It was like her body was trying to distract her and focus on the nearest thing that wasn’t pain.  She smirked and shook her head at herself.  Keeping careful watch on his surroundings he pulled a large duffel bag from the cargo area along with several shopping bags.  Harley unlocked the door and held it open for him giving him a small smile that he returned.

“Sorry to leave while you were sleeping,” he apologized, setting the bags on the dining table while she locked the door back behind him.  “I wanted to get stuff that you might need and figured you would like to have it when you woke up.”

“It’s OK.  I saw your note.”  She found she was oddly comfortable with the potential madman and it made her question her own sanity.

They both began unloading the few essential grocery items he had brought.  When Levi began unloading weapons from the duffel bag Harley watched him silently.  She knew enough about guns to recognize the shotgun he pulled out.  It was a 12-gauge with a pistol grip.  He also pulled out two large swords and several large knives.  Harley raised her eyebrows and whistled softly.

Levi looked over his shoulder, “I don’t expect them to show up here, but it’s better to be prepared.  I got this stuff from a storage unit I have.  The rest is still at my rental.”

“Why only the one gun?”  If it had been her picking weapons she would have packed as many guns as she could fit in the bag.

“Guns really don’t do much against Burners.  The bullets don’t normally do enough damage.  Small holes in skin, arteries and organs heal too quickly.”  He held up both swords, “But if you make a big slice it takes longer to heal especially if the cut comes from silver.  Really there are only a few sure-fire ways to kill them.  Cut off their head, destroy their heart or burn them up completely for starters.”

“Good to know,” Harley said sufficiently impressed.  “Why does it always have to be silver?” she wondered out loud.

Levi shrugged, “I don’t really know.  Something about the makeup of the metal, I guess.  Silver is supposed to be really pure.”

“But why bring a gun at all if it’s pretty useless against them?”

“Do you know how to use a sword?” Levi asked simply.  Without waiting for an answer he continued, “I figured if they did attack you would have a better shot at defending yourself with a gun than with a sword or knife.  A shotgun makes a big hole.  If you got a good shot off it would at least slow them down enough for you to run.”

Harley swallowed and nodded, “Makes sense,” she said.

“I thought you might need this stuff,” he held one of the large shopping bags out to her.  Looking inside she could see that it contained clothes and some grooming essentials.  “Thanks.”

She left Levi to sort out the supplies that he had brought.  She took the bag into the bedroom and dumped the contents out onto the bed.  He had bought her a couple of pairs of jeans, a couple of tee-shirts and hooded jacket, some boots, socks and several pairs of underwear and even a sports bra.  Amazingly everything fit—even if it wasn’t a perfect fit.  Either someone has had a lot of practice with women and their clothing or someone is really observant Harley thought slightly amused.  After she dressed she went back into the bathroom and brushed her teeth with the brush he had bought for her and pulled her hair into a messy ponytail.

Coming back into the main room Harley found Levi sitting on the couch.  He had made a small fire in the fireplace and was staring at it intently.  She took a deep breath, no more stalling.  It was time to get the whole story.  Harley’s brain had recovered from its shock and was ready to devise a plan—after understanding everything.  But before she began this endeavor she needed fortifying.  She found the bottle of Jack that was only half empty, retrieved two glasses from the cupboard and flopped down on the couch next to Levi.  Without speaking she poured half a glass for each of them and slid one to Levi.  She had decided that to hear him out.  On some level she believed him already, but she needed the whole story before she could really form any real opinion of the state of her life at the moment.

“OK.  I’m ready to ask questions now.”  When she spoke he tore his gaze away from the fire to look at her and took a deep breath.  He picked up his glass, took a long swallow and set it back on the table in front of him.  He angled himself in the corner of the couch facing her and nodded.  She looked him over.  His body seemed relaxed.  One ankle crossed over the other knee.  His arm spread behind him on the back of the couch.  His long hair looked clean but in its usual careless state.  But his dark blue eyes were steady and strong and defied the casual posture the rest of his body gave off.

Harley arranged herself in the corner of the couch opposite Levi but she knew she wasn’t giving off a casual look.  Her arms were crossed over her chest and she crossed her legs underneath herself.   Levi watched her arrange herself, waiting for her questions to begin.  She still wasn’t comfortable, but she refused to squirm in front of him.

“OK.  So are you…a demon or something?”

Levi thought for a moment before answering, “No, not in the classic, Biblical sense.  There is some connection though.  The Church used to believe that we were—some still do I guess.  They believed that the Lux and Nocte were angels and that the Ignis were demons. “

“But you aren’t?”

“No.  I’m pretty sure we aren’t.  That’s just how the original discoverers understood us.  The theory is that when contact was first made that’s how people made sense of the creatures.  Thousands of years ago people had powerful superstitions—some still do.  The Lux aren’t glorious beings of love and light—not by a long shot.  And the Nocte aren’t avenging angels of darkness.   The summation of Ignis as demons—well—that’s actually not a bad way of thinking about them.”

“And you’re Nocte?”  Harley asked, needing to hear it out loud again.

“Yep.”

“Why don’t you seem to know more?  If you—what?  Have another being inside you--shouldn't you know more about it?”

Levi seemed to be trying to find a way to answer.  “The Nocte inside isn’t really a conscious presence.”

Harley tilted her head to the side, “But it’s a living being that crossed dimensions to get here?”  She could barely believe she was seriously having this conversation.

“They are living creatures.  But when they bond with humans—the two kind of become one.  It’s kind of like a subconscious.  The Nocte makes us stronger, makes us more agile—better fighters.   It can influence our behavior to some degree.  It has needs—sleeping, eating.  But it’s not a voice in our head or anything like that.”

“Sleeping and eating?”

Levi looked hesitate for the first time, “Yeah.  During the day it “sleeps.”  That’s why we are weaker then.  The eating—we can go into that later.”

Harley raised her eyebrows but decided to let that one go for now.  “I still don’t really get it.  Is it some sort of parasite?”

Levi scratched his head thoughtfully, “It’s not invasion of the body snatchers.  It’s more like being superhuman with a really strong devil on your shoulder.  A devil that sleeps during the day and…drinks…blood…”  Levi trailed off but held steady eye contact.

Harley scoffed.  “What the fuck?”  When she realized that Levi wasn’t laughing stared at him.  “OK, seriously?  Are you saying you are a vampire?  Cause if so, I’m out of here.  I don’t do sparkles,” she chuckled ruefully.

Levi didn’t look amused.  “I don’t sparkle.  But vampire really isn’t a bad way to think of it.”

Harley gaped at him.  “So vampires are real.  And you are a vampire?”

“The Nocte, Lux and Ignis are the source of the vampire legend more or less—but we aren’t vampires,” Levi looked annoyed and defensive.

Harley rubbed at her eyes, feeling tired again, “Wow.”

Levi didn’t respond, letting her think things through.  Her brain didn’t want to believe what she was hearing, but she had decided that if she believed part of the story, that she had to believe the whole thing.  He couldn’t only be part crazy and she would be entirely crazy to believe only some crazy.

“So are there any famous people—killers or anything—that were Ignis that I have heard of?” Harley finally asked.

“Sure, there have been some, but it doesn’t pay for them to have a lot of attention on them.  So, generally, they try to stay out of the public eye.”

“What about—?”

Levi interrupted her, “No.”

“How do you know what I was going to ask?”

“Hitler was not a Burner.  Sadly, he was just one twisted, evil human.  Plenty of his SS officers were Ignis though.  They flocked to him like vultures to a dying animal.”

Harley was disappointed, not for the first time in her life, by the human capacity for evil.  “Well who might I have heard of then?”

Levi thought for a moment.  “Jack the Ripper was a Burner.”

“Really!  That’s not surprising at all I guess,” Harley pondered that for a moment.

“Ever hear of the Zodiac killer?”

Harley flipped through her serial killer trivia.  “Yeah, the guy from the 70s, right?”

“Yeah.  He was Ignis.  A major pain in my ass too

Harley’s jaw fell open.  “You hunted the Zodiac killer?”

“Yeah.  I came across him by complete accident,” Levi laughed softly.  His eyes focused in the past as he remembered.  “He shot me twice before I finally got him.”

“That’s right,” Harley remembered.  “The police never caught him, did they?”

“Nope.  The POLICE did not ever catch him.”

“Wow,” was all Harley could think to say.  She continued to watch Levi as he stared into the fire.  He was so still—she hadn’t thought much about it before, but it wasn’t hard to imagine him as some sort of other worldly being.  The way that he carried himself—always on the alert.  With such purpose; it always seemed like each movement was planned out ahead of time.  She still wasn’t entirely sure how she felt about Levi.  She was still a bundle of confusion.

“So are you dead?” Harley finally resumed the questioning.

It was Levi’s turn to scoff, “Do I look dead?”

She rolled her eyes, “How the hell should I know?  I don’t know what’s real at all anymore.”

“You do,” he said simply.  She couldn’t disagree with him.  It might mean that she had lost her mind—but she believed him.

“Why don’t you know more about where you come from?”

“The creatures don’t communicate with us.  When you bond with one of them you don’t have a conversation first.  And once you are bonded you don’t communicate in literal ways.  You know things, you feel things—it’s more on an instinct level.  The other changes you as they become you.”

“So the names of these things—what you do know about them.  That all comes from human understanding and interpretation?  Humans making guesses and assumptions about something they don’t really understand all that well.”

“Exactly.”

“Well that sounds vague and confused enough to be about right then,” Harley determined.  Levi smiled and held his hands out in a “there you have it” kind of way.  “So, when was the first of you…created?  Bonded?  Whatever?”

“The first records that we know of came from western Alchemist records from ancient Egypt.”  Harley’s eyes widened but she let him finish.  “Alchemy is mostly a false science.  But there were some discoveries.  The ‘vampires’ being the biggest”

“So how exactly does one ‘bond’ with these things?”

“It’s a complicated process.  I only know part of it.  Not all of us know how to do it.  That information is guarded.”

“By who”

“The Praesidio.”

“So…you like, have a boss?”

Levi chuckled, “Everyone answers to someone.  But I don’t have a boss in the normal sense that you are familiar with.  I don’t punch a time clock or anything.”

“Security consultant,” Harley said, recalling Levi’s cover story.

“Yes.  I travel around.  I hunt.  But my main purpose is to evaluate the need for Nocte.  I evaluate the balance.

“The balance?”

“We need to make sure that there are enough Nocte to combat the Turba.  And we also maintain a balance between the Lux and the Nocte.”

“Why?  Don’t both groups have the same goal?”

“Yes.  But there must be a balance of power.”

Harley’s brow furrowed.  “I don’t get it.”

“The Ignis sense the Lux and the Nocte, just like we sense them.  There is some protection in not having too much of either.  When one stands out more than the other, it attracts Ignis.  If the Lux and the Nocte are balanced they kind of cancel each other out.”

“That actually kind of makes sense,” Harley responded thoughtfully.  “What happens if there are too many Burners?”

Levi raised an eyebrow at her.  “I told you.  Ignis love to cause pain and suffering.  They feed off misery.  Hitler may not have been a Burner himself.  But do you think he could have caused such atrocities without the support, the encouragement, of so many Ignis?”

Harley nodded, not knowing what to say.  She stopped trying to comprehend the global implications of a world in which misery loving monsters were allowed to roam free.  “So—what do you know about the bonding process?”

Levi narrowed his eyes at Harley wondering where she was going.  “You have to reach the point of death and then the Nocte is called.  When it comes—you have to choose to accept it.  And before you ask, I don’t know how to call the Nocte.”

“Is it the same for the Lux and the Ignis?”

“I think it is for the Lux—the basics anyway.  But not the Ignis,” he stated evenly.

The tone in his voice raised the hairs on Harley’s arms.  “How does someone become Ignis then?”

“It’s not a choice, really, with the Ignis.  The Nocte, and I suppose the Lux, are bonded based upon a mutual acceptance.  The Ignis—is more of a hostile takeover.”

Harley felt chilled despite the fire that crackled in the fireplace.  Appropriately, Harley could see the flames reflecting in Levi’s eyes.  He continued, “When people lose themselves.  Whether it’s drugs, or depravity of some other kind, they weaken themselves.  They are more susceptible to outside influences.  Sometimes the Burners find these people when the veil between dimensions is weak.  They are able to take control over the person.  Like a country that is torn apart by civil war—they are in prime position to be taken over by a stronger entity and their resources exploited.”

That made sense to Harley.  “Does it hurt to become a Nocte?” she asked Levi.

He didn’t answer for a moment.  Finally, he responded with a shrug that was deceptively casual.  “It’s not pleasant.  But it’s not as bad as you might think.”

Harley had no idea what to think about it.  She shook her head, trying to clear away the mass of thoughts tumbling around.  “Why don’t Lux and Nocte just ‘take over’ people like Ignis?”

“There is strength in acceptance and choice.  Wouldn’t you agree?”

Harley thought about it only a moment before she agreed.  “Yeah.  You’re right about that.”  Having a choice allowed you to accept and work with your decision.  An invasion/takeover?  That would create more conflict and waste resources.  “Do all Ignis just ‘take over?’”

Levi considered the question.  “Well—no.  The Ignis may ‘invade’ the depraved, but I don’t doubt that some—if not most—of the people willingly accept the Ignis’ presence.

Something nagged at Harley; something she couldn’t quiet put her finger on just yet.  Too much was twisting around her brain waiting its turn to be processed.  She tilted her head and sighed wearily.  “OK, so let me make sure I’ve got this straight—Vampires are real.  You are a vampire.  There are vampires of the light, of the dark and of fire.  The ‘vampire’ part comes from some other dimension.”

Levi listened to Harley counting off the facts and sighed, frustrated, when she was finished.  “You have to let go of the ‘pop culture’ idea of vampire.  It’s not that simple and certainly not full of teenage-star-crossed-lovers crap.”

Harley wasn’t offended by his irritation.  She knew that he knew she was being sarcastic on purpose.  “But you do drink blood, right?”

“The Nocte do, but the Lux don’t drink blood” he answered.  “The Vigil and the Praesidio ‘hunt’ the Burners—but we don’t usually just kill them.  The Nocte and the Lux feed on the Ignis.  Just like the Ignis feed on human suffering.  I can kill an Ignis by cutting its head off, or destroying its heart or burning it.  Those things will kill anything.  But it can also be killed by being consumed.  By consuming the blood of the Ignis you can consume their—energy—their life-force—whatever you want to call it.”

Harley listened warily.  Levi suddenly seemed a lot less relaxed.  He uncrossed his legs and sat more upright.  When Levi spoke about consuming the Ignis his eyes grew darker.  As Harley watched they dilated and turned solid black.  His lips were parted slightly as he started to breathe deeper.  Slowly, she saw what could only be described as fangs—slid down over his canine teeth.  When her eyes widened and she recoiled slightly, Levi realized he had gotten carried away and he visibly forced himself to calm down.  He closed his eyes and leaned by against the corner of the couch again while taking silent, purposeful breaths.  When he opened his eyes they were normal again.

“Sorry.  I didn’t feed last night when I killed that Burner and it’s been a while.”

“Should I be worried?” Harley asked, still wary even though Levi seemed calm again.

“No.  Absolutely not,” he shook his head.  “I don’t feed on humans.  Human blood is just blood.  The Ignis bond with human blood—that’s the only thing that makes it appetizing or even edible.”

Harley relaxed, deciding that he was telling the truth about that.  “So why don’t the Lux drink blood”

“It’s more of a ‘psychic’ thing.  I don’t know how they do it—I’ve seen it done but can’t really tell what they are doing.  Everything just kind of…glows.”

“That’s weird,” Harley said thoughtfully.

“Really—after everything else you’ve heard—and presumably believe.  That’s weird?” he asked, cocking an eyebrow at her.

“Good point.  I think maybe my brain has just reached its limit.”  Harley sighed and picked at her cuticles.  Levi gave her more time to process everything—staring quietly out the black window again.  He did that a lot—stared into the darkness.  Harley wondered what he saw now that she was so aware of how full the darkness actually was.

Finally, Harley couldn’t avoid the reality of the previous night’s events anymore.  “So what am I going to do about last night?”  The weight of everything pressed against her chest and it made it hard to breathe.

Levi sighed and thought carefully before answering.  “What do you want to do?” Levi asked staring at her intently.

Harley considered this for a while.  What do I want to do?  She assessed her feelings.  She was angry, sad, confused and a little scared.  She had to clear her mind and let her emotions come uninhibited by thought for several moments before she could be sure which emotion she felt the most.  It was anger.  Pure and simple anger.  Sure, she was devastated.  Her best friend was gone.  Her life as she knew it—boring as it had been most of the time—was over.  Her life had been far from fair even before Jamie had been killed.  Instead of letting the unfairness drag her into depression—she focused on the anger.  Her childhood had been horrible and through a lot of hard work her adulthood had become blessedly boring.  She had found a pseudo-family, gotten an education, and had a comfortable job and wonderful friends.  Now all of that had been ripped away from her.  She was angry at her parents and angry at the men who had taken her best friend away from her.  And she was angry at herself for not doing more to prevent her friend’s death.

“Why do you think those Ignis came after Jamie and I?  Do you think they were looking for you?” her breath caught painfully when she said her friend’s name.

Levi looked away, into the fire again.  “I don’t know.  I don’t think so.  If they had just been looking for me they could have waited around until I came back—and attacked me then.  I don’t see why they would have alerted me that they were here by killing you two.”  Levi continued to think for a few minutes.  “Can you think of anything strange that has happened recently?  Anyone weird or out of the ordinary?”

Humpf   "You mean besides you?”

“Fair enough,” Levi smiled slightly.

Suddenly, Harley felt like the floor had dropped out from beneath her and her blood ran cold.  “Oh, god,” she said breathlessly.  Levi sat up, immediately on the alert.  Pieces began to fit together inside her head like puzzle pieces solving themselves.

“What?” He asked watching her carefully.

Harley gulped for air, “This is all my fault.”

“How’s that?” Levi asked calmly studying her.  He didn’t seem surprised that she was blaming herself and he seemed ready to disagree with her.

“Do you remember the obnoxious douche from the bar the night we met?”

Levi thought for a moment.  “Yes.”  He looked grim but waited for her to continue

“I knew something was weird with that guy.  He had the same look in his eyes as the guys from last night.  He was a Burner, wasn’t he?”

Levi was quiet for a moment.  “I never got a good look at him.  But, yeah, I’m pretty sure he was.  I was going to go after him…but I was—distracted,” he smirked.  “I figured since he was so easy to get rid of he must be a pretty weak Ignis.  Usually, they don’t just go away that easy.”

“I got the feeling that if other people weren’t around that he would definitely have caused more trouble.  I just figured he was a potential date rapist or something.  Do you think pissing him off could have caused those two from last night to come after Jamie and I?  Over something that simple?”

“Well, if the guy was embarrassed or pissed off enough—sure I guess.  Burners aren’t really reasonable.  Or necessarily make a lot of sense.  But,” his brow winkled, “that’s still a pretty extreme reaction over just being blown off  I guess if he has other Burners working for him or tied to him somehow, they could have come after you at his orders.”  Levi seemed doubtful as he tried to work out the plausibility of that theory.

Harley didn’t know how to feel.  The thought that everything could have been because she blew one loser off was more than she could bear and seemed impossibly ridiculous.  Levi seemed to read her thoughts, “You can’t blame yourself.  It doesn’t take much at all to draw the attention of an Ignis.  And we don’t even know for sure that it was you he was after.  He could have been watching me for a while and saw I was interested in you.  He could have been hoping you would be easy to lead off and I would come after you.  When you didn’t he could have decided to try coming after you later—at home.”

“But how did they know where I live?  Why did those two come after me?  Why not the guy himself?”

“More than likely they followed you at some point.  You go to that bar a lot, right?  As for why not the guy himself?  Those two may have been his lackeys.   They may have been planning on bringing you back to him until things went sour.”

“If they were after you, why didn’t they just wait until you came back?  Why attack Jamie and me?”  Harley came back to problem in their theory that they were after Levi.  She, so badly, wanted to believe that they were after Levi and not her.  Harley didn’t know if she could handle knowing that Jamie’s death was her fault.

Levi thought for a moment.  “You’re right.  I don’t think we can assume they were after me.”  He sounded regretful, like he also wished he could take the blame for this tragedy.  The sentiment warmed Harley slightly.

“Why were you there last night anyway?”  The question had been nagging at Harley for a while now.

Levi rubbed his face with one hand.  Harley realized that was his quirk—he rubbed his face when he was stressed and she found it inexplicably endearing.  “I could tell something was going on.  It was in the air.  It’s like a restlessness.  I was driving around trying to get a sense of where it was coming from.  I realized I was near your place and just…got the feeling I should drive by…luckily I did.”

“Yeah, I’m glad you did.  Too bad it wasn’t a few minutes sooner.”  The words had slipped out before Harley could stop them.

Levi looked regretful but he didn’t bother apologizing.  He knew that her pain was just popping off in anger at whatever it could.  The anger began to build upon itself and suddenly Harley felt the rage seething through her again.  The pointlessness of the attack made her rage even more bitter.  She stood up and looked around the room desperately seeking a way to diffuse the tight coil of emotions that was pounding their way through the walls she had rebuilt.  Seeing her now empty glass on the table she snatched it up and without thinking slung it across the room.  The glass exploded in fine shards against the far wall.  The crystalline mist and sharp crack eased some of the tension inside her.  Levi continued to watch her silently only raising his eyebrows at her outburst.  She picked up his empty glass and sent it on the same path as hers.  When she still felt the rage burning inside her, she picked up the bottle of Jack.  Before she could throw it across the room as well, Levi caught her wrist.

“I know you are pissed, but there is no sense in wasting good liquor,” he said trying to defuse her anger.  With his free hand he sat the bottle on the table but didn’t let go of her wrist.

How could he make jokes at a time like this?  She stared at him in disbelief.  She tried to pull her wrist free.  Her struggling did no good.  He had a good grip and she couldn’t break his hold.  She pushed against him with her free hand and he grabbed that too.  She struggled against him using all her strength.  It didn’t seem to take any real trying for him to hold onto her.  He didn’t get angry and he didn’t try to talk her down.  Instead, he patiently waited for her to tire herself out.  The anger burned through her and she growled and fought against Levi’s hold.  She wanted to fight, to break more stuff.  She knew it wouldn’t do any good, but it would feel good.  She wasn’t really mad at Levi and she was grateful that he didn’t let her go.  Fighting against him was a relief from the rage—it was a pressure release that allowed her fury to vent itself.  Eventually, she siphoned enough of the pain to stop struggling and waited for him to let go of her.  Her nostrils flared as she panted like an angry beast.

Sensing that she was regaining control, Levi let go of her wrists and she flexed and rubbed them to sooth the irritated skin.  “Are you done?” he asked her.

“No,” she shot back stubbornly and began pacing around the room.  No longer in a destructive and blind rage she stalked the room with clenched fists.

“Well, what are you going to do then?  Break more stuff?”

“Maybe,” she snapped.  “What else do you suggest I do?” she snapped.

“How about getting even?”

Harley pulled up short.  “What?” she asked suspiciously.  “How would I do that?  These things aren’t human, right?”

“Right.”

“How am I going to get even then?”

“Fight them,” he answered simply.

Harley met held his gaze, “What are you suggesting?”  She went still, her interest peaked enough to stop her raging around the room.

“Do you want to be able to fight them?  Fairly?”

Harley considered briefly.  “Absolutely.  But how am I supposed do that?”

Levi smiled, “Be a supernatural creature yourself.”  He smile grew wider.  “Become Nocte.”

Chapter 6

Harley stared at Levi, temporarily at a loss for words.  He didn’t say anything else, he simply watched her in return—waiting for her to come to terms with what he offered.

“Seriously?” Harley asked him finally.  She could feel her anger subsiding as she was distracted by Levi’s suggestion.

“I wouldn’t offer if I wasn’t serious about it.  It’s not like I’m offering you a beer.  This is not a small offer—or decision.”

“Well, yeah.  I totally get that.”  She stood with her back to the fire.  “I’m just—I don’t know—surprised that you are offering.  Aren’t vampires supposed to be opposed to turning people?  Because of the sacrifice and what not?”

Harley could tell that Levi was struggling to not react to her sarcasm.  “First of all—stop calling me a vampire.  Secondly—Nocte are powerful, eternally young and virtually immortal.  That’s hardly a curse—”

“You said there were downsides though.”  Again Harley was surprised to realize that she truly did believe Levi.  Yep, I’ve moved right out of logic and I’ve moved right into crazyville.  Not only did she believe Levi, but she was considering his offer.  As soon as he had spoken the words that vengeful part of her perked up, sensing its opportunity for retribution.

“I was getting to that,” Levi continued.  “Not everyone can take the bond.  I believe that you are strong enough too—otherwise I wouldn’t have suggested it.  But some people aren’t”

“What happens to them?”

“Usually—nothing.  These days it’s possible to bring someone back from the brink of death.  In history, before the medical advancements that we have now, people often died if they rejected the bond.  But today it’s kind of rare for that to happen.”

Possible death was daunting to say the least.  But knowing that she could mostly likely be brought back didn’t seem so bad to Harley.  There was danger to most aspects of life—to one degree or another.  She was a rollercoaster rider, a bungee jumper.  Given the opportunity, she took risks.   She maintained a nice boring life because she knew that it was safe and comfortable.  But part of her struggled against boring and when she let it loose, that part took the bait and ran with it.  It was the same drive that led her to jumping into bed with men that she didn’t know that well.  She kept herself safe and guarded so much that when she let go—she dove off the cliff and hoped there weren’t rocks below.  Besides, she told herself, you are surely wanted for questioning by the police.  Your best friend is dead.  You have no family.  What have you really got to lose?  It was that wild, reckless, kamikaze part of her that brushed aside her fear of death and continued the conversation.  “What other drawbacks are there?”

Levi seemed only slightly surprised by her lack of concern over possible death, but he left it alone. “You’ll mostly have to live at night.  Like I said, you CAN go out during the day, but you’ll be weaker so it’s really not all that safe.”

“I’m a red-head.  I’m used to not doing well in the sun,” Harley responded with dryly.  “Keep going.”

“It’s a hard life.  The Nocte aren’t evil.  But it’s a lot of power to contend with.  It’s a struggle to do the right thing.  It’s a struggle to not let the darkness overwhelm you.  It’s a struggle to maintain focus on the important things.”  Levi paused, measured his words carefully.  “It’s not unheard of for a Nocte to lose themselves in the power of the darkness.  To get drunk on their new found power.  To blackout on Ignis blood.  To let themselves get lost in base needs and functions.  Rogue Nocte on a hunting frenzy is dangerous.  It puts everyone at risk.  The Nocte themselves, the humans around them, the Praesidio—they are all at risk if Nocte lose focus.”

Harley took his warning seriously.  “Do Nocte lose control often?”

Levi considered briefly, “Maybe one out of twenty are not able to handle it.”

That prompted a question that Harley hadn’t thought of yet.  “How many of you are there?”

“Nocte?”

“Yeah.”

“A few thousand.”

“What about Ignis or Lux?”

“There are definitely more Ignis than either one of Lux or Nocte.  Probably more than us combined.  And lately the imbalance seems to be even greater than normal.  I think the balance between Lux and Nocte are pretty close right now though,” he showed a crack in his calm demeanor by running his fingers through his hair roughly.

“Why are there more Ignis than Lux or Nocte?”

“The bonding process for Ignis is easier than with the Nocte—and Lux I guess.  And there are more opportunities for an Ignis bond,” Levi answered, letting the implications of that hang in the air.

Harley was saddened by that fact, but not surprised.  She began pacing again, chewing at her cuticles—a habit that she always thought she had ditched—until she caught herself doing it again.  The idea of accepting some sort of creature into herself took her breath away and appalled her on some levels.  Strength, youth and immortality sounded wonderful—VIRTUAL immortality, Harley reminded herself.  But the idea of losing control over herself gave her the chills.  Giving another creature—being—person—whatever—power over her wasn’t something that she was used to accepting.  “Does it feel like something has control over you?” she asked thoughtfully.

Levi considered this before he answered.  “No.  Like I said before, it’s more like having a devil on your shoulder or something.  You feel stronger and feel a strong bond to other Nocte.  But you don’t feel like a puppet or anything of the sort.”

That relieved Harley more than she had expected.  “What kind of bond?” she wondered.

Levi sought a way to explain the bond between the Nocte.  “It’s a kinship of shared experiences, really.  An understanding.  A loyalty.”

“Hmm,” Harley replied thoughtfully.  That didn’t sound too intimidating she decided.  “It kinda sounds like a club, or a job,” she reasoned.

Levi considered this, “That’s not too far off really.  We make money.  We consult each other.  We are given guidance and simple rules and we have responsibilities.  But if you follow them then you are allowed to do as you need and want to do.”

“You get paid?”

“Yeah—not much.  But if you are responsible you will have plenty.  When you live pretty much forever and never get sick and have only basic needs—it’s easy to acquire wealth.”

“Where does the money come from?” Harley asked.

Levi shrugged.  “There is a fund.  It’s grown over time.  It’s invested and has interest.  It’s surprisingly corporate these days.  Our commanders control it through a ‘committee.’”

Harley nodded.  “You said there were rules.  What exactly are the rules?”

“Kill Burners.  Try to keep human knowledge to a bare minimum.  Don’t lose control.  And fulfill your responsibility to the Praesidio,” Levi shrugged.  “Simple.”

Harley had some doubt that it was as simple as that.  She didn’t think Levi was lying to her.  But she knew that it was complicated and a huge responsibility.  But she also knew that it was something that intrigued her greatly.  And usually, when she was intrigued and her interest piqued, she plunged in and learned to swim after she got into the water.  Not the wisest life philosophy but one that she was used to.

Harley continued with her questions.  “You said Nocte weren’t really immortal.  What does that mean?”

“Anything that is alive can die.  We aren’t any different.  It’s just a lot harder to kill us.  Just like Ignis and Lux.  We can heal from nearly everything—except cutting off our head, destroying our heart or burning us badly enough that the heart or brain is destroyed.  And the Ignis don’t drink blood, but their bite is poisonous.  If it’s a bad enough bite it can kill us.”

Suddenly, another question occurred to Harley and she stopped pacing.  “How old are you?”

Levi smiled his dry smile again, “I was born in 1903.”

Harley felt the floor drop out from underneath her.  “So that makes you…” she tried to do the math in her head.

Levi did the math for her, “109.”

Holy shit “Wow,” she croaked out loud.  “You…definitely look…good for your age?  How exactly should I respond to that?”

“That works,” Levi smirked.

Harley resumed her pacing and Levi watched her quietly.  “Why did you join the Praesidio?”  Even as she asked it, she felt like it was a personal question.

Levi held her gaze for a moment before looking away.  “For the same opportunity I’m offering you.”

Harley wanted to ask more about Levi’s decision to risk death, given the time period—an even greater risk than she herself was considering—but the closed off look on his face made her change her mind.  Finally she asked another question.  “Are there any other drawbacks?”

Levi hesitated, she recognized his hesitation as leading into something she probably wouldn’t like.  “You won’t be able to see your friends or family again,” he said finally.

Harley considered this.  “Because they will want to know why I’m not aging, right?”

“That.  And you’ll be different—to some degree.  It probably won’t be drastic, but it will be noticeable to people who know you well.   Also, it would be dangerous for them.  The Ignis could come after them to get to you.  Plus, human society can’t know about us.”

“Why can’t humans know about you?  Wouldn’t it make sense to tell humans?  So that they can protect themselves?”  The question wasn’t necessarily prompted by the concern of not being able to see her friends again.  It just seemed fair to give humans a chance to defend themselves.

“Humans are happier not knowing—in a lot of ways for a lot of reasons.  The Turba—the Burners—work covertly right now.  If humans knew about them, they would actively hunt the horde.  The Turba wouldn’t be concerned with trying to hide and avoid human knowledge.  They would launch full scale invasions.  While human technology would give them the advantage—there is a difference between an all-out war and small covert operations.  It’s a ‘for the greater good’ thing.  A lot more people would die if there was an all out war.

“Plus, human desire for the bond—either with Nocte or Lux and maybe even in some cases a bond with Ignis—would be overwhelming.  Can you imagine how many misguided people would want to become all powerful and forever young?  Not to mention those that believe we are some sort of angels.”  He let the weight of that statement hang in the air briefly.  The thought made the Harley’s hair stand on end.  She knew the danger of those who used religion as a weapon and they would probably see this as the ultimate weapon.

“And then there are those humans that would want to hunt even without the bond.  They would interfere and mess things up.  We have to train to fight Ignis.  Humans trying to hunt them as well would only cause us more hindrance than it would help.  And there aren’t enough Nocte or Lux to bond with everyone.  And those who did receive a bond—what does human nature tell you of how they would respond to the Nocte’s and Lux’s power that they were denied?”

Harley knew that he had a very good point and she grudgingly agreed with him.  Humans would fear the Lux and Nocte alongside the Ignis.  And people dealt with things they feared with a shoot first ask questions later method.  Lynchings, science experiments, genocide.  Humans certainly did not embrace the objects of their fear.

“I wouldn’t be able to tell even one friend though?  Or even talk to him after the bond?”  Her heart ached thinking how much she wanted to discuss this with Jamie.  The hole that Jamie’s death had left inside her still hemorrhaged brutally.  She couldn’t imagine losing Jamie and Jason both.  She didn’t know Olivia as well, but she considered her a friend too.  Jason and Olivia were the closest friends she had left.

Levi sighed and answered her so softly it was downright gentle for him.  “Do you want to worry about protecting your friend—constantly?”

Harley knew he was right.  She continued pacing as she evaluated her options.  How many friends did she have to lose?  She had a few coworkers who were acquaintances.  But Jason and Olivia were really the only friends she had left.   While she considered them both good friends the pain of losing Jamie outweighed her ability to consider Jason and Olivia’s feelings.  She knew it wasn’t fair to them to let them suffer by not knowing what had happened to her or where she went—but was that more important than ridding the world of as much evil as she could?  Even if the douche from the bar wasn’t responsible for Jamie’s death, she didn’t want the Ignis to hurt more people.  She wanted to make sure that they couldn’t hurt anyone else.  Creatures like that didn’t deserve to walk freely among humans causing and creating pain and chaos.

Even if she didn’t choose to become Nocte and join the Praesidio, would Jason and Olivia be safe?  Wouldn’t she have to worry about more Burners coming for her again—thus putting her friends in danger?  She knew that she wouldn’t feel comfortable potentially exposing her friends to danger.  If blowing that guy off in a bar was enough to piss him off to send “henchmen” after me—what’s he going to do now?  On the other hand, if she was Nocte, she could—would—stay away from those that she cared about.  Thus she would be drawing them away from her friends while at the same time doing her part to reduce the Turba numbers.

Something about the guy from the bar continued to nag at her.  She could imagine--if the Turba were as bad as Levi claimed, that he would want to make her pay for blowing him off.  But he claimed to have known her from somewhere.  At the time she had thought it was just a pick up line.  But was it?  She struggled to remember his features clearly.  She didn’t know if it was just her brain trying to make sense of everything but he did seem vaguely familiar.  She had probably just seen him in the bar before.  Trying to remember was making her head hurt, so she tried to let it go for now.

Harley stopped pacing and looked at Levi again.  He was still standing but no longer watching her.  He was staring into the fire again.  He seemed transfixed by the flames that cast shadows upon his face.  He rested his chin in one hand and propped his elbow in his other hand.  The look was contemplative and intense.  It caused Harley’s stomach to tingle.  Even with everything that she knew about him now she still found him devastatingly handsome—if not more so.  Knowing that he wasn’t really human didn’t bother her.  He still seemed human.  He was still the kind person that made her feel comfortable.  She just understood now why he was so standoffish and wary.  But she didn’t see him as a monster.  When she chuckled softly he turned away from the flames.

“What’s so funny?”

“I’m just wondering if all the vampire porn I’ve read has prepared me for this.  I just can’t believe that I believe all of this…and that I’m considering becoming Nocte,” Harley explained shaking her head.

Levi gave one of his rare, genuine laughs.  He rubbed his face with both hands and slowly returned to his seat on the couch.  Despite the tension in his jaw and eyes he assumed a relaxed posture again.  Harley remained standing—taking her turn in staring into the darkness outside the window.  The night looked different now.  It wasn’t just a time when the world slept anymore.  She saw it as a whole other world now.  One that was exciting and dangerous and Levi was offering to bring her into this world.  Something new occurred to her.

It wasn’t jealousy that made her ask, it was simple curiosity.  Well OK, maybe a little jealousy, she admitted to herself.  “How many other people have you brought into the Praesidio?”

When he didn’t answer after few moments of staring quietly into the fire, she almost asked again thinking he hadn’t heard her.  Still not looking at her, he finally answered.  “None.”

Harley wasn’t sure what to think about that.  In 90-some odd years he hadn’t brought anyone else into the Praesidio.  The fact that he was offering this to her both scared her and flattered her.  “Then why ME?  I’m no one special”

Levi finally looked at her, holding her gaze steadily.  “Because you are strong.  You have a lot of self-control—when you want to have it,” he laughed.  “Because I think you deserve a chance to have your revenge.  And really, what favor would I be doing if I didn’t?  You deserve the right—the ability—the chance—to protect yourself.

As to why I never brought anyone else in?”  Levi was thoughtful for a few moments.  “I just never felt compelled to.  Honestly, I think…I think I was supposed to be here when this happened.  I think you were meant to be Nocte.”

Harley was stunned.  “Meant how?  You mean like fate?  Or divine intervention?”

“Not really.  Not like that,” Levi answered, brushing off the religious implications.  “Sometimes the Nocte seem to have a plan and influence our actions without us even realizing it.  Nothing overt, but when I was deciding where to go next I was trying to decide between Ohio and Kentucky.  I went with Kentucky.  Maybe my Nocte pushed me in this direction,” he shrugged

Harley wasn’t as concerned by this as maybe she should have been.  It didn’t seem all that unusual.  People believed that they were influenced by a “higher” power every day.  Who’s to say if that power comes from above or from inside?

“Regardless,” Levi finished.  “I think you have the strength to bond with a Nocte. “

As a human she wouldn’t be able to adequately defend herself—or her friends—they could all be dead soon.  What was her other option?  Relying on Levi to protect them?  She felt her hackles rise over that.  He hadn’t exactly offered and she wasn’t going to ask—or allow it either.  She wouldn’t ever be OK with not being able to take care of herself.

Levi seemed to read her mind.  “I have no intention of letting the Burners hurt you—or anyone else.  But I can’t always be there.”  He was silent for a moment before continuing carefully.  “If you do accept the bond, you have to know…we won’t always be able to be together then either.  Part of my job—my responsibility—is to travel.  I have to be on the road a lot.  And as a Nocte, you’ll be assigned to a specific area.”

Harley’s first reaction was annoyance.  “Do you honestly think I would be doing this to be with you?”  Levi braced himself to respond but Harley continued before he could.  “Look, I like you.  I care about you.  But I’m not in love with you.  I’m not considering this—giving up my life—for YOU.”

Levi looked like he wasn’t sure if he wanted to be offended or relived.  “Well…OK…that’s good,” he said finally with a small smile that might just have seemed to be a little proud.

Harley began pacing again.  Neither of them spoke for a while.  “You said I would be assigned to a specific area?”  Levi nodded.  “Who decides that?  And where would it be?”

“You would end up wherever there was a need.  The General usually offers a few areas where there is a need—if there is more than one.  You would probably get to decide between them.”

“The General?”

“Yes.  Each country that has a Praesidio presence has at least one general.  The Eastern U.S. general is Nya.”

“Oh.”  Harley didn’t know what else to say.  She had lots of other questions but she felt her headache growing.  The more she thought about everything, the more she tried to understand it—the worse her head hurt.  She needed to stop thinking for a while.  She had been pacing the room slowly while Levi sat staring at the small fire in front of him, but she had grown tired of pacing.  She had finally walked out the questions that had been rattling around inside her brain.

Done pacing, Harley stopped and stood silently in front of Levi between him on the couch and the coffee table.  She stopped chewing on her cuticles and took a deep breath.  “I need more time to think about this.”

“I would be worried if you didn’t,” he replied evenly, looking up at her.  Harley looked at him reclined on the couch.  She was surprised to feel the flutter in her stomach that made her shiver.  Her brain tried to force her body to concentrate on the important things right now.  But her body had seemingly decided it wanted to feel good for a while instead.  It was apparently tired of stress, anxiety and sadness.  She had spent the past 24 hours angry, terrified and confused and needed something to distract her from how bad she felt.

Her thoughts must have shone on her face because Levi’s hand reached out and grabbed the waistband of her jeans.  She gasped as her pulled her roughly onto the couch with him.  She managed to straddle him surprisingly graceful, instead of simply falling into his lap.  She gripped his shoulders as he pulled her face to his.  He began the kiss but she finished it.  He held onto her hair as he nibbled at her lips and the hunger behind the kiss took her breath away.  She grabbed handfuls of his shirt and held him as tightly to her as he held her.  He only ended the kiss so that he could pull her shirt over her head as she struggled to get his off at the same time. Frantically, they tore at each other and Harley found herself on her back pulling Levi on top of her.  The sex wasn’t just for physical enjoyment it was a release of pent up frustration.  It was a catharsis.

Levi unbuttoned Harley’s jeans and she helped him by kicking them off.  As he unbuttoned his own pants Harley pushed his hands away to do it herself.  Levi didn’t stop her and used the opportunity to unzip her sports bra.  He brushed the bra aside and rubbed his face against her chest.  The rough scraping of his whiskers raised goose pimples over her skin and she moaned with the pleasure of the sensation.  She didn’t bother to pull his pants all the way off, not wanting to push him far enough away to make the action possible.   Instead, she freed him as much as necessary and ran her hand along him gently teasing a shudder from him as she did so.

Finally, she guided him into herself and he growled against her ear sending shivers up her spine.  He thrust himself inside and she met him eagerly.  She wrapped her legs around his waist tried hard to not dig her nails into his back.  After she remembered that it didn’t really matter if she did or not, she stopped holding back.  She wasn’t sure how hard she clawed him, but he hissed as her nails dug in.  He pulled away enough to look at her and she saw that his eyes had dilated again.  She smiled at him wickedly and he responded by biting her neck.  He didn’t use the fangs that she has seen earlier because he wasn’t trying to break the skin.  Instead of hurting, the bite heightened the pleasure that coursed through Harley’s body.  It was the sharp edge to the bite that brought out the soft edge of pleasure in contrast.  Experiencing the highs of both pain and pleasure sent chills over her again and she began to feel the blissful tension thrumming though out her body.

As she came Harley’s back arched against Levi’s chest and she cried out throwing her head back.  Levi soon followed her growling into her neck.  Neither of them moved for a while.  They lay where they collapsed recovering from the torrent of physical release they had just shared.  Harley was trying to catch her breath but Levi didn’t seem to be all that winded.  Well that makes sense now, Harley smiled to herself.  Her muscles still shuddered slightly and she could feel sweat beneath her back.  She basked in the afterglow, enjoying every tired muscle and drop of sweat.  Levi’s hand was still grasping her hair and she allowed herself a weak moment to turn into it.  She placed her face against his fist and as she did so he opened his hand and cupped her cheek.  She only allowed herself a brief moment before she turned away again.  Harley had built up enough endorphins to counteract the rawness of her anger and sadness for a while.  When she pulled away Levi finally unburied his face and stared down at her.   His eyes had returned to normal again and he was giving her his half smile.

She pulled him down by the back of his neck and kissed him again before squirming out from underneath him.  They both climbed from the couch and began to get dressed again.  They didn’t say anything but they didn’t need to.  When they were together it wasn’t awkward or uncomfortable and nothing was missing between them that needed to be filled in by talking about it.  They both knew where they stood and what they both needed from each other.  They made each other feel good and that was what they needed at the moment.

The combination of the warm fire and the physical exertion left Harley sweaty and stuffy.  “I’m going to go outside and get some air,” she said with a small smile.

Levi only hesitated slightly, “Keep an eye out.  If you see or hear ANYTHING unusual just yell for me.  I need to make some phone calls.”

“OK,” Harley agreed.  Stepping onto the porch, Harley was embraced by the cool night air.  It was cool enough that she should have put a jacket on, but she wanted to feel the coolness against her skin.  She sat on the steps and looked up at the night sky.  Outside the city the stars were so much more visible.  It reminded her of being a little girl.  Whenever her parents would fight she would escape outside and sit in the dog house with Digger, the mutt she had as a child.  They would watch the stars together and she would make up stories about queens from outer space to drown out the sounds of her parents fighting.  That dog had been more than a pet.  He had been a brother, a friend and a guardian.  No one could have come near her, or laid a hand on her, whenever Digger was around.  Thinking about her parents and her beloved dog brought back painful memories.

She remembered how much it hurt when her father had taken Digger away.  He had been part pitbull and someone had offered her father money for him as a baiter dog in fights.  She had screamed and cried until she threw up but her father had only pushed her away and ignored her crying.  She felt like crying that hard again whenever she thought about losing her best friend for a second time.  But just as when she was a child, she knew it wouldn’t do any good for her to give into the misery she felt.

Unlike when she was a child, she could fight back now though.  She could avenge her friend this time.  She couldn’t change what had happened, but she could make sure that it happened to as few people as she could.  She already knew what her answer to Levi was going to be.  She had considered all that she had to lose and all that she had to gain.  The opportunity to fight back for those who couldn’t fight for themselves and to maybe someday avenge Jamie’s death was just too tempting to ignore.  She was confident that she would regret not doing it more than she would regret doing it.  She still had a few questions, but she wanted to let them go for a while.  The sun would be up soon and she was exhausted and again she just wanted to sleep right now and think later.

Harley went back inside the cabin, locking the door behind her.  Levi was sitting at the dining table spinning his phone on the table in front of him.  He raised an eyebrow at her as she walked towards him.  She placed herself behind his chair and gripped his shoulders, massaging them firmly.  He wrapped his arms behind his head and around her waist.

“What it is like being a part of the Praesidio?” she asked finally.

He answered slowly, “Working for the Praesidio is…fine.  There are some that are hard to work with.  Some are a little crazy,” he chuckled at that.  “But for the most part everyone understands why they are there and we all work together to make it happen.”

“For the most part?”

“Yeah, like I said, some are difficult, some are crazy.  But if you do your job the Praesidio will support you.  There isn’t much point in asking someone to do something they don’t want to do, or can’t.  If you kill Ignis, try not to start trouble with the Lux or the humans--then you will be fine.”

Harley could tell that he believed that so she took comfort in that.  “And you said that it doesn’t really hurt to become a Nocte?”

“It’s different for different people.  Pain is subjective.  Physically—not much happens to your body.  And for what does happen you aren’t conscious—so what you feel physically is going to be limited.  Emotionally—that’s not something that I can tell you.  That’s what most different for everyone.”

Harley could easily believe that.  People handled emotional shock and mental trauma differently.  Nothing seemed like it could be worse than what she had already been through in her life.  Some rational part of her brain tried to point out that she wasn’t in the best state of mind to judge what kind of emotional and mental events in an unbiased way right now.  But that small rational voice wasn’t loud enough to drown out the louder—reckless part of her brain that was currently clamoring for attention.

Levi was quiet for several minutes before he spoke again.  “One other thing I have to point out—it’s a big one.”  Harley stiffened, preparing herself, feeling like this was the other shoe finally dropping.  “The Nocte—we can’t have children,” he added.

“Oh,” Harley was thoughtful.  Is that a deal breaker?  She hadn’t ever planned on having kids, but she hadn’t ever been told that she couldn’t and it took some thinking to figure out how she felt about that.  When she tried to imagine herself with a child she didn’t get warm fuzzy feelings.  Instead, it just reminded her of what it felt like to be a child—and to be at the mercy of the people who were supposed to be taking care of you.  It wasn’t a good feeling.  Even though she knew that she wouldn’t do the things that her parents had done—she didn’t feel like she could give enough of herself to a child to be fair.  She shook her head coming to the conclusion she had begun with.

“I never planned on having children.  I’m fine with not having them,” she said simply.

Levi tilted his head back and looked at her, “Are you sure about that?  Once you make this decision, you can’t go back.  If the bond takes the only way to break it is to die.”

Harley took a deep breath and turned away from Levi’s gaze.  Looking out the window and into the darkness she made her final decision.  “I can live with that.”

Chapter 7

The sun began to peak out of the horizon a short time later so Harley and Levi went to bed and this time she didn’t have any trouble falling asleep.  She lay in the bed with Levi curled around her back and let the exhaustion, both mental and physical, pull her down into the darkness of sleep.  It felt like only minutes later when she woke up coughing and choking—clawing at her throat.  Levi had snapped awake with her when she bolted upright in bed.  He rubbed her back and waited for her to catch her breath.  She gulped for air, trying to convince her body that she wasn’t drowning in smoke.

She could still feel the burn in her lungs and throat as she sat in bed trying to catch her breath.  She could smell the fire as if it just happened and her breath caught in her throat.  When she felt more in control of herself she looked back at Levi.  He lay in the bed, only half awake, continuing to rub her back.

“Are you OK?” he croaked.

Harley nodded, not trusting herself to speak yet.  Her brain had figured out that it had all been a dream, but her body was still playing catch up.  Her heart still pounded against her ribs and her lungs still burned.  She scooted away from Levi and slid out of bed.  The sun was still up, but she wasn’t going to be able to go back to sleep after the rush of adrenaline from the dream.  Levi sat up in bed letting the blanket fall to his waist.  He squinted at her and rubbed his eyes.  The light peeked around the curtains casting a dim glow on his bare skin.  She could just make out the sturdy muscles that flexed beneath his tattoo.  From the pit of her stomach she felt the twitch of longing.  She wanted to climb back into bed and curl against him underneath his arm and trace her finger along those lines etched into his skin.  She knew that he would make her feel safe and she may even possibly find sleep again before the sun set.  But she slammed the door on that thought and pulled her jeans on underneath the tee-shirt she had slept in.

“I’m going to go get some air,” she said without looking at him.

Levi looked like he wanted to argue for a minute.  But either he knew that it wouldn’t do any good, or he didn’t have the energy, or some combination of the two.  Instead, he just nodded, “Remember, stay alert, call for me if you see or hear anything weird.  Anything.”

Harley nodded her agreement and silently slipped out of the bedroom door.  If she had stayed with Levi she knew that she would have been compelled to explain the dream.  She had seen the curious look in Levi’s eyes as he watched her regain her composure.  She knew that he wouldn’t have forced her to tell him but she didn’t want to lay there with him looking at her like he was worried about her either.

Harley stepped into the cool, late afternoon air and took a deep breath.  The clean and crisp air cleared away the last of the burning in her lungs.  Now her body just felt raw and empty.  She sat on the wooden porch swing and drew her legs up underneath her.  She didn’t want to remember that night from her childhood but the images continued to flash chaotically across her mind.  She watched two squirrels chase after each other rolling over one another playfully.  The incongruity jarred against the memory of her parents rolling over each other.  Their actions hadn’t been playful.  They had been full of rage and anger and frenzy.  They didn’t even seem to pay attention to the flames that scorched the walls of their ramshackle house.  Harley had hid under the table unable to leave her parents or save herself.  Some primal part of her kept waiting for her parents to realize the danger and remember her and when they remembered her they would come and sweep her up and get them all out of the house.  But that hadn’t happened.  Someone else had scooped her up from under the table.

She didn’t see the person, or hear them, before they pulled her backwards away from the fire and her parents and the table.  It was the movement of someone yanking her up from underneath her shelter that had broken the dazed state that she was in and she finally began screaming.  She didn’t fight the person holding her, but as she watched her parents fight under the flames a shrill piercing scream broke from within her.  When the person carrying her cradled her to their chest she was finally able to see who had her.  It was Andy, the young man who lived with his wife next door.  They had always been nice to her.  They had always given her food or candy and let her play in their back yard with their dog after Digger had been taken away.  She didn’t stop screaming until she was outside the house clutching Andy and watching her home and parents burn.

Later, the she had overheard the police talking to Andy and his wife Tally.  They had heard the fighting but before they had a chance to call the police the small, rundown house had caught fire.  Andy ran in to get Harley out.  She heard him tell the policeman that he had not even considered going back inside for her parents.  He said it both angrily and sadly.  He had explained to the cop how often the Finn’s fought.  How once John Finn had spent the entire night passed out in the front yard.  He told them about the string of men that Mary Finn had brought into the house in front of both her husband and her daughter.  Harley had been embarrassed at hearing her life described to this stranger.  She was embarrassed that even Andy knew the things her parents had done.  She may have only been seven, but she knew that her parents were bad people.  It had made her sad and embarrassed for other people to know.

She had been sent to foster care after that.  The lady from CPS had tried to tell her nicely that her parents had died in the fire.  But how can you say something like that nicely to a seven year old?  Harley had cried silently.  She only knew that she was crying because she could feel the tears running down her cheeks.  The lady kept looking at her funny and that’s when she realized that she was smiling as she cried.  The nice lady hadn’t questioned Harley’s response.  It wasn’t surprising that a child that had lived through what Harley lived through could both be happy and sad about her parent’s deaths.  She just smiled at Harley sadly.

She had lived in one foster home after another until she turned eighteen.  Some were better than others.  All of them better than the home that had burned.  She made good grades and stayed out of trouble.  She had learned that this was the best way to coast through the many homes that she had lived in.  If she stayed away from trouble, trouble usually stayed away from her.  It was high school before she found a real home.  She met Jamie in school and began spending more and more time at Jamie’s house.  The Andrews had always made her feel welcome, as if she was part of the family.  Not in a way that they pitied her.  But as truly part of the family.  She had chores and a curfew on the nights that she stayed with them—she finally had parents who parented.  Her foster family didn’t care where she was.  They weren’t cruel or mean.  They just didn’t care all that much about her, they just wanted their check for taking her in.  As long as she wasn’t getting into trouble, thus bringing trouble to them, they seemed glad she wasn’t around much.  The regularity of the Andrews’ home had been exactly what Harley needed.  She needed parenting and they gave it to her.  She had needed a sister to share secrets with and giggle under the blankets talking about boys and how much they both hated Laura Bollson making fun of Harley’s clothes.  Jamie had been that sister.  The ache of losing Jamie still stabbed at her heart and threatened to take her breath away.

As the cool evening air cleared away some of the lingering adrenaline that had followed the dream the images started coming back to her with more clarity that when she had first woken up.  In the dream she had been a child again.  She hugged her teddy bear and huddled underneath the table while she tried to drown out the sounds of her parents fighting.  Her father was raging and breaking things while her mother followed him around laughing and goading him.  She tossed insults and taunts at him fueling his fury.  Even from across the room she had been able to make out their glassy-eyed glares that warned her that they were drunk and/or high.  Normally, she went outside and hid with Digger when her parents had been in that state.  But Digger was gone and she didn’t want to stay in his empty dog house.

Harley forced herself to focus on the lingering images of her mother and father’s faces from the dream.  As a child she hadn’t been able to tell the difference between her mother and father’s states.  Her father’s eyes sparkled and shone with the alcohol and drugged out glaze of a junkie.  His skin had been grubby and pock marked with the tell-tale signs of his most recent binge.  His clothes were rumpled and dirty and even though she couldn’t smell him from across the room, Harley remembered what he smelled like in that state.  Rank and sour body odor permeated from underneath the smell of liquor and other chemicals.  Her mother, on the other hand, had looked clean and fairly well groomed.  In the past, her perception had been dulled by terror and sadness.  However, now observing the events in a dream eighteen years later, Harley saw that her mother had been different from her father.  Her mother’s eyes had given off a different kind of shine.  Her eyes had glinted with animal light as she stalked after her father, laughing at him maniacally.

In the grip of the dream, Harley had tried to telling herself to move, to get up and run.  She knew how this fight ended and her 25 year old self had screamed at her seven year old body to do something.  The memory of that night was so strong and clear in the dream that, for a moment, Harley forgotten that it was just a dream.  Some part of her had been convinced that if she could just get this little girl to crawl out from underneath the table and do something, things might turn out differently.  Maybe she could call the police.  Maybe she could get her parents attention enough to divert them from the path they were on.  Maybe one of them would get angry enough to chase her out of the house and away from the other.  If only she could separate them things would turn out different.  But no matter how much Harley struggled and fought, she had only been an observer.  Eighteen years ago she had been unable to find the courage to crawl out from underneath her hiding spot and she couldn’t change the past through a dream.

She watched the sun sinking below the horizon.  She let the images of her parents come back to her.  She tried to remember how they looked as they fought that last night.  Both of them had glassy-eyed stares.  As she tried to reconstruct the images Harley kept seeing that her mother’s eyes had glinted and shone like an animal as opposed to her father’s heated dazed stare.  But Harley wasn’t sure if she was remembering the difference between them accurately or not.  There was a possibility that her current knowledge was coloring the past.  Maybe her brain was trying to find reason in her parent’s madness.  But the possibility that her mother was a Burner gnawed at her.  It didn’t seem far-fetched to her-–now knowing what she knew.  Her father might have been the more obviously brutal parent.  But it was her mother that instigated things.  It was her idea to sell Digger.  It was her mother than taunted her father and pushed him until he lashed out and hit her or Harley.  She could still hear the sound of her mother laughing and her father raging.  She had been very young the last time that she saw her parents, but she remembered them and their ways very vividly.  Even a seven year old had a hard time forgetting those kinds of details.

She took a deep breath and pushed away the memories of her childhood.  She had tried hard to forget them and recent events were stirring up the past in ways that made her angry and sad.  She jumped when the screened door of the porch banged closed.  She hadn’t even heard Levi open it.  Wordlessly, he sat next to her on the swing and together they watched the day die and night come alive.  He only wore jeans and Harley couldn’t help but sneak glances at his bare chest.  The chill in the air had raised goose pimples down his arms and his nipples were hard.  She was definitely tempted to bend over and run her tongue around one—knowing he would take her shirt off and return the favor.  A shiver rippled up her spine but it wasn’t from the night air.  She fought against the urge, recognizing that her body had realized that sex was a good way to distract herself from all things unpleasant.

“Do you want to talk about it?” his voice was deep but soft, breaking her train of thought.

Harley was silent for a minute.  “Is there any sort of record of Ignis?  I mean—any way to tell if someone who died a long time ago was Ignis?” she asked, ignoring his question.

Levi frowned thoughtfully and a bit bewildered, “Not really.  We keep records when we know them.  But like I said before, any really old records are very unreliable.  More modern ones are better kept—in the last 100 years or so.  But even then, there is no way for us to be 100% accurate and complete.  So, I guess that is a complicated answer for maybe—but not likely.  Why?”

Harley debated on telling him about her mother and father.  Finally, she decided against it.  She suspected that a part of her might be hopeful that her mom had been Ignis.  At least then she would know that—even if a bad mother—her Mom wasn’t just naturally evil.  She suspected that she was reaching for some shred of understanding.  Regardless, she didn’t want Levi’s pity either.  She shook her head.  “I was just wondering.”  She was sure Levi suspected there was more to the story, but he let it go recognizing she didn’t want to talk about it.

“So,” Harley began, taking a deep breath.  “What now?”

Levi stretched his long legs bracing them against the porch and pushing the swing back enough to require Harley to grab onto the railing to stop herself from falling out of the swing.  He stretched his arms back over his head and groaned, finally coming fully awake and stretching his muscles to shake off the last bits of sleep.

“Well, I’ve already had the motorcycle shipped back to the Den—what we call headquarters.  But I still need to pick up a bag of things from the house I was renting.  Then we will need to head to the Den and you need to meet with Nya.  That’s near Washington, D. C., so it’s about an eight hour drive from here.  If we hurry we might get there before dawn.”

Harley stammered, “Why—What—I mean, why do I have to meet with the General?”

“I told you.  Not everyone can be Nocte.  Think of it as a kind of…interview.”

Harley’s heart beat picked up its pace.  “Um…what?”

“Don’t worry,” Levi quickly assured her.  “It will be fine.  Nya will approve you.  And besides, she’s the one who will initiate your bond.”

“How can you be so sure she will approve?”  Harley’s mind raced and her annoyance showed on her face.  All this internal debate and decision could end up being completely moot.  If the General didn’t agree then it was all for nothing.

“Because, I told you.  I wouldn’t offer if I wasn’t sure you could handle it.”  He paused, taking one of his conversation breaks as he often did, staring out into the night.  “Considering I’ve never brought anyone to be changed before, Nya is already intrigued.”

“You’ve already told her about me?”  Harley hated the squeak that broke her voice.

“Last night, that was one of the calls I made.  They are expecting us.”  He chuckled.  Nya is a talker, so I’m pretty sure the whole Den is in an uproar that I’m bringing someone back.”  He found this much more amusing that Harley did.  Her hands were clammy and her heart still beat against her ribs.  She had no idea what to expect and her brain was already trying to devise a plan.

“What kind of interview?  Is it like an audition?  A test of what?”

“It’s different for different people,” Levi shrugged.

Harley growled in frustration.  “A little more information would be helpful.”

Levi turned to her and cupped her face between his hands.  “Don’t worry,” he looked into her eyes intently his blue eyes steady and reassuring, “I am confident that you will be fine.  Nya will agree with me.”

“What if she doesn’t,” Harley asked, trying not to panic.

Levi looked sideways at her.  “Then we wipe your memory and assign you to clean up duty.”

He laughed at the stricken look on her face.  “I’m kidding! Everything will be fine,” he said again.

Harley wondered how much of that was a joke but didn’t continue to argue.  She decided to take Levi’s word for it.  Worrying about one more thing wasn’t going to help her.  And besides, worrying about a thing that she couldn’t even envision would only drive her crazy.  Crazier?  Harley pulled her face from Levi’s hands.

“Fine.  OK.  What’s first?  I would like to take a shower before we leave.”

“Me too,” Levi replied wiggling his eye brows at her mischievously.  Harley rolled her eyes.

“So you think you can distract me with sex?” she asked, trying not to smile.

“Absolutely,” he stated without cracking a smile.  “But first, I’m going to make sure that you can shoot a gun.”

“Huh?” Harley’s brain fought to change gears.

“Go put on shoes.  I’ll quickly run over the basics of shooting a gun.  In case we run into any trouble between here and the Den and it’ll be your first ‘Ignis fighting lesson.’”

Harley hesitated.  She knew a little about guns, and one of her foster brothers had let her shoot his once.  But guns still kind of freaked her out.  The idea of an inanimate object that had the potential to end life was daunting and she didn’t relish the idea of having to be in control over that object.  She knew that she needed to be able to use one though, so she clamped down on her nerves.  “OK,” she agreed finally.

--------------------------

Fifteen minutes later she was standing behind the cabin with Levi pressed against her back.  She was dressed in one of the tee-shirts that he had brought her and jeans and boots with a dark green hoodie to keep warm against the chill.  Levi was dressed similarly.  Harley wiped the sweat off her hands on her jeans and tried to look less nervous than she was.  Levi had just explained how to load and hold the gun and how to aim properly.  She raised the gun into position and he talked to her softly, easing away the discomfort of holding a deadly weapon in her hands.

Finally, when he thought she was ready, Levi directed her, “When you are ready, pull the trigger.”

Harley took several more deep breaths and measured the target—the empty Jack Daniels bottle perched on a stump about twenty feet away.  Even though night had fallen she didn’t have any trouble making out the bottle.  There was enough moonlight and light from the house that once her eyes adjusted, she could see fine.  She held the gun steadily.  The nice thing about the shotgun was not having to aim perfectly.  The spray from the shell would give her a lot more room for error than a handgun would.  This fact was why Levi had brought a shotgun for her. Finally, releasing a deep breath she forced her eyes open wide and she pulled the trigger.  The kick rocked her back and even though she was in a reinforced, shooting stance.  Her planted back leg absorbed most of the recoil but she still bumped into Levi, her back thumping into his chest.  Simultaneously, the bottle shattered, spraying broken glass around the stump.  A healthy amount of wood splinters were also kicked up as well.  So, while she may not have made a direct hit, she was close enough to get the job done.

Levi smiled down at her and she felt the adrenaline pick up as her heart lurched in her chest.  The power of the gun in her hands was exciting and it wasn’t as scary once she knew how to use it.  She continued to practice to get comfortable and more proficient with the gun.  They used other bottles, soup cans and even some dishes.  Soon the ground was littered with debris.  They practiced until she didn’t need Levi to stand behind her anymore.  They practiced situations as well.  Such as having her turn and fire at the target or once even making her run around the cabin several times and then having to find the target that Levi had hid, and shoot it as quick as possible on her last lap.  When Harley found the target, hiding underneath the low-hanging branches of a tree, and exploded it, she declared herself done.  She was out of breath, her shoulders ached and her ears were ringing.  Her arms vibrated from the repeated shock of the shotgun fire.  She felt powerful and had, surprisingly, enjoyed herself.  She felt good knowing how to use the gun and the blast and destruction she wrought eased even more of the brimming chaos inside her.  She didn’t feel so exposed and at the mercy of things stronger than her.  The gun had equaled things out—even if only a little.  Now she felt like she had a chance if she came face to face with a Burner.

Levi had been watching her from near the door of the cabin.  “Yeah, I think you are comfortable enough with the gun now.”  His eyes glinted as he watched her walk towards him.  His arms were crossed over his chest and he wore a small smile.  He looked distinctly proud of the advancements Harley had made with the gun.  Even though it wasn’t loaded she carried it pointed towards the ground like he showed her.  Without a word he took the gun from her and entered the cabin.  Harley followed him shaking her arms and hands to work out the muscle soreness.  Her limbs felt rubbery and worthless.  Levi laid the gun on the table and without a word turned to Harley.

He grabbed her roughly pressed her against the wall.  She barely had time to catch her breath before his mouth covered hers.  Obviously someone enjoyed watching me make things explode, she chuckled to herself.  She raised her legs and wrapped them around his waist.  He pushed away from the wall and carried her to the bathroom kissing her neck and twisting his hands in her hair as they went.  Something about being so close to danger—both the shotgun and the thought and preparation for fighting made them both aware of the present moment.  It made them reach out to seek life and distraction from the now.

Chapter 8

The shower took considerably longer than necessary.  However, they were washed, packed, dressed and on the road less than three hours after having gotten out of bed.  It was looking like wishful thinking that they would be able to make the drive to the Den in one night.  As they loaded the supplies into the truck Levi tossed the keys to Harley.

Off guard, she barely caught them.  “You’re letting me drive?”

“Yeah.  If something happens I can deal with it better if I’m not driving.  Plus it will be quicker for me to hop out and run into the house this way.”

“Humpf,” Harley replied, raising her eyebrows.  But she didn’t argue and was glad to drive.  She was always impressed when guys were willing to not argue about driving.

They piled into the SUV and she adjusted the seat as Levi programmed the address into the GPS.  She pulled away from the cabin as Levi got comfortable on the passenger’s side.  Traffic picked up as they headed west into Lexington and Harley noticed Levi checking the mirrors to make sure they hadn’t drawn any attention or was being followed.  As they made their way back into town Harley realized that they had not driven as far as it seem when fleeing the night she was attacked.  They were only about 30 minutes outside of Lexington.

Watching Levi monitor traffic she asked, “Do you really think they will find us?  Just suddenly pop out when we’ve been gone for days?”

Levi looked at her steadily, “It’s possible.  I’m sure they are still on the lookout for us.  It’s better to be safe than sorry.”  Harley didn’t disagree.  She just kept following the GPS’s directions to Levi’s house.

Harley pulled into the driveway.  It wasn’t particularly late, but this late into the year it was dark early and the street was quiet.  Only a few houses had lights on.

“Is this really necessary,” she asked.  As quiet as the street was, she couldn’t help but feel as if they were too exposed—sitting ducks.

“Unfortunately—yes.  I still have a lot of weapons here.  I can’t leave them.  Humans finding a bag of untraceable silver weapons would be a bad thing.  It might raise an alarm or two, right?  Not to mention, I’d rather not have the Burners get their hands on them.”  As Levi got out he moved the shotgun from the floorboard in the back to the front seat.  He rested it grip facing Harley.  “Just in case,” he cautioned her.  “If you see any Burners—drive away.”  He laid a cellphone on the console between the seats.  “I’ll call you when it’s clear.”

“Ppftt—” Harley started to protest.

Levi narrowed his eyes at her, “This is NOT the time to be stubborn.  Please just do as I ask.”

“But I have—”

“Yes, you have the gun.  But it won’t put up that much of a fight.  It’s just the best thing I have for you to fight with at the moment.  Your best bet is still to run unless you have no other choice.”

Harley narrowed her eyes at him and didn’t answer, but she slumped back in the seat in resignation, crossing her arms over her chest.  Levi shook his head at her but didn’t argue further.  He shut the door quietly and moved quickly into the house peering into the shadows as he went.  He didn’t turn any lights on inside the house but Harley wasn’t surprised.  She assumed he could see pretty well in the dark.

She watched the night outside the truck carefully.  Levi had only been gone a few minutes but her brain had had enough time to start to imagining all sorts of things in the dark.  She didn’t see anything right now but she was still on edge with her gut telling her something was going to happen.  Things never went smoothly when you needed them too.  As if thinking about it willed it to happen, movement suddenly caught her eye.  Something large moved on the side of the house in front of the driveway.  There was no fence that separated the front from the back but there was a large bush against the wall of the house that marked the point where the backyard began.  The movement was a dark shape that just barely peeked from the edge of the bush.  Had she not been looking in that direction at that moment, she would have missed it.  Even though it only lasted for a second she was sure of what she had seen.  It was the edge of someone’s arm and shoulder as they turned and crept towards the back of the house.

Her heart pounded against her in her throat.  There could only be one reason someone would be lurking around the bushes outside of Levi’s house—let alone this time of night.  It had to be an Ignis.  She put her hand on the grip of the shot gun but hesitated.  Levi had told her if she saw any Ignis to run.  She froze, debating her options.  She could honk the horn to warn Levi and leave a layer of rubber as she sped away.  Or she could creep in and be Levi’s backup.  She didn’t want to honk the horn unless she had too.  It would be waving a red cape at the bull for the Ignis to come after her.  And it could also cause the Ignis to spring into action.  They seemed to be on stealth mode at the moment.  They were sneaking up on Levi, maybe she could sneak up on them.  They probably wouldn’t expect her to come for them.

She knew that Levi would be angry with her for not listening to him.  But she just couldn’t make herself drive away.  It just wasn’t in her to leave a friend behind and in trouble.  Even if Levi made it out fine she would feel weak and damsel like.  And she was sure that she would not be OK with that.  It turned her stomach thinking about it.

Making her decision she grabbed the shotgun.  At the last second she thought to turn off the interior light before she opened the door.  There wasn’t any need to shine a spot light on herself.  She eased the door open as quietly as she could.  She left the truck running for a fast get away and stepped down from the vehicle.  It was the softly churning engine that nearly drowned out the sound of something approaching behind her.  It was moving quickly and quietly and there was no mistaking the intent.  Immediately, Harley chastised herself for assuming someone wouldn’t be watching the truck.  It was obvious she had been in it, waiting.  But she didn’t have time to berate herself now, she just hoped for the element of surprise.  She had been holding the gun in front of her and it wouldn’t be easy for someone behind her to tell she carried a weapon.  Taking a deep breath she spun around, raising the gun to chest level as she did so.

Harley came face to face with a woman not much older than she was.  She had long, dirty blonde hair and was waiflike skinny.  Her eyes shone out of her pale face in the street light giving her the sick and creepy look of a possum in the headlights.  Her teeth were bared and she made a growling sound as she lunged at Harley.  Harley didn’t hesitate.  She squeezed the trigger and her sore muscles screamed in protest as fire exploded from the end of the gun.  The woman was only about ten feet from her when she fired and her chest exploded in a cloud of blood.  The Burner stumbled backwards awkwardly looking down at her chest.  She made a garbled “Ugh” sound and met Harley’s eye with a feral glare.

Harley swallowed and waited to see what the Ignis would do.  She still had four rounds in the shotgun and she hoped that more could take the woman down if she had time to fire.  Despite the fact that the woman’s chest showed through her shirt to be shredded and bloody, she didn’t seem as if she would go down anytime soon.  She wobbled slightly and blood dripped out of her mouth and she bared her teeth at Harley.  The men that had attacked Harley and Jamie had seemed less animal-like.  This woman seemed more wild and much more deadly.  The Burner seemed to be considering attacking again, but must have decided to live to fight another day.  With one last angry snarl directed towards Harley, she turned and stumbled away, picking up speed until she was running.

Harley shook herself out of her daze and cursed silently.  She shouldn’t have let the woman get away.  She should have fired again—tried her best to kill the Ignis.  She realized that the loud boom from the gun had caused quite the disturbance in the quiet neighborhood so she stopped lecturing herself and made up her mind to go into the house.  A dog had begun barking and she could see a light come on in the house across the street.  She realized at the same time that Levi and any Ignis inside the house would have heard the sound too.

Sure enough, as Harley turned back towards the house she heard the sound of glass breaking.  Levi fell part of the way through the living room window.  He was struggling with an Ignis that was on top of him and they had both become entangled in the curtain that billowed out the shattered window.  Harley didn’t hesitate as she sprinted towards the house.  She had to help Levi; there was no telling how many were inside.  And they both needed to get out of here before the cops came.  Levi hadn’t latched the door shut behind him and she kicked it open as she burst through.

Levi and the Burner had made their way back inside the living room.  They both had knives which flashed through the air as they slashed and lunged at each other.  The man that Levi fought was huge.  He had no hair and was a solid slab of muscle.  He looked like he belonged on a football field and was a good six inches taller than Levi.  She raised the gun but didn’t fire yet.  She didn’t have a clear shot as long as Levi was in the way.  She tracked the two as they grappled around the room, following closely waiting for her shot.  She had moved so that her back was to the broken window.  The front door was on her left and the hall to the bedrooms was on her right.  The kitchen was directly behind the two fighting men.  There were many directions that needed guarding and she whipped her head and the gun around erratically trying to cover them all.

Levi and the bald Ignis continued to stalk each other in a circle.  They lunged and deflected and kicked and grunted when one would finally score a hit.  Levi fought aggressively and Harley found herself extremely impressed.  His moves were full of power and seemed erratic and unplanned, but the skill with which he fought argued against that.  It was simply the fury behind his movement that made it seem as if he was a bar fighter and not a trained killer.

Suddenly, Harley saw movement to her right, coming from the direction of the bedrooms.  Another Burner, probably the one she saw by the bushes, rushed towards the fight.  She knew she had to stop him before he got too close to Levi for her to fire.  She raised the gun and aimed it in the direction of his chest and fired without hesitation.  But the small, skinny Ignis saw her and ducked away from her shot so that it barely grazed his back.  A growl rumbled from his throat and he charged back towards her.  She barely had time to fire again before he reached her but she pulled the trigger when he was barely five feet from her.

This shot was a good one.  The man must have thought he could get to her before she fired because he came directly for her.  The shot caught him squarely in the face.  The Ignis’ head snapped back and he hit the floor with a thud.  Two shells left.  She doubted the man was dead, but he was missing a good portion of his face so he would be down for a while at least.  She forced herself to breath calmly as she turned back to Levi and the monstrous Burner he fought.  As Harley turned, Levi finally got in a good kick that caused the man to stumble backwards a few steps—just enough to give Levi room to raise his knife for a powerful thrust.  It sank home in the man’s stomach and forced a grunt from his throat.  Levi pulled the knife back and kicked the man again, causing the man to fall to his knees.  Levi had finally gained an advantage over the man and leapt on him.

Before the huge Ignis could recover, Levi circled around behind him and locked his arms around his head.  As Harley watched, Levi bit the man on the neck.  The Ignis began flailing and shouting indecipherably, now sounding more panicked than angry.  Levi stayed locked onto the man for only about a minute, even though it seemed much longer.  Harley wasn’t sure how to react to Levi’s actions.  It was kind of gross but she was also curious about the whole thing.  The man wasn’t too wounded and should have still been able to fight Levi off.  But he seemed partially paralyzed and flailed about stupidly trying blindly to knock Levi from his back.  Harley wasn’t able to look away from the whole process.  She knew that she would have to do this also if she became Nocte and so she watched curiously trying out the idea of her doing the same.

Finally, Levi broke away with a gasp.  His eyes were black and Harley could see that his fangs were still exposed.  He wiped the blood away from his mouth and smiled at Harley.  He seemed to vibrate with energy and power.  His eyes didn’t leave hers as he shoved the dead Ignis whose body fell forward heavily.   She tried not to think of the Ignis as a man.  He hadn’t been human for a while.  He was a part of the Turba and she reminded herself that there wasn’t any going back.  Once you bonded the only release was death.  She reminded herself that if he hadn’t died a lot of humans would have ended up dying and/or suffering as a result of his living.

Harley was, again, surprised to find that Levi’s actions didn’t sour her opinion of him.  I wonder just how twisted that makes me.  Something about his strength and the intensity with which he fought gave her chills.  It was the excitement that you felt when you saw gorillas or tigers in the wild.  Pure, raw danger and Levi shared their beautiful power.  Even watching him drink blood didn’t damped this perception.  It was watching a powerful predator take down its prey.  It was the natural order of things and that fact shone through the creepy, grossness of drinking blood.  Levi and Harley continued to study each other.  Levi was gauging her reaction to his feeding and Harley was discovering that she was excited by the prospect of acquiring the same power that Levi held.  She wanted to hum and glow with that power and authority of her own.  The look that they shared was finally broken by movement in the doorway.

Harley felt her stomach drop to her feet.  The blonde man from the bar stood there.  His face twisted in fury.  She wasn’t able to react at first—she was frozen.  Levi had been caught off guard by the man’s sudden appearance as well.  But when the man spoke it broke the spell.  He said one word.

“Harley,” he sneered.  Shock reverberated through her as he said her name and she nearly took a step backwards—away from his words.

Stunned into action, the three of them reacted at the same time.  Harley leapt forward to get a good shot, Levi lunged forward drawing his knife back and the Ignis decided to not try to fight the two of them.  He grabbed the coffee table that separated him from Levi and Harley and slung it in their direction.  They both had to hesitate to not trip over the furniture or each other as the table flew into them both.  Their hesitation was just enough to give the Burner time to dart out the door.

By the time they both made it to the doorway, Harley and Levi saw the Ignis jump into a car that sped away, driven by the blonde female Ignis that Harley had shot earlier.

“Fuck!” Harley exclaimed kicking the wall.

Levi turned to look at her.  His eyes were still black but his fangs had receded once again.  He backed her against the wall.  The look on his face was a deadly one and Harley’s mouth went dry as she looked up at him.

“I told you to leave if you saw any Ignis,” he growled.  His voice was rougher than normal and he sounded as angry as he looked.

Harley swallowed, “You did.  But I couldn’t just run.  It’s just not something that I could make myself do.”  She refused to look away from him and back down.

Levi opened his mouth to argue but Harley interrupted him.  “And besides, once I got out and the blonde woman came at me and I shot it—her—I had to come in.  If I had just left you would have been fighting all three—maybe four if the woman had come back—all by yourself.  AND you would have had to have dealt with the cops….”  She trailed off.  She refused to babble, she felt confident that she had made the right choice.

Levi studied her for a moment.  Finally, he broke into a tight smile and the black faded out of his eyes.  He had apparently decided that she was right enough to not continue to argue about it any further.

“You handled that gun pretty well,” he grudgingly admitted trying to hide his pride.

“Thanks,” she tried to hide her smirk.  She decided to take the victory and not rub in the fact that she had probably saved his life.

“But, seriously, from now on, when I say get out of here—that means get out of here.”

Harley did a poor job of trying not to smile as she ignored his lecturing.  The sirens in the distance reminded them that they needed to get on the move—fast.

“Let’s get out of here,” Levi said and Harley nodded her agreement.  He quickly retrieved the bag he had come for from where it fallen in the fight and they both sprinted towards the truck.

When Harley tried to climb behind the wheel again Levi wordlessly grabbed her arm and guided her firmly away from the door.  When she sputtered her protest he waved her to the passenger side.

As they both climbed in Harley smirked, “Have I lost my driving privileges?”

“For now.”

Harley, immaturely, felt like sticking her tongue out at him.  But instead she slumped in the seat.  No longer distracted by the fight, the reality of the situation finally crashed over her and she felt her blood rush to her head.  As the adrenaline faded she was left cold and stunned by the events that had just happened.

“Holy shit!” she exclaimed.  Levi seemed to have been expecting this reaction and barely glanced at her.  Maybe 20 minutes had passed since Levi had first stepped out of the truck.  The fight response had blocked anything that she didn’t need to survive.  And now it was all coming back.  She had shot someone.  Two someones!  She tried to not panic as Levi pulled out of the driveway.  She felt slightly sick to her stomach.  She could feel the drying mist of blood that peppered her face and hands.  Her shoulders ached from the kick of the shotgun.  Her brain flashed images of Levi drinking the Burner’s blood at her—seemingly saying “Here, don’t forget about this.  Deal with this too.”  And the most shocking was the Ignis from the bar saying her name.  How did he know my name?

“How did he know my name?”

Levi glanced away from the road.  “I don’t know.  I was going to ask you the same thing?”

Harley racked her brain.  She had definitely NOT told him her name at the bar.  Have I met him there before she wondered?  Her head began to hurt.  From both the shock of the fight and from desperately searching through her memories trying to find the man in the multitude of people she had met at one time or another.

“Earlier, why did you ask about records of Ignis that had died?” Levi asked, interrupting her desperate attempt to remember where or why or how the Ignis knew her.

Harley sighed and rubbed her temples.  A burst of realization caused her to sit upright.

“Fuck me!”  She exclaimed.

Levi looked at her—momentarily surprised by the outburst.  “I’m guessing you remember him?”

“I—I think so.  It was your asking me why I asked that question.”

Levi waited for her to continue.  “I think he knew my parents,” she finally replied.  Her stomach sank.  Here we go she thought.  Time to dredge up those memories again.

Levi scowled at her.  “Your parents were associated with the Turba?”  He sounded doubtful but encouraged her to talk.

“I think my parents WERE Ignis—or my Mom at least.”  Harley refused to look at him.

“OK.”  He gave her time to continue.

She took a deep breath.  “So, I guess it’s time for the whole life story thing, right?”

Levi raised an eyebrow at her.  “Probably.”  The lightness of his answer made her think that he was expecting her to be wrong.  But he was waiting to hear her out.  Her stomach tightened and she realized that she was clenching her jaw.  She sat up straighter in the seat.

“Fine,” she said finally.  “But if I’m telling my sob story, I get to hear your story too.”

Chapter 9

Harley began her story as they merged onto I75.  This time of night there was not much traffic.  She stared out the window watching the trees and fields pass by in a blur.  Her stomach rolled and tightened.  She hated telling anyone the story of her childhood.  She usually avoided that whenever possible.  And she really didn’t want to tell Levi, but she knew that she needed to.

Harley took a deep breath.  “I’m sure my parents weren’t always bad.  I just don’t remember them any other way.  My dad was a construction worker.  And my Mom?  I remember her having a real job, vaguely.  But mostly I remember her being a prostitute.”

Harley waited to see if Levi would have a reaction over that.  Thankfully, he didn’t.  Instead, he continued to drive silently waiting for her to go on.  “Both of my parents were drug addicts.  Dad barely kept a job.  He would work at one site after another—getting fired eventually for not showing up.  Or showing up high.  Mom would bring men over every day.  Usually different men every day.  I didn’t really know what it meant at the time.  It was later that I put the pieces together.”

Harley waited for the shame of that revelation to settle over her.  She closed her eyes tightly, willing herself to not cry as the emotions tried to force themselves from her stomach and into her throat.  She reminded herself that it wasn’t her fault what her parents did.  That it didn’t reflect on her.  “They fought all the time.  It wasn’t just Dad beating on my Mom.  My Mom gave as good as she got.  That’s how it was for as long as I could remember.”

Harley thought hard, sifting through scraps of childhood memories.  “I am pretty sure that the blonde guy from the bar was one of the men that my Mom brought home.  He was one of the few that came back more than once.  His hair was longer then.”  Harley focused on one memory in particular, of her mother and the man sitting on the couch.  They both had blood on their arms from the needle that still lay on the table and her father was slumped over, sleeping in a weird position that Harley had been able to tell just wasn’t right.  She remembered feeling sick, but not understanding why, when her Mom put her head in the blonde man’s lap.  She had watched, hiding behind boxes that had the blonde man had brought and piled in their living room.  The man had put his hand on her mother’s head and smiled at her, knowing she was watching what her mother was doing.

“I remember seeing him do drugs with my Mom.  They were sleeping together too.”  Levi still didn’t interrupt her story.  “My parents died when I was seven.  Mom and Dad had been fighting all day.  When they weren’t passed out anyway.  They would wake up, do more drugs, drink more and fight then pass out.  I hid most of the time and tried to block them out.  I hid under the table when it started getting really heated.  My Mom kept making my Dad angrier and angrier.  Sometimes she would look at me and laugh.”  Harley trailed off, rubbing her face.  It was amazing how after eighteen years the pain of her mother’s cruelty still hurt.  “I think she liked that I was watching.  That I was scared.”  Harley heard her own voice and how hollow it was.  By removing all emotion she was able to maintain control.  If she let any emotion break through it would overwhelm her.

“My Dad finally threw a lantern at her.  Our electricity had been turned off—again.  The house went up in flames as they fought.  The only reason I got out was because our neighbor—who had always been nice to me—got me out.  He didn’t go back for my parents.  I don’t blame him.  He knew how they were.  He knew they weren’t worth saving.”

Harley wondered what had happened to Andy and Tally.  She knew that they had tried to take her in.  She had heard them discussing it with her case worker.  But they had been denied.  Andy had some sort of police record.  It had made them ineligible to be foster parents.  “I was put in a foster home after that.  I got moved around a lot—but it wasn’t so bad.  Jamie and I became friends in high school and her parents were really good to me.

I’m not sure if I’m remembering correctly or not, but I’m pretty sure my Mom’s eyes shone like a Burner’s that night.”  She closed her eyes and watched the memory of her father, having run out of other things to break, picked up the kerosene lantern.  As her mother laughed, her father slung the lantern across the room with a roar.  Harley had flinched and buried her face in the soft head of the teddy bear as the lantern slammed into the wall and shattered.  The lamp exploded in flames that raced across the wall as her father lunged at her mother.  They both fell to the floor struggling with each other.  She watched the flames race up the wall, too terrified to move.  The fire quickly ate up their cheap decorations and furniture and the thick noxious smoke burned Harley’s eyes and throat.  She had sat underneath the table for far too long before she was rescued.  Fear had frozen her to the spot, watching her parents claw and slap at each other when the living room was slowly engulfed in flames.

Harley heard Levi take a deep breath, but he didn’t say anything.  He didn’t offer her a pointless gesture of pity.  For that she was grateful.  Finally, he conceded.  “It’s definitely possible.  It would explain why the blonde guy is so fixated on you.  He knows you.  Maybe he’s pissed because you made it out as a child.”  Levi was thoughtful for a few minutes.  “If all this is right, he probably brought your mom into the Turba.  Maybe he had a plan for her, your dad, even you.  Maybe he’s pissed it didn’t work out as he planned.”

“You think?”

Levi flexed his hand on the steering wheel and with the other he rubbed his face.  “Hell, I’m not sure.  It’s all conjecture at this point.  WHEN we finally catch this bastard we’ll interrogate him before we kill him.”

Harley smiled at his words.  She couldn’t wait for the opportunity to make blonde guy pay.  “OK,” she said after a while of silence, “your turn.”

Levi took a deep breath.  “I told you before I was born in 1903.  My family owned a farm in Virginia.  We grew tobacco and had some cattle.  I had two younger sisters.  My parents were good people.”

Harley watched him tell his story.  She knew she had looked as haunted as he did now when she told her story.  She could see the reflection of the headlights of passing cars wash across his face.  He didn’t just look sad.  He looked angry too.  It didn’t surprise her that after all of these years the emotion was still strong enough to illicit a physical response.

“My sister Elizabeth, the oldest girl, began courting a man name William.”  Harley smiled a little as his use of the outdated word “courting.”  “Things were different then,” he continued, “women didn’t have the freedom that they do now and my father didn’t approve of William.  He didn’t have a job.  He had been causing trouble in town.  But of course, my sister didn’t see it.  No matter how many times we lectured her.  No matter how many times we tried to prevent her from seeing him, she found a way.  It caused so much trouble in my family.  Looking back on it, William had enjoyed the trouble he caused.”

He paused in his story and Harley could see his jaw clinch in anger.  “My father and I came in from the fields one evening and found my youngest sister—Abigail—crying on the porch.  Then we heard the shouting inside.  We rushed in and found Elizabeth packing a trunk and my mother was fighting with her trying to make her stay.  Elizabeth had decided that she was running away with William.  William was there, watching the whole thing.  Legally we couldn’t stop her and William had convinced her to abandon her responsibilities to her family.  That kind of rebellion was just—unheard of, in those days.

“My father went after William.  I had to hold my sister back from going after my father.  My mother and Abby were together crying.”  Levi trailed off, most likely reliving the events just as Harley had done.  His face and voice were tight with anger and regret.

“William got the best of my father—of course.  At the time I just thought he was younger and stronger.  But he was a lot stronger than he should have been.  I didn’t know until later that he was supernatural.”  Levi paused, taking a deep breath, “he shot my father.”  Harley grimaced and her chest tightened in empathy.

“I froze,” he said angrily.  “I just stood there when he turned the gun on me.  I remember my sisters and my mother crying and screaming. I didn’t even feel the shot.  I just fell and couldn’t move.  But I could see and hear what was going on.  He shot Abby and my mother next.”

“Elizabeth was crying as he raped her.  I couldn’t do anything.  I couldn’t move at all.”  His voice had turned cold and steely.  The hairs on the back of Harley’s neck stood on end.  “Afterwards she asked him why.  He shrugged.  Said it was just something to do.”  Levi visibly struggled to take a deep breath before he continued.  “Then he shot her.  He must have thought I was dead because he just left us all there.”

Harley shuddered at his story.  She hadn’t gotten used to the cold malevolence of the Ignis yet.  “The next thing I know, I woke up in the Den.  Nya was there and explained what had happened.  A Nocte who had been tracking William found me.  He brought me to the Den.  He figured if I was still alive, survived the gun shot, that I deserved a shot at joining the Praesidio.

“I couldn’t walk.  The bullet had done something to my spine.  I could only move one arm and my head.  I wouldn’t have lived much longer regardless.  Not back then. Not in that condition.  So, I went through the bonding process.  It worked,” he stated the obvious.

“Did you ever catch William?” Harley asked.

“Sure did,” Levi said simply.  His eyes darkened briefly.  Harley swallowed hard.  She could only imagine what he had done to him once he caught the man who had killed his family.  She was glad that Levi had gotten his revenge.  She currently carried that burning desire inside her.  It made the loss so much worse—the pain of injustice—the unfairness of it all.  And now she understood why Levi was so prepared to give her chance for revenge.  He knew what it was like to lose your family.  To have the only people in the world who truly care about you ripped away from you.

“Was it worth it,” she asked softly.

Levi didn’t hesitate.  “Absolutely,” the word was spoken through a jaw clenched in long remember anger.  The admission eased some of the anxiety that Harley did have concerning the bonding.

“Are all Nocte people who have lived through some kind of tragedy?” she wondered out loud after a moment of contemplation.

Levi was thoughtful for a moment, “No.  A lot of us have.  But not everyone.  Some people have become Nocte because they feel compelled to help.  They want to keep the world safe.  I think something about living through that kind of pain makes us appealing to the Nocte though.  Kind of like the Ignis I guess, in that respect.  It’s easier to make a bond when the person has suffered.  It’s like a bone that gets stronger after it’s broken.  It takes a strong person to complete the bond.”

That was something Harley could agree with.  They rode in silence for a while, both of them thinking over the events of the night and the things that they had learned about each other.  Both of them now had an even better understanding of the other.  Harley felt more connected to Levi, she didn’t pity him.  But she had more respect for him and felt a growing kinship with him.  From one person who had known pain to another.  She wanted the same strength that he had.  She wanted a chance for her revenge and she wanted a chance to make sure others didn’t hurt like she did.  Finally, she asked about the other thing that had been on her mind.

“What’s it like to feed on the Ignis?”

Levi seemed to glow for a moment reliving his most recent feeding.  His eyes got darker and the hand that he drove with flexed on the wheel and the other raked through his hair.  “It’s incredible.  You can feel the power inside of you.  It’s like coming alive,” he grinned and blinked away the darkness that tried to take over his eyes again.  His breathing had sped up slightly.  Harley found herself getting excited, just seeing him get excited.  She knew that some part of her should be grossed out at the idea of drinking blood.  But she also knew that it would be different when she was Nocte.  Right now she was excited by the prospect of feeling the power that Levi described.  She knew that once—if—she joined the Praesidio feeding would be exciting on a whole new level.  Levi was nothing if not cool and collected, even in his vigilance against Burners, so it must be incredible if it could get him going like this.  Harley flexed her hands and forced herself to relax.  She was even more convinced that, risks be damned, she would attempt the bond.  She would never be able to unknow the things she had learned and trying to continue with life as it had been wasn’t possible any longer.  Even if the bond didn’t take, death was preferable to the pain of living knowing she hadn’t been able to avenge her friend’s death.  And it was certainly preferable to having to live in fear for her and her friends’ lives unable to fight the Ignis on equal footing.

_______________________

Due to the delays of Harley learning how to shoot a gun, their shower, and the fight at Levi’s house they had had to stop at a hotel when the sun came up.  They still had about five hours to drive on I64 by the time dawn arrived.  They slept through a, luckily, uneventful day at the small hotel.  When the sun set the next night they continued on their way.  It was the middle of the night when Levi and Harley finally arrived at the Den.  Levi was anxious to get inside where it was safe and his discomfort was obvious to Harley.  He was even less talkative than normal and was more on edge that usual.  She didn’t press him to talk; instead she just let him take care of getting there safely and enjoyed the sights along the way.  They had been driving for most of the night and she was surprised to realize that she had adjusted to a night schedule pretty quickly.    Harley went over the recent upheaval of her life and was shocked to realize it had only been four days.  How could so much change in so little time, she wondered?  Whenever she allowed the reality of the situation wash over her she felt like the earth was falling away from her feet and her breath would be sucked out of her lungs.

They got off the interstate at an exit that seemed deserted outside Alexandria, VA.  The only things she saw were trees and farm land.  They drove for nearly thirty minutes before she saw anything of note.  Harley wasn’t sure what she expected but she was surprised when the truck slowed and turned into the gravel drive of a farmhouse that popped up in the middle of nowhere.  The large white farmhouse sat far back on the right side of the country road.  Even from far away Harley could tell the house was huge.  She didn’t have a frame of reference to guess at square footage or number of rooms, but it looked like the size of house that would belong to a movie star.  There was something unsettling about the house.  The landscaping was sparse with very few trees and there seemed only be one large fields fenced off on the west side of the house.  Harley could see at least two barns behind the house.

The only reason Harley was sure that they had arrived and hadn’t simply taken a detour was the barely noticeable security that they passed.  She noticed that there were cameras mounted on fences as they approached the driveway.  As they drove slowly up to the gates she heard an audible beep inside the truck that corresponded to a blinking light on the gate in front of them which began to roll open with a clanking of gears.  She could also just make out the camera that was set in the branches of one of the very few trees to her right.  Even though she couldn’t see other signs of high tech devices she was pretty sure they were there.  The change in the road was slight but as they drove over one section in particular the tires sounded different on the gravel and she guessed that there was more security underneath the driveway.  She was pretty sure that if they weren’t supposed to be going inside—they wouldn’t be.

Despite its size the farmhouse was unassuming upon first glance as the entrance gate was.  It was certainly large and well maintained.  But it looked like any old farmhouse that Harley had seen—just larger.  It was made of light colored bricks and dark shutters.  All the curtains were pulled together and it looked altogether uninviting.  There weren’t any yard decorations or landscaping to speak of, instead it was austere and clean looking which set it at odds with what Harley would have expected.  Farms were places of work and activity.  This house seemed to be trying very hard to look like a normal farm but failed upon closer inspection.

Levi drove around the house towards the closest barn which looked as if it could house tobacco as easily as it could house cows.  From the outside Harley wasn’t able to decipher much about it.  As they paused in front of the large double doors she heard another beep inside the truck and the doors began to roll apart.  The bright full moon light illuminated the interior of the barn.  Harley had to will herself to not audibly gasp.  The inside of the barn was definitely not what she expected.  The inside could not have housed tobacco or cows.  Instead, it looked more like a clean and fairly high-tech garage.  Levi slowly pulled forward and swung the SUV into an empty spot next to a red sports car.

When Harley stepped from the vehicle she could feel her mouth hanging open as she looked around in wonder.  The garage/barn was well lit and smelled nothing like she would have expected.  She could smell gasoline and oil but it was mild and mostly smelled like cold concrete or a parking garage.  She definitely got a “parking garage” feeling from the barn.  Instinct and the doorways that looked like they lead to stairs strengthened her suspicion that there were levels below them.

There were cars on both sides of the “barn” but the opposite side only held two nondescript cars and the rest was taken up by shelves of tools and supplies that you would typically find in a well-stocked garage.  It was just cleaner and more organized that one might expect.  The side that they had parked on didn’t have shelves; it was entirely devoted to parking space.  There were five spaces but only three of them were occupied.  Their black SUV, the shiny red sports car next to them and a white, boxy-looking car were the vehicles that took up those three spaces.

Levi followed her out of the truck and began unloading their bags.  He seemed more at ease now that they weren’t on the road any longer but he still maintained his normal wariness.  He handed Harley one of the lighter bags and finally noticed her reaction to their surroundings.

“Pardon the cliché, but things aren’t always what they seem around here,” he said with a slight smile.  Harley noticed him scowl at the red car next to them as he continued unloading their stuff.

“What?”

He shook his head and sighed, “Remember I told you that most Nocte are easy to get along with?”

“Yeah,” Harley answered warily.

“Well, that car belongs to Rafe.  He’s one of the difficult ones.”

“Ah,” Harley answered slinging the bag Levi had handed her onto her shoulder.  Mental note: stay away from Rafe.  “What kind of name is Rafe?  Is that even a real name?”

Levi snorted humorlessly, “No.  But it sounds pretty rakish and rebellious, doesn’t it?” Levi answered sarcastically.

“Ah,” Harley responded again.  One of those types.

Harley and Levi made their way out of the barn, not through the large rolling doors that had closed behind them automatically, but though a man-sized door that Harley hadn’t noticed before.  As they walked up the path towards the house Harley swallowed the lump in her throat.  She realized another reason why this felt like an impostor farm.  The quiet.  Even at night, on a real farm there would be all sorts of noises from farm animals and wild animals both.  Her heart thumped in rhythm to her steps and she could feel her palms getting sweaty.   She tried to control her nerves, but since she had no idea what to expect it was hard not to get carried away.  She kept pace with Levi and tried to not look around like a tourist.  He silently and purposefully walked towards the house carrying three bags that Harley knew were heavy but couldn’t tell by how easily he carried them.

As Harley and Levi stepped onto the low concrete porch she was sure that someone was watching them.  She was confident that there were cameras trained on them right now.  Maybe even guns. Levi pulled a set of keys from his pocket, selected a perfectly normal looking one and inserted it into the lock on the white, windowless door.  He turned it once and a panel in the frame of the door slid down revealing a small key pad that wasn’t marked with numbers.  He didn’t hesitate in tapping out a quick code that, even though he didn’t try to hide, Harley couldn’t follow.  He turned the key back, concealing the key pad again, and removed the key.  Harley could hear locks disengaging inside the deceptively normal door.

Harley’s breath caught in her throat as Levi pushed the door open and gestured for her to enter.  She had no idea what to expect and her heart continued to pound loudly in her ears.  She knew that no matter what lay on the other side of this door, her life had changed irrevocably and by stepping across the threshold into the dark entry way before her she was either taking a step in the direction of control over her life or—well, death.

Chapter 10

The back door of the house opened into what looked like a mudroom and just beyond that Harley could make out a cozy but modern looking kitchen.  She couldn’t hesitate any longer without it becoming obvious, so she tentatively stepped over the threshold.  Levi followed her inside and quietly shut the door behind them.  Blinded in the darkness, Harley didn’t move any further until Levi set his bags down and stepped in front of her to lead the way.  She set her bag down as well and followed him closely as they stepped out of the mudroom and into the kitchen.

The night cast heavy shadows throughout the room and Harley found it hard to see clearly.  They both turned in a circle surveying the room slowly.  Harley was getting her bearings but Levi just seemed to be taking inventory—refreshing himself like someone who had come home at long last.  As they turned towards the breakfast area behind them Harley could just make out a figure sitting at the table in the shadows.

“Shit!” she flinched back, bumping into Levi.

Levi steadied her by the shoulders.  “Good evening Nya,” he said pleasantly with a smile in his voice.  The figured reached out for the switch on the wall behind her and flicked on a low hanging light above the table.

Harley struggled to bring her racing heart to a normal rhythm as she studied the woman at the table.  Even sitting down, Harley could tell the woman was abnormally tall.  She also looked lithe and muscular.  Her skin was the color of milk chocolate and her hair was black and braided into lots of tiny braids which were currently piled high on her head.  Her cheekbones were high and regal looking and her mouth was small with full lips which were currently pursed in amusement at Harley’s fright.  The woman gave off an air of strength and authority but without seeming cruel or hard.  At the moment she was watching Harley carefully from light, hazel-gold eyes that seemed to burn unnaturally hot through their disarming color.  Everything considered, Harley decided that Nya was easily one of the most beautiful women had ever seen.

“Hello Levi,” the woman’s voice was soft and velvety and had just the slightest trace of an accent.  She spoke quietly but Harley could tell she was one of those people who didn’t need to talk loudly for people to pay attention to them.  Nya looked at Harley again, “and good morning to you too.”

It took tremendous will power for Harley to speak evenly and hold Nya’s intense gaze when she responded.  “Good morning.”  Nya’s amusement grew and she smiled slightly as if she knew that Harley was struggling to not be intimidated.

Levi held his hand out to the seated woman.  “Harley, meet Nya, East General.  Nya, meet Harley.”  Nya nodded at Harley acknowledging the introduction and Harley returned the nod.

“You two must be tired.  We fixed your old room up, Levi.  We assumed that you wouldn’t need two rooms,” Nya smirked.

Levi rolled his eyes slightly.  “One room will be fine,” he answered, pretending to not be amused by Nya.

Harley watched their exchange with a raised eyebrow.  Nya was incredibly intimidating but her eyes danced with humor and Harley was struck by how little the woman seemed to move or blink.

“You weren’t waiting for us were you?” Levi asked.

“Of course not,” Nya answered, without explaining further.  Levi shrugged in response.  “Well we’ve had a long night so we are going to head up to bed and get settled in.”  Nya simply nodded in response she had resumed her careful study of Harley and still wasn’t blinking.  Harley worked hard to hold the woman’s gaze.  She didn’t want to back down and be the first to look away but the strength of the woman’s stare burned through her.  She didn’t feel threatened by the woman.  Instead, she felt like an animal at the zoo—studied with amusement and curiosity.

Levi broke the eye contact when he stepped in front of her to hand her bag to her.  She hadn’t even realized that he had gone back to the mudroom to retrieve their personal bags.  She blinked a few times to clear her head and took the strap from him.  “Thanks.”

Nya looked even more amused as Levi led Harley past her towards the rest of the house.  Harley didn’t miss the annoyed look that Levi tossed towards Nya as they passed.  And she definitely saw Nya’s smile grow wider as he did so.  When she caught Harley’s eye again she gave her the same small nod she had given Levi and Harley returned the gesture.

Harley took a deep breath when they were out of the kitchen.  Out from underneath the woman’s scrutiny she felt like a tremendous weight had been lifted from her shoulders.  Even though the woman scared the crap out of her, Harley knew that she liked Nya.  The humor in her eyes and gestures belied the power of her movements and stare.  Harley couldn’t help but wonder if Nya was a little crazy—a quality that Harley apparently appreciated.

The rest of the house was as shadowed as the kitchen.  They walked through a sitting area that Harley could just make out furniture in before they headed down a hallway that led off to the right.  The hallway was virtually pitch-black.  Harley could barely make out Levi even though he was only a couple of feet in front of her.  The whole house was eerily quiet and she wondered how many Nocte were behind the doors they passed.

Finally, Levi stopped at the last door on the left, opened it and stood back to let Harley enter.  The room was furnished modestly.  It had a bed, nightstand, a dresser and a chair and small desk in the corner.  Levi opened a door in the far corner revealing a small closet.  He tossed his bag inside and held his hand out for hers.

“There is a bathroom right across the hall if you want to wash up,” he said adding her bag to the closet as well.

“I’m just ready to crash,” she answered wearily.  She hadn’t felt that tired when they first arrived.  But it must have been the excitement of arriving because now she could barely keep her eyes open even though the night was only half over.

“Me too,” Levi began stripping off his clothes.  Neither of them bothered with pajamas.  Levi flopped into bed in his boxer briefs and she chose to sleep in underwear and the undershirt she had been wearing.  She piled her clothes in the chair on top of Levi’s and climbed into bed beside him.  She buried her face in the pillow and breathed in the fresh laundered smell.  It seemed like such a normal smell she could also forget that they were in the headquarters of a “vampire” organization.  She held her breath to prevent the giggle that threatened to bubble out of her.  She felt Levi shift next to her and she found comfort in his presence.  Sex wasn’t on either of their minds, instead, they both quickly drifted off to sleep.

___________________

For once it wasn’t Harley who jerked awake from a nightmare.  She bolted upright when she felt Levi jerk awake with a small gasp.  She looked around the room confused for a minute.  Then remembering where she was she looked back to see Levi rubbing the sleep out of his eyes.

“Nightmare?” she croaked.

“Mmm,” he groaned back.  He didn’t say anything more and she didn’t press for details.

Harley could see dying light around the edges of the black curtains.  “It looks like the sun is going down.  What time is it?”

Levi picked his phone up from the nightstand next to the bed.  The room was dark enough that Harley herself squinted when he turned the display on to check the time.  “7:00pm.”

“Ugh.  Did we just sleep over twelve hours?”

“Apparently.  We should get up,” Levi croaked sitting up beside her.

“Do we have to?” Harley asked.  Despite her hesitant words her heart picked up in excitement.  It was time to take the plunge—things were going to happen today—scary things.  She was wide awake now.  She climbed out of bed, as did Levi.  They both stretched the sleep out of their bodies and yawned audibly.

Levi ran his hands over his face again.  “Do you want to wash up before we find Nya?”

Harley swallowed the lump in her throat. “Yeah, definitely,” she said around a dry tongue.

“OK, well it’s across the hall.  I’m going to go find out where everyone is.  I’ll come back and get you in about…half an hour?”

“Yeah that’s fine.”

He pulled on his jeans as she gathered the few things she would need to shower.  Going across the hall she knocked lightly at the door Levi had pointed out.  When she didn’t hear a response she turned the handle and pushed the door open.  When she saw the bathroom on the other side she felt silly for knocking.  It wasn’t a single bathroom.  It was a large communal style bathroom.  Luckily, no one else seemed to be in here to hear her knock like an idiot.  She stepped inside and let the door swing shut behind her.  It looked like the bathroom had at one time been at least two bedrooms and had been turned into one large bathroom.  It housed three large shower stalls that were enclosed in frosted glass.  There were two large hot tubs on the opposite wall and at the closest end were three sinks with cabinets above them.  Separating the sinks from the showers was a row of toilet stalls.  Set back into the wall in between the sinks and the toilets were shelves and cubbies to store personal items.

Harley found an empty storage area in which to stash her stuff.  There was a set of drawers and shelves that held wash rags and towels next to the hot tubs.  She got what she would need and chose a stall farthest from the door.  The water pressure was great.  She turned the water on as hot as she could stand it and let it beat down onto her sore body.  The shooting streams slowly melted the stiffness from her shoulder and back and stung her scabby knees.  She let the water wash over her and relax her as much as it could before she turned off the water and began to towel dry.  She knew she was taking a much longer time than normal, a part of her was dreading the “test” she was going to have to go through.  What if they make me fight an Ignis?  She cringed inwardly at the thought.  She wanted to kill Ignis, lots of them.  But she knew that in an actual fight she would be lucky to come away alive right now.

Her senses pricked up and she realized she wasn’t alone in the bathroom.  She could tell someone else was moving around outside of her stall.  She held her breath for a minute trying to figure out the best option.  Should she pretend she didn’t hear the other person out there?  She didn’t know how everyone here would treat her and she was cautious about encountering them.  Technically—none of them were human.  So, she had no way to predict how they would react to her.

Before she had a chance to decide, the person made the choice for her.  “Hello,” a bright female voice called out.

“Um, hello,” Harley answered back.

“Hope I didn’t startle you,” the woman said politely.  “I figured it would freak you out more if I knocked on the shower door or something,” she laughed softly.

“Oh,” Harley smiled.  “It’s fine.”  She resumed drying off and wrapped the towel around her before opening the door.  The voice had come from a young blonde woman who was sitting her stuff in the first of the shower stalls.  And she was completely naked.  She popped out of the stall when she realized that Harley was out.  She pranced towards her with her hand outstretched.  She had long blonde hair and light blue eyes and a child-like round face.  She looked like the typical California girl, all the way down to her large round, bouncy boobs.  She was skinny, but Harley could tell she was fit and strong by the muscles that bunched under her pale skin.  Had the woman been human and not Nocte she would have not been all that remarkable.  But the darkness and strength that Harley was beginning to recognize in the supernaturals that she encountered enhanced the woman’s beauty.   Harley tried really hard to not acknowledge that the woman was stark naked as she shook her hand but since she was several inches taller than her it put her breasts closer to eye level than Harley was comfortable with.  Apparently modesty does not come along with the Nocte she smirked to herself.  She didn’t have a problem with nudity—whether it was male or female.  But she was having a hard time not staring at the woman’s boobs in her face.

“I’m Evalynn,” the woman chirped.  “Everyone calls me Evie though.”

Harley forced herself to not grimace as the strength behind Evie’s handshake.  If she had doubted that she was a Nocte before she definitely didn’t now.  “I’m Harley.”  Evie must have noticed Harley flexing her hand as she pulled it away.

“Oh, gosh—I’m sorry.  I’m so used to being around others like us that I forget how strong I am sometimes,” she grinned sheepishly.

Harley brushed the apology away.  “Don’t worry about it.  I’m sure you don’t get too many humans in your bathroom, right?”

“Right,” Evie laughed easily.  “It’s not the norm, that’s for sure.”  They both smiled at each other awkwardly for a moment.  Finally, Evie broke the awkwardness.  “Well, I’m sure I’ll see you around later.”

“Right!” Harley answered, still carefully not looking at the woman’s boobs.  As the woman showered Harley finished up in the bathroom.  She went across the hall to finish dressing and a short time later she heard the bathroom door open and close as the woman apparently left.

She was relieved to know that, apparently, not all Nocte were so serious and dark and intimidating as Levi and Nya.  She didn’t mind levity—but it was nice to know that darkness didn’t automatically come with the bond.  Evie had been bright and pleasant and friendly.  Harley let go of some of her tension.  So far, Levi had been right.  This place seemed more like a boarding house than a headquarters.  Nya was apparently in charge, and while she was strong and intimidating, Harley didn’t get the impression that she was a dictator or tyrant.  Levi had actively joked with her and the woman had also done so in return.  Harley sat and waited for Levi to come and get her while she brushed her hair.  He had said that he would come back for her in about half an hour so he should be back any minute.  She knew that she wasn’t a prisoner; it was just because this place was huge and she had no idea where she was going that she needed to wait on Levi.    She was still nervous and kept fidgeting with the blanket on the bed.   As nervous as she was, she wasn’t nearly as scared as she knew she should be considering she was facing a test and possible death.

Harley got tired of sitting and stood in front of the mirror over the dresser.  She watched the brush glide through her hair without blinking.  Her hair didn’t have any more tangles in it but she enjoyed the feeling of the brush scratching against her scalp.  She realized that she had let herself fall into a rhythm and zoned out as she stared into her own green eyes.  She tried to imagine what she would look like with black eyes and was disappointed that she couldn’t call the image to mind.  Her nervousness was passing and in its place was a growing reckless excitement.

As she was finishing brushing her hair the door opened and Levi stepped in.  He came behind her and watched her pull her wet hair into a short ponytail.  He reached out and tugged on it, sending chills down her back.  Apparently, he was thinking the same thing.  “I wish we had a few extra minutes,” he mumbled.

“Mmm, I could use that distraction,” Harley said accidentally knocking the brush off the dresser.

“I told you,” Levi picked the brush up, “you’ll be fine.”

“I know, I know—” Levi interrupted her by spinning her around and planting a kiss on her mouth, sucking at her bottom lip as he pulled away.

Harley took a deep breath, “Whew!  You know how to distract a girl, huh?” she laughed.

“I do my best,” Levi smirked.

“Am I dressed OK?”  Harley hadn’t wanted to ask that question but couldn’t help it.  She was wearing a tee shirt that Levi had brought her and jeans and sneakers.  While she guessed that anything was fine, she couldn’t shake the feeling that she should be more dressed up than this.

Levi looked at her steadily.  “Nobody cares what you wear, trust me.”

“OK—OK!”  Harley waved Levi towards the door, indicating that she was ready.  He led the way down the hall and towards the woman that Harley had to convince she should be a Nocte.  She took deep breaths and tried to convince her insides to stop squirming as they made their way through the house.

Chapter 11

Levi led her to a door on the second floor without encountering anyone else on the way.  The house was dimly lit but Harley was able to get a much better impression of the house now that people were up and about.  The house was sparsely furnished and decorated as an afterthought.  There were random pictures of flowers or landscapes hung in the most likely places as if they were a formality.  Someone had seemingly thrown them in to give the impression of a real home, not unlike a hotel room.

Levi stopped outside a plain white door and knocked softly.  Without waiting for a response he eased the door open and held it for Harley to enter.  She looked at him questioningly, confused because it seemed like he wasn’t coming in also.  Levi returned her scowl with raised eyebrows and a slight smile.  He winked at her just before he shut the door in her face.  Her mouth fell open in shock but she quickly recovered.  She was annoyed by the fact that he hadn’t explained that he wouldn’t be here for this.  The annoyance only lasted a moment because she soon realized that if she embarrassed herself she would rather it wasn’t in front of Levi anyway.  Taking a deep breath she slowly turned and surveyed the room in front of her.

The decorations in this room were certainly more personal—and infinitely stranger.  Hung on every square inch of wall space were pictures of cartoons.  Everything from old classic cartoons like Bugs Bunny and the Road Runner to new, half naked cartoons that Harley didn’t know the name of that looked Japanese.  There was a desk placed in front of two large windows.  It looked like it was made of bright blue plastic and was covered with important looking papers and maps.  Harley couldn’t quite wrap her head around what she was seeing before her examination was interrupted by Nya who spoke from a bright orange couch to Harley’s right.  “Good evening,” she said simply.

Harley jumped and slapped her mouth closed.  She quickly realized that she wouldn’t be able to cover up her amazement with the room, so she didn’t even try.  Moving on, she responded, “Hello.”  She worked hard to make sure that her voice didn’t squeak or crack.  Nya was reclined on the couch but sat up as she once again began studying Harley.  She held her hand out inviting her to sit with her.  Harley lowered herself onto the opposite end of the couch.  She was close enough to Nya to smell the coconut lotion or perfume that she wore.  Her braids hung down around her shoulders and she was wearing a large black sweater and black tights.  She was watching Harley with that same slightly amused smile again.  Harley wanted to avoid getting caught in a stare down again so she continued to take in the room around them while Nya watched her.

The room must have originally been more than one room, just like the bathroom she had used to get ready.  It was as big as at least two decently sized bedrooms.  Besides the couch and the desk across from it, there were comfortable looking chairs and the other side of the room was filled with a large comfy looking canopy bed and shelves of DVDs and books.  The middle of the extra large room was empty and it looked as if it had been left purposefully left bare since the rest of the room was so heavily furnished and decorated.  The rest of the furniture seemed to be placed around it and in the center of the empty space was a large round carpet that looked like it had been taken from a child’s daycare.  It was black with bright geometric designs floating across it.  She couldn’t help but raise her eyebrows at the décor of the room and she wondered if Nya had purposefully designed it to look like the nursery that belonged to the children of circus performers.  Despite the room’s absurdity, or maybe because of it, Harley appreciated Nya’s sense of humor even more.

When she wasn’t able to avoid it any longer, Harley turned to look at Nya.  The woman was still watching her, but the smile had grown even wider and her eyes burned through Harley with enough intensity that she had to will herself to not flinch.  Watching Nya watch her, Harley realized what was so unsettling about the heat of the woman’s gaze.  It gave off a mad quality that made Harley expect the woman to sudden whip out a teacup while putting on a giant hat.  Harley swallowed hard and forced herself to meet the woman’s gaze and not laugh at the images that bounced through her head.  She couldn’t help but feel like the woman was purposefully trying to make her nervous by staring at her.  Well, I hope you have fun with that lady; Harley thought to herself and refused to be the first to break the silence.

After what seemed like ages, Nya finally spoke.  “Why do you think Levi brought you here?”  Her velvety voice wasn’t judgmental or cruel.  It was simply curious.

Harley considered the question carefully.  “He says it’s because I’m strong.  That I should be able to defend myself—and avenge my friend…”

“Do you feel strong?” Nya asked still curious.

Harley shrugged.  “Sometimes.”

Nya nodded knowingly.  “So, are those the only reasons he brought you?”

Harley took a deep breath.  “Those are the most important reasons,” Harley answered cautiously.  Nya’s smile turned into a grin and her hazel eyes glittered.

“Why do you want to join the Praesidio?”

“…I want to avenge my friend’s death.  I want to stop other people from getting hurt.  I want to be strong…” Harley’s answer trailed off.  She found it harder than she expected to put her desire into words.

Nya watched her for a while longer.  Harley refused to be intimidated by her stare.  She went back to looking around the room.

“Are you prepared to die to gain the power to achieve these goals?”

Harley mulled this question over.  Was she will to die to avenge Jamie’s death?  Did that really seem reasonable?  No, it doesn’t.  Harley had to be honest with herself.  She knew that while revenge burned at the very core of her being, there were other motives behind her actions as well.  She didn’t deny there was a selfish desire for power that lay behind her decision as well.  Having recognized that fact, she made her peace with it.  When Jamie died, so did her last desire to belong—to fit in with a society that she had never really felt connected to anyway.  Finally, Harley answered slowly and surely.  “Yes,” she said with confidence meeting the other woman’s intense gaze.

Nya gave one of her nods again.  “Welcome to the Praesidio,” she said simply after a brief pause.

“Huh?”  Harley asked, losing all her hard fought composure.

Nya laughed loudly, throwing her head back.  “What were you expecting?”

“I-I have no idea really,” Harley stammered.  “I just figured that I would have to convince you or something.”

“You did.  You had convinced me that Levi was right last night.”

“Huh?” Harley asked again stupidly.  Well said, dumbass

Nya watched her for a moment.  “I agree with Levi.  You are strong.”  She was quiet for a moment again, finally she continued in barely more than a whisper.  “I think the balance needs you.”  The words had barely left her mouth before she shook her head slightly and looked a bit confused—as if she wasn’t sure why she had said that and then continued on as if it hadn’t happened quickly recovering her half mad grin.  “I think Levi was drawn to you.  He watches the balance, and I think he senses the balance has set its sights on you as much as Levi himself did.”

Harley was dumbfounded and speechless.  Before she had a chance to question Nya’s words the woman stood up, revealing just how tall she was.  She was easily six foot even in her bare feet.  “Let’s go,” she said motioning towards the door.

“Where are we going,” Harley asked, standing up from the couch.

“I’m sure you are hungry, right? I told Levi I would bring you to the kitchen when we were done.”

“Oh, OK.”  Harley followed Nya from the room feeling dazed and trying to catch up to what had just happened.  At only five-four Harley had to scramble to keep up with the long-legged Nya.  She swiftly led her through the house back to the kitchen that they had entered through last night.  Harley had time to consider Nya’s theory that Levi’s sense of the balance between light and dark compelled him to bring her into the Praesidio.  She didn’t doubt that Nya was probably right.  It would explain why Levi would get involved with a human in the first place.  He had explained that it was frowned upon—to say the least—for Nocte to associate with humans.  It didn’t change her feelings toward Levi.  If the knowledge changed anything it only made her more confident that she was making the right choice in joining the Praesidio.

When they finally arrived they found Levi sitting at the breakfast table.  He looked at Harley and Nya expectantly.  Nya answered his unspoken question.  “She’ll make a good fit in the Praesidio.”  Harley swelled with pride at her words.  It actually seemed real now.  Levi let go of the tension he had been holding in his shoulders and Harley could tell he was relieved despite his confidence that everything would go well.

Levi had stood from the table and closed the distance between him and Harley.  She could tell he was happy because of his trademark smirk.  He leaned close but didn’t touch her when he whispered in her ear, “I told you so.”  His breath tickled her neck and caused her hair to stand on end.  He stepped away and motioned towards the table.  “Have a seat.  I’ll make you a sandwich.”

Both she and Nya sat at the table.  “I’d love a sandwich as well—thanks for asking,” Nya snipped playfully.

Levi smiled at her jab, “No mayo, right?” he asked.

“Of course not,” Nya answered.

“Me either,” Harley wrinkled her nose.

“Neither of you know what you are missing,” Levi mumbled shaking his head.

Harley suddenly felt anxious.  As the minutes passed her decision became more and more real.  She realized that she was now on her way to either becoming a “vampire” or dying.  She felt ready to jump out of her seat and do cartwheels with nervous energy.  “So…what now,” she asked, directing the question at both Levi and Nya.

Levi looked to Nya for an answer.  Nya studied Harley for a moment.  “Well, waiting isn’t going to do anyone any good.  We’ll attempt the bond tomorrow.”

Harley’s pulse picked up, both at the word “attempt” and the word “tomorrow.”  Nya seemed to read the look on her face.  “Don’t worry.  I’m confident it will go fine.”

“I keep telling her that,” Levi mumbled.

Both Harley and Nya ignored him.  He brought both women their sandwiches and set a bag of chips on the table.  Harley was struck by the absurdity of the scene.  Two demons/vampires and a human were sitting at a table eating sandwiches and cheddar and sour cream potato chips and drinking tea.  She couldn’t stop the chuckle that escaped, nearly choking her.

“What?” Levi asked.  Both he and Nya were watching her.

“It just occurred to me that it would be less weird if you guys were drinking blood right now,” she laughed and Nya and Levi joined in.

After they finished their sandwiches Nya went to take care of things that she didn’t elaborate on.  She seemed preoccupied and lost in thought for most of the meal.  Levi and Harley returned to their bedroom.  As soon as the door shut behind them Harley pushed Levi onto the bed and threw herself on top of him.  Levi’s eyes widened in amusement but didn’t question her actions.  They both knew what this was.  This was the last time that they would have sex with Harley being human.  Levi rolled her across the bed while pulling her shirt off.

“Will sex be different when I’m Nocte?” she asked as Levi gently sucked on her nipple, sending chills down her arms.

He raised his head and looked at her.  “Not that I recall.  It’s been a long time since I had sex as a human.”

Harley remember just how long ago Levi had been human.  “Were you married before you bonded?”

Levi paused with a flabbergasted look on his face.  “No, why would you ask that?”

“Well, you were how old when you bonded?  Late mid to late 20s?”

“Yeah…27.  Why?”

“It just seems like at that age, at that time, you would have been married and had a family already.”  She tried to tell herself the questions weren’t coming from jealously, but, again, she wondered how much she was fooling herself.

The corners of Levi’s lips turned up slightly as he continued to look up at her.  “Jealous?”

“No!”

Levi chuckled softly.  “In those days you didn’t marry unless you could afford to.  I had spent some time in the military and when I came home I helped my father on our farm.  We hoped to get the farm back into good standing before I found a wife.”

“Oh.  OK.  I just wondered,” Harley laughed.  “But wait—people didn’t just run around having sex like they do now, did they?”

Levi looked like he was trying not to laugh.  “Well, no.  Not like they do now.  But there were certain places you could go.  Places where guys and girls of certain morals could go,” he laughed.

“Oh, I see,” Harley laughed.  “Say no more.   So, sex will still feel as good, right?”

“If not better,” Levi answered.

“Good to know,” she flipped him over ran her tongue down his chest to his stomach.  She used her teeth to unbutton his jeans and his stomach jerked with his sharp intake of breath.

Harley was careful to pay attention to every detail of this sexual encounter.  She memorized the feel of Levi’s rough hand as he trailed his fingers down her back.  She counted the number of kisses he trailed up her neck.  She committed the taste of his skin to her permanent memory.  She knew that Levi had told her that she wouldn’t change that much, but she wanted to make sure that she cherished each sensation.  She had no idea how she would feel, or if she would even be alive tomorrow.

Afterwards, they lay in bed facing each other.  “What will happen after the bond?” she asked him.  She refused to keep thinking in terms of “if.”

“You’ll begin training.  You’ll be stronger and faster and heal quicker.  But you still have to learn to fight.  You’ll also have to learn to adjust to the bond.”

“What does that mean?”

“Well, not everyone takes to the bond immediately.  Sometimes it takes a while to...settle.”

Harley furrowed her brow, “How long did it take you?”

Levi thought hard.  “A week or so, I guess.”

“Who will be training me to fight?”

“Mostly Nya.  Others of us will help some.”

“Is Nya a good fighter?”  She knew that she must be good; otherwise she wouldn’t be the trainer.  But she couldn’t figure out why she wouldn’t be out fighting if she was that good?

“I’ve encountered very few people who were as good as Nya.”

“Is she better than you?”

“Oh, she has handed me my ass more than a few times,” Levi smiled his crooked smile.

Levi and Harley only got out of bed to use the bathroom and eat for the rest of the night.  They both were content to spend Harley’s last few hours as a human in bed.  Once they had both drifted off into a nap only to be woken a short time later by loud voices.

“I couldn’t care less,” Harley heard a man shout.  The haughtiness in the voice was unmistakable.  The voice also had a slight European accent, probably English but maybe Irish, Harley wasn’t sure.  The voice was accompanied by footsteps that drew closer and closer.

“If you knock on that door I will rip your head off and shove it up your ass.”  That voice Harley recognized.  It was Evie.

“Oh come on, Love.  His first night day back and he spends it in bed.  And he actually brought a girl with him to boot.  How can I resist interrupting that?”

Harley looked at Levi.  He was scowling and his jaw was clenched tightly but he made no move to get out of bed.  Harley didn’t know what was going on outside the bedroom.  She couldn’t hear a response from Evie but she must have done or said something because Rafe (she assumed) gave a loud, disgruntled “Fine!” before Harley heard their footsteps fade away.

“Rafe?” she asked.

“Yep.”

“He sounds like an ass.”

“Yep.”

Immediately, Harley took a disliking to Rafe—this only confirmed her initial decision to trust Levi’s opinion of the Nocte.  She hadn’t even laid eyes on him but just the sound of his voice grated against her nerves.   And I normally like British accents.  She could tell that Levi was equally, if not more, annoyed.  Harley didn’t want Levi to be in a bad mood and ruin these last few hours.  To distract him she quickly ducked under the covers laughing at Levi’s surprised gasp.  They picked up where they left off as if they had never fallen asleep.  There were a couple of things Harley remembered that she wanted to do one last time as a human.

Later, Harley finally drifted off to sleep trying to imagine what the bond would be like.  She tried to imagine what it would be like to learn how to fight.  Her brain was a tangled knot of thoughts.  She hadn’t figured that she would be able to sleep much at all, but she and Levi had worn themselves out and her body finally won out over her mind.

Chapter 12

Harley woke just after sundown the next evening.  The sound of Levi coming back into the room was what woke her.  His hair was wet and he was drying himself with a towel.  He just wore jeans and she could see the waistband of his boxer briefs poking from underneath the top of his pants.  She had always found that irresistible and it was impossible to not let her imagination get carried away.  When he noticed her watching him he smirked at her.

“Don’t get any ideas—we need to go to Nya.  The process can take a while and she wants us to get started soon.”

Levi’s words made Harley’s mouth go dry and her heart thump against her chest.

Sensing her anxiety, Levi assured her.  “It will go fine,” he said simply and firmly for what seemed like the 1000th time.

“It just all seems so…fast?”

Levi shrugged.  “Why wait.  You’re ready, right?”

Harley took a deep, fortifying breath.  “Yes.”

“Then it’s settled.”

Harley nodded, not trusting herself to speak.  She slid out of bed while Levi finished dressing.  “Is it OK if I take a shower?”

“Yeah, that’s fine.  I’ll be here when you are done.  Wear something comfortable.”

Harley crossed the hall to the huge bathroom carrying fresh clothes—pajama bottoms and a tank top.  She kind of hoped that she would see Evie again this evening.  The blonde Nocte’s cheer was infectious and she could stand to catch some good mood.  But no one else came into the bathroom while she showered and brushed her teeth and hair.

She found Levi checking messages on his phone when she came back into the bedroom.  His brow was furrowed and he seemed distracted, barely looking up when she came in.

“What’s up?” she asked.  Her voice sounded weak and she felt empty and jittery from nerves.

“I’m not sure.  Strange stuff is going on in Miami.

“What kind of strange stuff?”  Harley asked, putting away her dirty clothes.

“It’s too long of a story to go into right now.  We’ve got something more pressing to think about, right?” he raised his eyebrow at her, shrugging whatever it was that had been troubling him.  He stood in front of her and gripped her shoulders.  “Are you ready for this?”

Harley took a deep breath, “Yep.”  Even though it was obvious that Levi was concerned about something, she decided to not worry about whatever was going on in Miami.  Miami was a long way away—and Levi was right, she had more immediate stuff going on.  As long as “Miami” wasn’t storming the house looking for a fight, she wasn’t going to worry about it at the moment.

“Are you sure you still want to do this?” Levi asked, searching her face.

Harley felt annoyance flare up and struggled to not snap at Levi.  “I’ve come this far.  If I was going to back out I’m pretty sure it would have been before now.

“Fair enough,” Levi reasoned.  “I just had to ask to be sure.”

Harley nodded.  “OK.  Let’s go,” she breathed.  “Let’s do this.”

______________

Harley sat on a firm clean bed.  Nya and Levi stood beside it giving her reassuring looks.

“What’s going to happen?” Harley asked in an unsteady voice.  It was like getting on a roller coaster.  You knew you wanted to do it—but you couldn’t make your body ignore the impending danger and excitement looming ahead.  She griped her knees to stop her hands from shaking.

“Levi will need to bring you to the point of death.  It will weaken you enough to allow the Nocte to enter.  Levi will give you some of his blood to help the Nocte find you.  His blood will act as a beacon of sorts.  It’s the scent and pheromones.  Then I will call the Nocte,” she gestured towards a wooden chest against the wall.  “The rest will be up to you?”

“Wait—what?” Levi looked at Nya alarmed and surprised.

She looked at him calmly.  “I can’t be the only one here who knows how to initiate the bond.  Now is the best time for you to learn.”

Levi looked doubtful for a moment before taking a deep breath and nodding.  “OK,” he said finally.

Harley watched the exchange.  She had never seen Levi so disconcerted.

“How do you know I’ll be able to do it?” he asked.

“The same way you know that Harley can survive the bond.  I won’t let anything go wrong.  Your job will be simple.  You will drink her blood until she is almost gone.  Then you will feed her yours.  She will have the hardest job.”

Harley’s blood turned cold.  “Why’s that?  Is it going to hurt?  What do I have to do to make this happen?  If I’m almost dead how will I know what I am doing?”  She felt the panic beginning to take over and her control slip.

Nya interrupted her stream of questions.  “I cannot say if you will experience pain or not.  Some do, some don’t.  It is different for everyone.  I can tell you that as long as you choose this—you will not suffer.  Struggle and pain only become suffering when you have not made the choice to experience them.  When you choose to undergo your trials, pain and suffering become an obstacle—a challenge.

Don’t worry about how to do it.  You will be unconscious, but you will still have your wits about you.  Think of it as a very vivid dream.”  Nya was a lot more excited and amused than it seemed necessary and it made Harley more than a little uncomfortable.

Harley considered Nya’s words and decided to find some reassurance in them.  She had made this decision and she would see it through.  Both Nya and Levi believed that she could do this—and she wasn’t afraid of challenge.  She would just have to dive in and figure it out as she went.  She made the choice to trust them both and their confidence in her.

“How do you call the Nocte?” Harley asked.

Nya gestured towards the chest again.  “With sound.  The right amount of notes and right amount of sounds will cause vibrations that will weaken the veil between the dimensions. “

Harley rubbed at her temples.  That was too much for her to envision on top of everything else, so she decided to just accept it.  She nodded solemnly, deciding to stop stalling.  “OK.  I’m ready.”

Nya sat to her right and Levi followed suite on her left.  He looked cautiously at Nya.  “I’ve never drunk human blood.”  He didn’t look excited by the prospect.

“It won’t be pleasant.  It will probably make you nauseous” Nya answered, smiling at Harley and not looking at Levi.  “But this is a challenge for us all.”

Levi rubbed his face.  “What if I can’t drink enough to get her to the point that she needs to be?”

“Then I will help you.  But I am sure that you will be able to do this.”

Harley concentrated on the floor in front of her.  She listened to Nya and Levi discuss the process but it sounded like she was at the bottom of a barrel and they spoke above her.  Her heart thumped out an erratic beat against her chest and she could feel her blood pound in her ears.

“Are you ready for this?”  Nya asked her, pulling her out of her daze.  Nya’s bright, unblinking eyes had not dimmed in their intensity.  She still had her slight smile and she was watching Harley with excitement shining from her eyes.   Harley looked to Levi.  He looked excited as well, but not in the same way as Nya—he wasn’t having as much fun as she seemed to be having.  He looked worried but determined.

“I’m ready,” Harley said again, finding her voice.  It was stronger than she expected and the strength behind it almost made her jump because it felt like her voice belonged to someone else for a minute.  “You can do this,” she told Levi.  “I believe that you will be able to do this.”

Levi smiled slightly, “I’m kind of glad that I am the one to get to do this.”

“Me too,” Harley assured him breathlessly.

Nya stood up and backed away to give them space.  “I will be here when you need me.  You need to drink now, Levi.  And don’t stop until you feel that her heart has almost stopped.  You will know when it seems like she won’t be able to give anymore.  At that point—stop, before her blood turns cold.”  Nya began unlocking the wooden trunk that apparently held whatever instrument that would make the vibrations to weaken the veil.  She stopped concentrating on what Nya was doing when Levi scooted closer to her.

Harley’s heart beat harder than ever and her breathing had become shallow.  Levi took a deep breath and reached for her.  His eyes had gone black and she could see his chest rise and fall rapidly.  The Nocte may not feed on humans, but his Nocte was excited nonetheless.  He cupped his left hand around her head and his right arm slid around her waist and drew her closer.  She could feel his breath on her neck as he hesitated for a brief moment before sinking his teeth into the large artery in her neck.

Levi didn’t drink slowly.  Instead, he stabbed his fangs into her skin quickly, with a small growl.  Had he hesitated or been too timid the pain would have only lasted longer.  When he latched onto her Harley had to clench her teeth shut to stop from crying out loud.   There was no euphoria that she had always read about in books.  This was purely pain.  It felt like an animal had latched onto her neck.  Levi wasn’t trying to be rough, and for that Harley was grateful.  She could tell that he was trying to be as gentle and quick as he could.  Had he been too overwhelmed to control himself she didn’t know if she would have been able to stand the pain.

Very quickly she felt coldness spread throughout her body.  She could still feel, but her whole body was filled with pinpricks as if her entire body had gone to sleep.  She could feel her hands flop uselessly in her lap but she couldn’t control them.  She realized that this must have been what she saw the large Ignis that Levi had fed on go through.  Something about Levi’s bite had a paralyzing effect and she didn’t have real control over her muscles anymore.  Does this mean that I’m dying?

What’s worse is that she could feel the blood loss beginning to take effect.  She felt sick to her stomach and light headed.  She could feel the pull on her heart and it slammed against her throat causing the blood to pump out even faster.  She could hear Levi sucking at her neck trying to keep up with the flow.  Despite his efforts she could feel blood spilling down her shoulder and onto her chest in a warm trickle.  Her vision had become blurry and she couldn’t focus on anything.  She had been staring at the hardwood floor this whole time but it had become a brown blur.  She struggled not to cry.  This is for Jamie, this is for Jamie she began a mantra in her head.  It distracted her from the pain.  But not from the nausea that threatened to overwhelm her and her breathing became more erratic and her flickering vision told her that her eyes were rolling back in her head.

Suddenly, a warm hand gripping hers broke through her agony.  Levi hadn’t broken his hold on her neck, but he had reached out and grabbed her hand.  Almost without her control her hand gripped his back.  She felt her breathing slowing and at first thought that it was because he had calmed her down.  But as she felt her heart flopping like a dying fish her fear picked up again.  This is what it feels like to die she realized.  I’m dying.

Despair broke through the pain and sickness.  She didn’t think she was going to be able to hold on long enough and Levi was going too far.  She was dying and she couldn’t stop it.  She couldn’t find the strength to push Levi away as she felt her heartbeat weaken more and more with each beat.  Her vision began to darken from the outside in, creating a tunneling effect.  Nya’s face, blurred and indistinct, suddenly appeared in the pinpricks of sight that she still had left.  It looked like her mouth was moving but Harley’s ears had stopped working.  She felt an immense weight bearing down on her body as the darkness pulled her down into the waiting void.  Maybe I’ll see Jamie…

Chapter 13

Being dead wasn’t like Harley had expected.  There weren’t any white lights or people greeting her.  And no Jamie.  Instead, there was just nothingness.  It was like floating in water that was body temperature—only without any eyes, ears or the need to breathe.  She was just a consciousness—a mind existing.  She didn’t feel any panic about her situation—she was beyond panic and worry.  This isn’t so bad she thought.  It might get kind of old after a while though…I wonder if this is purgatory and if she could have, she would have laughed over the silliness of that idea.

Harley had never been the religious type and hadn’t given much thought to what would happen after she died.  Even when Jamie had died she hadn’t given it much thought.  Not having ever been religious she hadn’t worried about what was after death—it was unavoidable and whatever would happen would happen.  Slowly, a bruised raw feeling began aching where her heart used to be.  Harley realized that it was sadness melting around her and she was surprised that she could still feel sadness not having a body any longer.  Only now the pain of Jamie’s loss was accompanied by disappointment and guilt.  She felt that she had disappointed everyone—Jamie, Levi, Nya even.  She had hoped to become a warrior.  Everyone had thought she was so strong, but she wasn’t after all.  Apparently, she was just as average as she thought she had always thought she was.

Suddenly, from the darkness Harley heard a sound.  It sounded like music coming from far away.  It was too far away, she couldn’t pick out the melody or even distinct notes.  Even from far away and as faint as it was, it was causing a strange sensation to echo through her.  She could feel the music more than she could actually hear it and as it drew closer and seemed to vibrate within her very being.  As the sound grew stronger and stronger it began to tear at her nerves.  It was like a buzzing in her ears that threw off her equilibrium, only it was in her soul and made her feel as if she was going to burst apart into millions of particles.  She lost any and all sense of herself and she felt like the sound was drowning out her existence.  Each deep chime reverberated through her with increasing intensity.  She knew that if she still had been able she would be screaming.

Harley tried to block the music out but it was in vain.  The music wasn’t coming through her ears; the sound was coming from all around her.  The unrelenting sound was driving her madder with each passing second.  She didn’t know how much longer she would be able to stand the music before it broke apart her mind.  In one last desperate attempt to hold onto her sanity, her mind found a reason to the madness.  Nya had said that she used sound to open the space between the worlds.  Is that what this is?  Harley fought to find a rational thought.  Even the tiniest seed of explanation as to the origin of the sound gave her strength to continue to withstand the noise.

Suddenly, she her attention was pulled from the violent music when without warning the darkness moved around her.  Like ripples in water the darkness shifted.  It wasn’t just something dark colored moving within the darkness—it was the darkness itself that moved.  Harley hadn’t even been aware that she could still see—or maybe her eyesight had just come back like her hearing.  Nothing made sense in this black, black world of nothing.  Harley didn’t like it.  She tried to move but realized that she had no way to do so.  She was still just a mind—a brain—experiencing what was happening around her.

The moving darkness crept closer and closer to Harley. She felt it more than saw it as it drew nearer to her.  Every fiber of her being shouted at her to run—to get away even though she knew it wasn’t possible.  The music still vibrated in her soul with painful urgency and it seemed louder now than ever.  The darkness was a cold draft that was creeping closer and closer to her causing the cold tingle that would have been the hair standing up on her arms had she still had a body.  Finally, the icy breath of darkness was upon her, pressing against her from all sides.  Harley was unable to move beyond its reach.  It felt like being buried beneath ice or snow.  She continued to struggle against the weight with everything she had.  Is this hell?  She knew that she wasn’t a perfect person, but she would have never thought she deserved to go to hell.  And I didn’t think hell would be so cold…

The music was more distinct now but Harley still couldn’t distinguish a recognizable tune.  It was just toneless sounds droning into her brain now.   She imagined that this is what it would feel like stuck inside an immense bell tower at high noon.  The sounds drowned out every thought except the pressure of the darkness.    She was helpless against the oppressive black void surrounding her.  Breaking through the sound, a new consciousness materialized.  Like something from a horror movie, Harley heard the voice whisper inside her head.  Let me in.  The voice was dry, ageless and while it was barely more than a whisper, Harley got the impression that it was female.  Let me in. Let me in.  Let me in.  Let me in.  It beat at her mind in time with the sounds.  If she had hands left she would be clawing at her head trying to get the sound and the voice out.  She knew that the voice came from the darkness itself and she struggled in terror and despair trying to escape.

There was no use—she couldn’t escape the sound or the pressure of the darkness.  She fought to regain sense of what was happening.  The sound was key—Nya had said she used sound.  Harley tried to put the pieces together.  Harley found herself on the edge of sanity and she was ready to jump—just to make it all end.  As Harley’s resistance broke she stopped fighting and she found that when she didn’t resist the sound and the pressure were more bearable.  She finally accepted that the only way to make the music and the voice stop was to give in—give the voice what it wanted.  Suddenly, she knew that was what she was supposed to do.  I’m not dead after all!  Is this the bond!  Harley’s disoriented brain began putting the pieces together.  If she wanted to escape she would have to let the darkness in.  She struggled to relax against the icy pressure that surrounded her but her instincts still struggled against the pressure.  Little by little she convinced herself to relax and give in and as she did so, she could feel the darkness fill her.  The cold emptiness started in the center of her body and spread through the rest of her.

It seemed like ages before the pressure stopped and the darkness filled Harley completely.  Every second of the process was agony.  The blood in her veins seemed to turn to ice and her organs froze.  The coldness burned worse than fire.  It was the coldness that made Harley realize that she had never lost her body.  She had simply lost control and awareness over it.  If she had completely lost her body she would never be able to hurt this much.  She had been stuck inside her brain—somewhere inside a deep unconsciousness.    When the pressure finally faded, so did the sound.  As the music stopped she found she was no longer floating; instead she was falling and could do nothing to stop it.  Her body burned with cold as she fell faster and faster.  Suddenly, it felt like she had fallen through a sheet of ice to land back inside of herself and she knew she was in her body again because she could feel the bed beneath her.  Also, she could feel the warmth of the room that contrasted with the coldness she had been floating in for so long.  The warm air brushed across her skin without melting any of the frigidity away.  She could hear talking in the room around her and she knew that she should recognize the voices, but her brain couldn’t lock onto them.  Her brain had frozen along with the rest of her, and her thoughts were still sluggish and ineffective.

Harley tried to focus on what was going on around her.  She tried to feel her body beyond the burning cold pain but failed in both tasks.  She didn’t know how long she lay there in frozen catatonia but when she wasn’t able to stand it any longer she retreated inside the darkness of her mind again.  She simply stopped trying to regain control over the dead weight of her body.  She backed away from the physical pain and sought the glorious nothingness inside her head.  She didn’t fly away from her body this time—instead, she just crawled inside it.  And she quickly realized she wasn’t alone inside her head anymore.  The darkness that had bore down on her with the music was now inside her head.  Like a memory just beyond reach, the darkness was there.  It was coiled inside her mind and even though she knew she had asked for this, she was still alarmed by this intrusion.

Harley knew that she should be afraid of this thing inside her head, but she also knew that it couldn’t hurt her.  She felt the presence as an invasion inside her mind.  The darkness raced through her searching for a way out.  Harley sensed that it wanted control over her body as much as she did and it pressed against her will and writhed to be free of the block that Harley had erected to keep it out.  Her heart quickened with alarm but through that alarm Harley felt anger as well.  She refused to give in and let the darkness take over.  You don’t get to take over, Harley shouted inside her head.  Then why did you come here?  The voice whispered back.  Harley felt her anger flare at the words.  She had to admit that the voice was right.  She had chosen this.  She just had not anticipated how much of her it would cost to allow the darkness inside.  She was sure that if she gave in that she would lose herself to this creature—she was sure that Harley would cease to exist and be sucked into the black void of her own mind.  The presence was so real, so big, inside her mind that she couldn’t believe that it would ever just be a subconscious part of her.

When she felt ready to try again Harley clawed her way out of her head a second time.  From deep within her mind she made her way back towards her frozen body.  She fought hard to regain control over her limbs again—but it was futile.  Her body was still a dead weight.  Her body was just an empty shell waiting.  As Harley lay there she felt the darkness pushing against her.  It had lost some of its strength once she had let it in—it seemed as disoriented as she was.  It was now just a baby pushing against its mother’s ribs.  But Harley knew that the darkness’ weakness wouldn’t last.  It was growing stronger by the minute and in turn the nudges she felt in the darkest corners of her mind were growing stronger.  She pushed back against it unable to let it push its way through.

Thus was the pattern that emerged.  The Darkness would push against Harley’s mind and she would push back.  Sometimes there were voices in the room with her, other times she was surrounded by silence.  Sometimes she felt like she was on her back and then with the effort of the struggle she would find herself facedown, barely able to breathe.  Physically, her body was being buffeted about by the struggle as much as her mind was.  She didn’t know how much time had passed.  But the darkness was so strong she knew she wouldn’t be able to hold out much longer.

____________________

Harley felt herself screaming in frustration and was surprised to realize that the sound had burst from her body as well.  But her excitement at regaining a shred of control over her body was short lived because she heard the angry cry die off in an inhuman growl.  If she could, she would have wept.  This battle had been going on for far too long and she was amazed that she continued to hold out.  Harley couldn’t believe that she hadn’t lost her mind or her will power already.  Her hopes had been raised by having been able to make a sound for the first time in what seemed like ages, but the darkness had equaled her victory.  Every time she felt like she took a step forward, the darkness stepped forward with her as well.  Harley wasn’t able to extricate her mind from the shadow that stalked her.  Surges of fear and anger tore through her body.

Suddenly, a warm hand interrupted the coldness of Harley’s face.  Someone had placed their hand on her forehead.  It burned soothingly.  It reminded her of the rare times as a child that someone had cared enough to test her temperature by hand.  She tried to remember if her mother had ever done this, but could not recall.  Her exhaustion and frustration and despair shuddered through her.  The struggle had taken its toll on her and she wanted to let go—so badly.  But she couldn’t bring herself to do it.  The one thing that she had always had was herself and letting go went against every self-preservation instinct she had.  Even as she tried to tell herself to stop fighting her will rebelled.  Her body instinctively refused to let go.

A burst of bright light stabbed itself into her eye.  It took a moment for her eye to adjust to the harsh glare.  She must have been unconscious even longer than she realized.  Her eyes burned as if they had never seen light before.  She felt a hot tear slide from her eye, down her cheek and into her ear.  Behind the light a warm dark face materialized.  Nya.   She struggled to speak to Nya.  She tried to cry out to her, to ask her for help.  But she couldn’t voluntarily make sounds.

Nya’s intense face was normally softened by a mischievous smile.  But now it was twisted with concern.  Her brows were knit together and her lips were pursed creating faint lines around her mouth.   Harley knew that Nya had forced her other eye open when the painful, blinding light stabbed through her head again.  She realized that for the first time, in what seemed like years, she couldn’t feel the darkness trying to beat its way through her defenses.  She could feel it shrinking back from the light and the momentary reprieve was a moment of bliss.  Nya took her hands away from Harley’s face and leaned back.  Harley found that her eyes stayed open.

“You must stop fighting,” Nya spoke softly.  “I know that it feels like if you let go you will never find your way back.  But that is not true.  The darkness is a part of you now.  It is no longer an either/or situation.”

Harley felt another tear spill from her eye as they slowly closed.

----------------------------

OK.  I can do this.  She let out an imaginary breath.  She could feel the darkness waiting.  It knew what she had decided.  It knew because it was her now and knew what she knew.  She had to get used to that idea now—get used to not being alone any longer.  She slowly forced herself to relax and steadied herself against the pressure that she had fought against for so long.  Painfully, slowly she focused on not pushing back against the pressure of the darkness.  She pictured it as a door that she had been using her body to hold closed.  First, she imagined relaxing her shoulders against the door.  Even the tiny bit of relaxation she had found brought an immense relief followed by a trickle of coldness that she found startling.  It wasn’t just cold.  It was a jagged, lightning strike of iciness that shot through her.  Immediately, she slammed her weight back into the metaphorical door involuntarily.  She stopped anymore from coming in, but the sliver of darkness embedded itself in her consciousness as Harley struggled to remain calm.  It wasn’t altogether unpleasant.  But it was startling and alien and would take her some time to come to terms with this new presence.

It was a long and slow process, but Harley found herself able to let a little more of the darkness inside the door little by little.  Now that it knew that she was going to stop fighting, the darkness stopped its aggressive assault on her psyche.  She could feel its impatience, but it resisted its natural urge to take what it wanted and instead waited for her to relax.  Harley was amazed by the connection she felt with the Nocte when she stopped fighting it.  That’s what the darkness was—the darkness was the Nocte itself.  The more she let it in, the more that she began to understand what was happening.  And the Nocte seemed to understand her better with time as well.  It stopped fighting her and patiently waited for her to accept it because it knew that it would never be able to get in if she chose not to let it.  Eventually, they both would languish and die if they didn’t come to an accord—this was clear to them both.

_____________________

Eventually, Harley realized that she would have to let go and just open the door completely.  As she finally found the strength to relax and trust the darkness she felt the door begin to crumble away.  The bonding process ended with unexpected uneventfulness.  With the internal struggle that had gone on and on she figured there would be some sort of fireworks or something when it was done.  However, quite the contrary, Harley knew that the bonding was complete when everything went still.  The physical and mental silence was as shocking and disorienting as it would be if someone suddenly muted a wild, heavy metal concert.

The violent and jagged shock of darkness that had been slowly becoming a part of her, calmed to a comfortable hum.  The beating itself against the door of her mind settled into a comfortable embrace and she felt herself let go of a breath that she had not realized her body had been holding.  She could feel the bed underneath her and she could feel the griminess of her skin and her hair as it lay against her face.  She felt her nose flare and her chest expand as she took a deep breath.  It felt like the first breath of air after being stuck under water for a very long time.  It was a sweet relief and her body tingled in pleasure.  With a small pop her ears opened and she became aware of whispering from across the room.

“I think the bond is almost initiated.”

“Have you ever seen a bond take this long before?”

After a long pause, “No.”

“What does it mean?”

Another long pause, “I’m not sure.”

A lull in the conversation.  “Do you remember how long my bond took?”

“Almost a week.  And that was the longest bonding I had ever experienced.  Until now.”

“Harley has been like this for almost two weeks.”

Nya didn’t respond.

“You don’t have any ideas as to what it means?”

“I didn’t say I didn’t have ideas.”  Harley could hear the humor in Nya’s voice.  She was relieved that Nya’s sense of humor seemed to have come back.  It must mean that she wasn’t worried about her anymore.  “My best guess?  An unstoppable force meeting an immovable object.”

“Care to explain that?” Levi asked dryly.

“Had Harley been one to give up easily her Nocte would have taken over control long ago.  Had her Nocte been…weaker…less inclined to succeed, they would have both died already.”

They both grew quiet considering this explanation.  Harley could tell that Levi was worried by the stress in his voice.  It was an odd sound coming from him—someone who was normally so controlled and calm.  Harley could imagine him rubbing his face as he spoke.  Nya just seemed more curious than anything so Harley didn’t feel concerned with her situation any longer.  If Nya was calm—Harley would be too.  Harley felt so tired.  She knew that she had been stuck in this bed for two weeks (had it really only been two weeks) but she felt drained of energy anyway.

Slowly she opened her eyes.  Thankfully, the light was turned low this time so it was less painful on her eyes.  She could see Levi and Nya sitting in chairs across the room.  They faced each other with their sides to her.  Nya had a phone in her hands and looked like she was playing a game.  Levi was nervously playing with his large knife while sitting at the edge of his chair.  His shoulders were hunched and one hand rubbed the back of his neck as the other fidgeted with the knife.  He kept gently tossing it in the air and catching it by the handle.  As her eyes focused, Harley realized that she could see clearly again—she could see very well actually.  Not just well for being in the low light and having been unconscious for two weeks.  But supernaturally well.  She could count how many times the bands were wrapped around Nya’s braids from all the way across the room.  Even though she could tell that Levi’s knife spun quickly through the air, if she focused on it she could make it slow down until it looked like a special effect.  It took a moment for her to realize that she wasn’t actually slowing it down, she was just able to follow its movements so well that it seemed slower.

These realizations made her heartbeat pick up a bit.  It wasn’t as scary as it was exciting.  Well maybe a little scary.  It was like learning how to drive a car.  Realizing that you are in control of a lot of power—power that you didn’t exactly know what to do with.  Taking another deep breath, Harley resolved to sit up in the bed.  She slowly shifted her body so that it was no longer on her side.  She made the movement in small increments.  She hadn’t moved on her own in a long time and her muscles needed loosening.  They screamed in protest as she slowly rolled onto her back.

When she was finally looking up at the ceiling she took a deep breath and told her body to sit up.  She felt her stomach muscles contract and as she pulled herself upright.  It was easier than she had expected.  It hurt, but her muscles cooperated with minimal complaint.  Her head swam as the blood readjusted its flow.  She could feel her tank top stick to her back with old sweat and she knew that her hair stuck up in some places and was plastered to her head in others.  She heard a sharp thud and slowly turned her head.  Both Levi and Nya were watching her.  Levi looked amazed and had clearly been shocked into dropping his knife because it was now embedded blade down in the floor.  Nya on the other hand just looked amused and happy.

“Good evening, Sunshine,” she said with more brightness that Harley felt was appropriate.

She didn’t find that she could respond just yet.  Her body ached and her head hurt and she felt completely out of sorts.  It had taken a lot of effort just to sit up and Harley couldn’t find it in her to think of a response to Nya’s annoying cheerfulness just yet.  She looked around the room with wonder.  The minute details that she could make out were mystifying.  She could see the grains in wood and the fibers in cloth.  She could see a fine layer of dust on the top of, yet another, generic landscape painting that had been hung carelessly.  She could even make out the brush strokes in the paint.

She felt the bed dip next to her and Harley turned to see Levi sitting on the edge.  He watched her without speaking for a minute.  Harley watched him watch her.  When she looked at him she felt a pull deep from within her belly.  The feeling confused her.  It wasn’t the shivery, burning desire that she normally felt when she looked at him.  It was something different.  She was troubled by this but it was something that she would have to decipher later.  For now she was overwhelmed with sensations, so she tucked it away for the time being.

Slowly, Levi reached out towards her face.  Harley didn’t stop him.  She was curious as to what it would feel like.  When his fingertips made contact with her cheek she felt the hair on the back of her neck and her arms stand on end.  She could feel the heat from his skin burn through the coldness of hers and it tingled in the best way possible.  She felt like rubbing herself against his hand like a cat.  Levi’s eyes widened as he picked up on her feelings.  He trailed his fingers down her cheek to her neck and then to her shoulder.  She closed her eyes against the pleasure and tilted her head to bare more of her shoulder and a soft hum almost purred out of her.  Good lord, what is that?  Harley wondered, almost embarrassed by how obvious it was just how much she enjoyed this.  Levi’s eyes dilated blackly in agreement.

Abruptly, Nya broke the spell by clearing her throat.  Levi scowled and blinked away the blackness from his eyes.  They both gave her the same dirty look and she laughed heartily.

“Slow down, kids.  Harley, you have been through quite the ordeal.  You need to recoup a bit.  Eat something, drink something.  Take a shower maybe?”

Harley realized she was right.  She felt disgusting.  She could feel the fine layer of body oil all over herself.  Furthermore, she realized that the feeling that filled her up right now, the desire that she felt for Levi was strong enough to devour him.  She wanted to consume him.  Her jaw ached to bite him and her fingers itched with a need to grab onto him with such force that her fingernails would sink into his flesh.  He is mine.  She was startled by the thought.  She wasn’t sure if it came from her, or the Nocte inside her and she was appalled by her own thoughts.  She had never been the possessive type before, but she couldn’t shake the feeling that she…what?”  Owned Levi?  She clenched her teeth and shook her head and came back to her senses.  There was an edge to Nya’s smile that made Harley think that Nya may have known how she felt.

“You’re right,” she finally spoke.  Her voice was dry and rough from lack of use.   “I definitely need a shower.  And something to eat.”

Chapter 14

Harley tried to figure out how she felt as she stood in the shower, letting the hot water run over her head.  She felt more alive than she ever had before.  Her entire body vibrated with life.  And even though she was tired, she felt strong and jittery.  Her every sense was heightened and when she focused on something she could see it, hear it, smell it or feel it to a degree that she found impossible to describe.  Beyond that, she felt something else lurking inside her.  It was underneath her skin and in the back of her mind and it hummed in time with her heartbeat.  She knew that what she was feeling was the devil that now lived inside her.  She could feel it sliding beneath her skin and squeezing at her heart and churning her guts.  Harley found the foreign life inside her unsettling and she felt herself unconsciously push it away.  She couldn’t rid herself of the feelings of being invaded.  She tried hard to relax despite her discomfort.

After scrubbing clean, Harley stood in front of the mirror trying to determine if she looked as different as she felt.  She looked paler than normal but she really didn’t look all that different than she did before.  She was somewhat disappointed.  She had hoped that she would look...I don’t know.  Supernatural? She knew that her journey wasn’t finished yet so she told herself to be patient.   She dressed in comfortable clothes—pajama pants and a sweater of Levi’s—and made her way towards the kitchen.  She was surprised that she remembered the way since she had only been brought this way once before.  Maybe the bond is helping my memory.  Before she made it to the kitchen she could hear Levi and Nya talking.  She tried to not listen in because it felt rude.  But once she heard their conversation she found it impossible to tune them out again.

“…know who is doing this?” Levi asked.

“Damon isn’t sure.  But whoever is responsible is very powerful, we know that.  Nocte, Lux and Ignis alike have all been killed.”

At this Harley stepped into the eat-in kitchen and both Levi and Nya stopped talking and looked up at her.

“Feeling better?” Levi asked her, looking at her carefully.

“I feel cleaner,” she answered.  “But I am starving.”  Her stomach growled louder to emphasize her point.  Nya chuckled and Levi stood up.

“Have a seat.  There is leftover chicken and some sides.”

Harley’s stomach growled again in agreement.  She sat in the chair next to Nya and across from where Levi had been sitting.  Nya looked at her, smiling her usual small smile.  She was surprised to realize she didn’t feel intimidated by Nya’s examination any longer.  Nya looked no less powerful, but now Harley realized that part of the other woman’s intimidation resulted from her “other-worldliness. “  Harley didn’t know if it was because she herself was now “other-worldly” or if she just simply better understood the Nocte’s nature, but she felt more comfortable with Nya now than she had before.

“Was I really out for two weeks?” Harley asked.  Levi and Nya looked mildly surprised that she had known that.  “I heard you guys talking before I woke up all the way,” she explained.

“Yes, you were,” Nya answered, watching her for a reaction.

“How is that even possible?  How did I not starve or dehydrate and how am I just able to hop out of bed like it had barely been anytime at all?”

“Your body isn’t human now,” Nya explained.  Levi kept quiet, letting Nya answer the questions while he watched their exchange.  “I have never heard of a Lux or Nocte, or even an Ignis, starving to death.  You would go insane and die another way first.”

Harley shuddered at that thought.  “Good to know,” Harley responded.  “This is just all going to take some getting used to.  Nya and Levi both nodded in understanding.  “Were you guys talking about what was going on in Miami?” Harley asked after a moment.

“Yes,” Nya answered simply.

Harley was somewhat surprised by Nya’s frankness.  It must have showed because Nya’s smile grew wider.  “We don’t keep secrets here.”

Levi sat a plate of cold chicken, mashed potatoes and a mixed vegetable down in front of her.  “Strange,” she said sniffing the food like a dog.

“What is,” Levi asked.

“It’s just weird to be eating normal food as a vampire.  Again, I’m struck more by normalcy than I would be by weirdness.”

Nya barked out a loud laugh at Harley’s calling them vampires.  “You young people today and your vampires!”

“She does it just to aggravate me,” Levi explained rolling his eyes.

“At what point will I start drinking blood?” Harley wondered out loud.

“You might not be human any more, but if the bond isn’t finished you won’t be able to drink blood yet,” Nya explained.  “Well I guess you could if you really wanted to, I can’t imagine it would be all that pleasant though,” she laughed.

Harley shuddered at the thought.  She realized that she was surprised that she didn’t have any cravings for blood.  She had just assumed that it would happen right away.  “The Nocte is inside me, and the Nocte feeds on Ignis blood, so how does it live until I start drinking blood?”

Nya shrugged.  “Your Nocte is with you, but not really a part of you yet.”

It was Harley’s turn to shrug.  It was a bigger idea than she could actually process yet.  Nya was giving her important information but she was so distracted by her new powerful sense of smell, she could do little more than sniff at her plate.  She was like a dog finding a new scent.  The food gave off so many different delightful smells that she could barely make sense of any of them.  Her mouth began to water and her stomach rumbled louder.  She tore a small piece of chicken from the bone and placed it in her mouth.  She wanted to start small—instinctually she knew that the complexity of the meats and spices would be overwhelming with her new senses.  Harley was right.  She couldn’t stop the moan that escaped from her as she chewed the food.  “Oh my god,” she moaned.  Nya roared with laughter again and even Levi gave a rare honest laugh.

“I remember how good food tasted after I bonded,” Levi said watching Harley enjoy the food.

“I don’t really,” Nya answered wistfully.  “It’s been too long.”

Harley continued to moan as she shoveled the meat into her mouth with her fingers.  There was no way she could eat politely.  The flavors exploded in her mouth.  She felt like she had not eaten for years.  She tipped her head back and closed her eyes, savoring each flavor as her tongue tingled with pleasure.  She could actually feel each taste bud zing like a struck piano cord.  God if this is how good food is, I can’t imagine how good sex is going to be.

“You should probably slow down,” Levi cautioned.  “You’re going to make yourself sick.”

“Mmmphf,” Harley replied without slowing down.

Nya laughed again and she and Levi picked up their conversation where they left off.

“So, does Damon think it is an Ignis behind the murders?” Levi asked, leaving Harley to her food.

“No.  He said he gets the feeling that it is not Ignis.”

“Who is Damon,” Harley asked around a mouthful of food.

“He is a Praesidio Captain in Miami,” Levi answered.

“Oh,” Harley said, trying to look like she knew what that meant.

“There are rumors that a Lux is responsible for the murders,” Nya offered.

“Why do people think it is Lux?” Levi asked.  Harley watched their conversation as she continued to shovel food into her mouth.

“A body was found by the police.  The reports indicated that it had burns that sound consistent with Lux feeding.  Nothing had been done to hide how the person had died so the coroner noted it in his report.  He said the body had burns on its head.  Humans don’t turn to ash when they die so the body was still there and human bodies just end up with burn marks,” Nya answered.

“Wait—you’ve seen a human killed by a Lux?” Levi asked perplexed.

“Once or twice.  It’s rare for a Lux to kill a human though.  They tend to view that the same that we do.”

“But what did the Lux feed on?  If the human wasn’t possessed by an Ignis?”

Nya shrugged.  “I didn’t say that they actually fed.  I just have seen a body of a human that a Lux tried to feed on.  I don’t know if they were successful.  I can’t imagine it would be much different than if we tried to feed on a human.  I can’t imagine it would be satisfying or nourishing.”  An uncomfortable look crossed Levi’s face and even though Harley looked at him he purposefully didn’t meet her eye.  She couldn’t tell if Levi was remembering an unpleasantness from feeding on her or if it was something different

Harley finally swallowed enough of the food in her mouth to interject with a question.  “Ignis burn when a Lux kills them?”

“Yeah,” Levi answered.  “They usually burn until nothing is left but ash.”

“What about when the Noc—we kill them?  The guy at your house didn’t burn when you killed him.  Neither did the ones that attacked me and Jamie.”  Her heart stuttered when she said Jamie’s name.  She found she was relieved that her feelings about her friend had not changed.  She didn’t want to lose that pain.  As long as she had that pain, she still had humanity.  She still had the desire to stay motivated in her revenge.

“It doesn’t always happen right away especially when they are really young.”

“Oh,” Harley replied.  She went back to her food.  It was interesting information, but didn’t take precedence over satisfying her hunger.

Nya finally spoke again.  She had been silently contemplating something for a moment.  “Levi, I’m going to need you to go to Miami.”

“When?” Levi asked, with apprehension creeping into his voice as he looked at the Nocte general.

Harley felt concern lazily flop in her belly at Nya’s words.  She knew that she should be more disturbed, but she found that she wasn’t really.  She would rather Levi stayed, but she knew there were more important things she needed to focus on.  She was more concerned by her lack of concern but she set it aside along with the other complex ideas that she didn’t have the ability to focus on yet.

“Soon,” Nya answered softly.  “Tomorrow.  I would rather you went tonight.  But—," She looked from Harley to Levi with a small smile.  “It can wait a little while.”

Neither Harley nor Levi argued with Nya.  She could feel Levi’s anger at having to leave.  As well as see it in the set of his jaw.  Again, she was concerned by the fact that she wasn’t that upset.  She didn’t like it, but she was so distracted by her new nature that she found it easier to focus on other things.  She finished eating and sat back in the chair.  Levi was watching her and this time it was she who didn’t meet his eyes.

Nya continued explaining her reasoning, “Harley will begin her training tomorrow night anyway.”

“I thought I would get to help with that?” Levi asked reluctantly.

“You will I’m sure.  But it is more important for us to know what is going on in Miami right now.  You will be able to tell if there is a balance there.  If the order is out of balance maybe you will be able to figure out what is going on,” there was an edge to Nya’s voice that didn’t allow for argument.  Her humor was put on hold in the face of bigger things.

“It would make a lot of sense if there is a rogue Lux running around,” she said, almost to herself.

“How’s that,” Levi asked.

“Just a theory,” Nya said watching Harley who returned her look, unflinchingly.  “I’ll explain more when I know more.”

“I thought you didn’t keep secrets,” Harley challenged.  She didn’t like the way Nya was looking at her.  It made her feel like she was under a microscope.

“It’s not a secret,” Nya held her gaze.  This time the burning behind her pale eyes was not with half-mad humor.  “It’s a half-formed theory that I’m not willing to share yet.”

Harley decided not to question Nya further.

______________________

Nya had left Levi and Harley saying that she needed to get some research done.  Levi and Harley didn’t say much after Nya left.  She pushed the empty plate away and watched Levi who was in turn watching her.  Having showered and eaten Harley’s focus shifted to other needs.  She still didn’t feel all that different.  Mostly, things were just…more.  She felt more, heard more, saw more, and smelled more.  Everything was intensified.  Including her desire for Levi.  Seeing him sitting across the table sent a fire through her and she could tell he wanted her too.  She could practically smell it.  The strange intensity of her feeling brought back the unsettling feeling of being possessed again and it sent a shiver across her shoulders and down her arms.

As usual, he had seemed to read her mind.  “You still feeling tired?” he asked, his voice low and heavy.

“Not really.”

“Wanna go to bed?”

“Yep.”

Without another word they had both gotten up and walked quickly from the room.  Levi led the way.  As they made their way back to their room, Harley kept getting distracted by the house around her—she saw things in minute detail.  The specs of dust that floated in the air.  The frayed edges of the curtains.  She found it nearly impossible to not focus too much on her surroundings.  If Levi hadn’t been leading the way she would have been so distracted it would have taken them forever to make it back to the room.

Once they crossed the threshold into their room Harley slammed the door shut behind her.  As she did, Levi pushed her against the door with a bang.  She laughed a deep laugh that rumbled from her belly.  The laugh was cut off as Levi covered her mouth with his.  The taste of his mouth nearly made her cry out loud—it was the taste of HIM and she savored it.  She dug her fingers into his hair and wrapped her legs around his waist.  His fingers dug into her arms and she could tell he wasn’t holding back this time.  She didn’t know how he had been able to contain himself before and not use his unnatural strength in his haste.  She bit at his lip and she found it took effort for her to not bite hard enough to draw blood.  No one had mentioned this would happen.   She didn’t just want to taste his blood; it was more like his blood that he had fed her was calling out for more.  A part of her wanted more of him.  Along with this feeling came a pressure inside her mouth.  It was more uncomfortable than it was painful.  Harley was sure that it was fangs growing in her mouth.  She had seen Levi’s and had been expecting this at some point.  However, she didn’t feel anything more than a heavy pressure.  Surely if fangs were going to pop out of her mouth it would hurt worse than that.

Harley reached down between them and began undoing his belt buckle.  He moaned against her mouth as she stuck her hand down the front of his pants.    She struggled against the urge to bite his tongue as it teased against hers.  The need to taste Levi was nearly overwhelming and she was afraid of what would happen if she did.  Levi didn’t seem to want to bite her so she couldn’t understand where the feeling was coming from.  A part of her knew that this wasn’t normal.  The small bites that Levi traced along her neck indicated nothing more than natural sexual desire.  Harley could feel a longing in her belly that hinted at much deeper craving.  With a soft cry she pulled away from him, dropping her legs from around his waist and pushing him away with a firm hand on his chest.  He looked at her with mild confusion as he tried to catch his breath.  It was the first time she had ever seen him out of breath.  She fought to push through the desire to feed on Levi even though it made her blood boil and her stomach ache.

Harley smirked at Levi and pulled the sweater over her head.  Even though her desire for Levi’s blood still smoldered, she found that if she concentrated hard enough she was able to contain it.  She held his gaze as she walked around him to the bed.  Levi followed her, and when she climbed onto the bed on her hands and knees he lowered himself over her back.  She looked at him over her shoulder and smiled with wicked glee and he gripped her hair and pulled her head back.  Her hope was to keep him away from her teeth as much as possible.  She could see that his eyes were cold and black and she wondered if hers were too.  He bit her neck and even though she could feel his fangs he didn’t break the skin.  A part of her realized that she wanted him to bite her.  The idea flashed through her head and caused her stomach to shudder with excitement.  She could feel her Nocte raise up and purr in expectation.  When he didn’t, she could feel the Nocte deflate a little.  Realizing that there was a creature inside her experiencing what she experienced gave her a momentary pause.  She felt exposed and embarrassed briefly.  But the feeling passed quickly as she leaned back into Levi’s body, concentrating on the feel of him against her.

Levi pulled her bra down as he continued to bite and kiss the back of her neck.  The hairs on her arms prickled.  She wanted him so bad that she had to clamp her teeth shut against the growl that she could feel trying to force its way out of her.  She started to pull her pants down to hurry things along, but Levi shoved her hands aside with a grunt that sounded more animal than human.  He yanked the elastic band to her knees and pushed her forward.  She heard him finish unzipping his jeans and she looked at him over her shoulder again.  She cried out in both pain and pleasure as he used her shoulder for leverage as he thrust himself into her.

Harley could tell that he had definitely held himself back before.  His strength and intensity took her breath away.  He leaned over her and held her head a back with a hand on her forehead.  His other hand bore down on top of hers as he held his weight from pressing down on her too much.  As it was, it took all her strength to not fall forward.  With each thrust both Harley and Levi groaned in ecstasy.  The feeling was nothing like Harley had ever felt before.  She could feel the ripples of pleasure course through her on two different levels.  It was physical.  She could feel Levi’s power and it made her heart pound with excitement and she tingled in all the most important places.  But she could also feel it in her...soul?  It coursed through her with pulsing electricity.  She knew her Nocte was writhing in ecstasy along with her.   She could feel the Nocte ripple along her spine and hum deep inside her.

Harley reached down and stroked herself.  As she did so Levi began pushing against her even harder.   The pleasure began to shudder through her and she could barely breathe.  She was momentarily distracted by a growling sound until she realized it was coming from her own throat and she almost laughed at the strange sensation.  When Harley came it was with a blinding explosion of pure pleasure.  It coursed through her and everything around her seemed to slow down.  She could feel Levi’s breathe against her cheek and she could feel his heartbeat against her back.  But for a moment she felt like they were the same person.  She could feel herself as Levi felt her.  She could see herself as Levi saw her.  When she heard and felt his breath catch she realized that he was experiencing the same thing.  She felt as if she was staring into a mirror spinning out of control—unable to tell which side of the mirror she was actually on.

The physical pleasure Harley experienced was two-fold and she found herself rising to the edge of another orgasm.  As she came a second time, she was unable to continue to support her own weight and she fell forward.   Levi followed her down and wrapped his arms around her chest.   Their legs tangled together and she buried her face in the pillow to muffle her cry as she came again.  This time Levi came at the same time with a cry of his own.  They lay without moving for several minutes gasping for air.  Harley’s body tingled and purred.  When Harley finally stirred, coming back to her senses, Levi rolled off her onto his back.

“I have never experienced anything like that in my life,” she breathed.

“I—,” he panted, “haven’t either”

“What was that?” Harley didn’t have to elaborate.  Levi knew what she meant.

“I don’t know.”  He thought for a few minutes.  He had recovered quickly and was no longer gasping for breath.  He was silent long enough that Harley started to think that he had fallen asleep.  “I’m going to have to ask Nya about this.  Things have been…different since you woke up from the bonding process,” he said thoughtfully.  “Don’t you think so?”

“Yeah,” she answered after a minute.  “But I don’t know how much of it is just the Nocte bond.  I don’t know what is exactly normal.”

“I don’t think this is normal.  I mean, Nya brought me into the bond and I never felt like this towards her.  This strange connection…”

Harley ignored the twinge of jealously that she felt over that.  Have Levi and Nya slept together she wondered?  It was none of her business if they had, so she tried to let the thought go.  The feeling that Levi was hers and only hers crept back into her stomach again.  She fought the urge to reach out and sink her fingernails into his skin.  What the hell has come over me?  I don’t OWN Levi.  Not any more than he owns me she told herself firmly.

Harley watched Levi as he lay with one hand above his head and the other on the small of her back.  She could feel his warm skin against hers.  She couldn’t grow used to it and instead it lay there like a heated beacon alerting her to Levi’s presence.  She needed to distract herself from the strange possessive feeling that continued to bubble inside her so she decided to change the subject.

“So, what exactly is going on in Miami?” she asked.

Levi looked at her and she knew that he could see in the dark as well as she could now.  “There have been quite a few humans who have turned up dead with Vigilum marks on them.  Not all of the bodies were taken care of before the police found them.”

“Who takes care of the bodies?”

“Usually, in weird cases like this, when the bodies don’t take care of themselves, other Vigilum would take care of it.  Or if it were the Praesidio one of us would take care of it.”

“What happens to Nocte or Lux when they die?”

“We all burn.”

“Oh.”

Levi continued. “There also seems to have been a lot of Ignis deaths and the Turba are causing more trouble as a result.  Then the other night a Nocte died,” there was an edge to his voice when he revealed this.

Harley felt her hackles rise.  Miami.  The desire to go to Miami prodded at her from out of nowhere.  The urge to go and hunt the thing that had done this suddenly burned through her.  Miami.  Hunt—kill.  The words flashed themselves through her mind spurred by a burning anger that she couldn’t locate the source of.

“Miami…” she was surprised to realize the word had whispered itself from her own mouth.

“What?”

“I want to go to Miami,” she found herself answering before she had a chance to think about it.  She felt Levi stiffen beside her.  She rolled from her stomach and propped herself up on her elbow.  She could feel the intensity of the look that she gave him.

“Look,” he said almost sadly, “I told you that we would both have different jobs to do.  You can’t go with me to Miami tomorrow.  You have even trained yet and—,” his words broke off when Harley punched him in the side.  She hadn’t realized how hard she had hit him until he grunted in pain.

Instead of feeling guilty, she got angry.  “I don’t want to go to Miami to be with you,” she snapped.  Levi just watched her warily.

“Then why do you want to go to Miami?

Harley thought about it for a minute.  Why do I want to go to Miami so bad?  She was so confused, because now she couldn’t remember what was so pressing about Miami.  Yeah, she was eager to know what was going on.  And knew with certainty it was important to take care of business there.  But her objective was Blondie—the Ignis who had caused Jamie’s death.  “I—I’m not so sure now,” she finally admitted.

Levi raised an eyebrow at her.  She steeled herself, ready to defend her momentary need to go with him.  She didn’t have an answer, and she certainly didn’t want to have to try to explain something to Levi that she didn’t even understand herself.  She refused to meet his eyes and let her confusion and embarrassment show.  Levi must have had second thoughts about arguing with her, because he let it go.  Instead, as a peace offering and distraction, he rolled over so that he lay above her.  She scowled up at him, trying her best to stay angry.  But when he began kissing his way down her stomach she realized she had forgotten why she was mad to begin with.

Later, Harley knew the sun was rising because Levi began to get tired—fast.  As he always did when the sun rose.  She waited to feel the slamming weight of exhaustion falling over her as she watched Levi’s eyes grow tired.  But it never came.  She was still wide awake when the sun peeked around the edges of the heavy curtains that covered the window.  She didn’t feel any different.  Levi said that they would be really weak in the daylight and that the Nocte slept during the day.  But she felt the same as she had for the last eight hours or so and she could tell that her Nocte was still wide awake humming through her body as it (she—Harley had to get used to the fact that her Nocte was definitely female) had been.  Harley knew the creature didn’t like the light—but her Nocte wasn’t afraid of it.  She could feel the devil inside her shying away from the daylight.  But she still felt strong and full of power.  Harley wondered if she should be concerned about this.  Eventually, when she did get tired and drifted off to sleep it was the normal falling asleep that she had experienced all her life.  Why does my Nocte seem so different than everyone else, she wondered as she drifted off to sleep finally.

_______________________

Harley had barely closed her eyes when she snapped them open again.  She was surrounded by flames.  She knew immediately that she was dreaming because she was no longer in the “farmhouse-that-wasn’t-a-farmhouse” in bed with Levi.  Instead, she was in her childhood home and it was burning around her.  The second hand furniture was the same and the cigarette burned carpet was the same. Her stomach turned to ice and she surveyed the house in which she now found herself.  Flames stroked the wall and carpet with a deadly caress as it melted the cheap synthetic fibers.  Her parents were nowhere to be seen.  They weren’t fighting on the floor as they had that night.  She slowly spun in a circle surveying the small living/dining area of the house.  The smoke was beginning to fill the confined space but Harley wasn’t affected by it in this dream world.  It didn’t burn her lungs as it had when she was a child.  The burning house seemed to serve as only background to set the mood instead of real fire. As she turned towards the dining room her breath caught in her throat.  She could see the small, dirty bare feet curled under the table.

Harley closed her eyes and forced herself to remember that this was a dream—that it wasn’t real.  She had been saved from this fire many, many years ago.  She was no longer the weak little girl desperately waiting for her parents to rescue her. But she couldn’t separate what she knew from the feeling of impending doom as the fire crept closer and closer to the table under which the little girl cowered.  She didn’t remember it being this close to her during the real events.  Andy had pulled her from underneath the table well before the fire reached her.  But now, in this surreal world, the fire climbed high enough to create a three sided cave of sorts around the table.  Dream or not, she couldn’t separate her panic from the dream, and she couldn’t watch herself burn.

Harley quickly made her way towards the table and placed a hand on it to steady herself.  She slowly crouched down and came face to face with the memory that had haunted her for eighteen years.  The little girl sat on the floor with her legs folded underneath her.  Her red hair was knotted and obviously hadn’t been brushed in a long time.  Her dress was too small for her and stained.  The little girl was looking away from her, towards the front of the house where her parents should have been.  Tears streamed down her face but Little Harley didn’t make a sound.  Adult Harley winced and her stomach cramped at the sight before her.  She knew how things had been, but seeing it made it even more real.  Seeing it meant that her brain wasn’t just constructing an image of a memory.  It became an undeniable reality.  The little girl’s misery and pathetic condition brought the shame and guilt slamming home to Harley.

“Hi” she said softly and soothingly as possible but the little girl ignored her.  The fire still didn’t come any closer, yet the sense of danger only grew stronger.  The heat began to increase and as Harley watched the flames flicker she suspected that they weren’t just background any longer.  She knew this dream wasn’t a memory—this dream was more than that.  Harley knew without a doubt that she needed to get herself out of the fire.  She wasn’t sure what would happen if she didn’t, but she just knew that it would be bad.

“Harley,” she tried again.  Finally, the girl turned and looked at her.  She stopped crying and just stared at her, as if she could see right through her.  Looking into her own face was disconcerting and left Harley disoriented.  After a moment, the little girl’s mouth stretched into a humorless smile.  She slowly blinked and when she opened her eyes they were a solid, lifeless black.  The movement of the flames flickering in the reflection in her eyes was the only thing that made them look alive.  Harley’s heart began to pound.  The little girl wasn’t crying any more but she made no move to come out from underneath the table either.  She continued to stare at Harley with her cold black eyes as the panic grew in her gut.

“Harley, you should come with me, sweetie.  OK?”  She held her hand out to her and she regretted how badly it shook.  Still smiling and not blinking, Little Harley reached out to take her hand.  Her grip was strong—stronger than a child’s should have been and Harley could feel the bones of her hand grinding together painfully.  She tried to pull her hand free and when that didn’t work she tried to pull Little Harley from underneath the table.  If she could get the little girl out from underneath the table she could have a better chance at getting her hand free.  She tugged at the little girl as hard as she dared without hurting her.  This is absurd, Harley thought to herself.  No matter how hard she pulled at the girl, she wouldn’t budge.  It felt like she was pulling at a solid stone statue bolted to the floor.

“Let-let go,” she her panic was beginning to grow into hysteria.  Maybe she wasn’t meant to get the girl out after all.  Her heart was beating in her throat and she used the table as leverage to try to pry herself free.  She was less concerned with getting the little girl out now than she was with not burning to death herself.  Dream or not, the heat from the flames grew stronger as they began to creep closer and closer.  Suddenly, the little girl yanked Harley forward, pulling her partially under the table with her.  The little girl was impossibly strong and Harley couldn’t stop herself from falling to her knees in front of the little girl.  When she was face to face with the younger version of herself she could see her own reflection in the bottomless pit of the girl’s deep black eyes.  She could see the terrified expression on her own face as she struggled to break the little girl’s hold.

When the girl spoke it was with the same voice that Harley had heard from the darkness during the beginning of the bond.  “Miami,” she whispered and began laughing.  It wasn’t a little girl’s laugh.  It was hoarse and feminine yet not quite human.  At the same time Harley caught sight of her own reflection in the little girl’s eyes again.  Her blood turned to ice when she realized that her eyes were as black and lifeless as the little girl’s eyes.  She opened her mouth to scream but nothing came out.  Instead, the little girl flung her away as if she were a doll she was tired of playing with and continued to laugh in her strange rasping way.

Harley jerked awake with Levi holding onto her hand with a vice-like grip.  The bed bounced beneath them as he leaned over her.  The look on his face caused Harley’s already pounding heart to race even harder.  He looked shocked, suspicious and maybe even a little scared.  Harley froze in response, unsure as to what had just happened but waited for Levi to speak while she worked to calm herself.

“You were floating,” he said simply.

Chapter 15

“Huh?” Harley asked stupidly.

Levi’s shoulders relaxed a little now that he knew she was awake and seemed in control again.  “You were floating and making weird sounds.”  His body might have relaxed, but his voice was still tense and worried.

Harley sat up and rubbed the last bits of sleep from her eyes.  “What do you mean I was floating?”

“I mean you were floating above the bed—just—just kind of hanging there like you were floating in water or something.”

“Is that normal?”

“No.  No, it’s not.”

“I was having an awful dream,” Harley tried to remember the details.

“What was it about?”

“I think it was about the fire that killed my parents.  And—” Harley broke off with a gasp as the memory of the dream came rushing back to her.

“What?” Levi asked tensing again.

“Miami.”

“What?”

“My Nocte wants me to go to Miami.”

Levi studied her with skepticism marring his features.  “How do you know that?  You dreamed it?”

Harley realized how dumb that sounded and any explanation she offered would only sound worse.  “Yes!” she hissed defensively refusing to meet his eyes.  “She spoke through a child version of myself.”

“Harley—” he began softly, “The Noctes don’t talk to us.  Maybe it was just an impression that you got and your brain built it up in the dream.”

“No,” Harley sighed, “I’m sure that it was her.”

“What makes you think your Nocte is female?” Harley could tell that Levi’s skepticism was growing but he was trying to not show it.

“I just know.  Can’t you tell if yours is male or female?  Or would yours automatically be male?  Is that how it works?”

“I have no idea,” Levi considered.  Levi was showing his usual self composure.  He might have his doubts about her words, but he respected Harley enough to give her the benefit of the doubt.  A fact that Harley was grateful for.

“I was pretty sure at the bonding that she was female.  After that dream I’m sure of it.”

“Tell me what happened.  Start at the beginning.”

Harley recounted the dream.  Describing the events that took place took some of the creepiness away.  She was able to remove herself from it somewhat and become more of an observer.  Levi listened patiently without interrupting.  When she got to the part where her younger self had spoken the Nocte’s words, Harley felt the hairs rise on her arms.  Her Nocte may not be completely awake in the daylight, but she was definitely not fully asleep.

“So that’s why you said you wanted to go with me to Miami earlier?” Levi asked.

“Apparently.  At the time I wasn’t even sure where that came from.”  Levi raised an eyebrow in response.

“Don’t look at me like that,” Harley’s defenses came up.

“Next time how about just explaining what you mean instead of being hateful?”

Guilt nibbled at Harley.  “Sorry,” she said sheepishly.

Levi nodded his acceptance of her apology and let it go.  “Why does your Nocte want to go to Miami?” he asked reasonably.

Harley rubbed her face and shrugged.  “I don’t know.”  She felt frustrated and annoyed.  “I feel I need to go there—and I think it is because SHE feels she needs to go there.”

“Well…” Levi began.  “We already discussed this.  It’s not a good idea.  There is no way that can happen right now.  You understand that, right?”

“Of course,” Harley responded.  She tried to keep the irritation out of her voice.  Harley studied Levi’s face.  He looked tired and faded.  He looked like it was the morning after an all-night party.  Harley couldn’t be sure without looking in a mirror, but she was pretty confident that she didn’t look that tired.  She definitely didn’t feel tired or weak.  If need be, she could be up, ready and functional.  Levi looked like he needed to sleep for a week.  When she thought about it she realized that any time she had seen Levi awake during the day he looked like this.  He always looked disoriented with dark circles under his bloodshot, blue eyes.

“Do I look as tired as you do?”

“Um, thanks,” Levi answered sarcastically.

“Sorry!” she laughed.  “But you LOOK like you are tired—weaker.  I don’t feel any different than I did when I went to sleep.”

Levi studied her face.  “No…you actually look normal.”  His brow wrinkled with curiosity and suspicion again.

“Is THIS normal?”

“Not that I have heard of,” Levi answered after careful consideration.   “We will have to add floating and not being tired during the day to the list of things to asked Nya about.  Maybe it’s just because the bond isn’t complete.”  Levi settled back into the mattress and pulled her closer.  She let him, too lost in her own thoughts to care all that much.

Harley knew that her Nocte wanted to go to Miami.  For some reason she—the Nocte—wanted to find the creature responsible for the murders that had been happening there.  Harley knew this for sure even though she couldn’t explain why.  She knew that it wasn’t possible though.  She felt stronger already, but she knew that she wasn’t ready to fight yet.  Just because someone could swing their fist through the air didn’t mean they knew how to fight.  Her heart still burned for revenge and subconsciously her Nocte urged her toward Miami, but Harley knew she wasn’t ready.  As much as she wanted to chase her own demons, she had to be patient.  She knew she would have her chance for revenge eventually.

Harley looked at Levi.  He had already fallen back to sleep and was breathing deeply and seemed at peace.  Since the bond, she felt differently about everything.  She had two layers of emotions.  One was animalistic—it was the base need to eat, have sex, to fight, to own and possess.  But on the other side of that primal instinct was a strong rational sense of control.  So far, she seemed to be able to control them separately when she needed to—but she didn’t know if that ability would last.  Levi had warned her that some people weren’t able to handle the bond.  What if that is what is happening to me?  Harley’s heart picked up pace at the thought.  But Harley knew that it just took a while for some people to adjust to the bond—maybe that is what was wrong with her.  Maybe this was just her body’s way of adjusting to the bond.

______________________

Eventually, Harley got tired of lying in bed trying not to move and wake Levi.  She itched to get out of bed even though she knew that the sun hadn’t gone down yet.   Some base instinct that now resided in Harley told her that she had about an hour before the sun set.  Moving slowly Harley slipped from the bed; Levi was in such a deep sleep that he didn’t even stir.  She carried some clothes with her to the bathroom and showered quickly.  She realized that since she and Levi had arrived at the “farmhouse” they had spent most of their time in the bedroom or the kitchen.  While she wasn’t going to complain about either, she did want to see the rest of the house.

The only remarkable thing about the house, other than its size, was its boringness.  There were no personal touches.  The décor that Harley had noticed early on, the decorating for the sake of decorating, was carried on throughout the rest of the house.  She was cautious in her exploring, hesitating before opening most doors.  Surely, there were people sleeping behind at least some of them.  If she heard or sensed anyone on the other side of the door, she left it closed and moved silently away from it.  During her and Levi’s shut in she had heard people moving throughout the house even though she hadn’t met them yet.  At some point she was sure that she heard the arrogant, British-sounding Rafe yelling down the hall—oblivious to whom he may be disturbing.

The sun still hadn’t set fully when Harley found herself at a door that opened outside on the east side of the house.  She unlocked it and stepped into the dying sunlight.  Even though it was chilly fall weather, the sunlight warmed her skin like a gentle caress.  She had a feeling the only reason that she was so aware of the sunlight on her skin was because her Nocte didn’t like it.  She could feel her grumble from somewhere deep inside as the sun rolled across her arms and shoulders and face.  She felt like it had been ages since she had been in the sun.  The feeling of being outside was glorious.  She found a calm freedom that lifted a weight from her heart and soul.  There was an old stone bench sitting on the small concrete porch and Harley sat, closed her eyes and opened the rest of her senses—eager to hear and smell the world around her.

When she breathed deep enough, Harley could smell the dewy earth and the wildflowers blooming near the trees about thirty feet away from where she sat.  She could also smell some sort of animal scrambling to collect more food before the night fell and predators came out.  She could hear it scurry through the grass and the brush near the tree line that sat to the side of the farmhouse.  Listening to the sound of the world around her, she had never felt so close to, or so apart from nature before.  She was more aware of how full and busy her surroundings were in a way that she only taken for granted before.  Now she could hear the crickets beginning to wake up in the bushes that had been planted alongside the house.  She opened her eyes and she could see the birds nesting for the night, watching her warily from the branches of the closest trees.  Seeing these details that she had never noticed before brought with them an intimate knowledge of the realness of nature—of being surrounded by it and immersed in it.

On the other hand, Harley knew she wasn’t just an observer of nature any longer.  Now she was an apex predator.  She felt sure that if she chose to do so, she could catch the scurrying creature.  It seemed aware of as well because it had caught her scent and stopped its foraging to make sure she wasn’t coming closer.  If she wanted to, she could jump high enough to reach the nest that the birds had carefully built out of normal human reach.  She didn’t belong to this natural world any longer.  That knowledge saddened her a bit.  The world had not always made sense, and humans went against nature every day.  But Harley hadn’t realized how lost she would feel when she was no longer a part of the world that she had always known.  Harley didn’t belong in the natural order of nature any longer.  That knowledge created a sadness that pulled at her breath and made her eyes glisten.

“You get used to it after a while.”

Harley jumped at the sound of Nya’s voice.  She had been so lost in thought and the world beyond the house; she hadn’t even heard Nya approach.  Now she stood in the darkness behind the screen door.

“Which part,” she asked softly, not bothering to clarify what she meant.  She blinked away the unshed tears.  As usual, Nya didn’t need Harley to explain.

“All of it,” she said, softening her normally playful tone.  Nya pushed the screen door open and joined Harley on the bench.  “How long have you been out here?”  Her voice was curious but not suspicious.

“Just before sundown.  I couldn’t sleep and decided to explore.”

Nya’s brow wrinkled as if she was trying to work something out.  Finally she just nodded, “I see.”

“Nya—” Harley began.  After Nya looked at her expectantly she continued.  “Why am I different than other Nocte?”

“How are you different?”

“Well, for one,” Harley began, “it took longer than normal for the bond to happen.”  She took a deep breath and continued.  “Then, when Levi and I were having sex last night, it was intense.”  Nya smiled at that.  It was at first a bit uncomfortable to discuss their sex life with the other woman but she brushed that aside because it wasn’t as important as the answers she needed.

Harley rolled her eyes, “I mean, more so than usual.  At one point…it’s like I was experiencing what he was experiencing and vice versa.  Is that because his blood was used in the bond?  Because he drank my blood and fed me his?  Is that normal when someone performs the bond for another person?”  Harley stopped before mentioning that she wanted to feed off Levi.  She had a feeling that was beyond abnormal.

Nya thought before speaking.  “Not that I know of.  I’ve never had sex with anyone that I bonded.”  Whew Harley thought more relieved than she would have expected and she could feel her Nocte purr in agreement.

When Nya didn’t say anything else she continued.  If felt good to share some of the things that had been weighing her down.

“Then, today, I had a really strange, graphic dream.  In the dream, my Nocte, she spoke to me—”

“She?” Nya interrupted wrinkling her brow even more.

Harley finished before explaining that part further.  “Yeah.  She said ‘Miami.’  And that is combined with an intense desire to go to Miami.  And I KNOW the feeling is coming from my Nocte.  What’s even stranger?  I was—apparently—floating over the bed during the dream.”

Nya’s brow smoothed out as her eyes grew round in surprise.  “Floating?”  She asked as if she wanted to make sure that she heard Harley right.

“Yep,” Harley answered.  “I woke up when Levi pulled me back onto the bed.”

Nya scratched at her braids that hung around her shoulders.  The look was such a classic illustration of confusion that Harley would have laughed if the situation hadn’t been so serious.

“And I am sure that my Nocte is female.  I’ve thought that since the bonding and didn’t even consider that that was weird until Levi acted it was.”

Nya looked thoughtful, “I never really thought about Nocte and gender before.  I guess I always assumed that they were, more or less, genderless.

“There’s more,” Harley told Nya who looked at her warily.  She decided to tell Nya how she had begun to feel about Levi.  She trusted the Nocte general completely.  “I…feel…different about Levi now.”

“Different how?”

Harley paused and focused her hearing inside the house trying to make sure that no one was going to be able to overhear them.

“No one is around to hear,” Nya reassured her.

“It’s like…” Harley searched for the right words.  “It’s like…I want to…devour him.”

Nya laughed under her breath.  “Well, Levi is rather delicious looking.”

“Ha.  Ha.” Harley responded sarcastically.  “It’s like I can feel his blood inside me—and I want more.  And it’s like I—my Nocte—feels really possessive.  I’ve never been possessive like that.”

Nya considered this for a moment.  “And you aren’t craving any other blood?  No one else’s blood?”  Harley shook her head.  “Could it simply be that you are in love with Levi?” she asked with a tone of stating the obvious.

“Honestly,” Harley began with a deep breath.  “I do care about Levi a lot.  But, do I love him?”  Harley looked out towards the forest again.  “I don’t know.  I have so much going on inside me right now.  It’s not something I can really accurately judge.  Oh, and I probably should mention that I don’t think the daylight really bothers me.  At no time during the day did I feel like the day was overwhelming me.  I could tell ‘she’ didn’t like the light.  But I didn’t feel weaker—or more tired—not like Levi.  Is this all just because the bond isn’t finished yet?”

Nya mulled over the things that Harley told her.  After a while she finally responded to Harley’s self examination.  “I think something is going on with you.  Something unusual.  You know—besides joining with a creature from another dimension and becoming part of an underground ‘police force.’”  Harley chuckled at Nya’s returning sense of humor.  “I don’t think it is just a part of the normal bonding process.  I mean, your bond isn’t really complete yet, but that shouldn’t cause the things that you have mentioned.”

Nya grew quiet in thought so Harley pressed her for more.  “Do you have any ideas as to why I’m different?”  Harley had a growing sense of unease.  Something was “unusual” with her bond and she didn’t know if that was a good thing, or a bad thing.

Finally, after more silent thinking, Nya responded.  “Again, I have theories that I don’t want to go into just yet.  I could be wrong, and if I am I could do more damage by speaking too soon.  I think, for now, we should just ride things out.  See what happens.”

Harley clenched her fists in annoyance.  She forced herself to remain calm.  Nya had a good reason for not spilling her thoughts right now.  And she hadn’t withheld important information with Harley before so Harley forced herself to be patient.  She convinced herself to let it go for now and concentrate on things as she needed to.  She had an overwhelming task before her, and it was going to take all her concentration.  She breathed out a frustrated sigh.  She fought to push the irritation away and told herself to just trust Nya.  But she really, really hated waiting.

Again, Nya seemed to read her thoughts.  “I know it’s frustrating.  To not be told the whole story.  But I promise I have a good reason.”

Harley nodded as the knot of tension slowly eased inside her.

“Let’s go inside and find Levi.  He will be leaving soon.  And we will need to get started with your training,” Nya stood and started for the door.

Harley nearly squeaked in alarm.  She had known they would be beginning training today but she still found it hard to believe it was already happening.  It all seemed too sudden.

“Levi is probably in the kitchen by now.  He looked like he was on his way to the shower when I was on my way out here.  And you need to get something to eat.  You’re going to need your energy.”

Harley followed Nya into the dark house.  She could feel her skin vibrate with energy and her Nocte uncoiled with the dying of the sun.  It was going to be so hard to get used to feeling this powerful.  Not only did she feel like she could punch a hole in the wall if she wanted too.  But she also simply felt confident and proud and more self assured—despite her misgivings about her strange bond.  The energy she felt began to shift as she thought about her impending training.  She wasn’t scared as much as she was excited—she couldn’t wait to learn how to kick ass.  She felt her Nocte stir, aware of the cause of Harley’s tension.

Harley tried to pay more attention to the being inside her as she trailed after Nya.  The bond seemed different than Levi had told her about.  She was very aware of the Nocte, the darkness, in her head and soul.  She could feel the being coiled just underneath the surface, ready to strike.  To lash out in frustration and anger.  Denying the Nocte was an instinctual response to her presence.  It became a simmering anxiety that threatened to bubble up to the surface.  She wasn’t able to convince herself that letting the Nocte rise would not result in losing control over herself. Will I always have to struggle like this?  Again, Harley thought back to Levi’s description of the bond.  This wasn’t a devil on her shoulder.  The devil had taken up residence inside her and that was something that she found almost too much to comprehend.  Maybe this feeling is just because the bond isn’t finished, she tried to assure herself.

As they rounded a corner a door burst open just as she passed it.  She had been so lost in thought that she was caught off guard when a door opened on her right.

“Fuck!” she shouted at a body collided with hers.

“Whoa!” the man, who had hit her, exclaimed at the same time.

Harley knew right away who the man was; his accent and arrogance showed through in just one word.  She glared up at him with a look that she knew was filled with disapproval.  He stared back down at her with a patronizing scowl.  He was well over six feet tall and had hair so blonde it was almost colorless.  His eyes were a pale blue and they were divided with a strong, aquiline nose.  His lips were thin and stretched with a sneer.  He only wore a pair of pajama pants and looked as if he had just woken up.  His upper body was muscular but narrow with wide shoulders.  Overall, he looked very hawkish and haughty and it only strengthened Harley’s assumption that she wouldn’t like him even though she was sure that many women would find his looks disarmingly handsome.

“Well, well, well,” he leered.  “Levi’s pet, I presume.”

Harley felt her hackles rise and her Nocte crack its knuckles, so to speak, in anticipation of a confrontation.  “I’m not anybody’s pet.”  When the man laughed at her offense she felt her hands curl into fists without her making the decision to do so.  “I’m assuming you’re Rafe?” she asked in a voice that made it clear that wasn’t a good thing.

“That’s right,” he laughed again.  “As usual, I’m glad to see my reputation has preceded me.”

Harley felt her jaw clench.  Everything about this man grated on her nerves.  The arrogant lilt to his voice, the sneer that marred his otherwise handsome face, even the overly formal and dominant way that he stood with his hands on his hips and his shoulders thrown back annoyed her.   He bordered on a caricature of a person in a way that should have been funny, but missed funny and slid right on into annoying.

“I can see why Levi likes you,” Rafe raised his eyebrows.  “I like a woman with spirit.”

“Well, unfortunately for you, I don’t like douche bags,” Harley stated simply.  Rafe leaned back and barked out a laugh as if he was amused by a dog that had been taught a new trick.

She looked to Nya who only stood by watching the exchange.  Her amused smile had returned and her eyes danced back and forth between them as if she were looking forward to seeing what would happen.

Rafe continued to smirk down at her as she glared up at him.  She fought hard to not let it show just how much he had annoyed her.  Before anyone had a chance to antagonize the other any further Levi’s voice broke the stare down.

“Do you ALWAYS have to be such a dick?” he asked in a forced bored voice.

Rafe made a show of thinking hard about his answer.  “Well, I don’t HAVE to be.  But it’s just so much fun.”

Levi pushed away from the wall that he had been leaning against and made his way towards their small group.  He stood next to Harley and looked up at Rafe.  Levi wasn’t short, he was just over six foot tall by Harley’s guess, but Rafe was at least six five and used his height to look down on Levi.  Levi didn’t say anything.  He just simply made a show of standing next to Harley making it obvious that he was willing to fight if necessary.

Chapter 16

Levi and Rafe’s exchange distracted her and gave her enough time to bring herself back under control and recognize that fighting amongst themselves was stupid and pointless.  Rafe may have an awful attitude and be supremely annoying—but he wasn’t worth fighting over.  She looked at all three of the people standing in the hall with her and forced herself to sound relaxed when she spoke.  “Well, I’m still hungry and I’m tired of standing around.  Are we done here?”  She looked from Levi to Rafe and shrugged turning to Nya.

Nya smiled conspiratorially and resumed her walk towards the kitchen and Harley followed without a backward glance at the two men continuing to silently size each other up.  They had barely rounded the corner when Levi caught up with them.  He gave Harley his trademark half-smirk.

“You make friends fast,” he mused.

“The man just brings it out doesn’t he?”

Nya looked over her shoulder as they entered the kitchen.  “Rafe is an ass, but he’s a good fighter.  You get used to dealing with him.”

Harley grumbled at that thought and Levi grudgingly seconded Nya’s statement.  “Unfortunately, she’s right.  And he is the northeast Captain.”

“Ugh,” Harley groaned.

Levi had cooked a simple breakfast of oatmeal and the three of them grabbed bowls and filled them up.  They sat at the table to eat and Harley had a hard time focusing on anything other than the food that she kept shoveling into her mouth.  She hadn’t realized how hungry she was until she started eating and even plain oatmeal danced across her tongue like a gourmet meal.

“How long have Rafe and Evie been back?” Levi asked Nya.

“They got back a couple of nights ago,” Nya answered.

“Do they have any updates on the situation in Miami?”  Harley felt her Nocte’s head perk up at the mention of Miami.

“They have been in Miami?” she asked Levi and Nya.

“Yes,” Levi answered cautiously.  “While you were bonding, they went to investigate.”  Harley forced herself to not get worked up.  She could feel her Nocte pressing her for more information but she forced the discomfort and annoyance back down.

Nya answered Levi’s question bringing Harley’s focus back outward.  “I don’t know.  You’ll have to ask them.”

“I didn’t think Nocte usually worked in partnerships or whatever,” Harley asked, swallowing a mouthful of oatmeal.

Levi looked at her pointedly.  “They don’t usually.  But Rafe and Evie are…close.  And Evie used to live in Florida so she knows people.  Rafe thought she could pave the way with the people he needed to talk to.

Harley raised her eyebrows at this information but didn’t comment.  She had thought Evie was nice and pleasant everything she had spoken to her and was surprised she would be “close” to someone as annoying at Rafe.

The three of them finished their breakfast in silence until Evie bounded into the room a short time later.

“Good evening all,” she said brightly grabbing and apple from the bowl on the counter.  Then she caught Harley and looked at her closely.  “Ohhh!  Nocte looks good on you,” she laughed throwing her head back.  Her long blonde hair swayed carelessly down her back making her look even lovely and carefree.  She joined them at the table and bit into her apple.

“How do you feel?” she asked Harley.

“I’m not sure yet really,” Harley answered scrunching her brow.

Evie smiled.  “It takes a while.  Don’t worry about it though.  I knew things would go fine for you!”

Harley grunted and went back to her oatmeal trying to not let the pride show through her calm exterior.  When Rafe walked into the room Levi and Harley stiffened but Evie and Nya continued to eat as though there were no tension filling the room.  Rafe grabbed and apple out of the fruit bowl and leaned against the counter watching them with a smirk.  He was well aware that none of them, well Levi and Harley, didn’t care to have him join them for breakfast and he seemed to enjoy their discomfort.

Finally, Levi broke the uncomfortable silence.  “What did you guys find in Miami?” he asked in a strained voice, obviously making an effort to be civil.

Rafe responded before Evie had a chance.  “We found some bodies and some rumors and that’s about it,” Rafe shrugged.   “The Vigilum isn’t talking and the Ignis never willingly cooperate, you know that.  Even the Praesidio there doesn’t have much to say.”

Evie swallowed her bite of apple and broke in.  “We talked Damon.  He’s pissed about the Nocte that died of course.  But he doesn’t seem convinced that it is a Lux who is causing the trouble.  He is focusing on other matters at the moment.”

“What other matters?” Levi asked.

Rafe answered over Evie again and Evie did a good job of not looking annoyed.  Either that or she was used to Rafe enough that she really didn’t care.  “It seems there has been an increase in the flow of drugs into the city recently.”

Something about that scratched at Harley’s subconscious.  That detail seemed important but her thoughts were hard to pin down.  She was torn between eating, being annoyed by Rafe’s presence and trying to block out the anxiety that seeped from her agitated Nocte.  She couldn’t get her brain to go in the right direction to figure out what was nagging at her.

“Damon is more worried about drugs than a dead Nocte and potentially a rogue Lux?”

Evie shrugged.  “It’s hard to blame him.  He isn’t convinced that it is a Lux.  He seems to want to believe that an Ignis is responsible.  He thinks it has something to do with the drugs and he’s following that lead.”

“What do you think?” Levi asked Evie, glad to not have to speak to Rafe when he didn’t have to.

“Honestly, I’m not sure.  I’ve never heard of a rogue Lux like this before.  Not one that kills humans especially.  But the body that was found sure looks like it.”

“You saw the body?” Nya asked.

“We got to see pictures,” Rafe answered.  “Evie charmed her way into the files,” he sneered.

Evie rolled her eyes and ignored his insinuation.

“Does it look like a Lux kill to you?” Nya asked.

Evie sighed.  “It’s hard to tell from pictures.  But yeah, I think so.  It could also just be some sick form of torture.”

Rafe shrugged.  “My money is on Lux though.”

“What about the humans getting killed?  Are they involved in anything suspicious?” Levi asked.  Harley couldn’t help but notice how little Levi looked at Rafe, even when he spoke to him he avoided looking at him.  It was an entirely dismissive attitude and she could tell it annoyed Rafe and provoked him further.

“Actually, yeah,” Evie answered.  “Most of them seem to be involved in drugs to some degree.  Either users or dealers.  Mostly small timers though.”

Levi nodded and didn’t seem surprised.  “Did you have any impressions about the balance?” Levi asked pushing his empty bowl away.

“Isn’t that your job?” Rafe asked smirking.

Levi clenched his jaw and took a deep breath before answering.  “I wasn’t there.  Obviously.”

“I know,” Rafe said thoughtfully.  “Why was that?”  His smirked had turned into a full antagonizing grin now.  “Oh that’s right!  You were getting laid,” he laughed.

Harley’s hand involuntarily clench so hard she felt her spoon bend.  She forced herself to breath slowly.  She knew that Rafe was trying to start trouble.  The more that she let him get to her the more he enjoyed it.  At Rafe’s words Levi stood slowly and walked towards Rafe who pushed away from the counter ready for confrontation but continued to eat his apple in a purposeful show of non-concern.  Nya sat at attention, ready to interfere if the two men actually came to blows.  Evie continued to eat quietly but no longer had a smile on her face--instead she just looked mildly annoyed.

Levi stopped just in front of Rafe and looked into his eyes.  He carefully kept his face blank and didn’t make any sudden or overtly threatening moves.  Despite his calm demeanor Harley could feel the anger reeling off him.  It made her Nocte arch, stretch, and Harley could feel the desire to encourage the fight tiptoeing its way up her back.  She sort of wanted to see them fight she realized.  Not in some ridiculous defense of her honor, but simply for the enjoyment of watching a fight.  What the hell? She wondered as she struggled to suppress the feeling.

Levi leaned close to Rafe and spoke in barely more than a whisper.  “Keep it up.  If you are trying to get me to beat your ass again, all you have to do is ask.”

Rafe barked out laughter and slapped Levi on the shoulder in an exaggerated show of brotherhood.  “Always so sensitive, Levi.”  He sauntered out of the kitchen continuing to laugh and shake his head.  Apparently, he had completed his goal of pissing them off again and was content to move on.

Harley and Levi cleared away everyone’s dirty dishes and both he and Harley made an effort to push the tension from their bodies as Evie gave more details about their trip to Miami.  A short while later Evie excused herself and left the kitchen.  Nya stood up as well.

“Levi, check in with me as soon as you have information.  Harley, Levi will tell you how to find the training room when you are ready.”

Harley turned to look at Levi, realizing he would be leaving soon.  He walked towards her and rested his hands on her shoulders.  She felt sadness kick at her stomach when she thought about him leaving.  But taking a deep breath so brushed that aside and distracted herself with thinking about how good he smelled.  She felt a familiar tingle in her stomach but Harley clamped down on that feeling too.  She raised her eyebrows and waited for Levi to speak.

“You’re going to do fine,” he said, misreading her anxiety for the first time.

“I know,” she smiled.  “I’m just…going to miss…having you around,” she said.  She said it because she felt obligated to say something.  And much as she hated to admit it—she would miss him.  Or maybe it was simply her Nocte wanting to have what was hers around when she wanted it.  She felt her Nocte chuckle at that.  Harley kicked at herself internally.  No matter which part of her wanted him around for whatever reasons—he needed to go and she needed to be OK with it.  Levi raised an eyebrow but didn’t respond.

Harley smiled at him with a wicked gleam in her eye.  She pulled him down to her level by the front of his shirt and kissed him firmly.  She heard his intake of breath that matched her own.  She pulled away, winching at the pressure inside the roof of her mouth again.  This time it was sharper and more unpleasant.

“What is it?” Levi asked.

“Something hurts in my mouth.  It did it last night.  But this time it was a little worse.”

“It’s probably your fangs.”

“That’s what I thought.  But why don’t they just push out like yours do?”

“I’ve had mine for a long time,” he laughed.  “Teeth don’t just appear overnight you know.”

“Good point,” she laughed and nipped at his lip before pushing him back.  “Are you all packed and ready to go?”

Levi sighed.  “Yep.”

“How long will you be gone?”

“Not sure.  Miami is a big city.  It could take a while for me to get a handle on the situation there,” he said somewhat sadly.

“OK,” Harley answered simply.  “I’ll hear from you while you’re gone, right?”

“Of course,” he said as if it was silly to even ask.

“OK,” she said pushing the nagging feeling of regret down—not sure if it was coming from sentimentality or from the Nocte that writhed inside her.  Unable to stop herself she asked, “Why do you need to be the one that goes anyway?

Levi sighed again.  “I’m the best person to figure out if there is an imbalance.  If there is an imbalance I should be able to figure out if it is on the Lux side, Ignis side or Nocte side.   And since I travel so much anyway, I know a lot of people and it’s easier for me to get information.  The only reason Nya didn’t send me to Miami already, instead of Evie and Rafe, was because I would have refused until I knew how your bond was going.”

Harley nodded.  She understood Levi needed to go and didn’t argue with him or herself.  “I understood,” she assured him.  “So, where do I find Nya?”

Levi nodded, looking at her carefully.  The look annoyed her slightly. It was like he was trying to see past her assurances.  “I’ll walk you there.  Then I have to go,” he said finally.

Harley followed him through the house to a door that led to a lower level that she hadn’t realized existed.  The old narrow stairs ended in a long hallway that only had a couple of doors on each side.  It wasn’t well lit and no one had bothered to throw any cheap landscape pictures up here.

“First door on the left,” Levi directed her.  He grabbed her hand before she could start to walk away.  He seemed to think about what he wanted to say before he spoke.  “I’m proud of you.  You are going to make a great Praesidio.”  He paused again.  “I’ll miss you—but I’ll talk to you soon,” he finally said quickly.  He hesitated but before he had a chance to change his mind he pushed Harley against the wall and kissed her deeply.  She felt the heat flare up inside her and when he pulled away a gush of air whooshed from her chest.  She did her best to compose herself and forced herself to not grin like an idiot.  Levi looked amused and frustrated at the same time.

“Be careful,” Harley said.  She turned away and didn’t look back as she made her way to the first door on the left.

She didn’t knock on the door because it didn’t seem necessary if it was a training room.  Instead, she eased the door open and peeked in before pushing the door open the rest of the way.  She stepped into the room and tried not to let her jaw hit the floor.  The room was massive and had obviously been converted into one large room from several smaller ones.  Maybe it had even been a cellar at one time.  There ceiling was supported by beams that were carefully arranged to the side leaving a large open space in the center of the room.  Since the room was a training room and obviously used for sparring, judging by the wide open space, Harley was surprised to find the floor was hard, shiny wood and not padded material.  There were shelves and cabinets arranged out of the way in the corners that most likely held training equipment.  If it wasn’t for said fighting equipment, the room could almost pass for a ballroom.

Nya stood near the door with an excited look on her face.  She was dressed in just tight capris and a tee shirt.  Her braids were pulled into a tightly bound knot on the crown of her head.  Harley cringed when she realized that she wasn’t dressed for training—and she probably shouldn’t have showered already.

“Um, should I go change clothes?”

“Nah, today I’ll just be testing you to see what you can do,” Nya answered shrugging her shoulders and looking more nonchalant than Harley knew she should.  Nya’s smile also hinted that she was plotting something as well.  Harley’s Nocte began working itself up for whatever was coming.  Harley could feel her excitement in the chills than ran up her back.  At least she had dressed reasonably comfortable again.  Nervous excitement tingled in her belly and she had a hard time not letting it show on her face.  She wanted to look cool and unemotional but she didn’t think she was succeeding very well.  She tried to keep her composure as Nya led her towards the middle of the floor.

Nya stopped and turned to look at her.  “Today is just to test your physical limits.  I am pretty sure that you have a good control over emotions and we will continue to work with that.  However, the most important thing right now is to know what you can, and can’t, do physically.  You aren’t going to be as strong as a fully bonded Nocte—” Nya seemed to think about that for a minute before continuing.  “—but we need to see how strong you actually are.”

“How long is it going to take for the bond to finish?”

“Depends.  Some people take longer than others.”

Harley nodded even though she felt frustrated with such a vague answer.  Suddenly something else occurred to Harley.  “Will I heal fast at all?  Without drinking blood, I mean?

Nya smiled at her question.  “You’ll heal.  Just not as fast as once you start.”

Harley felt a little relieved.  She knew that eventually she would have to start drinking the blood of Burners, but now the thought wasn’t appealing at all.  What did it mean that she was craving Levi’s blood and not Ignis blood?  Before she could work herself up too much of this question, Nya interrupted her thoughts.

“Let’s see how fast you are.  Have you ever done sprints before?”  Nya asked, interrupting her thoughts.

Harley wrinkled her nose, shit.

Nya put her through exercise after exercise.  How fast can you run?  How high can you jump?  How much weight can you lift?  Harley had been shocked and amazed by how much she could do.  But she was still wasn’t able to do as much as a fully bonded Nocte.  She tried to not be too disappointed with herself as she walked back toward Nya after dropping the heavy weight Nya had had her lifting.  She knew that if she was ever going to be able to fight Burners—and a certain blonde one in particular—she was going to have to work hard.  Her heart ached as much as her body did when she reminded herself that Jamie’s death was the reason she had to make this work.  She needed to do the things Nya asked her to do if she was ever going to be able earn her chance at revenge.

“OK,” Nya said finally.  “That about does it.”  Harley felt like weeping with relief.  “One last thing though,” Nya said turning away from her.  The momentary relief that Harley felt washed away as she wondered what Nya was going to have her do next.  Nya moved so fast that Harley, even with her advanced reaction time and vision, could barely follow her movements.  Nya drilled Harley’s jaw with a bone crunching right hook that snapped her head to the side with violent force.

Chapter 17

The side of Harley’s head exploded with pain.  Her head whipped to the right with an excruciating crack.  She felt the bones pop in her neck at the same time she felt her jaw shatter and her vision went black.  Harley didn’t even remember falling but she did remember the force with which her body slammed into the floor.  After the explosion of pain she felt nothing for what seemed like minutes but must have only been half a second.  As the blessed numbness passed it was followed a roaring agony.  Harley realized that she couldn’t move her jaw and as she brought her hands to her face her stomach lurched at the slack and unnatural looseness of her chin.  She began mewling and thrashing about in shock and pain.

Nya’s dark amused face suddenly appeared in Harley’s line of sight.  “Hurts don’t it?”

Harley’s anger broke through the pain of her broken jaw and she attempted to climb to her feet to defend herself.  Nya reached out and forced Harley to lie still by griping her shoulders.  “Relax.  Breathe.”

Harley forced herself to stop flailing about and glared at Nya with her breath heaving through her nose.  The pain in her jaw was a pounding ache that continued to make her feel sick to her stomach.  She felt like she had been kicked in the face by a horse.  She could feel her Nocte goad her into getting up and fighting back.  But as she looked into Nya’s smiling face, she felt her rationale regaining control.  Nya obviously had a good reason for what she did because she didn’t look mad, she looked curious.

“Whuh,” Harley flinched as the pain flared through her head as she tried to ask “why?”

Nya seemed to understand her and her smile grew wider.  “I wanted to test how quickly you can heal.”

“Ungh?” Harley grunted in pain and confusion.

“If I had warned you it would only have hurt worse.  You would have tensed up and it would have caused more damage.  And everyone needs to learn how to take a punch anyway,” she laughed.

Nya’s amusement at Harley’s predicament only irritated Harley more but she forced herself to lie back against the floor and breathe as normal as possible.

“Good,” Nya said and released her shoulders.

As Harley grew calm the pain in her jaw began to subside.  But it suddenly flared again as she felt her broken bones begin to grind against each other.  She groaned in pain and peddled her feet against the floor uselessly.  She could feel the muscles pushing and pulling at the broken pieces of bone, forcing them back into their correct location.  For several agonizing minutes she lay on the floor trying to breathe through the agony of her jaw bones knitting themselves back together.  The raw, damp cracking and scraping sound dug into her brain and nearly drove Harley mad.  Finally, the pain subsided, as did the sickening sound, and Harley opened her mouth tentatively.  Her jaw muscles were sore and still damaged but she could tell her bones were no longer broken.  She heaved a sigh of relief and looked into Nya’s face again.

“That was an asshole thing to do,” she told Nya weakly.  Nya only laughed and held out a hand to help Harley to her feet.  “Shit, that hurt,” she rubbed her jaw.

Nya laughed again.  “You heal quickly though.”

“I do?”

“Yeah, when I did that to Rafe it took almost a whole day for it to heal,” she said with a mischievous smile.  “He’s a slow healer.”

“Huh!” Harley and her Nocte both were pleased to hear that.  She could feel her Nocte fluff with pride.  Nya chuckled at her reaction and shook her head.

“That really is enough for today.  Go get some rest.  Explore some more.  Do whatever you want.  The real training starts tomorrow,” she said with a wicked smile.

Harley’s stomach dropped at the warning Nya leveled at her.  Fuck!  She moaned to herself.

-------------------------------

Harley took a shower and found herself sitting on the same side porch from when she first woke up.   She liked this spot.  It was out of the way and provided a good view of the field and forest that surrounded the house.  Her jaw still ached slightly and she stretched it to try to work some of the lingering tenderness out.  She stared out into the night practicing letting her vision focus on the finer details in the darkness.  The birds sleeping with their heads under their wings.  The fox that sniffed the air searching for the creatures that had scurried through earlier.  Harley tried to focus on the nightlife and distract herself from the thoughts that threatened to force their way into her brain.

Unwillingly, she found herself remembering hiking with Jamie and her family.  Harley had never been hiking before and lagged behind Jamie and her family—both because she wasn’t used to the physicality and because she enjoyed watching Jamie and her family together.  She kept smiling at their playful teasing.  Jamie kept putting leaves in her dad’s hair and her mom—on to Jamie’s game—kept playfully slapping her hand away whenever Jamie would try to put leaves in her hair.  They had traveled up the side of an easy mountain trail for a while in this manner until Jamie’s dad had stopped and called back to Harley.

“Hey, slow poke.  Need us to slow down?”

A dull ache flared up in Harley’s chest.  Jamie’s mom and dad probably thought she was dead too.  She knew she owed it to them to tell them what happened to Jamie.  But she couldn’t bring herself to face them.  There was no apology, no matter how sincere, that could make up for her failing to save Jamie and then running away.  The only way that she could possibly hope to ever face Jamie’s family again is if it was telling them that she had taken care of the bastards that had murdered their daughter.  She had considered asking to use someone’s computer to read the news of what had happened to her and her friend.   However, she couldn’t bring herself to do it.  It was easier to forget about what happened when she didn’t have to confront the reality of it.  The pain of her loss took her breath away and she curled into herself as the tears threatened to break free of the dam she held them back with.

Harley forced herself to breathe slowly and push all thoughts and worries from her head.  Soon she settled into a meditative lull and stopped wondering and thinking about the past and the future, and instead just enjoyed the cool night and the life that it held.  The calmer she felt herself become, the stronger her Nocte seemed.  Harley could feel her twist and writhe towards the surface.  She felt like she was floating on the calm surface of a river while the undercurrent raged below her, threatening to suck her down.  The closer her Nocte climbed towards the surface the more uneasy Harley became.  Just as she felt her Nocte nipping at the surface, her instinct broke free and kicked away from the leviathan that resided inside her.  Harley blinked and shook herself out of her stupor.  The frustration that she felt was intensified by the anger emanating from her Nocte.  Sighing, Harley gave up for the night and returned to the house.

Chapter 18

The next day Harley found herself getting punched in the face by Nya again.  At least this time she expected it.  Each time that Nya popped her in the face with her hard clenched fist it stung and caused the anger to flare up inside Harley.  She knew that Nya was holding back and it didn’t hurt as much as it really pissed her off.  She wasn’t able to avoid Nya’s punches or land any of her own during her fumbling clumsy attempts.  The more annoyed Harley got, the more amused Nya became.  Finally, after Harley had become so mad and her swings so wild that she had tripped over her own feet and fell to the floor, Nya stopped their “sparring.”

She squatted on the floor next to Harley who lay panting trying to catch her breath.  “I wanted to show you just how much you needed to learn.”  Harley glared at her.

“So this was for your amusement?”

“Not just my amusement,” Nya laughed.  “You needed to see how hard it is to fight.  How much you needed to learn.  You needed motivation and a goal.”

Harley gritted her teeth to maintain her composure.  She could feel her Nocte throw herself against her confines in frustration.  “Well consider me effectively shown and highly motivated.”

Nya laughed again.  “Get up.”

Harley readied herself for more and pushed herself off the floor.  She brought her hands up in her lame attempt to block more of  Nya’s punches.  But Nya rolled her eyes and lazily knocked Harley’s hands out of the way.  “Put down your dukes,” she giggled.  Nya lead the way to one of the hanging bags to the side of the open sparring space.  “I’m actually going to show you how to throw punches now.”  Behind Nya’s back Harley threw up her hands and shook her head while looking to the ceiling.  “I saw that,” Nya laughed and Harley growled under breath.

“The first part of every night is going to be devoted to fighting styles.  The last half to weapons.”

Harley felt excitement bubble up from her Nocte.  Now this sounds more like it.  She knew deep down that she would still be getting her ass kicked but this was the part that she had been waiting to learn.

---------------------

Harley was getting used to Nya’s training techniques.  She seemed to operate under the philosophy that people learned best by experiencing things for themselves.  It was painful, but Harley had to admit, effective.

As Harley’s training progressed they started slowly with weapons.  They worked with combat batons and staffs first.  Then they slowly progressed to knives and swords.  They practiced stances, lunges and swings and stabs, slowly at first, and Harley was proud of herself for not having cut her own hand off yet.  The weapons were heavy and even though Harley was stronger than she had ever been, eventually—before the end of every weapons session—her muscles would be screaming in protest.

One day, at the end of a particularly brutal session with a samurai sword, Harley stood bent over massaging her aching arms.

“I know that bullets don’t effect Burners very much, but I didn’t have too bad of luck with a shotgun before I got here.  Can’t I have a machine gun or something?”  She laughed only half serious.

Nya looked at her with a raised eyebrow.  “I’m sure that you slowed some Ignis down, but it doesn’t stop them for long.  Especially the older ones.”

Harley couldn’t resist arguing, “But I managed to—dispatch?—two of them on the way here.”

“Fine,” Nya said and turned to walk away.  Harley knew enough to stay where she was.  She also knew Nya enough by now to know better than to think she had gotten her way.  Nya rummaged in a cabinet near the rack where weapons were kept and came back with a huge handgun.  Harley’s stomach clenched because she had a feeling she wasn’t going to like this.  She was right.  Ten feet from Harley Nya raised the gun and fired one bullet straight into Harley’s chest.

She felt like a freight train had slammed into her chest accompanied by the most incredible boom she had ever heard.   She felt herself fly through the air and slam straight into the floor without even a second to try to catch herself.  She landed in a heap with her ears ringing and vision blurring

“Fuck me,” she gasped looking at the hole that leaked blood from directly in the center of her chest.  Two inches to the side and it would have gone straight through her heart.  A wound she knew could have been fatal.  She struggled to breathe but felt like she had an elephant sitting on her chest.  The wound itself felt like a red hot poker was embedded inside her body and she could even smell burnt flesh.  She lay there for several agonizing seconds before the wound began to close before her eyes and slowly the pain and pressure in her chest faded.  She sucked in a sweet gulp of air and climbed to her feet barely feeling any lingering effects of the bullet.  The itching sensation of her back healing told her the bullet must have went completely through.  Sure enough, when she turned around she saw a bullet hold marring the support beam a few feet behind her.

Nya looked at her with a sly grin.  “That barely even made you pause and that was a .50 caliber gun.  It’s not going to have any more effect on a Burner.  Or a Lux,” she added as an afterthought.

Harley wiped the blood from her hands on her black tights.  “What if it was a silver bullet,” she asked.

“It would take a little longer to heal and probably burn a little more.  But it still wouldn’t affect an Ignis much more than that.”

“OK, I get it,” Harley said with resignation.

“Well, just to be sure—” Nya moved with blurring speed as she picked up a large dagger from the table of knives and swords that they had been sampling from.  Harley had trouble following Nya’s movements as she swung herself behind Harley, gripped her head in one hand and drew the knife across her neck with the other hand.  Searing pain shot through Harley as she felt her neck explode.  Harley felt like something had torn itself through her throat and she realized that she wasn’t far from the truth when the blood sprayed through the air in front of her.

Nya released her hold on Harley and Harley found herself on her knees without realizing she had even fallen.  She cupped at the wound in her neck in a desperate effort to stop the blood from escaping.  She tried to make herself calm down because on some instinctual level she knew that panicking would only cause her to lose blood faster.  It was hard for her to hold her head up and she realized the wound was deep—it must have severed muscles along with her veins and windpipe.  Nay leaned around her shoulder, carefully avoiding the blood that squirted from Harley’s neck with every heart beat.  She had a smile on her face that was sober yet gentle.

“That was a silver knife.  It will have an even worse effect on the Ignis than it does on you.  It’s going to take a while for that wound to close.  Make sure that you clean up before you leave.”  And with that she patted Harley on the shoulder turned and walked away.

Again, Harley’s body fell without her realizing it.  One minute she had been on her knees trying to stop the blood from pouring out of neck.  The next minute she was on her side in a pool of blood, unable to move.  Her body was weak and beyond pain and she knew that her body must be going into shock at the loss of blood.  She could feel her Nocte grumbling in frustration at not having been able to stop the attack that now left them incapacitated.  Sorry, she mumbled to her Nocte.  She tried remain calm, knowing that Nya wouldn’t do anything that would actually kill her.  But it was a primal, uncontrollable reaction of her body to send adrenaline coursing through her veins.  She could taste the blood in her mouth and smell it strong enough that she knew it must also be coming out of her nose.  She could hear the air wheezing in and out of the hole in her throat.  Absurdly, she was dismayed by the thought of how much blood she was going to have to clean up.

Eventually, Harley was beyond panic, anger or frustration.  Just like when Levi had drained her blood for the bond, she felt sick and weak and not much else.  Slowly the world grew dark as she began to lose consciousness.  Again, she found herself floating in darkness unable to feel anything except the cold familiar, blackness that surrounded her.  Harley felt her chest move in the imitation of a sigh.

So we meet again. She thought to the creature that she knew lurked in the darkness.

“When are you just going to let go?” the darkness whispered back to her.  Again, the voice was soft, yet gravely with a definite feminine lift.

I can’t

“If you don’t—neither of us will be able to finish what we started.”

What do you want?

“We need to go to Miami.”

Why?

The darkness was silent and, eventually, Harley began to suspect that she was alone again.

Finally, the voice spoke again, but it sounded farther away than before.  “Eventually, you will have to give in,” and the voice faded into the darkness.

Chapter 19

Harley was prodded out of her sleep by someone poking her in the shoulder.  There wasn’t any lag time in her needing a few moments to remember what had happened and where she was.  She remembered everything right away.  The lingering ache in her throat and the taste of blood in her mouth and mostly the heavy choking smell of it immediately brought back the memory of Nya cutting her throat and leaving her to bleed to death.

“Mmmm,” she groaned crankily, winching internally at the tenderness of her throat.  She was putting off opening her eyes and acknowledging the mess in which she was laying, stuck to the floor in drying blood.

“Excuse me,” an unfamiliar female voice interrupted Harley’s sulking.  Her eyes snapped open and she had to blink against the glare of the overhead lights.  The woman crouched in front of her was one that she had not met yet.  She could tell right away that she was Nocte.  There was a darkness to the eyes of all of the members of the Praesidio.  Even when their Nocte was dormant they seemed shadowed in darkness.  The woman squatting in front of her had dark brown hair and a warm beige complexion with deep walnut colored eyes that peered at her with clear, but wary, amusement.  Her hair framed her face in a thick mane of curls and the woman was absolutely beautiful.  Good lord, she thought to herself, aren’t there ugly Nocte?  But she answered her own question.  Nocte were beautiful for the same reason tigers and lions were beautiful.  They were strong and dangerous and mysterious—their beauty came from within as much as it did from without.  And even more importantly, it never hurt for a predator to be beautiful.

Harley worked her mouth and gagged at the blood that had dried and caked against her tongue.  “How long have I been here?” she managed to croak.

The dark haired woman smiled at her, “By the look of things—I’d say about 12 hours.”  She laughed at the shock on Harley’s face.

Harley grumbled some more and worked her way off the floor.  She tried to ignore the dried coating of blood that covered most of her body.  I must look like Carrie White on her walk of shame.  The dark haired Nocte reached out a couple of times as if she was going to help Harley to her feet, but pulled her hands back each time as she thought better of it.  When she was on her feet, the woman finally introduced herself.

“My name is Cassandra.  You must be Harley.”  The woman was dressed in clothes that indicated she had come to work out.  She was not much taller than Harley and it was nice to see another Nocte that was nearly as short as she was.  Everyone else she had encountered so far had made her feel downright miniature.   But just because the woman was short didn’t mean that she wasn’t powerful.    Cassandra was put together with solid muscle.  Her legs and arms looked powerful enough to crush skulls.  Harley forced herself to stop staring.

“Yeah, I’m Harley—I would shake your hand…but well…you know.”

“I appreciate that,” Cassandra smiled slightly again.  She looked pleasant enough, but she also looked like someone you wouldn’t want as an enemy.  There was a hard edge to the way that she carried herself that indicated she was all business.  “I would offer to help you clean this up, but something tells me Nya is expecting you to do it yourself.”

“I’m sure,” Harley answered hopeless shrug.  She rubbed at her sore throat.  The smoothness of her skin told her she didn’t even have a scar.  She still had not gotten used to her ability to heal so completely.  Even though the wound had healed, she still felt drained and slightly sick from the blood loss.

“Well…do you think you’ll be done soon?  I kind of need this room.”

Harley’s eyes grew wide at the blunt question.  “I—I guess so.”

“Great.  Thanks.”  And with that Cassandra turned and walked away briskly.

It took Harley nearly an hour to clean up the mess.  It was amazing how far the blood had spread across the hardwood floor.  Harley was surprised at how good she felt—considering.  She had essentially bled to death the night before, and now she was up walking around and feeling mostly fine.  She was a little tired, and her throat still hurt a little—but overall she considered herself OK.

Cassandra came back into the sparring room just as Harley was finishing cleaning up the blood.  Harley’s clothes were stiff with dried blood and she knew she had to smell horribly, but Cassandra didn’t comment on the state of her.   In fact, she really didn’t seem eager to make small talk, so Harley didn’t try.  She gave Cassandra a small smile as she left and the other Nocte nodded politely.  She was an interesting woman—all business and seriousness.  She was relieved that the Nocte that she had encountered so far had all seemed different.  At least the Praesidio didn’t seem to create automatons that were brainwashed and molded to fit into the organization.  She hadn’t really thought that Levi was misleading her about the relaxed nature of the organization, but it was still relieving to see it for herself.

_____________

Harley had been training for three months and she was finally starting to feel adequate at hand to hand fighting and weapons—but her bond still wasn’t finished and she wasn’t as strong or fast as she knew she should be.

“Should I be worried that my bond still isn’t finished?” she asked Nya one day.  She was lying on the floor waiting for the broken bone in her leg to heal.  Her Nocte settled down to wait the healing out, grumbling at Harley’s continued inability to let her rise to the surface.  She had gotten pretty good at blocking Nya, but she still wasn’t any closer to the real strength, speed and agility that she would eventually have.

Nya stood over her waiting patiently for her to recover.  “It’s unusual for it to take this long…but I’m not really worried yet.  You are…different.  So, I’m not really surprised that your bonding process is different too.”

“Why am I so different?” Harley asked for the 100th time.  Nya hadn’t actually told her more than that she had her theories and suspicions but that she didn’t want to elaborate further.  It was one of the few areas that Nya wasn’t completely open about.  Harley knew that Nya had good reasons and she respected her enough to let it go and concentrate on learning what she needed to learn.

Harley had learned a lot about Nya in the few months that she had been training.  Nya was funny and kind, but she was also dedicated to their mission and deadly serious when she needed to be.  A shadow of insanity sometimes seemed to lurk around the Nocte general.  It was in the cartoon montage that covered her living quarter’s walls; it was in the silly bright colored clothes with animated characters that she wore to work out in.  But most of all, it was the heat that sometimes filled Nya’s eyes and the almost gleeful way that she enjoyed watching, painfully, Harley learn and grow while coming into her Nocte.  She really seemed to get some devious satisfaction out of watching others squirm—but not in a malevolent kind of way.  Instead, it fit perfectly with her love of cartoons—she was the child laughing at Tom and Jerry’s painful antics.  Harley wondered if Nya had always been a little crazy—or if it was a product of being a Nocte for so long.  She didn’t know just how long Nya had been a Nocte, but she got the feeling it had been for a long time.

Nya smiled at Harley’s frustration.  “Don’t worry.  It will happen for you too.  Some are just…late bloomers.”

“Ha. Ha. Ha,” Harley rolled her eyes.  Their banter was cut off when the bone in her leg finally finished knitting and she grimaced with pain.

Nya held a hand out to her and Harley took it.  Nya pulled her to her feet easily and Harley gingerly placed weight on the newly mended leg.

“Don’t worry,” Nya repeated.  “Your bond will be finished when you are both ready for it to be finished.  Your training is going better than I would have expected for the bond not having finished yet.”

Harley raised one eyebrow at her doubtfully.

“It has,” Nya insisted.  “In fact, I think I would like for you to start sparring.  With others—not just me.”

Harley raised both of her eyebrows at Nya.

“Maybe that is what you need.  Real challenge.”

“Excuse me?” Harley was taken aback.  “You’re not a challenge?  You thoroughly kick my ass every day!”

Nya laughed wickedly.  “True.  But you are comfortable with me.  You know what to expect.  I think you need to be thrown off your game.”

“I didn’t even realize that I had a game yet,” Harley muttered, shaking her head.  She knew better than to argue.  If she continued to press the issue Nya would probably have a gang of Praesidio jump out and beat the crap out of her when she least expected it.  Nya’s eyes gleamed as if she knew what Harley was thinking.

Harley met Nya’s gaze.  “What if the bond doesn’t ever complete?”  Her heart was in her throat and she dreaded hearing Nya’s answer.  She was sure that it wasn’t going to be a good answer.

Nya looked at her evenly.  “I don’t know.  I’ve never known anyone to not finish the bond once it starts.”  Harley sighed and Nya smiled at her reassuringly.  “That is one of the reasons why I am confident that the bond will finish.  It always does.”

Harley refrained from questioning Nya’s logic.  Before Harley came along no Nocte had been unaffected by the sunlight.  Before Harley no one had taken two weeks to establish the bonding process.  As Nya and Harley left the training room Harley could feel the weight of her worry dragging her down.  Nya was sure that she would bond because everyone always had.  Yet, she was different from any Nocte before—so why did Nya think this would have to be any different?

Harley made her way towards the showers.  The past three months had been tough.  Even though she healed quickly, her muscles were pretty much in a constant state of pain.  She was routinely so exhausted that she could barely think.  Her nights were spent in training—weapons, fighting, flexibility, agility, focus and concentration exercises.  She had barely had time for anything else.  When she was done training for the night she usually had just enough energy left to shower and briefly check in with Levi.

Harley missed Levi and as she thought of him her Nocte stirred again and purred.  Don’t start she admonished.  I am entirely too tired to deal with that tonight.  Her Nocte growled in complaint but shuffled off to the darkness again.  Harley was pretty sure that the dark devil living inside of her was as tired as she was.  They both had been fighting for control for so long that it only added to their physical exhaustion.  Harley wasn’t blocking the Nocte out on purpose—on the contrary, she would love to finish the bond.  She wanted to finish her mission.  Hell, she even wanted to finish her Nocte’s mission—go to Florida and hunt down the creature killing people.  She just hadn’t figured out how to make that happen yet.  It seemed like the stronger she got physically—the stronger her subconscious became.

Harley stood looking in the mirror after her shower and actually paid attention to how much she had changed since the bond.  Physically, she was stronger.  The muscles in her arms were more defined, her stomach tighter and even her butt was less squishy.  She was also carried herself with more self-confidence and inner strength.  It came from not only knowing that she could protect herself, but also from knowing that she had taken control over her own life—from the momentum of doing something—anything to change the course of her life.

Harley found that she missed Levi—but she was so motivated in her mission she found it wasn’t hard to focus on finishing her training.  Sometimes she found herself wishing she could talk to him, or touch him—taste him!—I mean lay with him!  She scolded herself.  She knew that Levi didn’t belong to her, or vice versa.  He could do whatever he wanted in Florida—her Nocte shook her fist in anger over that thought.  Shut it! She scolded.  Despite how you feel, he doesn’t belong to us.  And we don’t belong to him.  Her Nocte perked up at that.  Don’t even think about it.  The only guy that has been around here is Rafe, and I would rather swallow broken glass than have sex with that man.  Her Nocte grudgingly agreed with her.  And before you even go there—the ladies really aren’t my thing.  Her Nocte chuckled deviously.

Chapter 20

The farmhouse-that-wasn’t-a-farmhouse was quiet but there were usually people coming and going at all times.  Other Praesidio members came for a day or so, checked in with Nya, took in some training and then left again to other assignments.  For the most part Harley liked them all.  They all seemed interested in meeting the woman that Levi had brought into the Praesidio.  They mostly all seemed nice and offered her respect.  She was pretty sure that the respect the other Praesidio showed her was the result of Nya’s inability to not discuss Harley’s training with everyone who asked.  Harley knew she should be proud that Nya thought she was good enough to talk about, but she couldn’t help feeling insecure about her unfinished bond at the same time.

The first sure indication Harley got of Nya’s opinion of her training was when Andrei visited the Den the first time.  Harley stepped into the training room to meet Nya and pulled up short to see a strange man standing in the middle of the room.  He had short black hair and eyes so brown they looked black.  When she entered the room he looked up at her with an easy smile.

“You must be Harley,” he said in a deep voice that carried an accent that Harley would place somewhere in Eastern Europe.

“I am,” Harley answered somewhat sheepishly.  She still hadn’t gotten used to people knowing about her before they met her.

“I’m Andrei,” he said shaking her hand.  He was about a foot taller than she was and he was heavily muscled which was incongruous with the relaxed way he carried himself.

“Nice to meet you.”

“And you,” he said with an easy smile.

“Have you seen Nya?” she asked.

“She should be here soon, I’m sure.  But you’ll be working with me today.”

“Huh?”

Andrei laughed softly.  “We will be sparring together today.”

Shit.

Andrei must have noticed her apprehension.  “Don’t worry.  I’ll take it easy on you,” he said playfully.

Harley still didn’t feel any better about it.  She didn’t hide the examination she gave his bulging muscles.  “Um, so why you?”

Andrei laughed again.  “I volunteered.  Nya seems so impressed with you—I wanted to help if I could.”

“Help?”  She felt her hackles rise.  Was Nya telling everyone about her unfinished bond?  While it wasn’t exactly a secret, she really didn’t like it being a topic of discussion.

“Yeah?  Help,” Andrei answered tilting his head.   “Training is one of the things that I do.  Just usually at a Den in Europe.  I just happened to be in the States to take care of some business with Nya.”

Harley realized that she was being paranoid and overly sensitive.  “Sorry,” she said.

Andrei continued, “She seemed really excited about you and I wanted to be a part of the training of the infamous Harley.”

Harley’s brow creased.  “Infamous?”

Andrei laughed again, “Yeah, Nya has had a lot to say about you.”

Harley wasn’t sure what to say about that and luckily she was rescued from having to say anything by Nya entering the training room.

“Good evening,” she called pleasantly.  Both Harley and Andrei smiled at her.  Nya looked particularly gleeful today and even though it worried Harley, she couldn’t help but smile along with her.  “Introductions taken care of?” Nya asked.

“Yep,” Andrei answered for the both of them.

Nya gestured towards the open space.  “Whenever you two are ready.”

Harley swallowed hard and felt her palms go slick with sweat.  Her Nocte pushed against Harley’s resistance—pleading for her release.  Trust me, I wish I could Harley sighed.  If it wasn’t bad enough that she had her own anxiety gnawing at her belly over the fight, she had her Nocte’s frustration to deal with at the same time.

Andrei looked to Harley.  “Hand to hand?  Or do you want weapons?”

Harley considered briefly.  Which is gonna hurt more?  “Hand to hand?” she asked uncertainly.

Andrei laughed.  “Works for me,” he said and squared his shoulders.

The transformation that came over him raised Harley’s eyebrows.  As his eyes dilated to solid black he lost his easy going demeanor and turned into full on predator.  He bent his knees and began stalking Harley.  She only hesitated a second before settling into a fighting stance and matched his circling.  She was envious and regretted the fact that her eyes didn’t black out as did everyone else’s.  It was like being the last girl to need a bra—to use Nya’s twisted analogy.  It was made worse as she saw the door to the training room open and Rafe step inside.  Distraction and agitation crawled through her.  Looking like an idiot in front of a stranger wasn’t nearly as bad as looking like an idiot in front of Rafe.  Her distraction must have been evident on her face because Andrei made his move.

Harley had no warning when Andrei suddenly closed the distance between them and swung at her.  It was like a lion swiping at a gazelle.  The power behind his swing made her heart skip a beat.  This is not going to go well.   She was able to just barely duck out of the path of Andrei’s fist and her Nocte growled in anger.  Harley wasn’t able to duck the kick that followed the missed right hook.  Andrei’s foot connected with her thigh with such force that the leg was swept out from under her and she found herself on the floor before she even realized what had happened.  The force of the kick caused the muscle in her leg to seize with a burning agony.  She was pretty sure it had done some real damage—a theory that was confirmed by the familiar tingling that came along with muscle repair.  Harley rolled away from Andrei attempting to give herself a few seconds to recover.  She heard Rafe giggle obnoxiously from the sidelines and she tried to block him out.

The whole time they fought, Andrei stalked around her waiting to pounce.  She considered it a small success whenever she was able to avoid contact.  When she failed at that her body was punished with a punch or a kick that carried brutal force.   It didn’t take long for Harley to realize that Andrei was stronger than Nya—but not faster.  His size made him slower than the tall lithe Nya.  Harley often had trouble keeping up with Nya’s movements, but once she got used to the way Andrei moved, she realized that she could see the attacks coming much sooner than when fighting Nya.  The whole time that they paced and measured each other Harley was aware of Rafe’s presence as he taunted her.

“Come on, girlie.  You can do it.”  And “Oh, so close.  Don’t worry, I can massage that later.”

Harley gritted her teeth and tried her best to focus on her opponent, he seemed to not even realize Rafe or Nya were watching he was so focused.  Harley dodged several more kicks from Andrei while waiting for the timing to be just right.  Finally, she found her opportunity.  Andrei came at her with a heavy right hook again, but this time she was prepared.  As she ducked the punch she drove a punch of her own into Andrei’s diaphragm forcing the air from his lungs with a grunt.  It felt like punching a brick wall but she blocked out the pain.  Wanting to keep her momentum she followed up with a well-placed roundhouse kick that sent Andrei stumbling backwards.  Her small accomplishment sent her spirits soring and suddenly the pain of the beating that she had been taking lessened as her hope grew.  Her Nocte bubbled in excitement and Harley felt like giggling with glee.

She had caught Andrei off guard with the first two hits, but she made a mistake by not continuing her advantage.  Harley hesitated for a few too many seconds and Andrei recovered by spinning away from another kick.  The growl that rumbled out of him told her just how mad he was that she was able to hit him.  As he spun away from her kick he grabbed her leg, spinning her with him.  It threw her off balance enough that she had no time to dodge the kick that he landed squarely in her chest.  He hit her with such force that it felt like she had stepped into the path of a train.  The kick sent her reeling backward causing her back to collide with the wall.  Her shoulders hit first followed by the back of her head.  In a blinding flash of pain she felt, and heard, her skull crack as it hit the wall.

Harley’s world blurred as she sunk to her knees.  She was in so much pain she couldn’t form a complete thought.  She was buffeted about in a tidal wave of shear throbbing pain and she worried her head would explode from the pressure.  Her brain seemed to swell and push against the broken bones of her skull with every heartbeat.  She was sure that pieces of her skull must be embedded in her brain due to the blinding white heat of the pain she was in.  Shame melted with the pain when she realized that she was making a strange “nuh, nuh, nuh” sound and she may even be convulsing.  If I’ve peed on myself I’m going to be really…pissed off.  She thought dully as she finally blacked out.

Harley felt someone tapping on her face and she slowly opened her eyes.  She could see Nya and Andrei kneeling over her.  Andrei looked guilty and concerned.  Nya looked amused as usual.  She could see Rafe still on the sidelines laughing unrestrained.

“Are you OK?” Andrei asked her.  “I really shouldn’t have kicked you so hard.  I kind of just got carried away.”

Harley closed her eyes and forced herself to breath normally.  She knew that her skull had mended itself because the sledge hammer the not-so-friendly-giant had been slamming into her skull had dulled to a debilitating migraine level of pain.  But she was so angry with herself that she was sure her eyeballs were going to melt in the heat of her fury.  Her finger nails were digging into her palms she had clenched her fists so hard.  She didn’t want to be angry with Andrei, it wasn’t his fault.  But when he asked her again if she was OK she snapped.

“Just fuck off!”  She opened her eyes to see his eyes—now back to their normal dark brown—grow round and he leaned back out of the line of fire.  “Sorry,” she sighed closing her eyes again.  “It’s not your fault.”

Nya sniggered.  “I think you’ve had enough for the day.”  She helped Harley to her feet and stepped back as Harley tried to find her balance.  When she felt steady she looked at Andrei sheepishly.

“Sorry again.  I shouldn’t have snapped at you.”

“It’s OK,” he said with a shrug.  “Like I said—I shouldn’t have kicked you that hard.  You just got a couple of good shots in—it pissed me off,” he laughed.

Harley felt the corners of her mouth lift with a small smile.  “I did get a couple of shots in, huh?”

Both Andrei and Nya laughed.  She had managed to hit Nya a couple of times too during their sparring sessions.  The first time that it happened she had almost thought that Nya let her do it on purpose.  Until she was lying on the floor nursing a broken nose.  Other than a few lucky shots she had never had any real success in any of her sparring sessions.  She was just glad that Andrei let the fight go after that.  She didn’t want to dwell on her ass-kicking or discuss her lack of bond completion.  She felt like enough of an idiot with just having to discuss it.

“Aw, keep it up and one day you might be able to kill a Burner all on your own,” Rafe laughed.

Anger flashed through Harley again.  “I have killed an Ignis on my own before.  Want me to demonstrate on you?” Harley snarled.

Rafe laughed again and opened his mouth to respond but Nya stopped him by simply pointing at the door.  Rafe hesitated before laughing again and left shaking his head.

“Why is he such an asshole?” Harley asked, glaring after him.

Nya shrugged.  “Lots of reasons,” she laughed.  “Some part of him worries that someone is going to come along and take his position, I think.  Also, he grew up privileged and his arrogance is natural to him.  Also, he and Levi have never liked each other.  By getting to you he acts out his dislike for Levi, I think.”

“Why do he and Levi dislike each other so much?”

Nya looked at her sideways.  “That’s their story to tell,” she said with an impish smile.

Harley’s intrigue was peaked, but she was too tired to keep digging.  “Whatever,” she shrugged.  “He’s an asshole.”  Nya didn’t disagree with her.

“OK.  No more sparring for the day,” Nya said moving on and ending the training session.  “But I want you to work on something else.  I want you to try meditating,” she said.

Harley looked at her as if she had sprouted another head.  “You want me to meditate?”

“Yes.  You need to learn to let go.  I want you to spend time thinking about letting go.  No sleeping, no overthinking, no worrying, no stressing.  Just concentrate on letting go.  Early in the evening you’ll spar—with as many different people as we can find.  Then in the afterwards I want you to you to find a quiet peaceful place and meditate.  Have you ever meditated before?”

“Yeah, kinda.  A long time ago—it was a part of some therapy I went through.  I never had much success with it though.”

“Well, try again,” Nya insisted.

Harley agreed with a shrug, thanked Andrei for nearly killing her and left the training room to lie down.  The pounding in her head was making her nauseous and she just wanted to sleep for a while before she tried meditating.  She had tried meditating at different points in her life for some therapeutic healing but she usually just ended up falling asleep.  She was willing to give it another shot, though, if Nya thought it would be worth it.  She would try pretty much anything to finish the bond.  The embarrassment and anger still left her feeling as raw as the pain in her head.  She worked on shutting everything out except the call of her bed as she made her way towards her room—taking the long way to avoid Rafe, because she had no energy left to deal with him anymore this evening.

Chapter 21

Harley was pulled from sleep by her phone ringing.  Nya had given her the phone shortly after Levi left.  So far, the only person she had talked/texted with was Levi.  Several times she had almost dialed Jason’s number, but she hadn’t been able to bring herself to do it.  She missed the last human friend she had but she knew she shouldn’t—and besides…how would she explain what had happened.  Or where she was?  Or what she was doing?

Not only had she not been able to face Jason or Jamie’s parents, Harley still hadn’t been able to bring herself to check the news for the official account of what had happened that night.  She didn’t want to know if she was wanted by the police.  She didn’t want a wrong or false story to make everything harder than it was.  Instead, she had avoided the world outside of the Den at all costs.  She didn’t deny the fact that she was hiding from the real world as much as she was learning to be a Nocte.  That was a fact that had come to accept, even if she wasn’t proud of it.

The phone continued to ring until Harley gave up on ignoring it and snatched it from the bedside table.  She knew that the caller was Levi and she just didn’t want to have to tell him that nothing had changed.

“Hello,” she mumbled into the phone.

“Hi,” she could hear the slight smile in his voice.  She could tell because his voice was smoother when he smiled—even when it was his half smile.

“Hi,” she said again and waited.

“Still no progress, huh?”

Harley fought the urge to snap at him.  “Nope.”

“Did Nya start having you spar with other people?”

Harley sighed, “Yep.”

“Well…who did you spar with tonight?”

“A guy named Andrei.”

“…No shit?”  Levi asked warily.

“No shit.  Why?”

“Andrei’s a nice guy.  But he’s pretty…bad ass.”

Harley snorted.  “Yeah, and short tempered too,” she retorted humorlessly.

“What happened?”

“A broken skull…and an even worse bruised ego.”

“Ah, shit.  I’m sorry,” Levi did sound sorry.  Harley was grateful that he didn’t sound pitying though.  That would only have pissed her off worse.  She relaxed a little more knowing that Levi wasn’t going to try to coddle her.

“I got a couple of good hits in, though,” she finally smiling a little.

“Good job!  Seriously—I know you are frustrated, but just try to be patient for a while longer.  It will happen eventually.”

Harley felt the jerk of anger in her chest but pushed it aside.  It wasn’t Levi’s fault.

“Nya wants me to start meditating.  She thinks I need to concentrate on letting go.”

Levi considered that briefly.  “Never hurts to try, right?”

“Right.”  Harley was tired of discussing her situation.  “Have you learned anything yet?  About whatever is going on in Miami?”

“I actually have made some headway.”

“Really?”  Harley sat up in bed and felt her Nocte shift and perk up eagerly.

“Yeah.  I’m still not even sure if I’m hunting a Lux or an Ignis.  But whatever it is, I think it’s in Canada right now.”

“Canada?”

“Yeah,” Levi hesitated to continue and Harley didn’t push.  She could feel her Nocte grinding her teeth.  Either he would offer more information or he wouldn’t.  Finally, he spoke again.  “Another Nocte died.”

“Fuck,” she breathed.

“Right,” Levi was grim.  “Well, Raymond—the Nocte that died—his stuff had been rifled through.  And I think this thing had been following him for a while.  It looks like whatever I’m hunting has been trying to find the Den in Canada.”

“Why Canada?”

“No idea yet.  But I’m going there to try to find out.”

“Any ideas why he was after Raymond?”

“Not yet.”

Harley ignored the sinking feeling in her stomach.  She felt the words start to push themselves from her throat and clamped her teeth together to stop them and they died in a soft grunt.

“What?” Levi asked.

“Nothing.”

“What?”

Harley sighed.  “Apparently, my Nocte is still set on helping you track this creature down.” She hesitated because she was never sure just how much Nya or Levi believed her.  “I almost said I was coming with you…but it wasn’t me saying it.”

Levi didn’t respond for a few moments.  “What has Nya said about this?”

Harley considered the question.  “Actually not much.  For someone who likes to talk—and share everyone’s business—she hasn’t said much about this.”

“I’m sure she has a good reason.”

“Yeah, yeah.  She says she doesn’t know for sure yet so she doesn’t want to toss theories out that could be wrong.  That it couldn’t only make things worse.”

“Makes sense,” Levi said reasonably.

Harley didn’t want to acknowledge that she agreed.  She wanted to be angry and impatient instead.

“Well,” Levi sighed.  “I need to call Nya and update her.  Then I need to make travel arrangements.  I’m planning on coming back to our Den as soon as I can.  I want to see what I can find out in Canada first.”

Harley sighed.  She liked talking to Levi but her frustration was leaving her rather disagreeable and she knew that if she tried to keep the conversation going she was only going to end up being bitchy.  Her Nocte wasn’t helping matters.  She wanted Harley to go chasing after the creature in Canada.  Not to mention her intense sex drive—she wanted Levi—or anyone really.  Harley was having a hard time controlling base desires like sex and hunger.  It only added to her frustration and kept her distracted from more important things.  She took another deep breath and forced her Nocte to calm down, “OK, I’ll talk to you soon.”

Levi hesitated before finally settling on “Bye.”

Harley hung up the phone and tossed on the bed next to her.  She ran her hands through her hair and rubbed the last of her nap out of her eyes.  Meditating?  OK, let’s do this then.  She knew better than trying to meditate while sitting on the bed.  It was too comfortable and she would only end up falling back to sleep.

Harley climbed out of the bed and sat on the floor with her legs folded.  She concentrated on breathing slowly and steadily.  She worked very hard at thinking about nothing at all.  She needed to clear her mind before she could concentrate fully on letting go.  Eventually, she was able to slow her thoughts enough that they became black.  She watched the blackness behind her closed eyelids and waited.  Let go, she told herself.  With every breath she releases she chanted “let go” and imagined her stress flowing out of her and her walls coming down.

Eventually—absolutely nothing happened.  Harley opened her eyes and looked at the clock.  She had been sitting here for thirty minutes and nothing had happened.  Every time she tried to clear her mind and focus on a mantra some other thought would break in.  Worst of all, the thoughts that always seemed to break in were either memories of sex with Levi which got her heart rate and breath up.  Or they were memories of Jamie which caused her heart to beat with a dull ache.  It was so easy to remember how much fun she and Jamie had had together.  It was equally easy to remember the bad times too.  When Jamie would lecture her on something stupid that she had done again.  Harley wished she could go back to those times and apologize and agree that Jamie was right—that she should think things through more before acting on impulse.

No matter how much she tried, she couldn’t let go of all the stress that tumbled through her mind long enough to actual concentrate on letting go.   “Arrgh!” she growled in frustration and flopped back onto the floor.  Her Nocte, who had been uncharacteristically patient through the whole process, echoed her angry growl.

“I’m trying my best you know,” she said out loud.  “Maybe YOU aren’t trying hard enough.”  She felt her Nocte gnash her teeth in response.

Harley climbed off the floor.  She was hungry and angry and she didn’t want to fight with anything else today.  Not even if it was a creature of darkness that lived inside of her.  She made her way towards the kitchen.  She suspected that another binge was coming on.  When she was the most frustrated Harley found herself craving either sex or food, or both with such an overwhelming desire that she couldn’t think about anything else.  She knew, just like the times when this had happened, that she would go into the kitchen and eat until she felt sick.  Both her and her Nocte’s unsatisfied desire to finish their bond manifested itself in gluttonous greed.  On the way to the kitchen Harley found herself wishing she would run into Rafe again.  She would love to vent some of this frustration on his face.  No such luck though.  Never around when you actually need him.

__________________

Harley got used to her new routine.  Sparring first thing—meditating until sun up.  Another month went by with no change.  She fought as many different people as she could.  Evie—who always looked apologetic as she beat the shit out of Harley.  Nya—who seemed to thoroughly enjoy watching Harley grow angrier and angrier.  Andrei—until he left to go back to Europe.    Cassandra—who left Harley so broken that it took a whole night for her to heal enough to fight again.  That was one thing she was looking forward to about drinking blood—being able to heal even quicker than she did now.  She could feel her Nocte rumble in agreement.  She could feel the Nocte’s hunger and it only added to her frustration and anger at her delayed bonding.  Cassandra apologized and shook Harley’s (broken) hand afterward though.  It was a small consolation that she didn’t look like she enjoyed beating Harley into a pulp.  For every fight Rafe was there to irritate and distract Harley.

Harley hadn’t made much progress in either fighting or letting go.  But Nya kept reassuring her that she was quite skilled at fighting.

“It would take a human years to get as good as you and you did it in only four months.”

Harley sighed, “Yet, I’m still wholly incapable of getting more than a few lucky hits in on any Nocte.”

“You are further along at this stage of combat training than any other Nocte that I have trained.”

“Seriously?”  Harley was so confused.  Nya kept pointing out all the ways in which she was more advanced than some Nocte—but no one could deny that it was taking longer for her to complete her bond than any other Nocte had before her.

“Of course I’m serious.  I wouldn’t say something like that if I didn’t mean it.”

Harley was in no mood for Nya’s jabs this evening.  She had just gotten the shit kicked out of her by a male Nocte named Everett.  Harley and her Nocte both took it worse than normal.  For one this had been going on so long that Harley was sure that nothing was ever going to change.  And it was exacerbated by the fact that Everett was gorgeous.  He had skin the color of cocoa and velvety brown eyes.  He was tall and lean with a shaved head and razor sharp cheek bones.  Harley and her Nocte both kept thinking of things they would like to do other than fight with him

Nya and Harley left the training room.  Harley was still fuming when they rounded a corner heading towards the kitchen.  As usual, when you needed them—they never were around.  When you didn’t need them—there they were.  Just to ruin your day.  She had been happy that he hadn’t watched this fight, and she had really hoped that he was gone for the night but Rafe was walking towards them.  When he caught site of Harley his face split into a smirk that stiffened Harley’s back in preparation for a confrontation.

“Well, well, well,” he said giving Harley an exaggerated head-to-toe look.   “Good evening—or well, I guess by the look of you it’s not such a good evening.”

Harley knew she looked like hell.  Everett had just broken her nose twice and she was sure that blood was still crusted on her face.  “Fuck off,” she said simply.  She was in no mood for Rafe tonight.

“Oh,” Raft grabbed his chest mockingly.  “That hurts.  It really does.”

Harley continued to glare at him.  Nya stood off to the side watching them.  Harley’s Nocte growled and braced herself—desperate to be released.

“Come now, Love.  How’s about a shower?  With me.  I promise, I’ll make it all better,” he leered at her.

“Not a chance,” she said through gritted teeth.

“Ah, well,” Rafe shrugged.  “Can’t blame a guy for trying.  Eventually you will realize that you should jump on this while you have the chance.  I’m not going to wait around forever, you know,” he chuckled finding himself entirely too amusing.

Harley had reached “You are disgusting.  I wouldn’t have sex with you if my life depended on it.”

“Well, now.  You might want to reconsider,” he raised an eyebrow.  “You should stay on my good side.  At the rate things are going you’re going to need to make sure that you have someone who can watch your back.  If you never finish the bond and Levi is always off running around—you can always hang out with me,” he laughed harder.  “I’ll make sure no Burners get you.”

Harley’s veins turned to ice and fury flared raged through her.  She could handle Rafe constantly hitting on her and as violently angry as it made her—she could deal with his mocking her fighting.  She knew that he was just being a pig.  But he had hit a raw nerve.  She didn’t even think before grabbing the plain wooden chair that had been propped against the wall next to her.  It was yet another piece that had been placed without real thought or intent.  But it found a purpose when Harley snatched it up and flung it at Rafe’s head.

In slow motion she watched the chair fly through the air toward the man that Harley had found infuriating for months now.  She felt relief and glee bubble up from somewhere deep inside as she waited for the chair to reach its target.  She couldn’t figure why Rafe wasn’t moving.  He was just standing there stupidly as the chair soared towards him.  Finally, with a satisfying, splintering crack, the chair exploded against his face.  The chair came at him so fast he had barely had time to raise his arm to deflect the blow so most of it slammed into his head instead of his arm.  He stumbled backwards into the wall and Harley stood panting with a wicked grin on her face and a giggle in her throat.

“Holy shit,” Rafe gasped as he caught himself against the wall.  The chair hadn’t moved in slow motion Harley realized.  It had just moved so faster than Rafe had been able to follow.

Harley looked to Nya.  She waited to see if her mentor was going to be pissed at her for attacking another Praesidio.  Nya kept her face blank and Harley began to grow nervous.  Now that she had vented the anger that had been building up inside her, she was wary as to what the repercussions were going to be.  She ran her tongue over her gums.  She could feel the sharp pain of her fangs trying to push through her skin.  When Nya still didn’t react she returned to Rafe.

“Fucking oversensitive bitch,” he growled wiping blood away from his hairline where the chair rolled over his arm and skimmed the top of his head.  He made several stalking steps towards Harley.  Harley braced herself for the confrontation.  Harley could smell the blood that dripped from his head and like everyone else’s blood she had encountered while fighting, it didn’t spark her appetite in the least.  Apparently, Levi’s was the only Nocte blood she wanted.  Harley could feel the heat of Rafe’s anger flowing from him as he closed the distance between them.

Nya stepped swiftly in between them effectively cutting off Rafe’s advance.  “Walk away,” she said calmly.  “Take it up in training.”

Rafe gave Harley one last glower and turned and swiftly made his exit.  Rafe may be an excellent fighter.  But everyone respected Nya.  No one questioned her authority.

Nya turned towards Harley and she braced herself for whatever was coming.  Harley had never really seen Nya angry and she had a feeling it wouldn’t be pretty.  She stepped back when she saw the look on Nya’s face.  The older Nocte was smiling.

“I think I found the solution.”

“Huh,” Harley asked trying to catch up to Nya’s thoughts.

“Tomorrow.”

“Tomorrow?”

“Tomorrow night you’ll fight Rafe.”

That wasn’t what Harley expected.  Nya had suggested it before, but Harley had always refused.  “Oh, come on!  Anyone but that asshole.”

Nya laughed.  “No.  You need the anger that he brings out in you.”

Harley looked at her, exasperated and desperate for Nya to change her mind.

“Your eyes just turned as black as I’ve ever seen them,” Nya informed her.  She had her burning maniacal look again.

Harley froze.  “My eyes blacked out?!”

“Not completely.  But damn close,” she grinned wickedly.  “I think your Nocte is about fed up with being locked down.

_______________

After cleaning up Harley made her way outside to her favorite spot.  Turmoil still rolled though her.  She wanted the bonding process done, and on some level she was sure that Nya was right.  Fighting Rafe was probably a good idea, as much as Harley hated to admit it.  She found herself outside again, searching for some peace and relaxation.  Her hope was that being outside would help calm her down and enable her to focus on her meditation.  Maybe if she could finish the bond on her own she wouldn’t have to fight the one Nocte that she hated.  When she stepped into the cool night air Harley took a deep breath.  The air was heavy with the scent of dew, dirt, flowers and the musky odor of foraging animals.  She sat on the bench and took another deep calming breath.  She folded her legs under her and rested her hands in her lap.  Harley forced herself to focus inward.

Harley could feel her Nocte writhing in frustration inside her.  She took another deep and concentrated on her Nocte.  Every time she had tried to reach out and connect with her, Harley’s consciousness involuntarily shuddered away.  This time was no different—except—Harley tried again.   While she felt herself jerk back she also realized that the Nocte herself shied away as well.  “Are you kidding me?” Harley exclaimed out loud.  She felt her Nocte’s frustration rise up along with her own.  “If you are fighting this too, how are we ever going to finish this bond?”  Harley hadn’t really been expecting an answer.  And all she got was more frustration.

Harley sighed and closed her eyes again.  She took another deep breath and let it out slowly.  As she did so she heard the sound of the wind blowing through the trees.  The sound was soothing as it rustled the leaves and she focused on that sound and stopped fighting with her inner demons.  Instead, she concentrated on the sound of the breeze as it pushed through the branches and swept through the grass.  Each breath that she released she imagined that she was pushing her anxiety and frustration and fear out as well.  She didn’t seek any goal or end result other than decreasing the anxiety that she felt.

Finally, after having sat in the same position for who knows how long, Harley opened her eyes.  She wasn’t bonded any more than she had been when she first came outside.  However, she did feel calmer and more relaxed and that was a start.  She tried not to let her spirits sag too much as she went back into the house.  She may still not have a complete bond, but she had renewed her hope that it would happen.  Releasing some of her (and her Nocte’s) anxiety had cleared their minds and release then tension that they had both been carrying.

Chapter 22

Harley stood near the back of the sparring floor glaring at Rafe.  She was purposefully ignoring Nya who stood off to the side smiling that smile of hers that heated her eyes.  Well, if I’m going to be humiliated worse than ever before—at least Nya’s going to get a laugh out of it.  Harley could feel her Nocte thrash expectantly and impatiently.  She fought for release harder than ever and Harley wanted to let her out more than ever.  She had to be almost there, Nya had said that her eyes started to black out yesterday.  She just needed to figure out how to—finally—fully let her walls down.  She tried to push aside her frustration and concentrate on “letting go.”  But, staring into Rafe’s arrogant face made it difficult to concentrate on anything other than her desire to beat that ridiculous grin off his face.

Rafe swung his arms to stretch them out and did a little skip in place—he obviously wasn’t taking this seriously.  Harley felt the burning anger inside of her and struggled to focus it on what was important.  Beating the shit out of Rafe.  Wait—No—I mean letting go.  Letting my walls down and my Nocte out.  Which means, I will then be able to beat the shit out of Rafe.  Harley swiveled her neck around enjoying the sounds of it popping and cracking.  Her limbs felt as loose as her insides felt coiled.  Any more preening wasn’t going to change the outcome of the fight and she decided to put an end to Rafe’s show and get down to business.  She blew out a lungful of air and stepped to the middle of the floor.  Rafe stepped up to meet her, winking at her as he did so.

Harley ignored the gesture.  She knew he was just trying to throw her off and rile her up.  She met his leering gaze with a cold glare and they began circling each other.  Harley was determined to make him make the first move.  Her best chance was to let his confidence increase until he became sloppy.  By then she hoped that she would have a good enough handle on his style that she might find a crack in his defenses.  She knew that she wouldn’t be as strong as he was and probably not as fast either.  From the corner of her eye she saw Evie and Cassandra join Nya on the sidelines.  Fuck, I really didn’t need any more of an audience.

The split second that Harley’s eyes had shifted to the sidelines opened the tiniest window of opportunity for Rafe and he took it.  He swung hard with his left fist and she just barely had time to dodge it.  She felt the wind brush by her face as she spun away from the punch.  She gritted her teeth and braced herself for his follow up.  But he skipped backwards laughing as he went.  The anger that had built up inside of her glowed white hot.  She knew that she had to calm down and maintain her focus.  If she wasn’t able to get control over herself she would not be able to maintain a defense—let alone construct an offense.

The fight dragged on slowly.  Rafe would lunge at Harley and she would deflect his blow.  He would laugh and offer banter designed to dig in where it would be most effective.  Harley had done a good job of avoiding his attacks.  She had even been able to land the first blow of the match.  It wasn’t much, but it had been a solid kick to Rafe’s ribs that he had spun out of and stumbled to his knees before popping back up and shooting a patronizing compliment to her.

Every time Harley felt her frustration flare up she forced it down with a deep calming breath.  The more she concentrated on the way that Rafe moved, the more she started to see his pattern.  That’s why she noticed the change just after she landed her first kick.  He must have twisted or pulled something when he stumbled, because instead of leading with his right leg—as he had been doing thus far—he had switched to his left.  He wasn’t putting as much weight on the right leg as he was before.  Harley knew this was her opportunity.  A grin stretched her face and she could feel her Nocte’s glee as she rushed forward, finally on the offensive.  She landed three swift kicks to Rafe’s left leg before he had a chance to block her.  He grunted in pain and darted away from her attack, but she followed him—not willing to give him an inch.  He was no longer smiling and he looked angry.  She landed two solid kicks to his right leg.  If she kept her attack up and didn’t give him a chance to heal, she just may be able to make some leeway in the fight if she took his legs out from underneath him.

In Harley’s excitement she let her right shoulder drop and Rafe took advantage of that.  Even as she landed the last blow to his leg he landed a heavy punch on her jaw.  Her vision went blurry for a second and her Nocte roared at her mistake.  She quickly blocked Rafe’s follow up and landed her own punch.  Harley stopped overthinking and just concentrated predicting Rafe’s next move.  She watched for the second that he left an opening and she concentrated on the satisfaction she felt when her fist or foot connected with Rafe’s body.   They continued to trade blows, neither of them fully getting the upper hand but neither of them was clearly on the bottom either.  For once Harley felt like she was managing to hold her own.  Harley pushed aside the hope that was beginning to build up in her stomach.  Rafe was certainly no slouch.  She wasn’t doing this well because he wasn’t as good a fighter as the others she had fought.  She was doing well because she had something very obvious to push aside and clear away—to let go of so to speak.

Harley hadn’t been able to clear her mind and fight effectively before because she really had no strong feelings of ill will towards any of her other partners before.  If anything, she genuinely liked them.  Therefore, she wasn’t able to push aside her distractions and fight.  Rafe on the other hand, she despised with everything in her.  Her dislike of him was a dead weight that if she didn’t cast aside would drag her down and get the best of her.  As she fought Rafe, it was easy to see what she needed to let go of in order to move forward.

Suddenly, everything lined up just right to prime Harley for a strong, powerful, clear attack.  Rafe was just the right distance away and Harley’s balance was just right.  She spun, building up momentum and landed a tremendous kick to Rafe’s chest.  She saw his look of incredulity when he flew backwards.  As he crashed onto the hardwood floor Harley felt the tension inside her explode in cold icy shards.  The burning anger in her belly flashed behind her eyes.  The heat was so strong she thought her eyes were going to melt.  Rafe met her eyes and when his blackened eyes widened in shock she knew what he saw.  Harley knew that her eyes had blacked out and a wicked giggled bubbled out of her.  As Rafe climbed to his feet she looked to Nya and the other women on the sidelines.

Nya glowed with excitement and Cassandra and Evie’s eyes were bulging out of their head.  Harley felt incredible.  He body hummed with strength and she felt like she could fly.  Her anger was no longer a weight in her stomach—it was a pounding in her chest.  It wasn’t holding her back—it was urging her forward.  She could feel her Nocte uncoil with the roar of a dragon and she basked in the surge of power flowed throughout her body.  Rafe climbed to his feet and when his eyes met hers again he blanched.  His features twisted in fury but that fury was layered with fear as well.  Harley could smell it roll off of him from ten feet away.  It smelled sour and it made her shiver in excitement.

Rafe charged at her in a blur of speed but Harley had no trouble following his movements.  It became much clearer which fighter had the upper hand and the intensity had increased exponentially.  For every blow Rafe landed, Harley returned it harder.  She couldn’t contain the surge of happiness that flowed through her at her success and she became the one that laughed and taunted Rafe.  His black eyes glared at her in anger and all his swagger and arrogance was gone as he battled to change the direction of the fight.

Harley had backed him towards the west facing wall and was continuing to close in.  As she lunged for him, Rafe ducked to the side but Harley saw it coming and wasn’t thrown off course.  She didn’t slow as she reached the wall.  Instead, she leapt towards it and let her speed and momentum carry her up the wall.  When she was about eight feet off the ground she used all of her strength to launch herself off the wall and she let instinct take over.  As she flipped through the air she saw Rafe below her spin to block her return attack.  She saw the look of confusion on his face when she wasn’t behind him.  He had only just figured it out and looked above him as she dropped through the air.  She didn’t question her aim; she just held her breath and let herself fall.  She dropped perfectly onto Rafe’s shoulders.  In one swift movement she twisted at the waist and heard, as well as felt, the sharp crack of Rafe’s neck bones breaking as she flipped herself backwards from his shoulders.

Harley landed on the hardwood floor before Rafe’s body did.  She landed on the back of her shoulders and let the momentum carry her over in a somersault and came to a stop in a crouching position.  Now THAT’S what I’ve been waiting for, she felt the growl rumble through the teeth baring grin that split her face.  Her chest heaved as she panted with excitement through clenched teeth.  When Rafe’s body crumpled to the ground she let out a heavy breath and stood.  As quickly as it came over her the fury melted away as she stood over Rafe’s body.  In seconds she began to relax as her Nocte stood down.  Now that she was free and not fighting for release, the Nocte settled just below the surface and found a satisfied calm.  The anxiety was gone and she felt more at peace with herself then she had in months.  Harley knew her bond was finally complete.  The Nocte was now a part of her and not just with her.

With her Nocte’s sudden calm Harley was left momentarily empty.  She didn’t expect a crash to follow the completion of the bond and she felt cold and stunned.  Then just as quickly as they left, all of her emotions suddenly surged back to life as if they had just been knocked out in a power surge.  The result was an overwhelming wave of emotion that left her breathless.  Anger, heartache, frustration, happiness, sadness, loneliness, agitation and everything in between crashed over her.  She felt her legs collapse and she gulped at the air trying desperately to get a breath.

Warm hands gripped her shoulders and pulled her to her feet.  Without looking she knew it was Nya.  Nya didn’t say anything as she guided her out of the training room.  Harley was a circuit that had too much power forced through it at one time.  So many thoughts and feelings zapped through her it left her unable to feel anything or think anything coherent at all.  Harley was a pliable robot that Nya guided and steered as she silently walked her through the house.  Neither woman spoke as Nya pushed Harley up the stairs, down the hall and into the bathroom across from her bedroom.  Everything was eerily quiet and Harley felt like the world had been put on mute.  Nya left Harley leaning against the shower wall in nearly a catatonic state.  Harley felt like she was falling into oblivion and she struggled to climb her way back out.    Nya turned the water on in the shower and tested the temperature.  Still not speaking Nya pushed Harley underneath the stream of water fully clothed.  Harley let her legs give out again and she sank down on the tile floor.

Harley let the hot water rain down over her head and shoulders.  The nearly scalding water felt good as it pounded down against her skin.  It gave her something to concentrate on instead of the suffocating raging turmoil inside her.  She didn’t know where these emotions were coming from.  She didn’t know if they were from her Nocte, her own, the act of breaking another Praesidio’s neck or just simply a reaction to the completed bond.  Harley could barely breathe in the emotional onslaught.  When Nya was sure that Harley was settled and OK where she was, she turned and left the bathroom.  Curiosity about where the other woman was going fluttered through Harley’s mind but it was hard to hold onto any one thought.  She didn’t know how long she sat under the shower before Nya was kneeling down in front of her again.  She was holding out a hand and in her other hand she was holding a red coffee mug.

Harley took Nya’s hand and let the woman pull her from underneath the spray of water.  When she was out from under the direct rush of water Nya forced the mug into her hand.  Nya had to press Harley’s finger into a grip around the cup before it clicked and registered to her that she needed to grasp the cup.  When the cup was in her hold, Nya’s voice finally broke through the vacuum of sound that had surrounded Harley.

“Drink this,” she urged Harley.

Harley looked at her confused.  “Drink this,” Nya repeated firmly.

The meaning of Nya’s words finally clicked and Harley realized that there was some sort of dark liquid in the mug.  The smell finally wafted to her and her stomach clenched in hunger and her mouth began to water.  With a biting sting and intense pressure Harley felt her fangs push their way out of her mouth and she tasted her own blood.  She didn’t question what the drink was; she just knew she wanted it the same way an alcoholic wanted a drink.  She put the mug to her mouth and began gulping it down.  On some level she recognized the warm, metallic taste as blood but she didn’t care even as it dibbled out the side and down her chin.  Each gulp eased the crushing weight inside her.  It was the best thing she had ever tasted in her life and as she emptied the cup she continued to suck at the rim trying to get every drop that remained.  She could feel her fangs clank clumsily against the rim of the mug.

Nya pulled the cup away from her smiling in that burning amused way that she did.  “Are you back with us now?” she asked Harley.

Harley sucked in a deep breath.  The blood had soothed her and calmed the surging flood of emotions that had threatened to drown her.  She took another deep breath and took stock of herself.  She felt good—damn good.  A smile broke across her face as she met Nya’s eyes.  “I feel great,” she said finally coming up for air from the vortex she had been sucked into and she felt her fangs slid back into their pockets.  Nya matched her smile and clapped her on the shoulder.

“I was right,” she laughed.  “All you needed was some strong motivation and a little confidence.”

“Confidence?”

Nya crinkled with mischievousness.  “I figured that if you thought your Nocte was almost out anyway that you would have an easier time letting go.”

“Wait—what?”  Nya laughed at her confusion.  “Didn’t my eyes black out a little yesterday?”

“Nope,” Nya laughed standing up.  “Your pupils got a little bigger that’s all.”

Harley’s mouth dropped open.  “You lying bitch!” she said, unable to keep the smile off her face.

“It worked though didn’t it,” Nya laughed again.  “Get yourself cleaned up and meet me in my office.  You’ve got blood all over your face.”

Chapter 23

Harley knocked softly on Nya’s door before opening it and walking in.  Nya was expecting her so she didn’t wait for her to tell her to come in.  She was showered and dressed in jeans and a sweater feeling as comfortable on the outside as she now did on the inside.  She didn’t feel drastically different than she had before the bond completed.  She just didn’t feel so agitated and she couldn’t feel her Nocte writhing below the surface.  Now she just hummed along inside her, content and calm.  It was like an embrace from an old friend.  When Harley entered the room Nya was sitting behind her multicolored desk looking at papers spread out in front of her.  She smiled at Harley and gestured towards the chair in front of her desk.

“So,” Nya began.  “How do you feel?”

“I’m still good.  Better than I have been in a while actually.”

“Good,” Nya said and waited for Harley to speak.

Harley wasn’t sure what she was supposed to say.  Finally she went with the first thing to pop into her head.  “Where did the blood I drank come from?”

“I had Cassandra bring some back the last time she was out on a hunt.  I thought you might need it soon.”

“Oh.  I guess I just didn’t realize that we could keep a supply around.”

“We usually don’t really.  It’s not as good and doesn’t last long in storage.  The spirit of the Ignis fades after a short time.  And you won’t really need it often enough to keep a supply around for ready access.  Usually you’ll kill enough Ignis to easily feed your Nocte.”

Wow.  That was a lot to take in.  If that wasn’t as good as fresh she couldn’t imagine what fresh would feel and taste like.  And she was a little surprised that she wasn’t thrown off by drinking blood for the first time.  But really?  With everything else that shouldn’t come as much of a shock anyway.

“So what now?” Harley finally asked.

“I want to finish up some training with you.  Then…I’ll figure out where you should be placed.”  Nya had a small smile on her face and her eyes glowed.  The General was definitely feeling proud of herself.

Harley’s Nocte might not be simmering inside her any longer, but she could definitely still feel her urging her forward.  “I would really like to help Levi hunt the murderer from Miami.”  Harley could kick herself.  She really wanted to let that go, but her Nocte wasn’t going to and those words had popped out before she could stop them.  What the fuck?!  “Actually, what I meant to say was—I really want to search for Blondie.”

“Blondie?” Nya raised her eyebrows at Harley indecisive outburst, but she didn’t press that issue.

“Sorry.  The blonde Ignis responsible for Jamie’s death.”

“Oh!  You mean Cutter.”

“That’s his name?”

“I’ve been doing some research.  I’m pretty sure that is who you are after.”

“I don’t think I even considered that he would have a name.”

“Well, it’s probably not his real name.  But that’s what he goes by.”

“How do you know it’s him?”

“I’ve been looking for field reports from the area and time frame of your parent’s death.  As well as Levi’s reports from when he met you.  They line up and match the description of a Burner that calls himself Cutter.  He’s got a small following which is unusual for Ignis.”

Harley felt cold.  She and Nya hadn’t discussed her parents.  She had assumed that Levi had told Nya about it, but Nya had never brought it up.  She had always seemed to focus more on the present and the future than the past.  “Unusual?”

“Yes.  We call the Ignis the Turba, but really that’s our label for them.  They don’t band together all that much.  But Cutter seems to have gotten his own horde together.”

Harley’s nose wrinkled in distaste.  “Do you know where he is?  Is he not still in Kentucky?”

“All signs seem to indicate that he left Kentucky about the same time you did.  And no, I haven’t found him yet.  I’m still tracking him.  I’ve got word out and Nocte are on the alert for him or any of his followers.”

Harley hesitated.  “Can I be sent where ever he is?”

Nya was thoughtful for a moment.  “Maybe.  I can’t promise that you that I can send you wherever he is.  But I will do my best.  I know you want revenge, but you have to consider the greater good—the big picture.  And I know you want to help stop the Rogue—whatever/whoever it was that was killing in Miami—but you need to take things a step at a time.”

Harley signed and pushed her annoyance aside.  “I know.”

“I promise,” Nya said softly, with unusual seriousness, “You’ll get your revenge eventually.  And we will take care of the Rogue.  The Nocte are working hard to find out who is behind this.”

Harley knew that she needed to trust Nya.  The other Nocte was old, wise and strong and she had never misguided Harley before.  And Harley was wise enough to recognize that she didn’t have enough experience to make these decisions.  No matter how badly she wanted to find Cutter, or the Rogue, she needed to be strong enough to fight or she wouldn’t succeed in either mission. Harley took a deep breath, deciding to let her need for revenge simmer for a while.  “So, that fight was pretty good wasn’t it?” she said with a gleeful smirk.

Nya laughed, returning to her normal playful self.  “Yes, it was quite impressive.  Rafe is going to be really pissed when he recovers.”

“He’s going to recover?” Harley asked half serious and half dismayed.  “Dammit.”  She hadn’t really thought she had killed him, but she had almost hoped.

Nya laughed, “Sorry to break it to you—but yes.  He’ll recover eventually.”

Harley left Nya’s office with a plan for the rest of her training.  She needed to get some more practice with her finished bond and then she could be assigned to a location.  Nya didn’t think it would be longer than a few weeks to a month.  Harley made her way towards her favorite bench to watch the sun come up.  It was something that she did often and she was anxious to see if she could still do it even with her bond completed.  She could sense the sunrise as usual and she hurried to her favorite spot.

Harley sat in the early morning dew and enjoyed the crisp air.  Spring was in full force and she could smell the new life that stirred around the Den and through the surrounding trees.  She pulled her phone out and texted Levi.

“Guess what.” She didn’t have to wait long for his response.

“What’s up?”

She closed her eyes and called her Nocte to her.  It was the first time that she had done it and she wasn’t sure that she would be able to, but when she asked, her Nocte rose to meet her.  It was like recalling a fond memory.  When she opened her eyes she could feel the cold darkness in them.  She used the camera in her phone to take a picture of herself.  The flash lit up dying night and she took a deep breath before turning the phone over to look at the image.  When she did it took her breath away.  Her eyes were solid black, there was no white or green at all.  It gave her a menacing look seemed to darken all of her features.  She smiled as the power of the bond hummed through her.

Harley sent the picture to Levi and waited for his response.  She could imagine him lying in bed feeling the pull of the sunrise and she wished she was with him.  She would give him a good reason to fight the sleep that came over him with the sun.  She felt her body tingle with desire and regretted that he wasn’t here.  Or Everett or Andrei for that matter.  Harley ignored the Nocte’s insistence that anyone would do.

Her phone buzzed with Levi’s response. It’s a great look on you.  I knew it would happen soon!”

“Thanks.  Sleep well.  And hurry up and bring your ass back here.  I need to get laid and there really aren’t any eligible men around here.”

“I’m sure Rafe would help you out with that.”

Harley wasn’t sure what kind of emotion was behind that text.  That was the downside to communicating through short electronic sentences.  He could be feeling her out to see if she was interested in Rafe.  He could be teasing her.  He could mean nothing except that he was fine if she wanted to.   She doubted that was the case—but it was possible.  Any of the above left her feeling conflicted.  She didn’t know what meaning she wanted behind the words.  She decided to try to not read anything into it and pushed her confusion aside.

“Even if I got desperate enough for that, considering I broke his neck tonight—I think he may have changed his mind about me.”

“Oh, how I would have loved to have been there to see that.”

“Well, it was pretty badass if I do say so myself.”

“I’ll bet.  I hate to go but I’m going to vamp out soon.  I’ll call you tomorrow.”

Harley laughed at Levi’s use of her terminology for when he practically collapsed at dawn.  At that though she realized the sun had finally begun to rise and she had her answer.  She didn’t feel any different with the sun rising than she had thirty minutes ago.  The light began to peak over the horizon and she watched it brighten the world around her.  She could feel her Nocte shudder against the light but she didn’t feel any weaker or more tired than normal.  So, the mystery continues she thought to herself.  She returned to the house and her bedroom.  She might not be vampire-tired by the sunlight, but she still needed sleep.

____________

For the next month Harley continued sparring with other Praesidio.  Sometimes she won, sometimes she lost.  Still, she seemed to win more than she lost and her skill increased with every fight.  She could even hold her own with Nya now and she beat Cassandra more than she lost.  Everyone was excited about the progress that she made.  Everyone except Rafe that is.  Harley hadn’t seen much of Rafe sense their fight.  He definitely had gotten his ego wounded.  After he recovered from his broken neck, a process that had taken nearly a week, he had left to hunt without saying anything to anyone other than Nya.

Harley stood panting, waiting for Nya’s broken leg to heal.  She had managed to get the older Nocte in a solid leg lock that had finally resulted in a broken shin.  Harley could barely contain her glee and felt like doing a little dance as Nya feigned anger.

“I’m entirely too old to spend this much time getting broken bones,” Nya complained trying not to laugh.

Harley pulled Nya to her feet when she heard the bone finish mending with a final crunch.  “I think you are finally ready,” Nya said much to Harley’s surprise.

“Seriously?!”

“Yes.  I don’t think there is much more that you can do here.  You need to get out and get real experience.”

Harley swallowed before asking the big question.  “Where am I going?”

“I don’t know yet.  Levi has been taking survey as he has tracked the Rogue.  He’ll advise on the best location for you.”

“Well when will we talk to him about it?”

“He’ll be back tomorrow night.  We can meet with him about it then.”

“Tomorrow night!  He didn’t say anything about being back tomorrow!”

“Oh!” Nya froze.  “That might have been a surprise.”  She looked mildly sheepish.

Harley laughed.  “Well I’m glad you told me!  I need to shave—it’s kinda been a while.”  She laughed, and tried to not let her excitement show on her face.  Much to her chagrin she failed, but Nya didn’t pay it any attention.

“I can tell,” Nya laughed rubbing at the pretend stubble burn on her leg.

Harley flipped her off with a laugh as she left the training room to go shower.  Her whole body tingled at the news of Levi’s return.  I know, I know she told her Nocte.  Hold your horses.  He’s not going to be here until tomorrow night.

Chapter 24

Harley wandered back inside the house.  She had been walking around the woods near the Den trying to burn off excess energy.  She had gotten so used to sparring and practicing with weapons everyday that the first night in months that she hadn’t fought left her feeling anxious and unable to sit still.  And, whether she wanted to admit it or not, she was excited that Levi would be back today.  Her body tingled at the thought and she could almost feel her Nocte grin with excitement.  She hadn’t talked to Nya about how “present” her Nocte still was.  Harley wasn’t entirely sure that she should still be this aware of the Nocte and she dreaded discussing it with anyone.  She realized she was glad that she could still feel her Nocte so strongly.  She realized that she had gotten so used to having her around it would be lonely if her Nocte wasn’t as present.  It was almost as good as having her best friend back.

She was in her room changing when suddenly the air around her seemed to change.  She picked up on a strong electrical current and she shivered.  It was like someone had walked over her grave—as the old saying went.  Well that’s new.  She knew what the feeling in the air meant without having to investigate.  Levi had returned.  She could almost pin point his location in the house.  I’m pretty sure THIS isn’t normal.  But she let the thought go and turned towards the door.  She wasn’t able to keep the stupid grin from her face.  Levi must have came directly to the bedroom when because it was only minutes after she felt him enter the house that he threw the door open.

Levi had an uncharacteristically full smile on his face as he studied her and the fact that she was half naked.

“Well, nice to see you too!” he said trying to not laugh.

“Shut up.  Shut the door.  And take your pants off,” Harley grinned at him with a gleam in her eyes.  She could feel her vision heat up as her Nocte stirred in anticipation.  When her eyes went black Levi growled as his eyes matched hers.  He was so gorgeous it hurt to look at him.  His dark hair brushed his shoulders and his tee shirt fit tight enough to see his muscles through and she couldn’t wait to rip the shirt right off him.  As the warm tingly sensation spread across her belly, Harley became aware of just how genuinely happy she was to see Levi, but she didn’t concern herself with that at the moment.

Levi crossed the room in two strides and as he reached for her, Harley grabbed him first by the front of his shirt.  His eyes grew wide as she pushed him onto the bed almost effortlessly.  She climbed over him and griped his shirt and gave it enough of a tug to pull it in half.  She pushed the halves aside and she ran her tongue over his skin—from the waistband of his jeans to his neck.  As she buried her face against his neck her eyes rolled back into her head.  It took all her strength to not bite Levi.  She could feel the heat coming from his skin and his scent stirred a burning hunger inside her.

Harley had only experienced a hunger like this one other time.  A couple of weeks after the bonding completed she was overcome with hunger.  Nya had figured that she wouldn’t be ready to hunt before her Nocte needed to feed, so she had arranged for Harley to have another supply of Ignis blood brought to her just in case.  The burning ache that radiated from her stomach flared again at the scent of Levi’s skin.  She felt the growl ripple from her as she moved away from Levi’s neck.  She was sure this wasn’t normal at all and worry prickled in the back of her mind but she pushed it aside.  She could feel her fangs slide out and watched Levi’s do the same as his lips parted to meet hers.  She hadn’t kissed anyone since her fangs had come in and she had to be careful of them as Levi’s tongue slid along hers.  If she accidentally nipped him and drew blood she didn’t know if she would be able to resist biting into a vein to get more.

Suddenly, Levi flipped her over and pressed her into the bed with his weight.  She loved the feel of him lying on top of her.  He was so solid and strong it made her stomach quiver.  She pulled his torn shirt the rest of the way off then he pulled hers over her head.  She lay beneath him in just a bra and underwear and he smiled when he looked down at her.  Harley dug her fingernails into his back to pull him to her again.  He winced and grabbed her wrists with one hand.  He held them over her head and she smiled slyly at him.  She knew she could easily free her wrists, but she didn’t want to.  She let him hold her down and finish undressing her with one hand.

Levi nibbled at her skin causing tiny goose bumps to spring up on her arms.  He didn’t even bother to pull his pants off all the way.  He just unbuttoned them and pushed them aside before he drove himself into her causing Harley to gasp in pleasure.  Levi let go of Harley’s wrists and she caught both of his hands in her and they twined their fingers together.  Their hands, clutched on either side of Harley’s head, bore Levi’s weight.  The sex was quick and frenzied, both of them having been looking forward to this moment for months.

Just like the last time that they had sex, Harley found herself able to see through Levi’s eyes.  The bottomless black of her eyes reflected her own gaze back at her through Levi’s eyes and it created a funhouse mirror effect that left her dizzy.  She could feel herself tighten around Levi as the pleasure throbbed through her and she could feel her own breath as it panted across Levi’s face.  The feeling was surreal and it made her feel like she was going to explode—it was pure ecstasy.

Levi and Harley came at the same time and the two-fold orgasm left them both breathless and unable to move.  It was two times the pleasure and two times the intensity.  Afterwards, they lay next to each other trying to catch their breath and regain their senses.  Finally, Harley felt the bed rumble with Levi’s chuckle.

“What?” she turned to look at him.  He rolled the rest of the way off her and kicked his pants all the way off.

“That weird ‘seeing myself through you thing.’  I’ve never experienced something so intense.”

“I know what you mean.  I never realized I was so good at sex,” Harley laughed.  Levi laughed along with her.  She loved to hear him laugh—it was such a rare sound.

He rolled onto his side to look at her.  “OK.  Fill me in on the details.”

Levi and Harley had been able to talk briefly throughout the months.  But their conversations—even when talking on the phone and not texting—had been short.  They both had been busy and exhausted as a result of their separate missions.  So, Harley filled him in on all the details that he had missed.

When she got to the part about how different she still was Harley hesitated.

“What?” Levi asked when she stopped talking.

Harley took a deep breath.  “Sunlight still doesn’t bother me.”  Levi’s brow wrinkled but he didn’t interrupt her.  “I mean—I can tell day light is coming and my Nocte doesn’t like the light.  But it doesn’t make me any more tired than I would be just from needing sleep.  I don’t feel any weaker.  I can still see and hear and smell as well as I do at night.”

Levi was silent for a while.  She knew that he believed her.  He was just searching for an answer.  “Honestly,” he finally said.  “I’ve never heard anything like it. Has Nya still not explained her theories?”

“Well…we haven’t really talked about it since the bond completed.”  Levi raised an eyebrow at her.  “She didn’t ask.  And I didn’t want to go into it,” Harley said defensively.  “I don’t like feeling like the weirdo.”

“No one thinks you are a weirdo—at least not for this.”  He chuckled at his own joke and Harley slapped at him in mock anger.  “But if anyone has answers it would be Nya.  You really should tell her.”

“I will,” Harley sighed.  “We are supposed to meet with her about my placement anyway.  We can talk about it then.”  Harley twitched internally.  She tried to not worry about where she was going to be placed.  Both Nya and Levi knew how important it was to her to find Cutter.  She didn’t know how she would handle it if they sent her somewhere without the chance to hunt him down.

Levi rolled himself out of bed.  “I need a shower and food.  Then we can go talk to her.”

__________________

Later, Levi and Harley sat in Nya’s office.  Nya sat in an overstuffed chair and Harley and Levi sat on the couch.  Her office always left Harley feeling like she had just stepped into an animated world of madness.

“First, what have you found out about the Rogue?” Nya asked Levi.

“I’m still pretty sure that it is a Lux that is doing this.  I still haven’t gotten many answers from the Vigilum.  The ones I’ve gotten to talk to me haven’t exactly been talkative.  Someone did make a move on the Den in Canada but we weren’t able to find many signs of who, or what, it was.  It was during the day so I’m sure it wasn’t a Nocte.  Not that I thought it was anyway.”

Harley shifted uncomfortably.  It seemed as if she really was the only Nocte that wasn’t affected by the sun.

Levi continued.  “I haven’t been able to find more bodies in time to examine them.  But there have been reports of killings.  Of Ignis and Lux as well as the humans and Nocte that have been killed.  There doesn’t seem to be a clear pattern.  And someone did charter a flight to Italy recently.  I am pretty sure it was the Rogue—so I’m going to go to Florence when I leave here.  See what I can find there.”

Harley ignored the tinge of sadness at the idea of Levi’s leaving again.  “What makes you think it was the Rogue who chartered the flight?” she asked.

“One of the Montreal Praesidio there has connections with the Canadian Air Transport Security Agency.  The pilot disappeared.  He never returned from Italy and when the CATSA investigated the information on the flight logs was falsified.  The Praesidio even searched through video camera footage at the airport.  Nothing stood out.”

“It couldn’t just be a random criminal?” Harley asked.

“I thought so too.  But one of the Nocte’s cars was stolen during the attack on the Den.  It was recovered at the airport.  It was completely clean.  No finger prints.  No DNA.  Not even any lingering smells.”

Nya had been quiet during Levi’s update.  Finally she spoke up.  “What does Eric say?”

“The local Canadian general,” Levi clarified for Harley.  “He feels the same as we do.  He didn’t have any information that we don’t already have.  Everyone has been working together so far.  The Den in Florence knows I’m coming and they are searching for information there.  I’ll keep you updated on anything that I find.”  Levi sighed and rubbed his face.  “I’m really tired of feeling like I’m on a wild goose chase.  I just want to find this bastard.”

Something tugged at Harley and before she thought better of it she had to ask.  “What about reports of drugs in the areas where you think the Rogue has been?”

Levi studied her for a moment before nodding.  “I did ask about that.  There haven’t been any reports in Montreal of an increase in drug activity.”

Harley still couldn’t figure out what the drug significance was, but she knew there was something to it.  She continued to watch Levi and Nya discuss the issue.  The difference in their postures was almost amusing.  Nya sat with her legs folded under her in the chair, leaning against the arm while playing with her braids.  She looked as calm as she probably felt.  Levi, on the other hand, sat with his legs crossed at the ankle and his arms folded across his chest.  He slumped back in his chair and someone not paying attention probably wouldn’t realize how tense he was.  His jaw was clenched and his eyes were hard causing the lines around them to deepen.  Harley felt herself somewhere in between them.  She wished she could be as relaxed as Nya but she knew that sort of comfort only came with being comfortable with yourself.  Nya had had many years to find that comfort.  Does that mean Levi is uncomfortable with himself?  Harley was never sure why he was so restrained and tense.  Despite the surface calm that he carefully maintained, there was also a wariness underneath.  The only time he seemed completely at ease was when they were in bed.

Nya broke through Harley’s thoughts when she nodded, satisfied with Levi’s answers.  “We are all ready to catch this creature.  He, or she, is up to something big.  We need to stop it before it gets too big to stop.”  She was in one of her rare serious moments which only unsettled Harley even more.  Nya wasn’t this serious often and it drove home the levity of the situation.  Eventually, she turned to Harley.  “I’m getting the feeling that you have something to talk about too.”

Harley swallowed.  “Yeah.”  She could feel Levi watching her supportively.  “I thought that maybe the strange stuff that I can do and feel would change when the bond finished.  But it hasn’t.”

Nya nodded again.  “I figured as much.”

Harley raised her brows at that.  She had figured Nya would at least say something about the fact that she hadn’t discussed this yet.

“I figured you would say something about it eventually,” Nya explained.

“So…what is wrong with me?”  Harley was frustrated.  She didn’t mind the ways that she was different.  But she was concerned about what it meant.

“I don’t think anything is WRONG with you.  Quite the contrary actually.”  Harley waited for her to continue.  “I think your Nocte is just unusually strong.”

“OK,” Harley considered that for a moment.

“I think you are different because your Nocte is different.  We know very little about the world from which they come.  Unfortunately, I can’t give you more information than that.  I don’t know that we have ever encountered a Nocte this strong before.  But there are differences between Noctes.  The longer the bonding the process takes, the stronger the Nocte it seems.”  Even Levi was surprised by that.

Nya continued, “I am searching for all the information that I can find.  So far, I haven’t found anything to give me more clues.  The files that we do have are such rubbish—well, I’m still looking.”

“What exactly does this mean for me?”  Harley knew that Nya’s explanation was right.  Her Nocte agreed with her silently.  But Harley couldn’t get much more from her than that.

“You know what they say,” Nya shrugged.  “With great power comes great responsibility.”

Harley rolled her eyes at the return of Nya’s humor.  Even Levi’s mouth lifted in his trademark half smile.  “I didn’t realize that one Nocte could be stronger than another.”

“Well, yeah,” Nya said as if it was obvious.  “Some people are stronger than others—I don’t see why it’s surprising that Nocte can be stronger than each other.”

Levi interrupted.  “I didn’t know that the bonding process indicated strength.”

“It’s usually not that noticeable.  I’ve created a lot of bonds and over the years I’ve picked up on it.  And I’ve certainly never seen one take as long as Harley’s.”

Harley felt like squirming and willed herself not too.  She wasn’t used to compliments and she wasn’t used to standing out for good things.  She wasn’t sure how to react to it so she tried to look as comfortable with it as possible.  “So, what do I do?  Do you think there is a reason why I’m stronger?”

“We just have to wait and see,” Nya replied.  “I know it’s frustrating, but there isn’t much more that you can do.  I’m not worried about you.  You are, honestly, one of the strongest Nocte I’ve ever encountered.  You heal faster.  You move faster.  I don’t think your differences hinder you in any way.”

Harley swelled with pride but tried not to show it too much.  Levi looked at her and smiled softly.  “See.  Didn’t I tell you not to worry about the bond.  That everything would go fine,” he said with an air of I told you so.

Harley snorted.  “We’ll see.”  She almost brought up the desire to bite Levi.  She had mentioned to Nya once about the feeling of wanting to consume and possess Levi, but that feeling had evolved into actual bloodlust.  She knew that she didn’t want to kill him.  She just wanted to…taste him?  She shuddered.  It seemed more natural than she knew it should.

In the end, she decided to not bring it up.  As strong as the feeling was, she knew that it wasn’t normal.  Drinking blood was supposed to be the way for the Nocte to feed—to kill Ignis.  The Nocte were supposed to feed on the soul or spirit of the Ignis as it lived in the blood.  But even as she thought that she questioned its validity.  Was the Ignis the only being to live in the blood?  Did the Nocte (or Lux) as well?

“So,” Nya clapped her hands and startling Harley out of her internal turmoil.  “The question of the hour.  Just where are we going to send you?”

Harley looked from Nya to Levi.  Levi smiled slightly.  “I think right now we need Harley in New York.”

Harley’s eyebrows shot up.  New York?  “Why New York?” she asked.

“Well, we pulled a couple of Nocte from there to cover the areas where the Rogue has hit.  As a result the balance is kind of off there.  And besides—I’m pretty sure that is exactly where you want to be.”

“Why’s that?” A seedling of hope sprouted in Harley as she looked at Levi expectantly.

His smile grew wider as he looked at her.  “It’s the last place that Cutter was spotted.”

She felt her face split into a wide grin.  “New York it is then.”

Part Two

Chapter 25

A week later, Harley found herself settled in Manhattan.  She used an apartment that was on permanent lease by the Praesidio.  She hadn’t really asked much about money and living space and things of that nature.  With everything that had happened, it had not been a pressing matter.  While living at the Den the food had been provided.  For over a month she hadn’t even been sure where the food came from.  Then one morning after everyone else had gone to bed she walked into the kitchen to find an older woman stocking the cupboards.  She had been shocked into silence for several moments until the woman laughed and introduced herself as Betty.  Betty called herself the house mother.  She picked up food and supplies and did light cleaning.  Everything else was up to those living at, or visiting, the Den.  Whatever Harley needed or wanted—within reason—she could leave on a list in the kitchen and Betty would buy it and leave it for her to find in the kitchen.  Harley often wondered just how much Betty knew about the “people’ she cared for, so Harley didn’t say much to her for fear of breaking some rule of silence.  When it was time to move out of the Den, Harley was informed that while she would be given an apartment and a small salary, she would have to take care of her own bills and shopping.

Otherwise, Harley hadn’t known what to expect from New York.  She stood in the window of her small apartment looking down and the busy street below her.  She may not have been on Broadway or Penn Avenue, but even off the main routes her street got a lot of traffic from tourists and commuters. She allowed a moment of melancholy to sweep over her.  She and Jamie had always planned on visiting New York one day.  But, they had never found the time or money.  As soon as she arrived in the city she had wanted to run off and see the sites.  The Empire State Building, The Statue of Liberty, Ground Zero, Rockefeller Plaza—she wanted to see it all.  But when she realized that she would only be able to half enjoy it, her excitement waned.  She still had not made an effort to visit any of these sites.

Harley pushed away the ache of Jamie’s absence.  She only allowed herself to wallow in small amounts of sorrow at a time.  She didn’t know if she would ever feel like it was OK for her to stop feeling sad and guilty, but she couldn’t punish herself all the time.  If she didn’t control the amount of time that she spent feeling the sadness she would eventually be overwhelmed by it.  Harley couldn’t get used to how easy it was now to push away unwanted emotions.  It was both a blessing and a curse.  It was a blessing because she found it much easier to behave as she knew that she should and needed to.  But it was also a curse because few things could make you feel less human than being able to turn off your emotions when you needed to.  Harley had never been an overly emotional person, but the longer she was a Nocte the easier it became to pick and choose her emotions.

Even when Levi had left her at the New York apartment Harley had not been overcome.  Sure, she hated to see him go.  And her Nocte certainly grumbled about the loss of her…toy?  Harley still couldn’t figure out her Nocte’s weird possessive tendencies toward Levi.  Levi had only been able to spend one night before he had to leave for Italy.  When he left Harley hugged him back, locked the door behind him and began putting her stuff away.  She felt the nagging regret of his leaving, but she didn’t wallow and instead began unpacking the few possessions she had acquired in the past four months.  She had wanted to get settled in before Cassandra showed up the next evening.

Cassandra had agreed to spend a week with her in New York making sure she adjusted to the “hunting” routine quickly and easily as possible.  Harley was both nervous and anxious to get started hunting.  She hadn’t fed in nearly a month and she could feel a hunger burning inside her.  Nya had been careful to parcel out her feedings so that she didn’t gorge herself or get too hungry.  The longer she went without feeding, though, the worse the need became.  It was worse than her worse PMS cravings.  It burned in her stomach and it was becoming the only thing that she thought about.  It made her look forward to her hunting debut even more.

Nya had been somewhat surprised that Harley’s hunger didn’t come on faster than it did.  But then again, Nya had said, she didn’t seem to fit many Nocte norms so maybe this one wasn’t all that surprising either.  Nya, revealing that she was about 500 years old, only experienced a burning hunger every month or month and a half—depending on the strength of the Ignis she consumed.  Harley had been floored by Nya’s age and when she had pressed her for details it was the one time that Nya refused to discuss something entirely.  Harley had let it go and asked her about her relatively low hunger levels.  Nya had attributed it to her uncanny Nocte strength making Harley, again, wish she could find out more about her Nocte.

By the time that Cassandra had arrived the next evening Harley was feeling hot and twitchy and altogether uncomfortable.  She didn’t know where Cassandra was staying but she had said that she would arrive at eight o’clock so Harley was ready by seven.  She paced the apartment for an hour waiting on Cassandra.  The apartment was small and simple, but still better than she had expected from a Manhattan apartment on a modest budget.  It was a living room, an eat-in kitchen, a bathroom, and a bedroom.  Everything worked and she had what she needed since the apartment came furnished.  A firm three knocks on her door startled her out of her monotonous pacing.

When she opened the door Cassandra stood on the other side, unsmiling but not altogether unpleasant.  She looked Harley from head to toe and raised an eyebrow.

“What in the world are you wearing?” Cassandra asked and looked like she was trying not to laugh.

Harley looked at herself.  She was wearing tight black pants, boots with a low heel and a red and black corset-style tank top that zipped up the side but had fake stitching in the back.  She had found the clothes in a cool boutique at the end of her block earlier in the day.  She had realized that the heels might have been a bit impractical, but she hadn’t been able to resist.  She had felt like a sexy badass—at least until Cassandra hid the laughter that threatened to bubble out of her behind her closed fist.  She had not seen the stern Nocte this amused and Harley would have rather it not been at her expense.

Harley looked at Cassandra’s clothes.  She was wearing running shoes, Navy sweat pants with a logo on the right leg and a plain red tee-shirt.  Cassandra also wore a dark blue jacket that Harley figured was hiding whatever weapons Cassandra carried.  “Uh…” Harley began.  She willed herself to not blush like an idiot.  “Not a good outfit, I guess?”

“It’s wrong on many levels,” Cassandra replied after clearing her throat and composing herself.

Harley chose to not explain herself.  Instead, she held the door open for the normally stoic Nocte.  “Well, come on in while I change.”

In her bedroom she changed into a pair of loose black cargo pants and flexible biker boots but she chose to keep the tank top.  She wanted to balance out the biker boots.  And this tank top is just too cool to not take advantage of.   She slid the holster that held her knife over her shoulders.  To hide the weapon that she added a black leather jacket.  She flexed her shoulders and reached for the handle of her knife to make sure she could get to it easily and quickly.  Like Levi, she chose to carry hers in a holster that hung down the middle of her back.  She also looped a chain around her waist and fastened it with a leather strap that easily passed for a normal buckle.  If people noticed the chain they would assume it was an eccentric fashion accessory or that she rode a bike.  She had come across the chain among the random assortment of weapons at the Den.  Something about its versatility had struck Harley and she had decided to carry it with her.  It made for a good weapon that had a slightly longer range than the knife.

Confident that she looked more the part Harley returned to the living room and spread her arms.

“Better?”

Cassandra considered her carefully.  “Better.”  If the shirt still bothered her Cassandra didn’t mention it.  Harley finished getting ready by pulling her hair up into a ponytail to keep it out of the way and followed Cassandra out of the apartment.

Together they left the building and began Harley’s first hunt.  The sun had only recently set and people still swarmed the sidewalks.  Harley held her head high and refused to dodge the people moving in the opposite direction.  Some of them bumped into her, but most of them stepped out of her way and it made her smile to herself.

As they reached less crowded sidewalks Harley walked side-by-side with Cassandra.  “How many Burners do you typically find in a night?”

Cassandra glanced and her and answered without slowing her stride.  “It depends.  It depends on the city you are in.  The time of year.  The day of the week…”

“The day of the week?” Harley asked perplexed.

“I’m kidding,” Cassandra responded dryly.  “It just varies and isn’t always predictable.”

“How many do I need to kill in a night?  Or what if I don’t find any?”

“Look, no one is going to expect you to lead some Ignis apocalypse.  You just do what you can.”

Harley bit back a growl.  She would have liked to have had more information than that and her hunger was making her irritable.  She clenched her teeth and continued following Cassandra in silence.  As they walked she surveyed the people around them.  She hadn’t seen an Ignis since she became a part of the Praesidio, but she felt confident that she would recognize one when she did see it.  She didn’t know for sure, but she recognized other Nocte so it was logical that she would recognize all other world creatures.

They walked for a long time before Cassandra finally stopped outside a small deli.

“Hungry?” she asked Harley.

Harley stared at her with wide eyes.  “Well—yeah!” she stammered.  “But I wasn’t thinking about a sandwich.”  At that she felt the hunger flare through her and set her further on edge and she fought the urge to just walk away from Cassandra to hunt on her own, leaving her with a few choice words as she left.

Cassandra let out an exasperated breath and gestured towards the deli window.  “I suspect that the owner of this deli may be a Burner.”

Harley spun around to peer at the man on the other side of the window.  He was portly, balding man who at the moment was laughing at a small child being held over the counter by its mother.

Harley raised an eyebrow.  “Seriously?”

“No,” Cassandra answered dryly.  “I just want a fucking sandwich before most of these places close.  Now,” she opened the door, “are you hungry or not?”

Harley closed her mouth and followed Cassandra into the deli.  I think I’m not the only one who needs some real food.  The deli was full but not overly crowded and Harley scanned the diners as they stood in line.   Everyone seemed normal but she still couldn’t relax.  She was hungry and she knew normal food wasn’t going to satisfy her, but Cassandra was right, she still needed real food too.  She tried to be patient.  She needed to be a good hunter.  If she didn’t do this right she wouldn’t survive long, let alone have a chance at defeating Cutter once she found him.

Cassandra and Harley got their sandwiches and sat at a small corner table in the back.  Harley knew that Cassandra wasn’t the talking type, but she had questions and Cassandra was supposed to be “mentoring” her.  She finished chewing her bite of turkey sandwich and braced herself before asking her questions.

“So, basically, when we hunt we just wander around and look for Burners?”

Cassandra thought for a minute, but she didn’t look angry at being asked the question so Harley relaxed a little.  “The goal is to kill Ignis.  As long as you do that without bringing too much attention to yourself then you are fine.”  Cassandra took another bite of her sandwich, chewed for a minute while she thought about her response and then continued.  “You should just live the best that you can.  Go to bars.  See the sights.  If you aren’t a part of the world, you will never find any Ignis.  And you are going to be in this world for a long time.  You have to enjoy yourself sometimes.”  She wiped her mouth with a napkin and leaned back in her chair.  “That being said, you will need to avoid people.  You aren’t going to be able to get close to humans without them realizing you are different eventually.  And it’s important to stay off the radar.”

Harley nodded and continued eating her sandwich.  That was the most she had heard Cassandra speak at one time.  She watched the other woman as they finished their food.  Cassandra was quiet and no nonsense—but she wasn’t a jerk.  Harley liked her—gruff attitude and all.  And she was grateful that Cassandra was here for her first hunt.  As she watched the other Nocte, she wondered how and why Cassandra had joined the Praesidio.  She knew better than to ask though.  That was often a personal question and Cassandra wasn’t much of a talker about non-personal topics.  Harley didn’t want to piss Cassandra off before her first hunt.  Harley was more than a little nervous about what was to come but she swallowed her nerves and got up from the table to throw her trash away as they made their way back into the night.

______________________

It took longer than Harley expected before they found their first Ignis.  She had been under the impression that she would find them around every corner.  In reality, she realized how silly that seemed.  If they were that populous then they would overrun the humans and not just the Nocte and Lux.  The first ones they came across were huddled near a street corner in a part of the city that normal tourists didn’t walk through—it was dark and off the popular streets.  Harley had been walking behind Cassandra distracted by what seemed like the beginning of a headache.  Her head had begun to feel like it was vibrating and the feeling increased as they walked.  Harley rubbed at her forehead.  The strange vibrating in her head was throwing her off kilter and making her uneasy.  It had come on so suddenly that she wasn’t able to pass it off as normal.  And furthermore, she hadn’t had so much as a sneeze since the bonding process had begun, let alone a headache.

Suddenly, Cassandra stopped and Harley almost walked into her back.  There were three of them and Harley knew what they were right away.  The animal gleam that she had noticed the night she and Jamie had been attacked was much more obvious now that she was a Nocte.  In fact, their eyes were practically glowing without any light hitting them at all.

Cassandra pulled Harley into a doorway.  “Do you see them?” she asked.

“Yep,” Harley answered, not taking her eyes off the three creatures in front of them.  They were all males and stood close together.  They were dressed in hooded jackets and one was wearing a hat.  They looked like they were of the normal shady variety making a drug deal.  Most people seeing them wouldn’t know the difference.  Cassandra and Harley stood in the doorway of a closed nail salon and watched them for a moment.  The sight of the Ignis caused the aching hunger in Harley’s belly to flare up again and her mouth watered unattractively.  There were not many people on the streets, but there was a restaurant several doors down so the two women didn’t stick out for being out this late.  The more that she focused on them the more the buzzing began to pulsate in her skull.  She soon realized that she wasn’t feeling a headache—instead she was feeling what she could only describe as an alert of some sort.  The closer they had gotten to the Ignis, the stronger the alert.  Cassandra didn’t give any indication that she felt the buzzing so Harley decided against mentioning it, wanting to avoid drawing more attention to her differences.  Maybe this is how Levi monitors the balance? Harley thought to herself and made a note to ask him the next time she talked to him.

Cassandra speaking brought her back into focus on the task at hand.  “Considering that there are three of them and two of us they will probably try to fight instead of run,” Cassandra began explaining their plan of action.  “One of us will end up having to fight two.  Try to kill them quickly and quietly.  Do you see the alley behind them?”

“Uh huh,” Harley wasn’t able to look away from the Burners who continued to laugh and do their business just outside of the glow of a streetlight.  Harley was surprised to find that she felt no fear of the Ignis.  Between the strange alarm buzzing in her head and her Nocte’s excitement, any fear that she might have felt was replaced instead with nervous excitement.  It was hard to be scared when it was practically impossible for you to die.

“Go for that alley if you can.  If you can get them to chase you into there that would be ideal.  Especially when you feed.  You won’t have to worry as much about being seen.”

Harley could feel her Nocte rise up in anticipation of action.  The burning in her stomach grew hotter and she flexed her fists ready to go.  “I’m ready,” she growled.

Cassandra hesitated a moment.  Harley glanced at her and she could see that the other Nocte was as eager as she was.  Cassandra’s breathing was faster and she looked coiled and ready to strike with an unnatural stillness.  She griped Harley’s arm to hold her attention.  “Harley, if you get into trouble—you are on your own.  I’m not going to stop and rescue you.”

Harley scowled at her.  “What if you get into trouble?”  She pulled her arm from Cassandra vise-like grip and they both stepped away from the doorway.  Cassandra’s statement was harsh, but she found she appreciated the woman’s honesty and she knew that she wouldn’t have said it if she didn’t think Harley could handle herself.  As they made their way towards the Ignis, Harley reached under her jacket and unlatched her knife.  It fit into the holster snug enough she didn’t have to worry about it falling out and she didn’t want to have to fumble with it when the fight began.  She flexed her shoulders and rolled her neck, her Nocte was practically singing with excitement and Harley could feel her pulse and breathing speed up.  The Burners were on the same side of the street as they were, but they had to cross a perpendicular street to reach the corner where the Ignis stood.

When Cassandra and Harley reached the corner of the block the three Ignis finally noticed them.  They watched the two women cross the road.   The Ignis reacted as many human thugs would when encountering women on a dark street corner.  Their grins grew wider as they nudged each other and their eyes glowed even brighter.

“Hey ladies,” the one in the blue hat leered as Harley and Cassandra stepped onto the curb in front of the Ignis.  As one, the three creatures stepped in front of the women to block their path.  Harley’s entire body hummed with energy as she and Cassandra came to a smooth, slow stop.

“Where are you ladies off to this evening,” Blue Hat asked.  Harley could smell his breath and it reeked of  something that smelled like burnt meat.  The smell brought back a flood of memories from the night Jamie died.  The old pain and despair threatened to tear through her as she remembered her friend dying in front of her.  With a deep breath she forced the pain aside and embraced her anger instead.  Harley also smelled the Burner’s sweat, and as she did she knew without a doubt that this Ignis was particularly nasty.  She hadn’t known that she would be able to tell this much about an Ignis just from being near it.  She didn’t think it was just his smell.  The impression of this Burner seemed to be connected to the “alert” that hummed through her head.  In microseconds Harley knew many things about this creature.  She knew that, even though he wasn’t an old Ignis, he was strong and she was sure that this Ignis liked to mess with mostly women.  Harley would bet money that this man wasn’t just a rapist, but probably a pimp as well.  She raised her head and looked into his cold gray eyes.  She could feel her eyes burn with heat as they blacked out and her Nocte rose to the surface.  She could practically hear the women that he had hurt screaming for help and it rippled across her shoulders and down her spine as her Nocte growled excitedly.

When his eyes met Harley’s Blue Hat dropped his grin quickly.  As his grin faded, Harley’s grew.  As the Ignis realized that the women weren’t just women—victims—they tensed preparing for a fight.  They took several steps back to give themselves room to maneuver and they snarled as their eyes flashed in the glow from the streetlight.

Harley and Cassandra both reached for their weapons and braced themselves.  Harley held her knife in her right hand poised for action.  Harley and Cassandra waited for the Ignis to make their move.  Finally, Blue Hat lunged at Harley and he was followed by the shorter of the two hooded Ignis.  Harley saw Blue Hat’s hand swipe at her and she dodged the knife she hadn’t even seen him draw.  She countered with her own and was rewarded a yelped when she gashed his bicep.  Shorty swung his fist her but she managed to catch it and use his momentum to jerk him forward bring her knee up into his elbow.  She felt downright giddy when she heard his elbow crack and bend in an unnatural angle.  Shorty fell to his knees with a small cry.

Harley made the decision to kill Shorty quickly as she wanted to take her time with Blue Hat.  He was the one she wanted to quench the fire in her stomach.  Before Blue Hat had a chance to rebound from the wound in his arm, Harley finished off Shorty by, remorselessly, driving her blade into his heart.  He went silent immediately and she yanked her knife from his chest.  Before she could dodge it, Blue Hat lashed out with his own weapon.  The blade cut a vicious fissure across Harley’s cheek.  She spun away with a hiss and kicked him squarely in the stomach.

Blue Hat slammed into the wall behind him and Harley darted around Cassandra and the taller one as they stumbled between Blue Hat and herself.  Cassandra was doing fine and holding her own so Harley returned her attention to the Ignis that she fought.  Blue Hat, using the distraction of the fight between them, turned and began to run.  Harley growled at his cowardice and quickly gave chase.  Blue Hat was fast—she had to give him that.  In less than five strides he had put the width of one building between them.   She transferred her knife to her left hand and without stopping running she undid the buckle on the chain the wrapped around her waist.  She unwound it, raised it over her head and spun it like a lasso.

Focusing on the feet of the Ignis running from her, Harley let go of the chain and held her breath.  She had managed to put the right amount of force behind the release and Harley could hear the metal slide against itself as it wrapped around the ankles of Blue Hat.  With a satisfying crunch he crashed to the sidewalk and his hat flew off.  He immediately flipped to his back and as Harley came to a stop over him he slashed at her again.  She managed to avoid the attacked and twisted away from him.  Harley caught his wrist on the return swing and he struggled to break her grip while at the same time clawing at her with his free hand.  Harley dodged his clawing hand and pinched at the nerves behind his thumb and he was forced to drop the knife.  Blue Hat was finally beginning to panic and he rolled away from her.  Even though he managed to break her grip he didn’t get far as she dropped all of her weight onto his back, driving her knee into his spine which popped loudly as he howled.

Harley laughed as she leaned over and spoke softly into his ear.  “You’re gonna taste so good.”  Harley giggled as he began to struggle harder, trying to throw her off his back.  But she drove the handle of her knife into his temple as hard as she could.  It didn’t knock him out but it did daze him.  Climbing off his back she quickly glanced back in the direction they came from.  If anyone had noticed the struggle they didn’t care enough to pay attention.  The people in front of the restaurant probably couldn’t hear them anyway since pounding dance music spilled outside the bar.  She didn’t see Cassandra or the tall Ignis, but she had to assume that they were fine.  She worked quickly before Blue Hat could clear the cobwebs away.  She grabbed his hands and pulled him into the alley closest to them.  She was still surprised sometimes by her strength.  As a human, Harley wouldn’t have been able to drag the dead weight of even a smaller man but she barely struggled with the Burner.

Harley’s breath came out in short gasps—not because of the exertion of dragging the Ignis—but in anticipation.  She could feel her fangs slid free and she flexed her jaw, still not having gotten used to the sharp teeth.  A voice in the back of her shouted to be heard.  What are you doing? It seemed to ask.  The parts of Harley that were still human wondered how she was doing this with no squeamishness at all.  The new, animal-like, part of her ignored the rational voice.  This binge was stronger than any of those she had experienced at the Den.  Giddy excitement rippled through her.

When she had the Ignis fully hidden in the alley she again climbed onto his back.  Blue Hat must have regained enough clarity to realize what happening and he tried to crawl away, his fingers clawing at the dirty pavement.  Harley grabbed a handful of his short brown hair and pulled his head back at a sharp angel, exposing his neck.  Feeling very vampire-like Harley sank her fangs into his jugular vein.  She didn’t even pause to think about what she was about to do.  She didn’t have time to feel the surreal quality of exactly what was taking place.  She only felt the painful hunger and the certainty of that this would cure it.

As Harley’s fangs broke into the Ignis’ bloodstream Blue Hat stopped struggling.  Just as with the Burner that Levi bit, he seemed paralyzed by Harley’s bite and he lay motionless beneath her.  Strange mewling sounds escaped his slack jaw Harley moaned as the hot blood exploded into her mouth.  It was like nothing she had ever felt before.  She felt it more than she tasted it and it was hard to even believe it was blood that she was drinking.  It was indescribably better than the packaged blood that Nya had given her before.  The bags of blood had always been cold and tasted stale; she just hadn’t realized it before.  Fresh Ignis blood was hot and it tasted like fire against her tongue.  Her soul, her brain and her heart exploded in blinding ecstasy and she couldn’t hear anything beyond the beating of the Ignis’ heart and her vision blurred beyond her unfocused eyes.  As fast as she swallowed she still couldn’t stop some of the blood from leaking around her mouth.  She could smell it as it dripped on the ground beneath them.  She realized that her moaning had synced with the beating of Blue Hat’s heart and she could feel her nails embed themselves in his scalp and shoulder as she clutched his neck to her mouth.

All too soon the blood ran cold as the life force of the Ignis trickled and died.  This is what Nya had meant, she realized.  It wasn’t that the blood itself grew cold—it was the force behind the blood weakening and as a result the fire in Harley’s mouth began to die.  As she tasted the cold metal of the blood, Harley knew that the Ignis was gone.  The spell was broken and Harley pulled away from the dead man with a gasp.  Still reeling from the ecstasy of the bite she stumbled away from him only coming to a stop as she slumped against the wall of the building behind her.  The heat of the hunger that had been burning in her belly spread through her limbs.  It was like stepping into a hot tub after walking a mile in the snow.  The heat burned with an almost blissful pain and she sighed as she let her knees bend and she slid to the ground.   Her vision swam and she closed her eyes and let the waves of energy and pleasure wash over her.  She could feel the strength of the Ignis ripple through her muscles.  She was sure that she had seen Cassandra standing at the corner of the building as she closed her eyes but she ignored her and continued to enjoy the rush that burned through her body.

Slowly, the feeling subsided.  It felt like it took hours but Harley was pretty sure that it probably only minutes.  She slowly opened her eyes and rubbed her hands over her numb face.

“Well—that was quite dramatic,” Cassandra spoke softly somewhere to Harley’s left.

Harley let her head tilt and saw the other Nocte leaning against the building a few feet away.  Cassandra’s eyes had returned to normal and she was wiping her mouth with her tee-shirt.  Harley smiled lazily at her.

“Is it always like this?” she asked smiling goofily up at the other woman.

Cassandra raised an eyebrow.  “Everyone reacts differently to their first feeding.  But I don’t think I’ve seen quiet that intense of a reaction.”

Harley regained even more of her senses and looked away from Cassandra.  “Of course not,” she sighed.

“Hey, don’t complain.  It’s better to be MORE of a Nocte than LESS of one—wouldn’t you agree.”

Harley thought about how to answer that for a moment.  “We’ll see, I guess.”  She looked at Blue Hat’s body lying at her feet.  She could see his skin wrinkling and drying as she watched.

“You should probably move away from that,” Cassandra advised.  Just as Harley managed to drag herself to her feet the Burner’s body erupted into small, smoldering flames.  Before Harley’s eyes the Ignis turned to ash in a matter of minutes as it burned.  She stepped away so as to avoid the dry, gray ash as it blew in the wind.

“So, what now,” she asked Cassandra as she watched the body disappear before her.  She didn’t feel any regret or remorse—just a calm sense of peace.  The creature at her feet hadn’t been human, and beyond that—he hurt humans for fun.

Cassandra watched her for a moment.  “We keep hunting,” she said finally.

So they did.  They didn’t talk much as they wandered through the city.  Cassandra seemed distracted but they both were calm and unhurried now that they had fed.  They came across one other Ignis that night and Cassandra had let Harley take her down.  The fight had been a hard one and Harley came away with more than a few bruises and scrapes.  As she thrust the knife into the Burner’s chest and pulled it back out with a splatter of blood, Cassandra raised her eyebrows at her.

“You aren’t feeding again?” she asked Harley with mild, wary surprise.

Harley wrinkled her brow in confusion.  “No?  I’m full.  I feel good—I don’t really need to feed again so why would I?”  Truth be told, she didn’t want to lose her cool again in front of Cassandra.  Her confusion grew when Cassandra visibly relaxed.  She hadn’t even realized Cassandra had been tense until she saw her shoulders and jaw soften.

Cassandra shrugged.  “I just figured you would want more,” she said before turning away.

That’s when it clicked.  Cassandra had expected Harley to have some kind of uncontrollable blood lust.  Her back stiffened in anger.  “What?  You expected me to be one of the Nocte who can’t handle the darkness?  You thought I was going to be one of the ones who go on some kind of rampage?”  Her anger twisted inside her—THIS was why she hated being different.

Cassandra turned back around and met her gaze.  “Well, can you blame me?  You are stronger than the rest of us.  You can go out in the sun with no affect and who knows what else you can do?  Your Nocte is obviously strong.  And you REALLY enjoyed that first feeding.  I wouldn’t have been surprised if it was hard—or impossible—for you to control.”

Harley was glad to know that no one else seemed to know about the other differences.  The stuff with Levi.  That would have made everything worse.  Those bits were more…private—not to mention weirder.  It was bad enough that Cassandra had doubted her.  She wondered how many of the other Praesidio doubted her as well.  Did Nya?  Did Levi?  They both SAID they believed in her—but did they really?

Finally Cassandra softened her voice.  “I’m glad though.  You are one hell of a Praesidio.  It’s good you are one of the good guys.  I just hope it stays that way.”

Harley couldn’t help but ask, “What would you have done had I become one of those who can’t control themselves?”

Cassandra looked at her silently for a moment.  “I would have done what needed to be done.  That’s what I do.”

Harley tilted her head at her.  “What exactly is it that you do?”

“I take care of problem Nocte.”

Harley swallowed the lump in her throat.  Did Nya send Cassandra along because she thought I would need to be “taken care of?”  Her hurt and anger was apparently obvious.

“I offered to come.  Nya didn’t think there would be a problem, but I wasn’t all that sure.”

“What about now?”

Cassandra shrugged.  “So far, so good.”

Chapter 26

Cassandra had stuck around for less than the week she had agreed upon.  She had told Nya over the phone after three days that Harley didn’t need her to stay.  She had assured Nya that Harley could take care of herself and Nya didn’t insist that she stay.  Harley was apprehensive about Cassandra leaving, but she didn’t voice her concerns.  She was sure she would be fine.  She knew that neither Nya nor Cassandra would leave her on her own if they didn’t feel that she could handle herself.  Some of her bruised feelings faded when Cassandra announced that she was leaving early.  Harley knew that she wasn’t in danger of losing herself to the blood lust, and she was glad that had Cassandra agreed.

Now a month after her arrival in the city, Harley stood at the window watching the river of people as they made their way through the city.  It was still early but Harley hadn’t been able to sleep.  She had fed just last night so she wasn’t hungry; she had just had a lot of stuff on her mind.  She decided to go out even though it wasn’t dark yet.  She hadn’t hunted during the day even though she knew she was strong enough to do so and she didn’t particularly plan on hunting before the sun set—she had just realized that she hadn’t really seen the city during the day yet.  If she came across a Burner—she’d take care of it.  But the day belonged to the Lux so if she could avoid stepping on their toes she would.

Harley hadn’t had any luck finding Cutter in the month that she had been in the city.  Granted New York was massive and there was an equally massive amount of people here—but she knew if he was here she would find him eventually.  She had been interrogating the Ignis before she killed them.  She knew she couldn’t completely trust what they had to say—but she could usually pick up on when they were lying so she felt sure that she wasn’t being duped when none of them could tell her how to find him.  Harley let the sun wash over her as she stepped into the crowd.  She hadn’t had any luck finding Cutter during the night—so she was hoping that she might come across something during the day.  She knew that was a long shot but figured she didn’t have anything to lose by giving it a try.

Harley threaded her way through the people rush of people on the sidewalk.  People still avoided bumping into her even during the day.  She didn’t know if it was an aura she gave off that made people avoid her.  Or, it might also have something to do with how she was dressed though.  Her dark red hair blew free in the wind and she wore black out sunglasses.  She also wore a tight fitting black tank top and a plain black, leather tailored jacket despite the warm weather.  She had figured out that black was the best color to hunt in because it did the best job of hiding blood that inevitably ended up getting on her clothes.  And she always needed a jacket or a hoodie to hide her knife.  She was wearing dark blue jeans and boots again.  Everything together must put off quite the imposing image.  She imaged that she looked like an agent of some kind and that was why people avoided her.  But then again, maybe she just looked like a weird Emo chick.  She smiled to herself at that thought.

During the day the city came alive and teemed with activity.  People shopped and went to work.  They snapped pictures of the sights and they oohed and they awed at the skyscrapers that towered over the streets.  The day was loud, garish and overwhelming.  It was easy to drown in the bustling crowds of New York City during the day.  But at night, you could breathe.  Harley began to feel the crushing weight of the people that passed by her on the streets.  She felt her agitation growing as she smelled the people and caught pieces of their conversations.  Their shopping bags took up walking space.  Young girls squealed over some inane delight.  She could feel them and their heat pressing into her claustrophobically and she struggled to maintain control over her calm demeanor.   It eventually became too much to block out and she looked for an exit from the flow of people.  She finally found a side street that was less crowded and she ducked out of the foot traffic, walked away from Broadway and breathed a sigh of relief.

Harley continued to walk away from the popular roads that most of the tourists took.  Eventually, the traffic of people thinned to a tolerable level and she began to relax more.  As she passed by an alley way she was stopped in her tracks by the sound of a commotion.  She felt her Nocte’s senses perk up and alert on the presence of a Burner nearby.  Without the panic of the crowd she could focus on her “sixth sense.”  She walked slowly between the two buildings and the sounds of the struggle grew louder and seemed to be coming from behind the several dumpsters at the end of the alley.  She took a deep breath and beyond the smell of trash, rats and other food Harley could make out the old burnt smell of an Ignis…and something else.  Something new that she hadn’t encountered before.  Curiosity drew her forward.

Harley could hear two males grunting with the effort of a fight and she shrugged her jacket off in anticipation of joining the fight.  The leather jacket was comfortable and looked cool—but not really practical for a fight.  She flexed her shoulders making sure that the holster that held her knife wouldn’t inhibit her movements.  She laid her jacket on a mostly clean trash can lid and slowly made her way towards the dumpsters.

Harley stepped cautiously around the side of the nearest dumpster and tilted her head at the sight before her.  Two men—one Ignis and one…apparently Lux—fought viciously in behind the dumpster.  The Ignis was tall and thin and exceptionally dirty with greasy red hair and a scraggly beard.  The Lux—and Harley was sure that’s what he was—was about the same height but had short light brown hair a strong jaw and muscles that stretched the sleeves of his shirt.  She knew that he had to be a Lux because his eyes were solid white.  Even from the side Harley could tell how white they were and it made the hair stand up on the back of her neck.  The solid white eyes looked—to her—like the eyes of the dead.

The two men fought savagely, neither gaining an advantage over the other.  Harley leaned against the metal wall of the dumpster and watched the fight progress.  She was pretty sure neither of them even knew she was here—they were way too involved in the fight.  The Burner wasn’t particularly old or strong so she was surprised he was putting up as much of a fight as he was.  The Lux was definitely older than the Burner—had he been a Nocte she couldn’t imagine that he would be having this much trouble.  She had had no idea that Lux weren’t as strong as Nocte.  She wondered why the Lux wasn’t carrying a weapon.  That question was answered by scanning the area in which the men fought.  An intricately carved knife handle lay on the other side of the alley.  She didn’t see the blade anywhere and hoped it was broken off in the Ignis.

Harley took a deep breath.  The Ignis wasn’t as nasty as some she had encountered.  He was probably a lowly drug dealer.  No—she smelled gas on him underneath the stench of his burning breath and body odor.  He was a fire bug.  She took another breath and focused on the scent of the Lux.  He smelled…warm.  She wrinkled her brow at that.  What did that mean?  Warm.  She felt her Nocte flutter at attention and purr.  Ah, that’s what that means.   She rolled her eyes.  Her Nocte had been bugging her for weeks to find someone else to scratch that itch for them since Levi was off in Italy somewhere.

Harley raised her pant leg and pulled out the small silver dagger that she kept hidden in her boot as a spare.  It was perfect timing because as she lowered her foot the Burner caught the Lux with a solid fist to the jaw and he was spun around to face Harley who was still leaning against the dumpster.  Both the Ignis and the Lux paused when they realized she was standing there.  The Lux caught himself from falling into her and hung partially bent over with his arms out for balance.  Harley maintained her casual lean  as she twirled the dagger so that the handle faced the Lux.

“Here, try this,” she said with a small smile.  His ghostly white eyes met hers and she clenched her jaw.  He had thin lips and a straight nose and was clean shaven.  And he was nearly as gorgeous as Levi.  Maybe as gorgeous—just in a different way.  Despite the creepiness of his eyes she could tell he was a good guy.  They may have been eerie in their whiteness, but his eyes were as “warm” as his smell.  In the same way that she could pick up on the nature of the Ignis, she could do the same with the Lux apparently.  The Lux only hesitated for a moment before he snatched the dagger from her outstretched hand.  He swiftly turned and met the Burner who was rushing towards him.  It was, again, perfect timing.  He met the rushing Ignis with a thrust of the blade directly into his heart.

The Lux pushed the collapsing Ignis backwards and away from him.  He then bent over with his hands on his knees and began coughing.  Harley wrinkled her nose at the wet hacking coughs that barked out of the Lux.  When he regained his composure he slowly turned to face her.  His eyes were no longer white; they pale green and even the glaring, broken, red blood vessels didn’t diminish their softness.  He wiped his face with his shirt tail showing off incredibly toned abs and Harley had to bite the inside of her cheek to block out her Nocte’s excitement.  The Lux studied Harley carefully without saying anything for a moment, his brow twisted in confusion.  Harley waited patiently for him to put two and two together.

“What are you?” he finally asked.

His voice was soft and smooth with a slight accent that sounded Irish and it sent a chill up Harley’s spine.  She called her Nocte up and felt her eyes black out.  The Nocte jumped at the chance to rise up and it took a lot of will power for Harley to not reach out and touch the gorgeous man in front of her. She reached up and removed her sunglasses.  The Lux’s eyes widened when he saw what she was.  Harley couldn’t help but smile a little at his reaction before letting her eyes clear.  Her Nocte didn’t appreciate standing down but did so with minimal grumbling.

The Lux looked up at the sun that was just preparing to set.  “But it’s daylight,” he said, stating the obvious.

Harley smirked at him.  “Why, yes it is.”

He scowled at her.  “I’ve never heard of Praesidio hunting during the day.”

“Who says I’m hunting?”

He looked at her as if she asked a stupid question.  “Why else would you be wandering down alleys in Manhattan?”

“I wandered down this alley because I heard a fight and was pretty sure it was a Burner.  It’s a good thing for you I did.”  She left out why she had been so sure it was an Ignis because she didn’t really want anyone to know about that weird fact.  “The appropriate response is usually ‘Thank you.’”

The Lux gritted his teeth and let out a breath through his nose before finally responding.  “Thanks,” he said almost regretfully.  “Why ARE you out during the day?”

Harley ignored the question.  “I thought Lux were supposed to be able to fight the Ignis as well as we could.  Why were you having such a hard time with one so young?”

When the Lux scowled harder she realized that her question had been insulting.  “Sorry,” she said offering him a real smile.  “I’m just asking because it looked like you were having some trouble with the fight.  Then there was the coughing.”

The Lux stared at her without answering.  He looked her up and down while she did the same to him.  Again she was struck by his good looks.  He was a little taller than Levi and leaner, but just as muscled.  While Levi was all proud, rough angles, the Lux’s features were more sharp and aquiline.   Finally, mostly to distract herself, she decided to answer his question as minimally as possible.  “Nocte can come out in the sunlight.  We just aren’t usually as strong during the day.”

The Lux gaped at her.  “I’m not an idiot.”

Harley rolled her eyes.  “The sunlight doesn’t bother me as much as other Nocte.”  She wasn’t sure why she told him.  She just got the feeling that he was trust worthy.  Granted she hadn’t encountered a Lux before, but she trusted her instincts.  Besides, it wasn’t like it was a secret that she didn’t have a problem with daylight.

The Lux raised an eyebrow.  “Interesting.”

“Interesting?”

“Yeah.” He seemed to hesitate for a minute.  “I’d heard that there was a Nocte who hunted during the day.  I figured it was bullshit though.”

“Who in the world did you hear that from?”

“Another Lux heard some Burners talking about it recently.”

Harley found that disturbing but not really surprising.  She assumed it had to have been her that they had been talking about—as odd as it was to be the subject of more infamy.  The oddest part was that she hadn’t been hunting during the day.  Why do the Burners think I’m hunting during the day?  And how did they know about me at all?    She knew that she should be more concerned but maybe it wasn’t a bad thing for her to have a reputation for the Ignis to worry about.

“Now your turn,” Harley said nodding at the Ignis burning away on the ground.  “He didn’t look all that strong. “

The Lux sighed and looked away.  “I haven’t felt all that well recently.”

When he didn’t continue she looked at him pointedly.  Finally, he turned back towards her and ran his hand through the front of his hair which was a little longer than the back part.  “I got bit by an Ignis last week,” he mumbled and turned to pick up the dagger that now lay in scattering ashes.

Harley was surprised.  “Really?  What is it like?” she couldn’t help asking a little more excitedly than she should.

He scowled at her dusting the dagger off on his jeans.  “It sucked.  I’ve felt like I’ve had the flu ever since.  It’s gonna be weeks before I feel normal again.”

“I see,” she wrinkled her nose.  “Well, then why are you still hunting?”

He looked away again.  “I would rather the Vigilum not know that I was bitten,” he said through clenched teeth.

“Why?”

He looked at her exasperated.  “Why would I?”

Harley tried to not laugh.  Stupid male pride.  “OK, then,” she shrugged.  “Suit yourself.  My name is Harley Finn by the way.”

The Lux hesitated for a moment before introducing himself.  “I’m Castor.  Castor Collins”

Harley smiled at him.  “I like it.  Well, it was nice meeting you, but the sun is setting so I’m assuming you will be going to ground soon?”

“Ground?”

She shook her head.  “My own personal joke.  I’ll see you around,” she turned and began walking away.

“Wait,” Castor called.  He held her dagger out to her.  “Don’t forget this.”

Harley looked at him over her shoulder.  “Why don’t you hold onto that? You might need it.  Besides, I have this,” she smirked, indicating the Bowie stills strapped to her back.

Castor rolled his eyes.  “I don’t think the Praesidio would appreciate you giving away their property.”

“Oh, I’m expecting to get it back,” she chuckled.

“OK, how am I going to find you to get it to you?”

Harley shrugged.  “I’ll be around.”  And with that she turned and walked away.  Her Nocte was impressed and a little giddy.  Being mysterious and leaving them wanting for more? Check.  She picked her jacket up on the way out and left the alley without looking back.   She hadn’t been able to resist playing with the Lux.  He was worth playing with, and she was craving a distraction—and well, it wasn’t like she could go pick a human up in a bar.  And she knew that there were other Nocte in the city, but while she had spoken to them, she hesitated on getting too close to them.  They had all heard that she was different.  That was pretty common knowledge.  And Harley hated the way that Nocte usually looked at her for it.  They either watched her like they were expecting her to suddenly go crazy, or do something really impressive.  It was annoying and made her very uncomfortable.

_____________________

As the sun began setting Harley’s mind wandered.  She wasn’t sure what to make of the Lux.  She was attracted to him that was for sure.  But she suspected there was more to it than that.  Harley hadn’t encountered anyone who had ever actually gotten bit by an Ignis and the Lux’s vulnerability  intrigued her.  Levi had told her about Ignis bites, but none of the other Praesidio had mentioned getting bit before.  Maybe it was something that no one talked about—maybe it was an embarrassing thing to have happen.  Harley considered this—yeah, if I got bit by an Ignis I don’t think I would want everyone knowing about it either.

Levi also hadn’t mentioned how creepy the eyes of the Lux were.  She couldn’t shake the eeriness of Castor’s eyes.    She wasn’t sure if the Lux’s eyes would still have been so creepy if she weren’t already a Nocte the first time she saw them.  She hadn’t been creeped out by Levi’s eyes before becoming Nocte, but she didn’t know if the same would have held true for the dead white eyes of the Lux.  Maybe it was some kind of instinctual reaction from the Nocte?  She filed it away to ask Nya and Levi about the next time she talked to them.

Creepy eyes or not, Harley couldn’t stop thinking about Castor.  Her Nocte prodded her to think about him some more.  Not unlike after her first night with Levi, Harley found herself feeling like she wasn’t finished with Castor.  She had a craving, so to speak, for the mysterious Lux and she knew that she wouldn’t be able to forget about him until she satisfied it.  Harley chuckled to herself at the analogy.  Now that she had a good scent of him she was pretty sure that she would be able to find him again without too much trouble.  Between that and her Nocte’s ability to hone in on Burners she was confident that she would be able to find him when she wanted to.  And do I want to?  Hell yeah.  What in the world am I doing?  She wondered.  It’s just harmless flirting though, right?  Harley wasn’t sure about that.  The idea of a hot romp with the Lux definitely sounded appealing.  Shouldn’t I feel guilty about wanting to hook up with another guy?  Hell if I know…Do I have any kind of commitment with Levi?  No—we’ve never specifically discussed that…Do I want him messing with other women?  Hell no!  Her Nocte growled at that thought as well.  Would he care if I messed with another man?  Probably.  With a Lux?  More than probably.

This is so stupid, Harley thought actually throwing her hands up in the air as she walked along.  She finally decided it didn’t matter if Levi cared or not.  This wasn’t normal life.  Relationships were so far away from practical that it was almost funny.  Harley had decided to devote her life to helping rid the world of Ignis.  She and Levi had made no commitment to each other.  And Levi had made it clear from the beginning that they wouldn’t be able to be together once she joined the Praesidio.  Harley thought back to that conversation.  She mulled the words over in her head searching for the meaning behind them.  It was obvious that she and Levi wouldn’t be able to have a relationship.  The implications of that were obvious.  They both had a job to do.  Their paths would cross from time to time and they would take what they could get.  Harley realized she was OK with that.  She had bigger things on her mind than relationships.  And had Levi tried to secure a commitment from her, she would refuse anyway.  I would!  Seriously!  Right?  Definitely.

Harley smiled to herself.  Glad I got that cleared up.  Harley decided she would give Castor a few days before finding him again.  That way he would probably have time to get a new weapon of his own—not to mention mull over his meeting with Harley.  She forced her thoughts away from the Lux and to focus the task at hand.  The sun had finally set and her Nocte’s annoyance with the sun had passed.  Just because the sun didn’t weaken her didn’t mean that she liked it.  The night even made the tides of people mulling about the city easier to tolerate.

Harley took a deep breath letting the smells of the city flow through her.  The scents of grilling meat, human filth and people washed over her.  She opened her mind and allowed the energy of the city to hum across her skin and in her mind.  It took a while but finally the city’s buzz turned into a zap.  It was faint but there nonetheless.  She paused in her walking—stepping out of the flow of foot traffic and leaned against a building.  She closed her eyes and focused on the sharp pinging that told her an Ignis was nearby.  It was coming from the south and she turned and walked swiftly in that direction.

The longer Harley walked, the strong the pinging became.  It was surprisingly strong.  She was pretty sure that she had not encountered a Burner this strong thus far in her hunting.  When she realized she was within a block or two of the Ignis she slipped her leather jacket off again and stashed it behind a garbage can.  She knew she didn’t want to be encumbered by the coat and if a homeless person found it—then so be it.  They needed it more than she did anyway.  She wasn’t too worried about the people noticing the Bowie knife on her back—if they noticed it at all they would probably figure she was filming a movie or something.

Harley was careful to stay in the shadows along the edge of the buildings.  She walked slowly because she wasn’t sure yet where the Burner was and she wanted to sneak up on him if she was able.  Suddenly, the zinging alert of more Ignis thrummed through her.  Shit! Just how many of them are there?  Harley got her answer when she spotted them in a group crossing the street.  They appeared to be heading towards a rundown looking bar that was situated on the opposite corner.  If she hurried she might be able to catch them before they went inside.  If they went inside she would most likely lose her chance to attack without attracting human attention.

Harley picked up her pace as she crossed the street behind the group of Ignis.  There were five of them and they all looked well dressed and clean.  The Ignis leading the group must have heard or sensed her presence because he looked over his shoulder.  The movement caught Harley’s attention and immediately she became aware of two things.  One: this one was the source of power that Harley had picked up on from five blocks away.  Two: he had blonde hair.  Her blood ran cold and she stopped in her tracks with her body going completely ridged as everything clicked into place.  As her eyes met his she felt her own black out and her Nocte roared as her face split into a smile.  She had finally found him.  It was Cutter.

Chapter 27

The Ignis’ gave a dangerous grin as he drew to a stop.  He turned to look at Harley and the rest of the Ignis stopped and turned with him.  Harley assessed the situation.  She was outnumbered five to one.  The Praesidio didn’t hunt in groups for a couple of reasons.  They could cover more ground if they were on their own.  And they normally didn’t have to worry about being outnumbered this badly.  The Ignis rarely formed large groups.  The three that she and Cassandra had encountered the first night had been unusual.  They had just happened to come upon the Burners in the middle of a transaction.  Fifteen minutes before or after and the Ignis would probably have been on their own again.  She had made the mistake of forgetting that Cutter had followers and would probably be in a group.  Harley had the phone numbers of other Praesidio in the city but she knew that even if she could call them they wouldn’t get here in time.

Harley risked looking away from the Ignis to survey her surroundings.  There were not many people on the streets.  They were again away from the main thoroughfare and the crowds of people had thinned drastically.  The ones who were still on the street were quickly heading to their own destinations and not paying attention to what was going on around them.  If they noticed a commotion it was doubtful anyone would even call the police.

Harley made a mental note to herself.  Start carrying a gun.  Even if it wouldn’t stop them it would at least slow some of them down enough to give herself a better shot.  Harley considered her options.  But before she could come up with a good plan, Cutter stepped through the group of Ignis and spoke.

“Well, would you look at this?  I figured that Nocte would take you over to the darkside,” Cutter sneered at her.  “Hey boys, it seems our night’s entertainment has found us instead of us having to go looking for her.”

Harley curled her lip at those implications.  She could feel her Nocte gnashing her teeth to fight.  “Long time, no see,” she sneered back forcing herself to sound more confident that she felt.

Cutter chuckled.  “I guess you have been looking for me?”  Harley didn’t answer but held his gaze steadily.  “I’m flattered really.  But I am a busy man.  I can’t really be bothered with vendettas.  If you would like to take the matter up with my associates they would be happy to solve your problem for you.”  The Ignis around him sniggered and chuckled.

“I’ll take care of them too.  But they aren’t the ones I’m interested in,” Harley said icily.  “You’ve already ran from me once—are you really going to run again?”

Cutter laughed.  “You know what they say.  Run away.  Live to fight another day.”  He leered at her again before gesturing towards her and saying to his companions, “Take care of this, would you?”  Harley didn’t have a chance to try to stop him.  As he ran the rest of the group lunged towards her as one.  In one smooth motion she whipped the chain from around her waist and skipped backwards a few feet to give herself room to maneuver.

As the four Ignis closed in on her she realized she was backing into the alley behind her, and that this had probably been their plan.  This was both good and bad.  Good because there was less chance of humans realizing what exactly was going on.  But bad because they now had her cornered and—just as they planned—there was no chance of a human deciding to play Good Samaritan and intervening.  As the Ignis lunged at her she swung the chain at them in a wide arc and they ducked away from it.  She had managed the pull the Bowie out and held it ready in her right hand.

The Ignis lunged at Harley again.  This time when she whipped the chain at the one on the far left managed to catch it and jerk her towards him.  Harley had just enough time to bring her right leg up and kick away from him before he could sink his own knife into her.  She didn’t let go of the chain, but neither did he.  They began a strange standoff that looked like something out of a 1950s gangster movie.  They each pulled and yanked at the chain with neither of them letting go or getting too close to the other.  Harley refused to let go of the chain because she knew if she did he would not only have it to use against her, but she would have to contend with all three at once again.  The Ignis didn’t let go because he seemed to think he would be able to get her within striking distance quicker.  The other three Burners hovered around the edges, unwilling to get too close and risk getting caught up in the chain.  Whenever one would edge his way towards Harley’s back she would pivot away careful to keep her back clear.

Harley caught sight of a mound of garbage to their left and she began making her way towards it forming a plan as she went.  A small cardboard box lay to the side of the garbage heap.  She didn’t hesitate as she used her foot to sweep it up and towards the face of Ignis to which she was chained.  In the split second that he was blind she twisted the chain further around her arm and yanked him to her.  She drove her knife deep into his heart and immediately kicked him off the blade.  As he crashed to the ground he let go of the chain and she backed away preparing for the rush of the other three Ignis.

Harley finally dropped the chain because it would do no good in these close quarters.  The Ignis came at her from all sides.  She stopped thinking and just let her Nocte take over.  For every hit or kick that she delivered, she received one in return.  She could feel the damage that she was taking but she ignored the pain and continued to fight.  Finally, she was able to take one down with another stab to the heart.  She got in a well-placed kick to the shorter of the two left.  As he stumbled backwards she managed to catch the other one as he approached from behind her.  Harley caught him by the head, twisted and dropped to her knees dragging him down with her.  The back of his neck bent over her shoulder and she heard his neck break with a satisfying crack.  Knowing that the other had already recovered and was rushing towards her she lunged to her feet and met him with a football tackle.  It would have worked a lot better had he not outweighed her by at least fifty pounds.  The force of the collision drove Harley over backwards and he landed on top of her.  She was lucky to have just managed to bring her knife up and she was even luckier in the fact that he landed on it just right and the blade plunged into his heart.  She heaved him off her and lay catching her breath for a moment.

Harley took stock of her injuries.  She knew she had several broken ribs, a broken nose and probably a broken cheek bone.  She also had who knew how many torn muscles and wrenched joints.  Her whole body throbbed with pain.  She knew she needed to get up and finish off the one whose neck she had broken.  Eventually, he would recover if she didn’t finish it.  Besides, if she finished him off by feeding her injuries would heal even quicker.  Slowly, she rolled over and climbed to her hands and knees.  Blood that had pooled in her nose dribbled out and she spat out the blood that had gathered in her mouth.  She normally healed quicker than other Nocte, but she had a lot of injuries and the fight had taken a lot of energy.

Harley rolled the Ignis with the broken neck onto his side.  She could feel his heart beating slowly beneath her fingers as she ran her hand along his neck.  Her fangs slid out and she sank them into his vein.  The blood didn’t pour out as strong as it normally did because his heart was barely beating but she was able to suck the blood out until the Ignis was gone.  She sat back and wiped her mouth on her shirt tail.  By the time she climbed to her feet the bodies of the other Ignis were already burning.  She wanted to go searching for Cutter but she knew he was already long gone.  She couldn’t believe how ridiculously predictable his running had been.  She kicked at the trash heap in anger as she made her way out of the alley.  But she knew chasing after him would be a mistake.  She knew that, now, she was too tired to put up a good fight.  She hadn’t gotten enough sleep during the day and fighting four Ignis and healing her injuries had take too much of her energy.  Still seething in anger she made her way back towards her apartment.

_____________________

As soon as she walked into her apartment Harley knew she wasn’t alone.  She immediately went on alert as she shut the door.  She listened carefully and caught the sound of movement coming from the bathroom.  She pulled her knife from between her shoulders and cautiously stepped into the living room.  Had she not been so tired and drained she may have realized someone else was in her apartment before she even opened the door.

She held the knife up and ready as she called out.  “Hello?”  With the energy she was picking up on she was pretty sure she knew who it was but she needed to make sure.

“Hey!” Levi stepped from the bathroom.  He had obviously just gotten out of the shower because he just had a towel wrapped around his waist and his long hair was wet.

All the tension left Harley’s body at once and she slumped over bracing her hands on her knees.  “You son of a bitch,” she gasped looking at the floor.  “Are you out of your mind?  Sneaking in here like that.  I almost attacked you!”

Levi chuckled.  “It’s good to see you too.”

Harley stood up and sheathed her knife.  “How did you even get in here,” she asked finally laughing a little.  “And what are you doing here?  When I talked to you two days ago you were still in Italy.”

Levi walked the short distance from the bathroom to the living room and folded her in a hug.  She reluctantly relaxed in his grip.  “I had to come back with Dotori for a meeting with Nya.  I thought I would come and surprise you.”  He smiled sheepishly and raised his eyebrows.  “Sorry, I guess I should have called first?”

“Well, that would have been less startling,” she laughed.  “It is a good surprise though.”  She pulled him down for a kiss and as the adrenaline of the shock passed she felt the warm tingling desire spread throughout her body.  She pulled away and smirked at Levi.  “What if I hadn’t been coming home alone though?”  She knew it was a loaded question and she hadn’t realized she planned on even asking it until it popped out on its own.

Levi raised an eyebrow and hesitated before answering. “Well—I guess that would have been pretty awkward.”  He gave her his half smile and she grinned back at him wickedly.

“Well, then—I guess it’s a good thing for you I was alone then.”

Levi finally took a good look at her and noticed the dried blood around her nose and mouth.  “Busy night?”

“I’ll tell you about it later.  I need to take care of something first,” she cocked an eyebrow.

“Oh, yeah?  What’s that?” he asked with a small smile.

Harley reached out and yanked the towel from around his waist.  “This,” she laughed and pushed him towards the bedroom.

Harley’s legs were braced on either side of Levi as they both sat upright in the bed.  She clutched at his shoulders with her arms under his and wrapped around his back.  He gripped her waist and guided her up and down.  Harley gritted her teeth as she felt her fangs lowering.  She knew her eyes were blacked out just as Levi’s were.  She felt his eyes on her and she looked down at him.  The bottomless black of his eyes seemed to pull her down and she could see herself through his eyes again.  She could see the hunger in her own eyes reflected back at her.

“Do it,” Levi said breathlessly.

“What?” Harley froze.

“Drink,” Levi said in a husky voice.  “I know you want to do it.  I want you too.”

Harley didn’t give herself time to think about she was doing.  As her teeth broke through the skin of his neck they both groaned aloud.  Levi gripped her waist and thrust into her harder as she moaned into the curve of his shoulder.  As his blood spilled into her mouth she was pulled into a dark oblivion of pleasure.  Power, ecstasy and energy flowed through her mind and bounced through her soul.  She felt like she was falling into bottom black void and her breath caught in her throat.  Her Nocte wanted to complete the arc of power and energy that she felt flowing through her and she pressed Levi’s head into her own neck.  He knew what she wanted and she felt his teeth break her skin.  This time there wasn’t any pain as Levi bit her.  Harley and Levi were both lost in a swirling tide that pulled them down together.  Harley wasn’t sure where one began and the other ended.  When they both came they collapsed against each other and fell back onto the mattress not even bothering to wipe their mouths.

Neither was able to speak for several minutes as they lay panting for breath.

“Holy shit,” Harley finally shuddered.

“I know,” Levi agreed breathlessly.

“What was that?”

“I have no idea.”

“Why did you even tell me to do that?” she asked.  She tried to raise herself up onto her elbow but still felt too rubbery and mush-like.

“I don’t know,” Levi answered.  “I could just tell you wanted to.  And I wanted to see what would happen.”

“That was pretty stupid, though.  I mean, what if I had killed you?  What if I had drank the Nocte out of you?  Wait—are you ok?  DID I hurt your Nocte?” Harley felt her blood chill at the idea of having hurt him.

Levi thought about it for a moment.  “No.  I’m OK.  I think drinking from you replaced whatever you took.  I can feel your strength in me.  It’s incredible.”

Harley was quiet for a moment.  Her Nocte hummed contentedly.  She felt completely energized and powerful.  All the energy she had expended earlier had been replaced and then some.  Her wounds and body didn’t even hurt anymore.  She felt like she could almost fly.  “This is so weird,” she said finally.

“I know.  But I’m not complaining,” Levi chuckled.

“How did you know I’ve been trying to not bite you?” Harley’s voice was soft and she didn’t look at him as she asked the question.

“It wasn’t hard to figure out.  I could tell by the look in your eye.”

Harley’s insides squirmed uncomfortably.  She felt like she had just gotten Levi to do something really strange and bad.  “Sorry.”

Levi looked at her, his expression puzzled.  “What for?”

“Drinking each other’s blood is pretty weird, right?”

“Well…,” Levi answered thoughtfully.  “I’ve never known anyone to do it.  I don’t think people would really talk about it if they did though.”

“Let’s still not tell anyone about this until we figure out what the hell it is.  Deal?”

Levi thought about that.  “Agreed.”

Harley sighed.  As good as this felt, she couldn’t shake the feeling that it wasn’t natural.  “I really don’t want people knowing I’m some kind of insatiable cannibal,” she laughed humorlessly.

Chapter 28

The next evening Harley told Levi about finding Cutter.  He hadn’t been happy to learn that she had taken on four Burners by herself.  But he refrained from lecturing her or grumbling about it too much.

“Just promise me you will start carrying more weapons.”

Harley offered him a small smile.  “I promise—I’ll carry more weapons.”  Levi was preparing to leave again and she fought the nagging irritation of his leaving again already.  The sun had just set and she was watching the night sky out of the bedroom window.

Levi looked away to hide a small smile.  “You beat four Burners, though?”

Harley grinned at herself.  “Sure did.”

“Good job…that’s pretty hot,” he smirked.

Harley rolled her eyes at him also felt her ego swell a little bit.    “Oh, and I almost forgot to mention I met a Lux yesterday.”

“What!?” Levi looked up from his bag.

“Yep.” She turned away from the window.  “I went out before dark yesterday.  I ran into him while he was fighting an Ignis.”  Harley decided to leave out the part about having to help him out.  It wasn’t something she would want spread around about herself so she decided to keep Castor’s secret.  “His name was Castor Collins.  He seemed nice enough.”

“Castor?” Levi mulled the name over.  “Sounds familiar.  I think I may have heard of him before.”

“Really?”

“Yeah.  Reputations get around.  Even crossing over Praesidio and Vigilum lines.”  He scratched his jaw thinking.  “I don’t remember details of what I’ve heard.  Nothing bad—I would probably remember that.  So, he’s probably a decent guy as far as Lux go.  He didn’t give you a hard time or anything did he?”

“Pfft!  No, why would he?” Harley asked him bewildered.  “He seemed cool.”

“I told you—Vigilum can be assholes.”  Levi stopped short again and he thought of something else.  “Did he wonder why you were out during the day?”

Harley wrinkled her nose.  “Yeah.”

“What did you tell him?”

“Well, I couldn’t really lie about it.  I told him a downplayed version of the truth.”

Levi shrugged.  “Well, like I said, reputations get around.  If your reputation hasn’t already spread, it will soon enough.”

“Apparently, he had heard about a Nocte who hunts during the day.  Some Ignis had been talking about it.”

“You’ve been hunting during the day?”  Levi gave her look of curiosity and concern.

“No,” Harley shook her head.  “Yesterday was really the first time that I have gone out in full light.  I don’t know where they heard about me.”

Levi’s brow wrinkled.  “What,” she asked him when he was silent for a moment.

“I can’t figure out how the Ignis would know about you already.”

“Me either.  I thought the only people who knew about me and my…differences…were the Praesidio.”

Levi scratched the back of his neck.  “Me too.”  He looked like he was going to say something else.

“What,” Harley asked him again.  She had a bad feeling about what he was going to say.

“Well…” he began.  “Are you sure that they have been talking about a Nocte hunting during the day?”

“Good point,” Harley replied.  “I don’t know.  I’m getting the information third hand.”

“Well, one of the reasons that we have had a hard time figuring out who or what the Rogue is, is because the killings have happened during the day and the night.  That’s why at first we thought it was an Ignis.”

Harley felt anxiety twist at her gut.  “What does that mean for me?”

Levi rubbed his face.  “I don’t know.  I really don’t.  But I can’t help but think there has to be some kind of connection.  You aren’t affected by the sun.  Something is killing people, Nocte, Lux and Ignis alike and doesn’t seem to be affected by either the dark or the light.  And rumors about you—or maybe both of you—are starting to spread.”  Levi trailed off, not sure where to go with that.

“It doesn’t sound good does it?”

“Well—I don’t know if it’s good or bad?  It’s just…something to figure out.  I’ll make sure I let Nya know about it.  Hell, she might already now about it.”

Harley tried to force herself to be calm and not worry about it.  She knew from the beginning that being different was going to cause trouble.  Even though everyone told her to not worry—that it just meant she was stronger.  She had known that it wasn’t that simple.  Things never were.  Irritation began plucked at her again as Levi finished packing.  He made his way over to where she sat.

Levi placed his hands on her shoulders and looked her in the eye.  “Don’t let it get to you.  Just keep doing what you are doing.  Keep your ear to the ground.  Interrogate the Burners you catch.  See what else you can find out.”

Harley nodded.  “I have been trying to find information about Cutter.  I’ll add this to the waterboarding list.”  She stood and walked into the living room and cutter followed her.  She was feeling antsy and even more irritable and she tried to brush it off.  Levi was leaving and she didn’t want to be a jerk before he left.

Levi chuckled at her.  “Good.  In the meantime Nya and I will keep trying to find out what we can.  And remember your promise.  Carry more weapons.  And it might not hurt to contact other Nocte in the city and let them know what is going.  It might be a good idea to hunt in teams.”

Harley scowled at him and his implication that he didn’t want her hunting alone.

He looked at her sheepishly.  “It was worth a shot, right?”

Harley tried to not smile at him.  “I’ll carry more weapons.  I’ll even let the other Praesidio here know something is up and to keep an ear out.  But I don’t need a babysitter.”

“Hey, I never said you did,” Levi held his hands up in surrender.  “I just don’t want anything to happen to you and this could all be bigger than we are even prepared for.”

“I know.” Harley left it at that.

Levi kissed her goodbye and left so that he could get back to Virginia before sunup.  When the door shut behind him her stomach dropped.  The unexpected sensation caught her off guard.  She knew she cared deeply about Levi, but this was a whole new level.  The irritation that she had been feeling was dread she realized.  Dread at Levi’s leaving.  She had always preferred to have him around, but now she downright hated that he was leaving.  Shit—when did that happen?  She wondered.  It’s gotta be the feeding, right?

Harley got dressed and left the apartment to hunt.  She figured the best thing for her right now was a distraction.  She hoped that Cutter had not left the city.  She figured the only way she would find out if he had would be to either come across him again or get an Ignis to tell her if he was still here or not.  Her plan was to stake out the bar that the Ignis had been heading into the night before.  If she was lucky it wouldn’t just be a random place they were going to for the night.

Harley, figuring she would end up actually having to go into the bar, dressed up a little more than normal.  She wore skinny jeans, low heeled boots and a snug, low-cut tee-shirt.  It made weapons hard to hide but she managed to hide her Bowie in her boot, her chain in plain sight around her waist as her usual eccentric fashion accessory and small gun in a purse that she slung across her shoulder.  She knew that it would only slow an Ignis down—but it was better than nothing.  She kind of wished that she still had the small dagger she had left with Castor.  She could have probably fit that down the front of her bra.  She also brought her sunglasses.  She would look weird and obnoxious wearing them inside a bar at night, but if she hid her eyes she might be able to stay incognito a little longer.

_____________

A short while later Harley was sitting in a dark corner of the bar listening to the speakers pumping out loud house music.  She tried to block the annoying music out and focus on the crowd that bumped and grinded to the music.  She still wore her sunglasses and had she been human she probably wouldn’t be able to see a thing.  But her improved Nocte sight was barely diminished at all by the dark shades.  Whenever the light dimmed or brightened her vision adjusted accordingly.  So cool, she thought to herself.  She was still discovering new abilities and powers that came along with being a Nocte and each new discovery was thrilling and sometimes a little scary.

Harley sat in a booth with her feet up on the seat beside her and her back against the wall.  The bar was mostly filled with humans.  Every so often she caught sight of a Burner but there had only been a couple and for the most part they didn’t seem to be currently causing too much trouble.  She had bigger fish to fry so she didn’t pay much attention to them.  So far they had not noticed her and she was glad she wore the sunglasses.  As she watched the dancers moving to the music she took a deep breath.  She could smell the heat from their bodies.  There were so many smells inside the bar that she had to push them away so as not to be overwhelmed.  Interestingly enough, she realized that even if she wanted to drink from Levi, she still didn’t want to drink from humans.  There wasn’t anything appetizing about the smells she picked up from the humans.  She was surprised by how relieved she was by this discovery.

As Harley scanned the crowd she caught sight of a guy staring at her from the bar.  He was average height and had short brown hair and a scruffy face.  He was dressed casually and kept looking at her when he thought she wasn’t looking.  The sunglasses made it easy to hide exactly where it was that she was looking.  Her attention was caught for a moment by two Burners as they huddled in a corner but they soon faded back into the crowd towards two women who they had been hanging around the whole night.  As she watched women kept coming up to the Burners and handing them something.  It was hard to tell with so many people in between them but Harley was pretty sure they were making drug deals.  Maybe the two human women were some kind of drug mules or something.  As she shifted her attention back towards the bar she realized the brown haired guys was walking towards her.  He had two beers in his hand.  Shit, Harley thought as she realized he was heading directly to her booth.

She didn’t give him her full attention until he was standing at her table with a sheepish smile.  When she realized the irony of the situation she couldn’t help but smile.  It was only about seven months ago when she stood at the table of a mysterious stranger shyly offering him a beer.  She had been in full predator mode while surveying the crowd but the guy softened her mood unexpectedly.  She looked him over carefully.  He seemed like a nice enough guy and she had to give him credit for having the guts—stupidity?—to come over and take a chance to hit on the weird girl in sunglasses giving off a distinct “Fuck off” vibe.  Her Nocte sat up and paid attention briefly before trying to refocus on the crowd and the Ignis.

He smiled harder at her and she could tell it was with forced—maybe liquid—confidence.  “So…um…can I buy you a beer?” he asked holding up the one in his left hand.

Harley tried not to smile at him.  “It looks like you already have,” she nodded towards the raised beer.  The guy hesitated, completely thrown off his game.  Harley chuckled feeling guilty.  “I’m just messing with you.”

The guy recovered quickly and over exaggerated starting again.  He took a couple of steps backwards and turned in a circle and walked back up to the booth.  “Hello!  My name is Bobby.  I just wanted to come over and introduce myself and offer you a beer.”  He raised his eyebrows and the beer.

Harley laughed against her will.  She had to give the guy credit—he was quirky and gave off a genuine vibe.  “Hi, Bobby,” she granted him purposefully not taking the beer he held out or inviting him to have a seat.  “I really appreciate the offer.  I really do.  But—” Bobby’s face started falling “—I’m kind of…working,” she finished, unable to think of a better way to brush the guy off nicely.

“Oh,” he slowly replied, wide eyed.

“What? Oh!  Wait—no not like that,” she laughed again.  Bobby looked relieved and laughed softly, shaking his head.  “I’m—I’m a private investigator,” she finished.

“Oh…that’s really cool actually.”  Bobby had a soft voice and Harley wondered if he was a singer or something like that.  He had the type of voice that could easily influence and sooth people.

“Yeah.  So, I really mean it when I say I appreciate the offer—but that I really can’t.”

Bobby nodded amicably.  “I understand.”  He held the beer out again.  “Have the beer anyway.  Along with my wish for you to have a good night.”  Harley hesitated; he really seemed like a nice guy.  But she didn’t want to encourage him.  “Really!  Take it.  I had the bartender leave the cap on and everything.  See—no roofies,” he laughed.

Harley smiled again.  “Well, thanks,” she said taking the beer from him.  “Since you aren’t a creep I’ll take the beer.”

“You’re welcome,” Bobby said.  “If you change your mind my friends and I will be around for a while.”

“I’ll keep that in mind,” Harley said as he turned and walked away.  She pushed the soft, melancholy feeling away.  She wondered how different things would have been had she not approached Levi that night.  Would Cutter have attacked her himself that night at the bar?  If the two goons had still come after her would she be dead along with Jamie?  Would they have come after her at all if she hadn’t been with Levi?  She wasn’t sure how much was inevitable, or her fault, or Levi’s fault.  Her life had changed so much in such a short amount of time.  Sometimes it felt like she had already lived a lifetime and had been reborn as a whole new person when she became a Nocte.  Other times she felt like a child playing make believe.  She drowned the last of the beer Bobby had brought her and slid out of the booth to look for the two Ignis again.

Harley had sat at the bar for hours and no other Burners—definitely not Cutter—had been in the bar.  She figured that these two were going to have to be her best shot.  She needed to get them away from the women they had been with all night.  She would prefer to not have to fight them in front of witnesses.  Eventually, Harley found the two on the other side of the bar.  Bobby had distracted her so much that she lost track of them briefly.  She and the two men were separated by the women, who’s backs were to Harley, and a few dancing couples.  She stood there long enough watching them that they finally noticed her.  When the dark haired one finally saw her, she gave him a sly smile and took her sunglasses off.  Harley could see the recognition of what she was wash over the man.  She felt the energy begin to flow through her as her Nocte got fired up for action.  When the dark haired Burner nudged the other and motioned towards her she turned and began making her way from the bar.  She didn’t look back to make sure that they were following her.  She knew that they would.  They were too young and stupid to not follow one female Nocte out by herself.  They would surely figure that she would be an easy kill for bragging rights.

Chapter 29

Harley hovered near the bar’s entrance until the Burners stepped out behind her.  Before they had a chance to say anything she continued across the street, towards the same alley she had fought in the night before.  There were too many people around for them to risk attacking her just yet, so they followed her instead.  She was pretty sure they figured they would have her trapped and outnumbered in the alley since they were laughing to themselves.

As soon as Harley was sure they were covered by the buildings on either side of them, she struck out behind her, landing a solid kick to the stomach of the one closest to her.  She spun quickly and drove her knife into the heart of the other one who had still not yet processed what had happened to his friend.  Apparently, these Burners were young, or stupid, or just both.  The darker haired one, the one she had kicked, was quickly climbing to his feet.  She drove a knee into his chin then pinned him to the ground with a knee to his chest.  Harley quickly unwound the chain from her waist and looped it around the Burner’s neck.  Sensing what was happening, the Ignis began struggling and trying to bite her but she thrust her knife forward and gave him a shallow wound in the stomach.  It wasn’t deep enough to kill him, but it was deep enough to distract him while she tossed the other end of the chain through the steps of a fire escape above them.  The old metal stairs were broken and hung so low they were only a few off the ground. She had just enough chain left to loop it through the stair and, using all her strength and weight she hoisted the Ignis off his butt and buckled the chain against itself.

Between the wound to the Burner’s stomach and the awkward position under the metal fire escape he was thrown off balance and struggled between crouching and choking.  When Harley had him secured she stepped away and watching him try to find a way to brace himself against the stairs with his feet planted out in front of him.  He panted for air and clutched at the wound in his stomach that was taking a while to heal.  It confirmed Harley’s theory that he was a young Ignis.

“How long do you think you can stay like that?”  When he didn’t answer Harley continued.  “What if I take your legs out from underneath you?  How long can you go without air?”

The Ignis gave the stereotypical answer.  “Fuck you,” he panted.

“Oh come on!  That’s so cliché.”

“Fuck you, bitch?” he growled.

Harley laughed, throwing her head back.  “Well, I guess since you can still try to be funny you aren’t hurting enough.”  She bent down and quickly dragged her knife through the nerves and tendons on the backs of his knees.  His scream of pain was cut off as the chain tightened around his air way as his legs gave out unable to support his weight.  He began clawing at the chain and trying to reach the stair step above his head trying to find a way to stop himself from choking.  Harley stood watching him fight for air for a surprisingly long time before he finally seemed to pass out.  She slid a sturdy box that had been lying with some garbage underneath his butt and loosened the chain from where it was beginning to embed itself in his neck before waking him by tapping at his forehead with the point of the knife.  By the time he jerked awake, gasping for air, his legs had begun healing, Harley could tell by the fact that the blood was beginning to drip slower.

“So, I have some questions for you.”  He only glared at her in response.  “Good—good,” she said with a too bright smile.  “You’re learning.”  He continued to glare at her.  “Where is Cutter?”

The Ignis’ eyes widened for the briefest of instances.  “Who?” he said recovering quickly.

Harley laughed at him again.  “Look, we can do this all night.  I can continue to poke holes in you.  Strangle you.  Generally bring you pain and misery.  And we can see just how long you can last like this.  On the other hand I can tell you are a pretty petty Ignis.  Pretty low level, right?  So, I really don’t have any reason to want to drag this out and make it worse for you.”  He continued to glare at her without speaking.  “If you tell me where Cutter is, I’ll kill you quickly.”

Finally, he spoke again.  “Fuck you, stupid bitch.”

Harley laughed and shrugged then kicked the box from underneath his butt.  Two swift slices of the knife to reopen wounds that had only just started to close and the Ignis was hanging by his neck again.  Harley’s stomach soured at the things she was doing.  It’s a means to an end, she told herself.  Even though she felt that what she was doing was right, she couldn’t help but be shocked and somewhat saddened by how easily the devil inside her could just shut off her feelings.  She looked at the Ignis hanging by his neck and sighed as her Nocte practically giggled at the sight before her.  It took a total of three hanging sessions before the Ignis was ready to talk.

“Where is Cutter?” Harley asked for the third time.

“I don’t know where he lives,” the Ignis finally croaked.  His voice was hoarse and strained from the damage done to his neck.

Harley was relieved.  She really didn’t feel like doing this the whole night.  “Is he still in the city though?”

“He was earlier tonight.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yeah, pretty sure.  See that pile of ash over there?” The Ignis nodded in the direction where the first Ignis had burned after she stabbed him.  “He met with him earlier today.  Part of some deal that I wasn’t in on.”  The Ignis glowered.  He knew he was going to die and seemed to accept that, but he was getting in all the jabs he could while he still able.

Harley gritted her teeth for her bad luck to pick the wrong Ignis.  She believed his story and wanted to punch him in the face just to make herself feel better  “What was the deal about?”

“No idea.  Something to do with girls probably.  That’s mine and his specialty,” he said with a nod towards the dead Ignis.

“Is that what you were up to in the bar?  With the girls?”

The Ignis hesitated until she raised her knife again—as a reminder.  “We deal in girls.  But we’ve had some extra work lately.”  Harley raised an eyebrow and waited for him to continue.  “The girls are carrying also,” he confirmed Harley’s suspicions.

Drugs seemed to be a part of everything that happened.  “Where did the drugs come from?”

“James—the pile of dust over there,” the Burner answered.

“This is a part of the deal he has been working on with Cutter, isn’t it?”

“I think so,” the fight has left the Burner.  He wasn’t even trying to lie anymore.

“Can you arrange a meeting with him?  It might earn your second chance at life,” she offered

The Burner’s shoulders slumped a little.  “Not a chance.  Cutter isn’t going to deal with me.  Low level, remember?”

Harley nodded trying to maintain her frustration..  “Do you know if he is going to be in the city for long?”

The Ignis looked at her bewildered.  “Why the fuck would I know his schedule?”

Harley only stared at him in response.  “Look,” he finally said.  “I think the deal is going to take a while to finish.  James was complaining that he wasn’t going to be able to go with me when I leave for Vegas next week.  Oh—and he likes to do business around bars.  I can’t even tell you if he has any regular spots.  That is all I know.  So, just fucking kill me and get it over with.”

“What about a Nocte hunting during the day?  Have you heard anything about that?”

He looked at her as if she grew a second head.  “I have no idea what you are talking about.”  Harley just nodded.  She hadn’t figured he would know anything but she had asked to be sure.

Harley thought for a minute, trying to make sure there wasn’t anything else he might be able to answer.  She believed him when he said that he wouldn’t be able to arrange a meeting with the head honcho.  There really wasn’t any point in keeping him around longer.  Finally, with a deep breath she drove the knife into his chest with no remorse or hesitation.  He began to smoke and burn quickly and she hurried to untie the chain from around his neck.  She didn’t want burnt Ignis on it—or to have to wait for him to get done burning to get it back.  While she hadn’t learned a lot, she had at least learned Cutter was probably still in the city and probably would be for the next week or so.  That was definitely good news.  It gave her time to find him.

It was only after the fight, when Harley retrieved her purse from where it had fallen that she remembered the gun inside.  She sighed and shook her head.  It would have been stupid to use the gun where humans could hear it and call the police anyway.  She hadn’t thought about that when she had taken it with her to begin with.  She realized that she had only brought it because she had promised Levi she would carry more weapons.  Harley hadn’t even realized that she was doing it.  She had kept her promise to honor Levi’s wish to be safer without even intending too.  She knew that she didn’t need any more weapons.  The ones that she carried were adequate enough.  Levi’s suggesting she carry more was just his way of being protective without being overbearing.  She rolled her eyes and slung the purse over her shoulder.  The blue eyed Nocte had fully embedded himself under her skin no matter how hard she had resisted it.

Chapter 30

The next evening Harley showered and dressed quickly.  There were still several hours of daylight left and since she wasn’t going to be sleeping any more she might as well head out.  She wore a nice sleeveless shirt to counterbalance the chain belt and biker boots she wore.  She tried to tell herself she wasn’t going looking for Castor, but her giggling Nocte said otherwise.  It had only been two days, but she figured she could check in on him anyway.

Harley wandered towards Tribeca where she had come upon Castor before.  Her dark sunglasses shaded her eyes from the sun but she could still feel the oppressive heat against her skin.  As she walked she let the city flow over her and distract her from her bad mood.  She took in the sights, the smells, the sounds—she let them sweep across her and went where her feet carried her.  It was a hard balance to strike.  Being too immersed in the city would become overwhelming—but shutting it all out wouldn’t help her find Castor.  Luckily, it wasn’t long before her Nocte finally honed in on what (who!) she was looking for.  She followed the buzzing that radiated through her head and chest, letting it grow stronger and stronger until she saw Castor sitting at a small café drinking what looked like coffee.  The soft hum was different from the hum of the Ignis.  It was a different frequency altogether.

Harley saw him in profile as he scanned the people that passed by on the street.  He didn’t seem to realize that she was there or watching him.  He was dressed casually in jeans and a long-sleeved tee-shirt and he looked as gorgeous as she remembered and her Nocte hummed in excitement.  Every so often he ran his hand over his short, brown hair.  She realized it must be his quirk—his nervous tick maybe.  As she drew closer she circled around to approach him from behind.  She slid easily and silently into the empty chair to his left and leaned back looking as casual as she could.  Castor drew up only slightly before catching himself and regained his steady posture.  Harley watched him from behind her sunglasses with a small smile and waited for him to speak.

“Good afternoon,” he finally said, his face splitting into a grin.  His teeth were bright white and perfectly straight.  She assumed that the Lux didn’t have fangs but she couldn’t stop herself from imagining his teeth nibbling—focus!  He leaned back into his chair and taking a sip of his coffee.

“Good afternoon.”  Harley tilted her head at him.  “Feeling any better?”

Castor shrugged off her question.  “I’m fine.  Still not 100% but getting there.”

Harley nodded, recognizing that he was holding back but allowed him his pride by not bringing it up.  “Good to hear.”

The server interrupted their conversation to take Harley’s order.  While she waited for her coffee she studied Castor as he surveyed the crowd.   She wasn’t sure why she was so compelled to seek him out.  It was the same kind of attraction that drew her to Levi as well.  Some level below her consciousness pushed her towards them both.  On a basic primal level she knew that her Nocte was interested in them both.  But let’s face it—she’s interested in anything that has a pulse really.  Her Nocte giggled at that thought.  But she couldn’t blame it entirely on her Nocte.  The same thing had happened to her with Levi.  Well before the bonding process.  It was like some instinctual, primal attraction to them—they had something she needed and wanted and she didn’t even know what it was.

Harley was no angel and never had been.  But she wasn’t the type to go for every guy who crossed her path.  And these two in particular had somehow weaseled their way into her psyche.  She found it a little annoying and distracting.  Castor knew that she was watching him but he continued to watch the crowd.  Finally, he spoke without turning to look at her.

“You haven’t been a Nocte for long have you?”

“What makes you think that,” Harley took a sip of her coffee after the server sat it in front of her.

Castor didn’t answer her question.  “I thought you were older when I first met you the other day.  But I get the feeling you aren’t.”

She laughed.  “I’m old enough.”

Finally, he turned to look at her.  “You are different from other Nocte.”

Harley sighed.  “Yeah, I get that a lot.”

“So, you are different from other Nocte?  Or am I just wrong about what Nocte are like?”

“Maybe both?  But yeah, I’m different from other Nocte.  Have you never met one before?”

“No, not up close and personal.  Have you met a Lux before?”  There wasn’t a challenge behind the question, just curiosity.

“No.  But then again—I’ve only been a Nocte for about seven months.”

Castor gaped at her.  “Seriously?”

Harley hesitated.  “Yeah…”

“You are a lot stronger than I would have expected for someone so young.  The strength just flows off of you.  I’ve never quiet encountered anything like it.”

Harley tried to not be offended by the implication that she was exceedingly young.  Apparently, age started over after you bonded with a demon devil from another dimension.  “You said you’ve never met a Nocte before”

“No.  It’s really not normal for us to associate.  Some Vigilum have.  But I haven’t personally.”

“I didn’t know how much communication there actually was.  I know Levi has been trying to communicate with the Vigilum.

“Levi?”

“Yeah”

Castor looked at her wide eyed and was clearly impressed.  “I’m assuming there aren’t a lot of Levi’s in the Praesidio?”

“Um, not that I know of…. Why?”

“I’ve heard of Levi.  He has a pretty incredible reputation.”

Harley couldn’t help a small smile and her Nocte gloated.  “Yeah, I guess he is pretty badass.”

Castor considered her carefully, “How well do you know Levi?”

“Uh…” Harley wasn’t sure how to answer that.  She had never tried to put a label on whatever they were before.  Maker?  Too Cliché. Lover?  Blech! Friend? Not descriptive enough.  “Well, he was the one who brought me into the Praesidio,” Harley finally settled with the simplest answer.

Castor nodded without comment.  She knew he was choosing not to pry into that on purpose.  “Wow,” was all that he said after a brief hesitation.  They continued to drink their coffee in silence for a few moments.  At one point she caught Castor watching her and their eyes met briefly before he turned away again.  The quick look left her skin tingling.

“So, tell me again.  What had you heard about me?” Harley asked, trying to distract herself from the effect he was having on her.

Castor looked at her from the corner of his eye.  “Why?”

Harley wasn’t sure how much she should tell him.  “It’s concerning that Ignis are talking about me—or at least we think they are, right?  You’re sure they were talking about a Nocte that hunts during the day?”

Castor thought about that for a moment.  “Yeah.  I’m sure that it was a Nocte that I heard about.  Why?”

“Have you heard anything about the murders?  The Nocte and Ignis that have been killed?”

Castor hesitated.  “Yes.  Some Lux have been killed as well.”

Harley nodded.  “The Praesidio has been investigating the murders.  We’ve had a hard time figuring out what sort of creature is responsible.”

Castor started to look a little worried.  “Same for the Vigilum.  How long did you say you had been a Nocte?”

“About seven months.  Why?”

Castor narrowed his eyes.  “The murders have been happening for about seven months,” he said simply.

Harley scowled at him.  “I am NOT the Rogue.”  Castor raised an eyebrow.  “Don’t be an ass,” she spat at him.  “And to the best of our knowledge the murders have been going on for at least eight months—thank you.”

Castor tilted his head.  “That’s news to me.  Are you doing the investigating?”

“No.  Levi is heading up the investigation for the Praesidio.”

“So, either an Ignis is killing Ignis, Lux and Nocte alike—or there is another one of you out there?”

Harley shifted uncomfortably.  She considered telling Castor about their suspicions that the Rogue was a Lux but she decided against it.  They weren’t positive and it wouldn’t improve Nocte/Lux relations to go around accusing a Lux of murder.  And she didn’t know what to say about the possibility that there could be another creature that could hunt in the day or night that wasn’t an Ignis.  It definitely made sense though.  She wondered what Levi and Nya thought about this.  Surely they had considered it—they just hadn’t discussed it with her so far.

They both sat in silence for a while.  Harley finished her coffee that had gone slightly cold.  Suddenly, Castor sat up straighter looking alertly as something in the crowd.  “What is it?” she asked him.

“Did you see that Ignis?”  Castor threw enough money on the table to cover both their coffees and a tip and jumped from the table.  Harley quickly followed.

Harley followed Caster as he followed an Ignis with dirty blonde hair.  They stayed about a block behind the Burner and Harley didn’t interrupt Castor’s tracking of the Ignis.  She wasn’t overly concerned.  It was one Ignis and she was sure that even if he couldn’t take him that she would be able to back him up.  She liked the way that the Lux walked.  It was an easy lope that was deceptively relaxed.  Levi, on the other hand, stalked as he walked.  It was clear when Levi moved that it was with a purpose while Castor seemed to wander.  They followed the Ignis for five blocks before he ducked into the doorway of an apartment.

Castor crossed the street a block behind him and Harley followed him across.  They both stood in front a pawn shop window watching the door of the building that the Ignis had entered.

“Do you know this guy?” Harley asked.

Castor took a second to answer he was so intent on scoping out the building.  “Yeah,” he finally answered.  “I’ve been tracking the guy for a while.  He has been involved in a drug running ring.”

“Ah, I see,” Harley replied, her interest perking up.  “What are you planning on doing?”  She looked at the sky.  The sun was blocked by the buildings, but she could tell that sundown was approaching swiftly.

“I plan on killing him,” Caster said with ice in his voice.  “He’s gotten away from me twice before.  His name is Rex.”

“OK.  So…um…are you feeling up for a fight?”

Castor glared at her.  “I’ll be fine,” he snapped.

“Even fighting two of them?”

Castor looked at her sharply.  “Two?”

“Yeah.  Can’t you tell?  There are two of them in that apartment.”

He looked at her, his face showing his surprise.  “How can you tell that?  And which apartment are they in?”

Harley looked back towards the apartment.  “I just can,” she mumbled.  “And they are in the apartment on the corner—the third floor.”  She could see Castor shake his head in amazement from the corner of her eye.  Castor started across the street again but Harley stopped him by reaching out and grabbing his arm.  “What’s your plan?” she asked.

“I was planning on going over and breaking down the door.  Or maybe knocking and when they answer bust in.  I hadn’t decided yet.”

Harley stared at him waiting for him to say he was kidding.  When he didn’t she shook her head at him.  “Are YOU new at this?” she asked rolling her eyes.

He sighed because he knew she had a good point.  “Got a better plan?”

“Yeah.  The fire escape. “

He looked at the rusting metal frame against the side of the building.  It was old but looked as if it was sturdy enough to allow access to the window of the apartment.  Many of the buildings in this neighborhood were being renovated and restored, but this building hadn’t been “revitalized” yet.  Harley wasn’t surprised that Burners had claimed an apartment here.  “Not a bad idea,” he shrugged.  He looked at her for a moment before deciding something.  “Will you play lookout?  Yell if you see any other Burners?  Or, if you can, hold them off.”

Harley’s mouth fell open in a classic look of surprise.  “Are you serious?”  Castor looked at her for a minute as if he wasn’t sure why she was so outraged.  “Hello!”  Harley gestured to herself.  “Nocte.  Remember?”

Castor rolled his eyes.  “I am not trying to drag you into my conflicts.”

Harley laughed at him.  “It’s an Ignis, right?  Two actually.  They are both our problems, even if they haven’t personally started problems with one of us.”  Besides, Harley thought to herself.  She wanted a chance to investigate anyone associated with drug operations that she could.

Castor scowled at her.  “If something were to happen to you because you were fighting alongside me, we would both be in a world of mess.  Especially me.”

Harley threw her hands up.  “Why especially you?”

“You’re what?  ‘Friends’ with Levi, right?  I told you, he has a reputation.  I’m not going out of my way to piss him off.”

Harley laughed again.  “I don’t know what you think you know about Levi.  Or what you think you know about Levi and me.  But he isn’t my keeper.  I decide what I do.  And, right now, I want to kill those two Ignis.”  She paused and took a deep breath.  “The other one in the apartment is pretty vile too.”  She got the impression he had raped and murdered in addition to his drug activity—plenty of blood was on his hands.  She was too far away to get a good read on him but the air coming from the apartment smelled sour and decayed and she could just pick up on slight impressions.  “I want him.”

Castor looked at her bewildered again.  “Do you know who is in the apartment with Rex?”

Harley didn’t meet his eyes.  “No.  As far as I know, I’ve never laid eyes on him.”

“Then how do you know anything about him?”

“I just do, alright?”  Castor stared at her waiting for more explanation.  “Well, are we going to do this or not?” she finally asked and started across the street.

Castor followed behind her.  He caught up with her underneath the fire escape.  She turned to look at him.  “Ready?”  Not waiting for him to answer she smiled, turned and jumped.  She caught the bottom rung of the fire escape and quickly clambered up with less noise than she had expected.  She hurried to move out of the way so that Castor could follow behind her.  Harley hurried up the steps making as little noise as possible.  She paused at the edge of the window of the apartment that the two Burners were in.  She could hear them talking about a shipment and arranging a trip west.  Castor tucked in behind her, not looking happy to be playing backup.

Harley was pretty sure that the two men were not facing the window.  Their voices seemed to be carrying away from them and not towards the window.  I don’t think I will ever get tired of these abilities, she grinned to herself.  She risked a look inside the apartment by edging her face around the window frame.  Sure enough, the two men were standing in the kitchen.  A tall, thin, dark skinned Burner was at a breakfast bar facing the back of Rex as Rex mixed something at the counter.  The apartment was filthy and Harley could smell the old grease, body odor and the usual burning smell that accompanied Ignis through the window which was lopsided in its frame.

She turned to look at Castor.  “I’m going to open the window and go in,” she whispered.  “It will catch them off guard.  You come in after they come for me.  It will throw them off even more.  You can have Rex; I’ll take the other one.”  She shrugged off her jacket and laid it to the side as she felt her eyes blacken out.

Castor started to protest but Harley turned away before he had a chance to try to play chivalrous, alpha-male.  She stepped in front of the window and quickly raised it.  Had she been human she probably wouldn’t have been able to open it.  As it was, the frame squealed in protest as old weathered wood scrapped against wood.  Harley swiftly climbed through the window and stepped calmly over the couch that was against the wall under the window.  The two Ignis swung around, clearly startled by the noise.  Their eyes flashed as they took in the woman now standing in their living room.  They reacted much fast enough that Harley was sure they couldn’t be young Ignis.  They both ran at her at the same time, but the darker-haired one got to her first because he didn’t have to come around the bar.

He swung at Harley and she ducked and returned the blow.  He pulled his own knife and came at her as Rex launched himself into the fight as well.  He tackled Harley and they both crashed to the floor.  She used his momentum to roll with his weight until she ended up on top of him.  She managed to land a blow before the other Ignis wrapped his arm around her throat and yanked her off Rex.  Rex started to roll to his feet but turned his focus towards the window when Castor swooped in.  He clutched the top of the window and swung himself in and over the couch.  His eyes were sickly white and he landed ready to meet Rex head on.  Harley had to admit—it made for a good entrance.

Castor’s appearance distracted both of the Burners enough that Harley was able to easily drop her weight and slid through her opponents hold.  She kicked his legs out from underneath him and pounced on him before he had a chance to recover.  She slammed her fist into the side of his jaw and heard the crack of his neck bones as he fell unconscious.  She looked back at Castor struggling with his Ignis and almost leapt into the fight.  However, she knew that Castor wouldn’t appreciate her stealing his kill and he looked like he was handling himself well enough that she wasn’t worried that he would lose the fight.

Working quickly, Harley cut the string from the broken and stained blinds over the window.  She also grabbed a dingy looking shirt that lay rumpled on the floor.  She resisted the urge to drop it again when she felt just how nasty it was.  It smelled of filth and bodily fluids and she held it away from her face.  She used the string to tie the hands of the Ignis.  She knew that it wouldn’t hold him for long, but it was better than nothing.  She used her chain to secure his feet.  When he was relatively unable to move Harley prodded him awake with her Bowie.  She knew that Castor was still fighting with Rex behind her but she tuned them out.  When the Ignis was roused enough to glare at her through flashing eyes she jabbed the tip of her knife into his throat enough to get his attention.

“If you move I’ll shove this knife so far it will cut your brain in half.”

He stopped moving and continued to give her a death stare.  “I have a few questions,” she said.

“I have nothing to say to you,” he answered through clenched teeth.

“Well, if you don’t answer my questions, your death is going to be a lot more painful.”

He tried to spit at her but she was lucky enough to be able to dodge it.  Her nose wrinkled in disgust.  “OK,” she said, nodding.  Harley picked up the disgusting shirt and held it firmly over his mouth, not caring if she also blocked his nose.  She could tell that he was trying to bite her even through the cloth.  She slowly pushed the knife into the Ignis’ stomach and as soon as the blade broke through the skin the Ignis began screaming.  Harley had only delivered cuts and fatal stabs previously.  She realized how badly the silver must be hurting him because his screams were shrill and desperate, even through the makeshift gag.  Once the knife was embedded to the hilt she left it there.  It wasn’t long before the burning smell that accompanied all Burners grew even stronger.  All the while the demon-man that she held to the ground continued to writhe and scream.

Harley checked on Castor and Rex while she gave her Burner time to appreciate the pain that she could cause him.  Castor and Rex were locked in a struggle on the floor.  She could tell that Castor was still weaker than he should be, but he was slowly gaining the upper hand.  She wasn’t too worried about the noise that they were making.  She hadn’t heard anyone in the apartment below them and it was unlikely that anyone outside could hear them.  She finally turned her attention back to the Ignis on the floor.  She slowly pulled the knife out of his gut as he continued to kick and convulse.  She turned and flopped down on his chest as she pulled the gag away from his mouth.  Her weight would help keep him on the floor and their combined weights on top of his hands would help keep him from breaking through the thin cord she had tied him up with.

When Harley removed the gag the Burner let loose a string of profanities and curses.  She laughed at him and waited for him to finish before attempting to ask him questions again.  She checked on Rex and Castor’s situation again.  Rex had gotten a lucky swipe in with his small pocket knife—Harley again almost came to Castor’s rescue.  But Castor retaliated with a vicious high kick to the Burner’s head and Rex dropped heavily to the floor.  Castor stood over the blonde demon wobbling slightly with his knife raised.  Harley knew that he needed to feed and not just kill the Ignis.  He had been injured and the fight had taken a lot out of him.  Not to mention that he was still recovering from his Burner bite.  Castor looked at her over his shoulder.  He looked unsure as to what to do.  When he saw Harley sitting on the Ignis watching him he looked surprised and amused.

“What are you doing?” he asked lowering his knife and turning to face her.

“Interrogating.  I’m just waiting for him to realize he’s gonna have to talk sooner or later.”

“Fuck you,” the Ignis spat at her.

Realizing that she was going to have to speed things along Harley calmly held the Ignis’ head still by placing the gag over his mouth again and leaning her weight onto her hand.  She knew what she was going to do and could barely believe she was doing it.  It felt like she was watching it from outside her own body as her Nocte gleefully got down to business.  Methodically, Harley angled the knife point first at the Burner’s eye.  The blade was just millimeters away from his eyeball and she smiled when his eyes involuntarily widened as he realized what she was going to do.  In one quick motion Harley stabbed the knife into the soft, gooeyness of his eye.  She held it in place the best she could as she simultaneously tried to use her weight to hold him and stop his trashing and throwing her off.  One hand still held the gag over his mouth.

Harley felt the laugh bubbling out of her and was at the same time appalled.  The human part of her couldn’t stop from empathizing with the pain that the man must be suffering.  The compassionate part of her nagged at her to remember that one wrong didn’t make another right, and the irony of the blinding of his eye wasn’t lost on her either.  But the cold, brutal (Nocte?) part of her brushed this aside.  She wasn’t human any more than the creature below her was.  And as she held the man down and got up close and personal with him, she realized the depth of his crimes.  He enjoyed hurting people and he didn’t deserve her compassion.  Still, her actions left a sour taste in her mouth.

Still holding the gag she spoke into his ear, loud enough to get past the sounds of his own agony.  “Are you ready to answer questions now?”  She could actually hear a faint sizzling as the silver burned in the viscous fluid of his eyes.

“Yes!” was his garbled reply through the cloth she held over his mouth.  “Yes!” he yelled again as loudly as the gag would allow him.  She pulled the knife from his eye before she removed the gag.  She shuddered at the wet sound it made.  Blood and gore leaked from his ruined eye socket.  She didn’t look back at Castor, but she knew that he was watching.  She didn’t want to see what he thought of what she was doing.

When the Ignis had caught his breath she began her questioning.

“Where is Cutter?”  The Burner looked surprised by her question and hesitated before answering.  “Do you want to lose the other eye?”  She raised the Bowie into his field of vision for emphasis.

“Fuck,” he gasped.  “No.  I don’t know where Cutter is.”  She raised the knife again in question.  “I swear,” he said panicking again.  Blood and fluid continued to dribble over his cheek.  The smell of the blood made her stomach growl and she took a deep breath, savoring the scent—much to the Burner’s horror.

“How can I find him?”  The Burner thought hard for a moment, searching for some way to give her what she wanted.

“The warehouse in Queens!” he said finally.  “He does a lot of business there.  I don’t know when he’s going to be there again.  But I’m sure that he will.  It’s small, well-hidden.  It’s one of the only places I know of that he does business at more than once.”  The Ignis looked strained and tired. He didn’t want to answer the questions and he sagged with the knowledge that he was going to die.  But, he understood that if he answered questions he would die quickly and the finality of his situation was apparent in his gravelly voice.  He quickly rattled off directions on how to find the warehouse.  Harley committed them to memory.  A small spark of hope began growing in her chest.  She had finally gotten good information.  She believed what he told her.  With as much pain as he was in and as scared as he was, a lie wouldn’t be easy to make up and carry through.  Harley would easily pick up on the hesitation that would come from a lie.

The Ignis spoke again, trying his best to look human and not like a demon.  “You can let me go, you know?  I won’t hurt anyone again.  I’ll just leave the city.  No one would have to know.”  He made the suggestion half-heartedly.  He knew it wouldn’t work but he tried anyway.

Harley smiled at him.  “Hey, I’m going to make it quick.  Be content with that,” she shrugged.

The Ignis turned away.  “Just fucking do it then.”  Instead of killing him just yet she knocked him unconscious with a sharp blow to his temple with her knife.  He would be out for a few minutes.

Castor was watching her as if he wasn’t sure what to make of her.  He didn’t look particularly disgusted, just sad and tired.  “So, why are you asking about Cutter?” he asked her softly.  She forced the bit of shame she felt at her actions away.  She knew how brutal it must have looked.

“It’s a long story,” she answered motioning towards the blonde on the floor behind him. “You need to feed.  Just do it.”

Castor still hesitated.  Harley knew how he felt.  She wanted to feed on her Ignis, even though she shouldn’t really be hungry again already.  He was there, right?  Why not take the opportunity?  Her Nocte practically sang to her.  It was a scary feeling because she knew that if she fed the amazing euphoria than came along with the blood would help wash away any lingering remorse she felt.  She was beginning to understand how some Nocte got carried away and couldn’t handle the power that came along with being a Nocte.

Harley knew that Castor wouldn’t feed if she didn’t as well.  But, just like the Lux, she felt weird doing it in front of anyone.  It was more awkward than taking your clothes off in front of a stranger.  Castor still hesitated—obviously deciding which was greater: his need to feed or the desire to not have Harley see him do it.

“Well, if you don’t eat him—I’ll have him for dessert,” Harley said, finally deciding to stop pretending they weren’t both going to do this.

Harley ignored the embarrassment of committing such an act in front of someone she barely knew.  She straddled her Ignis and yanked his head to the side before sinking her teeth into his neck.  Even though he was already unconscious his body trembled spasmodically a few times.  As she fed she knew that Castor was watching her.  Eventually, the awkward feelings passed as the pleasure of the feeding carried her away.  She could feel the power flow through her and it hummed across her body.  Surprisingly, the feeling of being watched turned into a more erotic, voyeuristic feeling than an invasion of privacy.  She could feel Castor watching her and on some level she was sure that he was enjoying it as much as she was.

When the blood ran cold Harley let the dead man’s head fall against the floor.  She climbed off the man’s chest and flopped onto her butt beside him.  She realized that Castor was still watching her.  Blood dripped from the jagged gash that ran the length of his jaw—the result of the Burner’s lucky hit.  Harley could smell his blood and her heartbeat pounded in her chest.  Castor had propped Rex up in a sitting position as if he had started to feed but then gotten carried away watching Harley.  The look on his face was one of fright and curiosity and discomfort…and something else.  The heated, intense look that brightened his solid white eyes caused Harley’s stomach to flip flop.  Castor finally shook himself free and focused his attention on the Ignis at his feet.

Castor, purposefully not looking at Harley, crouched behind the Ignis and clasped Rex’s head in his hands.  He glanced at Harley briefly before taking a deep breath.  Harley’s breath quickened.  She knew that Levi had seen a Lux feed before, but he hadn’t given her many details.  She was curious about how it was done.  But even more exciting was the fact that she was getting to watch—that Castor was letting her.  It was hot, she had to admit.  Watching someone do something this private and it felt taboo and forbidden.

As Castor let his breath out slowly, his hands began to glow with a light that was so white it looked blue.  The light was so intense that Harley nearly had to turn away.  The blue light spread Castor’s hands to the Burner’s whole head and he began to convulse and make gurgling noises.  It sounded painful and Harley cringed at the sounds.  Mixed in with the sounds of death was something else.  Faintly, Harley could make out a white noise.  There was a pulsating rhythm to the static sound and Harley tried to recognize the pattern but the sound was too faint.  Castor only fed for a few moments before the light went out as quickly as it turned on and with it the sound ceased as well.  Castor let the Ignis fall forward and he slowly sat back to give himself a minute to get his bearings.  Rex looked washed out and even more lifeless than the Ignis that lay beside where she still sat.  The Ignis whose body had begun to smolder.

“Um…problem,” she said breathlessly.

“Huh,” Castor asked, looking at her still dazed.

“So, it seems that the remains from my dinner are about to burn…”

“Oh!” Castor said coming more alert.  “I think it will be fine actually.”

She looked at him doubtfully while climbing to her feet.  The flames had finally started to pick up and burn through the body.  Smoke poured from the Burner’s nose and mouth and he started to smell even worse than he did before he died.

“I don’t think it’s a normal fire,” Castor said also climbing to his feet.  “It’s like the fire feeds on their bodies.  It never really seems to spread.”

“Oh,” Harley said, stepping back from the fire anyway.  “I’ve never killed one inside before.”

Castor flopped down on the dirty couch.  “I learned the hard way.  The first time I killed one inside I panicked and kept trying to find something to put out the flames.  I finally did but then couldn’t figure out how to get rid of the body.  Then my mentori came in a jumped my shit for cutting up an Burner’s body and stuffing it in a garbage bag.”  Harley began laughing so hard she had to sit at the stool at the breakfast bar.  Castor began laughing with her.

“What happened?”

“He made me take it to the woods and burn it on myself.  Believe me.  It’s a lot easier to let them burn on their own.  For some reason it smells a lot worse when you burn them with your own fire.  And it takes longer.”

“What’s a mentori?” Harley asked catching her breath.

“My mentor.  Did you not have one?”

“Kind of I guess.  We don’t have a name for them I don’t think.  At least none that anyone ever told me.”

“What did you call the one that trained you?”

“Asshole some days.  Nya the rest of the time.”  Castor looked impressed at the mention of Nya’s name, but he laughed along with Harley.

“Here is your dagger,” he held the small silver blade out handle first.

“Nah, you should probably hold onto it for a while longer.”

“I got a replacement.”  He pulled out his large, bone-handled hunting knife.  He let the light hit the silver blade and it glinted off wickedly.

“Fine then,” she shrugged good naturedly.  “Give me my blade back.  That’s a nice piece,” she nodded towards his new knife.

“Thanks.  So, what is the long story?” Castor asked her.

Harley took a deep breath.  “I don’t think I can go into it today.  Can I tell you another day?”

Castor looked at her for several long moments.  The look her gave her was unreadable but it made her squirm and her Nocte perk up again.  “OK,” he said finally.  “But apparently you are looking for Cutter, right?”

Harley looked at him warily.  “Yes.”

“I’ve heard of Cutter.  He is a nasty, nasty piece of work.”

“Yeah, I know.”  Harley answered dryly but didn’t elaborate.

Castor took a deep breath.  “Whatever it is, you should probably let it go.”

Harley didn’t respond.  She wasn’t going to get into an argument about it.  Not now.  She didn’t have the energy for it.  Not to mention the fact that she didn’t need to justify herself to Castor.  She was sure that he was going to give her the whole “revenge won’t solve anything speech” so she brushed away his concern.

By the time they had recovered and made certain the fires from the Ignis weren’t going to burn down the whole building, night had begun to fall.

“Shit!” Castor said looking out the window.   Harley joined him.

“Well, it’s not completely dark…”

“Dark enough that I already feel it.”

Harley chuckled.  “Aw, don’t worry.  I can walk you home.”

Castor scowled at her.   “I drove here.  I don’t need an escort home.”  But Harley could see his eyes drooping and hear his words beginning to slur.

“Mm hmm.”  She rolled her eyes at him.  “I’ll at least walk you to your car then.”  Castor clenched his jaw but didn’t argue.

Chapter 31

Nearly a week later Harley found herself watching the Queens warehouse that the Ignis had told her Cutter did business from.  The warehouse looked like it was usually used for storage of some kind.  She could tell from outside the building exactly what was being housed there—but she was sure it wasn’t stuffed animals and candy.  She had been watching the place at different times throughout the night from several blocks away.  She had seen a lot of Burners coming and going but had yet to see Cutter.  She didn’t bother the Burners that she saw come and go.  Instead, she waited for Cutter.  If she moved too soon and tried attacking or interrogating lesser Ignis, word might get back to Cutter and he would never return here.  Then she would be back to square one.

Harley was moving along the rooftop of one of the buildings that she hadn’t used as a lookout yet, it was located about a block away from the warehouse.  Suddenly, her Nocte picked up on a familiar scent.  Castor.  She knew right away that he wasn’t here.  It was dark.  And besides, the smell was old and lingering but it still maintained the warmth that his smell always had.   The faint scent of the Lux threw her off focus and she comically spun in a circle trying to figure out where the smell was coming from.  Feeling very canine like, Harley followed her nose to a small electrical alcove that served the building.  In between two hulking metal contraptions that she didn’t know the purpose of, Harley found the source of the scent.  It was so strong he had to have rubbed himself all over the metal machines fairly recently.  Either he was trying to rub a layer of skin off or he had been trying to get her attention.  She put a hand over her mouth to stop the laugh that threatened to bubble out at the mental image of him rubbing himself all over the metal contraptions.

Harley studied the metal walls trying to figure out what he had been doing.  Why was he even here?  Finally, she found what she didn’t even know she had been looking for.  A phone number was written at the bottom of the larger of the two machines.  She crouched down.  The writing was fresh.  She would guess it was about as fresh as the scent that Castor had left.  She shook her head and laughed.  Very creative, Cas.  She put the number in her phone and found a good spot from which to watch the warehouse.

Harley wished her ability to sense supernatural creatures was fine tuned enough to hunt for particular signatures.  She couldn’t distinguish between them other than Nocte, Lux and Ignis.  Sometimes, if the difference was drastic enough, she could differentiate between strength—but that was the limit.  Otherwise, she would have been able to save herself from sitting on top of a building for the past week hoping Cutter would show himself.  She figured that this was the easiest way to find him instead of checking every Ignis buzz she came across.

Harley hadn’t talked to Castor since the night at the apartment.  She hadn’t been avoiding him; she had just been too focused on finding Cutter.   It seemed that when faced with the decision between sex and revenge, her Nocte could stick to what was most important.  She hadn’t pressured Harley to find Castor all week.   She did, indeed, like Castor more than she should really—Is that true though?  Was there actually a limit that she should place on her desire for someone else?—but she knew that the main focus needed to be finding Cutter.  And the Rogue, her Nocte reminded her.  Regardless, she could keep the Lux out of her head—he kept drifting back in when she least expected it.  Harley laughed at herself and continued to watch the warehouse for several more hours.  Five Ignis came and went during that time but none of them were Cutter.

Harley was about to give up searching for Cutter at night and start watching for him during the day.  If he didn’t know yet that she was the one not affected by the light then maybe he was trying to avoid her by staying in the sun.  The night was usually better to deal in nefarious business, but self-preservation would override that, Harley was sure.  Finally, she decided to give up on the warehouse for the night.  She wanted to at least hunt one Ignis tonight before she went home.  Even though she was spending most of her time watching for Cutter, she always tried to hunt down at least one Burner each night.  If not she would feel guilty, as if she was abandoning her duties.

Harley made it home just after dawn.  Harley’s body was sore and stiff and she was ready to rest.  The Burner she had made her night’s kill had put up a tremendous struggle and Harley had been caught off guard.  She hadn’t come across as many female Ignis as she had male—but when she did they were vicious.  They fought like wild animals and Harley had the healing scratches down her face and neck to prove it.  Harley hadn’t even had a chance to feed off the Burner.  She considered herself lucky to have managed to kill her at all.

Harley quickly showered washing off the blood and the grime from the city.  Sitting on the edge of the bed she pulled out her phone and called Castor.  At least I hope its Castor and not some random person’s number.  She was relieved when Castor’s familiar voice answered after two rings.

“Hello,” he sounded expectant but cautious.  It was early for him, but he sounded alert.

“Nice message,” Harley said with a small laugh.

“Wow, that actually worked?”

“Obviously.  That building reeked of you.”

“Which building?”

“Uh, the brown, five-story one?”  How many buildings did he rub himself on?

“Good lord.  I was there two days ago.  You could still smell me after two days?”

“Well, yeah…I guess you just smell that bad,” she joked.

“Ha. Ha. Ha,” he said dryly.

“So did you just want to have some girl talk?  Or was there a reason for the smell-o-gram?”

“I need to see you.”

“I get that a lot.  You’re a great guy and all, but I’m just not looking for a relationship right now.”

“Could you be serious for five minutes?”

“Maybe.  Spit out whatever it is that you need.”

“I have information about the Burner you are looking for.”

Harley’s blood turned cold and her Nocte, who had been settling down to sleep, perked up again.  “What do you know?”

“I’ll tell you in person.  Will you be out during the day at all today?”

Harley sighed.  “I hadn’t planned on it.  I just got home.  I’ll make it happen though.  Where do you want to meet?”

“Remember the café from last week?”

“Yes.  I can meet you there.”

“OK.  I’ll be there two hours before sunset.”

“See you then.”  Harley hung up the phone and flopped back on the bed.  As excited as she was to get closer to finding Cutter, she was exhausted and she was asleep in no time.

_________________

Harley’s alarm woke her a few hours before sunset.  She groggily climbed out of bed and stumbled to the bathroom.  She hadn’t been getting enough sleep and it was beginning to wear on her.  Harley realized that she would need to feed again soon to feel normal.  She pulled her hair into a ponytail and dressed in a tee-shirt, jeans, boots and a light hooded jacket to hide her Bowie.  Stepping into the sun she had to quickly put on her sunglasses and resisted the urge to pull the hood over her head as well.  Her Nocte grumbled angrily about the sun.  She was less pleased than normal to be out in the daylight.  Apparently, she was feeling the lack of sleep as well.

It didn’t take Harley long to reach the café.  She found Castor sitting at the same table he had been at before.  There was already a coffee waiting for her when she sat down and she had to resist the urge to kiss Castor out of sheer gratitude.  She immediately took a gulp of the hot coffee before she even spoke.

“Good evening,” Castor laughed at her, watching her wince as the hot liquid burned her tongue and throat.

“This had better be good,” she glared at him from behind the dark glasses.

Castor watched her for a minute.  His eyes glowed as they had when he had watched her feed.  The green faded so much that they were almost as white as the rest of his eyes.  The look raised the hair on her arms and caused her heart to pound.  She knew the intensity of her look was evident even behind the sunglasses. She knew he must be feeling the same heated connection that she did but she forced herself to shake it off with a shutter.

“I have been doing some research and some interrogating on my own,” he said, finally breaking away and taking a drink of his coffee.  Harley waited for him to continue.  “Cutter is currently working on a drug deal.  A major one.  It involves meth and bath salts—lots of it”

Harley let him continue.  Her heart began to beat faster.  Her Nocte was trying to ignore the sun and pay full attention.  “How did you find this out?”

Castor hesitated.  “This is privileged information,” he cautioned.

“Yes, yes.  I get that, go on.”

“The Vigilum have been investigating the—what did you call it?  The Rogue?  It seems that one of the commonalities that we have discovered between the murders is drug use.  That’s what our focus has been on.  That’s how we came across the Rogue to begin with.  Specifically, there is a connection between the murders and meth and salts.  Any of the places where the Rogue murders have taken place seem to come with an increase in the use of those drugs in the area.  We have gotten hold of some samples and the compositions of the drugs are the same  The same formulas as being distributed in the same areas where the Rogue has been.”

Harley mulled this over.  “So do you think the Rogue is dealing in drugs?  That these murders are all tied to drugs?”  Harley and the other Nocte had pretty much discounted the murders as being drug motivated.  But it didn’t hurt to get an outside opinion.

“No.  We don’t think so.  They aren’t your normal drug casualties.  I caught an Ignis a couple of days ago that was running errands for Cutter.  He wouldn’t talk much but I overheard some of his phone conversation before I confronted him.  He said that he had just delivered the last shipment to Cutter.  I couldn’t get anything out of him before I killed him.”

Harley wondered how hard he had tried to get information out of the Ignis.  He didn’t seem to have the same taste for hard interrogations as she did.  “So do you think Cutter is the Rogue?”

“No,” Castor answered quickly.  “I think Cutter is just involved with drugs and has some connection to what is going on with the Rogue.

“What makes you think that?”

“It just seems too…obvious?  If the murderer was Cutter it would be too easy wouldn’t it.

Harley nodded thoughtfully.  “Yeah, you are right.  I don’t think Cutter is the Rogue either.  The timing just isn’t right.”

“How so?”

“Well, Cutter is here, right?  In New York? And he has been for a while.”

“Right.”

“Well, the Praesidio is pretty sure the Rogue is in, or was recently in, Italy.

“What makes you think that?” Castor asked.

Harley only hesitated a moment.  “That’s where Levi just was.  He followed a solid lead there.”  Castor only nodded at that information.  Harley knew without having to ask that he wouldn’t repeat the information she had just given.  “Have you included drug activity in Kentucky in your investigation?”

“Kentucky?”

Harley didn’t explain.  “Yes, Kentucky.  Cutter was there about seven months ago.”  Castor slowly made and “ah ha” face but didn’t interrupt.   “But I don’t recall hearing about any strange murders or disappearances.  And Levi or Nya never mentioned any.  I just can’t figure out the connection.  If Cutter is connected to the Rogue, why wasn’t the Rogue in Kentucky?”

“My best guess?”

“Yeah?”

“I think Cutter is running the cooking operation.  He probably has cook shops in Kentucky.  Small southern towns are infested with meth labs.  He may just be based here, or distributing here but manufacturing in Kentucky.”

Harley thought about what Castor told her.  It definitely sounded plausible.  “But I don’t think he’s based here,” she said continuing her thoughts out loud.

“Why not?”

“Oh, I’m pretty sure he has spent a lot of time in Kentucky.  But what do you think drugs have to do with the Rogue murders?  If drugs aren’t the cause.”

“That we haven’t figured out yet.  Money probably?  How do you know he has spent a lot of time in Kentucky?”

Harley took a deep breath.  She was conflicted.  She didn’t want to dredge up the story of her childhood again.  And she definitely didn’t want to talk about Jamie.  Telling the story would make her remember all of it and she would have to deal with it again.  She wasn’t ready to work through another serving of misery right now.  She was so tired and exhausted.  She just wanted to feed and feel better.  Then she could face telling Castor the story.

“Can I feed first?  It’s a long story.  And I need some fortification before I try to go into it.”

Castor looked annoyed.  “How quick can you be?  The sun is starting to set and if I am going to keep sticking my neck out I want to know why.”

“I’ll be quick.  I know where we can find a Burner quickly.

Harley was right.  She easily found an Ignis a few blocks away.  Despite the renovation process much of the neighborhood was going through, you didn’t have to go far to find a remaining seedy area.  It was an area where a lot of prostitutes hung out and quite a few of them were Ignis.  Prostitution, unsurprisingly, provided plenty of opportunity for a Burner to feed.  Harley thought it was almost lazy seeing as how it was so easy for them to con and manipulate their johns.  From about a block away she caught the eye of a light haired Ignis working the corner.  With the distance and the sunglasses the Burner wouldn’t be able to tell she was a Nocte.  She looked respectable and clean and was sure that the Ignis would just figure that she was a middle-class college student slumming it and looking for some kink or drugs.  Harley nodded towards the alleyway to her left and stepped inside.  As she had hoped the fair-haired Ignis didn’t hesitate to follow her.  The alleys made New York an easy hunting ground.  Whatever kind of trouble you were seeking—it was easy to find in an alley.  For that reason, Harley found them an indispensable tool in hunting Ignis.  Burners were willing and expected to do business in dark secluded places and most normal humans avoiding trouble also avoided alleys.

As soon as the Ignis stepped into the alley she realized her mistake.  Harley and Castor took her down quickly, together.  After feeding Harley felt refreshed and more in control.  She and Castor walked towards his car that was about ten blocks away.  She told him the condensed version of the story.  She had a crappy childhood.  She was sure that Cutter had messed with her parent’s lives.  They died in a fire.  She grew up in foster care.  He then came across her in a bar and must have recognized her.  She blew him off.  This apparently inspired him to come after her.  Whether it was for fun, long standing grudge or simply because he felt like it—he sent two Ignis after her and her friend.  Her friend died.  Levi helped her out.  Brought her into the Praesidio for a chance to fight against Cutter and all Ignis.

When she told Castor the story she left out the emotion and the heartache.  She watered it down to just facts.  By separating the emotion from the story she was able to separate her emotions from her history.  It allowed her to maintain control and dignity.  But she knew that it didn’t fool Castor.  He listened silently and didn’t interrupt.  When she finished the story he put and arm around her shoulders and drew her to him.  Harley immediately stiffened against the contact.  When he stopped walking she ducked out from underneath his arm.

Castor looked at her and his features were softened.  Her Nocte bristled at the sympathetic look.  “Why are you looking at me like that,” Harley asked.

Castor seemed surprised.  “That’s a horrible story.  I’m sorry that you had to go through that.”

Harley sneered.  “I don’t need sympathy or pity.”

Castor was taken back.  “I didn’t say that I pitied you.”  He held his hands up in defense.

Harley forced herself to calm down.  “I just need information.  I need—want—to find Cutter.”  Her words were brittle and sharp.

Castor nodded but continued to look at her as if he wanted to hug her.  It made her want to punch him in the face.  His arrogance at believing she needed comforting burned through her.  He saw a weak spot in her and he was coddling it.  She clenched her teeth and worked really hard at not reminding him that she was stronger than him.  He still hadn’t completely healed from his Ignis bite.  She could see it at the yellow tinged edges of his eyes and in the shallowness of his skin.  “And don’t give me any crap about not seeking revenge.  You don’t know me or know what I need.  I appreciate the help—but if you think you are going to talk me out of this then I can do it on my own.”

Castor shook his head.  “I get the feeling that arguing with you isn’t going to do any good?”  Harley shook her head, glaring at him.  “OK then.  I got the number of the Burner that was on the phone with the one I killed last night.  The Vigilum are tracking it for me now.  I wanted to let you know that whenever I get his address I’ll help you find him.”

“How about you just give me the address when you get it?  I don’t need to babysit a sick Lux while I’m trying to get the information I need.”

Anger flared through Castor’s eyes and wiping the softness from his features.  Harley knew it was a low blow but didn’t care at the moment.  An angry Castor was not a patronizing Castor.  “I’ll let you know as soon as I hear anything,” he spat the words at her.  They had arrived at his car and he turned towards it.  Harley had just turned away when his voice called her back.

“You know—” he started and then seemed to think better of it.  He started again.  “Be careful Harley.  The Ignis aren’t the only monsters we have to fight.”

She rolled her eyes at his clichéd words of wisdom and walked away without a backwards glance.  She felt guilty for being so harsh with Castor.  He was offering to help and he didn’t deserve her anger.  Her regret over her words hung heavily in her chest.  But harsh or not, she didn’t have the time or the patience for handholding.

Chapter 32

When Harley woke up the next afternoon she had two text messages.  The first was from Levi.  He had sent it just after Harley had collapsed into bed at the first light of dawn.

“I have some information for you.  I’m going to come to NYC ASAP.”

The next text was from Castor.

“I’ve got the address.  I’ll meet you at the café two hours before sunset again.”

Before showering Harley replied to Levi’s text:

“See ya when you get here.”

Harley dressed in comfortable clothes that would be easy to fight in.  If Castor had the address of a Burner who had a direct connection to Cutter then there was a good chance there was going to be a fight tonight.  She wore stretchy jeans and a loose tank top and running shoes in addition to her usual hoodie that hid her knife.  She still included the chain around her waist but hid it underneath the tail of her shirt.

In no time Harley was sitting down at Castor’s table at the little corner café.  Coffee and a bagel were already on the table.  She looked at him questioningly.

“It’s a peace offering,” he said with a shrug.  “I didn’t intend on pissing you off yesterday.  I just know what it’s like to lose someone you care about.  It hurts—and you don’t have to pretend that it doesn’t.”

Harley spread cream cheese on the bagel and took a sip of coffee.  She knew that Castor was trying to be nice, but it still annoyed her.  She didn’t want anyone telling her how to feel about her childhood, or Jamie.  Good thing I didn’t give him the uncensored version.  He’d be buying me a teddy bear and a balloon for sure.  Her Nocte huffed in agreement.  She brushed her annoyance aside.  It was hard to stay mad at him since he was helping her out—and the faint Irish accent didn’t hurt either.

“Is that why you chose to become a Lux?” she asked, accepting his peace offering.

He looked at her with confusion.  “No,” he began with the air of stating the obvious.  “The Lux don’t choose to join the Vigilum.  Well, not completely anyway.”

Harley was taken aback.  “How do you become a Lux then?”

“The Vigilum chooses you.”  Castor looked like he was surprised she didn’t know this already.

She wondered if he has assumed that it was the same with the Nocte.  Or if it was just weird that she didn’t know that Lux were chosen.  “I don’t get it.”

Castor’s shoulders stiffened and his green eyes hardened and she realized that she was prying at personal information.  Apparently, becoming a Lux was just as sensitive as becoming Nocte.  “I’d rather not talk about it right now if you don’t mind.”

Harley felt her face heat up slightly.  “Sorry,” she finally said.  “So what did you find out about this Ignis?” she asked.

Castor held her gaze a moment as if he was waiting on her to start prying again.  Finally, he shrugged it off and held up his phone.  “I didn’t get his real address because it was just some drop phone.  But I can track him.”  He grinned widely, obviously proud of himself.

Harley, impressed, smiled back at him.  “Where is he at now?”

Castor unlocked his phone and peered at the screen.  “He is at a church in Queens.”  He showed her the map on his phone.  When she saw the little dot marking the Burner’s location she grinned.

“I’m ready when you are.”  She gulped down the last of her coffee and they both got up from the table.

Castor drove them to Queens, weaving in and out of the heavy New York traffic.  Sometimes Harley missed having a car.  There wasn’t much need for one in the city, but she missed the feeling of freedom that a car gave you.  Then again, she thought to herself, I don’t think I could deal with this traffic on a regular basis.  Castor drove an Audi sedan that was a few years old.  It was nice but didn’t draw a lot of attention.  The inside of the car smelled like him and when she breathed in deep enough it warmed her skin and made her stomach tingle.  Castor didn’t say much—he just handed her his phone and had her play navigator.  He seemed to have forgiven her prying but it didn’t dampen her desire to know more about how he was CHOSEN to be a Lux.  She tucked the questions she had for him away to come back to another day.

“What do you know about this Ignis?”

Castor glanced at her.  “Not a lot really.  Mid-level drug dealer.  His name is Peter.  At least that’s what he goes by it seems.”

“I’m sure it’s his real name,” Harley chuckled.

Castor laughed.  “Why do you say that?”

“If you were a demon possessing a human to feed of the misery you caused, would you choose to call yourself Peter?”  Castor laughed and returned his attention to the road.

Harley’s attention was pulled from the glowing map she held when she felt a warm weight on her leg.  She looked down to see Castor’s hand resting on her leg just above her knee and her Nocte shivered in excitement.  Castor noticed her looking at his hand and met her eyes.  He looked unsure of himself and she didn’t know what to say for a moment.  Before she could figure out how she felt about his hand being on her leg he pulled it away.

“No?  Sorry,” he said, returning his attention to the road.

Her mouth flopped open and closed a couple of times trying to form words that she hadn’t thought of yet.  She didn’t get a chance to however, because Castor quickly swung the car into a spot at the curb.  She looked around confused.

“We’re still a couple of blocks away,” he said.  “But this will give us some room to sneak up and scope the place out.  I don’t know what is going on and we shouldn’t just rush in.”

Harley shook her head clear, forcing herself to concentrate on the task at hand.  They both climbed out of the car.  Harley tossed her jacket on her seat and swung her arms to loosen them up.  Castor also left his jacket in the car.  He was wearing a short sleeved tee-shirt and jeans with boots.  His bone handled knife was buckled at his waist.  He opened the back door of the car and pulled something from underneath a blanket that was folded on the seat.

“Back up,” he said indicating the samurai sword he was holding up.  The blade caught the light from a street lamp and glinted beautifully.

“Oooo,” Harley breathed as he spun it around and secured it against his back.  She had to admit, she was a little jealous.  She might have to get one for herself she decided.

“Here,” Castor said, tossing something thin and dark to her as she came round the back of the car.

Harley caught it and studied it for a moment.  Finally, it clicked as to what it was.  A retractable, tactical baton.  “You get a badass sword and I get a police stick?”

Castor grinned at her.  “If you don’t want it—leave it,” he shrugged.  Harley rolled her eyes at him and followed him across the street after tucking the baton in the waistband of her jeans.

“Yeah, I guess you need the sword more than I do,” she smirked.

Castor looked at her over his shoulder and grunted unhappily, realizing she had won that round.  Harley grinned to herself but didn’t say anything else as they neared the church.

“Church” was stretching the description of the building they were looking for.  It was an old brick building that was crumbling and the windows were boarded up.  It was nestled between several apartment buildings that were taller and newer.  The little building looked as if it hadn’t been used as a church for many years.  It sat unused like the psalm books that missionaries sometimes handed out on the streets.  People didn’t want them, but felt bad for throwing them away.  So, instead they sat around collecting dust.  That was this building.  Unwanted and neglected but kept around out of a sense of obligation.  People stopped noticing it after a while and it made a good place to do business when you didn’t want to be seen.

Castor and Harley ducked into the covered doorway of a building across the street from the church.  A large moving truck was parked in front of the office building and offered them extra cover as they tried to get a fix on the Burners inside the building.  She could see dim lights shining around the edges of the boards over the windows as she leaned around the side of the truck.  She listened quietly to sounds around her.  Sunset had not begun yet but there was very little activity on this block since it seemed to cater to businesses and this was a weekend.  She felt her eyes black out as she let the sounds and smells flow over her.  Castor watched her quietly—not questioning what she was doing.  She could just barely make out the life forms inside the building.  There weren’t a lot of humans around so it was easier to focus on the Burners but they were far enough away and blocked enough that she couldn’t get a clear read on them.

“What can you tell?” Castor asked her.

“It’s a small group.  At least one of them is a lot stronger than the rest.  I can’t tell much more than that from here.”

Castor shrugged.  “Then let’s try to get closer.”

Harley and Castor crept closer to the church.  They moved silently and quickly as possible.  Harley ducked into the small space between the church and the building beside it.  She approached the side window that had once held stained glass but was now just weather beaten boards.  Harley stilled herself and focused on the sounds from inside.  What she heard made her heart leap into spastic beating and her Nocte start dancing with excitement.  She could barely contain her excitement as she turned to face Castor.

He looked at her with a questioning look.  “Cutter’s here,” she said in the faintest whisper possible and her grin spread even wider.

“Are you sure?” Castor whispered.

“Oh.  I’m sure.” Harley said simply.  She closed her eyes briefly.  “There are also four others.”

“I can only hear two more.”

“The other two are quiet.  But I can hear their hearts from here.”  Castor raised his eyebrows but only nodded.

Harley and Castor listened to the Burners’ conversation for a few minutes.  The bulk of the conversation seemed to be about quality of product.  Meth in particular.  Finally, they both got tired of listening to the finer details of drug manufacturing.

“How do you want to do this?”  Castor asked Harley.

“Can you handle the four?  How are you feeling?”

“Pretty much normal.  I can take them.”  When Harley continued to study him he scowled at her.  “I CAN handle them!”  He whispered harshly, spitting a little as he did so.  Harley looked at his green eyes.  He was even hotter when he was mad.  She smiled.

“What?” He asked, clearly still annoyed.

“Nothing,” she shook her head.  “I’ll take Cutter.  He will run when he sees us I’m sure.  It’s what he’s done before.  He lets his minions do his fighting for him.  I don’t want him to get away this time.”

“OK.  How do you want to go in?”

“How about the front door?”

Castor shook his head, trying not to smile.  “You don’t believe in subtlety do you?”

“What’s the point?” Harley asked.  “They will hear us or smell us as soon as we are in the building.  At least this way we have a chance to take them by surprise.”

Castor drew the sword from his back.  “OK.  Let’s do this.”

Harley watched him for a second.  He didn’t look nervous but she couldn’t help but feel a little guilty about dragging him into this.  “Look,” she said.  “This is your last chance to back out.  You don’t have to do this.”

Castor scowled at her.  “You’re going in, right?”  She nodded.  “Then I am too.  Besides, I want to put an end to whatever they are doing as well.”

Harley nodded again.  Whatever chivalrous, self-sacrificing feelings he had—they were his business.  She had made it clear that he didn’t have to be involved and that she didn’t need him to be here.  He is the one who sought her out.  Harley pulled the knife from behind her and started for the door.  Castor stopped her with a hand on her arm.

“Be careful,” his eyes locked onto hers.  “I really don’t want Levi coming after me for revenge if you get yourself killed.”

Harley rolled her eyes at him.  “Who are you kidding?  If either of us dies, it’s going to be you,” she said in a teasing voice.  She smirked at him and continued towards the door.  Castor laughed softly and shook his head at her, ignoring her jab.

Harley stood back from the double front doors and nodded at Castor.  He returned the nod and stepped in front of the doors drawing his foot back he slammed it against the door—right in the middle.  The latch was old and easily snapped into bits.  The metal pieces pinged as the clattered across the church floor and the doors banged against the walls with a loud boom.  Castor rushed inside and Harley followed right behind him.  The five Ignis inside froze in shock for only a split second.  They were huddled over a small folding table with papers spread across the surface.  Most of the pews were gone, probably having been stolen long ago, the rest were pushed out of the way.  Cutter was the first to react to their entrance.

Cutter’s eyes flashed like a hungry wolf and he growled like one too.  He knew Harley was coming for him and this time he rushed to meet her.  From the corner of her eye she could see Castor dive into the four Ignis, his sword flashing and she made the instantaneous decision that Cas would have to be on his own.  She and Cutter didn’t hesitate.  They crashed together with a bone crunching flurry of fists and blades.  There was no stalking, or talking or posturing.  Harley was ready to fight to the death and Cutter was, apparently, ready to fight as well.  Every ounce of pain and anger that had been building up inside her since Jamie’s death was hemorrhaging out of her through her fists and feet and her knife.  Harley could feel the adrenaline surge through her and she used all her strength to fight for a chance to drive her knife into Cutter’s heart.  She would love to drain him dry—but she would gladly settle just for killing him.

Cutter may have been bigger, and maybe stronger, than Harley—but her smaller size was more to her advantage.  It made her faster and more acrobatic.  However, neither of them could get the upper hand over the other.  Every time Harley would land a blow, Cutter would land one.  She could feel her bones cracking when he landed solid punches.  She had not fought an Ignis this strong before and it was taking everything she had to keep up with him.  Harley focused all her energy on delivering faster and faster attacks.  It was her best shot at defeating the Burner she had hunted since becoming a Nocte.  She nearly giggled when she finally got a good swipe in with her knife.  Her quickness was rewarded with a jagged gash to the underside of his chin that splattered blood across his shirt.  Unfortunately, it wasn’t fatal as she had missed any major arteries.  Cutter retaliated by lunging at her with his knife poised to kill.  Harley dodged backwards and collided with something hard that hit her in her lower back.  Before she could stop herself she somersaulted over backwards.

By the time she crashed to the floor she realized what had happened.  Cutter had managed to back her into one of the few pews that remained.  Instinctively, she prepared for Cutter to follow up with a direct attack.  However, it didn’t come.  She rolled to her knees in time to see him snatch some of the papers from the table and dart towards the front doors that still stood open.  Just as he passed through them she made it to her feet.  Harley didn’t hesitate to give chase.  She could feel her Nocte roar in frustration.  He isn’t getting away this time.  As she rushed through the doors, picking up speed as she went, she saw Cutter going for the truck that they had hid behind earlier.  Of course, she thought with dismay.  If she had time later she would kick herself for not recognizing the fact that the truck belonged to the Burners.

Cutter saw her coming realized and he wouldn’t have time to get in the truck and darted away before she caught up with him.  He turned and ran away from the truck instead.  She began chasing him down the middle of the street pulling the tactical baton out of her waist band as she went.  Her muscles surged as she desperately tried to catch up to the blonde Burner.  Slowly she began to close the distance between them.  They had only been running for three blocks when, suddenly, Harley heard a car horn honking and Cutter stopped running.  Confused and distracted, Harley slowed to a stop as well.  At first she was unable to figure out where the honking was coming from.  The street that had held office buildings had been virtually deserted with no street traffic and she hadn’t seen any other cars since they arrived.  As Cutter turned towards her she saw the arrogant smile of victory on his face.  At the same time she realized that the horn had come from behind her.  She turned as the roar of an engine filled her ears.  She didn’t have time to dive out of the way as a red SUV bore down on her.  The truck had to be going more than fifty but she could still make out the blonde, female Ignis that she had shot in the chest so many months ago grinning behind the wheel.  Fuck, she thought as the car slammed into and her world exploded in pain and blackness.

Chapter 33

The first thing that Harley became aware of was the cold darkness in which she floated.  That’s how she knew that she was mostly dead.  Just like when Levi created her Nocte bond.  This time she didn’t panic because she knew what this was.  She also she knew she wasn’t actually dying.  She had no idea how to get back to her body but she figured that it would happen eventually.  Therefore, she just floated, determined to calmly wait this out.

Harley was so mad at herself.  She had messed up again and she was sure that Cutter had gotten away.  She hoped that Castor was OK.  If she had been breathing she would have sighed dramatically at this point.  The desire for revenge still flowed through her—and always would.  Once her heart started pumping again it would pump vengeance as much as it did blood.  Well, that’s rather cheesy, Harley thought to herself.  But no less true.  Thinking about Cutter was causing a sharp and increasing pain in her head—or at least where her head was when she had one.  But she couldn’t stop, the thought was persistent—of making him pay for what he had done to her and Jamie.  She was even holding him responsible for her parents and, by extension, her crappy childhood.

Harley knew that she wouldn’t be able to rest until he was no longer in this world.  Hopefully it’s a painful exit.  The pain in her head was becoming a shrill and driving agony that stretched throughout her body as it grew in intensity.  The more pain she was in—the angrier she became.  The fact that every encounter with the blonde Ignis resulted in pain for her wasn’t lost on her.  But Harley had always had a reckless streak.  And even if her driving force was revenge—the end result was ridding the world of creatures that thrived on pain and suffering.

And that is why you need to let this petty feud with Cutter go, a raspy voice broke through her thoughts.

Harley froze.  Instantly, she knew who—what—the voice belonged to.  Well—hello.  It’s been a while since I’ve actually heard your voice, Harley greeted her Nocte.

Well, if you would shut up once in a while and stop feeling sorry for yourself, you might hear a lot more from me.

I didn’t actually SAY that I wanted to hear from you.

Hehe, the Nocte chuckled.  I don’t know why not.  It would save us both a lot of pain and suffering.

But what about everyone else?  I don’t think letting you go would be better for everyone else.

You think I’m responsible for what you have done to the Ignis.  For the torture that you have inflicted for your own gains.

It wasn’t a question, but Harley felt compelled to answer anyway.  Of course.  She tried to sound more confident than she actually felt.

The Nocte laughed heartily and it caused a strange tingling that softened the pain that she was still feeling.  If it had been possible the hair would have stood up on her arms.  The Nocte’s laughed marked her as distinctly “not human.”  It was closer to a growl than a laugh and if Harley could see the Nocte she would expect smoke to coil out of her mouth and nostrils because it was much like what she would have expected a dragon to sound like.

My dear, if it makes you feel better you can blame all of that on me.  But you need to come to grips with your own darkness before you can ever really understand mine.

Harley squirmed against the Nocte’s implications as well as the brittle prickling that radiated throughout her body.  She couldn’t bring herself to concentrate on the Nocte’s words just yet so she shrugged it away for the time being.  Not even going to think about that for a while, she thought to herself.  And the trying to have sex with everyone?  You’re gonna tell me that was all on me too?

The Nocte laughed.  I never said everything was ALL on you.  But don’t act like you don’t want to.  You know you do.  If you would just let go—stop worrying about what other people think we would both have a much easier time with everything.

I’m not going to go around killing and/or screwing everything that moves.

I am not suggesting that we should.  But why do you hold back and continue to punish yourself?  I never realized that humans were so stubborn…the Ignis seem to have such an easy time with their bond.  I assumed that humans just did whatever their instincts told them to do.  But not you—no!  I couldn’t get that lucky.  I get a human who has to overthink everything.

What’s that supposed to mean?

The Nocte was beginning to sound annoyed.  You have convinced yourself that your mission is to kill Cutter.  But think about it.  Let go and really think about it.  He is not the heart of the problem here.  There is something bigger going on than Cutter and his murdering your friend.

The Rogue.

Ding, ding, ding.

Harley sighed.  Cutter is just a part of the Rogue’s plan, right?

Right again.

What is the Rogue?

The Nocte didn’t answer for a moment. He is a Lux, she said finally.

Are you sure?

It’s a very long and complicated story for another time.  We don’t have that much time.  But yes, he is a Lux.  Once you have recovered enough and wake up we won’t be able to communicate like this anymore.  And as the Nocte pointed it out, Harley realized their time was limited.  The pain was beginning to subside and she felt…heavier…in the darkness.  She was pretty sure that her body was healing.

How can we now?  Can everyone communicate with their Nocte this way?

Highly unlikely.  Harley could hear a distinct scoff to her voice.

Then how can we?

Let’s just say that we are both different from others of our species.  But the important thing is—you need to concentrate on finding the Rogue.  We need to take care of that problem before anything else.

“But the other Vigilum and Praesidio both are already on it.”

When the Nocte spoke again it was less distinct than before.  Think about it and you will figure it out.  Why would YOU need to be the one to that needs to go after the Rogue?

Cause I can fight during the day?

You’re getting better at this, the Nocte chuckled.  What was one of first things Levi told you about the world and the Ignis, Nocte and Lux in it?

Harley thought hard.  A lot of things.  And how do you know any of that anyway.  You weren’t even here yet.

The Nocte sighed, getting frustrated again.  I live inside you, stupid.  Your memories are my memories now.

Harley ignored the insult.  She thought hard and could feel the gears slowly click into place.  The balance.

Well, there is hope for you still.  For light to exist—darkness must exist as well.  Do you understand?  The Nocte’s voice was growing even fainter.  Our time is up I think.  Remember—focus on the Rogue.  Most likely you will be able to kill two birds with one stone.  Her voice was barely more than a whisper now.

-------------------------------

When Harley crashed back into her body she realized just how bad she had been hurt.  At first she felt nothing but pain.  Agonizing, excruciating, obliviating pain.  She couldn’t move, speak or even think for a long while.  She knew that she was breathing because she could feel her chest rising and falling ever so slightly.  She knew that her heart was beating because it thudded weakly in her chest but Harley was just relieved it was moving at all.

Slowly but surely the pain began to subside little by little.  When Harley could think beyond the pain at all she realized how wrong her body felt.  She couldn’t move yet but she could feel the odd rubbery angles that her limbs lay in.  She wasn’t sure where she was at but she knew she wasn’t still lying on the street.  Whatever was underneath her was soft and not hard concrete.  I really hope I’m not in a morgue, she thought feeling panic rise up.  Possessed by a devil or not—waking up in a morgue would be terrifying for anybody.   Then, Harley realized that if she was in a morgue she would probably be laying on a steel gurney—at least that was the way it was in movies.  Hospital?  God, this is going to be hard to explain.

Harley worked to open her eyes.  Her eyelids felt like they weighed a ton and it took tremendous effort to open them even a tiny crack.  When she got them open enough to see she had just enough strength to shift her eyes to the right and left but her vision was still severely limited because she couldn’t move her head.  She was able to make out enough of the room to realize it wasn’t a hospital.  She could see a dresser near the foot of the bed and there were colognes and other personal items lying on top of it.  She shifted her eyes to her left and saw that she was lying in a bed near a window.  The window was covered with heavy curtains so she couldn’t see out of them well enough to know where she was.  As she looked to the left a small sound squeaked out of her throat from the effort.  Suddenly, a face popped into her line of sight.  It was a very worried looking Castor.

His short brown hair was disheveled and it looked like he hadn’t slept much at all.  “Welcome back to the land of the living,” the relief showed through his nonchalant words.

Harley was flooded with her own relief to find that she wasn’t in a morgue or a hospital.  She couldn’t even make her mouth move enough to make another sound.  Moving her eyes around had taken every bit of energy she had and she slowly felt them start to flutter closed.

“Whoa, wait.  Don’t go yet.”  Harley felt the bed shift as Castor sat beside her and she forced her eyes to open as much as she could.  “I’m going to give you blood.  It’s the only thing I know to do to help you heal.  Blink if you understand what I’m saying.”  Harley let her eyes fall closed and then forced them open again.  She did that two times and Castor nodded.  She let her eyes fall closed because she had no more energy to keep them open.

Before Harley could drift off into oblivion again she felt something warm against her mouth and then something even warmer dripped into her mouth.  When it hit her tongue her head felt like it was exploding with light.  Even with her eyes closed it felt like she was staring at the sun.  But the light wasn’t yellow, it was blinding white.   The warmth spread across her entire body and her skin felt like it was crawling with electricity.  Soon the warm blood stopped flowing and Harley felt cold and broken again.  She did, however, feel more energized and less weak.  She opened her eyes again and could see Castor wiping blood from his wrist.  He looked dazed and tired when he met her eyes.  He offered her a small smile just before she drifted off into a surprisingly pain-free sleep.

Chapter 34

When Harley opened her eyes again she no longer felt broken.  Her entire body ached almost unbearably, but she knew that she was healing at least.  She was able to turn her head despite the sharp pain that shot into her skull with the movement.  She slowly surveyed the room around her.  Oddly, it was decorated with pictures of houses.  These weren’t the random decorations thrown up for effect; there was definitely a theme and thoughtfulness to the pictures.  The houses were all old brick constructions of all different colors and shapes.  The rest of the room was gently lived in—not obsessively clean nor dirty.  Overall, it was a comfortable room and Harley was pretty sure that it was Castor’s bedroom.  She could smell him on the sheets.

Harley tried to sit up but realized that wasn’t possible yet.  When she tried to put any weight on her arms her muscles and joints screamed in protest and the pain took her breath away.  She let her body relax into the mattress and tried to catch her breath.  She tested her mouth and found that, other than being extremely dry, it moved just fine.

“Hello?” she said softly, her voice sounded rough and cracked.  At first she didn’t think that Castor was home because everything was so quiet.  But then she heard footsteps coming towards the bedroom door.  She knew before he opened it that it was Castor.  She assumed it was because of the blood he had given her.  Just like with Levi, she could feel his presence without even needing to see him.  He cracked the door and peeked in before opening it all the way.

When he saw that she was awake he smiled at her.  “I see someone is awake!”  He stepped into the room and she couldn’t help but smile back at him.  He was wearing sweat pants and a large tee-shirt.  Even when they were completely casual Levi and Castor both were able to still look amazing—maybe even more so.  As Castor came closer to the bed she realized that it looked like he hadn’t shaved in a while, which was odd because he normally was clean cut.  How long was I out? Harley wondered.

“Hi,” she croaked again.

Castor sat on the edge of the bed.  “How are you feeling?”

Harley considered this for a moment.  “Like shit,” she said with a smile and Levi laughed softly.  Then she realized just how smooth the sheets felt against her body and narrowed her eyes at the Lux.  “Am I naked?”

Castor had the decency to look at least a little embarrassed.  “Um, yes.”

Harley simply raised an eyebrow at him, which sadly made her head hurt worse.

“Your clothes were demolished,” he said defensively.  “How much do you remember of what happened?”

Harley thought for a moment, “I remember everything.  Right up until the blonde bitch hit me with her SUV.  What happened after that?”

Castor took a deep breath.  “By the time I took care of the Burners and got outside, Cutter and the women were driving off.”  He hesitated for a moment.

“I want to hear everything.”

Castor nodded.  “When the SUV hit you it did a lot of damage.  A lot.”

Harley figured as much.  She worked the blankets up higher under her chin.  But it wasn’t because she cared if Castor saw her naked or not.  Not that it actually matters at this point, really.  But thinking about how much damage had been done to her body made her blood run cold.  Castor helped tuck the blankets around her shoulders and when his fingers brushed her skin she broke out in goose pimples.  She could feel her Nocte shiver in excitement.

Castor continued his story.  “Your neck was broken.  There were skull fractures, broken ribs, skin was ripped off and who knows what else.  I’m pretty sure they didn’t just hit you.  I think you got ran over.”  He winced as he remembered the damage.

I could tell you weren’t dead.  Believe me though—if you had been human—or maybe even less of a Nocte—you definitely wouldn’t be.  Anyway—I moved you as easily as I could.  I wrapped you in a blanket and put you in the back of their box truck.  I grabbed the paperwork that was left from inside and brought you and the truck back here.  Basically, the only thing I could do was try to at least put your bones in the places they needed to be and wait.  That first twenty-four hours were pretty scary.  I don’t think you were breathing much at all and if your heart was beating I couldn’t tell.  I just knew that you weren’t completely dead—I could still feel life in you.

“I left you here when the sun came up and went back for my car and to search the church.  I didn’t find anything else.  The truck was full of drugs—hidden in all kinds of clever places.  Boxes of jewelry, food and what not.  The only real information we got from the stuff was that Cutter was planning to ship all of it to California.”  Harley listened quietly without interrupting his story.

“I could tell you were healing slowly.  You stopped bleeding and began breathing more and I was able to find a heartbeat.  Right after that you woke up.  That’s when I figured that you would be able to swallow blood.”  He looked away and didn’t elaborate further but Harley felt her body heat up with the memory and she was pretty sure he felt it too.  “After that you started to heal quicker.  Now here you are.”

Harley had listened quietly to his narrative.  “How long was I out?”

“About a day before the blood—two days after.”

“Whoa…”

“Yeah, you were hurt pretty bad,” Castor looked regretful.

“So what have I missed while I was out?”

“There have been  Rogue murders it seems.  This time in California.  Which, if that is the case, goes along with our theory that the drugs and the murders are connected.”

At the mention of the Rogue Harley remembered her conversation with the Nocte.  “Are you sure they are Rogue murders?”

“Yeah.  Several humans were killed as well as another Nocte and a Lux.  The marks on the human matched the marks on the previous victims.”

She felt excited, guilty, and frustrated and confused all at once.  It must have shown on her face because Castor asked what was wrong.

“Long story,” she answered.  “I need to go to California.”

He raised an eyebrow.  “Do you think that is where Cutter went too?”

“Probably,” Harley didn’t offer more than that.

“So…why do you want to go there if you don’t know where Cutter is for sure?”

“I need to take care of the Rogue first.”  When she said this she realized how right the Nocte had been.  This is what she needed to do.  She could feel the Nocte relax in agreement.

Castor looked at her bewildered.  “So you are giving up on Cutter?”

“No,” she sighed.  “But the Rogue is the more important target right now.  My Nocte was adamant about that from the beginning.  She just didn’t fight me on it.”

If Castor had been bewildered before he was shocked now.  “You communicate with your Nocte?”

Harley wet her lips.  “Sometimes.”

Castor shook his head.  “How?  What has it told you?”

Harley could feel the exhaustion pressing in on her.  “I’ll tell you later.  I’m just really tired right now and it’s a long story.”  Really, she just didn’t have the energy to explain it right now.

Castor glared at her for a minute before throwing his hands up in defeat.  “Fine,” he said.  “I guess you had better get your rest anyway.”  His words had an ever so slight edge to them.

“Why?”

“Levi is going to be here in a couple of days.”

Harley froze staring at him for what seemed like a full minute.  “What did you say?”

“Levi is going to be here—well New York I mean—in a couple of days.”

“You talked to Levi?”

“Yes.  He called a few times and I figured if he never got in touch with you he would panic.”

Harley felt cold again and she swallowed hard.  “Um, how did that go?”  Even though she and Levi had no commitment to each other it, it didn’t change the fact that she knew it would bother Levi to think she was involved with someone else.  Probably not as much as it would bother me if he messed with someone else though.  She could feel her Nocte agree with that.

“Not too bad actually.  I was pretty sure that he was going to come and kill me when I told him you had been hurt.  I don’t think I’ve ever heard someone sound so calmly angry.”

“Yeah that sounds like Levi,” Harley laughed uncomfortably.

“He calmed down when I told him you were safe and healing.  He’s leaving Virginia as soon as he can.”

“OK.”  She was glad to know that it didn’t sound like she needed to do damage control on that front.  Good news there…I think…

“I have to say—he didn’t seem nearly upset enough.”  Castor tried to make it sound like an afterthought but there was too much meaning behind the words.

“Don’t go there,” Harley said softly, her words full of steel.

“I’m just saying, if I were him…I would have dropped everything and ran here as fast as I could.”

Harley glared at him without speaking.  She knew how he felt.  The burning look that he gave her all the time said all that needed to be said.  And to be honest, she wanted him too.  But she had no time or patience for jealousy.

Castor looked away after a moment before nodding, agreeing to let it go and not play jealous guy.  Harley tried to brush away her annoyance.  Just like with Levi, she wasn’t looking for romance.  Levi seemed to understand that and she hoped that Castor could too.  Otherwise, it was going to cause problems and distractions that no one had time for.  And whether it was fair or not, she knew her Nocte had sunk her claws into these two men.  Her Nocte purred in agreement.  The Nocte had claimed territory over the two men. It’s all the Nocte, right?  I’m not being the possessive one, am I?  Harley couldn’t separate her rational feelings from her primal ones and she didn’t know which belonged to her and which to the Nocte anymore.

------------------------------------

When Harley woke up she was feeling even better.  The bedroom was dark enough that she could tell it was the middle of the night.  Her entire body still hurt and she felt weak and tired, but she could at least move now.  She sat up in bed and shook her head over her nakedness.  She was sure that Castor had fun with that.  She needed a shower—badly.  She could tell that he had tried to clean as much of the blood off of her as he could, but there were still spots of flaky rust-colored blood dried in crack and crevices over her body.  She also had large spots of healing bruises and torn flesh that made her cringe.  Her hair was also greasy and matted and she had to use the toilet so bad she felt like her eyeballs were floating.  Oh, god!  What did Castor do about that while I was out?  Harley refused to think about that—or ask about it.

Harley dragged her legs over the side of the bed and took a deep breath.  She pushed her weight up off the bed and nearly hit the floor.  Her back and legs, having grown accustomed to not bearing weight, felt as if all the muscles had been shredded and taped back together.  Harley had to grit her teeth against the pain.  Her head spun from the shift in blood flow and she took deep breaths waiting for it to all pass.  She held herself steady against a nightstand and soon the dizziness passed.  She took a few feeble steps and with each one walking got a little easier.  By the time she made it to the bedroom door she was out of breath and breaking out in a sweat.  Wow!  It’s been a while since I have felt this human.  She knew that she would need to feed soon if she was going to regain her strength before Levi arrived.  She didn’t want Levi to find her this broken.  It would only make him angry and worried.  Not to mention she needed to get on the ball.  They needed to get to California and soon.

Harley eased open the bedroom door, holding herself up by the frame.  She looked around the darkened apartment.  It was decorated in much the same way that the bedroom was.  Lots of pictures of houses were hung on the walls.  The rest of the apartment was same clean-but-not-too-clean.  Lots of clothes and weapons were scattered around along with maps, files and papers.  Overall, it made the small apartment feel comfortable and lived in.  There was a large dark green sofa in the middle of the living area and Harley could see bare feet hanging over the arm of the couch.  Harley smiled to herself.  Nice feet, she thought.  She could tell by the sound of his breathing that he was asleep.  She didn’t need any lights so she left them off as she made her way towards the bathroom.  She also didn’t bother to try to cover up.  What does it matter, she shrugged.

Harley shut the door before turning on the light.  The bright flash of lights blinded her for a moment.  When her vision adjusted she was confronted by her own monstrous face looking back at her from the mirror.  She nearly peed on herself from the shock.  Once she processed the fact that she was staring at her own reflection she almost cried.  Her skin was a myriad of yellows, greens and blacks and the discoloration marked her entire body.  She kept telling herself it would go away soon.  She ran her tongue around her teeth.  She was surprised that she hadn’t lost any.  Or maybe she had and they had just grown back quicker than the rest of her had healed.

Turning away from the mirror with a shudder, Harley turned on the shower and waited for it to heat up.  She shut the shower door and let the water beat down against her skin.  She could feel the blood and grime flow off her and the pain in her muscles began to ease with the heat of the water.  She braced herself against the sides of the shower stall and just enjoyed the feel of the spray against her back and shoulders.  She spent a long time in the shower and her scrubbing did wonders to work away the soreness from her body.

Harley felt significantly better when she stepped out of the shower and dried off.  She found a comb and worked the tangles out of her hair.  Not having a toothbrush, she used mouthwash to do what she could.  She turned the light off and opened the door as quietly as she could.  She still didn’t want to wake Castor so she tiptoed softly back towards the bedroom.  Harley froze when Castor spoke from the couch.

“Now that is a nice sunrise.”

Harley froze and tried her best to keep a smile from her face as she turned to face Castor.  “Is it morning already?”

He looked towards the window.  “Just about.”

He sat up and rubbed his face.  He looked even more disheveled that he did yesterday.  He wore a pair of gym shorts and nothing else and Harley felt her mouth go dry a little.  “How are you feeling?” he asked her, carefully keeping his eyes above her shoulders.

“Much better.  Thanks.  I’m just tired and still really sore.”

Castor hesitated.  “Do you need more blood?”

Harley’s heart started beating harder and her Nocte roused herself from her tired stupor.  She debated about how to answer the question.  She needed the blood and she knew that he was offering her his.  Even without his saying so specifically.  She had seen the reaction he had had to the feeding.  He had enjoyed it as much as she did.  But, she couldn’t continue to drain his life.  Levi had fed on her in return and that was how he had been OK.  He took from her as much as she took from him.  “I don’t think it’s very safe.  How did you feel after…after I fed from you before?”

Castor considered how to answer the question.  “Drained.  And very tired.  A little queasy.”  Harley’s heart sank.  “But,” he went on, “that was only later.  At first—it was…um, pretty awesome.”  He didn’t look her in the eye as he talked instead he looked somewhere over her shoulder.

Awesome was an understatement.  It had felt as incredible when Castor fed as it had when Levi fed.  She couldn’t imagine how good it would be if sex was involved at the same time.  At that thought heat flared through her body.  “I don’t think we should risk my feeding off you.  I don’t know if it could really hurt you or not.”

“I hunted that day.  After you went back to sleep.  After I pulled I was fine.”

“Pulled?”

“Yeah, that’s what the Lux call it when we feed.”

“Oh.  OK.  Well, were you back to normal after you pulled?”

“…mostly…”

“Mostly?”

Castor looked away again.  “Yeah, mostly.  I don’t know if it is because I’m still not 100% after the bite.  Or if it is because of just the drain on me.  I’m fine really though,” he quickly added.  He really did seem eager for her to feed off him but Harley still hesitated.   “It’s the quickest way for you to heal—and you really heal fast by the way.  I’ll recover.  I think it just needs some time to build back up.  Besides, you really aren’t up to hunting right now are you?”

Castor was right about that.  She was NOT up to hunting and probably wouldn’t be for a at least a day or so if she left herself to heal on her own.  “I think I know why you still feel the effects of the feeding.  I need to give you back what I take.”

“How would I do that?”

“You would need to…pull?..from me”

“No way.  I can’t do that.  It’s dangerous.  What if I killed you?”  His eyes were wide but curious.

“I don’t think you will.  I would be the same as me feeding off you.  You weren’t worried about me killing you when you gave me blood the other day.”

“You’re right,” he conceded.  “But doesn’t Nocte feeding work the same way as Lux pulling?  When we pull we pull all their life force from them.  That’s where we get our energy from.”

Tired of standing around naked Harley gestured to herself.  “Uh, do you mind if we continue this conversation after I’ve gotten dressed?

Castor laughed.  “Sorry, no—go ahead.”

“Do you have a shirt or anything I could wear?”

“Oh, yeah.  Sure.”  He jumped from the couch.

Harley followed Castor into the bedroom and he pulled a long tee-shirt from his closet and handed it to her.  When she sat on the bed to continue their conversation he sat in the fluffy chair that had been pulled to the bedside.  She pulled the shirt over her head and breathed in the smell of the fabric.  Even through the detergent it still smelled like him and heat flared through her body again.

“When we feed off Ignis we drain them out through the blood.”

“Do you normally feed from other beings than Burners?”

“Well…I don’t know of any other Nocte who do.”

“So, have you only fed from Burners before this?”  His question was loaded and she knew it.

Harley hesitated.  “Just another Nocte.”

Castor nodded knowingly and refused to meet her eyes.  “So, you can feed without killing the person you are feeding off of?”

“Yeah.  But they—Levi—feed off me too.”  Harley said, decided to stop pretending they didn’t both know who she fed off of before.

Castor’s jaw clenched.  “You aren’t strong enough for me to pull from.”

“We won’t know unless we try.”

He started shaking his head.   “It’s not worth the risk.  Not if you think you are going to California.”

Harley tilted her head at his words.  She didn’t doubt the logic of his words.  But she also didn’t doubt the nagging that her Nocte was giving her.  She was practically hopping up and down urging her to go through with it and feed from Castor.  She felt sure that she was strong enough to handle the exchange.  The closer she got to the idea the hotter she became.  Her pulse was pounding against her throat and her breathing had quickened.  Castor seemed to notice because he shifted uncomfortably.  She could practically feel her Nocte shouting at her to go for it.

Levi.  The thought of Levi cooled the heat that flowed through just a little bit.  She pictured his blue eyes and remembered the fire that burned through her when they were together.  How is Levi going to feel if he finds out about this?  Then she remembered her Nocte telling her to stop thinking too much.  Harley slammed down any thoughts of Levi.  She didn’t belong to him.  They were friends, partners and teammates and lovers.  But Harley had a higher agenda here.  She needed to recover and Castor could do that.  And besides, her Nocte really wanted more of Castor.  A lot more.  OK, OK, and I do too, she admitted to herself.  And that’s OK.  Levi and I have never made any promises, I can’t get pregnant and I can’t get a disease.  Fuck it! She laughed to herself making up her mind.  She knew that she wouldn’t regret the decision and if either Levi or Castor got upset—that was on them.  She needed to stop worrying about other people and do what she needed and wanted.

Chapter 35

Castor watched the wheels turning in Harley’s mind quietly.   He looked somewhat worried—and more than a little excited.  Without warning him what she was going to do, she stood from the bed and leaned over him as he sat in the chair.  He looked up at her wide-eyed but still at a loss for words.  She smiled down as Castor and he, seeing her eyes turn black, unfroze and put up a hand to gently push her away.

“But—,” he began.  But Harley stopped him by catching his hand and pinning it against the back of the chair.  She felt her fangs slid out of her gums and her Nocte burned with excitement.  She cut off his words with her mouth and caught his other hand in hers as he raised it as well.  He kissed her back even though she could feel the tension in his body.  She ran her tongue along his bottom lip and slowly eased herself into the chair with him—one leg on either side of his.  All of the tension began easing its way out of his body as he sighed against her mouth.  When she knew that he wasn’t going to do something stupid like try to push her away, she let go of his hands and pulled the tee-shirt over her head.  He looked at her body as if she was something to worship, running his hands over her skin with the lightest of touches.  As she looked down at him his eyes faded to pure white.  She tried not to shudder at the eeriness that shone through them.  She felt the gooseflesh rise up along her arms and back.  Shuddering, she gripped his hair and kissed him harder.

Harley could feel him growing harder beneath her and she didn’t waste time in reaching beneath her and pulling his shorts off.  He raised his hips to help her and when he was free she lowered herself onto him.  Her eyes rolled back into her head with pleasure.  All the soreness from her body was forgotten and she felt the ripples of pleasure roll through her.  As Castor kissed across her neck and chest she pulled him to her.  His kisses and movements were slow and soft and it only made Harley want to take him harder.  The desire for Castor’s blood made her body ache.  She couldn’t hold back any longer and dipped her head to Castor’s neck.  After running her tongue over his skin softly, she sank her teeth into the artery that throbbed beneath her mouth and he cried out softly.  She knew from experience that it was from both pleasure and pain.

Again, light exploded inside Harley’s head when Castor’s blood hit her tongue.  It felt like sticking her finger inside a light socket—not that she had ever done that before—but that was what she imagined it would feel like.  She managed to stay in the moment long enough to put Castor’s hands on either side of her head.  She didn’t know if he would go through with the pulling or not.  But she was giving him the go ahead.  Moments later she realized that he must have given in because some of the intensity of the light and energy lessened.  It still felt like ecstasy but it was much more bearable.  Now it was a pleasurable hum that spread all throughout her body.  The pleasure and energy surged through her causing her body to contract in blissful release.  As she came she broke away from Castor’s neck and threw her head back crying out.  She could feel blood dripping down her chin to her chest.  When Castor came she could feel his rush of pleasure inside her head and she felt like she was on drugs wrapped in the greatest euphoria imaginable.

Harley leaned back away from Castor as he leaned back in the chair panting to catch his breath.  She was mystified as she looked around the room.  The light shifted and flowed in a glittering array as if it were alive.  She felt dazed and high and her body still surged with residual energy.  The beauty of the light was overwhelming and she found it hard to breathe.  She slowly became aware of the white noise that she heard when she watched Cas feed before.  As Harley tired to focus on the sound she realized that it was coming from Castor himself.  She studied him carefully.  His pure white eyes stared at her and she felt herself being sucked into their void.  She felt like she was wandering, lost, in a snow storm.  With great effort, she tore herself away from his gaze thus silencing the noise and breaking the spell.  She clumsily climbed off Castor’s lap and stumbled backwards landing on the bed.  She heard Castor laughed softly as she lay on her back and watched as the colorful lights finally began to fade away.

“Wow,” she mumbled, coming back down a few minutes later.

“I have never felt anything like that before,” Castor agreed.  “How do you feel?  Are you OK?”

“I’m great,” she answered weakly, still trying to regain her senses.  She propped herself up on her elbows and met Castor’s eyes again.  “Are YOU OK?”

“I’m fabulous,” he laughed.  “I feel like a million bucks.”

They both sat in blissful silence for a while longer.  The sun light was having more effect than normal on Harley since she wasn’t totally recovered yet.  It was making her tired despite how much she had slept lately.  She could feel her Nocte nodding off in both agreement and contentment.

“So,” Castor finally broke the silence.  “What exactly did your Nocte tell you about California and the Rogue?”

Harley took a deep breath.  “The Rogue is a Lux.”

Castor didn’t have any problems believing her and he looked grim and disappointed.  “OK.  I know we all assumed it was, but knowing for sure—well…it just sucks.”  Harley agreed with that.

“I need you to find out what you can about the Rogue.”  Castor looked at her apprehensively.  “We need more information.”

Castor sighed, “I’ll see what I can do.  But don’t expect too much.  I don’t have access to a lot of information.”  Harley nodded.

Harley hesitated before continuing.  She knew he wasn’t going to like this part.  “I have to be the one to stop the Rogue.”

As expected Castor began to argue.  “Why do you have to fight him?  And do you mean you alone?  Or just you leading the fight?”

“I think it needs to be me alone.”

Castor gaped at her.  “Why?”

“It’s complicated,” she said simply.

He sputtered some more.  Harley held her hand up.  “Just stop.  I can make my own decisions.  And this is something I am sure I need to do.  I alone.  There are reasons it needs to be me.”

Castor looked at her expectantly.  “And those are…?”

“Something that I will explain in more details when I figure them out.”

“Argh,” Castor threw up his hands and Harley tried not to laugh at his frustration.  Now she knew whey Nya hadn’t explained more.  Dammit!  Nya knew about this!  Harley would bet money on it.  She knew that Harley was a stronger Nocte than normal and that there was a reason why.

Castor stood up and pulled his shorts back up.  Harley felt herself drifting back to sleep.  He sat on the bed next to her and ran his hand through her still damp hair.  She cringed away from the touch and climbed to the top of the bed to rest her head on a pillow.  Castor watched her with a sad look on his face.  “I don’t like this,” he said finally.  Harley wasn’t sure what exactly he was referring to so she didn’t respond.

“I’m going to go hunt,” he said running his hand down her back despite the fact that she stiffened when he did so.

“OK.”

He paused before he left the room.  “Will you be here when I get back?”

“I don’t know.  Maybe.  If not, I will talk to you soon.  You’ll talk to the Lux about the Rogue, right?”

“Of course.”

“OK.  We’ll talk soon either way.”

Castor started to walk away and paused.  “If, um, anyone knocks or comes into the apartment and it’s not me—well, it would be bad for you to be here.”  He didn’t look her in the eye and his shoulders slumped.

“Excuse me?”

He took a deep breath.  “The Vigilum doesn’t know that we are…friends.  They wouldn’t…look too highly upon it.”

Harley could feel her hackles rise.  “Well, Cas, if anyone other than you shows up I’ll go out the fire escape.”

Castor got defensive.  “It’s kind of against the rules to become involved with Nocte—well anyone really.  But Nocte are pretty high up on the forbidden list.”

“Forbidden?!”

Castor shrugged.  “How would the Praesidio feel if they knew about you being involved with a Lux?”

“Probably not happy,” she admitted.  “But they sure as hell don’t forbid it.  And you wouldn’t have to be worried if they showed up at my apartment while you were there.”

“I’m sorry,” he said and she could tell he really meant it.  She rolled her eyes at him in response.

After he left Harley retrieved her cell.  She had seen it lying on top of the dresser along with her knife and chain.  It was fully charged and she sat on the bed before sending Levi a text.

“When will you be in NYC?”

She didn’t expect an answer soon since Levi slept like the dead—ha ha—but she wanted him to know that she contacted him as soon as she could.

The thought of Levi brought back the small wave of guilt.  It nagged at her until she forced it away.  She didn’t have anything to feel guilty for.  She was enjoying herself, taking care of herself and again—no one had a claim on her.  She never told either Castor or Levi she wasn’t seeing anyone else.  In fact, Cas KNEW she was involved with Levi.  And she realized that Levi must now at least suspect she was involved with Cas.  She knew that the main source of her guilt stemmed from the lingering concerns of how society would judge her and it was time to let that go once and for all.

----------------------------------

Harley woke just before sunset and gathered her stuff.  She found a pair of sweatpants that Castor left out for her and dressed quickly.  She looked in the mirror before she left and was relieved to see that her face had mostly healed.  Her bruises were faded enough that they were barely noticeable now.  Her body was still sore but not enough to have any significant effect on her hunting.  And she was still hungry.  Feeding from Cas had been great, but she still wasn’t satisfied.  When she wasn’t injured she could go weeks without feeding if she had too.  But with her body still trying to heal she could feel the burning hunger for Ignis blood.  Her Nocte needed—she needed—to drain the life away from an Ignis.  Sharing energy with Levi and Cas was great, but wasn’t the only thing that nourished her.

Leaving the apartment Harley realized that Castor lived in Brooklyn and decided to take the train back to her apartment in Manhattan even though a cab would be quicker.  There was a decent chance she would run into a Burner if she did.  Sure enough, on the train she caught sight of an Ignis and followed him off the platform and was able to catch him by surprise and drag him into a doorway.  The feeding left her nearly as dazed as the last feeding from Cas.  She hadn’t realized how badly she needed Ignis blood until it was coursing through her veins like fire.

As she walked to her apartment from the train station she thought about the things she had learned about Castor.  She knew that he had a jealous streak and she would have to be careful with that.  It could make for problems later.  But she didn’t want to cut things off with him unless she had to.  She liked being around him—he was funny and nice and a good distraction.   He also may provide a means to opening more communication with the Vigilum—and that was something they needed.  And she wasn’t going to lie to herself.  Some part of her enjoyed his warmth and softness.

Harley spent most of the rest of the night resting.  She didn’t need to go out hunting.  Not when she had just fed, and no longer searching for Cutter.  She stretched out on the couch and stared at the ceiling.  She still couldn’t believe how much her life had changed in less than a year.    The thought of Jamie made her stomach ache.  And she missed Jason and Olivia and felt guilty for never having contacted them.  She could feel herself slipping into a moment of self-pity but she willed it away to avoid being sucked into a void she wouldn’t be able to crawl out of for a while.  She needed to have a clear head for what she needed to do.  She wasn’t sure what time Levi would arrive since he hadn’t responded to her text and the closer the sunrise got the more tired she felt so Harley climbed into bed hoping that if she slept she wouldn’t have to deal with the past.  Just as she was drifting off she thought she heard her cell ping a notification but she was too far on the side of sleep to fully register the sound.

Chapter 36

When Harley woke up the first thing she realized was that someone else was in the bed with her.  Her blood went cold and she nearly flew into fight mode before extra sense kicked in and she realized that it was Levi lying next to her.  She had bounced up onto her knees in fright and she sat there catching her breath as Levi, who had woken up at her bouncing the bed, rolled over and watched her trying to collect herself.

He raised an eyebrow at her.  “Are you OK?”  He gave her his half smile and she had to laugh at herself.

“How long have you been here?  How did I not wake up?”

“It was my amazing ninja skills,” he smirked.  “I got here a little after sunup.  I texted you but you must have already been asleep.”

“And I must have totally vamped out cause I didn’t hear or feel a thing.”

Levi and Harley sized each other up for a moment.  He was sleeping in just his boxer briefs and the blankets had fallen to his waist.  He was heavier than Castor but less defined.  They were both incredibly gorgeous in their own individual ways.  Levi was rough and his tattoo made him appear even harder.  Castor was more lean and model-esque.  Watching Levi watch her caused the heat to flare through her body and her Nocte perked up in anticipation.  Levi recognized the look in her eye and nearly returned it.  But just as his gaze began to grow hot it cooled off.

Harley was confused and didn’t know how to react respond to his reaction.  She didn’t have a chance to figure it out before Levi reached out and tilted her head to the side examining the remains of her bruises.  The look that crossed his face was startling to Harley.  She had seen him mad—but this was beyond mad.  His eyes blacked out but he blinked it away and forced himself to let go of her chin.

She tried to make a joke to ease his attention.  “If you think that’s bad, you should get a look at the truck.  I did a number on it.”

He apparently didn’t find the joke very funny.  Instead, he gave her a hard look and rolled out of bed and left the room.  Harley sighed and followed him.  She was wearing a camisole and underwear and didn’t bother to put more clothes on and her Nocte applauded that decision.  The sun had not yet fully set for the night but only a little light peaked around the edges of the blinds.  Harley found Levi in the kitchen pouring a drink.  She hopped onto the counter and accepted the glass Levi handed her.  She continued to watch Levi as he stared off into the distance.  He had put on a pair of jeans but they hung low on his hips and the top of his boxer briefs were peeking out and she couldn’t stop staring.

Finally, Levi broke the silence.  “OK.  So, tell me what happened.”  He didn’t sound as mad but he did sound tired and frustrated.

“Where do you want me to start?”

“Since the last time I saw you, I guess.”

Harley told him the whole story.  She told him about becoming friends with Castor.  Leaving out the details of how good of friends they had become.  There was no need to throw it in Levi’s face.  She told him how Castor had found a Burner that knew how to find Cutter.  She told him about her and Cas tracking Cutter down.   She told him that the Vigilum had been trying to track the Rogue as well and shared the information that Castor had given her about the drugs and Cutter and the Rogue murders.  Levi nodded at the right times but didn’t interrupt her.

When she got to the fight at the church it was harder to tell than she had expected.  Not just because she had almost died.  It was hard, mostly, because she had failed.  “I was stupid.  I acted without thinking.  And I got lucky.  I know that.”

Levi rubbed his chin and studied her carefully.  Even though the bruises were mostly gone, she knew that with his vision he would be able to see them just fine.  “I’m not going to lecture you like a child.  I’m not going to tell you how you should have handled things.  You know all of that already.  I know that you have learned from your mistakes.  But I have to say.  I am really pissed you didn’t listen to me and take more weapons.”

“Well, I kind of did,” she tried not to laugh.  Levi raised an eyebrow at her and waited.  “I brought a Lux along with me didn’t I?”  She half snorted before she caught herself.

Levi was visibly trying to not smile.  “Stop trying to be funny.”  That only made Harley laugh harder.  “I’m surprised this guy—” Levi stopped and shook his head and rolled his eyes.

“What?” she asked.

“Never mind.”

Harley had a feeling she knew what he was going to say and didn’t press it.  “So what do you think about Castor’s information.”

Levi thought for a moment.  “I think it’s time that we get the Vigilum and the Praesidio to sit down and pool our knowledge.”

“I agree.  There’s more too though.”

Levi looked wary.  “What?”

“After I got hit by the truck,” Levi’s jaw clenched but he kept quiet, “I talked to my Nocte again.”  Levi’s mouth fell open and he looked somewhat doubtful.  “And don’t ask me if I’m sure.  I am.”

“OK,” Levi slowly responded.  “What did it tell you?  How did it talk to you and could you see it?”

“While my body was healing I was in darkness and she was just a voice.”

“What did SHE say?”

“She told me that I needed to stop chasing Cutter.”  Levi made a gesture indicating that he thought the Nocte had made a good point.  “Instead, she said I need to concentrate on finding the Rogue.”

“What?”

“She said that the Rogue is a Lux.”

“We figured as much.”

“Right.  But a Lux that hunts day or night?  Obviously, this Lux isn’t affected by the night.  I’m not affected by the sun.”

“So?”  But Levi could tell where this was going—he didn’t look surprised.

“She said that every light has a dark.  Levi, I’m supposed to be the one to fight this Lux.  I’m pretty sure that I am the only one who can.”  Levi kept his face blank as she continued.  “Think about it.  Who else could defeat this Lux?  Who else is willing to put a stop to senseless murder and can fight during the day or night?  If another Lux goes after him—he can hide during the night.  If another Nocte goes after him—he can hide during the day.”

“You’re missing the obvious,” Levi interjected evenly with no real strength behind his argument.  “One person doesn’t have to fight the Rogue.  An entire army of Nocte or Lux can fight him.  Whichever finds him first.”

“You are right.  But I am sure that I am the one who can kill him.  And if we can do this without an all-out war, why shouldn’t we?  If we can get him to agree to a one on one fight—he and I—we can finish it with as few people as possible getting hurt.”  Harley could tell that Levi was giving this consideration.  This was one of the things that she appreciated the most about Levi.  He didn’t treat her as if she didn’t know what was best for her.  He treated her opinions as if they mattered and her ideas as if they could actually be better than his.  He respected her and her ideas.

“What makes you think he will even go for it?” he asked, holding her gaze.

“He might not.  Not at first anyway.  I didn’t say I could do this completely alone.  If the Lux and Nocte put enough pressure on him—if we can make him see that he might not get whatever it is he is after as long as he has to fight us too—then I think he will give it some serious consideration.”

Levi sighed and rubbed his face with both hands as he always did when he was thinking hard.  As he refilled their glasses he seemed to give in.  “We need to talk to Nya.”

“Of course.”

“And we need to meet with the Vigilum.”

“Agreed.”

“They have been really unresponsive to my attempts to speak with them before.”

Harley looked away.  “I’m pretty sure I can make it happen,” she said sheepishly.

Levi met her gaze and she could see the anger in his eyes.  Shit.  Here it comes.  Instead of saying anything, he pushed away from the counter and walked into the living room.  Harley gulped down the last of her drink, hopped off the counter and followed him.

Harley hesitated before saying anything—she wasn’t sure what she should say.  Before she had a chance to speak Levi turned and stalked towards her.  The movement caught her off guard and took her breath away.  The look in his eyes was intense and dangerous.  Instead of being intimidated or afraid, Harley was turned on by it.  He stepped toe to toe with her and his eyes blacked out as they burned down at her.  She met his gaze and felt her whole body quiver as her eyes matched his.  Her Nocte shivered gleefully.  Levi stepped towards her forcing her to step back.  He took another step forward and she took another back.  She continued to hold his stare and tried hard to keep the gloating smirk from spreading across her face.  She knew what this was.  This was Levi’s instinctual reclaiming of his territory.  Whether he would ever admit it or not, Castor was a threat and Levi was trying to remind Harley know who the stronger contender was.

And I’m not complaining, Harley grinned internally and her Nocte agreed.  Harley always had found Levi’s strength to be a turn on.  Her back bumped against the wall and she could go no further.  She waited, letting Levi call the shots.  His expression was molten steel and it made her mouth go dry and her body quiver.  Without saying a word or breaking eye contact, Levi gripped the sides of her underwear and slowly tore them away.  She could feel her heart pounding with anticipation and the slow deliberate movements Levi was making were driving her crazy.  She fought the urge to reach out and touch his bare chest.  She wanted to rip his pants off him as he had done her.  But she resisted the urge.  This was Levi’s show and she fully intended to let him run it so that she could enjoy the full affect.

Never breaking eye contact, Levi roughly pulled her tank top over her head and tossed it in the direction of her discarded underwear.  He ran his hands over her breasts with the lightest of touches but when his fingers reached her nipples he pinched them roughly and it sent shocks of across her back and down her stomach.  She wasn’t able to stop the slight moan that escaped her throat and that was the final catalyst for Levi.  Using one hand he gripped Harley’s chin and kissed her with enough force that their teeth scraped against each other’s lips.  Harley felt her fangs slid down at the same time she heard Levi unbuckling his pants with his free hand.  He let go of her chin and lifted her by her hips.  He pressed her against the wall with his body and caught her wrists in one hand and held them above her head.  With the other hand he guided himself inside her and she gasped as she wrapped her legs around his waist.  She threw her head back and moaned as Levi sank his teeth into her neck.  Which each pull of his jaw her body throbbed in response.  She burned with the need to take from Levi as well but she waited.  She wanted to prolong the moment for as long as possible.  Harley relaxed and took Levi into herself, enjoying the power and pleasure that coursed through her body.  She let the sensations wash over her and Levi lost himself inside her with small gasping moans.  She could tell that he felt more of her than he did himself and it made her heart beat even harder.  Not able to wait any longer Harley sank her teeth into Levi’s neck and they both spiraled into a twisting vortex of ecstasy.  Again, they both lost sight of where one ended and the other began.  When they both finished, it was all Levi could do to slowly ease them both to the floor in a slow motion collapse where they both lay recovering.  Harley could feel the power and energy pulsating throughout her body and she let herself drift in the afterglow.

----------------------------

Later, after both Harley and Levi had found themselves again, they sat on the couch drinking and making plans.  Harley had expected some sort of confrontation to follow the angry sex they had had.  But none did.  Levi seemed to have made his point and was ready to move on.  She sank into the couch and enjoyed the tired, used feeling that caressed her body.  She smiled to herself.  It wasn’t lingering soreness from getting hit by the truck that caused her to feel raw and sensitive.  Feeding from Levi had finally healed the last of that.

“Nya will be here tomorrow,” Levi was saying.

“OK.  I’ll talk to Cas and see if and how soon he can arrange a sit down with the Vigilum.”  She watched Levi’s face for a reaction, but there wasn’t any and her Nocte purred in self-satisfied contentment.  “Do you want to wait until everyone is together before you go over everything you found out while in Italy?”

Levi rubbed his face, “Yeah.  That would make things easier.”

“What?  It’s pretty bad, isn’t it?”

Levi looked at her with what she could only describe as regret.  “I don’t know yet.”

“Do you need to go hunt?”

Levi looked up and thought about his answer.  “No.  Your blood seems to have taken care of that.  It’s amazing.  It’s like…” he trailed off thinking.  “I don’t know,” he gave up trying to describe it.  “I’ve never felt anything like it.  I feel like I could fly,” he chuckled.

Harley laughed at him.  “I know what you mean….How weird is it that we do this?”

Levi raised an eyebrow.  “Really weird.  I’ve never known a Nocte to feed from anything that wasn’t an Ignis.  And I certainly never have.  But since that first time—I’ve wanted to do it again.  And I’m amazed that it leaves us both feeling better and not worse since we are draining each other’s life force.”

Harley grinned and felt quite proud of herself even though she wasn’t sure if she should.  “I think when we feed from each other that it causes us to share our forces somehow.”

Levi shrugged, shaking his head.  “It makes sense.”

Harley sighed and laughed ruefully.

“What?”

“I still can’t get used to how my life has turned out.  Every once in a while I have these ‘Am I actually having a conversation about this?’ moments.”

Levi gave her with a full smile while reaching out the grab the foot she had curled underneath her.  Effortlessly, he pulled her across the couch so that she was flat on her back with her butt against his side and her feet in the air.  She laughed and didn’t resist when he bit her foot even though it tickled and she would normally consider it entirely too cutesy.  When he leaned over and bit her thigh next she stopped laughing and gasped as her stomach twitched with excitement.  She laughed breathlessly, “Oh, my.”

Chapter 37

Two days later Harley, Nya, and Levi were walking into the private room of a small, Chinatown restaurant to meet with Castor and two other Lux.  Since Harley had left Castor’s apartment she had only spoken to him to arrange the meeting.

Castor had seemed glad to hear from her until she explained why she was calling.  Harley purposefully made the call in the living room where Levi was also sitting flipping through channels.  Harley was, again, struck by Levi participating in an ordinary activity like channel surfing.

“Hello,” Castor answered the phone smoothly.

“How have you been?” Harley asked pleasantly.

“Good now.”  Harley cringed internally knowing that Levi could hear every word Castor said.  She peaked at him and was relieved to see that he didn’t seem affected by Castor’s tone or words.  “How are you?  All healed up?” he asked her.

“Yeah, perfectly fine now.  So…I’m calling because we need to set up a meeting between the Vigilum and the Nocte.  Can you make this happen?”

Castor sighed heavily into the phone.  Night had just fallen so she knew he was tired but she also knew that the dip in his mood wasn’t just because of the darkness.  “I figured you would eventually ask me to do this.”

Harley didn’t apologize or make excuses.  “Can you do it?”  Castor, as much as everyone else, knew that this was important and as long as the Vigilum and the Nocte had the same goal, they would need to work together.

“Yeah, I am sure I can make it happen.  I will need to make some calls.  I will have to wait until morning though.”

“Of course.”

--------------------

The next morning Cas had called and said that he and two other Lux would meet them that evening at the small restaurant in which they were now gathered.  Nya had arrived just before they left.  Harley wasn’t sure what to expect from the Lux.  She knew that they wouldn’t be happy being out at night and their attitude could be affected by it.  So, they had arranged the meeting just before the sun went down to compromise as much as possible.  As they entered the dining room Harley could easily recognize that she was the only one who wasn’t affected by the time of day one way or another.  Nya didn’t seem as bothered by the sun as Levi was but they both still looked tired, and the three Lux looked tired and strained as well.  Sundown or sunrise afforded the most common ground they would find for either group so both sides had to compromise.

Harley entered the room ahead of Levi and Nya and saw that the Lux had arrived already.  The three of them sat around the large round table in the middle of the room.  Castor sat to the left of a blond man who was short and stocky while at the same time looking fit and strong.  To that man’s left was a woman with black hair and was built like a model.  Both the man and woman looked, to Harley, as if they wanted to be anywhere but where they were.  The three Lux looked up at the Nocte’s arrival and Harley noted that Castor kept his face carefully neutral and she followed suit.

The Lux studied the group of Nocte carefully.  They looked cautious but curious as Harley, Nya and Levi sat at the table.  Harley sat down next to Cas and Levi sat on her other side and Nya beside him.  Harley couldn’t help but notice that Cas studied Levi longer than he did Nya.  Levi, for his part, didn’t look at Castor at all even though he had to be able to guess who he was.  There weren’t any formalities or pomp surrounding the opening of the meeting.  They began the introductions right away.

The six supernatural beings introduced themselves one at a time.  The female Lux was named Alice and she spoke with a faint Midwestern accent.  The blonde man was Randall and had no discernible accent at all—but his voice was nasally and generally unpleasant.  He introduced himself as a Commander of the Lux, which was apparently the Vigilum counterpart of the Nocte general.   Nya and Levi introduced themselves and the two new Lux seemed notably impressed.  Harley caught it in the slight widening of their eyes.  Harley had never gotten much of Nya or Levi’s history with the Nocte, but considering everyone’s reaction to them she decided she needed to add that to her “To Do” list.

When Harley introduced herself Randall and Alice studied her for a long while.  “So, you are the Day Hunter?” Randall asked.

“I didn’t know I had a title, but it would appear that I am,” she kept her voice neutral.  Something about Randall crossed her the wrong way.  She had always been a good judge of character and her first impression of this guy was one that suggested arrogance.  It was a different dislike from Rafe.  With Rafe, it was a matter of annoying personality.  With Randall, she simply didn’t trust him.  Alice seemed nice enough—aloof but not immediately unpleasant.

Nya had been studying the menu while Randall and Alice sized Harley up.  She looked up with a smile on her face.  “How are the milkshakes here?”

The three Lux turned to stare at Nya as if she had just burst out into song.  Levi was looking over the drink menu and Harley could swear he was trying not to smile.  A waiter came in shortly after to take their orders.  Nya ordered a chocolate milkshake, Levi ordered a bourbon and Harley figured she was going to need it and ordered a pitcher of rice liquor.  When the server asked the Lux if they wanted anything they declined.  The tension in the room had grown thicker and Harley suspected it was because the Lux didn’t appreciate their ordering drinks as if this were a social gathering.  It actually almost made her laugh, but she didn’t want to start a fight by seeming totally disrespectful so she refrained from doing so.  After the server brought their drinks they got down to business.

“OK,” Nya said after taking a large drink of her milkshake.  “We can share our information first.  Levi?”

Levi rolled his glass between his hands and surveyed the Lux across from him.  When he met Castor’s eyes, Cas looked away quickly.  Harley could imagine the stoniness of Levi’s eyes.  And she knew it wasn’t directed at Cas specifically—it was just the result of the situation, but Cas would take it personally.  “Starting from the beginning—about eight months ago the first known Rogue murders occurred in Italy.”

Randall and Alice looked at each other and then at Castor.  Harley wasn’t sure how much information Cas had shared with them already, but apparently the Vigilum was still about a month behind on their knowledge of the Rogue.

Levi continued.  “The murders seemed random.  It was hard to pin down what was responsible.  Most of us thought it was an Ignis at first.  The human murders occurred day and night.  But then Ignis started being killed as well and, unfortunately, the Ignis rarely kill their own.  The Burners were being killed day and night.  Most of the early information indicated that the Ignis were killing humans and the Lux and Nocte were killing Ignis.  But then there were enough Ignis killings that it was noticed that no one claimed them.  At least on the Nocte side—it’s been hard to gather much information from the Vigilum side.”  Randall raised his chin a bit slightly, seemingly proud of the fact that information didn’t get out of the Vigilum very easily.

“The first the Rogue was heard of in America was a little more than seven months ago,” Levi continued ignoring Randall’s reaction.  “There was a rash of murders in Miami—Ignis and humans that we know of.  So, honestly, we weren’t too alarmed until word traveled from Italy that this might be the same creature.  I only became personally involved about 6 months ago.”

Nya took up the story.  “I sent a couple of Nocte to Miami to investigate.  That was when we began to suspect that the Rogue was a Lux.”  Randall and Alice looked uncomfortable at that but didn’t interrupt.  “Our investigators came across a couple of human bodies.  There were burn marks on the head.  As you know, a Lux feeding would cause these marks.  I think we would have found the same sort of marks on a Nocte or Lux had we come across the body before they burned.

Levi picked the story up again, “When I began my investigation, I traveled first to Miami then to Italy.  In Italy I worked with Dotori.  He’s the General in Venice,” Levi explained.  “Through a lot of investigation, intimidation and charming and even some bribing and violence, we eventually found rumors of a cult.”

Huh?  Harley thought.  This was the first she had heard of a cult.

“The Sol Invictus.”  Harley’s Nocte growled a low deadly growl at the mention of the cult.  If Harley hadn’t caught herself in time she probably would have growled out loud.  “We think it is a corruption of an ancient cult that worshiped the Roman sun god.  Our theory is that they have managed to create a bond with a Lux that is unlike any other Lux we, the Praesidio, have ever seen.”  The Lux that sat across from them looked even more confused and uncomfortable.

Randall finally spoke first.  “If this is true, why have we never heard of this—this cult?  And why have we never heard of some new kind of Lux?”

Nya finished her milkshake with a loud slurp before answering the question.  “How often do you investigate the Vigilum?  How often have you ever had a reason to?”  Alice started to protest but Nya kept going.  “I don’t think it would be so hard to not know about this.  I know the Vigilum keeps tight control over their Lux, but is it really hard to believe that a group, acting independently, could do something like this?”  Alice and Randall began to doubt themselves.  Castor continued to remain neutral.  “But,” Nya emphasized the word with a raised finger.  “We don’t think it is a cult made up of Lux.”

Even Castor looked surprised at that and Alice looked at a loss for words.  Randall was the first to speak.  “What are you saying?”

“We are pretty sure that the Sol Invictus is a group of humans,” Nya explained.

“So, you are saying that a group of humans got together and recreated some ancient, sun worshiping cult?  That they managed to create a Lux more powerful than any other Lux?” Alice asked.

“More or less,” Nya answered her with a smile that was out of place in its brightness.  A part of Harley wanted to laugh.  She knew that the Lux would have no idea what to make of Nya.

“And what proof of this do you have?” Randall asked growing angry in his confusion and surprise.

“Well,” Levi spoke up.  “We found evidence of sacrifice in Italy.  It was in a cave near the eastern coast of Italy.  Carved into the wall was the figure of an emperor wearing a crown made of the rays of the sun.  That same symbol was found burned into one of the victims in Miami.”  Levi paused to let that knowledge sink in.  Harley felt goose bumps rise on her arms and the back of her neck.

Levi took a deep breath before continuing.  “Besides the evidence of sacrifice that we found in Italy?  Besides the evidence of a group of humans dabbling in the supernatural?  Besides all of that—which I can show you the evidence by the way—you are sitting at a table with your biggest piece of evidence.”

Everyone at the table turned to look at Harley and her mouth went dry.  She knotted her hands together on top of the table to stop from fidgeting.  She forced herself to meet everyone’s stares calmly.  Randall and Alice looked doubtful and curious, Nya looked excited and Levi’s face was unreadable.  Castor was the only one who looked like he might realize how Harley—and not her Nocte—felt.  His face lost its neutrality just long enough for Harley to recognize a kind regret on her behalf.  It wasn’t pity and for once Castor’s softness didn’t annoy Harley.  She was grateful for it.  She looked away before the look could weaken her resolve to not react in front of everyone.

“That would be me, I guess,” she said with more self-confidence than she felt.”  Harley had thought this whole situation through and knew that she was right.  But that still didn’t mean that she was indifferent to being placed in the spotlight.

“And what are you exactly?” Randall asked with a sneer.  Harley and her Nocte both bristled at his attitude.  He clearly did not like Harley and the feeling was mutual.  Castor’s eyes narrowed at the shorter man and Harley could feel Levi stiffen next to her.

Harley looked at him evenly.  “I’m the one who can stop the Rogue.”

Nya smiled at Harley conspiratorially.  She knew how annoyed Harley was and she obviously still enjoyed watching drama unfold.  “Harley is the Nocte answer to the Rogue,” Nya explained.  Harley felt her skin prickle and her Nocte fluff up in agreement.

“What are you saying?  That you created a Nocte more powerful than others to fight a Lux that is more powerful than others?”

It was rare when Nya lost her temper or showed annoyance.  This was one of those times.  “Did we discover some way to create ‘special’ Nocte?  No.  Did we have the arrogance to try to do that?  No.  After the bond we realized that Harley’s Nocte was different.  We didn’t realize how different and why until recently.  I had my suspicions.  But it was Harley herself who figured it out.”  Nya’s voice was steely and a complete 180 from her normal humorous self.  It was easy to forget just how powerful and strong Nya was when she was letting her madness shine.

Everyone looked back to Harley.  She realized how tense she was when she could feel her nails digging into the backs of her hands.  She forced herself to relax and regain her control.  She could feel her Nocte working to steady her and help her hold her resolve.  She knew she wasn’t going to share everything with the table, but she was going to explain the important parts.  “Pretty much from the beginning I have been able to communicate with my Nocte directly.  Not whenever I want, but subconsciously I guess you could say.”

Randall and Alice’s mouths fell open and they looked at each other in shock.  “I’m guessing this isn’t normal for Nocte, either?” Alice asked.

“No,” Nya answered simply.  “I have never known anyone to actually ‘speak’ to their Nocte.”

Randall recovered from his initial surprise.  “And how exactly do we know this is true?  And not just your imagination?”

“Take my word for it?”

“Humpf,” he scoffed.

Harley didn’t wait for him to say more.  “Most recently I spoke to my Nocte while recovering from an injury.”  She saw Castor’s hand clench.  “She let me know that I have been focusing on the wrong thing since joining the Praesidio.  An Ignis by the name of Cutter…caused me great personal trouble.”  When she spoke his name Alice and Randall’s reactions told her that they knew of the Ignis.  “My first goal since becoming a Nocte has been to eliminate this…piece of shit.”  Nya laughed at Harley’s word choice.  “My Nocte has been determined to go after the Rogue from the beginning.  But I didn’t listen.”  The Lux looked doubtful again.

“And so you’ve changed your mind?” Randall asked narrowing his eyes at her.  “Now you see the bigger picture and want to give up your crusade for vengeance and help eliminate a creature that is dangerous to everyone?”

Harley tilted her head and examined Randall.  He didn’t just dislike her personally.  While that was true, he disliked all Nocte because he assumed that they were creatures of darkness.  She could see it in the arrogant way that he looked at them all.  The way he expected the worst from them.  Nya’s behavior seemed even funnier to Harley now.  There was no doubt in Harley’s mind that Nya was aware of what she was doing and the reaction she was causing.

Harley smiled at Randall.  “Yes.  You are correct.”

“And why you?” he asked.  “What makes you so special?”

“I am stronger than other Nocte.  The sun doesn’t affect me.  I can fight in the sun or the dark.”

“And what exactly is your plan?” he asked her, clearly still doubtful.

“We go to California.  We pool our forces and confront the Rogue.  I will fight him.  One on one.  I’ll put an end to this with as few casualties as possible.”  As she spoke she could see Cas slowly stiffen in response to her plan.  His back stiffened and his relaxed neutral posture turned into one of growing outrage.

“No,” he said and his voice was like ice.

Everyone turned to look at Castor but no one was as surprised at his words except for Randall and Alice.  Both of their eyes narrowed at him.  But he ignored them as he glared at Harley.  “That is a terrible idea.”

“No, it’s not,” Harley answered.  “It’s the best idea any of us have.”  She laid out the facts.  That she was the only one who could fight him at any time.  That if they could get the Rogue to agree to fight her one on one then fewer people would die than in an outright war.  “I think this—fighting the Rogue—is the whole reason I am here.”  She felt the rightness of those words when she felt her Nocte agree with her.  “I’m pretty sure that my Nocte is in this world for this very reason.  We all know that there is a balance.  That there is both light and dark.  I am sure that my dark is the opposing force to the Rogue’s light.”

Castor looked like he wanted to argue more but Levi interrupted him.  It was the first time that he addressed Cas directly.  “I don’t like this idea either,” he said pointedly.  “None of us do.  But I am confident that Harley is right.  And I’m confident that she can do this.”  Castor opened his mouth to speak but Levi interrupted him again.  “And we can all argue with Harley’s logic as much as we want, but that won’t change the fact that she has a good argument.  And besides,” Levi looked at Harley with a small smile.  “I’m pretty sure that Harley is going to do what she wants to do—what she believes is right—whether we go along with it or not.”

Harley couldn’t help but return Levi’s barely perceptible smile.  He was right.  If everyone came out of this meeting not agreeing to this idea, she would just go to California herself.  It would be better to bring reinforcements.  But she would go with backup or not.  Her Nocte huffed in agreement.

Throughout this exchange the other Lux had been quietly staring at Castor and Levi.  Randall’s eyes were narrowed in suspicion and Alice just looked sad.  Castor looked down at the table refusing to meet anyone’s eyes.  He wasn’t looking down in shame or embarrassment.  The only way that he was going to be able to keep his mouth shut, and not give away just how mad he was, was to not look at anyone.  She knew he wasn’t going to agree to this—but she also knew he would go along with it because he wouldn’t let her do this without him.

Nya addressed the Lux across from her.  “So, your turn.”

Randall tore his gaze away from Castor.  He took a deep breath, deciding where to begin.  “We didn’t realize that the Rogue had been active for as long as you have found.  You are right,” and Harley could tell he hated admitting that.  “We have strict rules, but we don’t spend a lot of time investigating our own.  Maybe we should,” he trailed off thoughtfully for a moment.  “But that is neither here nor there now.  The only thing that we have to add to what you know is the drug aspect.”

“This Ignis that you mentioned—Cutter.  He is notorious for dealing and manufacturing and distributing drugs.  Mainly meth and cocaine.  But, lately, he has added bath salts to that list.  We have been tracking him for a while.”  At this Cas finally looked at Randall in surprise.  Clearly, he hadn’t known that there was a primary investigation into Cutter.  Randall ignored Castor’s look and continued.  “We began making a connection between Cutter’s shipments and the murders.  It seems that there is a correlation.  Where Cutter ships—the murders soon begin.”

“Do you have any suspicions as to why?” Nya asked the Lux.

“Yes.  Factoring in what you have told us—I have a pretty good idea.  Both meth and bath salts have two things in common.  They are cheap, powerful and highly addictive.  The more humans you can get addicted to drugs the easier it is to create Ignis.  The more Ignis you have the better chance you have of getting around the Vigilum and the Praesido.  Whatever the goal of the Rogue and this cult, the Sol Invictus, they are well aware that both of our groups will be working to put an end to them.”

“What is the goal of the Sol Invictus, do you think?” Alice asked.

Randall looked at her as if it were obvious.  “What is the goal of any devious organization?  Power, greed, money.  World domination?”

“Does it really matter?  They are killing humans, Lux and Nocte.  No matter how strained of a connection between the Vigilum and Praesidio—our goals are the same,” Nya spoke up.  Everyone else nodded in agreement.  Except for Levi, who had been quiet for a moment.  Harley looked at Levi as he cleared his throat.

“I have a theory as to what the goal of the Sol Invictus is.”  Everyone turned to Levi, even Nya looked surprised.  “I need more information from the Vigilum before I can be sure.  But I suspect that the Sol Invictus is trying to resurrect Christ.”

Everyone was stunned into silence.  Finally, Randall broke the silence.  “You can’t be serious?”  The arrogant attitude had been shocked from his face.  Harley was stunned into silence.  As was everyone else.  “What information do you need?”  Randall was wary and you could see that he was ready to disbelieve anything Levi, or any of the Nocte had to say.”

Levi met his gaze steadily.  “How are Lux created?  What is the actual steps of the process.”

Randall and Alice immediately went on alert and the defensive.  Even Castor looked unsettled.  “That is not information we are willing to give to—well, anyone.  But especially not to the Praesidio.”

Harley could see Levi’s jaw clench.  Nya broke in before Levi could have a chance to respond to Randall’s snide words.  “What are you thinking Levi?”  Harley could tell Nya was as confused as the rest.

Levi looked to Nya and visibly calmed himself before answering.  “In the cave in Italy there were ashes.  We had them tested.  They were human, but there was something else unidentifiable in with the remains.  It could be Ignis, Nocte or Lux.  But there were also burnt herbs and pieces of broken glass.  It all looked like a part of a ritual.  My guess is the ritual was creating a Lux.”

Randall and Alice’s discomfort was growing but they continued to look guarded and defiant.  Harley looked at Castor.  Castor was looking down at the table and looked like he was trying to figure something out.

Levi continued his theory.  “The ashes weren’t discarded or spread.  They were buried—as if they were treated with care.  If the cave was where the Sol Invictus has been trying to create a ‘supreme Lux’ I think they have created several.  Or at least tried to.  My theory is that they created more than one Lux and the first one, or ones, weren’t successful or not what they were aiming for.  This is all just a theory, based on barely circumstantial evidence.  But it’s not a stretch to imagine a group of zealot humans learning of the Lux, creatures of light, and perverting their existence into some ‘godlike’ status.”

Harley looked at the Lux that sat across from them.  Randall had gone stone still and his face was completely unreadable.  Alice looked almost scared and Castor looked worried.  Harley could feel her Nocte shift uncomfortably.  The anxiety radiating from her Nocte was causing Harley to feel anxious and it was hard for her to sit still.  Levi’s theory was clearly causing the Nocte to become agitated.  Harley couldn’t tell if it was because the Nocte agreed with his theory or if she was just excited.  But the Nocte inside her felt like a caged lion pacing its enclosure.

“If that were true,” Randall began with disbelief and dismissal dripping from his words.  “Why is the Rogue here now?  Why is he working with an Ignis to distribute drugs to humans?”

Levi looked at Harley like her was examining her and her eyes widened in confusion.  Why is he looking at me like that?  Harley knew she wasn’t going to like this.  “I’m pretty sure that the Rogue gets stronger with every life he consumes and controls,” Levi explained, still holding Harley’s gaze.  She refused to look away even though she was uncomfortable with Levi insinuations.  Even if the Lux didn’t realize his meaning—Harley did.  He was implying that the Rogue could feed from anyone—just like the she could—in order to acquire more strength.

Everyone one at the table was watching their exchange and Harley was finding it hard to breath.  Between her Nocte’s shifting and the weight of Levi’s words Harley felt like she was about to crawl out of her skin.  Castor’s voice broke the spell that had settled over the table.  “If that is true, what is the Rogue’s goal?  Why is he here and why is he acquiring more power?”  Harley gave Castor a grateful look and he met her eyes silently.  The attention shifted away from her as Levi answered the question.

“I have two theories.  The Sol Invictus is a conservative group.  They are one of the smaller Christian extremists groups, but they are extremists nonetheless.  They have been responsible for some violent protesting.  My guess, and again this is just a theory, I think the Sol Invictus might be trying to ‘save the world,’” Levi explained.  “And it looks as if their numbers have been growing.”

I am sure,” Nya offered, “that the Rogue and/or the Sol Invictus believe that the Ignis will be easier to control and manipulate than either of us.  When a person is ruled by their vices, as the Burners are, it is easy to bend them to your will and get them to do what you want.  The people who have been killed have either posed a threat to the Rogue—Lux and Nocte.  Or a hindrance—humans and Ignis.  If you are going to go into an area and take control through drugs and manipulation you need to get rid of your competition and obstacles.

That made sense to Harley and, whether they wanted to admit it or not, she was sure that the others saw the truth behind Levi’s theories.  She wanted to be surprised by how simple it all was—but really that’s how things were.  Things were always more simple than people wanted them to be.  The idea that a religious group was trying to find salvation through violence wasn’t surprising at all.  It disappointed Harley to her very core.

“What is your second theory?” Alice asked Levi.

Levi shrugged.  “Maybe, whatever the original goal, the Sol Invictus lost control over their Lux.  Maybe the Rogue is acting on his or her own now.  Seeking power and control.

Harley took a deep breath and forced herself to find calm despite the chaos writhing inside her.  “What do you think will happen if we don’t stop the Rogue?”

Levi looked like he didn’t have an answer and when no one else jumped in Nya answered Harley’s question.  “I think a lot more people are going to die if we don’t stop the Rogue—and the Sol Invictus.  No matter how the cult or the Rogue is planning asserting their ideas on the world, if we don’t stop them people are going to die.  Humans, Lux and Nocte alike.”

Resolved steeled itself inside Harley and she could feel her Nocte supporting her.  “So, is everyone in agreement?  That we should move forward with my plan?”  Castor looked at her angrily but didn’t argue.  She could hear Levi sigh quietly next to her.

Randall and Alice looked at each other for a moment before Randall spoke.  “I think it’s the best plan I’ve heard so far.”  He looked like he had a bad taste in his mouth.  She was sure he hated agreeing with her plan.  But arrogant jerk or not, he wasn’t stupid.  And as had already been said, both the Vigilum and the Nocte had the same goal.  Protect humanity from the evil in the world no matter where it was coming from.

Castor and Levi shared a silent look that Harley found troublesome because she felt skipped over and she couldn’t quite decipher the meaning of the look.  Randall and Alice looked tired and resolved and Nya clapped her hands like a small child.  “Well, let get this party started then,” she laughed.

--------------------

Back at Harley’s apartment she and Nya sat on the couch not talking.  Levi sat quietly in the chair opposite them.  Harley didn’t have many moments of self-doubt any more.  But this was one of those rare moments.  Anxiety throbbed in the pit of Harley’s stomach.  Her Nocte grumbled at her and tried to push it away, but it still caused Harley to get up and pace the room restlessly.  Nya paid attention to Harley’s actions but didn’t say anything about it.  She waited for Harley to break the silence.

“Are we sure this is what I am supposed to do?” Harley finally asked.

Nya smiled at her.  “What do you think?”

“I feel that it is right.  This is supposed to be what I’m doing.  Nya?”

“Yeah?”  The question had been burning in her since their meeting with the Lux.

“Do you think I am the…opposite of the Rogue?  The yin to his yang?”

“I think so,” Nya answered softly.

“How long have you suspected this?” Harley asked her.

“I’ve suspected it since we first started realizing how strong you were.  I’m didn’t tell you because it would have affected your actions.  It would have changed your decisions and your opinions about yourself.  You needed to come into this realization on your own.  And if I did and had been wrong?  That would have been even more devastating.”

“What about you?” Harley asked Levi.

Levi rubbed his face.  “I started suspecting it in Italy.  When I became sure that the Rogue was an unusually strong Lux.”

“So if the Sol Invictus think that the Rogue is some kind of Second Coming, what does that make me?”

Nya sniggered.  “The Anti-Christ?”

Harley rolled her eyes at Nya and Levi looked like he was trying to not laugh.  “Very funny,” Harley shook her head at them both.  “Why haven’t they come after me yet?”

Levi thought for a moment.  “I doubt they have heard of you yet.  Most of the rumors that have circulated could have applied to you or the Rogue.”

“Good point,” she was a little relieved.  She had enough enemies at the moment.

Harley noticed Nya didn’t apologize for her choice to not tell Harley of her ideas right away.  Harley didn’t feel that she needed one—it was more of Nya’s style of ‘live and learn’ and she appreciated it.  She considered Nya’s words as she continued to pace across the small apartment.  Nya was right.  Had she thought that she was the answer to the Rogue, she would have tried to go after him sooner.  She would have made more mistakes.  She may have even doubted Nya’s words and lost trust in her mentor.  There was only so much information and self-discovery that Harley could handle at a time.  She was glad that Nya had let her gain the knowledge herself.  “Do you think the Rogue will agree to meet me?”

Nya raised her eyebrows.  “I’m sure of it.  I am confident that he feels compelled to face you as much as you do him.”  Harley nodded in agreement as did Levi.

Harley grumbled to herself.  “Where does this compulsion come from, do you think?”

Nya considered her answer carefully.  “I think that there is a very literal balance between to both of you.  As long as one of you exists the other will never be stronger.  I think it is in both of your natures to be the strongest.  As long as the other lives, neither will ever reach their full strength.”

Harley sighed at the truth of Nya’s words.  “Do you think I can beat him?” Harley asked both Nya and Levi without looking at either of them.

“Absolutely,” Levi answered quickly.

When Nya didn’t respond right away Harley turned to look at her.  Her stomach sank with the thought that Nya wouldn’t have faith in her.  “Do YOU think you can beat him?”

Harley considered her answer before speaking.  “I KNOW I have the ability to.”  Her Nocte growled in agreement.

Nya and Levi smiled at her.  “Then, yes,” Nya answered.  “I think you can beat him.”

Chapter 38

Less than a week later Harley found herself in a hotel room in L.A. with Nya and Levi.  She sat at the small table with her feet propped up on the bed next to her.  Nya lay on her back with her feet propped against the wall at the head of the bed.  Levi was pacing back and forth across the small space while lost in thought.   Harley began arranging the small empty liquor bottles in order of color and size.  She kind of missed being able to get drunk.  Her metabolism was high enough now that it took a massive amount of alcohol to even get a good buzz.  It took her an entire night once to start to feel the effects of a large bottle of bourbon.

The three Nocte had been waiting for word from Castor and the scouting party that he led since they woke a few hours before sundown.  The Vigilum had arrived yesterday and the Harley’s group of Nocte had arrived during the night.  The plan was to send small groups out to hunt for Cutter or any information they could find on how to locate him.  At the same time they were searching for information about the Rogue.  Previous interrogations hadn’t uncovered much information about the murderer, but Levi was hopeful that since they were in the area early—and hopefully before any murders took place—that they would be able to gather more information for once.

The plan was to hunt the Ignis en masse until they got the information they needed as to how to find Cutter—or the Rogue if they got lucky.  If anyone found either villain they were to contact Harley either directly or through Levi, Castor or Nya.  Castor had taken the first hunt with a group of Lux that he chose himself.  Neither Randall nor Alice was with him, Harley noted to herself.  She got the feeling that those two valued themselves too highly to do foot work.

Harley had stayed up past sunrise to see Castor and his group off.  He was with a group of four other Vigilum and when he saw her waiting in the lobby he sent the others ahead to wait for him outside.  As the Lux passed they pretended they weren’t looking at her but Harley could see their attention focus on her from the corner of their eyes.  There were two female Lux and one other male and they all looked stoic and strong and maybe even a little haughty.  Harley was confident that Castor would have picked a good crew so she barely gave them more than a passing glance.

Harley had not had a chance to talk to Cas alone since he left her that last morning in his apartment.  Seeing Castor made her stomach shiver.  He was dressed appropriately for L. A. weather in soft jeans and a sleeveless green tee-shirt that made his green eyes practically glow.  He loped towards her with his easy gait and sat in the empty seat next to her.

Castor looked at her without speaking for a moment.  “I still don’t like this idea,” he said finally.  “I still don’t think that you fighting the Rogue is the only answer.”

“I know,” she smiled at him but didn’t say anything else.

He looked away, watching the early morning travelers coming to and from the lobby.  “Does Levi know?”

“What?  About us?”

“Yeah.”

Harley laughed.  “I would assume that he does by this point.”

“He’s not mad?” Castor looked at her with a tilted head.

“Not that he lets on,” she smiled tightly.

“Why not?”  The implication was that Castor himself was mad about not being her only “friend.”

Harley decided that she didn’t want to have this conversation.  Not now of all times.  The smile had only dropped from her face momentarily but she quickly recovered it.  “What is your plan for today?”  It was obvious that she was changing the subject and Castor took a while to answer.

“We have made contact with the local Vigilum here and we are going to try to scope out some of the hot spots.  Look for dealers.  Try to find some Burners to interrogate.  That sort of thing.  What will you do during the day?  You could go with if you wanted.”  He looked hopeful.

“I’m going to get some sleep with the rest of the Nocte.  I need to get on a good schedule and stay rested so that I will be ready when we find them.”

Cas nodded and continued to watch her and she purposefully kept her gaze on the people enjoying their continental breakfast.  “I should get going.”  He began to stand and Harley stopped him by grabbing his wrist.

“Be careful,” she said against her better judgment.  The idea of Castor getting hurt made her stomach ache.  Even though her Nocte—and me, I suppose—had staked an unfair claim on Cas and Levi both, she was worried that Castor would get too attached.  She was less worried about Levi not acting as he should due to his feelings for her.  He always seemed to do what was right even when he didn’t want to.  Cas, on the other hand, seemed to react to his feelings much quicker despite the wisdom of doing so.  Harley worried that he would put her safety above his own.  Cass looked like he wanted respond but she interrupted him when she pulled his wrist so that he had to bend over her chair.  She pulled his face to hers and he didn’t resist when she kissed him softly.  After a short moment she pushed him away laughing softly.  “Go find my Ignis for me.”  Castor smiled as he left to rejoin the rest of the Lux waiting for him outside.  Harley watched him and shook her head.  Castor had a way of getting under her skin that even Levi couldn’t accomplish.

Harley had gone back to the room and joined Levi in bed.  Nya was staying in the room next door with Cassandra.  When Harley climbed into bed Levi didn’t say anything, but rolled over and pressed himself against her back.  There was no possessiveness behind the gesture and Harley didn’t stiffen against him as she normally would have.  Levi just seemed to want to rest against her, and the warmth of him against her back was surprisingly soothing as she relaxed and drifted off to sleep.

--------------------

Now here they were twelve hours later waiting to hear from Castor.  Instead of searching entirely independently, they had decided to treat the hunts as shifts working in groups.  They were waiting for the report from Castor before they began their own shift.  The sun was setting and Harley knew that Cas would be back soon.  Cassandra was waiting for directions in another room with a group that she was leading.  Cassandra’s group included Evie, Rafe, and a few local Nocte that Harley had only met in passing.  Rafe was here because he was a good Praesidio, but he was still an ass and Levi nor Harley either one wanted him in the room with them.  Harley was sure the feeling was mutual.  Cassandra herself had grown on Harley.  The Nocte who came across as unfeeling, cold and distant was a good hunter and Harley could appreciate the woman’s strength.  She was glad that Cassandra was in charge of the other group.

Harley’s thoughts were interrupted by a soft knock at the door.  She knew who it was before Levi even opened the door.  Levi spun in place, barely missing a step in his pacing.  In two strides he was at the door and after looking through the peephole to confirm who stood outside the door, he unlocked the door and held it open.  Castor stepped inside with a polite nod towards Levi that didn’t actually make eye contact.  Levi returned the nod and shut the door behind him.  Castor leaned against the standard drab hotel dresser trying his best to look at ease.

“Any news?” Harley asked without getting up from her seat.

Regretfully, Castor shook his head.  “Nothing.  All together we found four Ignis today.  All of them known dealers.  None of them knew anything, or at least, if they did they wouldn’t talk.”  Harley could feel the frustration roll off Cas.

“Did you interrogate them thoroughly?”  She remembered how Castor had looked at her when she had questioned the Ignis in their apartment that night.

Castor’s jaw clenched.  “Yes.  We questioned them thoroughly.”

“How thoroughly?”

Cas met her gaze steadily.  “I don’t know if it would be Harley approved interrogation tactics, but I am confident we were effective.”

Levi looked from Harley to Castor curiosity drawing his brows together.  “What areas did you search?” he asked deciding to change the subject.  Nya continued to watch them from the bed.  She observed them upside down still in the same position she had been since they had begun waiting for Castor to arrive.  Castor gave them a rundown of the Vigilum’s activities during the day.  He looked tired.  The day’s hunting and the dying sun were both taking their toll on him.  It was the same effect that the daylight had on Levi and he ran his fingers through his hair smoothing it and his nerves.

“There only thing that we do have to report is that there seems to be at least one Ignis distributor missing.  He goes by the name of Franklin.”  His words settled over the room.  “There is no proof that the Rogue responsible for the murder.  But if I were to hazard a guess—I’d say chances are that is what is going on.”

Harley nodded.  “We’ll keep looking into it tonight.”

Nya spoke up from her position on the bed.  “I’ll call Landon, the west coast general, to see he has heard anything.”

Harley nodded absently.  Landon was based in Las Vegas.  He hadn’t particularly been happy that Nya and her crew were encroaching on his territory but his offense was only obvious in the fact that he hadn’t offered any back up for them.  The only local support they had were a few L. A. based Nocte who had volunteered to help.  Harley had been surprised by the mild hostility but she had decided to let her General handle it.

After his report Castor left to sleep, but before he left he made Harley promise him that she would call if they found anything important and urgent.  He looked like he wanted to reach out and touch her before he left but with a quick glance at Levi, he refrained from doing so.  Levi said nothing during their exchange and continued to stand quietly near the door with his arms crossed.

The night sky was a solid, murky purple when they stepped onto the street.  Harley liked the mild weather but she couldn’t get used to the fog that covered the sky.  A part of her missed Kentucky.  Even in the city you could still see a clear night sky and some stars.  Here, you couldn’t even see a single star in the sky.  The L. A. smog blurred out everything and left the city feeling like it was hiding under a blanket.  She followed behind Levi and Nya as they walked down Sunset Blvd.  People milled about on the streets but, thankfully, it wasn’t as overwhelming as New York.  Here the people created small puddles instead of roaring streams.  I could get used to this part of L. A. for sure.  Her Nocte agreed with her.

Cassandra, Evie and Rafe, along with the local Nocte, were covering the southern side of the city.  At the same time Harley, Nya and Levi covered west L. A.  They didn’t talk much as they walked.  Instead, they focused their attention on the people around them as they searched for Ignis.  Harley opened her mind and “listened” to the city.  Eventually, Harley picked up on the hum of an Ignis nearby.  It tugged at her focus like a fish testing a line.  She stopped in mid stride and Nya, who was now behind her, nearly walked into her back.

“What is it?” she asked.

“A Burner.”

“Where?” Levi asked, going on alert.

Harley spun slowly with her ear tilted to the wind.  “There,” she said, pointing south.  “Maybe a block or two away?”

“How can you tell?” Levi asked her.

She gave Levi and Nya her full attention.  “Um…have I forgotten to mention that?”  Nya and Levi waited for her to go on with curiosity written over their faces.  “Yeah, well, I can kind of sense Burners when they are close enough.  It depends on how strong the Ignis is though.  An old one I can find them from about a mile out, I guess.  A new one, I need to be pretty close to locate them.”

Nya laughed and clapped her hands.  Levi shook his head in amazement.  “Ooo a spidey sense!  OK, so—follow Harley’s nose,” Nya said cheerfully.  Harley could tell that half-mad Nocte was enjoying being out of the Den.

Harley looked at Levi.  “You sense Burners too, don’t you?  Isn’t that your job?”

Levi considered her carefully.  “Yeah.  But I don’t think in the same way.  It takes me longer to get a feel for the area.  And I don’t feel individual Ignis like you seem to be doing.  It’s more of a sense of the balance of things than that.

“Oh,” Harley responded.  She didn’t know what else to say.  Nya just continued to grin at them both.

“Can you identify individual Burners?”

“No,” she shook her head.  I can just tell it’s an Ignis and their level of strength sometimes.”

“Oh.”  Levi studied her for a moment before giving her a slight smirk of appreciation.

Shrugging off the discovery of, yet again, how different she was from everyone else, Harley led her small group south and away from the main tourist route.  She knew that they were getting closer because the hum became stronger the longer they walked.  Levi and Nya followed behind her silently.  As soon as she spotted the man leaning against the chain link fence surrounding a shady looking house, Harley knew that she had found the one she was looking for.  He was wearing a hood pulled low over his face and a pair of baggy jeans.  She ducked into the shadows and the other two followed her lead.  They were still far enough away and silent enough that the Burner hadn’t seen them yet.  She took a deep breath and studied the house behind him.

“There are a few humans inside the house.  I’m pretty sure that there are drugs of some kind in there.  I’m can’t get a fix on what though.  I am pretty sure he,” she nodded towards the man leaning against the fence, “is a dealer.”  Harley kept her voice barely above a whisper.

“More spidey sense?” Nya whispered back.

Harley looked at them both sheepishly before nodding.  She met Levi’s eyes and the look he was giving her made her and her Nocte shiver in excitement.  It was a look of admiration and amazement.  The flutter they felt was from pride as much as passion.  It meant a lot to her that someone like Levi, and Nya, were both impressed by her.

Some of that dissipated though when Levi cracked a small smile and nodded towards the man.  “Then again, he is standing outside alone at night in front of a drug den.”  Nya laughed softly and Harley rolled her eyes.

Harley studied the surrounding neighborhood.  “If we can get him to that empty garage there we should be able to interrogate him.”  She nodded towards the run down detached garage behind a house that looked abandoned.

Levi and Nya agreed with her.  “I’m pretty sure that I can convince him to follow me,” Nya smiled pulling her hood over her head.  Levi and Harley agreed to Nya’s plan and cut through a yard to circle around to approach the garage from the west and out of the line of sight of the Ignis.  Nya sauntered off towards the man, already in character.

Harley and Levi quickly and quietly strode up to the garage, keeping their eyes and ears out for humans and Burners lurking in the shadows.  But the neighborhood was quiet except for the normal barking dogs and music thumping through nearby walls.  The garage had a side door that had at one time been bolted shut, but long ago the bolt had been pried away from the wooden frame.  Levi gave the door a push and it swung open with a high pitched squeak.  They both held their breaths and hoped that the Burner wouldn’t notice the noise.  Harley could hear Nya and the man talking and it sounded like they were drawing closer.  The smell from the building slapped Harley in the face.  She could smell mildew, human waste and something dying but there was nothing alive inside the small space.  When there was no indication of alarm from Nya or the dealer Harley and Levi slipped inside the building to wait.

Moments later Nya stepped swiftly inside and out of the way.  The Ignis came in behind her unzipping his jacket and not paying enough attention to his surroundings.  He was pulling his jacket off and realized what was happening when Harley stepped from the shadows.  With his arms tied up in his sleeves he didn’t even have a chance to try to block Harley’s elbow from slamming into the side of his head.  He crumpled to the floor and Nya worked quickly to tie his arms and legs with a silver wire she pulled out of her jacket.  They propped him against the wall and waited for him to come to.

“Sometimes I wonder how Burners survive at all,” Levi stated, rolling his eyes.

Nya chuckled.  “Ignis or not, he’s male.  It’s not hard to distract a guy if you have the right assets.”

“I resent that,” Levi said good-naturedly.

“Doesn’t make it any less true,” Harley snickered.

The Ignis was already starting to come to Harley crouched in front of him.  She pulled her knife out and spun it while she waited for him to regain clarity.  Levi and Nya stayed back out of the way and kept watch through the dirty windows to make sure no one wandered by.  The Burner blinked himself awake to meet Harley’s smiling face.

“Hi,” she said brightly.

“Fuck,” he growled.

“What’s your name?”

“Fuck off,” he spat at her.

“Well, that’s a stupid name,” she laughed.  He simply glared at her.  She could smell the flesh beginning to burn around the wire on his wrists and ankles.  She let out an exaggerated sigh.  “You know, it gets hard to keep coming up with creative ways to torture information out of you guys.”  He continued to glare at her with animal eye shine flashing into her black eyes.  “OK, then,” she shrugged.  “Can I see that wire?”  She held her hand out behind her and without taking her eyes off the Ignis.  She felt Nya place the cold wire in her hand.

Harley quickly used her Bowie to cut a handful of short, sharp pieces of wire from the bundle and held them in her mouth so that her hands would be free.  Then she pulled the Ignis by the feet until he  was squirming flat on his back on the floor.  She placed a knee on his chest and he tried to roll away from her.  Before he could dislodge her she, stuffed his jacket sleeve into his mouth and repositioned her knee so that her weight pressed down on his mouth and neck.  It left him in the position of not being able to move enough to throw her off without breaking his own neck and/or choking himself.  She looked up to see Nya and Levi watching her intently.  She was somewhat worried about their reactions—but they were after information and they needed it fast, so she was sure that they wouldn’t hold what she needed to do against her.  Her stomach clenched as she caught hold of his bound hands.  He tried to pull them away but she had too much leverage.  Harley took a deep breath and pushed aside her squeamishness.  She could feel her Nocte’s excitement growing.

Once she had a good grip on the Ignis’ hand Harley pulled one of the wires from her mouth.  It took some positioning and struggling to get the wire in the right place.  Once it was, with a quick thrust she shoved the wire underneath the man’s fingernail.  The Burner began thrashing worse and making a squealing sound.  When she looked at Nya and Levi she was surprised to see Nya on the verge of laughing.  Levi was smirking and both of the Nocte’s eyes burned black with excitement.  There was a hunger in both their eyes that Harley realized that Castor must have seen in hers.  It was the look that a tiger gives a gazelle before it pounces.  Harley stopped feeling guilty.

Two more wires later the Ignis had finally stopped writhing and simply laid still screaming into the jacket shoved into his mouth.  Harley nodded towards the man’s hands and Levi crouched beside and gripped the bound wrists tightly.  His and Harley’s faces were only inches apart and she could feel his warm breath on her skin.  His eyes were a bottomless black and as she stared into them she felt herself being pulled forward and into him.  She broke away with a gasp realizing that if she didn’t she would be taken to a place where she would forget all about the task at hand.

Holding the gag in place Harley leaned into the Burner’s ear and hushed him until he stopped screaming.  Slowly she pulled the rag from his mouth.

“Do you know Franklin?”

The Burner looked at her bewildered for a minute.  “Y-yeah.”

“Where is he?”

“He-he’s dead, man.”  The Burner’s flashing and angry eyes rolled between the three of them.

“Who killed him?”

“How should I know?  I just know the word is he’s dead.”

“OK,” she said.  She knew the truth when she heard it.  “What about Cutter?”

The Ignis paused just briefly.  That name got a reaction from him.  “Wh-what about him?  I know who he is.”

“How do I find him?”

“How the fuck should I know?  I’ve never met or talked to the guy.”

“Where do you get your supply?”  The Burner didn’t answer at first.  Harley pulled a wire from the stack she had laid to the side.  She handed the wire to Levi with a smile, a smile that he returned as if she had handed him a cookie.  Harley pressed the gag back over his mouth as Levi jabbed the wire under the nail of the Burner’s ring finger.  He began thrashing again and Levi and Harley held him down until he stopped struggling.  When she removed the gag he panted for breath with his jaws clenched.

“You aren’t getting out of here alive,” Harley told him soothingly.  “Just answer my fucking questions and get this over with.”

The Burner sagged.  “From an Ignis named Amber.  She lives in an apartment off Sunset somewhere.  I normally meet her at The Whiskey so I don’t know exactly where she lives.”

“See,” she patted him on the cheek.  “Was that so hard?”

“I hope Cutter cuts your fucking heart out,” the Burner grumbled looking away from them all.

Harley smiled at Levi and Nya.  “Anyone hungry?”

Nya and Levi both shook their heads.  Harley shrugged.  “Suit yourself.”  She knew Levi was watching her as she fed from the Burner.  Nya left the two of them in the garage to keep watch from outside.  When Harley pulled away she flopped onto her butt ignoring the filth on the floor.  She was dazed and took a moment to enjoy the exhilarating buzz flowing throughout her body.  Finally, Levi pulled her off the floor and kissed her.  As he pulled away he ran his tongue across her lip to catch the blood that had smeared around her mouth.  Her heart slammed in her chest and fire flashed through her body.  The look in Levi’s eye was so intense that it made her mouth go dry.  Had Nya not been waiting outside she would have been tempted to rip his clothes off right inside the filthy garage.  Her Nocte was practically begging for the chance to get a taste of Levi.  Literally and figuratively.

Moments later they managed to break the spell that had come over the both of them and they left the run down building.  Nya turned to look at them with a smirk.  “I figured I would be out here for a while,” she laughed.

Harley took a deep breath.  “Is that normal?”  She felt like she was asking her mom for sex advice.  Well, I guess this is what asking your mother for advice is like…

Nya shrugged.  “I’m willing to bet it’s more intense for you than other Nocte though.”

Harley sighed.  “I’m sure it is,” she shook her head.  “Let’s just get back to the hotel.”  Nya laughed and Levi shook his head and actually smiled a full smile.

Chapter 39

The next night Harley, Levi and Nya were searching the streets for Amber.  They wandered aimlessly near Sunset Blvd waiting to pick up on the signal of a Burner.  When they did they interrogated him or her hoping to gain more information about how to locate Cutter, the Rogue or Amber.  So far their encounters had proven to be fruitless.  Harley found it strange to be hunting in a group.  Since her first hunting with Cassandra and the few times she and Cas had hunted together, she had always prowled the night alone.  It was strange but comforting she realized watching Nya and Levi walking together in front of her.  Levi was as intense as always and Nya was her usual insane self and Harley couldn’t help but smile at her two closest Nocte friends.  There were more than friends—they were her family.  The feeling made her heart tighten in her chest.

Harley was startled out of her sentimentality by her phone vibrating.  She stopped walking to pull her cell from her pocket and Nya and Levi stopped with her.  The display showed that it was Cassandra calling.  Harley’s heart beat harder.  If Cassandra was calling her it most likely meant the Nocte had found something.

“Hello?” Harley answered the phone, breathlessly.  She immediately jerked the phone away from her ear.  What could only be the loud, rattling sound of Cassandra’s phone being dropped stabbed against Harley’s ear.  “Hello?” she repeated, placing the phone against her ear again.  She felt her blood turn cold and sharp spikes of anxiety shoot through her chest.  Harley listened to the cacophony of sound from the other end of the phone for several moments before she could make out what was happening.  Nya and Levi had moved closer to her and stood on either side of her, their heads leaning closer to hers to hear better.  She could feel the warm air of their breaths flutter across her chest.  They were alarmed as she was.

The sounds of chaos from Cassandra’s phone gave way to the sounds of fighting.  Harley could make out the sound of the Nocte fighting hard.  Sounds of pain and exertion traveled through the airwaves and kicked Harley’s alarm into panic.  She could feel her own Nocte go on high alert with her.  She looked at Nya and Levi and knew they were thinking the same thing.  The sounds of pain were unmistakably female, and Harley knew on an instinctual level that they were Cassandra’s.  Harley had sparred with the fierce Nocte multiple times and she knew personally what an incredible fighter she was.  Harley knew, without a doubt, Cassandra was fighting someone incredibly powerful if they were getting the best of her.

When Harley looked at Nya she saw that the general was already pulling her own phone from her pocket and searching the apps for the one she needed.  All Nocte phones were tracked through GPS.  Not because Nya didn’t trust them.  But for situations just like this.  It took only a moment for Nya to locate Cassandra.

“She’s in Santa Monica.  Thirteen miles south of us.”  Nya’s eyes were already dilating leaving barely any hazel visible at all.  The effect was eerie and sprung Harley into action.

Without another word the three of them turned and sprinted towards their truck that was still parked at the hotel.  Harley didn’t bother to hang up the phone.  Instead, she gripped it tightly as she ran.  She didn’t want to disconnect in case Cassandra was able to either retrieve the phone or shout to them…or…Well, hell!  Who am I kidding? Harley thought.  I just don’t want to leave Cassandra.  The open phone line seemed like a lifeline to her friend and she was unwilling to let it go.

Less than five minutes after Harley’s phone rang, the three of them were jumping into their SUV.  Nya drove and she threw her phone to Levi in the passenger seat.

“She still hasn’t moved,” he told them.  He was pulling his own phone out of his pocket and dialing someone.  “Can you hear anything else?” he asked Harley.

She held the phone to her ear again.  Her hand was slick with sweat and she was out of breath.  Something that she rarely experienced since becoming Nocte, and she knew it wasn’t from the mad dash to the truck.  “I just still hear fighting.”

The truck tires squealed as Nya floored it out of the parking lot.  Unfortunately, at this hour there was still a lot of traffic on the L. A. streets.  Nya darted in and out of lanes but was never able to pick up any real speed until they reached the I-10 where she floored it.

Levi was calling a second number, the first having apparently been unsuccessful.  Harley tried to focus on the sounds of the fighting.  She could still hear Cassandra fighting, but by the sounds Harley could make out, she still wasn’t winning the fight.

“Evie!”  Levi shouted into his phone.  “What’s happening?”  Harley was concentrating so hard on the sounds through her own phone that she couldn’t hear Evie’s response.

“Aren’t you with Cassandra?” he snapped.

Pause.

“Cassandra’s fighting with someone.  She called us but dropped the phone.  We are on our way there now.  Where are you?”

Pause.

“Well get there.  NOW” Levi growled Cassandra’s location and disconnected the call, slamming his phone into the console between the seats.

“What happened?” Nya asked.

Cassandra was supposed to be leading the group that included Evie and Rafe.  Harley, like Levi and Nya, had assumed they were all still together.

“They split up,” Levi spat.

“Why?” Nya asked, not taking her eyes off the road as she flew past a semi-truck.

“Apparently Cassandra got annoyed with Rafe and split the group.  She took the two local Nocte and Rafe and Evie went off on their own.

Nya risked an outraged look at Levi before returning her attention to the road.

Sudden silence brought Harley’s attention back to her phone.  She leaned forward straining to hear what was happening.  She could just make out soft gurgling sounds that caught her breath in her throat.  She knew what that sound meant.

“Nya,” she said softly.

“What?”

“Hurry.”

How they managed to reach Santa Monica in 15 minutes without a cop noticing their NASCAR speeds, Harley will never know.  Nya followed Levi’s directions and they screeched to a stop in front of an adult book store that was dark and deceptively quiet.  Harley finally hung up the phone as the three of them leapt from the SUV

“Are you sure this is it?” she asked Levi.  But her question didn’t need to be answered as the wind carried the scent of blood to all three of them.  Harley’s Nocte had been mostly silent on the ride to Santa Monica, readying herself for the fight to come.  However, the sweet metallic scent of blood drew a low menacing growl from Harley’s throat.  Her stomach dropped and the hairs on the back of her neck stood on end when she recognized some of the blood as belonging to a Nocte.

Silently, Nya lead the way into the bookstore.  Harley fell in step behind her.  She didn’t have to look back to know that Levi was bringing up the rear.  The world around them seemed to have stopped.  There were no other sounds besides their footsteps on the pavement, the rest of the street was eerily silent.  The mannequins in the window modeling studded leather seemed to watch them approach the store through eyeless faces.  The glass door, covered with posters and ads for adult entertainment of all kinds, was locked.  Cassandra and whoever she was fighting must not have come through the front.  It took no more effort from Nya than opening a refrigerator door to snap the lock and pull the door open.

The smell of blood was predictably stronger inside the store and it was easy to tell that it was coming from the storage area located behind a door at the back of the main storefront.  In addition to Nocte and human blood, Harley could also pick out another kind of blood.  The scent set something off inside her Nocte and creature roared against Harley’s insides.  Only by clenching her teeth tightly could Harley stop the roar from ripping its way out of her.  Whatever—whoever—Cassandra had been fighting had incited her Nocte to the point that Harley wasn’t sure she could contain her.  As it was, she could feel her eyes dilate to black and her breath was coming out in short, nostril flaring gasps.

The three Nocte followed the scent of blood through the racks of lingerie and videos towards the back.  The store was completely silent and some part of Harley knew that meant the fight was over.  That’s why she didn’t question Nya’s lack of hesitation at opening the storeroom door.  The implication of the silence were not lost on Harley.  Holding her Nocte back from complete fury was taking all of her strength.  Were Harley to let go and release the devil inside herself she could only imagine the frenzied rampage that would result.  She could feel the Nocte’s desire to bite her way through everyone she could find until she found the source of the unknown creature that had bled with Cassandra.

The shock of what they found inside the storeroom silenced Harley’s Nocte.   At first she thought the growling sounds were coming from her own throat, but slowly she realized they were coming from Nya to her right.  She couldn’t tear herself away from the sight in front of her but she could feel the rage and fury and despair flowing from the Nya and Levi both on either side of her.

Tied to the wall in front of them was Cassandra.  Her wrists were bound to structural beams by handcuffs most likely acquired from one of the supply boxes scattered around them.  The once fierce Nocte stared back at them with lifeless black eyes, having been drained of all her life force.  Her mouth hung open slightly and fresh blood still dripped from her bottom lip.  There was a gaping wound in her stomach that showed through her torn tee-shirt.  It was the burns to the side of Cassandra’s face that left no doubt as to how she died.  The burns were in the shape of hand prints.  Palm to cheek, fingers to temples and thumbs across the nose, creating a grotesque mask-like effect.

Cassandra could only have been dead for a few minutes.  She had been left posed for them to find.  The Rogue must have known they were on their way.  As it was, smoke was already beginning to seep from the wound in the Nocte’s stomach.  In a matter of minutes their friend, the warrior, would be reduced to ashes.  There would have been no point in posing her had the Rogue not known how quickly they would arrive.

Harley  was been frozen in shock, much like when she saw Jamie stabbed and killed in front of her.  Her insides like ice and Harley felt her fists clench hard enough to dig her nails into her palms.  The sharp pain broke the spell and she started forward towards Cassandra.  Her Nocte was still silent, coiled in barely contained rage. She couldn’t stand to see her friend hanging there in supplication any longer.  Cassandra was one of the strongest Noctes she had met and being left in this position was a disgrace to her memory.  Levi put a hand on her shoulder to stop her but she shrugged it off.

Harley could smell the burning growing stronger as she neared Cassandra but that didn’t stop her from snapping the handcuffs with her bare hands and lowering her friend to the floor.  She stepped away from the body as the flames that burned from the inside out grew in intensity.  She looked back to Nya and Levi.  Harley had never seen Nya so angry.  The fury and pain carved the woman’s dark face into stone and all the hazel was gone from her eyes now.  Levi’s fury was no less intense and Harley was sure that her own was equal to her companions.

The three of them held a silent vigil as their friend’s body was reduced to ash.  There was nothing any of them could say.  The spell was only broken when they heard someone else enter the store.  Harley knew right away it was not the Rogue. He was long gone and had been before they even arrived.  Moments after hearing her arrive, Evie stepped silently into the storeroom.  She had known what was waiting for her just as they had.  There was no surprise on her face, just her own sadness and rage.  Seconds later Rafe followed Evie into the small storage room.  His face was carefully neutral but Harley saw him swallow and his breath catch in his chest.

The sight of the arrogant Nocte broke the frozen stillness that had griped her since finding Cassandra’s body.  Cassandra had split the group because of some the Rafe had said or done.  In that moment Harley’s pain and rage exploded free, directly at Rafe.  She didn’t even remember crossing the room.  One moment she was standing over the ashes of her friend the next Nya, Levi and Evie were all holding her back from attacking Rafe.  His eyes widened in alarm, but he didn’t seem surprised or on the offensive.  Instead, a look of acceptance softened his normally haughty features.  Harley continued to fight the three Nocte holding her back.  She nearly broke free but it was Levi’s soothing words in her ear that finally calmed her enough to come back to reason.

“Look at him.  I hate him as much as you do right now.  But look at him.  He didn’t mean for this to happen.  He’s stupid, pathetic, arrogant and an absolute piece of shit.  But we need all the fighters we can get right now.”

Harley’s breathing was ragged and she could feel spittle flying from her mouth as she tried to focus on Levi’s words.  Slowly, her and her Nocte’s rage exhausted itself enough for Harley to recognize the sorrow that she saw on Rafe’s face.  In one final expression of her feelings she spat at him.  The spit landed on his neck and he didn’t even bother to wipe it away.

When she quit fighting the three Nocte let go of her arms and legs.  She took several calming breaths and walked away from her friend’s remains and the Nocte that had helped cause her death.  Walking to the other side of the storeroom, Harley found the source of human blood she had smelled.  In a staff bathroom Harley found two bodies.  A man and a woman were tossed on the floor like trash.  They were both young and it made Harley’s heart ache to look at them.  The way their bodies had been discarded left them lying together on their sides facing each other.  Their arms overlapped each other as if they were about to embrace.  If it wasn’t for the raw, handprint-shaped burns on their faces Harley might have been able to convince herself they were asleep.

The store’s back door was ajar and the lock broken.  This was surely the way that Cassandra and the Rogue had both entered.  Harley didn’t realize how desperate she was for fresh air until she stepped into the cool night air.  She gulped at the air trying to regain some sense of calm.  Outside she found the remains of the two local Nocte that had been with Cassandra.  They must have died long enough before Cassandra that they had burned before Harley and the others had even arrived.  Harley picked up a cinder block that must normally be used to prop the door open.  She slung it across the parking lot with all her might and it shattered into dust as it skidded across the pavement.  The outburst didn’t change anything, but it did make her feel better.

Harley looked up when the others walked through the door.  It was only Levi and Nya.  Evie and Rafe must have left through the front door—that was probably wise.  Harley felt like she had swallowed glass.  Losing Cassandra brought back the pain of losing Jamie.  Two friends lost to greedy creatures intent on gaining money, power and who knows what else.  One friend lost to Cutter.  One friend lost to the Rogue.

“Why was she even here?” Harley asked Levi and Nya both.  Her throat was tight with unshed tears and it took great effort to not choke on the words.

Levi shook his head sadly.  “Evie wasn’t sure.  Cassandra didn’t check with them after they split up.  But we did find some empty boxes.  It smells like there were drugs in them at one time.  This place is probably part of the drug distribution line.”

It took all of Harley’s self control to not go running off into the night in search of both the Rogue and Cutter.  Every inch of her burned for vengeance and she struggled to rein in her anger.  She knew that she would need to focus her feelings—she  needed to gain control over them or they would control her.

Chapter 40

It was two more nights before Harley’s group finally found Amber.   All three groups had been searching for the distributing Ignis for two days and nights before Harley’s Nocte sense finally picked up on a hum that had hit pay dirt.  Cassandra’s death left no doubt that the Rogue was in California.  Both the Vigilum and the Praesidio picked up the pace in their searching.  None of them knew just how to process the loss of their friend.  The only way any of them were able to maintain their focus on the situation was to turn her death into motivation and fuel for the mission.  Nothing the Rogue did could have made their fight to stop him more personal that killing their friend.  His confidence, arrogance and malevolence couldn’t be more clear to them.

Harley, Nya and Levi had been walking for less than an hour when Harley felt the buzz of a nearby Ignis.  It started at the top of her head and traveled down her spine.  “Hey guys,” she called out softly.  She stopped and turned in a circle trying to get a feel for the direction the hum was coming from.

Nya and Levi stopped and turned.  “What is it?” Nya asked.

“There’s an Ignis close.”  Levi and Nya followed her as she wound her way through people.

“Is it the right one?” Levi asked.

“I’m not sure,” she answered, distracted.  She followed the hum and the other two followed her.  Less than an hour later Harley had finally zeroed in on the Ignis buzz and was standing next to a small apartment building.  She stood studying the air and the evil energy that flowed through it.  Neither Nya nor Levi disturbed her while she tried to figure out what she had found.

“Bingo,” she breathed finally getting just the right shift in the air.

“Is it her?” Nya asked with a growing smile.

“I pretty sure that it is.  The Ignis in the apartment on the end does indeed distribute drugs.  A lot of drugs.  And it’s a woman.”  Harley tilted her head.  “There are kids involved somehow.”

“How do you want to handle this?” Nya asked.

“I say we bust in and tie her up and interrogate her.  It worked last time,” Levi shrugged.

“Works for me,” Harley answered.

“How about I take care of this?” Nya asked.  “It’s my favorite part I think.”

Harley chuckled and Levi smiled at Nya.  “Go for it,” he said.  Harley and Levi waited across the street as Nya practically skipped to the door of the apartment.  The apartment was on the ground floor and the front door opened directly onto the street, so that made getting in a little simpler.

Nya knocked at the door with a jaunty pleasant knock and waited.  Harley could hear a muffled question from inside the apartment.  Instead of trying to come up with a response that would get the Burner to open the door, Nya leaned back and kicked the door open.  It broke with a loud boom and Nya didn’t waste any time in entering the apartment.  Harley, unfortunately, didn’t get to see Nya take the Ignis down since they were inside and she didn’t have a clear view.  But Harley had gotten her ass kicked enough by the general to be able to imagine just how quickly Nya had the Burner under control.

A short while later Nya poked her head out of the door. “All clear,” she called giving them a thumbs up.

When Levi and Harley entered the apartment they found the Burner tied with silver wire on the floor in front of a worn but plush couch.  The Ignis had mousey brown hair and was dressed conservatively in a blue blouse and gray slacks.  If her eyes hadn’t been flashing with animal shine, Harley could have believed she was an accountant or a librarian.  The Burner struggled against the silver wire but wasn’t having any lucky breaking it.  Her skin was starting to burn and the smell was beginning the waft through the apartment.  As always, the sharp, pungent odor of burnt flesh caused Harley’s heart to clench painfully.  Smell had a powerful ability to trigger memories, and unfortunately for Harley, this smell would forever remind her of the night her life had been shattered.  Actually, maybe it’s a good thing the burnt smell always reminds me of Jamie—and now Cassandra, Harley thought as she watched the Ignis struggling at her feet.  It will always make sure I remember what’s most important.  She shook her head to clear the nostalgia that threatened to cloud her mind.

The Ignis glared at the three Nocte as Levi propped the door back up into its frame.  Harley hoped that if anyone heard them enter they wouldn’t pay enough attention to call the police.  Nya had a small scratch on her chin that had healed already leaving a steak of dried blood.  That was the only indication that Nya had had struggle with the woman at their feet.

“We have some questions for you,” Harley said squatting next to the woman but keeping far enough distance that the woman couldn’t reach her easily.  The woman continued to glare at them without speaking.

“Are you going to answer them?” Harley asked.  She was already forming a plan on how to make the woman talk.  “Hey,” she said looking at Nya over her shoulder.  “You want to use the wire again?”

“Sure,” Nya said with a smile.  “It worked last time.”  She pulled the bundle out of the pocket of her sweat pants and handed it to Harley.

The Burner’s eyes widened at the sight of the sharp, pointy, silver wire.  She licked her lips and finally spoke.  “I guess you have something creative in mind for that wire, huh?”  Her voice was calm despite her situation.

“Yep,” Harley answered.  “You’re Amber, right?”

“I am,” she answered.  The Ignis sighed.  “And I’m going to die either way, right?”

“Right.”

“So, if I tell you what I know—you won’t use that wire.  And you’ll kill me quick.”

“Exactly.”  Harley was pleasantly surprised by the Burner’s attitude.  If she hadn’t picked up on the fact that the woman not only distributed drugs to local dealers, she also sold drugs to the kids that she taught at a nearby high school, she would almost consider letting her live.

“Fine,” the Ignis said.  She wasn’t weak or scared.  She just knew the reality of the situation and was choosing to go out with dignity.

“Who do you get your drugs from?” Harley asked her.  She took a deep breath.  She could smell the chemicals somewhere in the house.

The woman didn’t seem surprised by her question.  “His name is Danny.  I text him and he texts me back with a pick up location.  If you are trying to find him, though, you are going to have a problem.  I just got my shipment from him yesterday.  He’s not going to meet with me to give me more.  It’s against policy.  And if I try he will know something is up.”

Harley sighed and looked at Nya and Levi.  “Any ideas?” she asked them.  Neither of them answered while they thought.

“I have one,” Amber said.

Harley scowled at her.  “Why are you being so helpful?”

The Ignis woman shrugged and winced as the silver wire dug into her skin.  “You’re going to kill me either way.  I’m not stupid.  I’d rather not suffer any more than necessary.  I’ve heard of you, you know.”  She smiled at Harley.

“Excuse me?” Harley asked, feeling her blood run cold.  Levi and Nya tensed at the woman’s words.

“Yeah,” Ignis said.  “Look, do me a favor.  Cut the wires off.  I’ll tell you what I know and I’ll even help you find who you are looking for.  I’m not going to fight you.  There’s no way I would win.  I know that.  Like I said, this is going to happen and I’d rather it be as quick as possible.”  Harley looked at her doubtfully.  “OK, OK.  The other reason I’m being so helpful is because I really hate that asshole Cutter.”

Harley’s heartbeat slammed in her chest at Cutter’s name.  She didn’t need to look to Nya or Levi to know their reactions were the same.  Using the serrated edge at the base of her knife she snapped the wires from the Burner’s wrist and the woman shook her hands to relieve the burning stripes in her skin.  Harley left the wires on her ankles.  The woman’s socks protected her skin from direct contact with the silver wire so the skin wasn’t actually burning.  The Burner didn’t complain or try to convince her to free her feet.

“I have heard that there was a Nocte woman that was hunting Cutter.  I am assuming that is you, right?”

“Yep.”

Amber nodded.  “I don’t have a way to contact him directly.  But I know that he is meeting a friend of mine to drop off a shipment of salts that’s going to be taken south.”

Harley’s Nocte growled.  “When is the shipment drop?”

“Thursday afternoon at my high school near the beach.”  Amber gave them address and time of the meeting.

That gave them three days to prepare.  “A school?” Harley confirmed.

“Yeah.  School’s not in session right now.  But we have meetings often enough that no one would pay attention to cars in the parking lot.”

“Why should we trust you?”  Harley knew the question was cliché and moot at this point.  But she felt compelled to ask it anyway.

“You’ve met Cutter.  Is there much to like about him?” she laughed humorlessly and Harley shrugged her agreement.

“Who told you about me?”

“Cutter has put the word out.  We are supposed to kill you on sight.”

“Lovely,” Levi muttered from behind Nya.

“So, Cutter knows I’m in L. A.?”

“I guess he figured that you would be eventually,” Nya said from behind her.

“What do you know about the Rogue?” Harley asked Amber.

“The what?”  The Ignis was genuinely confused.

“The one responsible for the killings—of the Lux and the Nocte and the humans.”

Amber shrugged.  “I didn’t think that it was anyone in particular.  I just figured it was Cutter expanding his territory or something.”

Harley nodded.  The woman was telling the truth and there wasn’t anything else that she could help them with.  Again, Harley felt a nag of regret at having to kill the woman who had been so helpful.  But then she remembered the things this Ignis was guilty of.  “Do you like being an Ignis?  Do you enjoy the things that you do?”

Amber’s eyes flashed and her previously passive face shifted into a look of hunger.  “Of course.  Don’t you like being a Nocte?”

It was the only reminder that Harley needed as to what she needed to do.  She killed the Ignis quickly with a knife to her heart since none of them needed to feed and the three of them left the small apartment.

“Didn’t that seem entirely too easy?” Harley asked as they made their way back to their hotel.

“If this were a movie,” Nya laughed.  “This would be the point that we rush into the trap that was just set up by one of the bad guys.”  Anyone who didn’t know them well would never be able to tell just how much they hurt over Cassandra’s death.  But Harley could see it.  Nya’s eyes didn’t burn quite as madly as they normally did.  There was levity behind the hazel that indicated the heaviness of her heart.  Levi kept rubbing his face.  It was a clear indication that he was stressed.  Harley hadn’t seen Evie or Rafe since finding Cassandra, but she knew they would show it as well.  As much as Harley hated Rafe, he was Praesidio.  He wasn’t an enemy.  He would be just as upset by his teammate’s death as the rest of them.  Maybe more so if he was feeling any guilt.  Harley’s own grief was a bruised heart and ached with each beat.

Levi, who had been leading the way, looked over his shoulder at the two women.  “That’s the feeling that I’m getting here.  Maybe we should send Castor and his crew to the meeting to see if it really is a trap.”

He turned back and continued to walk as Harley gaped at his back.  Nya snorted with barely contained laughter beside her.  Levi was being serious she realized ,he wasn’t being funny or ironic.  She couldn’t help but wonder how much of the suggestion was intentionally callous.

Chapter 41

Back in their hotel room, Nya, Levi, Harley, and Evie all met to debrief.  Their suspicions were confirmed when Evie shared her report.  After Cassandra’s death, she had taken over the lead of their team.  She had also come across an Ignis who had told her virtually the same things that Amber had.  Evie had been told that a drop was happening the following afternoon.

“So, apparently, Cutter wants us to find out about the drop,” Levi said.

“Apparently so,” Evie replied.

“So how do we play this?” Harley asked.  “I just can’t believe that Cutter would be stupid enough to believe that we wouldn’t figure this out.”

“Maybe he didn’t care if we did or not,” Levi answered.  “Maybe he figured that your desire for revenge would be strong enough that you wouldn’t care if it was a trap.”

Harley bristled at the idea.  She hated Cutter’s arrogance.  She really hoped that when they found him she would get the chance to torture him before she killed him.  Her Nocte purred in agreement.

Evie had been silent since giving her report.  “How do we attack someone who is expecting us to attack them?”  The five of them drifted back into silence as they mulled the question over.

“We don’t,” Nya finally said quietly.

“What?” Harley asked her surprised.

“We don’t.  They are expecting us to attack them.  They will be prepared for that.  So we need a way to catch them off guard.”

They were all silent as they mulled over the possibilities.  Harley watched Levi pace his familiar path across the room.  Nya was still as she contemplated the options.  Evie sat at the edge of her chair and braided strands of her California blonde hair distractedly.  Harley could feel the wheels turning inside her head as she mulled over the situation.  Suddenly her mental gears clicked home.  “I’ve got it,” she jumped to her feet.  Everyone looked at her expectantly.  “Cutter is expecting us to make an attack on him.  Come in with guns blazing.  We’ve already agreed that that would be a stupid thing to do.  He is going to be prepared for that.  Instead, we need to catch him off guard.”

“OK,” Levi agreed.  “How do we do that?”

Harley explained her idea.  Her excitement grew in her gut.  She just knew that this would work.  This was their chance to capture Cutter.  They needed to make sure that he carried their message to the Rogue.  They knew that he was the only one who was able to contact the Rogue.  So far, the Rogue had been little more than rumor among the Burners on the street.  No one that low level was going to be able to contact the Rogue Lux.  It had been hard enough to find some way to contact Cutter.  If they didn’t take this chance they could spend weeks, months—years even—trying to find Cutter and the Lux.  They knew that they didn’t have that long.  They needed to stop the Rogue as soon as they could.  The more power he got, the more followers he would acquire, the harder it would be to stop him.  If they didn’t stop him there would be plenty of more murders—human, Nocte and Lux.  That was the very least possible outcome.  They still didn’t know exactly what the Rogue’s plan was—but they needed to stop it and soon.

After Harley laid out her plan everyone thought it over for a moment.  There was minimal arguing and debating and more than a little tweaking before everyone was in agreement that they had a good plan.  It would involve the least amount of casualties with the least amount of attention from the public possible.  They could gather guns and a small army and attack the school.  But there was no way the public wouldn’t notice and call the police and complicate the entire situation.

“So, it’s a plan,” Nya said.  “Harley, can you talk to Castor now?  Or do you need to wait for sunrise?”

Harley looked at the pile of her stuff sitting on the table.  She had noticed that there was an extra key card sitting there just before they left to hunt at sundown.  She hadn’t seen Cas leave it, but she knew it was his key.  She could smell him on it and it even held some of his warmth.  “No,” said.  “I can go wake him up.”  Not looking at the others she picked the key up and put it in her pocket.  She turned to leave the room as Nya stretched out across the bed and turned the TV on.  Levi caught her before she made it to the door.  He didn’t say anything, or look angry.  But his eyes blazed as he gripped her arm firmly and kissed her before she left.  The kiss was rough and quick but it caused her stomach flip flop.  She smiled at him before she opened the door and it took a lot of effort for her to not roll her eyes at his territory claiming.

Using the key card, Harley quietly entered Castor’s room.  The room was so dark that if she had been human she wouldn’t have even been able to see the bed.  Cas was sleeping peacefully on his stomach and she felt bad for waking him up.  She crawled onto the bed as gently as she could but Cas was apparently a light sleeper.

“If you are going to wake me up in the middle of the night you had better at least be naked.”  He sounded like his face was buried in a pillow.  Harley didn’t ask how he had known it was her so quickly.  It was same way that she could tell that he or Levi were within ten feet of her.  It was like knowing where her hand was without having to look.

“Well, I’m not presently naked—but I could be…”

She crawled on top of Cas as he rolled onto his back.  She placed her hands on his chest and smiled down at him.  He sighed with contentment and she could tell he liked the idea of her sitting on top of him.  Concentrate, dammit!  There is a reason you are here, she told herself, trying to stay focused on the task at hand.  “I come with news.  And a plan.”

“OK,” Cas said.  “First thing first though.”  He began pulling her shirt over her head.  She started to protest but finally gave up laughing.

“OK, OK.”  Pleasure before business, Harley decided letting Castor pull her clothes off.  Once he had her shirt and bra off he sat up in the bed pulling her closer to him.  He ran his face over her neck and chest.  She could feel his breath sweep over her skin and it caused the hairs on her arms and neck to rise and her breath catch.  He softly kissed his way up her throat to her ear where he caught the lobe between his lips.  His breath rushed across her ear and her stomach muscles shuddered.  Harley gripped Castor’s short hair  and gritted her teeth.  It took all of her self control to not shove him back against the bed and have her way with him.  Instead, she fought the urge so that she could enjoy his soft teasing.

Harley’s Nocte was eagerly striving for control but she resisted for as long as she could.  Castor’s slow, soft touch prolonged their desire and Harley could feel the tension building inside her.  When she couldn’t stand it any longer she rose to her knees and Castor unbuttoned her jeans.  Working together they removed her pants and his shorts, not breaking eye contact during the whole process.  Castor’s eyes had faded to their strange whiteness and Harley could feel the darkness of her own.  As she lowered herself onto him Cas wrapped his hands in her hair and sighed against her mouth.

When Harley sank her teeth into Castor’s artery the rush of warm, bright light drowned out the noise of her thoughts.  Castor’s energy flowing through her helped Harley calm her mind.  It didn’t take away the memory of seeing two of her friends dead, but it soothed her nonetheless.  The white noise that always came along with his feeding was less disturbing this time than it was comforting.  She ran her hand along Castor’s back and he sighed softly.  It brought a smile to her face in spite of her attempts to stop herself from caring too much about the Lux.

Afterwards, she lay with Castor as he fell back to sleep.  She had told him of their plans and he, predictably, had argued why it was a bad idea.  However, in the end he had agreed it was the best they had come up with so far.  Sighing, she rolled onto her back.  As much as she hated to admit it, she enjoyed the soft comfort that Castor inspired in her.  It was a quiet to the storm of her life.  Harley shivered against the cold as she got dressed and left Castor’s room.

------------------

Harley returned to her and Levi’s room.  She had stayed with Castor until the sun had begun to rise, but she had finally left before he woke.  She could still felt the lingering buzz of energy after feeding from Castor.  When she let herself into the room Levi had just gotten into bed and she crawled in to join him.  She let him pull her close and even relaxed against his chest.

“Is everything set?” he asked.

“Yeah,” Harley answered.   Cas had agreed to their plan because he couldn’t come up with anything that sounded better.

Levi tightened his arms around her.  She was somewhat surprised by the fact that Levi never questioned what she did with Cas.  She knew he wasn’t stupid—he knew what was going on.  Harley also knew that he didn’t not say anything because he didn’t care.  He did care.  She could feel it in the way he looked at her and touched her.  But, she refused to ask him about it—it was a conversation she just didn’t have the energy for yet.  Harley sighed as the Lux energy coursing through her finally began to dissipate.  As she absorbed it, it settled into her body and left her feeling as at ease as Levi’s dark energy did when she fed from him.  She wondered if he could pick up on any changes in her after feeding from the Lux.  If he did he didn’t mention it and, again, she didn’t ask.

Chapter 41

Early the next afternoon Nya, Evie, Levi and Harley waited for Castor to check in.  The Nocte weren’t used to being up this early and the daylight’s effect was showing on them.   Evie sat at the small table while Nya and Harley sat on the bed and Levi leaned against the dresser.  With everyone here Harley was even more aware of Cassandra’s absence but she refused to get sucked into those feelings right now.  When Cas entered the room he looked uncomfortable under the scrutiny of so many Nocte.  Harley distinctly saw Levi’s jaw tighten when Cas smiled at her but he said nothing.  They all went over the plan again to make sure that everyone was on the same page.  Cas stood near the door with his hands on his hips.  He looked deceptively relaxed but Harley could pick up on the tension due to their connection.  Levi continued to lean against the dresser with his arms crossed over his chest.  He looked as calm as he always did but Harley could sense his unease as well.  She just didn’t know what the primary cause for his tension was.  Her, Cas, or the fight they had ahead of them or all of the above.

After going over the plans Cas turned to leave but Levi stopped him.

“Can I talk to you for a minute?”

Castor looked back at him with a wary look.  “Sure,” he turned with his hand on the door knob.

Levi motioned towards the door.  “I’ll walk down with you.”  They both left the room with no further explanation and not even a backwards glance at Harley.

When they were both gone Harley looked to the other women, bewildered.  Levi didn’t seem like he was angry or looking for a fight but she couldn’t fathom why he wanted to talk to Cas alone.

“What was that?”  The rest of the Nocte looked as confused as she felt.  Harley let out a heavy sigh.  “I’m going to have to choose eventually aren’t I?”

“Well, when you do, make sure that you choose the hot sexy one,” Nya answered with a completely straight face.  To her credit Evie waited maybe five whole seconds before she busted out laughing with Nya.  The light moment felt good in contrast to how they had all been feeling.

“Oh, just shut up.  Both of you.”  But Harley couldn’t help but laugh as well.  “How weird is it that I’m involved with a Lux?”  She knew that the Nocte and Lux didn’t associate but it wasn’t a secret—amongst the Nocte anyway—that there was something going on between her and Castor.

Evie looked to Nya, who shrugged.  “I’ve not known of a Nocte who has confirmed any rumors.  There have been rumors though.”

“Well, is it bad?” Harley asked.

“For who?” Nya asked.

“I don’t know?  Anyone!”

Nya laughed.  “The Vigilum definitely won’t like it but Castor should handle that.  As for the Nocte?  At worst you’ll be at the center of some rumor and gossip maybe.  Most of us really don’t care who puts what where and how often as long as you are doing your job.  As for you three?  That’s your business.”

Harley let out a noisy rush of air and flopped back onto the bed.

Nya and Evie left to make their preparations before Levi came back.  When he walked into the room Harley, who was still lying on the bed, sat up and looked at him through narrowed eyes.  He gave her a half smile and sat on the bed next to her.

“Do I even want to ask?”

“Nope,” he answered simply.

“Would it do any good to ask?”

“Nope,” he smirked at her.  After a few moments of silence Levi spoke again, his voice heavy and serious again.  “Do you wonder why I SEEM like I don’t mind about you and Castor?”

The question knocked the air from Harley’s lungs.  The million dollar question.  She carefully didn’t look at Levi.  Oh, man!  We’re having this conversation NOW?  “I’ve wondered,” she said simply.

Levi took a moment before answering.  Harley swallowed but didn’t interrupt.  “I think you feed from the light and the dark that we give you.  I think you Nocte draws on both energies.”

Harley still didn’t interrupt or look at Levi.  There was a truth to his theory and her Nocte agreed as well.

“I don’t like you being with someone else.  I don’t like thinking about him…”  He paused and started again with a new direction.  “I’m not jealous of him because I know that you aren’t going to choose him over me…well…maybe a little jealous despite knowing that,” he laughed.  Harley smiled at his attempt to lighten the mood.  “I know that you won’t choose him over me in the same way that I know you won’t choose me over him.  And I wouldn’t ask that of you.  What you need to do—I don’t’ like it anymore than Castor.  But, even if we are wrong and this isn’t your…I don’t—fate—destiny?  You believe it is.  And anything I can do to support you—I will.”

Harley finally met Levi’s gaze. His support meant a lot to her.  Levi’s strength made her stronger and challenged her and for that she was grateful.  On the other hand, Castor’s gentleness softened her rough edges.  And the energy that she acquired from them both strengthened her Nocte in ways that Ignis blood couldn’t.  She smiled at Levi.  She knew he was confident and strong enough to mean what he said.

Harley didn’t know how to respond to Levi.  So she didn’t.  Instead, she kissed him softly.  Levi gave her a small laugh and rolled on top of her.  He didn’t need to hear anything anymore than she needed to say it.  The look in his eyes made her stomach do the flip flop thing that she enjoyed so much and she wrapped her legs around his waist.  Her Nocte shook off her tiredness and suddenly started paying attention to what was going on.  If Levi and Castor are going to be in the same city very often, I’m definitely going to have to start feeding more regularly to keep my energy up for this.

--------------------------------

As the sun was just beginning to set, Harley rode towards the high school in the back seat of an SUV.  Their vehicle led a small convoy of two other SUVs that carried their reinforcements.  Castor was driving their truck and Levi sat next to him and they chatted idly.  She was uncomfortable with the two of them being so buddy-buddy.  Whatever they had talked about privately seemed to have put them on much more friendly terms than they had been before.  She tried to push the discomfort aside.  As far as her Nocte was concerned, the two men were hers.  Why shouldn’t they be friends?  It might even make things easier if they got along.  She looked to her left at Nya who was busy getting situated for the fight.  The other woman looked determined and serious and all of the Nocte, except for Harley, looked tired in the sunlight.  Even Cas was beginning to look tired as a result of the dying sun.

They had all went over and over the details of the plan but Harley was still worried something would go wrong.  She was the only one of the “good guys” who was not affected by the presence or lack of the sun at the moment.  The hope was to not have to fight long or hard, either way, the fight would be difficult in their conditions.  Harley’s thoughts were interrupted by Castor’s phone ringing.  He pulled it out of his pocket and answered it.

“Yeah?”  He was quiet while he listened to the voice on the other end.  “Good.  How confident are you?...OK.  Great.  Wait until you see us pull in, then join us.”  He hung the phone up and slid it back into his pocket.  “David said that there has not been any indication that anyone has been in the building all day.  They did some recon earlier and they are sure that there are booby traps and security so they didn’t try to enter the building.  We figured that would be the case.  If they had tried to get into the building and set off alarms it would have alerted Cutter to our plan and ruined everything.  So, they have just kept an eye on the building from afar all day.”

“Do we know for sure if Cutter even knows that we will be here today?” Harley asked.

“I’ll bet he is planning that we will be,” Levi said.

“I agree,” Castor nodded.

“Right,” Harley said.

“David also said that cars started arriving a few minutes ago.  He said as long as there wasn’t anyone already in the building, which doesn’t appear to be the case, then there are forty Burners waiting on us.”

Harley’s heart flopped and her stomach sank.  They knew that they would be outnumbered, they just hadn’t realized how badly.  They would be going into the building outnumbered nearly three to one.  Their group of fifteen, made up of five Lux and ten Nocte would be storming into the school to confront Cutter and his own personal Turba.

“Well,” Levi laughed humorlessly.  “I’m glad we brought extra weapons.”

“Did they find the ‘Eagle?’” Harley asked Castor.

“North, two blocks away from the school.”

Harley smiled to herself.  Gotcha!

“One more time,” Nya, who had moved from her shoes to checking her weapons, said.

Castor sighed but replied.  “I’m going to bring up the rear with the rest of the Vigilum.”  He wasn’t happy about it, but he knew that with his comrades fading it would be best to keep them out of the direct line of fire if at all possible.

“Levi?” Nya asked.

“I’m going in the south door with three.”

“And I,” Nya said, “am coming in east with four.”  She looked at Harley.

“I’m coming in North.  Heading right for Cutter—if he isn’t already running away.  If he is running, hopefully it will be right at me.”

Michael, one of the local Noctes would be coming in from the west with his group.

The plan was to either hold Cutter and the other Burners off or capture Cutter as soon as possible.  If everything went according to plan they wouldn’t need to fight long.  Castor ran his hand through his hair and she could see the weariness around his eyes.  We really need a break here, she thought.  The only reason they were risking bringing the Lux into the fight is because of how badly outnumbered they knew they would be.  Tired and compromised partners were better than too few partners.  Her Nocte agreed with her and she could feel the Nocte’s energy growing with excitement for the impending fight.

When Harley spotted the school in the horizon her heartbeat picked up the pace.  She looked at her traveling companions.  The Nocte were looking more energized by the minute.  Castor, on the other hand, was looking more ragged by the minute.  Her anxiety increased along with her excitement.  The school looked like any other high school settled in a small, Californian suburb.  The driveway in the front of the building was circular and that was where Castor slowly guided the SUV.  The rest of the Lux were already on their way to join them from their lookout positions.  There was no point in hiding or trying to be covert so they simply drove into the round driveway, parked and stepped calmly from the vehicle.

Castor walked around the SUV to stand beside Harley so that she was flanked on either side.  Cas to her right, and Levi to her left.  They waited for the others to join them.  Harley checked to make sure her weapons were secure.  She wore steel-toed motorcycle boots with small daggers strapped to each ankle.  She had her trusty Bowie strapped to her back.  Her chain was looped around her waist.  Her Nocte shivered with glee.  You are enjoying this entirely too much, she rolled her eyes at the devil coiled inside her.

When the rest of their forces joined them they began to split up and head off in their own assigned directions.  Nya smiled a genuinely warm smile at Harley before she turned to leave.  Levi met her gaze and his intense blue eyes said all that either of them needed to say.  He simply nodded and headed to the south entrance.  Harley could practically feel Castor’s heart beating next to her.

She gave him a steely glare.  “Do not play hero,” she ordered him.  His brow wrinkled, but she knew that he wouldn’t argue too much with the other Lux watching him.  “Spread out around the building like we agreed.  If any Ignis get out—take them down.  Unless it’s Cutter.  If it’s Cutter, notify me.  When the Eagle arrives you guys can provide escort, right?”

“That’s the plan, Cap’n,” Cas smirked at her with a mock, two finger salute.  His eyes were heavy lidded and there were bruise-like bags under them.  The other Lux looked the same and worry gnawed at Harley’s insides.

She rolled her eyes at him but didn’t say anything more as the Lux began to fan out around the building.  Instead, she trotted to the doors closest to the vehicles—the north entrance.  Everyone had small ear pieces and microphones that were fastened around their necks like choker necklaces.  By the time she arrived at the double metal doors she heard Nya’s voice speaking softly in her ear.

“In position.”

The notice was echoed by Levi.  Harley smiled wickedly into the security camera mounted around the doors.  She knew that Cutter was watching and she raised her hand and offered a small, sarcastic wave.  “In position.”

“On three,” Nya counted it off and Harley opened the doors and stepped inside the school.

Chapter 42

Harley let the door shut behind her and it closed with a metal thump.  Apparently, it there weren’t any booby-traps and alarms or they had been turned off to allow the Nocte to enter.  The first thing that she became aware of was the smell of the school.  It was the same for every school in the world.  It was processed lunches and paper and art supplies.  It brought back the memories of her own high school experience.  But that smell was quickly overridden by the secondary scent that she picked up—burning.  It was the smell that always accompanied Ignis—along with the humming that was currently so strong that it was becoming overwhelming.  Until she was able to push the buzzing aside, her vision was blurry at the edges.   She shook her head clear and turned to the right which was direction the beacon was coming from.

The long dark hallway was deserted, cold and sterile.  The left side was made up of lockers while the right hand side was display cases and memorabilia.  Harley could see her reflection as she passed the glass and she looked as tense as she felt.  At the end of the main hallway there was another that led off to the left.  Harley knew from the plans they had looked at earlier, that this hallway led to the gym—where the Burners seemed to have set up their stronghold.  With bangs and shouts, Harley could hear the attack begin.  She rushed forward with every nerve on edge and ready for a fight.

As Harley drew near the hallway that led to the gym she was able to pick up on an increased buzzing.  She knew this meant that there were Ignis even closer than the gym.  Sure enough, when she reached the hallway she slowed and listened before turning the corner.  She could hear footsteps approaching and she made out two distinct sets.  Not wanting to waste time, Harley darted around the corner drawing her knife as she went.  The Ignis were not as close as she had expected them to be—the immense amount of humming from the Burners was throwing her senses off.  The two in her hallway were about fifteen feet away—it was one man and one woman.  They stopped short when they saw her.

“Hi,” she said brightly.

The two recovered quickly from their surprise and rushed towards her.  She deflected the first one with a kick to the midsection.  The second Ignis, a female, lunged towards Harley with her blade drawn.  The woman blocked the attack and countered with one of her own.  Harley took a slice to the forearm as she kicked the woman away in time to meet the attack of the male who recovered from the initial kick Harley had given him.  The conflict didn’t end as quickly as Harley had hoped.  She had taken on more Burners at one time, but the female—being the more vicious gender as usual—complicated matters.  Harley spent more time than she cared for dodging the attack of the man and trying to gain the upper hand over the female.  Finally, Harley was forced to take a stab to the left shoulder from the male that gave her time to thrust her own knife into the temple of the female.  Removing her Bowie from the woman’s head would require a split second pause that she didn’t have time for.  Instead, she let her knife drop with the Burner’s body and turned to the male as she reached over her shoulder and pulled his knife free.  The pain was an agonizing fire and she knew that the blade must have grazed the bone.

The male Ignis didn’t hesitate in his attack on Harley.  As she turned and pulled his knife free from her shoulder, he attempted to throw her to the ground.  She stepped away not giving him the chance to get a good advantage.  Her left arm was clumsy and wasn’t working properly so she angled her right side towards the oncoming attack.  Having lost his weapon he resorted to a hands-on attack.  Harley was able to dodge the first punch, but caught the second in her ribs which knocked her breath out of her lungs.  Her arm had recovered enough that, while the Ignis was in for a close attack, Harley was able to grip his hair with her left hand.  As the man sunk another punch in her stomach he realized that he had made the mistake of letting a Nocte get a grip on him.  Harley sunk her teeth into his neck savagely.  The man managed several more feeble attempts to strike her, but in a matter of moments he was sinking to his knees making a pitiful moaning sound in his paralysis.

Harley stood over him until she had drained the life from him.  When finished she backed away and gasping for air.  She leaned against the wall and flexed her left hand.  She was regaining more control over it by the second.  A loud metallic bang rang out from the double, metal doors at the end of the hallway.  Harley’s focus was drug back to her destination as she again became aware of the sounds of the fighting from the gym.  She pushed away from the wall and, after retrieving her own knife from the burning Ignis at her feet and tucked the man’s knife into her holster as a spare.  She sprinted towards the gym eager to join her friends in the fight.  By the time she reached the doors the tingling in her left arm had begun to recede and she knew that it was mostly healed.  Ten minutes, at most, had passed since she entered the school and she took a deep breath before entering the gym.

When she opened the door, she found a macabre parody of a gym class.  Nocte and Ignis fought chaotically across the hardwood floor of the gym.  Harley spotted Levi engaged in a battle with three Ignis.  She took an instant to appreciate the power with which he fought.  Where Castor was a smooth, graceful dance of death—Levi was a raw, brawling onslaught.  Reluctantly, Harley turned from Levi, realizing that it was only a matter of time before he gained the upper hand with the three he faced.  She saw one Nocte that she didn’t know crawling across the floor trying to get away from the Ignis that stalked him.  Her heart sank and her first instinct was to dive in and help her comrade.  However, her focus shifted when she spotted Nya fighting Cutter.

As Harley made her way across the gym floor, carefully dodging fighters and spilled blood, she appreciated the strength and grace of her mentor.  The woman was beautiful, funny and sometimes a little crazy, but she was a powerful fighter who was currently trading blow for blow with the Ignis Harley had been trying to kill for months.  When Nya and Cutter spotted Harley making her way towards them they both halted their fighting.  Nya, realizing that Harley meant to take over with Cutter, darted away to help the Nocte who were outnumbered and needed assistance.  Cutter smiled as he readied himself for Harley.  She felt her Nocte growl and it bubbled up out of her own throat as she bared her fangs at the Ignis in front of her.

They both crouched and circled each other as the battles around them waged on.  Harley wanted desperately to kill Cutter.  Her mouth actually watered at the idea, but reason overrode her desires.  They had to force Cutter to set up the confrontation with the Rogue.  That was the goal.  Harley simply had to hold Cutter off for approximately five more minutes.   All the Nocte had to last just five more minutes.  They were so outnumbered that Harley didn’t know if they would be able to last that long.  From the corner of her eye she saw Levi, having dispatched the other three, turn to fight a second (or was it his third or fourth) wave.  Cutter, realizing her attention was diverted for a moment, lunged at her.

Harley deflected his attack and spun away from his follow up.  She made her own lunge at the Burner and he dodged her attack.  Harley rushed in to follow through and managed to bring her knee up into Cutter’s stomach.  But before she could drive her knife into his side, he slammed his upper body into her face and she stumbled backwards.  Cutter rushed towards her and managed to slice the inside of her thigh as she landed a roundhouse kick to his chin.  Ignoring the pain and rushing blood, Harley darted forward and with two quick swipes, laid open his chest and forearm.  She would have gotten better hits in had he not quickly shuffled backwards out of her reach.   Suddenly, from her right, she saw another Ignis rushing towards her and she shifted to keep both Ignis in her line of sight.  As she turned a third Ignis made his move from her left.

Harley could see Cutter examining his forearm.  Through the blood that dripped from his skin she could see the white glare of bone.  Her Nocte laughed and she smiled realizing the attack had been a bit more effective than she had at first thought.  She pulled the spare knife from its sheath and prepared herself to fight off all three Ignis with a knife in each hand.  Cutter narrowed his eyes at her and began to back away, giving more room to the two Ignis who had joined their fight.

“No,” Harley barked at him.

“Sorry, honey,” he leered.  “I’m outta here.”

Before he could turn away from their fight and cowardly run away, a loud blaring air horn blasted over the sounds of fighting.  Everyone paused at the unexpected sound.  A second blast spurred the Ignis and Nocte alike to turn towards the origin of sound.  It was coming from the north side of the gym.  The Burners were clearly confused and the Nocte relieved.  Before Harley got a clear view of the commotion at the front of the gym she saw the blur of movement coming towards her over her right shoulder.  She instinctively lunged forward trying to leap out of range.  She only made it part way, however, as Cutter drove his blade into her back.  The knife was large enough to be called a machete and it was long enough that it actually broke through the front of her stomach.  The force threw her forward and she cursed herself for stupidly taking her attention off him.  The air horn blasted again as she crashed face first onto the floor.

“Hey!”

Harley looked up to see Evie and Rafe making their way through the crowd towards them.  Evie led the way with the air horn in one hand a shiny, silver blade in the other.  She was on edge and watched the Ignis around her warily, ready for one of them to make a move.  Harley was surprised by the fierceness on Evie’s face.  She was used to Evie’s bubbling cheerfulness and the fight now etched on her face reminded Harley that Evie was Nocte after all and, by nature, a fighter.

Rafe followed Evie through the crowd.  The haughty look he usually wore was joined with a look of ready determination as well.  His right hand held a fist full of blonde hair and his left held a knife poised at the back of the blonde Ignis that always provided back up for Cutter.  The blonde woman looked furious and her face was bloody from injuries that had already healed.  Harley smiled at the sight before her and struggled to pull her legs underneath her to stand.  She was having trouble because of the blade that still protruded from her stomach.  It must have done some serious damage.  Every movement caused white hot pain to flash through her entire body.

From behind Rafe, Castor and his crew of Lux appeared.  Despite having not been in the fight, the Lux looked exhausted due to the lack of sunlight.  They all looked cautious and nervous, realizing that they were as vulnerable as a human would be right now.  When Castor spotted Harley lying on the hard floor he began to make his way towards her.  Her black eyes locked onto his green ones with a smile that he answered with a worried grimace at her condition.  Before he even made up half the distance between them, Harley felt a hand grasp hers.  Her initial alarm receded when she realized it was just Levi.  His shirt was ragged from knife wounds that were already healing.  His face was bruised and bloody and he looked like he could collapse from utter exhaustion.  His face was twisted with worry as he knelt beside her.

“Want me to pull that out?”

She gave him a small laugh.  “Yes, please.”  In one swift motion he yanked the huge blade from her back and she clenched her teeth to keep from crying out.  Castor joined them and knelt as well.

“Are you OK?”

“I will be,” she replied through clenched teeth.  She started to stand and as Levi and Cas both tried to help her up but she waved them off.  She turned to look at Cutter who, having realized the situation, had frozen behind her.  His turned his attention from Rafe, Evie and the blonde Ignis to glare at her.  Harley made a show of dusting herself off before speaking.   Levi pulled his ragged shirt over his head and held it out to her.  She wrapped it around her stomach making sure that it covered the entrance and exit wounds and knotted it tightly.  It was going to take a few minutes for those wounds to close and she wanted to avoid leaking blood everywhere.

When Harley was sure that she could speak in a voice that wasn’t strained with pain she turned to meet Evie and Rafe.  “Welcome,” she said with a smile.  “Glad you could join us.”

Evie smiled back, “Glad to be here.  Sorry we couldn’t get here sooner.  She put up a good fight.”

“Hello, Rafe,” Harley said politely.  He nodded back.

Cutter spoke from behind them.  “If you think I will trade my life for her life, you are wrong.”  Harley turned to face Cutter.  “Kill the bitch,” he said simply.  His words were cold and hard and, no doubt, mostly true.  However, the small twitch in his brown eyes gave the tiniest hint that he might care a little more than he let on.

“Oh, I’m sure you would let her die,” Harley smirked at him.  “That’s not what I’m offering though.”  Cutter waited for her to go on.  “Imagine just how much information she has.  Think of all the useful tidbits she has had access to since you have allowed her into your circle.”

Cutter swallowed hard.  Harley was gambling.  They all had banked on this gamble.  Harley had realized that there had to have been a reason that the blonde woman never actually joined in the fights.  It wasn’t just that Cutter didn’t think she belong in the fight.  A coward like Cutter wouldn’t hesitate to use as many Ignis as fodder that he needed to.  There had to have been another reason that the blonde woman always seemed to be around but safely outside of the fight.  Cutter didn’t want her involved in potential fighting.  Furthermore, she had to have been someone that he trusted enough to be his back up—his escape plan.  Cutter began to look doubtful and Harley grinned at him.

“How long do you think it will take to make her spill everything she knows?  And you know I can.  I made enough Ignis talk to track you down—twice.”

“What the fuck do you want?”  Cutter’s control was beginning to slip as he weighed the options.  He could do what they wanted and spare the blonde woman the pain he knew they could inflict.  Or he could just do whatever it was that they wanted that they were going to get one way or the other.

“What we want is simple.  We want you to arrange a meeting.”

“What?”  Cutter was dumbfounded.  “Who do you want a meeting with?”

“The Rogue,” Harley answered.

“The who?”

“The Lux you have been working with,” Harley’s answer clearly indicated that she fully expected him to know who she was talking about.

Cutter stared at her blankly for a minute.  “Seriously?  You mean Haddon?”

“Is that what he calls himself?”  Harley shrugged.  “Whatever his name is, you know who I mean.”

“I should have known,” Cutter mumbled a look of realization coming across his face.

“What?  Disappointed that you aren’t my number one target anymore?”

Cutter ignored the jab.  “What if I just say ‘fuck you’ and fight our way out of here?”

“You could try,” Harley said fairly.  “But then—that would just ruin everyone’s day.”  Cutter waited for her to explain.  Harley nodded at Rafe who reached around and raised his hostage’s shirt.  Under her shirt were several pasty looking blocks with wires that connected them.  Evie held up a small remote.  “If you try to disconnect it—boom.  If you try to leave without doing what we want—boom,” Harley explained.  Evie, it turns out, was quiet the bomb expert.  Harley smiled at her and Evie returned the gesture.

Cutter’s look should have been able to burn a hole in Harley with its intensity.  “Fine,” he shrugged, trying to look more nonchalant than he really was.  “Why do you want to meet him?”

Harley’s voice was hard when she answered.  “I want to put an end to whatever he is trying to do.  One on one—to the death.  If he wins—then he continues on his evil way.  If I win—” she shrugged, “then his work is over.”  Harley could feel her Nocte swell eagerly and she could feel the anxiety radiating from Castor and the steely resolve from Levi.  She looked to Nya and the gleam in her eye was pure excitement and fierceness.  The Burners began to shift nervously and mutter amongst themselves.

Cutter motioned towards his fellow Ignis.  “Stand down,” he commanded.  Slowly, all the Ignis began to make their way towards Cutter.  A figurative line had been drawn down the middle of the gym.  The Ignis stood on one side behind their leader, on the other were the Nocte and the Lux and one lone Burner hostage.

Cutter pulled a cell phone from his pocket and pushed a couple of buttons before placing the phone to his ear.  He only waited a moment before Harley could hear the mumble of a voice answer.  Even with her superior hearing he was too far away for her to be able to hear much.

“I have someone who wants to meet you,” he said simply.  He didn’t look at any of the Nocte as he spoke.  He glanced at the blonde female before turning his back to face the rest of the Ignis.  He listened for a moment.  “Yes.  Yes.  Her name is Harley—she’s issuing a challenge.  Right.  OK, I’ll let you know.”  Cutter hung up the phone and turned to face Harley.  Her heart pounded in anticipation.  This was their chance, their chance to put an end to the Rogue—Haddon’s—plan.  Their chance to stop Lux and Nocte and humans from being murdered.  “He’ll meet you.  Name the time and place.”

Harley’s body relaxed a little, but she also went numb at the same time.  What was to come was more than she could process at the moment.  “How about here.  At sundown in two days.”

Cutter glared at her.  “Done.”

Harley smiled at him and stepped forward until she reached the invisible line.  Cutter moved forward to meet her.  She bared her teeth at him.  “Just to let you know,” she growled.  “After I’m done with the Rogue I’m going to drain you dry.”

Cutter chuckled.  “We’ll see about that.”

Harley stepped back in between Castor and Levi.  She nodded at the south entrance behind Cutter and the other Ignis.  “Go out that door.  Take—what’s your name Blondie?”

The woman in Rafe’s grasp glared at her.  “Raven.”

Harley rolled her eyes, “Take Raven with you.  The remote has a half mile radius.  If you follow us we will detonate the bomb.  When we are half a mile away the device will deactivate on its own and you can remove it.”

“If you detonate it anyway—Haddon won’t be here to meet you.  The deal with be off.”

“Fair enough,” Harley responded.

Cutter continued to glare at her.  Rafe pushed the woman towards her fellow Ignis and each group backed away from the other.  Harley was the last through the double doors and for pure cheese factor she blew Cutter a kiss just before ducking out.

Chapter 43

Back inside the SUV Harley felt her exhaustion begin to show through her adrenaline.  Night had fallen but she had used so much energy in the fights that she was ready to sleep already.  Nya, the least tired and injured of them all drove, Levi rode shotgun again, and Harley sat behind him with Cas in the middle of the back seat.  Cas flopped an arm behind Harley’s shoulders and tipped his head back.  Within seconds he was seemingly unconscious.  Harley caught Levi’s eye in the side mirror and gave him a small smile that he returned.  No one talked.  They just wanted to get back to their hotel safely and rest and recover.  She looked at the wound in her stomach.  When she pulled the makeshift bandage away fresh blood seeped from the wound.  It wasn’t gushing at least--that was a positive sign.  With some rest she would be good in no time.  The wound was huge and she was just glad it didn’t seem to have damaged any major organs too badly.  She sighed, “I really need to get a machete.”  The others laughed softly.

“How’s the cut?” Cas asked her with slurring speech, apparently not asleep after all.

“Healing.”

“Good,” he said.

Harley stared at the night sky outside the truck.  It was entirely possible that she could die in two days time.  Even if she was the hero of this story, the hero died sometimes.  She shivered and forced herself to stop thinking about anything.  She wished she could talk to her Nocte.  She had so many questions she needed to ask.  She had never been able to initiate contact before though.  She could feel her Nocte’s frustration in agreement.  She would almost be willing to have Nya, or someone, injure her bad enough that she could talk to her devil.  But she needed her strength to fight in two days.  That wasn’t an option.

When they pulled into the hotel, Harley shook Castor until he finally peeled his eyes open and grumpily asked what she wanted.  “We are back at the hotel,” she snapped back.  She didn’t have the patience to coddle him.  “You need to go in and open the back door.  We can’t walk through the lobby covered in blood.”  He looked around and gathered his wits.  Wordlessly, he climbed out of the truck and stumbled into the lobby of the hotel.

“Am I that cranky when you try to wake me up during the day?” Levi asked.

Harley looked at him pointedly in the mirror as Nya put the SUV into gear and drove to the back side of the hotel.  The cars that carried the other Nocte and Lux were already parking when they arrived.  Everyone climbed from their vehicles and the Lux quickly stumbled into the hotel.

“We look like the biggest disaster party ever,” Nya joked.

“How many did we lose?” Harley asked.  She had hesitated to ask until now.

Nya met her eyes, “Two. Eric and Thomas.”

Harley’s heart sank again.  She had only just met the two California based Nocte but she hated to lose anyone.  She hoped that their deaths would be a part of stopping more from dying.  So many had died already.  Each death left its mark on Harley’s heart.  She nodded at Nya but didn’t say anything.  She followed Nya inside the hotel and Levi walked beside her without say anything.  Castor held the door open and in his cranky state he wasn’t able to keep the jealous look from his face when he saw Harley and Levi walking together.  Harley sighed and chose to ignore it.  She was too tired to deal with Castor’s issues tonight.

Castor left them to return to his room with the other Lux.  Harley and Levi entered their room and Levi flopped on the bed and turned the TV on, mostly for sound.  “You can have the shower first,” he said.

In the bathroom Harley looked at her reflection.  She had healing bruises on both sides of her face.  There was dried blood crusted around her nose and mouth and when she pulled off her torn shirt she could still see the raised scar that hadn’t healed yet cutting across her shoulder.  She untied Levi’s shirt and examine the wound on her stomach.  It was still a jagged fresh wound that had only just closed.  She stripped off the rest of her clothes and turned the water on hot enough to nearly scald her.  She tested the water with her hand and the contrast of the hot water and the air conditioned bathroom raised chills on her skin and her flesh felt raw and sensitive.  Before she got into the shower she turned and cracked the door open.  The door opening made Levi roll his head towards her.  “You want to join me?” she asked.  Levi smiled at her and rolled off the bed.

Harley and Levi washed the blood from each other’s backs and rubbed the soreness away from each other’s muscles.  After the shower they lay in bed.  Dawn was a couple of hours away but they were ready to sleep.  Before they drifted off, however, Levi grabbed her hand and pulled her closer.  Without preamble he threw her leg over his and suddenly he was inside her.  The sex was a formality to the real intent behind Levi’s actions.  He pressed her face into his neck as he kissed hers.  Harley hesitated.  She didn’t want to be a drain on Levi’s energy but they both knew they needed it and neither would feed if the other didn’t.  They had both been bruised, broken and cut in the fighting and they would both heal quicker if they feed from one another.  The sex was encouragement for them both to take what they needed.  Finally, Harley pushed her reservations away and sank her teeth into his neck.  Levi did the same and soon they were both satisfied.  Together they sighed, falling into the healing pleasure that came from feeding from each other.

-------------------------

The next day Harley, Castor, a red-haired Lux, Levi, Nya, and Evie sat in Castor’s room.  The Nocte had made their way downstairs before the sun set.  They all cringed away from the sun on the way to the Lux’s room, except for Harley.  In Castor’s room they set about making plans for the fight the next day.  Levi and Cas both were on edge and kept arguing with each other and trying to talk over one another.  Nya watched with an amused look on her face and Evie mostly looked annoyed by their bickering.  The red-hair Lux, Julie, just looked confused and was defensive for Castor’s sake.  Harley could tell that Julie just thought they weren’t getting along due to their different natures.

“Enough,” Harley barked.  Everyone stopped talking and looked to her.  “The only real plan that needs to be made is what to do if I die.”  Both Levi and Castor started to protest.  “Just shut up and listen.  Both of you.  If I die, you ALL have to make sure that the Rogue doesn’t make it out alive.”

“Too bad we can’t sneak another bomb in,” Evie said regretfully.

They all agreed.  They had already determined that they wouldn’t be able to bring a bomb in again.  The Burners would surely be expecting that.  And if they found a bomb, Harley was sure, that they wouldn’t let her and Haddon fight it out on their own.  A bomb would be a sure indication that they didn’t plan on allowing any Ignis out of the building.  And if they came in with a one Haddon wouldn’t show.  They were well aware of the fact that once Harley and Haddon got done fighting, no matter how it turned out, it was highly unlikely that the Ignis would just walk away.  There was no doubt in any of their minds that the Ignis would attack after Harley and Haddon’s fight. Harley and her partners were prepared for that event they just didn’t want to incite it before it had to happen.

Harley felt the anxiety ball up in her stomach.  It was made of excitement as well as apprehension.  If I’m lucky—if I win—I will be able finally take care of Cutter.  She knew that he wouldn’t miss the fight.  And she also knew that if she did win, she would unlikely be in any shape to go after Cutter.  “You have to promise me something else.”

Everyone agreed.  “If I die,” she ignored the looks that Levi and Cas gave her, “you also have to make sure that Cutter dies as painfully as possible.”

“Done,” Levi said quickly.

“Agreed,” Castor added.

They continued to hash out ideas before finally agreeing that they had all talked the subject to death.  The Nocte stood to leave; all of them needed to find Ignis to feed.  Before Harley could leave the room Cas caught her hand and held her back.  Levi caught her eye and his jaw tightened.  “Bring me back a snack?” she asked with a smile.  Levi nodded and shut the door behind him.

She turned to look at Cas.  His green eyes glowed down at her until they slowly faded to white.  She smiled at him and pulled him closer.  Castor didn’t hesitate to kiss her back and she pushed him towards the bed without pulling away.  He was taller than Levi and she had to stretch to reach his mouth.  When they fell back on the bed Harley straddled Castor’s waist and she could feel her fangs slide down.  Her Nocte purred, pleased with Harley’s acceptance of what they both needed.

Castor pulled Harley’s clothes off and she watched him with an amused smile on her face.  Everywhere that Cas touched burned in the best ways possible.  Her entire body ached to feel him inside her and against her skin.  There was no comparison between Levi and Castor, and it would be unfair to try.  They were both so different.  Nearly opposite ends of the spectrum.  Soft and hard.  Easy going and emotional.  Complacent and aggressive.  Harley gripped Castor’s hair with his face between her legs and arched her back.  She pulled him roughly, but playfully, up her body until they were face to face.  She kissed him and could taste herself against his mouth and it only made her blood boil harder.

Harley wrapped her legs around Cas and rolled so that she ended up on top of him again.  She leaned forward and kissed his neck as she reached between them and guided him inside her.  She ran her teeth over his neck and he moaned in agreement.  She grabbed his hands and placed them against her head.  “You too,” she whispered.

His white eyes met her black ones.  “No.  Not when you need all over your strength.”

“Don’t argue with me.  It won’t take anything away from me that I need.” she smiled at him and he shook his head but stopped resisting.  The brilliant white light exploded in her head as she sank her teeth into his flesh and they both burned with shared ecstasy.

Afterwards, Harley allowed herself a few minutes to lay with Castor.  She wanted to believe that it was just because she knew it would make him happy.  But she could only pretend that for so long.  She lay on her stomach and Cas lay on his side next to her.  He ran his finger tips over her back, just barely making contact with her skin.  The tender touch raised goose pimples along her skin.  A sigh slid out of her without her even realizing it was going to happen.  Harley tensed and rolled over onto her side to face Castor.

Castor sighed and pulled his hand away.  “Why do you do that?”

Harley stiffened.  “Do what?”

“Pull away.”

Harley sighed again, this time out of frustration.  “What do you want from me?”

Castor sighed again.  “I want you to let go.  Just because you care about someone doesn’t mean you are weak.”

Part of her wanted to lash out at Castor and stop him from looking at her with that gentle look in his eyes.  But she stopped herself.  It wasn’t fair for her to treat Castor badly.   “This is how things are Cas.  You have to get used to that.”  Cas watched her with a clenched jaw.  I have a mission—a job to do here.  You can be a part of it or not.  That’s your choice.  But I’m not going to go all gushy-hearts-and-flowers for you.”  She turned away, not wanting to see the hurt look in Castor’s green eyes.  When she felt his hand gently stroke her arm she let out the breath that she hadn’t realized she was holding.

“Have you considered what you fighting the Rogue will do to the balance?” Castor asked her, changing the subject.

Harley had but she didn’t acknowledge that she had.  When she didn’t respond Castor continued.  “You said you thought you were here because he was here.  Well, what does that mean for when he is gone?”  Cas was obviously refusing to admit that she could lose the fight.

“I don’t know,” she said finally.  That was a whole can of worms that she didn’t want to open just yet.  She knew that balance was necessary.  A Nocte as strong as hers was here because a Lux as strong as the Rogue was here.  What would happen after the Rogue was dead and she was left—or vice versa.  An imbalance would be created again.  Will that let something even worse through? She wondered.

They lay together for a few more minutes before she climbed from the bed.  She needed sleep badly.  Without saying a word she kissed him softly on the lips and he only hesitated a moment before kissing her back.  Harley quickly dressed and left the room.

----------------------------

As Harley walked back to her room she took a deep breath and concentrated on her body and the injuries that she had sustained.  She felt great, stronger than ever in fact.  She knew it was, in part, due to feeding from Castor and Levi.  But she also was sure that it was something else.  Every time that she had been noticeably injured, she felt stronger than before once she healed. She got stronger every time she healed from a major wound.  Right now, she practically felt like she could and fly to her and Levi’s room.

When she opened the door she found Nya and Evie already in the room.  On the floor there was an Ignis bound and gagged.  It was an older man who didn’t look as if he had been an Ignis for long.

“A gift from Levi,” Nya laughed.

Harley returned the laugh and shut the door.  “How in the world did you get him in here without anyone noticing?”

“No one ever pays attention,” Evie laughed.

Nya watched as Harley walked to the table and flopped into a chair.

“OK,” Nya said looking at Evie.  “You owe me five dollars.”  To which Evie rolled her eyes and extended an IOU.

“What are you guys betting on?”  Harley had a bad feeling about this.

“You’re not walking bow-legged at all.  I bet Nya that by now you would be.”  Evie busted out laughing and Nya laughed along.

Harley’s mouth fell open and she picked up the little monogrammed, standard notebook that came with all hotels and threw it at Evie.  She had great aim and it hit her right between the eyes.  Which only made them laugh harder.

Evie looked closer at Harley.  Harley was wearing a small camisole as a tank top and a pair of sweat pants.  Evie was looking at her stomach that showed below the end of the shirt.  A look of puzzlement crossed her California features.  “How are you completely healed already even though you haven’t fed yet?”

Harley looked at her stomach.  She didn’t even have a scar today thanks to her feeding and her extra quick healing abilities.  “Um, I just heal really quickly.”  Evie shook her head impressed.  Nya just studied her with a knowing look.  Harley shrugged and asked how the hunting went as a means of changing the subject.

“Great,” Evie said.  “We are all feeling super fresh and ship-shape.”

Harley still wasn’t comfortable feeding in front of people so she left the Ignis lying on the floor.  The man took turns glaring at them all.

Finally, Evie seemed to pick up on Harley’s hesitation and left the room.  Nya hadn’t moved from her spot on the bed and her presence didn’t bother Harley as much.  Harley ignored Nya as she slid out of the chair and crouched over the Ignis on the floor.  After she was done feeding, Nya helped her move the body to the bathtub so it wouldn’t mess up the floor when it burned.  Harley flopped onto the bed enjoying the lingering euphoria from the feeding.

“I’m curious,” Nya began sitting at the table.

“About?”

“You recently fed from Castor or Levi, right?”

Harley cringed.  It was weird to talk about it to someone else and she was sure how Nya even knew.  “Well, yeah,” she said burying her face in the comforter.  “How did you know I have been feeding off them?”

“It wasn’t hard to put two and two together.”  Harley could hear the eye roll in Nya’s voice.

“And you still can—want—to feed from an Ignis too?”

“Oh.”  So that was where Nya was going.  “Yeah.  It’s like…different.  Castor and Levi are different kinds of feeding.  It fills a different part of me.  Does that make sense at all?”

“I think so,” Nya said thoughtfully.

“To be honest.  I probably could go without one or the other.  And I would even be OK for a long time without any.  But you know…why do that,” she laughed.

Nya laughed as well.  “Makes sense.”

“Why do you think I want to feed on Castor and Levi?  I don’t want to feed on anyone else—other than Ignis.   I mean, I don’t want to feed on you or Evie or anyone else.”

Nya was thoughtful.  “When did you first want to feed from Castor and Levi?  Before or after you had sex with them?”

“With Levi, it was right away.  Right after the bond began, of course.  With Cas…it was before I ever had sex with him.”

“Honestly,” Nya began. “I think you could feed off anyone you wanted.  I don’t know about humans, but I’m sure you could feed off any Nocte or Lux.  I think the desire to feed from your two boys is just that strong because of the close connection you have with them.  You said before that you felt like you ‘owned’ Levi, right?”

“Yeah, more or less.”

“Do you feel the same way about Castor?”

“Yeah.”

“I think your Nocte is used to having what she wants.  I think those feelings are coming from her more than you.  I think Castor and Levi both fill a purpose—they give you and your Nocte something you both need.  And you them,” she added as an afterthought.

Harley rolled over and stared at the ceiling.  “That makes sense,” she said.  “Levi thinks that it is their light and dark energies both feeding my Nocte.”

“I absolutely agree with that.  And Levi would be able to recognize it even better than I could. I’m sure he can sense the balance that it offers you.”

“I also heal even quicker after feeding from either of them.  And the same goes for them.  We all feel stronger too.  Why is that?”

Nya was silent for a while before answering.  “When you feed from Levi or Castor you are bringing the power of another Nocte or Lux to combine with your own.  With Levi you are mixing a power with itself.  Like when red paint gets becomes a stronger red when you add more red to it.   I think it’s the same sort of principle.  Even though Castor is a Lux I think its similar.  You are adding a “good” power—a power stronger than an Ignis power to your own.”

“Why don’t all Nocte or Lux do this?”

“I don’t think we can,” Nya said simply.

Harley sighed.  “Why am I different?”  She had asked Nya the question so many times before but she hadn’t had a good answer then.  Harley naively hoped that she would this time.

Nya sighed.  “I still don’t have a good answer for that.”

“Is it just a coincidence that I got a Nocte who is so strong?”  She felt her Nocte disagree with that before Nya could even speak.

“No.  I don’t think that’s it.  I said before, during your change, that any person or Nocte weaker than you both are would have died before the bond even took.  I think you two were strong enough for each other.”

Harley shook her head.  “I never thought of myself as being stronger than anyone else.”

Nya flopped onto the bed next to her.  She propped herself up on her elbows and considered Harley for a moment before speaking.  “You have lived a rough life.  You came out it a well adjusted adult.  That takes a lot of strength.”

Harley looked at Nya with narrowed eyes.  “But a lot of people had shitty childhoods.  Some worse than mine.  And a lot of people come out of it just fine.”

Nya smiled at her.  “I didn’t say you were the strongest person in the world.  I just said that you and your Nocte were strong enough for each other.”  Harley shrugged but didn’t say anything else.

Neither woman spoke for a while.  “Do you think I’m being unfair to Castor and Levi?” she finally asked Nya.

Nya thought before answering the question.  “Do you love them?”

Harley didn’t know how to answer that question.  “I don’t know.  I feel like…they are mine.  I don’t want them to be with anyone else.  And honestly, I really don’t want anyone else either. “

“You don’t feel the need to add a third to the stable?” Nya laughed deviously.

“Oh, how funny,” she answered with mock anger.  “But no, not particularly.

“They seem, mostly, OK with it,” Nya remarked.

“Mostly, yeah.  It seems to bother Cas more than Levi though.”  She realized she felt a small bit of regret about that.

“I wouldn’t assume that Levi isn’t bothered by it just because he might not show it as much as Castor.  Levi just has tremendous self control.  I think they both understand how the situation has to work.”

“You’re right,” Harley agreed.  She was still slowly adjusting to the way her life worked now.

“I’m going to go see what Evie has gotten into.  Do you want to come?” Nya asked.

“Nah, I’m just going to hang out here.”

Nya left the room and Harley continued to lie on the bed, staring at the ceiling.  She found herself wishing Levi and Castor both were here.  She chuckled to herself.  She knew that they both tolerated each other because that is the way things were.  But the three of them lying in bed together wasn’t going to happen.  They both had too much pride for that.

Harley wondered where Levi was.  This was potentially the last night she was alive, and he was nowhere to be found and dawn was approaching.  No sooner than the thought crossed her mind than she heard and felt Levi coming down the hallway.  He came into the room quietly and was carrying a large bag that he set gently at his feet.

“What’s that?” Harley asked him.

“A present,” he smiled his half smile at her.

“For me?  What’s the occasion?”

Levi didn’t answer.  Harley sat up on the bed and Levi handed her the bag after removing his hoodie.  The bag was heavy and she raised her eyebrows at him.  He gestured towards the package and she opened it.  Inside was a box which she pulled it from the bag.  It was about three feet long and heavy.  It didn’t have any markings on the outside to give her any sort of clue as to what it held.  She lifted the lid and gasped, then burst out laughing.

“How the hell did you find this so quick and at this time of night?”  Harley lifted a heavy, silver bladed machete from the box.

Levi laughed.  “Some of the local Nocte knew some people.”

Harley stood and tested the weight of the blade.  The handle was leather and fit perfectly in her grip.  “I love it! Thank you.”  Inside the box was also a leather carrying harness that would fit on her back and she slide the machete into the sheath and set it aside.  She flopped back onto the bed and watched Levi undress without speaking.  He slid into the bed with her wordlessly.  They both relaxed into each other and shut the world out around them.  Neither of them was willing to discuss the events that would take place tomorrow.  Neither of them was willing to admit that there was a chance that Harley—or any of them—could die.

Chapter 44

Harley stood in the gym with the small army of Nocte and Lux behind her.  Nya, Evie, Castor and Levi were the closest to her.  The other Lux and Nocte stood behind them.  They all stood behind the invisible line and waited for the Turba and the Rogue to arrive.  No one spoke—mostly because no one knew what to say.  Harley could feel her Nocte writhing in anticipation.  She could feel the tension rolling off Levi and Castor as they stood behind her.

Harley forced the nervousness to leave her body by blocking it out.  If she didn’t get control then she wouldn’t stand a chance.  They all knew that the Rogue was going to be powerful.  If he was a match to Harley he was bound to strong.  He had already killed Cassandra and she was an incredible fighter.  He had been killing Lux, Nocte and Ignis alike—that took real power and strength.  She took comfort in the weight of the machete on her back.  If each of them became stronger each time they fed…she swallowed hard.  The Lux had killed a lot of humans, Lux, Ignis and Nocte.  If their theory was right, it was going to take everything she had to defeat him.

Suddenly, Harley felt a buzzing against her skull.  “They’re here,” she said softly.  No one spoke but the tension had increased noticeably.  The buzzing increased as they entered the building.  Without warning she was nearly knocked off her feet when what felt like a jackhammer kicked on inside her skull.  “What the fuck?” she grabbed her head and stumbled backward into Levi and Castor.  They steadied her as she bent over trying to get her breath.

“What is it?” Nya knelt in front of her.

“I’ve never felt anything like this,” she said through clenched teeth.  “It’s stronger than any Ignis or Lux I’ve ever encountered before.”

“Breathe,” Nya said soothingly.  “You need to push this away.”

“I know.”  She forced herself to take deep breaths.  She could feel her Nocte surging with anger.  With every breath she was able to push the pain in her skull aside.  It was hard to do considering the Rogue was coming closer.  Levi and Castor knelt beside her.  Cas grabbed her chin and forced her to look at him in the eyes.

“Look at me,” he said firmly.  His voice was filled with concern.  There was sweat on his forehead and he looked strained.  “Shut it out OK.”

Castor’s hand was warm on Harley’s face and her vision brightened as she looked at him.  She could see his eyes wash out to impossibly pale, almost the sickly white of his Lux, and she wondered what he was doing.  The pain subsided steadily until she was able to block it out altogether.  It was a good thing too.  She didn’t have time to ask Castor what he had done because no sooner than she stood straight did the gym doors open and the Ignis began filing in.

Harley wasn’t able to count how many Ignis came in.  She lost count around fifty.  Cutter came in behind the first cluster of Ignis.  He looked smug as usual.  Behind him entered a normal enough looking, unassuming man.  He was less than six foot and solidly built but not overly muscled.  He had short light brown hair and looked like he would have been at home in a law office before he became a Lux.  But looks were deceiving.  He had a sword strapped to his back and she could see the power radiating off him.  It almost hurt to look directly at him.  When Harley laid eyes on him she felt her Nocte roar and her eyes quickly dilated to black.  The look of disgust and anger on her face was mirrored in the Rogue’s.  Only his eyes had faded to a sickly white.  Wow, she thought to herself.  The amount of rage that her Nocte carried towards this creature was immense.

When the Rogue’s eyes locked onto hers she felt the rage burning inside her.  Harley wanted to end this.  Now.  She knew that if she didn’t things would only get worse.  Beyond that, she felt the very old vendetta that her Nocte carried for the creature in front of her.  Besides the awful things he was guilty of in this world, Harley knew he was guilty of something much worse wherever he and her Nocte came from.  She took a deep breath.  Beyond the burning smell of the Ignis Harley could pick out a sick and decayed smell that she knew was the Rogue.  As it washed through her, she heard chanting and singing that had accompanied his arrival in this world.  She felt the power behind the belief that people had placed in this creature.  The worship that Sol Invictus had heaped upon the Rogue had only increased his confidence and vileness.

As the Rogue drew closer and Harley got a better look at him she shuddered.  If Harley met him as a human, he would have been a person that she would have been able to tell was no good right away.  It was the cold, calculating look in his white eyes that marked him as one of the worst of the worst.  He smiled at her and it only made the whole impression worse.  Harley was not surprised that this creature had caused so much trouble.  The only surprising thing was that he was a Lux.  She didn’t even get this bad of a feeling from Ignis.  It just didn’t seem possible that this man was a creature that came from light.  It was a grotesque exaggeration of a wolf in sheep’s clothing.

Both the Lux and Nocte and the Ignis began spreading out in the classic circle surrounding Harley and the Rogue.  She would have found it almost humorous under different circumstances.  Neither Harley nor the Rogue was interested in preamble.

“Nice to finally meet you, Harley.  My name is Haddon.  I believe you call me the Rogue however,” he nearly laughed.  His voice was almost musical with his light accent.  He spoke perfect English but you could tell that he came from Italy.  Harley got the impression that he was speaking to her Nocte as much as to her.  His voice made her skin crawl and she curled her lip in a smirk.

“I can’t say the same.”  Harley retorted and Haddon sneered at her response.  “What does the Sol Invictus want?” she asked him.

If he was surprised they knew about the cult he didn’t let on.  “What does any religious group want?  To save the world,” he spread his arms in an exaggerated embracing gesture.  The sarcasm in his voice revealed his feelings about the Sol Invictus’ goal.  They had no idea what they have gotten into, Harley thought to herself sadly.  She hoped that if—when—she defeated the Rogue, they would be able to stop the Sol Invictus before they caused more damage.  “Let’s cut to the chase and do this.”

He leered at her and gave her a look that said plainly that he would like to eat her alive.  “Fine by me.  What are your terms?”

Harley snorted sarcastically.  “To the death.  And a fair fight.  No one else interferes.”

“Agreed,” Haddon said.  He looked around at the circle of Ignis behind him.  “No one else will get involved in our fight.  Afterwards though, everyone is fair game.  Right?”  He returned his attention to Harley.

“Sure.”  The confidence in Haddon’s voice caused her Nocte to twitch in anger.  He was so sure that he was going to win.

“Weapons?” He asked.

“Whatever you have on you now.”

“I accept those terms.”

Harley nodded her body tensed as she readied herself for the fight to begin.  She bent her knees and drew her machete.  She loved the sing of the blade sliding free of its sheath.  Haddon drew his sword—a samurai sword by the looks of it, and mirrored her stance.  They began circling each other slowly shutting out those around them.  If it wasn’t such a serious situation Harley would have felt the need to roll her eyes.  Who would have ever though that this actually happened.  The “unrealness” of being surrounded by a circle of warriors while fighting to the death with the ultimate bad guy was too weird to fully process.

Neither Harley nor Haddon launched an attack for a while.  Instead, they moved slowly, sizing each other up.  Harley took note of the smooth, gracefulness of his movements.  But as agile as Haddon seemed, there was definite power behind the way his body moved.  He never took his eyes off hers, yet his steps didn’t hesitate once.  He was a lion stalking its prey.  Harley waited for the Rogue to make his move.  She preferred to evaluate his offense before displaying her own.

As Harley expected, Haddon soon drew tired of circling and attacked.  Lightening quick, he darted forward arcing his blade towards her body—he was so fast his movements were blurred.  Harley was taken aback by his speed.  She had never encountered someone as fast as the Rogue before.  He made Cutter look downright human in comparison.  She just barely side stepped out of the path of his blade.  Harley let him make several more offensive moves while playing defense.  Once she had not been able to move quickly enough and had been forced to deflect his blow with her silver machete.  The metal clanged loudly and she felt the vibrations hum through the handle and into her hand.  Even though she was on the defensive she wasn’t overwhelmed by Haddon’s attacks so far.  She was simply getting a feel for his style of fighting.  All the while her Nocte moved with her and she could feel the devil’s loathing toward the creature in front of her.  It burned so hot that Harley could feel it bleeding from her black eyes.  Her teeth were clenched and her fangs were extended.  She felt like an animal ready to pounce

Harley tried to adapt to the Lux’s speed but it was everything she could do to keep up with him.  Finally, Harley found an opening and without a split second to think about it, she took it.  As Haddon arched his blade upwards she ducked the blow and lashed out below with her machete.  It was her first attack and it was not successful.  The Rogue was able to dodge the blow and retaliate with a kick to the ribs that Harley wasn’t able to avoid.  The Rogue was strong indeed.  Harley was sure that the kick cracked some ribs and she fell back to regain her breath.  The Rogue didn’t follow her and Harley was surprised.  Had it been her she would have continued the attack while she had the momentum.  Instead, Haddon held his position and smiled at her.  It was purely condescending and she felt her blood boiling.  She knew she needed to avoid letting her anger take over.  If she lost her concentration she would lose all hope of defeating the Lux.

Harley closed the distance between them again.  She could see the crowd around them cheering and yelling but she had effectively blocked them out and couldn’t hear anything other than her own panting breath and the Rogue’s even breathing.  The background sounds became white noise behind her.   From the corner of her eye she could see her friends quietly standing at the sidelines looking tense.  Levi and Nya’s eyes had blackened out and even Castor’s eyes had faded to white in excitement of the fight.  She refocused her attention on Haddon as he made another move to attack.  Harley worked hard to block all of his attacks.  Previously, when she had encountered an opponent who was stronger than her, she was able to use her speed to overcome any deficiencies in strength.  However, this wouldn’t be the case with the Rogue.  Harley knew that she needed to let go and stop thinking.  Her Nocte agreed with her.  Harley needed to work with the devil inside her if she was going to have a chance to win.

Harley slowly fought to release the tension in her body as she blocked move after move from Haddon.  She focused on Haddon’s cold white eyes and slowly she began to pick up on the ever so subtle tells that preceded his attacks.  Haddon’s eyes would flicker for a fraction of a second to where ever he planned to strike.  Harley could feel her Nocte gather for a strike and she allowed herself to be carried along.  She blocked two quick attacks with singing clangs of metal before she threw her weight forward with a power move that caught the Rogue off guard.  Harley had anticipated his last strike enough that she was able to carry herself forward off the block.  Harley finally scored the first real strike in the battle, which had already lasted more than five minutes, with a solid gash to Haddon’s ribs.  The machete sliced through his skin like it was paper.

Haddon leapt backwards with a snarl.  He was only thrown for a second before he recovered and countered with a vicious attack of his own.  Harley wasn’t able to block all the thrusts and took a wicked slash from the Lux’s sword on her shoulder.   The wound didn’t reach the bone but she felt how far it had sunk into the muscle.  Her entire arm burned and unfortunately the wound was her right arm.  She was right handed so unless she healed quickly she would be left at a major disadvantage.  Harley attempted to retaliate but found herself missing two back to back attacks.  She realized that Haddon was forcing her to move backwards towards the Ignis behind her and she quickly spun away from his attacks in order to move back towards the center.  The Burners were supposed to stay out of the fight, but she didn’t trust that they would obey that order.

Harley and Haddon continued to parry back and forth, metal against metal, before Harley became aware of another problem.  In addition to her increasingly aching shoulder, the blood from the wound was running down her arm and now that it had reached her hand her grip was beginning to slip on the leather handle.  After missing another thrust with her machete Harley was able to land a solid left punch to the Rogue’s jaw which caused him to stumble away from her.   She moved in to follow up but when Haddon spun out of the hit he followed through with his sword and she just barely brought her blade up for a block before his sword connected with her face.  Due to the speed and power behind the attack, and her slickened grip, the clash of the blades caused her machete to fly out of her hand and clatter across the floor.  There was no point in trying to reclaim her machete.  Before she would be able to reach it, Haddon would be on her.

Haddon swung with all his might, going for her neck with his sword.  Harley didn’t think before she reacted.  As Haddon raised the weapon she ducked into and under his sword.  She moved fast enough that he was unable to react in time.  She managed to grasp his sword hand in both of hers and bring in down over her shoulder while at the same time twisting her upper body.  The move caused Haddon to cry out and drop his sword.  Harley wasn’t able to let go and make a play for his sword without leaving herself open to attack so she chose to kick the sword away to keep him from reclaiming it.  Both weapons had slid within reach of the crowd and were nowhere to be seen now.  Haddon made a move to put her in a choke hold but she drove her elbow into his stomach and darted out of his grasp facing him poised to fight hand to hand.

Both Harley and Haddon rushed towards each other again.  They traded blow for blow and kick for kick.  Harley could feel the damage the hits were causing.  Cracked ribs, a broken nose, at least one broken knuckle.  She was just barely holding her own and she didn’t know how much longer she would be able to hold out.  The Rogue was too fast and too strong.  Harley felt her cheek bone give way underneath a vicious punch from Haddon’s right fist.  As the punch spun her in a half circle the Rogue drove a powerful kick into her lower back.  As the kick landed Harley felt bones in her lower spine splinter.  The breaking wasn’t as painful as she would have expected.  Instead, the hit was immediately following by a sickening numb feeling that spread through her legs.

Harley crashed face first into the hard wooden floor.  It only took a split second before Haddon was on her.  He was attempting to capitalize on the damage done by the kick.  Haddon began stomping on her lower back repeatedly.  Each stomp cause excruciating pain to spasm through her body and legs.  She raised her head and tried to crawl away from the brutal attack.  She still wasn’t able to use her legs for more than trembling spasms.  She had so many injuries and had expended so much energy, her body was not healing at its normal pace.  As it was, she would be dead before her back healed.  As she looked into the crowd she saw that she was facing her own side.  Her eyes met Nya’s and despite the woman’s attempt to look passive, Harley could see the worry in the set of her mouth.  Levi looked like he was going to be sick.  He gripped Nya’s arm in one hand and Castor’s in the other.  It looked like he was supporting Nya but it looked as if his grip was the only thing holding Castor back from running into the fight.  Harley was grateful that Levi was holding Cas back.  If anyone ran into the fight the Burners would follow suit and it would become an all hell would break loose.  She needed to finish this before the situation was complicated and more people got hurt.  When Harley’s black eyes met Castor’s white eyes she was hit with a bolt of white hot heat.

Harley wasn’t aware of what was happening, but her Nocte was and Harley let go.  She could feel her Nocte’s desperate fight to pull energy from Castor and Harley’s hope began to reignite.  As Haddon continued to stomp on her back Harley could feel Castor’s energy flowing into her.  Just as when she fed from him.  She didn’t know how it was happening now without physical contact but she didn’t question it because it was working.  Each millisecond that went by Harley regained more and more strength in her body.  She couldn’t look away from Cas and he didn’t seem to be able to either.  No one else seemed aware of what was going on until Cas dropped to his knees with blood pouring from his nose.  Whatever she was doing was apparently draining the life out of him.  Harley tried to stop as Levi knelt next to Castor and looked from the Lux to Harley with confusion and shock spreading across his face.    Harley saw Randall materialize out from the crowd of Nocte, followed by Alice.  She hadn’t even realized that they were here.  When Randall saw Castor’s condition he looked from Cas to Harley and back to Cas.  The look on his face said he knew exactly what was going on.

Harley fought to break free of her hold on Castor.  If she didn’t he would die, she knew that for sure.  With a gasp she finally tore herself free and the blinding white light at the edges of her vision faded.  Castor collapsed and Harley had to turn her attention back to the fight.  She knew that she would never be able to defeat Haddon if she didn’t end it now.  Realizing that she could move her legs again and she reacted instantly.  She flipped so that she was on her back facing Haddon as he raised his boot again.  Before he could drive it into her stomach she caught his foot and rolled yanking him off balance and causing him to crash to the floor.  Harley knew that her Nocte was in more control than she was at the moment and Harley didn’t fight it.  She clawed her way from the Rogue’s feet up his legs and onto his back.  He began to struggle and buck trying to throw her off.  Harley yanked his head back by his hair and drove her fist into the side of his face.  The hit stunned him long enough for Harley to straddle him and pull his head back even harder.  Harley knew that she would never be able to physically defeat the Rogue.  He was too fast and too strong.  And Harley knew that if she couldn’t stop him, no one would be able to.  She was here, her Nocte was here, solely for the purpose of stopping the Rogue.  Listening to her Nocte, Harley did the one thing that she knew would defeat the Rogue Lux and at the same time preserve the balance between light and dark.  Harley sank her teeth into the Rogue’s neck.

As the Lux’s blood surged into her mouth Harley was blasted out of her body.  The power and energy and life force in that initial taste were beyond anything she had imagined.  It was indescribable and left her in a state of stupor.  She imagined that it was the taste of sunlight and life itself.  When she finally became aware of her surroundings she realized that she was floating above the gym staring down at herself on top of Haddon.  Haddon writhed beneath her and she could tell that he was screaming but she couldn’t hear anything.  The crowd of Ignis and Nocte began to surge towards each other.  The Ignis were trying to reach her and Haddon but the Nocte and Lux were trying to hold them off.  Randall and Alice were pulling Castor away and she was glad to see that he was alive.  He was feebly trying to join the fight.  But he didn’t even have the energy to stand so the Lux had no problems removing him from the gym.

Levi was trying to make it to Harley’s side but had to fight off the Ignis first.  Harley wasn’t able to see Cutter anywhere.  Harley watched herself feed on the Lux below and she was surprised to see black veins appearing through her skin.  Her fingers looked longer than normal as they gripped the Rogue’s hair and chin.  She knew that she was seeing the Nocte appearing through her body and the shock at that sight felt like she was suddenly dunked into ice water.  Without warning, Harley felt herself falling back towards her body.  She crashed into herself with shattering iciness and at the same time she broke her grip on the Rogue’s neck.  He was lying dead beneath her.  The ice in her limbs immediately melted into a blazing fire that became unbearable in a matter of seconds.  Harley rolled off Haddon’s body and writhed against the pain.  The burning was so great she was sure that one of the Ignis had set her on fire but she could see that her body was not in flames.  The scream that ripped from her throat came from something that was far from human.  It had the same inhuman growl to it that she had always heard in her Nocte’s voice the times she had heard her speak.

Harley was aware of what had happened but she still wasn’t able to come to grips with it.  They, Harley and her Nocte, had managed to take the life of the Lux into her own body.  It didn’t dissipate into an inner energy as it did the other times she had fed.  Instead, currently, both her Nocte and the Lux burned inside her.  It was more than she could stand.  She screamed, writhed, kicked and flailed against the scorching pain that radiated through her arms and legs.  She could see the Ignis and the Nocte fighting all around her but wasn’t able to do anything about it.  She was suffocating in the pain of every nerve and fiber of her being burning her from the inside out.  Somewhere, behind the pain and confusion, Harley felt fear.  It was not an emotion she had experienced in a long time.  The Nocte and the Lux were not mixing and she didn’t know how much longer she would be able to stand the pain of the conflict.  Like oil and water they boiled together fighting for control.  It was too much for her body to bear.

Suddenly, hands on her shoulders stopped Harley from thrashing.  She saw Levi’s deep black eyes enter her field of vision.  As he blinked down at her his eyes cleared to their original dark blue.

“I’m going to get you out of here,” he said.

Harley wasn’t able to respond but she did her best to stop struggling against the pain as he lifted her off the floor.  As he forced his way through the crowd of fighting devils and demons, Harley finally blacked out from the pain and drifted into unconsciousness.

Chapter 45

Harley floated in alternating darkness and light for what seemed like forever.  This time she didn’t get to talk to her Nocte.  The flashes of white where jagged and painful as they burst across her brain.  In contrast, the blacks were cold and infinite and took her breath away.  The flashes came quicker and more violent as time drug on.  The cold familiarity behind the black void and the foreign strangeness of the white light finally helped Harley realize what she needed to do.

Harley knew she needed to trust her Nocte and she gave into that need.  The intensity of the flashes had not lessened since they began.  If anything, it had increased.  She knew her Nocte needed her help, just as Harley had needed her Nocte’s help so many times before.  She did the only thing that felt natural or normal and that was to move towards the darkness whenever she was able to see it.  As she did so, she felt the darkness envelope her and she let herself sink into the void.  She wasn’t afraid.  She embraced the darkness like the old friend that she was.

Together, Harley and the Nocte were able to wrap themselves around the light.  The pulsating and flashing whiteness began to slow and become more contained within their darkness.  The blinding white heat thumped against the surrounding dark but it wasn’t frantic or violent any longer.  Instead, the beat became rhythmic and in time with the beating of her heart.  The darkness and the light caressed each other until they fit together in a natural rhythm that calmed and soothed Harley all the way through her center.

As her internal struggle calmed and faded Harley felt her body beginning to relax.  The calmer she became on the inside she more she became aware of her body and the warmth that surrounded it.  She floated out of the darkness of her mind and settled back into her physical being and drifted into a deep sleep.

As Harley slept, she dreamt.  As before, she knew she was dreaming right away.  She was sitting on a swing set in the middle of a field.  A beautiful meadow stretched as far as the eye could see.  She slowly and gently swung back and forth.  She looked down at her body saw that she was wearing pajamas pants and a tank top and no shoes.  The pants had little purple bunnies on them.  Harley ran her hand over the cartoon print and closed her eyes.  The pain that formed in her chest was raw and it took her breath away.  Almost a year later and Jamie’s death was still unbearable.  The pajama pants had been Jamie’s favorite from when they were teenagers.  Harley had bought them for her friend for Christmas.  She had only gotten the money to buy them because Jamie’s parents had let her do chores around the house in order to make a bit of cash.  Harley fought the urge to cry.

“We did good.” A voice spoke from Harley’s right.  She gasped without opening her eyes.  She didn’t need to look to know who sat on the swing next to her.  It was Jamie.  She would never not recognize that voice.  Taking a deep breath Harley opened her eyes and turned to look at the woman beside her and what she saw froze her solid for a moment.

“Well, that’s an asshole thing to do,” Harley finally said with steel in her voice.

Her Nocte smiled at her with Jamie’s face.  Harley knew it wasn’t really Jamie and that it was her Nocte, because while it looked exactly like Jamie—the eyes were the only thing that weren’t right.  The eyes were solid black.

“I can’t help it.  I needed to use an image and I can’t show you my real one.  I’m forced to pick images out of your head.  It helps you process what you are seeing.”

“Why can’t you use your real image?”

“…You really wouldn’t be able to process that,” she chuckled.  “It’s better for the both of us to leave that to your imagination.”

“What happened?” Harley asked.

“You mean during the fight?  Or after?  Or something else?”

“All of the above.”

“Well, during the fight I finally figured out how to take care of the bastard.  Neither of us was going to be able to kill him the old fashioned way.”

“Why?  Why was he so strong?”

“Haddon—as he calls himself—made a decision a long time ago.  And that decision set into motion the things that have happened to you, and me, and Levi, and the Lux, and the entire world—hell all of the dimensions have been affected by Haddon’s decision.”

“I don’t understand,” Harley admitted.

Jamie shook her head sadly.  “It’s a story that is not easily understood.”  Neither of them spoke for several minutes.  Finally, the Nocte continued.  “Where we come from, the Lux, the Ignis and the Nocte, different rules apply.  We are not governed by the same moralistic standards that humans have.  But we do have ‘rules’.  One of those rules is ‘do not kill your own kind.’  Haddon disobeyed that rule and created an imbalance in our world.  Had that imbalance been allowed to continue it could have irrevocably damaged your world as much as mine.  He came here to continue his vile deeds.”

Harley mulled over the Nocte’s words.  “Did you come here looking for Haddon?”

“Yes.”

“Why you?  And why did you choose me?  Or did I just happen to be looking for a bond the same time that you did?”

“Why me?”  The Nocte sighed.  “I’m—I guess something like what you would call royalty.  But our royalty—the Nocte—we don’t sit around in castles doing nothing.  I made the sacrifice to come here after Haddon.”

“Sacrifice?”

“Yes.  Sacrifice.  I can never return to my world.”  The Nocte tried to conceal her sadness but it showed through in the softening of her voice.

“Why me?” Harley asked again.  “Did I just happen to be there?”

“Oh, no,” the Nocte said seriously.  “I had been waiting for you for a while.  Well not YOU in particular,” the Nocte chuckled.  “But a human that was a right fit.”

“Why was I the right fit?”

The Nocte shrugged, “You and I are both strong, stubborn creatures.  I guess when an unstoppable force meets and immovable object there is quite the potential for a reaction.  A reaction that we both needed on some level that neither of us will probably ever fully understand.”

Harley smiled and nodded.  “That sounds about right I guess.  What happens now?”

“We do what we do best.  Kill Ignis.  Maintain the balance of light and dark.  And have sex with Levi and Castor.  We need to do that a lot more.”

Harley tipped her head back and laughed.  “I won’t argue with that.  What about the Sol Invictus?”

The Nocte sighed.  “Unfortunately, I doubt we are done with them.  I agree, I don’t think they realized what they were getting into with Haddon.”

“How responsible are they for what he became?”

Her Nocte was silent for a minute.  “I think they—like us—were what each other was looking for.”

Harley sighed.  She knew without a doubt the Sol Invictus wasn’t done.  A group like that wouldn’t give up their mission easily.  They were the worst kind of evil.  The kind that believed they were righteous.

Harley and the Nocte both swung silently letting the warm breeze blow over their faces and through their hair.  “Will I ever see Jamie again?”

The Nocte looked at her surprised.  “How the hell should I know?”

Harley’s mouth fell open and after a moment she laughed and shook her head.  “Sorry, you’re right.  That was a stupid question.”

Without warning Harley was ripped from the dream and she blinked against the glare of a lamp shining into her face.  When her eyes adjusted to the light she realized she lay in a bed staring up at the ceiling.  She slowly turned her head and surveyed the rest of the room.  When she did so, she was greeted by the site of Levi and Castor in chairs beside her bed.  Castor’s head tipped backwards over the back of the chair with his mouth hanging open.  Levi was wide awake and when he saw that she was awake he scooted to the edge of his seat and examined her closely.

He smiled softly at her.  “How are you feeling?”  Her skin tingled looking at the Nocte.  The man never ceased being drop dead gorgeous.  His dark hair carelessly hung around his face and his blue eyes glowed.  As usual, he looked like he needed to shave.  Not in an “I’m trying to look like I need to shave” kind of way.  But in an actual “I need to shave kind of way” that Harley loved.

Harley considered Levi’s question for a minute.  She felt like she was housing enough energy to power an entire city.  “Fucking amazing.”  Levi chuckled.  Harley looked at Cas and snorted.  “So.  What happened?”

“Well, for that we should wake up sleeping beauty here.”  Levi nodded at Cas.

“OK,” she shrugged, sitting up in the bed as Levi hit Cas with the back of his hand to wake him.  It took several tries but finally Cas was startled awake.  When he saw that Harley was awake he jumped up and sat on the edge of the bed.  Levi scowled slightly but didn’t say anything.  Cas looked tired and barely alert but he was making an effort to become coherent.

“So, what happened?” Harley asked them both.

Levi started.  “Well, when you bit the Rogue the Ignis started closing in.  We started fighting back.  When you started flipping out and looked like you were in some serious pain I got you out of there.  I brought you back here.”

“Where’s here?”

“A cabin that I rented the night before the fight with the Rogue.  We are in the Rockies.  This cabin is huge.  It sleeps twenty if you squeeze them in.  I figured we all might need a place to lay low for a while.  Your turn—what happened when you fed from the Rogue?”

Harley took a deep breath and let it out before she answered.  “I took his life into mine.”

Both Levi and Castor looked stunned but not really surprised.  “How did you know you could do that?” Cas asked.

“I didn’t really.  My Nocte just did it.”

“What did you do to Castor?” Levi asked her cautiously.

Harley looked at Cas uncomfortably.  “Sorry about that.”

“Don’t be,” he brushed her off.

Levi looked at the two of them waiting for an answer.  Finally, Harley answered him holding his steady gaze while she did so.  “Well, it’s like when I’ve feed from Cas before.”  Admitting to this was the closest she had come to telling Levi ‘I’ve had sex with Castor.’  Even though he knew this was the case—saying it out loud made it much more true.  To Levi’s credit his gaze never wavered and his looked remained totally neutral.  “When I feed from either of you—I’m able to take some of your energy into myself.  It just doesn’t normally hurt because I give some back too.”  Levi nodded following her explanation.  “During the fight I honestly had nothing left.”  Both Levi and Castor’s faces hardened at that.  “When I made eye contact with Cas at the moment when I was almost gone, I could feel my Nocte draw from Castor.  It was just weird because I didn’t even need to touch him to do it.  How bad did it hurt you?”

“Meh,” he shrugged.  “I bounced back pretty quickly.”  He didn’t meet her eye when he answered the question.

“But…?”  Castor didn’t answer.

Levi sniggered as he leaned back in his chair.

“What?” Harley asked, looking from him to Castor.

“Apparently, you would only have been able to do something like that if you two had…um…been close.  And, apparently, neither Randall nor Alice knew that for sure until that moment.  They got a little pissed,” Levi was trying not to smile and Harley was surprisingly relieved that he didn’t seem mad about it.

Harley’s stomach dropped as she looked at Castor.  “What’s going to happen?”

He shrugged and brushed off her concern.  “It’s nothing.  It will all blow over eventually.”  Harley looked at Levi—he looked as doubtful as she felt.

“OK,” Harley said letting that subject drop.  “What happened after you got me out of there?”  Levi and Castor shared a look and it gave Harley a bad feeling.

Levi hesitated again.  “Cutter and Raven got away.  As usual.”  Harley felt the anger boil inside her.  One day at a time right now.  I’ll deal with that soon enough.  “The Praesidio and the Ignis fought and the ones that we didn’t kill ran with Cutter and Raven.”

Harley hesitated to ask. “What about everyone else?”

Levi studied her carefully before answering.  She didn’t think he had more bad news really—he was just making sure that she was handling everything OK.  “There were injuries.  But they have all healed.  Nya, Evie and two of the local Nocte are here with us.”

Harley nodded.

Castor was studying her carefully.

“What?” she asked him, working really hard to not sound as annoyed as she was starting to feel.

Castor put his words together carefully before speaking.  “What happened when you took the life force of the Rogue?”

Harley looked at him evenly.  She slowly let out a breath and answered his question.  “His energy is still with me.  If that’s what you are asking.”  Again, neither Levi nor Cas looked surprised.  Instead, they looked at each other before looking back to Harley. “What?” she asked.

“We…kind of suspected that,” Cas answered.

“Why did you suspect that?”

“Well—when you let go of the Rogue—after he was dead…your eyes were different,” Levi explained.

“Different how?”  Harley’s blood felt cold.

“Well, they were black and white,” Levi answered.

“What does that mean?”  Harley wrinkled her brow.

“Well, your whole eye was Nocte black—except for the part that would have been green.  That part was Lux white.  Like Castor’s eyes.”

Harley’s jaw dropped open.  “Seriously?”

“Yep,” Cas answered.  “They stayed that way until you woke up.  Now they are your normal green.”

Harley didn’t know how to respond to that.  She wasn’t really surprised but she hadn’t really been expecting it either.  “I bet that looked pretty weird—huh?”

Levi gave his half smile and Castor chuckled.  “A little,” Cas answered.

“Well, OK.  I guess that just makes me stranger than usual,” Harley shrugged.  Castor and Levi looked at each other again.  “You both are going to have to stop doing that,” Harley snapped.  “What?”

Castor shifted uneasily.  “Well, the Vigilum has been calling trying to find out what happened.  Randall and Alice didn’t leave after they drug me out of the building.  They saw you when Levi brought you out.  They saw your eyes.”

“So?”

“Well…they are concerned about your power.”  Harley looked at Castor bewildered.  He sighed before going on.  “Well, they know how strong you were before.  They are concerned that you are even stronger now.  They are worried about the balance.”

“So they say,” Levi cut in looking angry.  Cas didn’t argue with him.

“What do you mean?”

“I think they are just worried about a Nocte being so much stronger than them.”

“That’s absurd,” Harley argued.

“Hey,” Cas held up his hands in surrender.  “We agree with you.”  Everyone was silent for a moment.  “Are you stronger than before?” he asked her.  Harley glared at him and Levi rolled his eyes.

Harley chose not to answer the question.  Harley flopped back against the bed.  She had taken in a lot of information in the last few minutes and she was feeling overloaded.  She heard Levi stand up from his chair.

“Castor, let’s get out of here and let Harley rest.  I think she’s dealt with a lot today.”

Cas looked like he was going to protest then thought better of it.  Harley didn’t sit up when she called to them just before they left the room.  “You know,” she said without looking at either of them.  “Just so that it has been said.  I’m not going to choose between you.  If either of you are uncomfortable with the way things are—you should just back out now.”

Levi’s answer was immediate.  “I have no problems.”

“Good,” she said.

Castor took a moment longer to answer.  Long enough that her stomach had begun to sink.  Annoyed or not—she cared about Castor and didn’t want to stop spending time with him.  “I’m fine,” he said finally.

“Good,” she responded.  “We are partners.  Teammates.  This is who we are,” she said with a finality that didn’t leave room for them to argue even if they wanted to.  The door shut softly behind them as they left the room.

Harley rolled to her side and concentrated on keeping all thoughts out of her head.  She couldn’t deal with friends’ deaths, increased power, becoming the enemy of the Vigilum and regret and anger and still not having taken her revenge on Cutter all at one time.  Harley knew that even worse trouble than the Rogue was coming. Harley took a deep breath and forced it from her mind.  There was no way she could prepare for what was to come until she got rest and healed and adjusted to the change that she had undergone—she still didn’t even know what changes had taken place.  She just knew that inside her, she now contained both Nocte and Lux—light and dark.  As the two forces came together she felt stronger than ever before.  She didn’t know what that meant for her long term but she knew that it had made her a target of both the Lux and the Sol Invictus.

Harley looked around the room and spotted her machete on top of the dresser.  It was encased in its leather holder and it looked like someone had cleaned the blood off of it.  She was surprised by how relieved she was to see that someone had brought it back for her.  Well, she thought to herself, I may be screwed—but at least I have a machete.

The end…