Fear me, Love me

Goodbye Gomorrah

"Aleksey I..." He thrust a package at her. "What's this?"

"A present." He smiled, his eyes creasing warmly. "Stay strong." Tears pricked her eyes and she hugged him tightly.

"Do widzenia lekarz."

He'd given her wine. Her, Karolina and Crystal shared it for her last night.

"I feel like a teenager," the doctor laughed. They were sat by the river, drinking in the cool evening air and being sly taking sips from their contraband beverage. 

"If you weren't going," Karolina mused, "I reckon  you'd have a chance with Phelan Snow." Crystal chocked on her drink. "He asked after you – wanted to know your name." Karolina nudged Chloe playfully.

"How did you get on his radar?" Crystal asked, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand. Chloe rolled her eyes. 

"Seriously I'd like to know." Karolina pressed making the other two giggle. 

"Maybe I'm not on his radar. He might have just wanted to talk to you." Chloe replied, nudging Karolina back in return. 

"Asking me my name would have been a less convoluted way of expressing that." 

Chloe accepted the drink from Crystal and took a gulp. She shrugged, "honestly I was kinda rude to him."

"Bet he's not used to that." Crystal patted Karolina's shoulder, "perhaps ignore him a bit and he'll ask after you."

"How can I ignore a guy that's not even looking my way?" Karolina pouted unhappily.

Chloe's stomach did butterflies. She hadn't told anyone about her dream because it had rattled her. She pushed away unsettled thoughts and handed the drink over to Karolina.

"You could start talking with him and then walk off midway."

"That might make me just look special needs."

"You could just ask him out." The doctor pointed out.

"Out where?" There were places for hanging out, with music and a relaxed environment but all of them were vampire territory. Humans were welcome but in a definite minority.

From the shadows Lucjan was watching them – frowning unhappily.

"Pretty lonely, skulking in the dark." Phelan commented, sauntering up to the vampire. Lucjan visibly bristled. "Which one is it that you're watching?" The vampire's jaw clicked and he made no attempt to answer. Phelan leant casually against the wall. "I think I can guess. Every time I try to get close to her - one of your minions warns me she's off limits." He crossed his arms. "Is she yours?"

Lucjan raised an eyebrow. He'd caught the jealous edge in Phelan's tone and this amused him. "Are you worried she'll get snatched away?" Phelan persisted. Lucjan smiled sardonically. His only worry was what she might let slip to the more conscientious vamps.

"If she were mine... you'd have lost that pretty face of yours already."

"So she's not yours?"

"She's my friend."   

"Then why aren't you over there with her?"

"She doesn't know we're friends yet." Lucjan uttered this like it was the most normal problem in the world.

"..." 

The next day Chloe woke up early with a cracking headache. Moaning she forced herself out of bed. She'd said goodbye last night so the others could sleep in. Feeling queasy she got dressed and heaved on her backpack of supplies. They'd told her to bring only essentials but she'd snuck in a few bits. The bottle cap from Aleksey's present, her Night Watch badge and lip gloss. 

She was still groggy when she stood next the jeeps ten minutes later. Rylan Grey approached her, an identical pack to hers on his back. The notorious albino Grey. His eyes widened in recognition and he nodded in greeting.

"Fox." Chloe's eyebrow's rose in surprise. This was another acquaintance of Lauren's then. Chloe knew next to nothing about Rylan but she had met his dad – the general – many times in her capacity as bodyguard for the Prime Minister.

"Err no. I'm Chloe Wilder."

Rylan slung his pack into the jeep. Chloe took a deep breath. Leaving Gomorrah was a chance for a fresh start. She could build her life anew and this time own it. She'd learnt from trusting Chaga that it did no good – she'd been seen as nothing but a potential spy. "Her sister."

"Wilder?"

"I'm a widow." She lied smoothly.

"I'm sorry."

"It's fine." He's only imaginary. Rylan shook her hand.

"It's nice to meet you Chloe. I'm Rylan Grey." His hand was warm and dry.

"Are you our leader?" He shook his head.

"He is." He nodded and Chloe followed the line of his gaze. She gawped at the sight of a gigantic wolf padding over to them. Rylan opened the door allowing the wolf to leap neatly up on the back seat. "Captain Snow. He's a hybrid vampire and werewolf so when it's sunny he has to be in wolf form so he doesn't get scorched." Rylan explained. Chloe stared at the wolf - a feint flush creeping up her neck. Karolina was going to be very dissapointed.

They were a group of fifteen that were going – a good varied skill mix. In Chloe's jeep Rylan drove, with Phelan taking up two spaces, herself and a soldier called Evrard Müller. Chloe felt oddly happy as the countryside passed by. It was the dawn of a new age. The start of something new for them all and as the breeze ruffled her hair gently from her eyes, her heart swelled with optimism that at last happy endings were on their way.