“So where are we going this time? Or is it a secret yet again?” Tania asked.
“Oh, it’s a secret,” Alex replied, grinning from ear to ear as he and Tania walked hand in hand down the street.
Tania laughed. “Are you ever going to tell me where we’re going before we get there?”
“Maybe. But only if you’re good.”
“That’s not fair.”
“Life isn’t fair.”
Shaking her head at him, Tania lightly shoved Alex. “You’re awfully mean.”
Laughing, Alex caught her around the waist and pulled her into a kiss. “And you’re awfully pretty,” He told her as he pulled away.
Embarrassed, as Alex knew she would be, Tania made a face. “Compliments will get you nowhere.”
Grinning again, the vampire recaptured her hand. “But it’s true,” he insisted, eyes glowing with a soft light.
Tania looked away. “We are still going to the party tonight right?”
Alex chuckled at her transparent attempt to change the subject. “Of course. There’s no way we’d miss a St. Paddy’s Day party. It’s practically against the school rules.”
Tania smiled. “Just checking. I never know with you.”
Ruffling her hair to make her squawk, Alex tugged her hand, getting her to hurry up. “We’re almost there.”
Quickly finger-combing her hair with one hand as she trotted after the vampire, Tania got an idea of where they were heading when she heard the telltale loud buzzing of a large crowd. Rounding one final corner, it seemed, to Tania, like they’d entered a world of green. Everywhere there were green banners, streamers, orange, white and green flags and shamrocks adorning everything. A multitude of booths, tables, tents and stalls in varying shades of green lined each side of the street that had been closed off for the fair. Already there was quite a crowd, laughing, talking, arguing and in general, enjoying themselves. “It’s the St. Patrick’s Day Festival!” Tania cried unnecessarily.
Laughing, Alex pulled her along. “Come on, let’s go exploring!”
Grinning, Tania ran up so that she was beside him. “So where to first?”
“Wherever you want.”
“Well then…” She said, looking around at all the different stalls and booths. A little table draped in a plain green cloth caught her attention. “Let’s get out faces painted!”
“You really are too silly,” Alex told her, smiling anyway as he followed her lead over to where the girl, who had to be a few years younger than them, sat, a rainbow of paints arranged in front of her.
Tania plopped down into the chair in front of the table, saying “Can I get a shamrock on my cheek?”
“Of-of course,” The girl stammered, a little surprised to have someone of Tania’s age requesting her services. At least that’s what Tania thought right up until she caught sight of Alex, smiling at the girl in his usual manner. Which is to say, he radiated charm the way the sun radiates light.
“Knock it off Alexander,” Tania said, trying to hold as still as possible while the girl began running the paintbrush down her face.
“I wasn’t doing anything.”
“You were trying to be charming.”
“I wasn’t trying, I am.”
Tania rolled her eyes.
“Oh ho. I get it now. You’re jealous,” Alex crowed, grinning from ear to ear.
“Yes. I’m absolutely green with envy,” Tania replied sarcastically.
Chuckling again, Alex sat down in the chair as Tania got up. “An Irish flag please.”
Now red and speechless after Alex’s smile, the girl nodded before shakily dipped her paintbrush into the little pot of black paint. “Ignore him. He likes to pretend to be charming. Really he’s an irritation,” Tania told the girl.
“Hey! I’m charming.”
“He’s overconfident as well.”
“I’m your boyfriend! You should be complimenting me.”
“You’re big-headed as it is,” Tania replied, grinning.
“I’m hurt,” Alex pouted as he stood up.
Laughing, Tania hugged him. “Alright then, you pick where we go next then.”
Smiling down at her, the vampire couldn’t resist stealing a kiss before, glancing about for a suitable booth to visit. Hearing a metallic clang as several objects fell over made his decision for him. Racing forward with Tania, he came to a stop in front of the ball toss stall. “Want to try your arm?”
“Of course. I’ll win you a stuffed animal,” Tania teased.
Chuckling, Alex, ignoring her protests that she could pay herself, bought them each three balls to hurl at the milk can pyramid that was the target. Tania having let him go first, Alex hurled the first two balls, only managing to knock over one can each try. Frowning, he concentrated and managed to knock all three over on the third try. After a minute’s contemplation, he chose the black cat stuffed animal which he handed to Tania. “So you can annoy the cat,” He told her.
Grinning, Tania put the toy down in front of her before she took aim. In three rapid rounds, Tania managed to knock all the milk cans over with each ball. “You’ve got some wicked arm on you, little lady,” The man running the booth told her as he handed her the oversized green bunny she’d picked out.
Tania laughed. “I throw a lot of snowballs at moving targets,” She explained before handing the giant stuffed animal over to Alex. “Here you go.”
Alex stared down at the rabbit for a minute before throwing his head back and laughing. “That was awesome.”
“It was fun. So where to next?”
“How about we grab somewhere to sit and something to eat?”
“Sounds good to me.”
Leaning her head against Alex’ shoulder as they drove back to campus to drop her stuff off, Tania sighed happily. It’d been such a nice day and now she had a night of drinking with all the rest of her friends to look forward to.
“So what have you found?”
Corbin bowed and consulted his little black notebook. “She has good relationships with her family and friends. No ex-lovers. No criminal record, no tickets, stays out of trouble by all accounts. Nothing that could be used as blackmail. Even her friends are aware of our existence and I believe she would tell her family without hesitation should you attempt that route.”
Kale gave an annoyed snort. “What about enemies?”
“One but she’s in hiding and useless.”
“Then what about at the school?”
“On campus she’s effectively untouchable. Every student knows who she is and most of them watch out for her and would sound the alarm should they think even the slightest thing was out of place. When she goes off-campus, she is generally either at a very public venue such as the mall or at Donovan’s. The only exception is when she leaves for a date with Donovan.”
Leaping to his feet and roaring his rage, Kale hurled the crystal wineglass he’d been toying with across the room, narrowly missing Corbin’s head, where it shattered against the far wall. The other vampire didn’t even blink as the shards tinkled to the ground. He was used to the council leader’s random bouts of violent anger.
“Well if indirect means are useless then we’ll fall back to a more direct approach,” Kale said calmly, sitting back down as if nothing had happened. “I’ll require your services again.”
“Yes, my lord,” Corbin replied, bowing.
Laughing, Tania hurled another snowball at Alex as she crouched behind the slide. Dodging to the right to avoid the projectile, the vampire stalked slowly around the play structure, his own ammunition piled in his arms ready to be used. He’d only just come abreast to the snowman they’d made earlier when three snowballs hit him almost simultaneously. Whipping about, Alex managed to get a shot of his own in when Tania retreated behind the swings.
Charging forward, Alex was soon out of snowballs and declared a truce. “Let’s lie down. I’m still stuffed from dinner.”
Giggling, Tania complied, lying down beside the vampire in one of the few patches of snow that remained now that the weather had begun to warm up. Tania shifted over until their heads were touching as both of them looked up at the clear, star-filled sky, the stars all the brighter because the moon was dark.
“It’s so pretty,” Tania sighed.
Alex chuckled. “And quiet.”
“That’s because most people are still hung-over from last night. Saint Patrick’s Day is known for many things but sobriety is not one of them.”
“Kids could be out.”
“It’s dark out.”
“Really? Then I should be hunting down the innocent to…”
Tania rolled up onto an elbow and clamped a hand over his mouth. “Enough.”
Laughing, Alex pulled her hand off and tugged her forward, until she lay on top of him, the top of her head level with his mouth. “Alright. Let’s just stay here for awhile.”
The girl smiled, laying her head down onto his chest. “I’m not too heavy am I?”
“Never.”
Making a noise of contentment, Tania snuggled down. Chuckling again, Alex wrapped his arms around her. “Have I told you how much I love you?”
He could actually feel her cheek heat up through his shirt. “Yes.”
“Good. I don’t want you to forget.”
“I won’t.”
“Then everything’s perfect.”
Lying there in silence, both of them simply enjoying being with the other, the world itself seemed to hush for their benefit. It was in that noiselessness that they both heard a twig snap, the only warning they were going to get.
Tania rolled off Alex as the vampire leaped to his feet. Jumping up herself, the girl slid her hands into each of her pockets, fingering the cylinders that contained her weapons, as some twenty vampires converged from all sides on them. Turning to face them, Tania pressed her back against Alex’s, eyes flicking this way and that as she attempted to size up their enemies.
“So it’s come to this,” Alex remarked, arms hanging loosely by his sides as he watched the blond woman in the lead.
“We’re following orders,” She replied, voice and face empty of all emotion.
Knowing this was going to come to a fight, Tania flipped the lids of the cylinders open, pouring the balls into her pockets, putting back only the one ball from each that had a single raised bump on it. These were the balls that held, as Ilana had named it, ‘Death by Scent’. It was powerful enough to even affect vampires, making it impossible for them to come within six feet of it. Weres had it much worse, being unable to get nearer then half a kilometre and that for the most resistant. Tania herself had trouble being within a foot of where it’d been detonated. While it was a powerful weapon with Alex standing beside her, Tania couldn’t use it or he’d be under its effects as well.
Alex sighed. “We both know how this is going to end. You’re going to lose some of your people and I’m going to fight you the entire way there.”
“We’re following orders.”
The vampire flapped his hands in a bored manner. “Yes, yes, I know. I’ve heard this speech before. Let’s just get on with it.”
The first ball that came to Tania’s left hand had three dots. Yanking her hand out of her pocket, the girl whipped the palm-sized ball at the nearest clump of vampires, not watching as it hit. The flames that exploded around them caused two vampires to drop and roll, trying to put out the flames that were licking up their clothes and hair while the one who’d taken the direct hit screamed as the fire ate into his flesh. Tania did her best to ignore his cries, keeping in mind that if they failed, Alex would be taken in.
“Get down,” Alex ordered, sweeping the sword he’d taken from his first attacker in a circle, keeping those approaching from the back and sides away.
Keeping low, Tania hurled her next projectile, the six dotted ‘Tania’s Punch’ as Bredon had dubbed it, at the nearest enemy. A heavy black ball, being hit at close quarters caused the vampire in question to keel over, gasping for air, dent in his chest clearly visible.
Three more throws, Tania’s last ‘Aiden’s Fire’ and one each of ‘Shrapnel Surprise’ and ‘Acid Fun’, helped keep the vampires from pinning them between themselves, but Tania knew this was only a temporary stopgap. Once she ran out of balls, even if she managed to get her hands on a stray sword, it was only a matter of time before they were caught. Still, she thought, dodging a knife that was thrown at her. I’m not about to give up and let them take Alexander quietly.
A quick glance behind her showed Alex in trouble. Two of his attackers were down for good, one with a pierced heart, the other missing the upper half of his head, but he was clearly having problems fending off three at a time. “Alexander, two dot!” she cried, grabbing the orange ball and launching it at the attacker that was standing directly in front of him.
Alex closed his eyes for a moment to avoid getting any stray bits of the Ilana improved pepper. Once in your eyes it burned for hours and was difficult to remove. This ball had been affectionately named ‘Burn Baby Burn’ by the dryad.
“Thanks,” Alex said quickly before fending off the blows of the two who’d come to replace the vampires now frantically rubbing at their streaming eyes.
“No problem,” Tania replied, watching as one of their attackers dropped to the ground to avoid the sharpened bits of metal and glass that came out of ‘Shrapnel Surprise’.
In the end, Tania managed to get a hold of a sword as it came skittering past her, just before the vampires broke off their attacks to step back. Chest heaving, Tania shook her head, sending sweat drops flying about. Beside her Alex was also breathing harder than normal. These were the elite bodyguards. Fighting them singly would have been no great difficulty for him but in a group…I can’t keep this up forever. It’s thanks to Tania that I haven’t been subdued yet, but it can’t go on forever. If it goes on much longer...
Keeping a sharp eye on their opponents, Tania held her sword in the guard position, waiting for the attack to restart. With only seven down, there was still an ample force to take them down.
Alex made a sudden decision. “I’ll surrender and promise to go with you quietly if you promise to let Tania walk out of here unharmed.”
“Alexander! You’re doing no such thing!”
Ignoring her, Alex held the eyes of the female leader, Amaya. “Do we have a deal?”
“We have orders,” seemed to be the only thing she was capable of saying, or at least Tania thought so.
“That’s why I’m surrendering,” Alex snapped. “I surrender and it’s easier for you to bring me in.”
“We have orders to bring Tania Davies in as well,” Amaya replied, expression deadpan.
“What? But… But she’s not even a vampire! The council has no hold on her. By what right are they hauling her in?” I should have known Kale’d pull this! Alex thought angrily, eyes beginning to hint at a crimson hue. That bastard! She’s on the lists, she should be untouchable. He’s risking war with the other councils just to teach me a lesson. He’s completely lost it.
“Now it’s pointless even if you do surrender,” Tania was unable to point out, feeling a bit smug about this. Alex ignored her.
“We have orders,” The blonde said.
“Don’t you people see anything wrong with this?” Alex cried, furious. “For God’s sakes, she’s not even related to a vampire. Kale’s abusing his position, dragging in someone who’s not only on our friend list but on the other councils’ as well. Don’t you understand what this means?”
Amaya just stood there, waiting.
“I don’t think arguing with them is going to change anything Alexander” Tania told him.
Having Tania, the optimist, say that shut Alex up. “Then we have no choice,” He whispered.
Tania shrugged. “Might as well show them one hell of a fight and make that Kale bastard regret sending them to drag us in.”
Lips twitching unwillingly into a smile, Alex nodded. “Let’s do it then. Whatever happens it looks like we’re in this together.”
“They’re gone.”
“I noticed,” Ilana growled at Bredon, pacing carefully through the park to avoid the bits of debris and blood that littered it.
“She used her balls. There’s bits of glass and metal all over the place,” Kayne told the others, voice hard as he surveyed the ground.
“Not to mention the two large burned areas,” Aiden snapped as his whole body rippled much like the heat waves that surrounded him. The elemental’s anger was making it very difficult for him to retain his physical form. “None of us expected them to go quietly.”
“Why didn’t you notice this sooner?” Bredon demanded of Ilana.
“Because, if you’d actually take the time to look, the only trees are in the yard beside this park. They don’t even have roots under here.”
“There’s plenty of grass.”
“Yeah well, I’m a dryad! I don’t work with grass, I work with trees. By the time the trees got it from the grass they were gone. Do you know how long it takes for grass to send information blade to blade? And that’s not counting the fact half the grass is still asleep or covered with snow. And if we’re going to play the blame game why didn’t you get the heads up on this from your friends near the council?”
Before the vampire could snarl a reply as his face indicated he was about to do, Theron stepped between them, arms folded over his chest, eyes like steel. “This is no one’s fault except that bastard Kale’s. Save your anger for him.”
Ilana flushed. “I’m going to have the trees look for them.”
“Good. They got into a vehicle of some kind so I’ve lost the scent. They won’t have gone to headquarters because that would implicate the council and start a war. Kale will have taken them somewhere private unless he’s completely lost all this senses. Any ideas Bredon?”
“Nearest would be Montreal. North edge of the city.”
“Then we call in our friends and start there. Send the word out. We’ll put the heat on that fucker. Once it’s known that both Tania and Alex have been kidnapped everyone will be up in arms to find them. Those two are far too popular to disappear quietly, especially after those two parties.”
“I’ll phone my parents. They can get in touch with the other psychics faster,” Kayne said quietly.
“Thank you,” Theron replied, knowing how much this cost Kayne.
“If they so much as touch water, my family’ll find them,” Aiden hissed, eyes turning to flame for a moment as he lost control. “My parents know the other elementals. They’ll find them no matter how well they’ve been hidden.”
“I’m sending out the call to the other vamps. There are a lot of malcontents who’ll jump at the chance to take a chunk out of Kale and the council. It helps that Alex and Tania both have a lot of friends among my kind.”
“I’ll call Tania’s pack. They’ll want in on this,” The were-lion announced.
“This is war,” Ilana said. The others froze before nodding their agreement. Whatever happened, the council would never be the same again.