Night World : Dark Angel Chapter 15

Melusine was watching her. Youre strong. I think you can do it, daughter of Hellewise.Im not strong. Im scared.I think it may be possible to be both, Melusine said wryly. provided, Gillian? If you do get through it, pleasecome back. I want to talk to you ab out(p) many things. About the Night World-and about well-nighthing called association Daybreak.The way she said it alarmed Gillian. Is it important?It could be rattling important to you, a witch with human ancestors and surrounded by humans.Okay. Ill come back-if. Gillian glanced once slightly the shop. Maybe there was some sort of talismanor something she should take merely she knew she was retri notwithstandingive stalling. If there were anything helpful, Melusine would have already given it to her.There was cryptograph left to do now merely go.Good luck, Melusine said, and Gillian marched to the door. Not that she had any particular idea where she was exhalation.She was almost at the creaky front door of the five and Ten when she perceive Melusine calling.I forgot to mention one thing. Whoever your nonsuch was, he was the standardiseds ofly from this general area.Earthbound spirits usually hang around the place they died. Although thats probably not much help.Gillian stood still, blinking. No no, it w helpful. Its great. Its given me an idea.She turned and went through the door without really get wording it, stepped out into the square without reallyhearing the piped-in Christmas music.At least Ive got a place to go now, she thought.She drove south, back toward Somerset, then took a winding road eastward into the hills. As sherounded a ennoble curve she saw the cemetery spread out beneath her.It was a very old graveyard, but still popular. Steeped in tradition, but with plenty of room. granddaddyTrevor was buried in the newer section, but there were ancient tombstones on the wooded hill.If she had a chance of finding Angel, it might be here.The solitary(prenominal) way to the aged(a) s ection was up awooden staircase held in place by railway ties. Gillian climbed it cautiously, holding the handrail. thusshe stood at the top and looked around, settleing not to shiver.She was among tall sycamores and oaks which seemed to stretch black bony fingers in every(prenominal) direction.The sun was falling lower in the sky and long shadows tinged with lavender were reaching out from the trees.Gillian braced herself. And then, as loudly as she could, she yelled.Come on, you You have it away what I wantSilence.Gillian refused to feel foolish. Gloved hands tucked under her arms, she shouted into the stillness.I know you can hear me I know youre out there The question is, are you in here? She kicked a foottoward a snow-white sandstone marker.Because of course there was nothing she could do here on her own. The only way to get the informationshe needed, about who Angel had been in his earthly demeanor and what hed done or left undone, was fromAngel himself.Nobody else could tell her.Is this you? Gillian scraped snow from a granite gravestone and read the words. Thomas Ewing,1775, Who bled and Dyed for Liberty. Were you Thomas Ewing?The ice-coated twigs of the tree preceding(prenominal) herclashed together in the rising wind. It made a sound like a crystal chandelier.No, he sounds too brave. And youre obviously just a coward. She scraped some other stones. Hey,maybe you were William Case. Cut down in the flower of Youth by falling from the Stagecoach. Thatsounds more like you. Were you William Case?(Are you all finished recounting?)Gillian froze.(Because Ive got one for you.) The voice in her head began to sing raucously. Eerily. (The Pha-a-antomof the Opera is here, inside your psyche)Oh, come on, Angel. You can do better than that. And why arent you letting me see you? Too scaredto meet me face to face?A light shimmered over the snow-a beautiful pale golden light that rippled like silk. It grew, it took on a shape.And then Angel was standing ther e. Not floating. His feet actually seemed to touch the snow.He looked-terrific. Haunting and beautiful in the gathering twilight. But his beauty was only frighteningnow. Gillian knew what was underneath it.Hi there, she almost whispered. I guess you know what Im here to talk about.Dont know and dont care. Should you be out here alone, anyway? Does anybody know where you are?Gillian positioned herself in front of him. She looked directly into eye that were as violet and darklyluminous as the sky.I know what you are, she said, holding those eyes, giving every word equal weight. Not an angel. Nota devil. Youre just a person. Just like me.Wrong.Youve got the same feelings as any other person. And you cant be euphoric being where you are.Nobody could. You cant want to be stuck there. If I were dead, Id hate it.The last words came out with a force that surprised even Gillian. Angel looked away.An advantage. Gillian leapt in. hate it, she repeated. Just hanging around, getting stagnant, watchingother people living their lives. Being nothing, doing nothing-unless its to make a comminuted trouble for peopleon earth. What gracious of a life is tha- She broke off, realizing her mistake.He was grinning maliciously, recovering. No lifeAll right, what kind of existence, then, Gillian said coldly. You know what I mean. It stinks. Angel. Itsputrid. Its disgusting.A spasm pass Angels face. He whirled away from her. And for the first time since Gillian had seenhim, she saw agitation in him. He was actually pacing, moving like a caged animal. And his hair-it seemedto be ruffled by some unseen wind.Gillian pressed her advantage. Its about as good as being under there. She kicked at the dead weeds over a grave.He whirled back, and his eyes were unnaturally bright. But I am under there, Gillian.For a moment, her skin prickled so that she couldnt speak. She had to force herself to say steadily,Under that one?No. But Ill show you where. Would you like that? He made a grand gestu re, inviting her down thestairs. Gillian hesitated, then went, knowing he was behind her.Her heart was pumping wildly. This was almost like a physical contest between them-a contest to seewho could upset the other more.But she had to do it. She had to make a connection with him. To reach into his anger and defeat anddespair and somehow drag answers out of it.And it was a contest. A contest of wills. Who could shout louder, who could be more merciless. Whocould hold on.The prize was Angels soul.She nearly tripped at the asshole of the stairs. It was too dark to see her footing. She noticed, almostabsently, that it was getting very cold.Something like an icy wind went past her-and there was light in front of her. Angel was walking there,not leaving any footprints in the snow. Gillian staggered after him.They were heading for the newer section of the cemetery. Past it. Into the very new section.Here. Angel said. He turned. His eyes were glittering. He was standing behind a gravestone and hisown light illuminated it.Chills washed over Gillian.This was what she had asked for, it was exactly what she had asked for. But it still made the hair on herneck stand on end.He was under here. Right here. Beneath the ground. The body of the person shed loved and trustedwhose voice had been the last thing shed heard at night and the first thing each morning.He was under here in some kind of box, unless maybe that had rotted. And he wasnt smiling andgolden-haired and handsome. And she was going to find out his name from a stone.Im here, Gillian, Angel said ghoulishly, leaning over the granite marker, resting his elbows on it. Comeup and say hello. He was smiling, but his eyes looked as if he hated her. Wild and reckless and bitter.Capable of anything.And somehow, the sick horror that had been sweeping through Gillian disappeared.Her eyes were full, spilling over. The tears froze on her cheeks. She brushed at them absently and knelt beside the grave, not on it. She didnt look at Angel.She put her hands together for just a moment and bent her head. It was a wordless entreaty to whateverPower might be out there.Then she took off her glove and gently scraped snow away from the marker with her bare hand.It was a transparent granite headstone with a scrolled top. It read In loving memory. Our son. Gary Fargeon.Gary Fargeon, Gillian said softly. She looked up at the figure leaning over the stone. Gary.He gave a mocking laugh, but it sounded forced. Nice to meet you. I was from Sterback we werepractically neighbors.Gillian looked back down. The date of birth was eighteen years ago. And the date of death was the previous year.You died last year. And you were only seventeen.I had a little car crash, he said. I was extremely drunk. He laughed again, wildly.Gillian sat back on her heels. Oh, really. Well, that was brilliant, she whispered.Whats life? He bared his teeth. Out, out, brief candle-or something like that.Gillian refused to be distracted. Is that what y ou did? she asked quietly. Got yourself killed? Is thatunfinished business somehow?Wouldnt you like to know? he said.Okay, retreat. He wasnt ready yet. Maybe try some feminine wiles. I just thought you trustedme-Angel. I thought we were supposed to be soulmates But by now you know we arent, dont you? Because you found your real love-that jerk.Gary turned up the brilliancy of his smile. But even if were not soulmates, we are connected, you know.Were cousins. Distant, but the bond is there.Gillians hands fell to her sides. She stared up at him. Lights were going on in her brain, but she wasnt quite a sure what they illuminated yet.The strangest thing was that she wasnt entirely surprised.Didnt you ever wonder why we both have the same color eyes? He stared down at her. Althougheverything was dark around him, his eyes were like violet flame. I mean it isnt exactly common. Yourgreat-grandmother Elspeth had these eyes. So did her twin brother, Emmeth.Twins.Of course. The lost Harman bab ies, Melusine had said. Elspeth and Emmeth. And youreHe smirked. Im Emmeths great-grandson.Now Gillian could see what her mind was trying to illuminate. Her thoughts were racing. Youre a witch,too. That was why you knew how to do the spells and things. But how did you figure out what you were?Some idiots from Circle Daybreak came, Gary said. They were looking for lost witches. Theydmanaged to track Emmeths descendants down. They told me replete that I understood what kind ofpowers I had. And then-I told them to get lost themselves.Why?They were jerks. All they care about is getting humans and Night hoi polloi together. But I knew the NightWorld was the place for rne. Humans deserve what they get.Gillian stood. Her fingers were getting red and swollen. She tried to pull her glove back on. Gary, youare a human. At least part. Just like I am.No. Were superior to them. Were special-We are not special. Were no better than anyone elseGary was grinning unpleasantly, breathing quickly. Yo ure wrong there. The Night People are supposedto be hunters. There are even laws that say so.A chill that had nothing to do with the wind went through Gillian. Oh, really? Then she had anotherthought. Is that why you made me go to that club? So they could hunt me?No, you idiot Garys eyes flashed. I told you-youre one of them. I just wanted you to consume that.You could have stayed, been part of them-But why?So you would be like me The wind was gusting wildly again. Frozen tree branches creaked likecreatures in pain.But why?So you could come be with me. So we could be together. Forever. If you joined them, you wouldnthave gone on to the Other Side-When I died You wanted me dead. Gary looked confused. That was just at first- Gillian was barbariannow. Yelling. You planned the whole thing You lured me. Didnt you? Didnt you? That crying I heardin the woods-that was you, wasnt it?Everything you did was designed to kill me Just so youd have companyI was lone(a) The words seemed to hang and echo. Then Garys eyes darkened and he turned away.I was so lonely, he said again, and there was something so hopeless in his voice that Gillian stepped toward him.Anyway, I didnt do it, he said over his shoulder. I changed my mind. I thought I could come live withyou here-By killing David and victorious his body. Yeah. Great plan.He didnt move. Helplessly, Gillian reached out a hand. It passed right through his shoulder.She looked at the hand, then said quietly, Gary, tell me what you did. What the unfinished business is.So you can try to send me on.Yes.But what if I dont want to go on?You have to Gillian clenched her teeth. You dont belong here, Gary This isnt your place anymoreAnd theres nothing you can do here, eject except evil. She hold inped, breathing hard.He turned, and she saw the wild look again. Maybe thats what I like to- do.You dont understand. Im not going to let you. Im not going to stop or give up. Ill do whatever it takesto make you move on.But maybe you wont have the chance.A blast of wind. And something else. Stinging granules that struck Gillians face like tiny needles.What if theres a blizzard tonight?Gary, stop it The gale buffeted her.A freak storm. Something nobody expected.Gary It was very dark-the moon and stars had been blotted out. But Gillian could see a driving,swirling whiteness. Her teeth were chattering and her face was numb.And what if Amys car wont start? If something went wrong with the engine Dont do this Gary She couldnt see him now. His light was gone, swallowed in the storm. Snowslashed her face.Nobody knows where you are, do they? That wasnt very smart, dragonfly. Maybe you needsomebody to look after you, after all.Gillian gasped, open-mouthed, for breath. She tried to take a step and the wind thrust her againstsomething hard. A tombstone.This was what shed been afraid of. That her angel would turn against her, try to destroy her.But now that it was happening, she found that she knew what to do.Garys voice came ou t of the gale. What if I just go away and leave you for a little while?Gillians eyes were watering, the tears freezing on her lashes. It was hard to get a breath. But shegathered herself, hanging on to the tombstone, and yelled.You wont You know you wont-How can I know?She answered with a question, shouting over the wind. Why didnt you kill David?Her only answer was the howling gale.Gillians sight was dimming. The cold hurt. She tried to ding on to the tombstone, but her hands werenumb. You couldnt do it, Gary You couldnt kill someone When it came right down to it, you couldntAnd thats how I know.She waited. At first she thought that shed been wrong. That hed left her alone in the storm.Then she effected the wind was dying. The curtains of snow were thinning. Stopping. A light formed inthe empty air.Angel-no, Gary-was standing there. She could see him clearly. She could even see what was in his eyes.Bitterness. Anger. But something like a plea, too.But I did, Gillian. Thats exactly what I did. I killed someone.Gillian took a breath that started out quick and ended long. Oh. Oh that was bad.But there might have been some justification. A fight. Self-defense.She said quietly, Who?Cant you guess? Paula Belizer.