Chapter 3

Chapter 3
“Gabriel, I am going out this evening.” Akira said walking into Gabe’s office.

“Excuse me?” Gabe asked raising an eyebrow. “I don’t think I heard you correctly.”

“You heard me just fine and you know it.” Akira said looking at him directly, as she sat down across from him.

“Akira….” Gabe began.

“Don’t start with me Gabriel Castilone. You know damn well I need to get out of here. I can not sit around and listen anymore right now. I promise I will be careful. I will even take Cary, and Scythe with me if it will make you feel better.” Akira said rolling her eyes.

“No.”

“No? No what? No it will not make you feel better?” Akira asked.

“Well yes that too but, no you can not go out. Not tonight.” Gabe told her once again looking at the papers in his hand.

“Excuse me?” Akira asked in a flat monotone.

“You heard me Akira. I don’t want you out roaming around the streets tonight. You are too distracted and I won’t have you out there.” Gabe told her.

“Oh this is rich. You practically beg me to go out last week when all was fucking fine and dandy and now…NOW you tell me I’m not ALLOWED to?!” Akira growled. She knew she was on the edge of breaking down but refused to do so in front of Gabe. She loved Gabe, she really did, but she didn’t want or need his pity, and that would be what she would get if she cracked.

Gabe set down the papers and took a deep breath. “Akira, my love, please for once do what I ask. There are…things…things you aren’t aware of that make it dangerous for you to go out tonight. It is especially dangerous if you go out with that child tonight. Please, if not for me than for her sake stay in. Watch a movie; go for a swim, anything other than leaving this place.”

That made Akira pause for a moment. She would never put Cary’s life in danger, but she couldn’t stand to be trapped any longer. She would just agree for now though to placate Gabe. She didn’t need his permission to leave, not really. She had just wanted to make sure someone knew where she was.

“Akira….I know that look. Do NOT leave this house tonight.” Gabe said as he got up and rounded the desk. He picked up Akira’s hand as he sat down next to her. “Please, Akabe, I beg you. Do not go out tonight.”

“I hate when you call me that.” Akira said with a sigh. “Alright, fine, I promise I will stay safe tonight.”

“Akira you know that is not what I meant.” Gabe said as Akira opened the door. “I want you word that you will not go out tonight.”

“I gave you my word that I would stay safe, Acanthos.” Akira said with a smile. “Don’t you trust me?”

Gabe watched the door shut. “No Akabe, I really do not.” He muttered to himself, once again resuming his seat. “Scythe you can come out now.”

“You realize she isn’t going to stay in tonight right.” Scythe said sitting in the chair Akira had just vacated and throwing a leg over the arm of it.

“Of course I realize it. Could you sit in a chair properly just once? Please?” Gabe asked rubbing a hand over his face.

“Nah…not when this annoys you so well….with so little effort from me.” Scythe said with a chuckle, throwing his arms behind his head.

With a flick of his wrist Gabriel sent the chair had been sitting on right out from underneath him. There was a loud thump followed by a sharp crack as Scythes butt and head hit the floor.

“It really pisses me off when you do that you know.” Scythe said continuing to lie on the floor like it was where he meant to be.

“It’s why I continue to do it.” Gabriel replied with a slight twitch at the corner of his mouth.

“Baka.” Scythe grumbled as he got to his feet.

“Do not curse at me in other languages Scythe.” Gabriel said righting the chair and bringing it back to the desk so Scythe could once again sit. “You will keep an eye on her. If she leaves tonight, you had best bring her back immediately. If anything happens to her, it will be your head.”

“Nothing will happen to her.” Scythes said dusting off his pants. “You know….she told me something quite interesting earlier. Something about her going before the triumvirate…”

“It’s none of your business and I will thank you to stay out of it.” Gabriel replied his amber eyes momentarily flashing ruby.

“Why the hell should I? The last girl you sent before them died, in case you had forgotten.” Scythe said each word falling like acid on Gabriels ears.

“I love Syckle and you know it you insolent pup! Get the hell out of my sight and stay out of the business you know NOTHING about!” Gabriel said as the chair and Scythe flew out of the room.

Chapter 2

Chapter 2

“Akira-san you have to stop this.” Scythe said. “It’s not heathly!”
“Wha….what’s …going to…happen?” Akira asked between sniffs. “Am….am I going to …..die of a broken….heart?”
Scythe chuckled. “No. But at least you still have your sense of humor.”
“I’m serious Scythe! What the hell is wrong with me?” Akira asked flinging
another tissue in the trash. “Why can’t I be a little normal? Why do I have to be such….such a freak?!”
“You are NOT a freak!!” Scythe said grabbing Akira by the shoulders.
“You are hurting me Scythe.” Akira said almost monotone.
“Well damnit Akira, when are you going to get it through your thick head of yours? You are not a freak! You’re just……special.” Scythe told her with a crooked grin. “At least you are no more a freak than the rest of us.”
“Oh gee thanks. That makes me feel so much better.” Akira said shoving him off her bed. There was no thump when he should’ve hit the ground. Akira leaned over the side of the bed to glare at Scythe. “I really hate when you do that. It takes all the fun out of it when there is no satisfying thump.”
Scythe grinned up at her as he floated two inches about the ground. “Thump.” He said as he let out a laugh, floated higher and came to rest on the bed again. “See, you aren’t the only freak.”
“Yea but your freakiness is cool. And besides, you aren’t that freaky.” Akira said getting up and going to the mini-fridge she kept in her room. “Want one?”
“Ew…no thanks.” Scythe said making a face. “I don’t know how you drink that stuff cold….wait! What do you mean I am not that freaky?” He asked sitting up with a pout.
“Only you would be upset at not being freaky.” Akira muttered.
“What was that?” Scythe asked.
“I said I drink it cold because I can’t bite anything remember? And lets face it floating isn’t very freaky for a vampire.” Akira replied.
“Well neither is hearing voices. Haven’t you read ‘Twilight’?” Scythe asked her.
“It’s not the same thing and you know it.” Akira said dryly as she poured blood into a glass.
“Did Gabriel have any idea about why you can’t bite anything?” Scythe asked turning serious.
“No.” Akira replied frowning. She sat down in her reading chair before continuing. “Gabe thinks I need to go before the Triumvirate.”
“NO!” Scythe snarled. “He can’t be serious. The last one he sent before them was slaughtered before she could even speak!”
“You know it’s not the same, Scythe.” Akira said softly. “She broke the law. People found out, we could have all died!”
“She was family to me Akira!” Scythe said his eyes flashing from crystal blue to burning amber.
“I’m sorry. I know Syckle was important to you. My point was simply that it’s not the same. She wasn’t the only one lost either. Wulf is gone too.” Akira said hurt in her grass green eyes.
“I don’t know why you are so broken up over some…mongrel!” Scythe spit out.
“Enough!” Akira said her eyes now the hard amber color all vampires eyes were when they were hunting or angry. “Leave.”
Scythe’s head snapped as if she had slapped him. “I’m sorry Akira, I just….”
“I said leave! Unlike you I grew up with Wulf and just because we got picked for different teams doesn’t make me hate him! Now get out!” Akira growled.
“I’m sorry nechan.” Scythe said closing the door behind him.

Akira braced herself for the voice this time. It left her alone until she was somewhere by herself but the instant no one was around it started in.
“Help me.”
“How am I supposed to help you when I don’t know who you are?” Akira said too exhausted to care that she was, essentially, talking to herself.
“He must be stopped! There isn’t much time left. He’s found the other two but he doesn’t know where you are!” The voice said. It was a feminine voice of that Akira was sure. She had started calling it ‘Voce’ because she needed a name to curse.
“Voce you have to give me more than that! The other two what?! Bears, ice cream cones, coats?! There are a million different things! How can I protect ‘it’ if I don’t know what ‘it’ is?!” Akira asked throwing up her hands in defeat.
“Be careful, night walker, even now he is hunting the other two. When he has them he will find you.” Voce said.
“Damnit Voce, stop with the riddles!” Akira growled.

There was a knock on Akiras door and just as suddenly as Voce came, she left.
“Akira? Is everything okay?” The words were muffled by the door but she still knew who it was.
I’m fine Cary. You can come in.” Akira said once again sitting in her chair. She was rubbing at her temples as the little vampire walked in.
Trapped forever at 14 Cary would have grown into a beauty given the chance. A rogue vampire took that chance from her over a hundred years ago.
As it was Cary’s existence was breaking the law. No one was supposed to turn anyone younger than 16. If anyone but Akira had found her, Cary would have been killed instantly.
To keep her safe Akira had lied to Gabe and said she was 16 and as far as she knew, she and Cary were the only ones who knew the truth. She had been tracking Wulf across the Siberian when she had stumbled across Cary’s beaten body.
New tears started then at the thought of Wulf. Gods how she missed him.
“Akira, no! Oh….please don’t cry! Alexi really isn’t worth it!” Cary said as she came to sit at Akiras feet. She moved so gracefully and so lightly it was like watching a dancer.
“Alexi? Oh Gods, I’d forgotten for a moment.” Akira said groaning as another stab of pain went through her at the memories of her latest embarrassing break up.
Akira had been sleeping with Alexi for months now and was more than just a little in love with the handsome Italian vampire. She should have left him long before now but it took seeing him with someone else before she did. Even then it was he, who had left her. She had told him to choose between her and the other vampress, Kelsey, she then begged and pleaded with him, even admitting that she was in love with him, before he had chosen Kelsey.
Of course Kelsey, wanting to brag about her victory over one of Gabriel’s chosen, had told everyone exactly what happened.
“How could I have been so stupid?! Everyone knows vampires aren’t monogamous, at least not for very long periods of time.” Akira said throwing her head back against the chair.
“I’m sorry I shouldn’t have brought it up. But if you weren’t crying about Alexi, who were you thinking about?” Cary asked.
Akira hesitated. She usually told Cary everything but telling her that the loss of a werewolf made her cry was a risk. It was unnatural. Sure they could get along but to mourn the death of one was all but unheard of.
“You were thinking about Uncle Wulf weren’t you?” Cary guessed.
Shocked into speechlessness Akira barely squeaked out “Uncle?”
“Well not in the real sense you know, but we did travel with him for a time and you always would tell me stories about the two of you, so I guess I started thinking of him as my uncle.” Cary hastily explained. “But Akira….you know Wulf wasn’t quite right there towards the end, don’t you?”
“What do you mean Carinna Romanovsky?” Akira asked her eyes momentarily flashing amber.
“Look, I liked Wulf but he just didn’t seem himself there towards the end.” Cary started. “He seemed almost wild sometimes. You never noticed it, he was always careful around you. I think it was because he truly loved you that he tried to hide it as much as he did.”
“How long?” Akira asked. What she really wanted to know was how long it had been that she hadn’t truly known her friend.
“A year…maybe two. Time passes so swiftly that I lose track.” Cary said softly.
“You’re insane! Are you honestly expecting me to believe that I didn’t know my best friend for two years?!” Akira asked her eyes burning amber.
“I think I should go.” Cary said standing up slowly and backing toward the door.
The hurt in Cary’s eyes sapped Akira’s anger. “No, Cary, wait. I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have snapped at you. It’s just really hard for me to believe I didn’t know Wulf, I mean really know him, for over two years.”
“Think about it for a moment Akira. You didn’t spend near as much time with him in the last few years and when you did, it was like…like pushing magnets with opposite polarities together. You didn’t fight but you weren’t close anymore either. I think Wulf was keeping it that way on purpose, but I also think you subconsciously knew something was wrong.” Cary said once again kneeling at Akiras’ feet.
“Cary I…I’m sorry I think I need to rest.” Akira said rising from her chair.
“I’m sorry Akira, I didn’t mean to upset you.” Cary said opening the door.
“It’s alright Cary. It’s just been a long day. I’ll see you in a few hours.” Akira said shutting the door behind the small girl.

“Voce!! Voce answer me!!” She screamed at the ceiling.
“You do not command me night walker!” Voce said and for the first time Akira hear some sort of emotion in her voice.
“Are you angry Voce?” Akira asked lifting an eyebrow.
“You don’t know who I am but do not test me child. What do you need?” Voce asked once again becoming the subdued voice Akira had grown used to.
“Wulf.” Akira simply said.
“What about him? The moon child is not my concern.” Voce stated.
“Was he killed because of me?” Akira asked almost too low to hear, afraid of the answer.
“The moon child died because of himself and no one else.” Voce replied. “The young night walker was right however. The moon child was not the person you knew.”
“How is that even possible? I would have noticed! Wouldn’t I?” Akira asked.
“Sometimes the things right in front of us are hardest to see. Know this: there is nothing you could have done to save the moon child. His path was set.” Voce told her.
“Was it because of Syckle?” Akira asked. The question had been burning in her mind for the last six months.
“The loss of the night walker was an…unintended accident. Someone interfered where they shouldn’t have.” Voce said a sour edge to her voice.
“Who are you Voce?” Akira asked.
“I need your help. That’s all you need to know.” Voce said.
Akira could tell she was actually alone for the first time in two dozen years.
She was exhausted from the day. Dealing with the backlash from Alexi, thinking about Wulf, and still receiving vague answers from Voce had sapped all the energy and strength she had left. Even her usual afternoon drink did nothing to restore her energy.
What she really wanted and what she needed were two different things. She wanted to lie down and sleep and pretend like today never happened. She wanted to curl in on herself and imagine away the hurt she had felt at being betrayed.
What she needed was to clear her head and get a good perspective on what was happening in her life and where she thought she was headed. She had been a part of Gabriels coven for a long time now, since 1590 to be exact. The bonds between them ran deep but there were still times when Gabriel seemed to be more than he appeared and because of it Akira was not real sure she could trust him. The issue of whether to stay and risk, possibly her life, or to go and set off on her own leaving all she knew behind her was weighing heavily on her.

Chapter 1

Note: This is for my friend Karabelle. I'm trying once again just for you.


Chapter 1



“ARGH!!! You just don’t get it do you Haycraft?” Jaden roared. “It’s not about the damned jewels anymore. I just want the voices to shut the hell up! They won’t leave me alone. All the incessant whining and the voices that try to get me to do things, or feel things, I’m tired of them and I want them gone!” He said swinging the broadsword and connecting with a loud clang against the axe his opponent swung.

“Then why did you make the deal with Hades? You of all people should have known there was a catch. A God does not trade something for nothing. You KNOW that!” Haycraft shouted back swinging at Jadens’ feet, spinning, and then coming at his head.

Jaden jumped, ducked, and slashed at Haycrafts’ stomach. “I don’t know. I guess I thought the daily torture from Hades would be enough of a trade.”

Just then a high sweet melody chimed through the arena the two were sparring in.

“Speaking of which….” Jaden said while dematerializing both weapons.

“I really wish you wouldn’t do that.” Haycraft muttered picking himself up off the floor where he unceremoniously landed when the axe disappeared and threw off his balance. “Is that really the summons?” At Jadens nod a rumble of laughter escaped Haycraft. “What a sick bastard. I’ll check in on you later. Try not to enjoy yourself too much okay?”

Jaden flipped off the retreating figure before turning around to face the least favorite part of his day.

“Afternoon Jaden.” Hades said walking into the room.

“Hades.” Jaden drawled. “Well let’s get started then.”

Jaden reached his arms out to the side as manacles formed around his wrists and attached themselves to nothing. Though they looked fragile and easy to break Jaden knew that it wasn’t even worth trying. They were forged by Hephaestus and unbreakable.

“Starting to enjoy it after all these centuries?” Hades asked acid dripping from his voice. “How many jewels do you have left?”

“Three.” Jaden said in a monotone. There was no use denying Hades the information. He would only steal it from his mind later while he slept. “But then….you already knew that. Been dream-dropping again? I could think of better things to be doing at night.”

Hades chuckled. “Trying to make me angry that way is not going to work. My wife and I are perfectly happy, thank you for asking.” He replied as he started rolling up his sleeves.

Jadens one blue eye started to cloud over till it was ghostly pale and Hades knew now was his chance.

Just before the vision overtook Jaden he swore he heard Hades sigh, almost as if he was content.



Jaden knew the instant the vision started something wasn’t right.

Normally it would be in vivid color helping him with keys and clues to find the jewels. This vision was such a change forming only images in black and white.

Normally there was sound to everything allowing him to remember voices and garner hints as to what was coming. All he heard now were snatches of conversations yet to come, as if he was searching for a station on a radio.

Normally there was a smooth flow to his visions showing him hours, even days at a time, now it was nothing but clips, almost like a photo.

He saw a woman whose eyes held murder.

A man whose eyes were filled with sorrow.

And a girl whose eyes no longer saw anything.

The last image made him shudder as it clung to his mind.

The first bit of color came back when the image of a house crossed his vision. Normally he could look from side to side and get a feel for where he was but now it was as if his head was held in a vice allowing him no movement.

“How could you?” The female voice asked. “He’s always done what you asked, followed every stupid rule and now you turn your back on him?!”

“Has he? Are you so sure about that?” The male voice questioned back. It was distorted almost like his vision needed to keep it from him. “Are you willing to risk your life on it? Are you willing to risk his life?

After the house his vision went black. “Do not judge me Jaden.” The same female voice echoed in his head. “You have no idea what my life has been. What I have seen….what I’ve done.”

“You don’t know what it’s like for me when I see you.” His own voice reverberated. “It’s like breaking the surface of the water, when I’m running out of air.”

As Jadens own words sounded in his head, he started to feel pain again.



Jaden woke up to his back being on fire. Ok so it wasn’t literally on fire but it may as well have been. He was starting to think fire might feel better.

“You finally awake?” Haycraft asked.

“Mmmphh….” Came the muttered response from Jaden.

“What was that? Sorry I don’t speak pillow. It’s a lost language I believe.” Haycraft said.

Jaden turned his head to see a grin split Haycrafts face. “I said…why are you here?”

“Why are any of us here? Choices. It’s all about the choices.” Haycraft replied leaning back with his hands behind his head.

“Please stop with the philosophical bull crap. My back already hurts, and here you are trying to give me a headache. Some friend….” Jaden mumbled.

“Seph sent me.” Haycraft told him.

“You’ve got to be kidding me. What the hell does she want now?” Jaden said wincing as he flexed his back. The wounds were healing but the pain was still there and the muscles were stiff.

“Nothing. She just asked me to make sure you made it back to your room and eventually woke up.” Haycraft said standing and walking around the room, picking up things here and there.

“Ha ha…yea right Haycraft, now what did she really want?” Jaden said standing and noticing that he was naked. “Did you….undress me?”

A quick flush of red passed up Haycrafts neck. “There was blood on everything and I…uh….thought maybe you would want to keep your sheets clean.”

“Oh….um….thanks….I guess.” Jaden replied hastily pulling on some pants. “Has Hades been by?”

“You know he never comes by Jaden.” Haycraft said quietly with pity in his eyes.

“I know…I just…” Jaden started to say, then some unknown emotion passed across his face quicker than Haycraft could blink. “Never mind.” He finished sitting down on the edge of the bed.

“So what was your vision about this time? That is assuming you had one.” Haycraft said leaning one hip against the dresser.

“Of course I did.” Jaden said frowning.

“Well what was it about? Did you find the last jewel?” Haycraft asked his eyes alight.

“I….I can’t remember.” Jaden replied surprise crossing his face. “I….it’s just so strange.”

“What do you mean you can’t remember? That’s not like you. Are you sick?” Haycraft said with a grin.

“It’s just flashes. Black and white flashes.” Jaden said in a half whisper almost as if he were thinking out loud.

The grin fell from Haycrafts face as he realized that Jaden was serious. “Do you think it means something?”

“How could it not? Maybe my sight is failing.” Jaden said.

“Jaden you are almost 3000 years old. I don’t think it’s going to just go on the fritz.” Haycraft replied with a snort. “Maybe it’s just because you are so close to having all the jewels. Maybe they were clues to help you find it.”

“Rule number one: only two jewels will be active at once.” Jaden said in a monotone voice. The rules had been in his mind for so many years not that it was like some sort of personal litany. “Rule number two: both jewels must be acquired before more activate. In other words there is no way my visions concern the final jewel since it is not active.”

“Right….sorry, I tend to forget there are restrictions.” Haycraft said as she crossed the room to the door. “Well, I better be going. I’ve got a meeting. I’ll catch you later.”

Jaden waved him out of the room absentmindedly.

Haycraft traveled the halls towards his meeting, thinking about what Jaden had told him. Were Jadens powers failing and if so what did that mean for the rest of them?

He glanced around the hall briefly before swiftly entering the room.



“How is he?” Haycraft asked.

“The same as he usually is. Sleeping peacefully for now. Came the quiet answer. “And Jaden?”

“Not so good. He thinks his visions might be failing.” Haycraft told her.

“Impossible. Jadens mother was one of the strongest oracles I’ve ever seen.” She said dismissively.

“Jadens mother was mortal?” Haycraft questioned. He couldn’t imagine such a powerful being a Jaden being half human.

“Of course, otherwise the vamp brace wouldn’t work.” She told him. “Now why does he think its failing? Jaden has never been one to jump to strange conclusions.”

“He said his vision was nothing but flashes. Nothing he could understand and that he couldn’t remember part of it.” Haycraft said sitting down in a plush chair.

“Then he is lying.” She said anger making her voice rise. “I ask a simple task from you and you can’t even do that!”

“I did do my job! I don’t think he was lying. There was too much confusion in his face.” Haycraft told her shaking his head.

“Jaden must find those jewels, all of them, the next time he surfaces.” She demanded, passion flaring in her eyes. “I can’t bear to see him like this much more. It’s slowly killing him.”

“It would help if I could go with him. I could keep an eye on him; make sure he stays on task.” Haycraft suggested.

“Fine, go. You have other duties to attend to first though.” She said crossing the room to the still figure on the bed.

“Yes…” Haycraft said his eyes clouding. “I must go. Take care of him while I’m gone.”

“You know I always do.” She replied as he closed the door. She picked up the sleeping figures hand. “This….curse has got to end…and soon. For both our sakes.”