* * * *

Part Eleven

Dragon was walking over to Jepar's house. It was still pretty early, about seven o' clock. The sun was sloping onto the horizon, starting to dull into orange and the first hints of night were touching the sky. It was a hunting night, cool and clear with a strong breeze. No mist, no rain. She had a hunt planned all right, but the quarry was much more dangerous than usual.

It wasn't hard to guess which was Jepar's. The house was nice, but a little odd. It was very medieval and exactly the sort of place that Jepar would live in, a couple of runes that Dragon could read with some difficulty; it had been a while since she had seen those markings etched anywhere. "Trespassers will be eaten," she read and half-smiled. "Knives optional.".

The whole place was wood and stone, just one storey but with a lot of rooms sprawled. It was airy, comfortable, and she could see touches of his personality scattered around; a photo of a beautiful woman with his eyes and lighter hair, almost white, and a demon photo of the Circle all leering at the camera. A desert scene on one wall, so vivid Dragon felt she could reach out and touch it. A black cat purring lazily in the hallway, but with cunning blue eyes. It purred quietly at her, then tried to lay her veins open before running away.

It was odd, she thought; from the outside, there was nothing to show it was a modern house at all. No doorbell, no TV aerial, nothing but a telephone line. And no silver anywhere. Inside, she noticed a wide-screen TV, the aerial obviously disguised somewhere, a holograph of a weird futuristic scene and other oddities. She liked it.

The three of them were sitting round the fire talking when she walked in. The room was warm due to the fire blazing in the hearth, smoke mostly floating up the chimney, but some of it swirling round the room. It added to the secretive air, though that was spoiled by the music on the stereo.

They all looked up when she came in, faces expectant. Three pairs of autumn leaf eyes were inquisitive, expectant. Dragon hoped they weren't expecting a great master plan; she had an nice little scheme, but it needed work - she'd admit that. She didn't say anything, just took off the cloak and threw it on the floor then sat down.

"So, what's your big plan?" said Jepar, curiosity written all over his face.

Dragon smiled. "It's pretty simple. A little risky, but I think we can do it if nothing goes wrong."

"Yes? And what if something does go wrong?" That was Chatoya, looking a little troubled.

"That's why you're here. You point out the problems then we figure out how to solve them." Dragon replied. She hadn't got any further than thinking up the plan and she would bet anything that between those three they'd find a hundred and one things that could wreck this.

"Well? What *is* your big master plan?" Matt asked, looking impatient already. And she had only just got in.

"First, when Bella asks you about the Moon Festival again, you accept." Dragon waited for his reaction.

"What?" He looked absolutely horrified. Dragon grinned. For once, someone else would have to put up with Bella.

"You accept, not too obviously, and you have to think of a good excuse why you've changed your mind." Dragon carried on, exposing flaw number one in her scheme.

Chatoya shrugged. "That'll be easy enough."

"Oh?" Matt looked baffled. "It will be?"

The witch smiled, a little condescendingly, Dragon thought. "You just explain you were going to accept originally but didn't get the chance because Dragon interfered."

Simple enough. That was why Dragon was glad she had told Chatoya. The witch saw things more plainly so she solved the problems quicker.

Dragon went into the next part of her idea. "After the Moon Festival, Bella is going to take you to the sacrificing field, I'll bet." She knew. And she would bet her life some of Bella's little toys, her precious collections of knives and…other torture instruments she had boasted about would be there too.

"Sounds about right." Jepar muttered. "Let 'em have fun dancing before they rip you to bits." The 'shifter was always cheerfully morbid. But then he saw dead things all the time. It was a way of life for 'shifters and some of the more bloodthirsty vampires.

"Thanks," Matt said, wrinkling his nose. He didn't look too enthusiastic. Dragon didn't like risking him; but it was better that than letting Doomfire alone to kill who they chose.

"Can I actually finish?" Dragon demanded, wondering how she was ever going to explain this without *someone* jumping in.

There was a muttered chorus of 'Sure'.

"*Thank you*," she said with heavy sarcasm. "Bella said something about my getting a chance to redeem myself on Friday, so I'm guessing that she wants me to kill you. So Matt and I will go to the field. You two," she looked at Chatoya and Jepar, "have to follow us. Then Jepar, you've got better night vision, so you watch out for any trouble and Chatoya has to sneak up behind the coven to help us out when the fighting starts." She remembered Lanaka's little note about keeping him away from the field. That particular cat was staying out of the fighting.

"The fighting?" Matt gave her an extremely sceptical look.

"Yes. You don't seriously think you're going to get out of there without a fight, do you? Those people are insane. They do *not* like it when the entertainment runs off. So, we're going to fight our way out. Chatoya, you know some fire-spells?" Chatoya nodded, concentrated and fire glowed between her hands. "Okay, stay out of the way, throw fire-spells and try not to hit me or Matt."

"In fact," Matt put in, "How about '*don't* hit me or Matt'?"

"Whatever. Try to knock them out, not kill them. They're just dumb humans, after all."

"Nice to know we're appreciated," her soulmate muttered. Dragon glared at him, but found it pretty difficult to stay angry with him when the soul-link kept trying to pull them together.

Eventually, she gave up, smiled ruefully and carried on talking. "Like I said, knock them out, except for Bella Majwiel. Feel free to kill her." She saw surprised looks at her venom. "Then, after they are all out, I am going to mindwipe them."

"What? Dragon, you can't just mindwipe twelve kids and not expect anyone to notice!" Chatoya said, consternation on her features. She rolled her eyes in exasperation. "Even the humans will figure it out."

Dragon shrugged. "But everyone knows they're part of some strange cult, right? So I'm sure the shrinks will be able to come up with a good excuse."

"And what do I do?" Jepar said. "Just sit there all through this? What if someone does come along?"

Dragon glanced at him. "If they're going to attack you, fight back. If not, distract them. Influence them so that they go away. If that doesn't work, talk to them. Say you've broken your leg. Just do something. Otherwise, yes, you just sit there."

"Thanks for the big responsibility," the cheetah-boy snarled derisively. Uppity as an offended cat, and no surprise. He would just have to put up with it, because Dragon trusted Lanaka's advice; if she had seen something, then it would be true. Lan had never been wrong yet.

"And that's it?" Chatoya asked. "Mission accomplished, you head back for wherever you live?"

Dragon blinked. She hadn't actually thought about that. What *was* she going to do? Stay or go? She decided that she had better be honest with them, seeing as she had lied a lot and they might not be that pleased if she did it again. "I don't know."

She saw Matt's appealing look and it made her feel that maybe she could stay. Let's just get this over with first, she thought grimly. Then you can worry about him. And yourself and how much you would miss him if you did leave.

They stayed there working out details of the scheme until late in the night. Dragon left before midnight, so not to make Shadow suspicious. As it was, he quizzed her when she came back until she felt like screaming at him. This was not like him and Dragon did not like this one bit.

* * * *

The next day, before the first class, a still-shunned Dragon watched expectantly as Matt walked up to Bella. She felt her lips quirk at the sheer revulsion flooding through the link at his one brief glare. He let her know how much he resented this.

The witch turned and seeing him, put on her most viper-like smile. Probably what she considered seductive; oh, Bella was beautiful, Dragon gave her that, but her personality twisted that into something deformed and evil. She had never known that people could really be so destructive; that it was just a term to describe one wrong action. But Bella…she was brimming with malice. Dragon wondered if there had ever been anything good in her.

"Hello Matt," she purred. "Have you changed your mind about the dance yet?" 'Yet.' What arrogance. Just assuming that Matt would eventually give in, due to her charm and beauty. As it turned out, yes, she was right this time, but Dragon wondered what Bella would say if she knew the real reason for Matt's acceptance.

Matt smiled, at his most engaging, the topaz eyes warm. "I was going to accept before." Bella's lips curved with feline delight. He carried on, sounding a little apologetic, and keeping his face turned away from Dragon, "but that girl," he managed to sound completely dismissive, "jumped in before I could answer." He winked at Bella, a flare of gold in a mischievous face.

Dragon kept her face perfectly blanked, but inwardly felt proud of him. She knew now why Daybreak thought Matt Wolff important enough that he was privy to information about the Wild Powers.

Bella looked like a cat who had got the cream. "Well, I'm flattered. I'll see you tonight in that case. You know where I live." Who didn't? Even Dragon knew, and she had only been here three days.

It was a huge mansion on the outskirts of the town. It was a disgusting building, square and ugly, filled with what where supposedly priceless objects, but knowing Bella were replicas she had picked up.

Bella turned, posed for the crowd of people watching that little exchange and left. She must have practised those exits, Dragon thought. She looks like a bad model. Even she recognised the jealousy in that thought. Am I really jealous? She wondered, disbelieving. Yes. And don't I have a right to be? He *is* my soulmate after all. And you don't meet too many of them in a lifetime. Even one that's lasted thirty thousand years.

Lunchtime spun around eventually, agonisingly slow and her circle of friends were all deadly curious about Matt and Bella. That was all they could talk about; eyes gleaming with fascination, gossip flying. Jepar and Chatoya just shrugged off questions and threw in a few ideas to keep them diverted while Dragon just sat thinking.

"So, " came Zara's bubbly voice, "is every one going to the Moon Festival?"

Cougar stretched lazily. "Nope." When they looked at him for an explanation, he just smiled sardonically and said, "I'm not going to this so-called Moon Festival just to be laughed at. And I don't really want to spend my night stuck in a hall with a bunch of sniggering 'wolf IQ humans." Jepar raised his eyebrows at the 'wolf remark. Like all 'shifters he hated the derogatory comments. Even Dragon felt a twinge of anger at the vampire.

Lisa grinned. "Going hunting tonight, huh?"

Cougar smiled, and his hazel eyes silvered as the fangs came out. "Yeah." It didn't change him much, just defined his features and he looked a little less human and more fiendish.

Everyone else was going though, Dragon included, of course. She was going with Jepar, the two 'shifters deciding they would make an entrance to annoy Bella even more. Earlier, she had apologised profusely - in public, which ad gritted her teeth, but Bella had accepted graciously and told Dragon she could prove her loyalty tonight.

"The more angry we get her," Jepar had commented yesterday while they discussed ideas, "the more likely she is to make a mistake. Believe me, when she's calm, she's lethal."

* * * *

Eight p.m. The dance had started half an hour ago. Dragon was ready. She had dressed practically, but had decided she had better not make Bella suspicious. Black, gothic clothes. Good for camouflage. It had been difficult to find things that looked suitable but were made from animals. The circlet was arranged so that her horns were still hidden. 'Shifter-hide black boots, good for running in. And several hidden knives.

Someone knocked on the door. Jepar, late as usual. Shadow had already left, with another vampire, made, with short sun streaked blond hair. She ran down the stairs and opened the door.

The 'shifter boy was standing in the pouring rain. Jepar whistled in appreciation as he stood there. "Wow. Now I see why Bella likes to wear the gothic look so much." He was casually dressed, in black, not formal at all and still looking good, but then he was going to be spending most of the night watching and it would look a little weird to anyone if you found a guy wandering round the fields dressed in a suit.

Dragon smiled impishly up at him. "You're late."

He shrugged. "I was hunting."

She rolled her eyes, wondering why he couldn't have hunted earlier. Probably forgot, knowing him. It was typically Jepar. Dragon grabbed her cloak, threw it over herself then ran out to the car with Jepar where Chatoya and Cern were waiting.

* * * *

The four of them walked into the rented hall very late. The Moon Festival had already started. Chatoya was as practically dressed as Jepar and she cast a look of disbelief at Dragon's clothes as they got into the light and Dragon flung off the fur-lined cloak. But she got a lot of appreciative looks - including one from one of the coven girl's escort, who was *supposed* to be paying attention to her. But it made Dragon feel better.

Dragon glared back at her. "I have to wear this, okay?" she hissed. Chatoya nodded and an irritated Dragon could see her trying to hide a smile. It's all right for her, Dragon thought bitterly. She isn't the one who is going to have to stand on a freezing field that is going to be soaking wet and pouring with rain in this flimsy black crap.

As they walked into the main room, Dragon saw that lighting had been rigged up so most of the room was dark with a few strobe lights flickering through the room. Music screamed out from some speakers at the other end of the room while people danced in the middle of the floor. The walls had glow-in-the-dark crescent moons stuck on them. How tacky.

She could see Matt with Bella right in the middle of the floor, dancing, but not looking like he was having much fun. He was in black, dressed like Jepar and the witch. Dragon envied the lot of them. The dress code was a mixture of formal and casual - it seemed to depend on the mood of the wearer.

Zara came running up to them dragging her date along. He was a human, and Dragon recognised him as Rob Slivan, the good-looking boy with the grey eyes. They talked and gossiped for a while before Jepar took Zara off to dance and Dragon, feeling very self- conscious for once, danced with Rob.

They talked a bit and to her relief, Rob didn't mind that she had turned him down; he had been surprised, he explained self- consciously, but Zara had been talking to him and he found he liked her a *lot* more than he had thought. She was amused to see a slightly dreamy glint in the human's eyes when he said her name - and a similar look on Zara. Smitten, the pair of them.

But Rob was gracious in defeat - unlike Sean back in Saynor, she thought with a rush of revulsion at the memory of that particular human. The rest of the night seemed to fly by, just dancing and talking to people.

Until, when midnight hit, a coven boy walked up to Dragon leering appreciatively. She fixed a icy stare on him. "What?"

He smirked. "We're leaving and Bella wants you to come with us." He looked her up and down, oblivious to the thoughts running through Dragon's head. He met her eyes boldly, licking his lips. "How about you and me meet up afterwards?" he suggested. "We can...walk." Could that have been any more unsubtle? She shuddered at the thought of going anywhere with that moron. But hid it instantly.

Dragon nodded. "Yes." She turned to get her cloak and quickly called to Jepar. ~ I'm leaving now. Hurry up. You should be able to beat us there if you're quick. Tell Toya. ~

She heard his cheerful reply. ~ Over and out, Boss. ~

* * * *

They were walking towards the field, Matt asking brightly, "So where are we going?"

Bella's voice floated back to Dragon, mysterious and icy cold. "You'll see when we get there."

Thankfully the rain had stopped. But it still didn't give Dragon much joy to trudge through the sludgy fields in the cold night. It was full moon now, glowing bright above her. Usually it would have made her happy. Full moons were important to 'shifters. But not tonight, not knowing what was going to happen. The only thing that made Dragon feel any better about this night was Bella Majwiel's upcoming death and knowing she would have revenge for her father.

It was a long slow walk to the sacrifice field, which was right out on the edge of the cluster of grassland ringing the town. Jepar and Chatoya should beat them easily. She walked in silence with the rest of the coven. They were close to the field when Bella stopped them and said, "You know why we are here tonight." She smiled nastily at Matt, who was doing his best to look confused. "But there is another reason. There is a traitor in our midst, brethren!" Brethren? What kind of a word is that? Dragon really hoped Bella hadn't found her out. If she had, they were in *big* trouble.

"And this traitor must be stopped. At all costs. I told you earlier what to do. I revealed my plan. Now implement it!" Uh-oh. Earlier? Certainly Dragon hadn't been told anything. She watched in horror as one of the coven people hit Matt hard with a wooden club. Then she felt something crash down on her head and she hit the ground, unconscious.

Bella smiled coldly, soulless eyes lit up from within by a grim light as she watched the girl crash down. Whatever she was.

* * * *

Jepar sat up in a tree. There were just a few lining the boundaries of the field. This one was a couple away from the sacrifice field so he had a clear view of anyone approaching the field. Trees, he reckoned were the safest place he could be right now. Besides, he was a cheetah and they were good at climbing them. It was colder up here, true, but he liked it. He was worried about Dragon though. There were a lot of blind spots in her plan, the main one being what if something happened to her?

She was the one with the power, the dragon-witch with the fire and 'shifting abilities he would never have in a million years - if it went wrong…

But that won't happen, Jepar, he told himself. She's only *the* most famous of the Angels, done over fifty missions in a little over a year. But…even so, it doesn't matter how good you are, there's always someone better. It's not going to be here, though, right? So stop worrying.

He gazed out over the dark fields. Nothing. He could just see the line of figures slowly proceeding to the field where the large altar lay.

He turned as he heard a sharp crack behind him. Stared into the darkness. Must just be the wind. He relaxed and swivelled back to watch Dragon and the coven. Then pain exploded in his head and as Jepar Jubatus toppled sideways he realised he was going to hit the ground. Hard.

* * * *

Chatoya followed the coven silently. They were making enough noise, mud squelching under their feet, voices whispering through the night. They were easy to trail, even though there was no cover between here and the field except for a small wooden hut tucked off to one side.

She could see Matt, a silhouette in the darkness, walking with an easy stride, compared to the tall rake thin figure of Bella with her long hair trailing like a cloudy cloak. Chatoya hated her. Bella claimed to be a witch, but she had never been seen practising any magic. Sure, she knew about the black dahlia but any human could pass themselves off as a witch if they needed to that way. Bella laughed at the other Nightpeople in Ryars Valley, not just her group of friends, Cougar, Jepar, Cern and the others but at the rebels who passed as Elders in the town. They didn't stick to the usual guidelines, but they did impose some rules and Bella was definitely not popular among them.

She narrowed her eyes as she saw the coven had stopped. They weren't anywhere near the field. Chatoya felt a flutter of uneasiness in her stomach. She hadn't liked this plan, it was way too risky, but there hadn't been any time, so she had stupidly agreed to it and now it was all gong wrong…what *was* going on up there? She could hear tatters of speech drifting towards her. "Traitor…must be stopped…at all costs…told you…now implement it!" And a horrified Chatoya watched helplessly as a wooden club that had metal glittering in it - silver, it had to be, crashed down on Dragon's head.

Now what? She couldn't tackle twelve humans and Bella, another witch, with a handful of non-lethal fire spells. She turned to go back to Jepar and gasped as she saw a figure standing there. Then, as she realised who it was, her lips curved in a smile of relief and recognition as she said, "Oh, it's you. Dragon let you in on this, huh?"

He just smiled coldly and said, "Yes."

Heart lightened with the newcomer's presence, Chatoya twisted round yet again to watch the coven. And shrieked as pain hit her in a agonising shockwave. The world shattered in black triangles.

* * * *

Bethini Arlin picked up the letter lying on the table. It was for Dragon, with the word 'urgent!' scrawled on it in black. Dragon and Shadow had gone out, she knew. Should she open it…the witch eyed the letter, curiosity overcoming the fear of what would happen if the explosive Dragon found out. That girl was *weird*.

She ripped the letter open. There was just a single sheet of paper, with a few words on it. They were sloping and messy, as if the writer had been in a hurry.

Dragon,

Get out of there, now! Shadow is still in Europe. He rang HQ today, said he'd be coming back early. Whoever is with you is not Shadow.

Lanaka.