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Part 4:

Alisha felt the shock stunning her senses as her mind screamed in circles, things suddenly making sense.

David had told her soulmate about their affair. Her soulmate had been so sure. David had known what that would do to him. He had wanted Talisa for himself, he knew that would never happen while her soulmate lived. David had to destroy their relationship - or her soulmate.

"No," she said, her voice low and flat but slowly, rage growing inside her. "I am not your possession. You had *no* right to manipulate me David, *no right* at all. You're petty, you're small-minded and you haven't changed in eight hundred years. You aren't worthy of me, or anyone else."

She had angered him and Alisha felt a tingle of apprehension. David was...predictable. But that didn't make him any less dangerous, maybe even the opposite. She had been helpless once and had sworn that would not happen again. She had to stop this...this cycle which was replaying itself, surely to the same ending of last time.

He was almost purring, a malicious kind of ecstasy glowing there. "And those virtues, were they my fool mind also?"

She met that devil's stare without flinching, but knew he could still read her feelings as he had been able to so long ago. He had her trapped, or so he thought, a butterfly wrapped in a web of time's making.

"No," she replied softly, seeing his anger fade a little. "Once...you were a good man. But that changed, David, until you were good only to those who did not need your help. You were just; you treated each as despicably as the next. You were a true knight of the realm; what did you care for anything but war and women? Yes. David, you had many qualities that could have been called virtues, but like words, they were twisted to your own means. Virtuous? It's just another word."

His fist crashed against her face before she was even aware of it and the world was wrenched sideways in a flash of pain.

She was on the ground and he stood over her, a menacing shadow with fist raised to strike again. And his eyes glowed silver...unhallowed eyes...vortex eyes that seemed to block out everything else.

His eyes gleamed...holding her as easily as the other (your soulmate, whispered a voice, or he was once) had done, but holding her with fear this time. No, David's temper had not dulled over time. He drew his arm back...

"Oh, don't!" a voice said in genuine horror. Both Alisha and David turned to look at the girl.

It was the witch girl, tall and looking aghast at David. And *he* was beside her, green eyes flashing in fury only restrained by the witch's slender arm.

There were humans watching around them too, looking up from conversations with morbid curiosity. But their interest soon faded when it was clear David was listening to the witch, politely lowering his fist, his face in that attentive expression which meant he appeared to be obeying..

"Please," the witch continued placidly, "David," his name tripped from her lips uncertainly. He waved a hand to show he was listening, only polite attentiveness on his face now. Alisha rubbed her cheek, tasting blood in her mouth. He had hit her like a heavyweight boxer.

"I don't know who you are," the dark haired witch was saying, her long locks swaying in uncertain agreement, "but the Elders here are strict. They don't like infights. Surely there's a better way to settle this...problem. And this is not the *best* place."

David grinned slowly, a wolf's sneer that made the witch's calm face show slight alarm. The boy beside her - a 'shifter Alisha realised now - just smiled coldly, the sunlight burnishing his hair, which she saw now was not blond, but covered in odd brown patches, vaguely circular...a wild cat's fur. He stared right back in silent hatred. As though...as though he recognised what David was. But that couldn't be right because Alisha knew David and *him* had never met back then, but the once and it was obvious her...it still hurt to even think the word, her soulmate had no memories of his past life, or even that he had had a past life. Yet...

David's eyes flicked to hers and she saw the look in his eyes. Infuriated betrayal; so this is why you are here, it said. He had stood in David's way once. She knew that David would not allow him to do that again.

But also, she knew that David had to plan, to try to compensate for this unforeseen puzzle piece.

"All right, little lady," he drawled. "I'll take your advice. Another time Talisa." He addressed her icily and his eyes promised - next time you won't get away so lightly. "Have a nice day."

* * * *

Alisha shook her head slightly, ignoring the dizzying sensation it set off from where David had hit her. She blinked, trying to clear the feeling so she could stand then felt arms hauling her up, that she leaned into gratefully. For a moment tiredness like she hadn't felt in years swept her, then faded quickly and she gently shoved whoever was holding her upright.

Fog cleared into daylight and sunlight as she rubbed her eyes and looked into the face she knew better than her own. Alisha started, swift as a deer and nearly leapt away from him, leaving the boy...her soulmate...with raised eyebrows and almost amusement. She refused to look at him, ignoring her beating heart. If he knew, she told herself, if he knew what I did to him...he'd hate me.

"Are you okay?" a woman's voice said serenely. It held wry humour, and its owner was the witch girl whose moss green eyes held polite concern and open curiosity.

Alisha smiled back shakily. "I..." it hurt to talk and she winced involuntarily.

"Toya," *he* said with a wide smile, seeming to have forgotten her reaction to him, "that creep just hit her. Is she likely to be screaming with joy? I don't *think* so."

"You don't think," the girl he called Toya retorted with a flick of long dark hair. She was plain, but her eyes sparkled with mischief that gave her face life. An earth witch, Alisha decided and one she instinctively liked. She turned back to Alisha, her smile apologetic now. "I'm sorry, *I* wasn't thinking. What I meant was do you-"

The boy elbowed her suddenly and hissed something under his breath that was too swift for her to catch, but the witch girl looked horrified for an instant then hastily held out a tanned hand. There was a ring on it, a black dahlia. Alisha knew what it meant and realised what she was asking as the witch murmured, "Do you like the ring?" It was a perfectly innocent question to anyone who didn't know.

Alisha nodded. "Beautiful," she said in the same casual tone. "But not an iris? Or a rose." She looked pointedly at the blond boy, but deliberately avoided his gaze. "Or maybe a foxglove?"

The witch gave her a quick, approving smile. "What I was going to say, was do you want healing?"

Alisha gave her a quick affirmative and the witch girl seemed pleased.

"Let's get out of the public eye then," the 'shifter boy said and led them out of sight, into a shaded corner of the building.

"Sit down," the witch said, and followed her own instruction, sitting cross legged, opposite Alisha. "By the way, I'm Chatoya Irkil and this here's Jepar Jubatus. But I guess you know that from the way you were staring." She flushed. "Sorry, that sounded horrible."

"No," Alisha replied quickly, trying to ignore the pain it brought, "I'm looking for a place to stay and I was told to ask Circle Strange...I'm Alisha Althasson."

Chatoya and him...Jepar... (Alisha liked the name, she decided,) exchanged knowing looks.

Jepar's green eyes stared into hers and she realised with a shock that there was no sparks, no intense power...dimly, yes, she could sense the slight *knowing* that was the link, but it was barely perceptible. In a way, she was relieved, in another disappointed and afraid. He'll never know that way, a tiny voice said. Maybe...maybe you can be friends with him without him remembering. Just *don't* touch him.

"We know all the rumours that fly round here. Don't worry on that score." He had a gorgeous voice, all low and half-purring, half- laughing with that English accent behind it. "Do you have a nickname? Alisha Althasson's a mouthful," wicked smile sent her way. "Do we call you Ali? Or Shar?"

Ali was too close to Tali for her peace of mind. "Shar," she said softly and caught their pleased looks. They seemed genuinely glad that she wanted to talk to them, something she found as curious as it was enticing.

"And," Chatoya said, lifting her hands - they were glowing dimly with soft green fire - to lightly skim the bruise David had left, "the house is yours."

"Because we like you, because you're interesting and because you hit Cougar," Jepar said with that infectious smile that held the sun in it.

Chatoya took her hands away and examined Alisha's cheek with a critical eye.

"Just like that?" Alisha said sceptically. These people were trusting. But she felt a kind of joy bubbling up within, that she could stay here, that they, that they *liked* her.

"Mm-hmm," the 'shifter confirmed, one eye dropping shut for an instant. "But there's a price..."

She should have known. Something for nothing? She'd had enough lives to realise even the unassuming had depths. "What?" her tone was almost paranoid and Alisha reddened slightly at how curt she sounded.

Jepar laughed slightly and leaned forward, his hand almost touching hers but she snapped back at the last minute, pretending not to notice the bewilderment in his eyes. His tone was faintly guarded and now Chatoya was looking at her curiously, too.

"Nothing too bad," although his voice suggested that might not be so. "Just come out with us and the rest of the Circle this evening...if that's okay with you?" And now he was definitely edgy. In the time it took to breathe, Alisha touched his mind lightly, enough to sense emerald hurt shot through with turquoise of anger and the swirls of silver confusion. And in that same moment, she felt the link a ripping bond so strong her senses gave up for a heart-stopping second before she hurled her mind away. She saw Jepar shake his head slightly, but other than that, he didn't seem to notice anything.

Mustn't do that, she forced into her head. *Bad* idea, if you want to stay on their...on his...good side.

"Fine," she said softly, avoiding their eyes that were too curious.

* * * *

They were a circle, Alisha realised. There were several of them, all Nightpeople or in the know, and their glances were interested and in one case resentful.

They were out on a mountainside - an actual summit; on one side the desert glowed and on the other, the green fields of the valley. The sun was setting orange in the west, a fireball of power, the sky turning a myriad of pinks and purples.

"You brought her back for round two?" Someone said in a droll voice. It was the devil-eyed girl - her eyes were deep blood red, and there was something unnerving about her straightforward manner. She was beautiful though, almost gothically so with hair so dark a red it seemed black and ice-hued skin that merely served to contrast those strange eyes more.

"Ruby," Chatoya whispered softly. "Our resident cynic and ex- friend of Cougar's until he changed her. They can't stand each other, but Ruby has a penchant for Jepar, so she has to put with him." Alisha felt her heart lurch at that, but it mustn't have shown on her face as Chatoya said nothing.

Ruby glanced over at her and smiled coolly. She was circumspect, but her eyes were friendly enough. "I have to congratulate you," she said in a clear, loud voice that carried. "For doing what I have never managed. I think we've *all* wanted to punch Cougar."

"Shut up," snarled the dark haired boy. His eyes were golden and glittering with pure malice. His face was set in sullen rage, but still handsome despite it. Another vampire with an even worse attitude.

Chatoya hissed, "Ignore him," and then said in an even lower voice, "Cougar's soulmate, Ria, is having problems with him. And well, Shar...you hit him." She moved on. "Our wise trio," she said with a smile.

Alisha glanced at them. A blond human with pale eyes and glasses, a sweet smile that made her feel welcome. A dark skinned exotic girl with dark eyes and her hair plaited into tiny braids that moved as her head turned. And finally a boy with startling purple eyes and mahogany hair who barely looked at her. They were deep in a conversation that Jepar joined in occasionally.

"The human's Thom," Chatoya whispered. "Old Soul and nutcase. But he's great if you need a math assignment done. Lisa's another vampire - we're getting overrun - age thirty, would you believe? She's from Africa originally and speaks more languages than I know spells. And the witch guy's Cern...doesn't go in for spells much, our local womanizer."

Chatoya grinned. "And that's just about everyone except Ria...you'll meet her some other time."

"Or not," a new voice said. There was a smooth quality about it that suggested danger and absolute mercilessness and it stopped all the conversations.

David y Pelathas stepped forward, dragon eyes glinting. It was as though he had appeared from thin air.

"You? Again?" Jepar said in disbelief, his tilted eyes glowing firework-green. "Don't you give up?"

Alisha groaned and buried her face in her hands.

"Who the hell's he?" Ruby Luthman's voice was angry as she stood up to face David, her eyes glowing the colour of danger. "And why is he gate-crashing?"

"Tali?" David said politely, turning attentive eyes to her.

She thought she saw Jepar frown out of the corner of her eye, but it was gone in an instant. Alisha felt uneasiness grow in her stomach. "Go away," she said through gritted teeth.

He laughed, his voice shattering the silence and the peace. "No."

"David," she said, her voice somewhere between a plea and a snarl. "Please...just leave me alone."

An eyebrow arched disdainfully. "Don't you want to know why I'm here?"

Not particularly, she thought, but I'll bet you're going to tell me anyway. But he was ignoring her now and turning an amused face to the others, smiling at them. "Did Alisha forget to tell you that she's working with Circle Daybreak?"

Heads snapped round to stare at her rapidly. She remembered Jo's comment: 'We're all running from something here.' And then remembered that three of the people she was looking for were sitting here. The horror blanched her face and she saw Chatoya bite her lip. Eyes that had been friendly became hard.

"And," David continued, a smirk playing across his lips. He was enjoying this. "That the names of those she's looking for are: Chatoya Irkil. A lovely young witch, I believe. A Cougar Redfern. Vampire, obviously, exiled from his clan. And Jepar Jubatus. Disappeared from his clan for..." and David paused, glaring at the shapeshifter with obvious menace, "...reasons 'unknown'. Or something that was withheld from the First House because it was so terrible..." He left the thought hanging.

She glanced over at Jepar, his face defiant and angered. Then a voice spoke up.

"If you're trying to break up our friendships for some pathetic reason," Lisa Ochai stood up. She looked like a young tribal warrior, her dark skin glowing gently in the sun, her eyes brown and clever, "you can forget it. The past is past. I couldn't care less if Jepar had killed the Crone herself. All he's ever done for any of us here has been good. *That's* what matters."

David merely grinned.

But the gaze she turned on Alisha was just as unforgiving. "I don't understand you...you *lied*. You wanted our friendship so you could report everything back to Daybreak. Maybe you didn't mean any harm...but we don't like traps. We don't like Daybreakers."

"We know how to deal with them, though," Cougar Redfern said in a low voice. He looked at Alisha and his eyes were gold as the sun, eclipsed by his pupils.

David y Pelathas looked at him, and there was no interest in his face or his voice as he said softly, "You lay one hand on her and I'll kill you."

Alisha stared at him and realised as his eyes met hers, secretive and tranquil, just what he was doing. He still felt something for her. Something powerful and corrupt and something that made him threaten her - but only him. And he was being very careful, very clever about this. Alienating her from the only people she had talked to, carefully outcasting her so she had him alone to turn to. It wasn't love. It was more than that. It was obsession.

"Just who are you?" Ruby said in obvious bafflement. "Are you a friend of Shar's - Alisha's?"

"You could...say that, yes."

She snorted, scorn grating in her voice. "Then what kind of friend are you that you reveal all her confidences to potentially dangerous people?" The vampire's eyes were thoughtful. "I know I have secrets that I would kill to protect. You only put her in danger."

He grinned and there was something of the wolf in his smile. "I don't think so."

Then his eyes returned to Alisha. "But that isn't why I came," he said and laughed at the disbelief on her face. "Oh, come on, Tali, we both knew this was inevitable. They were going to find out one day. It just happened to be today."

She had forgotten about everything Thierry had told her, hadn't even been intending to carry out his instructions and she felt sure the Night Lord had known that when he sent her here, giving her the names of people who had been missing for at least half a decade.

"Then why are you here, David?" she said, the anger in her voice barely leashed. Her mind scanned his with the lightest of touches. His thoughts were shot through with the black of triumph, the yellow of contentment and a pale purple, something hidden.

"You were followed," he replied equitably. "A few Nightworld assassins, I have no doubt. But," and his face was sneering for an instant, "who is going to fight them? Certainly not your new friends. After all, as Ms. Luthman," Ruby started at her name, "an illegal vampire, I believe, so kindly pointed out, you aren't the only one in trouble."

He saw the fear dawning in her eyes. Alisha knew she could handle, one maybe two vampires, but no more than that. She was human, she was vulnerable and now...she was dead.

David's voice turned soft and cruel. "And I won't save you, Tali. Not at first. I'll leave it, until they've had a little fun. You'll be screaming with pain while they rip you apart, you'll be begging me to help you, and by the gods, I'm going to make you beg! And then...you'll see the error of your ways."

He waved. "Happy hunting." He leapt backwards, over the mountain side and disappeared in the shriek of a kestrel and a flurry of feathers.

* * * *

The silence was broken by the calm voice of Lisa Ochai. Alisha felt sure the girl had been born with a hunting spear in her hands.

"He's right. Why should I help someone I can't even trust?" She shook her head grimly. "Maybe if you had told us...sorry, Alisha. I like you. I liked you. But I can't be friends with someone who can't be honest." She turned and walked off.

Ruby Luthman walked over to her, those eyes never more inhuman than then. "You're vermin," she said in that loud blunt voice. "Nothing but *prey*. Don't go walking at night, human, because if I see you...I will hunt you." She turned, moving so fast she seemed a red blur.

The other human stared at her thoughtfully for an instant and shook his head. The witch boy beside him, Cern, looked at her like she was trash. It was a horrible feeling; as though she were a cockroach. Like she didn't even exist. And they followed Ruby with silent steps.

Chatoya had only sadness on her face. Perhaps the glint of tears, perhaps the glint of hardness. Alisha was expecting harsh words, but all the witch said was: "Good luck with the Nightworld. You'll need it." And a brief smile. "I hope you survive...I'm not really sure why."

And then...the worst thing of all. Alisha couldn't, wouldn't meet Jepar's eyes. Didn't want to see what they held for it reminded her only too vividly of another betrayal but one infinitely more disastrous. But she heard his voice vibrating with fury.

"You tried...or your *friend* did...to take my friends away. And they are everything to me. Why can't you just leave the past where it belongs? Why do Daybreak always have to be digging and scrabbling away? I don't what the hell you thought you would find, but I'm not Hunter Redfern. Leave me alone, leave 'Toya alone and especially leave Cougar alone. Because we'll only kill you. But gods alone know what he'd do."

And they were gone, one by one, as Alisha put her head in her hands, cursing the day David y Pelathas became immortal.

Cursing the day she joined Circle Daybreak, for all their philosophies that had yet again, cost her soulmate.

"I want to talk to you."

The voice was cold, positively glacial and she recognised it at once.