Part VIII

With a start, she awakens in the massive bed, looking around frantically at the unfamiliar surroundings before sinking back into the pillows. Memories come flooding back.

So...I get to kill one of my mothers...or be killed...how the hell do I get myself into these situations?

She blinks a little and glances over at the window when she feels a breeze.

Hn...that was closed when I went to sleep...

Slowly she sits up, only to yelp and tear herself from the bed when she feels someone trying to grab her. The person snags the flimsy shoulder strap of her sleeping gown, however, and the fabric holding the right side of the gown up rips. She spins to face the intruder, a man not much taller than she, slender, as all elves seem to be, and dressed head to toe in what could very well be a ninja's garb. A growl rips from her throat. "What the hell do you think you're doing?!"

He stares at the exposed swell of her breast before snapping his gaze back up to her eyes. "My job!"

I know that look...NO way in HELL I'm letting that happen EVER again!

She falls back, twisting to avoid the dagger. She grabs the back of his neck, however, and assists his face with its journey into the wall. "Screw that!"

He groans, blood flowing from his nose, as she yanks him back to grab his dagger hand and pound it into the floor. The blade skitters out of his reach and he glares up at her. His hand flashes out to grab at her throat.

She leaps back, and lands gracefully on her bare feet. "Who sent you?!"

"You already know, mixed blood," he snarls as he draws his bow and arrows.

She growls under her breath and takes cover as he bombards her with arrows. The projectiles stop, however, when she disappears into the shadows.

"Come now, mixed blood. There's no need to hide. You're actually a lovely thing. If you give me what I want, I might just let you live."

...I wouldn't willingly shake your hand, much less let you IN me, ya ugly lil' mother-fucker...

She snaps her foot out, knocking the bow from his hands after lightly removing the arrows from their home in the quiver. A strong arm slides around the slender man's throat and yanks him in a choking grip against the strong body it's attached to.

"You fucked with the wrong woman, you ugly bastard." HLM's angry voice hisses into his ear just as the door swings open to reveal Quinlan clad in only his pants, carrying his staff with him.

"What the..." He narrows his eyes and stalks over to them, glaring at the man with flashing eyes. The assassin starts struggling in HLM's grip. "Why are you here?"

The man's liquid curses turn into breathless gurgling when HLM tightens her grip on his throat.

"Do you honestly want to feel what I'd like to do to every piece of shit who have a thing for raping women?" Her voice hisses into his ear again as her free hand slides down to his uninjured hand.

"Oh, and what's that, mixed-blood? Hold my ha--" His retort transforms into a surprised scream when the bones in his pinky-finger are snapped into fragments.

Her fingers move lightly to his ring finger. "You were saying?"

"Bastard wench!" He cries out again as his ring-finger joins the pinky in fragmented agony.

"You know," Quinlan puts in, "I believe she will continue to make good on her word if you do not begin to cooperate."

"Rot in hell!"

Snap, followed by a scream.

"You have no idea how much I'm enjoying this," she mutters into his ear.

The man growls softly. "I was sent here to kill you...just thought I'd have a little fun, first."

"By who?" Quinlan's voice is contrastingly calm to HLM's hissed whisper.

"Like hell I'm gonna tell y--" Snap; scream. "Edana Caedmon!"

"Good boy," HLM purrs into his ear.

The man suddenly jabs his free elbow back towards HLM's midsection, face twisted into an inhuman snarl.

She growls softly and twists out of the way, twisting his head with her. The sickening crunch of his neck precedes the thud of his dead body hitting the floor.

Quinlan shakes his head and kneels to examine the body while HLM watches. "What exactly happened?"

"Well...I woke up...was just lyin' there, thinking for a few minutes...I felt a breeze, and this guy tried grabbin' me. He only got one o' m' straps an' I got away from 'im. We fought fer a while 'fore he pulled out his bow 'n arrows. That's when I took to the shadows and snuck up behind him. Ugh...nasty bastard wanted to rape me." She mutters under her breath.

He sighs and shakes his head. "This one is a sick one then. Do you know who he is?"

She arches a brow. "Some assassin Edana sent?"

"More than that." A mask of disgust lowers over his face. "This is her son."

Her lip curls with revulsion as her nose wrinkles. "Oh...ew...I'm finding I really dislike that side of the family..."

My own brother....oh MAN...

He shakes his head again as the body is taken away. "He  had to have known as well." The blanket is pulled off the bed and draped around the daughter's shoulders by her father. "The only way he could have found you was through sensing part of himself in you."

She blinks and shudders. "You're not making this any better."

"I am sorry...we have some leathers for you to change into before we begins the day's training, anyway. You fight tomorrow at dawn."

She arches a brow. "Gotta love how much choice I have in this..."

He smiles softly, if not a little sadly. "She has more right than you do here. Were it not for me, she would have succeeded many times over."

Wow...geeze...

"I...Quinlan...I'm in your debt..."

His lips brush over her brow. "Survive this and that will be  your repayment."

Icy eyes bewilderedly meet emerald. "I can't help wondering...why do you care about me so much?"

His eyes smile. "You are my daughter." He traces a hand along her cheek. "Even if you weren't, I would still want you in my life."

"I...ah...thanks." She returns his smile and accepts the leathers.

He nods with a kind smile. "Ready y yourself for the day, and I will meet you in the sparring room."

"Uhm...k..." She grins a little, watching as he leaves.

Geeze...I suddenly feel like I'm a rookie training on my first day with the X-Men...

She just chuckles as she readies herself for a long day of training.

Part VII
Part IX
Otherworldly Comforts Index