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clansayeed · 4 years

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Bound by Destiny II, part 1 ― Chapter 11: The Auction

PAIRING: Kamilah Sayeed x MC (Nadya Al Jamil) RATING: Mature

⥼ MASTERLIST ⥽

⥼ Bound by Destiny II, part 1 ⥽

While struggling with nightmares of lives she’s never lived, a shadow from the past looming over her city, and the proposed idea that her life may just be a little bit too weird to handle alone, Nadya makes sure to tell herself that everything is perfect just the way it is. If only. When the self-proclaimed King of Vampires (and Maker of her sometimes-girlfriend and always-boss, can’t forget that little tidbit) Gaius Augustine returns intent on claiming Manhattan as the throne that was promised, she and her friends find themselves forced into the task of saving the world. But with millennia-old vampires and an Order of hunters on their heels as well as allies hiding catastrophic secrets at their backs… it won’t be an easy task. Too bad destiny didn’t exactly ask for her input.

Bound by Destiny II and the rest of the Oblivion Bound series is an ongoing dramatic retelling project of the Bloodbound series and spin-off, Nightbound. Find out more [HERE].

*Let me know if you would like to be added to the Destiny II tag list!

⥼ Chapter Summary ⥽

The Amulet is one bid away, but they aren't the only vampires willing to pay whatever cost. Valdas and Isseya have their own ideas about ensuring Gaius' victory... or is it their own? It's hard to tell.

[READ IT ON AO3]

Taylor reaches the pair of vampires before the rest of them can make it down the stairs.

He approaches with an authority one wouldn’t expect to see from someone as human-looking as he is.

“Is there a problem here?” He doesn’t look at Valdas when he speaks — it’s immediately clear he couldn’t give less of a damn what the man has to say. He only cares about Cadence.

Taylor reaches out and places a tentative hand on the taller man’s arm. “Cade, are you okay?” But he doesn’t get an answer.

When Valdas recovers from the shock of being interrupted, he doesn’t come out on the other end nearly as caring as he’d sounded before. “This doesn’t concern you, halfling.”

But Taylor’s the type to take anything, whether it ‘concerns him’ or not, and stick his nose in it regardless.

“Back off, man. I think it’s pretty plain he doesn’t want you around.”

“He doesn’t know what he wants. Get out of my way.”

“Touch me and see what happens.”

With a scoff the vampire reaches for Taylor’s shoulder, and Nadya almost trips in her haste because she’s seen the way Valdas can get when he’s angry. But even the barest touch and she watches in startled awe as Taylor’s shoulder… sparks? Whatever it is it gets Valdas to back off.

“First one’s a freebie. Next time I’m gonna let my trigger-happy boyfriend up there go to town.”

So behind him Valdas watches, uncharacteristically silent as he takes in the sudden ease Cadence feels at the presence of his friend. As Nadya and the others push their way through to the bar she sees the barest shadow of doubt in his eyes before it vanishes without a trace. Replaced by cool nonchalance and an all-too-familiar smug smile.

Only it’s directed a little higher than Nadya’s glare.

“Adrian, you’re looking well.”

Anger flashes over Adrian’s face and he actually draws his fist back ready to swing. “Don’t,” and when Nadya grabs his elbow she knows if he really wanted to she would have just been hurled along for the ride but thankfully it’s enough to stop him, “he’s just baiting you.”

“If he thinks he can just stand there and get away with kidnapping you —”

The smallest furrow creases in Valdas’ brow. “Did I not ensure her safe return?”

“You think that justifies it?!” Adrian practically roars. Around them more and more guests and eager bidders turn away from their conversations and card games to watch the unfolding events.

But if she doesn’t get to yell right now neither does Adrian. It’s only fair.

Taylor gives her a panicked look. “You guys need to cool it or they’ll kick us out.” Calm him down or something, his eyes scream. And in this Nadya hates it — like really really hates it — but she has to agree.

“We can’t risk it Adrian, please.” Because there’s no question as to why Valdas is here; why Isseya is probably somewhere slithering in the shadows. Which means they need a game plan, like, yesterday. “Please, Adrian, come on…”

But Adrian is still tense under her touch. “He’s not worth it.” Though that she says loud enough so more than just the vampires can hear her. “He’s too pathetic for that.”

It would have been nice to see him look anything even on the spectrum of shamed but Valdas just quirks his brow slightly. “Tactful as ever, Miss Nadya.” Then, voice lowered slightly; “You look in good health.”

“Yeah, no thanks to you.” She darts a quick look behind him. “Where’s Isseya?”

“Why do you care?” Valdas asks, genuinely surprised.

“Because she has a funny habit to trying to kill me.”

“There needn’t be any bloodshed tonight — or ever again.”

“You two are the ones who keep resorting to violence.” She can still feel a phantom of the pain where she’d all but been dragged by the hair…

Valdas chances half a step forward; Nadya refuses to trust the false regret in his eyes ever again. “I told you, Nadya, that going forward my acts will not entirely be of my own will.”

“Like I’m supposed to believe you; like you haven’t lied to me over and over again?”

“Perhaps, but where words can lie I’ve found that memories have no choice but to reveal the truth.”

What — does he want her to look into his head again; to push Adrian aside and take his hand and see some hidden truth? No way.

Nadya’s brow furrows, resolute.

“If you were really worth trusting you wouldn’t need to lie at all.”

The vampire’s sigh weighs heavy on his shoulders. He doesn’t get the chance to lie to her again.

The clanging of a gong rings high over their heads and echoes through the center of the club manor-house. Now they really need to get going. Nadya jerks her head for Lily to help her pull Adrian back. Eventually — a little too late in her opinion but better late than never — he eases up. The sharper edges of his eyes seem to smooth out.

He shakes his head as if clearing a fog. “I’m sorry, I just…”

“We’ll talk about it later.” But despite her smile Nadya taps him with the back of her hand. “And we are talking about it later, Adrian.”

It’s a threat as much as it is a promise. He’d better believe it.

“C’mon, Cade,” Taylor tries to coax the man forward with a little push; and Nadya’s pretty sure she’s not supposed to hear the next bit but she’s too close not to catch when Taylor mutters under his breath; “what’s up with you lately, man? You’ve been like this for a month now…”

“It’s nothing.” Cadence replies just shy of a whisper.

“It doesn’t feel like ‘nothing.’”

“Then maybe you shouldn’t go poking around in my emotions.”

“I can’t help that. You’re like a bullhorn in a church.”

They almost make it to the stairs — and a waiting, arms-over-her-chest doesn’t-know-yet-if-she-wants-to-hug-him-or-strangle-him Katherine. Almost.

“It was not my intention to cause you such distress… Cadence.” Valdas calls at their backs; he says the name like it’s acid on his tongue but every other word is sincere enough to make Nadya’s heart hurt in an odd way.

She’s pretty sure if it weren’t for his friends practically forcing him forward Cadence might have actually turned back. Even if only for a moment.

But the only one who does is Lily — and that’s just to give him a finger Nadya doesn’t approve of. But this once she’ll just keep her mouth shut.

Before they get back to Isadora, Lily holds her behind from the others. Adrian is too lost in his own thoughts to notice. Taylor throws them a raised eyebrow, but it’s all good.

Thankfully, her best friend keeps her voice to a low level. The fae with his black box is still skirting around the edges of the booths. They must have something to do with the auction. “Firstly, you make some bonkers friends.”

“You know you’re my friend, right?”

“My point stands.” And yeah, fair, Nadya will give her that. “Second, if Gomez is here there’s no doubt Morticia is somewhere nearby. But what if that means…”

Thankfully there’s no Addams Family analogy equivalent for the hellspawn of all evil that is Gaius Augustine, but Nadya presses a finger up against Lily’s lips anyway. “Don’t… don’t say it.”

On some level all of them probably had that same thought during their miniature confrontation. It’s inevitable.

Lily kisses her finger aside. “You know what I mean, though?” And she sneaks glances about as subtle as the hulking Minotaur stomp-stomping his way across the bar floor down below.

“Yeah, I do. But I don’t think he’s here, Lil’.” I would have felt him.

All the way across that long long table where he couldn’t be denied. No matter what he looked like, Gaius didn’t seem the type to see an event as splendorous as this and find himself content to hide away from the spotlight. “It’s his scene, but I think if he were here we would have known it by now.”

“What, we’d be on our knees worshiping him or something?”

Nadya laughs dry and humorless. “No — we’d be dead.”

They arrive back to the booth in time for the lights cast off from the chandelier to glow a rich white-blue. Isadora unfurls the ever-changing parchment of lots and bids and states the obvious; “It’s beginning…” And suddenly there’s a whole new kind of tension hanging around the exclusive vampire club table.

The first lot is a statue that the auctioneer claims is made from solid ruby. It definitely looks that way, but while the prices jump higher and higher, the bids coming in faster and faster in the pursuit of the luxurious, Nadya can’t fathom who would want it — or why for that matter.

It sells for twelve and a half million dollars to a stone troll wearing, of all things, a cape. She looks like she’s made of pure rubies, herself.

From where he’s perched leaning against their booth, Nadya notices Taylor looking a little paler than before. “You okay?” she whispers.

He nods and tugs at his collar. “Yeah, just thinking of how quickly I could pay off my student loans with that kind of money.”

“Preach.”

Lot the second is a brightly-polished sword. When the goblin offering closer looks comes around their way Nadya can see her reflection clear as day in the flat of the blade… if her reflection were that of a much younger girl with close-cropped hair and the weight of ages pushed deep into the sunken parts of her face gaunt with starvation.

“That’s mine…” she mumbles, and almost finds herself reaching out for it before the goblin snatches it away in yellow-skinned clutches with a sneer.

“To look! Not to touch!”

Nadya yanks her hand back as if stung. Isadora isn’t interested in the blade and waves him off, but she’s too good not to have noticed her little exchange. Not like she’s hiding anything though — after all the woman’s been inside her head. She knows the parts of the story Nadya carefully left out.

Wow, the bids scrolling by on the parchment Adrian watches ever-vigilant sure look fascinating…

The sword sells for 3 million and an added black flame candle to a fae with green tones in their skin. Lily watches the unlit candle trade owners and hands with wide eyes. “You think if we light it we’ll summon Bette Midler?”

Nadya shrugs — at this point anything is possible. Taylor grins and leans in conspiratorially.

“Black flame isn’t so hard,” he whispers with a mischievous grin, “it’s actually a type of fae fire. Remind me to show you before you guys book it back to New York.” And judging by the way Lily’s looking at him she’ll hold him to it — like a ‘literally will not get on the plane until she sees it’ kind of deal.

Lots three-through-five she forgets; obviously they weren’t memorable things. That or whatever’s in the little cocktails an attendant keeps bringing around packs a harder punch than she thought.

Lot six is rusty iron nail and that’s when things start to get weird.

“Sixty!—Seventy-five!—Three hundred!” calls out the auctioneer with barely a breath between them.

And these are in the millions.

Nadya still can’t figure out what’s so awesome about something that looks like it rolled under the shelves at a hardware store when it just becomes a repetitive game with the same two players.

The auctioneer goblin raises his aging, sickly green hand and a hushed silence falls over the entire club. “It seems we have our first bidding war for the night…” And he looks way too gleeful for Nadya’s comfort.

“If the bidders would join us down on the floor, come come…”

She looks to Isadora and Adrian, already in intent discussion about which lot the Amulet could be based on how much people have already thrown out. Cadence might as well be asleep and Katherine…

Katherine shakes her head. “You don’t want to see that, Nadya. Trust me on this one.”

Thank god Lily’s just as confused. “What’s so valuable about a friggin’ nail?”

“It’s what the nail does,” murmurs Cadence; and surprises them all by doing so, “it’s a cursing nail. Old magics banned in New Orleans and likely not practiced outside of the birth places of their magical foci. Whoever takes home the nail takes with them the ability to curse anyone they wish unrepentant.

“The curse could be something as simple and clean-cut as death, or something as vengeful and specific as the cursed person losing everyone they hold even the barest affection for.”

Down below and graciously out of sight comes the screech of breaking glass; the crowd roars and laughs in bloodthirsty delight. Nadya’s really glad she didn’t go watch at the railing, now.

“But if it’s banned here, how can they sell the nail?”

“It’s the act of the magic that’s banned; but the curse can be put in place anywhere in the world. Unfortunately it’s like Lily said…” he sighs and pinches the bridge of his nose, “there’s nothing illegal about a simple nail.”

Nadya watches as a silent and haunted look passes between the city locals. Katherine jerks her chin towards the other side of the balconies and Taylor barely offers Nadya a smile of farewell before he’s racing away like the Devil is chasing him.

“Lot six for a generous six hundred and thirty!”

She didn’t even catch who won.

Maybe that’s for the best.

“Next up we have here a modest luxury to be certain, very pretty very heavy but don’t let that leave you wanting — lot seven, the famed Amulet of Nero.”

Nadya grasps Adrian’s hand on instinct.

While the auctioneer starts talking up the history of the Amulet, the same goblin as before comes around with a heavy wooden case, the lid propped open and the Amulet resting inside. Large and gold with a pendant piece probably half the size of Nadya’s fist; she has no trouble recognizing it at first glance.

It’s hers. Well — Gaius’, but also hers in a way. It calls to her in the same way the sword did and then some. The dark red center stone catches the light and reflects it across all their faces but she feels it like a siren song. Like she wants the light all to herself.

What Nadya didn’t expect was the way it holds everyone else captive as well. Well — everyone but Katherine. She gives it a glance and that’s that but the vampires? They’re transfixed.

With a greedy grin glinting on pointed teeth the goblin strides away to show it off to the next booth of potential buyers. The moment the Amulet is out of sight the effect is immediate; a held breath released across the booth that leaves the humans meeting eyes with the same kind of confused understanding.

“Okay… you guys felt that, right?” Lily asks, and Nadya hasn’t seen her this flushed since she was alive, “Please tell me that wasn’t just me because there is nothing I own that would match that thing.”

Isadora clears her throat and visibly shifts where she sits. Clearly never a woman out of her own control, having it happen twice in the such a short amount of time has her ill at ease. “No — there is a powerful energy to the thing. At least we won’t have to worry about confirming its authenticity.”

“Which means the Trinity know it’s the real deal, too.” Nadya says. She doesn’t want to, but ignoring the problem won’t make it go away. Trust her — she’s tried.

Adrian runs a hand over his mouth; his expression hard to read and Nadya doesn’t like not knowing what’s going on his head for this long. Frankly he’s been acting strange ever since they touched down in Louisiana but now isn’t the time for her to start up an argument about that. Once they have the Amulet safe and in hand, though…

“Are you ready?” When he doesn’t look up Nadya nudges his shoulder with hers. “Adrian, if this is gonna be too much —”

“Double the starting bid.” He says instead; and Isadora nods in agreement.

That answers that, I guess.

The auctioneer starts at fifty thousand. Isadora scribbles their bid down on the bespelled parchment. Not a breath after—

“Three million.”

The pen breaks in her grasp. Wordlessly Adrian pulls one from his breast pocket and all but shoves it at her.

Awesome. Really just… super great.

Three million. Then four. Then six — ten — one hundred. Every time the number goes up even the slightest bit—bam—a number almost unreasonably high. But there’s no question as to who’s to blame.

But as she watches the Trinity alone in their booth on the far side of the floor it becomes more and more obvious that their calm is nothing more than a ruse. Sure they rest against the richness of Persephone like they belong but their drinks are untouched, the tension enough to deter attendees and attendants alike. Nadya has a feeling you don’t need to be psychic to feel the energy coming off of them in waves of approach and die.

One thing’s for certain: the Trinity’s tactic of throwing larger numbers out of left field works quickly to deter anyone who might have a passive interest in winning. While all the other lots had taken up decent chunks of the passing hours, the Amulet of Nero is already halfway to one billion dollars in under ten minutes.

Isadora bumps up their bid by a meager million. Immediately Nadya looks across the way again.

Isseya and Valdas whisper together, heads lowered and in an intense debate. If she didn’t know any better she might even call it an argument — one that obviously can’t be that bad since it ends in a firm kiss pressed to the vampiress’ forehead.

She eases herself out of the booth shortly after. Turns back and lets one last longing look pass between them before disappearing around a roped-off doorway — and deeper into Persephone’s depths.

Really, Nadya tries not to let herself dwell on the whole thing. After all even vampires have to go powder their noses, right? But then Valdas rolls up his scroll and sets it aside. The auctioneer doesn’t call out a counter to Isadora’s most recent bid.

“In an unprecedented turn of events a bidding war has… been requested,” he says instead, and its obvious his scaling lips curl around the words with no small amount of confusion, “but does the opposing party accept?”

Valdas abandons the booth as well. Nadya is so trained on his every step that she doesn’t feel her body being moved until Adrian is gently pushing her aside; face set grim and determined.

“Adrian…”

But he barely spares her a look back. “Everything will be fine Nadya, I promise.” But there are no promises, not here. Not when there are two thousand years separating him and Valdas and not one of those in Adrian’s favor.

“The bidders will be joining us on the main floor, if they please.”

Nadya nudges Katherine’s leg under the table. “Kathy — quick — what’s back there?”

The Nighthunter follows her eyes to the doorway Isseya had vanished through. “Just the rest of the club,” she answers (unhelpfully), “party rooms, play rooms, bedrooms; that sort of stuff. But it looks closed off for the auction.”

“And what happens to a lot once the bidding is finished?”

“The house keeps it until the end of the night. Gives people time if they bid more than they have on them.” She looks Nadya over with a frown. “Why?”

The two vampires reach the opposing staircases at the same time.

“I suppose there’s nothing that could sway you?” asks Valdas.

Adrian scoffs. “And if I gave you the same offer?”

“I would say yes.”

There’s an unrepentant honesty that almost—almost—makes Adrian falter. It’s brief, and maybe you wouldn’t even notice it if you didn’t know him very well. But Nadya does.

He can do this.

The least she can do is be just as brave. “I think Isseya’s gone to steal the Amulet while everyone’s focused on the fight.”

“Then what are you waiting for?” Isadora demands and all but kicks them up on their feet. “Go, I will keep an eye on Raines, make sure he doesn’t get himself killed. Try and do the same.”

Finding Isseya ends up being easier than they expected. All they have to do is follow the trail of blood and goblin bodies and it’s like breadcrumbs right to her. Through the winding maze of Persephone, down some back stairs and through a literal giant metal vault door just chilling at the end of a corridor like it has any reason being there at all.

The vampiress stands the picture of serene in the center of a bloodbath. The club had spared no expense on guards and she had cut through them all without so much as a snag in her dress.

It’s telling that Nadya isn’t the least bit surprised by any of this. She’s come to expect brazen violence from the likes of them.

Katherine’s the one with the stake but its Cadence who puts himself in front of them. “Give us the Amulet and no one has to get hurt.”

She looks up with a raised eyebrow and a deadpan frown.

“Okay — no one else.”

The Amulet’s golden chain is wrapped around her clenched fist. She could easily carve a path through them all; leave no human, vampire, or Nighthunter left standing. But instead she lets the Amulet hang at her side and stares at them all in disdain.

“I don’t know how he can stand the sight of you.”

There’s no question to whom she is referring, and judging by the way Cadence raises his chin defiantly he knows it just the same.

“Feeble, weak, a bleeding heart…” her words catch in her throat, “but it’s our hearts that are bleeding. And you stand there regardless; an abomination. You don’t care. Nobody does.”

Nadya feels both Katherine and Lily reach for her, try to stop her, but she bats them away. Approaches to stand beside Cadence and the weight and burning rage of the eyes that snap to her is a pain she’s become familiar with by now.

“Please…” Though it would help if Nadya knew what she was even asking for.

Isseya barks a humorless laugh. “Pathetic — the first chance you’re given and what do you do with it? You grovel. I should expect nothing less of a human but maybe… maybe some part of me hoped you would understand. You’re the only one who could.”

Which, okay, now she’s a little insulted. “I’ve been trying to understand, Isseya. I’ve been trying to understand from the beginning. But you guys sure don’t make it easy, do you?”

Baiting the unstable vampire probably isn’t her smartest move. Not that it stops her.

“I just don’t get it.”

“Color me surprised…”

Surprising even to herself, Nadya shakes off her hesitation and fixes Isseya with a stern glare. “Why are you doing this, why are you helping Gaius? You obviously hate him, you don’t need to be a vampire to see that. That whole night he treated you like dirt; you and Valdas both. Why—Why even set him free?”

“Because he is the Godmaker. And we’ve exhausted all other options.”

“Options for what,” asks Lily, bewildered, “world domination?”

“For getting back what we lost.” Isseya fixates on the Amulet, entranced by the way the gemstone catches the light as it comes to a lazy halt.

But Nadya isn’t having it. “Nope, not good enough. I tried to help you — I met with him that night because I wanted to help you. If you think the evil vampire jerkface is your ‘only option’ then that’s just because you keep betraying anyone who might actually want to help.”

“You speak to me of betrayal?”

She flings a hand outward and Nadya feels Katherine tense behind her, ready to spring into action. But no attack comes; just the Amulet of Nero dangling awkwardly from her grasp and an accusatory finger pointed at the vampire beside her. “You stand beside him and dare to speak to me of betrayal?”

Before Nadya can even process what to say to that, a strange look catches in Isseya’s eye. She rolls her wrist and undoes the hold she has on the Amulet’s chain to let it hang on one finger. The world’s most dangerous offering.

“Screw the Godmaker, screw our debt. I’ll give you the Amulet right here and now — with but a single demand.”

Nobody steps forward because nobody trusts that.

Still… Nadya can’t not know. “And that is?”

“Fix him.”

The Trinity vampire nearly chokes on her words; so thick they’re practically in a different tongue and they may very well have been at first. But the disgust written in every inch of her skin radiates of hurt; of loss. Nadya doesn’t want to but she can feel the sting of Isseya’s tears in her own eyes.

“Fix him,” she repeats, “because you are her. You’ve found his memories before and you can do so again.” The Amulet sways with her trembling hand. “Do that, little Bloodkeeper, and we have no more reason to help him, no matter his wrath. He cannot take more from us than we have already lost.”

Shame burns in Nadya’s cheeks when she feels the weight of Cadence’s focus on her. Fear and confusion and anger coming from all sides and she wants nothing more than to fall on the ground and try to bear the brunt of it all without breaking on the inside.

But how exactly does she tell the grieving woman she has no idea what to do, or how to do it? Probably with the same personal responsibility and defeat with which she’s going to have to tell everyone she had a chance… and couldn’t take it.

“There’s nothing to fix, crazy bitch.”

Katherine doesn’t give Nadya the chance to find the right words. She launches the stake over Nadya’s shoulder but it goes wide, too wide, and collides with the wall a few inches too far from Isseya’s head.

Isseya who glances down as the wood clatters to the floor and rolls near her heels; utterly and painfully useless. “What a pathetic weapon.”

“But a decent distraction.”

One second Cadence is there and the next he isn’t; he’s across the room and drops down to swipe Isseya’s legs out from under her. She falls and it would be comical if Nadya wasn’t familiar with what she could do when angered, which means Katherine gets little resistance when she flings an arm out as a gesture for Nadya and Lily to keep back.

And as expected Isseya recovers too quick; grabs Cadence’s exposed ankle and pulls him hard enough to lose his stance and land prone beneath her.

“Don’t make me do this, Cyn’!” she snarls and struggles to hold him down. With a grunt the man wrenches an arm free and grasps her lower jaw in a bone-breaking hold.

“How… dare you!”

Something snaps and Isseya cries out in pain, giving Cadence a chance he doesn’t waste to hurl her away and into the back wall with brute force. Her collision isn’t pretty; large cracks forming in the wall and brick dust kicking up around the fighting immortals.

There’s a clatter… and Nadya catches sight of a red shine out of the corner of her eye. The Amulet.

Before she can rush to grab it though, a strong hand pulls her back by the shoulder. Katherine’s expression is grim-set and trained on Cadence with an uncomfortable stillness. She doesn’t let up on Nadya.

“Kathy, what are you doing? We can get it — it’s right there!”

“Too close,” comes her reply; barely a whisper, “wait it out.”

What it is isn’t clear until she, too, focuses on the fighting vampires. Tension rippling off both of them, Isseya’s dress torn and covered in debris. Yet Nadya’s never seen such a wild look in anything even remotely human. Not even when Vega was hunting her down like a lion to a gazelle.

No, not quite right. She’s seen it before — just not through her eyes; not as herself.

A wide grin blooms slowly around the woman’s fangs, blood between the spaces of her teeth and dribbling wetly from her mouth. Different than all the other times she’s seen that particular look of maniacal delight… Nadya is quickly forced to come to terms with the fact that she’s seeing, for the first time in decades, pure joy lit in Isseya’s face.

Though she has every chance to tear Cadence away from where he pins her just slightly off of the ground, instead a tender hand caresses his cheek.

“There you are… beloved. I’ve missed you so much.”

He waits. Or… she’s waiting. The tension is enough to make Nadya want to choke but no one is doing anything.

“We thought we’d lost you,” the tips of her fingers leave powdery stains over his bottom lip, “but you can come home…”

“Cade.”

It’s like Katherine’s voice breaks him from a spell. He jerks away from the other vampire’s touch violently, forces himself back and watches in a twisted form of grief as she slumps to her knees.

“I —” she’s crazed, she’s distraught, she’s still the enemy but the way he looks at his hands and doesn’t understand why they are red from brick dust — he would never have hurt her in his right mind, “— I didn’t… I’m sorry.”

The Amulet’s chain crunches under his shoe; Cadence bends swiftly to pick it up and secure the pendant. With every step he takes back, away from her; a little more light leaves Isseya’s eyes.

Slowly Katherine pries the Amulet from him and hands it off to Nadya. Like their win doesn’t even matter — all her focus is on her friend. “It was the cage all over again, Kathy.” He whispers.

“I know,” but she doesn’t sound any less certain than he does, “but… we’ve got it. We gotta go.”

We gotta go.

Adrian.

It’s against her better judgment that Nadya glances back one last time before they close the vault door; the only thing they can attempt to keep Isseya from following them back to the auction.

She sees the woman stand and try to brush the stains from her dress. She sees her toe off her broken heel. She sees her glance up and meet Nadya eye for eye.

Lily helps Cadence shoulder the door closed. The echo of metal sliding into place chills her to the bone.

Twice now Nadya has inadvertently been the reason Adrian ended up injured so severely he couldn’t immediately heal. Which is, in her opinion, two times too many.

“What do you mean he forfeited?” Lily demands, and manages to look at least a little sheepish at the glare her tone gets. “Not that it totally, you know, makes every bit of ass kicked less worth it.”

Adrian glances at her through a purpling eye. “Thanks… I think.”

But even what hoarse whisper he manages seems to be too much, so Isadora answers in his stead. “He gave a rousing good show, Raines too,” she meets his glare with a bemused smirk of her own, “though the violence certainly went on much longer than necessary. But when the crowd came to understand the staggering difference in strengths they quickly lost interest.”

She rests a hand on Adrian’s shoulder. “It seems to me he battered you within an inch of your life so you couldn’t get up.”

Off to the side, Ryder cracks his neck. “Yeah, you’re a lot heavier than you look.”

Nadya fiddles with the Amulet of Nero deep in her jacket pocket. “Then Valdas just… forfeited?”

“Well it was either that or finish the job.”

And she’s glad that wasn’t the case. She pries one hand away from the pendant and reaches out to where Adrian lay, prone and aching, across the short back seat of Isadora’s limousine. “It wasn’t for nothing, but I’m still so sorry.”

“Don’t be,” he rasps, and manages to lift his hand enough for her to grab it, “like you said… it wasn’t for nothing.”

“Just be glad Vera was able to get the house to call an intermission before they put two and two together.”

Taylor leans back in his seat and rests his head on Ryder’s shoulder. If only that alleviated some of the worry in his eyes. “If that Isseya chick killed as many goblins as you say the Council is gonna be called in to deal with it.”

Lily frowns. “But we locked her in the vault. Practically pulled a Batman and handed her to them on a silver platter.”

“Yeah, I don’t think so.”

The occupants all look her way, and with no small amount of worry Nadya recounts the sight of Isseya able to stand on her own two feet right before the door closed. “I wouldn’t be surprised if she was gone by the time they even found out what she’d done, or what lot was missing.”

Adrian shifts and winces in pain. “That kind of strength… would definitely be enough to knock down a brick wall.”

And yet Cadence held her back like she was a rag doll. A thought Lily and Nadya both share in uncertain glances.

Ideally she wants to follow Katherine and Cadence into the night, off to where they secreted away while everyone (read: Nadya but loudly) was fussing over Adrian’s wounds. But he needed to heal so they could leave for New York as soon as possible, and that meant returning to Flechette with Isadora.

The woman glances out of the tinted window by her head to watch the French Quarter pass them by. “Relish your victory, however temporary,” she says with a sigh, “and ensure that it is made permanent when you return home.”

Nadya’s grip tightens on the Amulet so hard the metal bites at her skin.

“We will.”

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clansayeed · 4 years

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Bound by Destiny II, part 1 ― Chapter 10: The Elite

PAIRING: Kamilah Sayeed x MC (Nadya Al Jamil) RATING: Mature

⥼ MASTERLIST ⥽

⥼ Bound by Destiny II, part 1 ⥽

Bound by Destiny II and the rest of the Oblivion Bound series is an ongoing dramatic retelling project of the Bloodbound series and spin-off, Nightbound. Find out more [HERE].

*Let me know if you would like to be added to the Destiny II tag list!

⥼ Chapter Summary ⥽

Nadya finds a kindred soul in Taylor Hunter, who was also living a perfectly normal life before being shoved into the chaos of the supernatural. Later, the good news is the Amulet is still in the city. The bad news is they'll have to bid for it... and bidding wars here can be deadly.

[READ IT ON AO3]

“I don’t know guys,” she lingers just on the edge of the morning sunlight; already warm at her back, “I can’t say I’m entirely comfortable leaving you with the people who literally just tried to kill us.”

Unfortunately though they’re a little short in the way of other options. New Orleans is only gonna get hotter and sunnier and while ideal for a mysterious club, Flechette standing on its own and away from the rest of the crammed-together French Quarter buildings doesn’t lend to a safe return to the Graveyard Shift.

Still — Nadya has concerns and she’s gonna voice them.

“I think we’ll be fine.” Though Adrian could try a little bit harder to reassure her. But he’s been distracted ever since the de la Rosa vampires lowered their proverbial weapons. Given how he acted — how cold and cruel he was in the face of enemies — Nadya can’t say she wouldn’t be a little distracted in his shoes. “Whether we’re in her good graces or not, Gaius still poses a threat to all of us regardless. And Isadora seems quite keen on keeping her way of life intact.”

Lily’s boots catch and drag on the concrete under the soles. “Can’t say I’ll be getting much sleep, but she’s kinda our only choice in the way of, ahem, late-morning snacks.”

Nadya understands and offers her a consoling smile. Lily tries to return it, but when she feels the catch of her fangs on her lower lip she practically zips them up and throws away the key.

She’s seen Lily do some strange things with the blood bags back at the apartment. But Nadya has yet to actually see her… you know, and on someone’s neck. Nor is she keen to add it to the list of things she’s seen and been mentally scarred by.

Well if they’re okay with it she really doesn’t have a reason to keep doubting, then, does she?

Nadya peers over Lily’s shoulder to the main floor of the club. With the lights on the place is far less goth-chic but she doesn’t have to squint to see anything anymore, so that’s a plus.

“Keep an eye on him, will you? Just in case…” Nadya asks of them, prompting both vampires to turn and follow her gaze to where Cadence sits. He’s still hunched over one of the dark glossy tables, scribbling away at a piece of paper. Just like he’s been doing ever since Isadora managed to bring him back to consciousness.

After Cadence had separated Isadora’s psychic link he was out. Like… out out. Like actually worried the woman to the point where she was ready to close the club and run him to some local voodoo man out. And everyone was relieved when he finally came to of his own volition but there was no denying he had come back… strange.

Or maybe strange is just the feeling Nadya gets when she looks at him now. Maybe no one else feels it. Maybe she’s just lost a few more marbles.

Of course Adrian and Lily agree. Nadya gives each of them a hug farewell but right before she takes her leave the familiar sound of Isadora’s heels comes up all too quickly.

The woman stays well out of the way of the daylight, just like Adrian and Lily. She looks wearier now than when they first met. Objectively Nadya knows vampires don’t age. But Isadora looks like she’s trying to challenge that theory.

“I’ve called on someone to take you back to the Quarter safely,” says Isadora brusquely, “it may no longer be night but there are numerous factions within our borders that can act at any time.”

“Seems… inhospitable.” Adrian comments. He doesn’t miss the sharp look thrown his way.

“Perhaps. But at least we declare ourselves to our enemies.”

“And you’re implying…?”

“That I trust my allies with certainty. From what I’ve come to understand about your Council, that is not something you are familiar with.”

How has it been five whole freaking seconds and already every anxiety Nadya has about leaving is back with a vengeance?

But Lily sees this and waves her off. “Go while you still can. I’ve got this. You should hear some of the dirt Mari and Jax pull out during a fight.”

If she doesn’t leave now she never will, so Nadya mouths a final “good luck” and pushes through the doors out into the thick morning air.

Immediately she tries to fan herself with her hand, and all that does is push hot air at her.

“Yeah, it takes some getting used to.”

Nadya can’t help it — she almost jumps out of her skin in fright. “Don’tdothat!”

She rounds on the young man, who can’t be older than she is by a year or more, and who apparently finds it funny to give a poor girl a heart attack. If she had her purse she’d swing it at him. The stakes would at least leave a bruise.

He holds his hands up in surrender. “Sorry, sorry. Though I’m gonna need some explaining on how someone that jumpy can hang out in Flechette all night. Doesn’t quite add up, you know?”

He has a point which is rude enough. Worse that he has an incredibly disarming smile directed right at her. Nadya busies herself with tying her hair up to cool off her neck. “After a while you learn to expect what moves vampires are gonna pull. People, though? They’re still too unpredictable.”

“You know,” he laughs, “that’s fair and valid. And pretty true, actually…”

He’s not passing her. And Nadya has the distinct impression if she starts trying to make her way back up the street he’d be right there at her side; tagging along.

“You’re the person Isadora called, then?”

“Taylor Hunter,” he finally introduces; they shake hands light and brief, “but if you didn’t know my name… how’d you know I was who you were lookin’ for, Miss Nadya?”

Nadya pushes up her glasses with a shrug. “Just Nadya, and… Your eyes. They don’t look human.” They’re too bright, especially taking into account he’s got the sun at his back, and shine far too many colors. Though if Nadya’s being honest she probably wouldn’t have noticed if she hadn’t met Garrus and Ivy beforehand.

Quickly Taylor ducks his head and Nadya wonders if she’s hit a nerve or something. He certainly looks red in the face. “Shit — really? My bad… They should go back to normal in an hour or so.”

Because she totally knows what that means? “Uh… okay?”

He jerks his chin back towards the heart of the city. “C’mon, we’re meeting a friend of mine to grab everyone coffee. It’ll be a fun story to pass the time.”

Talkative, isn’t he. And there’s a traitorous part of Nadya that knocks on her head one too many times with a hello, who the heck are you to judge missy but what Taylor doesn’t know won’t hurt him.

It’s admittedly very strange to be telling the story she’s telling with new faces taking in her every word.

“That went about as well as I thought it would,” Katherine announces while reaching over and plucking a bottle from around the other side of the bar, “seems like you were lucky, though, and caught Izzy in a good mood.”

“That’s her good mood?” Nadya can’t help but look skeptical. But judging by the looks she’s met with, Katherine isn’t exaggerating.

“Yeah yeah, de la Rosa’s got a chip on her shoulder, what else is new. What about this Amulet you were talkin’ about; does she have it?”

Taylor scrunches up his face and gives a backhanded smack to the solid chest beside him. It had taken Nadya a second to remember the other Nighthunter but once he greeted her by way of ‘muggle’ it was easy. Apparently Ryder hadn’t been putting on airs when he had shown up to Raines Corp. all devil-may-care and bad-boy. That was just who he was.

Not that she doesn’t recognize the somewhat melted look in his eyes when he pretends to be wounded — she’s seen it well enough when Maricruz thinks Lily isn’t looking. “Rook’, you gotta stop beatin’ on me in front of company.”

The man beside Nadya blows a mousy brown curl from his eyes with a laugh. “Feel free to ask one of us to do it.”

“No one asked you, Cujo.”

Katherine rolls her eyes. “Tell me I don’t have to apologize for them?”

Nadya just laughs and shakes her head. It’s been easier than she expected to feel comfortable around Taylor and his friends. They’re just weird enough to be funny. And, admittedly, she’s kinda enjoying not being the odd one out for once.

Too bad Nadya’s natural sense of worry doesn’t allow her to enjoy peace for long. “No — Isadora doesn’t have the Amulet anymore. She had to give it up to pay off some of her father’s debts, I guess?”

Ryder grunts. “Yeah, to th’Smoke.”

“And ‘the Smoke’ is a person?”

“Well… yes and no.”

All eyes turn to Vera, the friend of Taylor’s they had met up with on their coffee run. It’s still a bit weird for Nadya to constantly be pulling her shirt away from the back of her neck from sweat and see someone in full-length silk gloves — but since no one else is going to comment on it Nadya has a feeling doing so would be rude.

Vera is already hard at work pouring over ledgers of some kind; Nadya recognizes those kinds of spreadsheets from work. She carefully balances one black binder each on her knees. “I brought everything dated from last March. There’s just a lot to get through. But if you’re sure Isadora’s telling the truth I should be able to find it pretty easily.”

She looks up and offers Nadya a warm smile. “Don’t you worry, we’ll get it and have you an’ your friends back up to New York in no time.”

“Thank you,” and she looks around as she says it, “all of you, really. I don’t think I can say it enough.”

Though if the looks she gets are any indication… she might have already.

Unfortunately ‘pretty easily’ turns into one hour, then two, then Taylor is shaking Nadya’s shoulder gently out of a doze with a bemused little smile.

“Maybe you should get some rest? The research part isn’t the most interesting.”

“No, no I’m okay.”

“Then take another coffee run with me. I have to swing by work anyway… stretching your legs might help.”

His borderline-overly friendly attitude makes a bit of sense when one takes into account the weirdness of their mutual situations. On their way back from Flechette, Nadya had been hesitant to open up and dig into the nitty-gritty of it no matter how interested Taylor had appeared. But now, with a bit more time on their hands and more than the cliff-notes shared between them, she can’t help but feel relieved that she’s not the only one who feels like they tripped down the proverbial rabbit hole.

“Okay okay, tell me if you get this though,” Nadya pauses to swallow a bite of her pastry, “when there’s, like, a whole pile of crazy going on and everyone is all freaking out and yelling at each other and you just —”

“You just end up standing there because nobody bothered to give you any context?!”

“Yes! It’s so annoying!”

“Not to mention potentially fatal.”

“Oh don’t even get me started on fatal. I’ve never so much as jaywalked before and now I’ve come face to face with…” it takes her a second to both balance her coffee and count on her fingers but she manages, “four vampires, all of them over two thousand years old. All of which who’ve threatened me at some point or another.”

Taylor hisses through his teeth. “Big yikes.”

“That’s an understatement.”

Though she regrets bringing it up not a moment later. Not just because she keeps pushing that inevitable existential crisis down until their work here is done. But also because one of the four is Kamilah, and if she thinks about Kamilah she thinks about how much she misses Kamilah, and if she thinks about how much she misses Kamilah she might actually collapse into tears.

“You really care about her, don’t you?”

The needle scratches on Nadya’s thought-record. When she looks up Taylor has a furrow in his brow and a painfully sympathetic look directed at all of her being. Unsettling doesn’t even cover it.

She’s getting tired of people poking around in her head without her permission.

Though before she can get so much as a word in, Taylor seems to come back to himself. Where he was, Nadya can’t say, but she knows the signs when someone can’t entirely stop themselves from doing something. “Sorry,” he clears his throat awkwardly and won’t look her in the eye, “that was super outta line.”

“Yeah, a bit.” But what’s the use in denying it? “You’re not wrong though.”

“What’s her name?”

“Didn’t read my mind that far?”

Taylor shakes his head. “It’s not really mind-reading so much as… emotion-reading? Or like real-deal empathy, I guess. My father says it’s some unique halfling thing. Fae can share a lot more with each other than humans can, but because I’m not full on Legolas, I only get a part of the package.”

Nadya knows that look. She’s seen it in the mirror enough times.

“One of those bonuses you didn’t ask for.”

“Exactly. Not that it hasn’t come in handy,” he quickly backtracks, “I think it saved our lives back last year. But an instruction manual would’ve been nice — all I’m sayin’.”

Preaching to the choir. “Her name is Kamilah. She’s…” He can tell, though. Does she have to say it aloud?

When Taylor smiles at her it’s a sad thing. No, she doesn’t.

Although when might she have another chance to talk to someone who understands? Because she tried that with Kamilah — and they both know how that went. Not Adrian, or Lily, or even Jax could have even the slightest bit of empathy for what Nadya is going through against her will. And here’s Taylor thrown into her lap with a little bow on top; not only someone who gets what it’s like to be on the outs of all this supernatural crap but also a literal empath.

How can the universe begrudge her for taking advantage of that?

She inhales deep and shaky. “I—we—she and I kinda had a fight right before we left New York. I think it was our first one…”

Nadya remembers reading somewhere that therapy works because telling a stranger your problems is a lot easier than telling your friends; they don’t have any stake in your future, or have sides they need to choose. Well try telling a therapist about the secret group of vampires who run Manhattan, she had thought skeptically. Now, she takes that cynicism back.

While she recounts the events of her fight with Kamilah, Taylor just listens. He nods, and ‘hmms,’ and asks for clarification here and there but it’s more than just proving he’s listening. Nadya tries not to notice but the way his expressions change with her tone and words… he’s feeling everything she is. And boy, does she feel bad for him for it.

They end up walking around in nonsensical circles until finding their way to the only familiar place Nadya knows; Jackson Square. Taylor casually gets them to one of the old wooden benches outside the church. A small four-man jazz band plays off in the shade to a growing semicircle of tourists.

She sips the last dregs of her coffee cold and too-sweet. “I get what she meant and where she was coming from, I do. But I also can’t help but get this feeling like all that I saw in my visions were things she wouldn’t have told me no matter how much I asked… And I know why, obviously, but…”

But there are too many places in her whole explanation that Nadya’s said ‘but’ and even she’s starting to get irritated by it.

“You know,” Taylor swings an arm around the back of the bench, “just because you understand her side of things doesn’t mean your side isn’t just as important. You can fight with someone you care about and have both of you be right and wrong.”

“Then how do we ever stop fighting?”

He laughs dryly. “Oh, fuck if I know. Nik and I get into it constantly about his jobs. He’s always trying to keep me from helping him out but he’s probably more at risk when I’m not around. At least I have magic — even if I suck at using it right now. He’s smart, and strong, and really good at what he does… I just can’t help but worry one day that won’t be enough.

“I think there are a lot of things in Kamilah’s life she regrets; things she thinks will change your opinion of her — that’ll make you hate her or something. And a lot of relationships are like that. There’s just more baggage to sort through with you two.”

Wow, thanks genius. “I won’t hate her though. That’s what I can’t seem to explain right.”

“The best thing you can do is what you’re already doing. Keep explaining it, keep being there, and she’ll realize in her own time what that means.”

Nadya watches him carefully. “Is that what you and Ryder did?”

“Sorta — but we’re working on it.”

It was supposed to be a simple errand run but Nadya can’t shake the feeling there isn’t exactly a search party out for them. She’s not complaining! If the universe is listening she is not complaining. It just makes the return to their very dark, gruesome, and potentially apocalyptic reality all the more difficult. Luckily she’s getting used to dealing with difficult things by now.

When they finally return to the bar business is booming; thank god Taylor gives her a nudge to pick her jaw up off the floor or else she’d probably have offended half of the patrons. Can she really be blamed though? It looks like freakin’ Comic Con in here.

There’s a shrill whistle near the bar at the back and they both catch sight of Cal waving them over. “Everyone’s upstairs!” he has to practically shout over a gaggle of taloned women adorned in feathers, two of them seemingly in heated competition for his attention. “I’d head up but —”

“Oh no you don’t!” Garrus appears over his broad shoulders as if from nowhere. “You’re half the selling point of these sweet swamp shots, Bayou-boy. Sorry my not-so-mortals!”

Taylor and Nadya both watch with equally pitying looks as the fae pushes Cal into the fray. “One day he’s gonna realize I didn’t do him any favors getting him this job,” Taylor mutters close to her ear, and Nadya tries to throw up a sympathetic thumbs-up before they manage to get to the metal staircase and up away from the chaos.

There are way too many people in this apartment. Taylor takes this as an opportunity to literally fall into Ryder’s lap; Ryder is just forced to take it without argument or fight. But Lily has a spot saved right in between her and Adrian which Nadya takes all too eagerly.

“Girl, look at you,” Lily pinches her cheek, “you finally got some sun! Now lemme soak some of it up.”

While one vampire clings to her arm, though, the other is quite pointedly keeping his distance. Nadya turns and gives Adrian a cautious look. He smiles, she would expect nothing less, but the strain shows in little crinkles at his eyes that definitely weren’t there before.

Wordlessly she rests her head against his arm. Adrian tenses — she doesn’t take it personally — but relaxes in the same breath. Rests his hand on her knee in a silent thanks.

Movement draws Nadya’s attention to a small kitchen island where Katherine balances herself on a stool, and where Cadence stands beside her with his arms crossed tightly over his chest.

“Hey Cade,” she gives him a little wave, “feeling better?”

The vampire looks at her… and that’s it. There’s still a bit of frenzied confusion in his eyes. Confused, she shifts her attention to Katherine — the huntress just shakes her head.

“Oh good, y’all are back.” Vera walks in from the adjacent room and offers a weary little smile. “Good news is we found the Amulet, and its still in New Orleans.”

But what sentence ever started with good news that didn’t include…

“And the bad news?” asks Taylor; his tone a tad too defeatist for Nadya’s liking.

Ryder growls. “The bad news is I gotta put on a fuckin’ monkey suit.”

The actual bad news is that the Amulet of Nero was put up for auction by the former Lady Smoke. And apparently no amount of money will convince the auctioneers to take it off the docket. “Trust me, Kamilah and I pooled together a substantial sum,” Adrian sighs, “and they didn’t even flinch.”

Vera nods. “If anything that only encouraged them further. Goblins are awful little sneaks but whatever business they sink their claws into is their reputation; they’ll live and die by it. In trying to buy out the Amulet you’ve shown something that could have easily been written off has the potential to get them a lot of money.”

Goblins — she said goblins. Okay. That’s a thing we’re accepting now. “So we need this thing to keep the world from ending and… we have to buy it?” In what world is that fair?

“Isadora has agreed to put her Family’s wealth behind our bid,” Adrian explains, “which should be more than enough for us to ensure we aren’t outbid. And this way we don’t attract Gaius’ attention by riling up the supernatural community. The less enemies we make, the better.”

He knows the question on the tip of her tongue. Nadya knows it, Lily knows it too. But she won’t ask it because their lucky streak has so far not been entirely consistent.

What if they already have Gaius’ attention?

They’ll burn that bridge when they get to it.

BEEP.

“Hey Kamilah, it’s me… again. Sorry, I let the last three messages go too long and I’m not really sure if they still send when that happens? So… here I am.”

Nadya looks down at her bracelet and sighs. She nearly loses her balance — heels and gravel walkways don’t mix well together — but manages not to sound like a total loser on the call. “At risk of this becoming the fourth mistake, uh, I’ll be quick. Adrian said he kept you up to date with what’s going on down here, so this isn’t... About that… I just wanted to say hi, and I hope you’re doing well, and… and let you know that I miss you.

“If I had a choice I wouldn’t have left things like we did. I think we both know that. And the second I’m back in New York I want to try and work this out. For… for us, y’know? And I think you do, too.” She sniffles. “You still have your read receipts on for texts. Anyway, gotta get going. Wish me—us—luck!”

She hangs up there because even for Nadya there’s only so many times she can make herself look stupid until she makes the turn from charming and quirky to downright annoying.

Four is probably pushing it.

She wobbles her way back to the others smiling a little too wide, but thankfully no one comments on it. Vera offers her a clunky gold ring but the second Nadya slips it onto her finger it seems to fit like it was sized and all. “Magic ring?”

“Magic ring.” Lily nods, delighted to be agreeing.

“Too bad Cal couldn’t come with this time,” Taylor elbows Ryder’s side gently, “he deserves the chance to not have to sneak through the kitchens.”

Ryder, however, doesn’t seem to share the sentiment. “I feel like a damn sellout,” grumbles the hunter as he adjusts the cuffs of his borrowed suit. Adrian raises an eyebrow his way. His suit is the one being borrowed, after all. “I said what I said.”

“Yeah, nobody cares.”

Katherine tugs up the top of her dress and brushes her hair away from her shoulder. “We get in, we bid, we get the Amulet and get out. Any more time wasted and someone, somewhere is gonna recognize someone and nobody wants that.”

She rounds on Nadya and Lily both. “Don’t go anywhere on your own, don’t talk to anyone especially the people who are nice to you, and I’ll tell you right now that none of these snakes can make your wishes come true.”

They don’t know whether to take her seriously or not. Lily’s laugh is a few shades shy of offended. “I think I know how to have fun.”

“This isn’t fun, baby fangs, it’s Persephone. The last time we were here Cade —” she jerks her thumb to the vampire; who quickly snaps out of his own little world and blinks in confusion, “— ended up nearly getting gored by a Minotaur in illegal cage fighting; a fight that was supposed to be carried by Cal’s prepubescent Teen Wolf baby brother.

“Everyone through those doors has been playing the game of money and power for decades, some for centuries. They know there are worse things to lose than your life.”

Nadya pulls Lily tighter and links their arms. “Read you loud and clear.”

Unfortunately threatening-if-considerate speeches aside, the likelihood that they’re going to be the reason something goes wrong is… statistically pretty high.

At least they do the noble thing and own it.

“Everybody ready?” Vera looks around, checks for rings, and smooths down the front of her dress. “Then in we go.”

Lily snickers in her ear as they all join the line to enter Persephone. “I’m having middle school field trip flashbacks.” She whispers, and pulls back to Nadya’s equally amused grin.

To say the inside of Persephone is beautiful is definitely an understatement; but it’ll have to do while Nadya tries to catch her jaw as it hits the floor and starts running. She thought Marcel’s castle was beautiful? It still is — but it was so obviously an antique; a relic from a bygone era. This is different. This is a kind of beauty not taken from one place or thing. It’s everyone; all the infinite colors and shapes and species of people that mill around her.

It’s kind of a shame that she’s come to associate beautiful things with how close to being threatened or killed she’ll soon be. It kind of dulls the spark of the place.

Nadya and Lily both crane their heads up, up, four floors up to the swooping ceilings above and their glittering chandeliers — which Nadya has an inkling aren’t made of glass at all but real magical energy in bright playful lights. All around the edges of the landings people gather, leaning and chatting and drinking in that uppity way people with money do. Like even all of this splendor bores them; everything meaning nothing.

A hand falls on her shoulder and Nadya has to stifle her yelp — unlike the first time Taylor startled her she now feels comfortable with reaching out and smacking his arm. “Stop giving me heart attacks!”

Judging by the bright and definitely inhuman glint in his eyes he definitely did it on purpose.

“It’s all kinda epic, huh?”

“Kind of?” Lily scoffs dramatically. “This is the single most epic place in the entire universe!”

Ryder passes them all and rolls his eyes. “You should see Toronto.”

But this time, all overzealous Lilyisms aside, Nadya has to admit she agrees. “It’s… a lot. More than I ever thought I’d see…” And she’s been seeing quite a lot these days.

“Come around next year for Mardi Gras, ‘cause this is nothing.”

At first Nadya doesn’t recognize the woman without the sheer veil over her features, but when Lily and Adrian don’t ask why a stranger is leading them up one of the swooping twin staircases she realizes Isadora’s sent one of her daughters to collect them.

Tony and an unfamiliar vampire stand guard on either side of a circular booth and table that looks like it was made for the de la Rosa Matriarch alone — sleek black stone polished so pristine Nadya catches the woman’s reflection before actually looking up at her face.

Adrian steps aside and allows Nadya to slide into a seat first. Isadora seems to barely notice them. Instead her attention is focused solely on a large piece of curling parchment that — nope, that’s not a trick of the light — the ink is actually moving like an invisible quill is scratching notes right in front of her face.

“Is that the registry?” Adrian asks, and Isadora slides it to him with a furrowed brow.

“Indeed. Word must have been leaked out by a few of their underground sources. The preemptive bids on the Amulet are starting to climb.” The vampire looks to Vera as she speaks. “Whatever has the new Lady Smoke interested enough to show her face around our nefarious sort is worth quite a hefty amount.”

Taylor squeezes Vera’s shoulder — it isn’t until he tenses that Nadya realizes he’s holding the gloved woman back.

“I’m here to help my friends,” she growls out in reply.

Isadora doesn’t look amused. “Try telling that to New Orleans’ elite.”

She’s been under the impression everyone was sticking together, but it seems the fancy-pants de la Rosa booth is for vampires (and human guests) only. But Taylor and Vera leave shortly after to where she spots Ryder cradling his flask like a security blanket in a far less fancy booth on the other side of the main floor.

Silently Isadora moves the barest inch; just enough space to fit both Cadence and Katherine on her side. Instead he clears his throat and volunteers to grab the drinks, and nearly runs into a pair of waiters in his haste to not be there.

Adrian rolls up the magic scroll and puts it aside. “How long until the first lot comes out?”

“It will be showcased at the hour,” Isadora raises a limp wrist with a black card in hand, “which won’t be long from now. Are you prepared for a bidding war? I do hope you brought a second suit.”

A stunningly beautiful fae approaches with a small wooden box. They unfasten the lid and allow the vampiress to slide the card in, offer up a “thank you for your contribution,” and go off in search of the next card to accept.

But second suit? Doesn’t that get Nadya’s attention. “Why would he need a second suit,” but why is she asking Isadora when Adrian is right there, “why would you need a second suit?”

He shifts in his seat uncomfortably. “From what I’ve been told, bidding wars here… are a little messy.”

The vampiress snorts softly. “Money is valuable, but this is New Orleans. If you made it as far as the interior of Persephone you ought to have more to offer than wealth. Bidding wars can involve anything from shows of strength to tests of skill and intelligence. Two centaurs had a proper race on the lawn once.”

The more words she says the less certain Nadya feels. It leaves her tangled up inside and actually holding her stomach with a groan.

“Please tell me you’re gonna offer up your business acumen.” And she actually physically can’t look at his apologetic face so Lily goes above and beyond and pushes it away and out of sight.

“That’s why we needed as much for our initial bid as possible.” Adrian tries his best to console her. “It’ll be fine. I’m sure it won’t even come to something that drastic.”

“I thought I told you to stay the hell away from me!”

She’s a tiny human and Adrian is a hundreds-of-years-old vampire, so he probably doesn’t find her shaking both fists at him to be a scary thing. But it makes her feel better and that’s all Nadya cares about. Well, that and the look of confusion-meets-panic Katherine throws her way.

“Was that —?”

“Scooch scooch scooch please and thank you!” Nadya forces the vampires to let her out and follows the Nighthunter as she rushes to the railing to try and find Cadence in the crowd below.

“Something’s upset you, I just want to help.”

“Being stalked is pretty damn upsetting.”

Thank god the railing is there to catch her because Nadya’s breath is knocked from her lungs. Adrian and Lily are at her sides in an instant and thank god for them, too, because they look just as shocked and that means she isn’t imagining things. She isn’t imagining that voice.

Katherine comes up alongside them, her grip white-knuckled and harsh against the ornately twisted metal bar.

Down below there’s a bar in the middle of the floor on a slowly rotating dais. Some of Persephone’s patrons skirt away from the display before it turns into a fight — and it looks like that won’t take more than a wrong word or touch. But most of them are greedy for more than money, hungry for more than fine wine and foods. They want blood; that’s why they’re here.

Cadence smacks Valdas’ hand away before the man can reach for him. He looks wild like a startled animal; backed up against the bar top and looking frantically for a means of escape.

“You’ve repeatedly ignored my requests not to come to my workplace, you send me flowers I don’t want and cannot refuse, and now you — you show up here, of all places?”

Valdas watches him with an uncharacteristic distress. “Cadence, you’re upset. You aren’t thinking clearly.”

“I’m thinking clearer than I have in years.”

The vampire practically spits the words through his clenched teeth. But that doesn’t make them any less strange in nature.

Valdas steps back. “And what, pray tell, has brought that on?”

In that moment Cadence’s frantic eyes find Katherine up above; his relief is visible even from a distance. Unfortunately the Trinity vampire is so close it can’t be denied. Has him turning to find the thing that managed what he could not in calming the other man in his fear—rage—mania.

He recognizes Katherine slowly then all at once; sweeping his eyes over the onlookers until they land on Nadya.

“Adrian,” she reaches blindly back behind her; feels his hand close tight and steadfast around hers, “I really hope you brought that second suit.”

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clansayeed · 4 years

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Bound by Destiny II, part 1 ― Chapter 9: The Matriarch

PAIRING: Kamilah Sayeed x MC (Nadya Al Jamil) RATING: Mature

⥼ MASTERLIST ⥽

⥼ Bound by Destiny II, part 1 ⥽

Bound by Destiny II and the rest of the Oblivion Bound series is an ongoing dramatic retelling project of the Bloodbound series and spin-off, Nightbound. Find out more [HERE].

*Let me know if you would like to be added to the Destiny II tag list!

⥼ Chapter Summary ⥽

Cadence reveals the last person to hold the Amulet of Nero was Isadora de la Rosa; unfettered mafia boss and matriarch of the New Orleans vampires. And she isn't happy about a couple of out-of-towners wandering around her territory without permission.

[READ IT ON AO3]

Some might say Lily enjoys it a little too much.

Before they even step foot in Flechette they have to stop no less than five times to get her to calm down.

“Calm down — calm down?” The last time Nadya saw her like this was after Maricruz’s birthday, and no matter what Jax said she’s still not unconvinced a couple of the Shadow Den’s donors weren’t on something; if you catch her meaning.

“How could I possibly be calm at a time like this? Don’t you realize what’s happening Nadi’? We’re living a real life True Blood fantasy right now.”

“Yeah, see — don’t even think about mentioning that once we’re inside, please?” Cadence tugs at the collar of his shirt uncomfortably. “They know every reference, no matter how obscure. There are no strikes in a place like this; if you bring pop culture into their world they will kick us out — and that’s only if Izzy’s feeling generous.”

“Why do they care?” asks Nadya.

“For the misconception of it all. Flechette may be a cover, and Izzy is certainly no dominatrix. But most of their money these days comes from loyal customers and members. The de la Rosa dynasty is accustomed to a certain amount of wealth and status. Risk that… and it isn’t uncommon for you to go ‘missing.’”

Adrian’s surprise is quickly clouded by narrowed eyes and a stern frown. “That’s against your Accords, though, surely.”

“In the same way unauthorized Turning is against the rules of your Clans.”

That sobers Lily up pretty quickly. She and Nadya exchange glances; both trying to hide their worry from the other. But Lily pulls her a little bit closer by their linked arms and Nadya doesn’t exactly stop her.

Admittedly Nadya would feel a lot better if Katherine had joined them for this, too. But only claimed humans were exempt from what Cadence describes as a pretty lax ‘feeding policy’ beyond the club’s front doors. “And no,” the huntress hadn’t even given Nadya the breath to ask, “that’s not a thing Cade and I have done. I like my freedom a little too much for that.”

He looks her up and down warily; eyes lingering on her very healthy and very not-bitten neck. “You are claimed, aren’t you?”

“Yeah.”

“I don’t feel a —”

“I said yes, Cadence,” she lifts her bracelet and lets the compass-esque charm of Clan Sayeed catch on the nearby neon lights. The hardest part is not letting it feel like a ball and chain weighing her down and reminding Nadya of her problems back home.

She’s got enough of those in front of her at the moment.

He acts as their local tour guide along the way; pointing out places and spaces every once in a while with a fun little factoid about the city’s histories; the ones both human and supernatural. It’s a good front — for most of their trip Nadya’s so interested in listening and imagining that she almost doesn’t notice what Cadence is really doing. It doesn’t hurt that the vampire sounds so sure of himself, too.

But then he’s halfway through a story about some stone troll (still yet to be seen, still yet to be believed) that tried to run for city Mayor and that’s neither distracting nor interesting. It’s just talking for the sake of talking.

“You’re rambling,” Nadya realizes — and realizes at the same time it was a much more astonishing revelation in her head than it is out loud, “like… nervous rambling.”

The blond scoffs. “What? If you weren’t interested all you had to do was —”

“Nope—I hear it too.” Lily’s eyes narrow, and beside her Adrian looks like he’s playing everything back on a mental tape recorder. “Trust me — I’ve lived with it long enough. That’s some Grade A tongue-twisting. Why’re you nervous?”

“I’m not… going to be able to convince you, am I?”

His blue eyes flicker to Adrian; some kind of Older Vampire Solidarity thing, but if Nadya and Lily are suspicious then Adrian sees no reason not to join in. Broad shoulders slump in his sweater and Cadence gestures for them to keep walking.

“I don’t hide that I have a history with the de la Rosas. When I first arrived in New Orleans the laws were far more lax and by all accounts Carlo let me off easy for coming onto his territory in secret.”

Lily’s eyebrows raise. “Even if you didn’t know what you did was wrong?” And Cadence nods.

“Even then. I served my dues and paid my debts. In his last days I would have even called him an acquaintance — which is saying quite a lot if you ever met him.”

“I did,” Adrian nods in agreement, “and that’s… high praise.”

“Isadora took over the Family affairs in the middle of the Mardi Gras crisis. We worked together then because we needed to — and because Izzy’s a cunning woman.” A strange look glazes Cadence’s eyes behind his lenses; something Nadya might almost call nostalgic. “She has an acute sense of smell for power; when it shifts, where it goes, and how to attain as much of it as she can. A short while after Kathy and I returned from New York she paid me a visit at my office.”

“Not for tea, I’m guessing?”

Of course not. “The overall purpose of it was a goodbye. All debts, no matter how small, were cleared. She made it clear she would have nothing more to do with me — and by extension, neither would the Family. The New Accords bind us legally and magically; through them I will always have a say in matters concerning the vampire community here. But beyond that…”

His words trail off into the night air but they don’t need to be heard for the visitors to understand them clearly. Beyond that, Cadence is risking a lot to bring them to Flechette; to Isadora.

It’s a knowledge that clearly makes Adrian uneasy. “Once we arrive, if you need to leave — it might be better that way.”

“Without me there’s nothing tying you to the city. The moment you step inside she’ll already know when you arrived. And the first thing she will want to know is why you didn’t declare yourselves until hours later. You may be spared, Adrian, for your title up North. But I don’t see Lily walking out without at least a decade of service to the Family dragging her down.”

Cadence pushes up his glasses with a resigned sigh. “This is the best way. But I know the risks. Don’t worry about me.”

His smile is strained and doesn’t last long — quickly he turns and resumes leading them on but this time in a stony and stifling silence.

Nadya feels a squeeze on her arm and finds Lily’s eyes completely devoid of their earlier delight. It’s a look she recognizes; one similar to the moments before their descent into the Council Chamber.

Just like then, she squeezes back. Their pinkies linked in a silent promise to one another; I’ll keep you safe.

They go down a block or two more before Flechette comes into view around the corner. Actually — it’s pretty hard to miss. It stands at the end of the street, borders the last of the buildings distinct to the French Quarter. This whole time Nadya’s been under the assumption that without Cadence guiding them they might not even know what to look for.

But now she’s pretty sure she could have found the place without her glasses.

There’s no ignoring the club bass pounding so loud it almost shakes the pavement. Like he reads her mind Cadence immediately explains in a lowered voice; “Fae wards seal the sound around the block. Works great for the music… and any other noises that might draw attention.” Thick black metal bars seal off the windows. Nadya and Lily exchange half-chuckles; reminded of the city.

Two men in suits stand on either side of the entrance. Nadya watches one with a clipboard in hand undo the hook of a velvet rope and allow a couple inside. She pretends the dark stains on their clothes illuminated by the neon lights are fake campy homemade blood. For her own sanity.

A large rose hums with electricity over the second floor windows. Below it; Flechette in large blocked capitals.

“What’s it mean in English?” Lily asks with a nudge to Adrian’s shoulder. Because of course he knows French. Nadya once watched him spend an entire work evening on a conference call with some biotech company in Lyon. He’s actually pretty good.

“It means dart, or arrow, something along those lines.” But the translation is nothing without the answer, so they all turn to the nerd.

He surprises them with a shrug. “Hell if I know. It’s always been the name of Carlo’s business. It was a photo house when I came to town; specializing in ones you definitely didn’t want to show your mates on the front lines. Catering after that, hired performers after the second war, and an escort service briefly when the dot-com boom hit nationwide. The club was actually Izzy’s idea after she came back up from Miami. A small group of our kind pitched in to own one together for an unlimited feeding source. It’s definitely been their most successful venture.”

“All of which had to do with sex; in one form or another.” Adrian states dryly.

“Sex sells, baby. Even sexy caterers.” Lily bumps her hip into his — he’s so taken aback that he nearly stumbles off the curb. Nadya doesn’t even try to hide her laughter.

The hairs on the back of Nadya’s neck stand up alert as they pass the queued line. Envious eyes drilling holes right through her; judging her and Lily and Adrian and Cadence, too. All of them like they’re on a shiny silver platter.

She makes the mistake of looking back when a scoff catches distant in her ear. The offender couldn’t be older than a college kid — obviously shirtless underneath his black leather jacket and for a moment she sees something glinting near his upper lip and it almost makes her stumble. But a quick look into his eyes and Nadya notices right away they’re the wrong shade of red. Too bright, too wide, too human.

He blinks and the colored contact shifts in place.

“Nadya, come on.” Adrian calls; and Lily tugs at her sleeve until the pair of them fast-walk passed the rest and through the sleek black door held open for them begrudgingly.

She looks into the doorman’s eyes, too. Those aren’t contacts.

“What happened back there?” Lily whispers at her side. Up ahead Cadence starts to lead them down a short hallway and in the dark humidity Nadya has to make a conscious effort to remind herself she’s not going to find the Baron at the end of this tunnel. “Did that kid say something to you?”

Nadya blinks back to reality. “What — no, no. He… he was wearing colored contacts.”

“So? I have every color of the rainbow back home. You’ve seen me in ‘em.”

“Yeah…” and Lily’s talking sense; they both know it — but the knowledge doesn’t shake the unease from her bones.

“What was it then?”

“He was doing it to look like one of them.” One of you. “Did you see his face, Lil’? He was so young.”

He makes Nadya think of who she was at that age. How little she knew about the world — not even counting the vampires, the Ferals; the scary truths hidden in the dark. She’s a good person — she surrounds herself with good people. But the Vegas of the world; the Lesters and the Priyas and anyone else who would even consider the awful act of Turning someone that young? They’re all too real.

When will I start to see those memories, Nadya wonders, how long until they tear me in two?

Lily’s steps falter; she hesitates. “Are you sure you can do this right now?”

It doesn’t matter whether she can or not. “It’s something I’ve gotta do anyway.” Luckily they follow Cadence and Adrian through a doorway covered by a velvet curtain shortly after; so she doesn’t have to keep talking about it.

From the outside it definitely didn’t look like Flechette could hold this many people. The building has several stories but only one floor — she has to crane her neck up high to see lights in iron-wrought fixtures all the way up top. Between the floor and ceiling various cages hang on heavy chains; scattered for space and each one with a dancing individual — a big one a little too high up for Nadya’s comfort sports three.

Servers in different states of undress — but all bearing the same thick black collar and silvery rose-engraved pendant — flit back and forth through other similarly curtained entrances with trays. Trays of drinks, one passes with three glass bowls of multicolored pills, and oh look that one has a fancy assortment of plugs… the use for which Nadya will very happily keep from her head.

Some members are dancing, others are grinding — all of them care about themselves, the person(s) they’re with, or the ones closest to them giving a show. She had expected to feel a lot of unusual things here but relief was not one of them. Not that she’s complaining.

But even though Nadya can’t tell by first glance who here is human and who is vampire; she knows for a fact the last time she was in a room with this many of them things were drastically different for her. She wasn’t a Bloodkeeper back then. Well — she was, but none of this was happening to her.

So it comes as no surprise when she locks eyes with someone—certainly a vampire—and feels something wet in her mouth that definitely isn’t there. Slick and succulent and all she has to do is bite — harder this time…

Nadya forces her eyes down and lets Lily weave her through the path Cadence carves for them. “Do you think this place is campy,” Lily calls over the music only growing louder the deeper in they go, “or do you think camp is based on places like this?!”

“I think we need to hurry up!”

“Spoilsport!”

Everything’s going just great until she’s yanked to a halt.

With one hand as a blinder Nadya shakily raises her eyes to see what’s happening.

Just up ahead Cadence and a short and balding man are locked in heated debate. The music mostly drowns them out but she catches an angry “bastard” and Cadence’s accented “demand you let us through” before it all dissolves back into noise.

“Adrian,” Lily hisses, and even that makes Nadya feel a little fuzzy, thoughts that aren’t hers starting to filter in through her best friend’s touch. Lily somehow keeping her grounded and making her feel less present at the same time, “we gotta get her somewhere — I don’t know, just somewhere not here.”

Somewhere not here sounds amazing. Yes please!

The sleek black shoes step out of Nadya’s sight — there’s a thud and the nearby laughter and conversation goes quiet. Which, of course, somehow makes Nadya’s situation feel worse.

Adrian holds the smaller man up by the front of his ruined suit; feet dangling a good foot from the ground and up in his face, words she can’t understand because she never mastered the art of lip-reading hissed between his fangs.

Cadence tries to push him back but Adrian snaps something that gets him to back off. He jerks his chin in Nadya’s direction and for a moment she holds his red-eyed gaze and doesn’t… quite recognize who she’s looking at.

And that has nothing to do with her pounding head. It has everything to do with Adrian — and Adrian alone.

Sweat beads on Nadya’s brow and stings in her eyes — she’s five solid seconds from passing out when the curtain Baldy is guarding gets pushed back and a woman dressed like she’s ready for a Victorian funeral stands as barrier. She observes each of them silently — or Nadya doesn’t see her lips move anyway — before her eyes fall on Cadence and grow hard.

Adrian drops the doorman and gestures for the two of them to come forward. It’d be a real freakin’ help if she could hear anything right now.

It helps that once they’re off the main club floor and the (surprisingly sound-muffling) curtains are closed behind them she finds immediate relief. She can hear again (and not the echoes of memories — all the better) but boy does her head hurt.

While Lily rubs the small of her back, one of the collared servers offers her a tray with a glass of water and three white pills.

“You have no reason to worry, they are for the headache; nothing more.”

The woman speaks out of sight which is ominous enough but Nadya really could care less. She’d do anything to stifle the pain, the memories; and practically launches the pills into her throat before chasing them down until the water glass is empty.

“Th—Thank you.”

“Of course,” Nadya hears the shifting sound of cloth on leather while she rubs her eyes with the heels of her palms, “I would have you collect yourself before we proceed.”

She goes to lean against Lily — where’s Lily?

“Wait, what do you mean pro—ceed…”

A larger and rougher hand than Lily’s comes down on Nadya’s shoulder. Strong enough to hold her back; keep her at bay. And when everything, including her full range of sight, finally comes back…

She really wishes it hadn’t. She’d like to take her thanks back too, while she’s at it.

Isadora de la Rosa sits as a blooming rose on an onyx canvas; dark waves of hair almost blending in except where the shine catches the light. The brightest part of her (and the room at large) is the crisp white of her pinstriped pantsuit. She watches Nadya with an unreadable deadpan and a cigarette between her long fingers. With all the black in the room the smoke can’t hide as it curls up into the air and dissipates.

Her desk, large and not unlike Adrian’s back at the office, is flanked by the Victorian funeral woman and another, much younger girl dressed similarly. She can’t be more than Nadya’s age. Maybe closer to the human boy back outside in line.

Nadya could do without the three large suited bodyguards holding three stakes to her three friends’ hearts though. If there was one thing she had to complain about, it would be that.

“You’re really leaning into the whole mafia vibe now, I see.” Cadence quips, and there’s a little quirk of his lips as the (much shorter) man behind him struggles to keep the blond held back with the stake right over his heart. It wavers and ends up more near his stomach.

He throws a look down behind him. “Looking well, Tony. Be a peach and push up my glasses for me?”

‘Tony’ hesitates — then slowly pushes them up from where they were perched dangerously on the tip of Cadence’s nose.

“Thank you.”

“Shut it.”

It’s not unlikely that the man restraining Nadya is a vampire too; but there’s no harm in trying to get herself free, right? She wiggles — the grip tightens so hard her knees almost buckle. “Ow ow owowow!”

“Get your hands off of her!” Adrian barks; and judging by the shadow that flickers over the dark, crow-like features of the vampire holding him, he’s giving her the best fight of everyone.

Lily immediately goes for some part to bite — Nadya’s got some serious respect for that. But not if it costs Lily her life—er… undeath.

And all the while Isadora de la Rosa just looks on. Not with amusement, not with malice; more bored than anything. The perpetual exhaustion with everything she must witness reminds Nadya, achingly, of Kamilah.

Cadence sighs. He’s the only one who hasn’t bothered with even the slightest escape attempt. “Adrian, stop.”

“Listen to him, Mister Raines,” Isadora finally says; but instead of looking at him she’s focused on snubbing her cigarette in an ash tray so black Nadya almost thinks it’s the desk, “you aren’t exactly giving the finest impression of your so-called revered Council of vampires. Compose yourself — and die with dignity.”

I’m sorry, do what with dignity?!

She raises two fingers as if to signal, but in a panic Nadya cries out before she can bring it down to act.

“Wait—please Miss de la Rosa, please don’t hurt him—them—anyone!”

It would have come off less whiny and beg-y if Nadya had some plan to distract Isadora, all of her vampire mafia guards, all the vampire mafia fetishists on the other side of the curtain, and get everyone out alive and intact. But she doesn’t — so the look the vampiress gives her — the one that screams ‘I had no respect for you to begin with but you’ve definitely lost some regardless’ — is justified.

Finally Isadora raises a single brow. “Well?”

“W-What?”

The younger of the women near her desk giggles under her shroud. The other shoots her a look — maybe? She definitely looks that way and it definitely shuts her up.

“I assumed you had more to your impassioned plea,” de la Rosa leans back in her chair, “but if that is not the case…”

Nadya opens her mouth but all that comes out is a long, deep, and extremely masculine groan. Oh thank god that wasn’t her.

“Why are you pulling this, Izzy?” Which is apparently not a nickname that’s public knowledge because oh dear god they are so going to die right now. “This is a stunt your father would pull.”

Isadora’s features flicker in obvious annoyance. “Did anyone ask you, Cadence?” She snaps. “Tony, cut out his tongue.”

“Tony don’t you dare.”

Tony probably would — if he could reach that high. “Didn’t I tell you to shut it?”

“Anthony.”

“Y-Yes ma’am!”

Calling it chaos would be a kind understatement. And Nadya can’t even tell if Cadence is doing anything on purpose; all of these little irritants that make one woman laugh and distract another and fluster Tony and make Isadora look ready to—

Nadya blinks and Adrian’s a blur — then he’s a blur with a stake that he hurls to the floor before taking his captor’s head in both hands. He doesn’t look like Adrian again and the sight of it has her more terrified than anything that’s happened so far.

“Let. them. go.” He grits in even measure. “Or I rip her head off.”

To her credit Isadora takes the threat coolly and in stride. “Will you now?”

“We came here willingly, Isadora. None of this hostility is necessary.”

“We shall have to agree to disagree on that.”

“Let them go and we can talk — like civilized people.”

Slowly she stands, does up the button at the bottom of her blazer and smooths down her skirt. More Wall Street than kinkfest. “What about this has given you the impression I want to talk about anything? You have power, Raines, I’ll give you that. So I forgave you for slighting me once. But you know what they say… Happens once, shame on me. Happens twice… ensure it doesn’t happen a third time.”

Lily squirms. “That’s… not a thing people say, like at all.”

“Lil’.”

“Well it’s not!”

But thankfully Isadora is too fixated on Adrian to have noticed.

“Examples have to be made,” she continues, “and what message would I be sending my Family if I were to let you wander my city unpunished?”

Adrian growls. “There were extenuating circumstances.”

“There are always extenuating circumstances with you.” But Isadora doesn’t meet Adrian’s eyes as she says it — Nadya catches her looking away from Cadence with a sigh. “I have a responsibility to keep me and mine safe.”

“We aren’t the threat.”

She answers with silence and pursed lips. The tension in the room shifts uncomfortably — and just like that Adrian seems to realize he’s the one holding a woman hostage. Conflict paints thick across his face as he takes in their options, the faces of the foreign vampires watching his every move.

Resigned, he lets the de la Rosa vampire go. Steps back with hands held up.

Nadya lets out a breath she didn’t know she had been holding. It sends her into a coughing fit and draws his attention — distracts Adrian just enough for the older of the veiled women to come up at his side with a new stake sharp at his ribs.

But it’s with an unparalleled relief that she sees her Adrian again in his concern.

“Nadya, are you okay?”

She nods and swallows air like it’s in short supply. “Fine and dandy. Are you?”

He doesn’t answer.

Only now they’re back in the same predicament and this time without any element of surprise. And she does not want to die in a fetish club in New Orleans…

At least not without telling Kamilah how sorry she is.

The dark rug muffles the tap-tap of the Southern vampire’s heels as she approaches Adrian; closes the space between them. “If you’re going to threaten anyone, Raines, next time it had better be me.”

“Noted.”

She clenches a fist at her side but has the willpower not to raise it. “Why are you back in my territory anyway?”

Behind her, Cadence swallows audibly. Before Adrian can even open his mouth she’s turned her back on him. Knows now he’s not the one she should be questioning.

The pained frustration of decision furrows Isadora’s dark brow. “You idiot… can’t you see, Cadence, that this is exactly what I meant when I said I wanted you far away from us? You invite trouble — worse than that, you are oblivious to the fact.”

His broad shoulders slump. “You’re the one who brought out the stakes.”

“I gave you what you wanted. Why do you insist on complicating my life? Why could you not take your lead and leave the Quarter?”

He recoils, affronted. The thought hadn’t even occurred to him. “What? I — this is my home just as much as it is yours.”

“I think we both know that not to be the case.”

“Izz—”

“No, not you,” she presses a finger to his lips; Cadence falls silent, “someone else… you.”

Nadya’s nerve drops out of her stomach when Isadora decides to round on her. Nadya does not handle herself well in front of powerful women in business attire, and if her current track record is anything to go by she’s not exactly going to be their saving grace here.

“Me?”

“You, yes. What was your name again?”

She feels like she’s eaten fancy cheese; but she endures. “Nadya, I’m Nadya.”

“And why do you keep such unusual company, Nadya?”

Well that’s not what she was expecting. “How do you know it’s not the other way around?”

“Because you don’t look like a pet human. At least not like the ones out there.” Isadora waves a hand towards the main club. “And because you seem to have an acute understanding of what is happening here. You have not dissolved into panic, and you wear the claim of a vampire not present with us on your wrist.”

The heavy hand leaves her shoulder and Isadora approaches sultry; catlike. She reaches forward and takes Nadya’s hand in her own — strokes her thumb over a knuckle and for a moment she almost thinks the vampiress is going to kiss the back of it.

Instead she turns Nadya’s wrist up and examines the way the dim lighting catches her bracelet. Isadora speaks low, now; so low Nadya strains to hear her.

“Is Kamilah Sayeed here, as well? How is she doing these days?”

“You know Kamilah?” Of course she knows Kamilah. Why are you even surprised?

Isadora doesn’t break her hold. Nadya knows exactly what will happen if she tries to take it upon herself to separate them though. “That was not an answer.”

“No — No she’s not here. She stayed in New York.”

Isadora seems amused, which in Nadya’s opinion is a welcome change from murderous. But they definitely can — and probably do — exist in the same house.

“Why are you and your friends in my city?”

Nadya tries to look over her shoulder to Adrian. Hoping; praying he could somehow give her something to say. Because all she can think is the truth and telling everyone the truth isn’t exactly part of the plan.

Adrian sees her panic. “She’s got nothing to do with this, Isadora. Leave her alone.”

“See the more you say that, Raines, the more I think you’re not telling me the truth. So, Nadya, I’ll ask again.”

“Isadora —”

He’d probably do better yelling at a brick wall. She finds it all too easy to ignore him; let him fade into the background as she leans down and close to Nadya’s face. Tilts her chin up with a dark and manicured fingertip.

“Why are you and your friends in my city?”

Vampires can’t hypnotize people, right? Like, Adrian and Kamilah would have made it a point to tell her if vampires could hypnotize people, right? If Jax and Maricruz had shared some innate vamp-y hypnosis secret with Lily, then Lily would have told her, right?

Nadya can’t say she’s ever been hypnotized before so she isn’t certain but wow does it feel like Isadora’s trying to hypnotize her. Making her look deep into her eyes, red and practically glowing with pupils narrowed into slits and the way her voice curls around her words is… is really pretty and…

Holy mother of crap can vampires hypnotize people?!

While Adrian struggles to peer over Isadora’s shoulder to see exactly why Nadya’s gone so quiet, Cadence doesn’t have to. He’s had enough of whatever the heck this is, apparently, and pushes Tony off of him and into the nearest wall with startling ease.

“No — this is too far, Isadora, she’s human for god’s sake!” He gets to them before anyone else can stop him. “Get out of her mind before you do any damage.”

Not that she listens. Maybe she can’t listen. Nadya’s definitely having a harder time hearing the room around them so suffice to say it’s the same for Isadora, right?

Get out of her mind.

Oh god. Get out of my mind. You can’t see what’s in there.

She feels frozen, trapped and bound in a vice of her own skin. But it isn’t something she’s never felt before. She has, and rather recently too. The only difference is Jameson connected them at her temples. Isadora de la Rosa does just as well using only her eyes.

Get out, please. You can’t see.

Why can I not, Nadya? Show me.

I just can’t. You — You won’t like it. She doesn’t like it. She doesn’t like it one bit.

How about I make that decision for myself?

“What are you standing around for?” shouts Lily. “Get her away! Nadya, can you hear me? Nadya!”

But Cadence hesitates; hands hovering just over them. “If I break the connection while Izzy’s pressing in… it might not go well.”

Lily looks to Adrian in a panic. “Dude!”

“Cadence, it’s okay. Do it.”

He frowns at Adrian; his glasses slip down his nose. “She’s a powerful psychic, Adrian. I don’t want Nadya to get hurt.”

“She won’t be. Break them up.”

Can someone break us up, please?!

Why are you resisting me? What are you hiding?

“But —”

“Nadya’s not the one who’ll be hurt! Just—listen to me and do it!”

Convicted and terrified, Cadence places his hands on the backs of their necks and pulls.

When Nadya opens her eyes she knows, objectively, that there’s been a passage of time. But the usual sluggishness, the feeling like she’s emerging from a pit of black sludge isn’t there. Somehow, she was both conscious… and not.

The carpet is itchy under her palms and Nadya might have shattered her tail bone into a thousand pieces. It sure feels that way. Adrian holds her halfway upright with a hand firm in the middle of her back. She’s grateful that he’s both worried and cautious enough to keep from touching her directly; and instead his hand hovers just shy of her face.

“Nadya, can you hear me?”

But that’s Lily’s voice — oh, Lily’s there too. She speaks again but slower; “How many fingers am I holding up?”

She squints. Everything is still blurry.

“I don’t… I can’t…” then it hits her, “you’re holding up my glasses, aren’t you?”

They fall into her waiting hand. When everything comes into clear (if smudged with a stampede of fingerprints) view Nadya looks up to see Lily beaming.

“She’s in the clear.”

“No,” comes Isadora’s growl from somewhere not in her immediate reach—thank god, “none of you are.”

It’s a little relieving that Nadya wasn’t the only one thrown on her butt. But Isadora’s recovery is faster and that’s a big yikes. She pushes the worried faces and reaches of her subordinates aside and stands on her own. She tries to smooth herself back to her previous perfection but the damage is done — there’s no changing the tension coiling tightly inside her, or the wild uncertainty in her eyes.

Something happened — Nadya’s foggy on exactly what but she knows that much. Just like she knows the look Isadora’s giving her.

She knows.

A ragged groan breaks the silence and all eyes turn to Cadence who was somehow also thrown off his feet; only he doesn’t have anyone to check up on him. Nadya gives a pleading look to Lily and immediately she’s at his side. He’s groggy, but despite the shaking in his arms he can hold himself up. He’ll live — long enough for her to thank him anyway.

Isadora has never been the type to be at a loss for words. Nadya can see it now; decades of being loud, being harsh; whatever it took to be respected in the world. Whatever it took to carry on the de la Rosa name and legacy.

The city hadn’t even given her the chance to mourn him.

“You shouldn’t be possible,” she whispers, and Nadya laughs — says the vampire.

Adrian looks between them with growing confusion. “What happened?”

She pats at his arm and he gets the hint; helps Nadya and her knocking knees to stand. She’s tired of being looked down on by them, believe it or not, so if she can look Isadora in the eyes then she’s going to.

“You wanted to know why we were here, in New Orleans,” Nadya speaks slowly to keep her voice from betraying just how shaken up she really feels, “well now you do.”

When Nadya closes her eyes she can see it; the Amulet of Nero. In flashes of printed-out pictures on Adrian’s office wall and resting cupped in Cadence’s palms and held dangling by the chain up to the light of this very office; reverent — and solemn, too. A gift from someone given up a long time ago.

All that through Isadora’s eyes.

Nadya sighs and rubs her aching temple. “She doesn’t have the Amulet.”

Neither Adrian nor Lily hide their shock. “How do you know?” he asks. But how can she reasonably say she just does?

When Isadora steps forward one of the veiled women reaches out to try and stop her. Nadya can feel the energy—uneasy-uncertain-doubtful-fearful-of-the-unknown—coming from the Southern vampires like waves of endless nausea. But her hand is batted away. Isadora is the only one certain of anything right now.

“You’re right,” she answers in measured caution, “the Amulet is no longer in my possession. But I can tell you where it is… and, should you be willing, try and help you get it back.”

Murmurs of confusion ripple out from the other vampires. Isadora shrugs them off — her intense focus on Nadya strong; stalwart.

You’ve seen what’s at stake. What could—will—happen if we don’t.

Yes, I have.

Nadya nods.

“We could use all the help we can get.”

#bloodbound #bloodbound fanfiction #nightbound #kamilah x mc #choices fanfiction #adrian raines #lily spencer #bloodbound mc #mc: nadya al jamil #oc: cadence smith #oc: isadora de la rosa #fic: oblivion bound #oblv: bound by destiny ii #oblv: new chapter #; my fics

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clansayeed · 4 years

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Oblivion Bound Fake Caps [ 5 / ? ] ↪ Epilogue Series: Bound by Circumstance

It’s a nice fantasy—altruism, kindness, doing the right thing so as not to hurt someone close—but it is a fantasy.

So what if he carried the ring she returned to him for a decade in mourning?

And intuition is a very separate thing from mind-reading; that he knows. In Isadora, though, the lines between them have always been a little smudged.

“In case you have any ideas of this meaning…” she breathes and tries again, “just know this has nothing to do with our past, Cadence. Consider this to be an act of release. Beyond what the Council will ask of us, I wash my hands of you.”

Isadora’s decision is as clear now as it was then. She will always choose her family over him. He can’t begrudge her that in the least.

“If only it were that simple.” But it’s probably for the best.

― Chapter 24: Better the Devil You Don’t (Epilogue)

credits: transparents courtesy of the choices assets database fake screencap template, original character/s & their designs made by me

#nightbound #playchoices #playchoicesedit #choices nightbound #playchoices fanfiction #oc: isadora de la rosa #oc: cadence smith #oblv: bound by circumstance #; my fakecaps

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saiilorstars · 5 years

Text

Next Stop Everywhere

Fandom: Doctor Who

Pairing: Female OC x 10th Doctor

(OC Face claim: Victoria Camacho)

// Story Masterlist //

~ 0 ~ 0 ~ 0 ~ 0 ~ 0 ~ 0 ~ 0 ~ 0 ~ 0 ~ 0 ~ 0 ~ 0 ~ 0 ~ 0 ~ 0 ~ 0 ~

Chapter 8: A Friend

Chapter summary: An alien masquerading as a friend nearly finishes off the world, just another casual trip for our travelling trio!

Author’s Note: Now before anyone comments on it, Rose using the name "Minerva" is done on purpose. It will be discussed in the next chapter!

"You would not believe the assignment I have," I groaned as I entered the apartment, "Oh..." I stopped when I saw the Doctor, Rose and Jackie sitting at the couch, "You're back again? Weird, you were just here last week," I threw my school bag on the floor,"I haven't even ate whatever the stuff was Mickey brought me. I don't care what he says, it doesn't look edible. Where is Mickey anyways?" I looked around, "Eating?" They remained quiet. "I just asked a question? Did he go home for clothes or...?" I waited but still I received no answered. I took a moment and studied their faces. "Wh-what happened?" My heart started picking up. "Doctor, don't tell me he's dead-"

"He's not," he assured, standing up, "He's perfectly fine and alive. In fact, I'd say he's pretty happy."

"Then where is he?" I asked, swallowing hard with a nerve-wrecking feel.

He sighed, reaching inside his coat and taking out an envelope. He handed it to me without a word. I looked at the envelope and him for a moment before taking it, knowing however happy Mickey apparently was, I wouldn't be.

Dear Minnie,

You're probably the only regret I have of staying here because I won't be able to say goodbye to you in person. I'll never give you a hug and a proper goodbye. And for that, I'm really sorry, please forgive me. I'll admit, this idea started out as an impulse but...then it became important for me to go through with it, because I really wanted to.

I'm in a parallel universe and I don't believe we'll ever talk to each other again, much less see each other. I am staying here by choice, and that's because I don't believe I have anything else in your world. Besides you, I'm pretty much on my own. Here, I have my grandmother whom I loved so much and had to bury in your world. But in this world, my new home, I still have her. And I know you'll understand me because of Isadora. If she had died in your world but you had the chance to stay in a world where she was alive, you would do it, right?

I know you'll be fine because you're with them. You're with Jackie and Rose and the Doctor. They'll take care of you or you'll take care of them. You don't need me. Just last week we spoke about Isadora and the rest, and my advice still stands. Talk to everyone, beginning with Rose and the Doctor. Tell them how you feel then go for the rest. Talk to them. I'm sure it'll do you good. I know it will.

Good bye my Minnie. I guess this Mickey has to find you in this world too. Wonder what you're like here? I hope you're not as stubborn too! Please take care of yourself, just like you always have. I'll miss you.

Love,

Mickey Smith.

I looked up, my tears hurriedly strolling down my face. I shook my head, as if denying this would help anyone.

The Doctor sighed, "Joy I'm so sorry-"

"No. That's not true...this isn't true," I started sniffling loudly, "Please tell me it's not! He can't be gone!"

"He chose to stay."

"Noo..." my voice cracked, "He just left...he was supposed to come back!"

"Joy we're really sorry," Rose stood up, "If he could've he would've returned to say goodbye but parallel universes are impossible to travel through."

"So I'm never gonna see him anymore? Possibly my best friend and he's gone now. Forever!" I threw the letter down and rushed to Rose's room, slamming the door and bursting into sobs.

The only person who knew every last detail about me was gone. And he'd never come back. If I thought I was alone before now it's really true. I wouldn't be able to talk to anyone now. Jackie was a fine woman, but she was like a mother. I needed a friend.

My best friend was gone. What would I do now?

~0~

"Joy, can I come in?" the Doctor was knocking on the door. With no answer, he slowly opened it. "I don't...I don't really have words for you..." he admitted, slowly approaching me by the bed and sitting down, "I wish I could comfort you but...there's nothing I could do to make you feel better and I'm sorry."

"Did he have fun?" I asked, keeping my head rested on a pillow. "Did you bring him to fantastic places?"

"Yeah, we had amazing times," he quickly said, sensing that'd make me feel knowing Mickey had had fun, "You saw how excited he was when we were going to leave."

I smiled, remembering it all, "Yeah..."

He sighed, "I'm sorry, Joy. I know how hard it is to say good bye to people you care about."

I looked at him, sitting up, "Thank you for bringing me the letter."

He smiled, handing me the letter I had thrown earlier. He took my hand, gripping it as he stared deeply into my eyes, even startling me with the sudden intense. "Joy, whenever you need me, you just call and I swear to you I will come. If it's four a.m and you need me, call and I will be here by 4:01. Do you understand?"

I blinked, replaying his words to make sure I had heard right, "But...why do you say that?"

"Huh?" He frowned, clearly not expecting that as a response.

But I mean really, after nearly a year of knowing him he'd never told me anything like that, much less given me that intense stare. "It's just out of character that's all..."

He sighed, seeming to struggle with something, "Before we left Mickey he said some words to me..."

My heart skipped a beat, my eyes wide as the thought of Mickey spilling everything to the Doctor came to mind. What if he had? No, no...the Doctor would have said something already...right?

"Joy, perhaps, I haven't been around very much but...you know I consider you my friend, right?"

I swallowed hard, gathering my courage for what would come next, "Doctor, what did Mickey tell you?"

He shook his head, faintly smiling, " It's not important. All you should know is that I'll be here when you need me. You and Rose are the two most important people in my life. My glimpse of happiness, I call both of you."

" You've never called me that..." I said quietly, looking down at my lap.

"...no, I guess I haven't," he said after a moment, as if realizing it as well. Good. "But you listen to me, Joy Souza, I care about you, I always have."

"R-Really?" My eyes watered up, never hearing so kind words from him like that.

"Oh Joy," he scooted closer, taking me into a hug.

I cried for Mickey and for his touching words. I supposed Mickey hadn't told him everything just something that'd get the Doctor's mind working towards the grand realization.

"And, sorry for being nosy but, we went through your bag and I happened to have found an assignment..." he began, pausing as I looked up, "...how about I help you with that?"

I knew exactly where he was going with this. A dim smile spread on my face, already accepting the offer. Right now, I just needed to get out of here.

~/~

"London 2012!" I exclaimed, walking excitedly down the streets, "30th Olympia!" I twirled around.

"Careful, you'll fall," the Doctor warned, "Tell us again why you wear heels to school?"

"Huh?" I immediately looked down and realized I was still in my school uniform, "Oh c'mon," I turned around to them, "You didn't even give me a chance to change."

"Well when I said 30th Olympia you didn't exactly give me the chance to tell you," he countered.

Rose laughed, "I like it. Wish they were that fashionable back when I was there."

"Hm," I crossed my arms, "I don't like this."

"Oh you look fine. We're in an amazing time, Joy," the Doctor walked up, "Forget about it."

"Yeah, you're in the brink of the Olympics," Rose joined us, linking arms.

"Exactly, I'm in London and in the middle of the streets during the Olympics...in my school uniform," I frowned.

"Oh just focus on your article will you?" The Doctor linked arms as well. "Make this the best damn article you've ever written."

Rose chuckled, "I still don't understand why'd you join the journalist club."

"Sarah Jane," I admitted, "She talks so much about it I figured I'd give it a try. And plus, this academy's got a well rounded club for it."

"No more public school?" She raised an eye brow.

"After the Krillitanes I said no. And thanks to the Doctor for pulling some strings, I got into an even better school."

"Least I could after blowing up your old one," he swayed his head.

"And I'm almost caught up now. I should be graduating by the end of the year."

"We'll be there front row," Rose nodded.

"You better be. I already reserved seats for you two and Jackie and Mick-" I stopped, my smile vanishing.

The two stared sadly at me, "You know, you're name's Joy, live up to it," the Doctor poked my arm.

"Yeah..."

"You know, fun fact, I was here for the last Olympics they had in London; Wembley 1948. I loved it so much," he began his rambles and I knew he was telling us this just so that I'd keep distracted.

Rose suddenly let go of my arm and stayed behind, looking at something. The Doctor didn't seem to notice as he continued leading us ahead.

"Now what was his name...?" He thought, "Mark...? John?...Maybe Mark? Legs like pipe cleaners but strong as a whippet."

I chuckled, "That's a good way to remember someone. I dread to think how you'll remember me," And truthfully I did. Would he even remember me?

"The annoying, clever girl who challenges me on everything I do and say," he teased.

I smiled, proudly, not accepting the tease, "Well, I don't know how clever I am but I do challenge you because you're wrong sometimes. And, if we're being descriptive, I'll remember you as the daft, ridiculous alien."

He stopped walking and thought about it for a moment, making me snigger at his expressions. "You don't really think I'm ridiculous, right?" He frowned.

'What if I do?" I crossed my arms, deciding to tease him for the moment.

"I wouldn't like it..." His gaze fell to the ground.

I slightly ducked and caught his gaze, "I also think you're a kind, funny man."

He smiled softly as I stood straight again, "Yeah?"

I nodded, "Yes."

"Well," he swayed his head as he pretended to think again, "That's okay I guess."

"Doctor? Minerva?" Rose cut in, and we glanced over to find her not so pleased.

"Is something wrong?" I asked.

I could have sworn she gave me a quick glare before reverting to a smile. "I just thought you should come and see this." She gestured to a paper on the wall as we approached her.

There was a flyer of missing children, with no leads on either case.

"What's taking them?" I asked, still reading through the information.

"Snatching children from a thoroughly ordinary street like this. Why's it so cold...?" the Doctor looked around, "Is something reducing the temperature...?""

"It says they all went missing this week. Why would a person do something like this?"

"What makes you think it's a person?" The Doctor challenged.

A door opened, not far from us, and a woman was seen throwing out her recycling bag in front of her house. I noticed she was giving looks all around, like she was afraid. She quickly returned back in her house and shut the door.

"It's got the whole street wise scared," I remarked, "What could get-" But I saw the Doctor had already left and Rose right behind him.

I rolled my eyes, "Kind, funny and forgetful man," I mumbled as I hurried to catch them.

We stopped by a front yard with a mini-soccer goal on it. The Doctor stuck out his hand in front himself then knelt down and moved his hand around the grass.

It seemed strange to me and so it prompted for me to ask about it, "What are you-"

"Sh," He held up a finger.

I rolled my eyes and looked around. I noticed Rose was helping some people move a car on the street.

The Doctor giggling brought my attention back to him. "Tickles!" He exclaimed.

I made a face, "What are you-"

"What's your game?" A man suddenly approached us, not very happily.

Must be his house...

The Doctor struggled to come up with an answer as he got up from the grass, "My...um...Snakes and Ladders? Quite good at...Squash. Reasonable," the man only grew more irritated and the Doctor more nervous, "I'm...being facetious, aren't I?"

I nodded, "Annoyingly."

"What the hell do you think you're doing on my property?" The angry man advanced towards the Doctor.

"Woah, there," I cut in between the two, "We should calm down."

"Move aside, girl," he put a hand on my arm.

"Try anything and you'll have to learn how to eat with your feet," I snapped, pushing his hand away.

"We're police officers!" The Doctor pulled me back, "And I've got a badge and...and a car."

"This one is an officer?" The man looked at me.

"She's in training!" The Doctor flashed his psychic paper to the man. "It was either that or hair dresser."

"I still could make you look like a fashion disaster," I remarked, trying to follow with the lie.

"What are you two doing?" Rose joined us with a few other people.

"Are you officers?" A woman beside her asked.

"The police have knocked on every door but there's no clues or leads," came another neighbor.

"Look, kids run off sometimes, alright?" The man snapped, "That's what they do-"

"Dale Hixon in your garden, playing with your Tommy and then..." one of the women began, "Right in front of me he vanished. Like he was never there to begin with! There's no need to look ant further than this street. It's right here amongst us."

The Doctor looked from one to another, not quite following, "Why don't we-"

"Why don't we start with him?" A new woman pointed at one of the men with us. "There's been all sorts like him in this street, day and night!"

The accused man looked indignant at such an idea, "I'm fixing things up for the Olympics!"

"Taking an awful long time about it," snapped the man from the garden.

"I'm of the opinion that all we've gotta do is just-" the Doctor tried again but the arguments continued.

"What you just said is slander!"

"I don't care! It just makes sense!"

"I really think we need to just-" the Doctor tried once more but in vain.

"I want an apology from her!" The man pointed to the woman.

"Stop picking on him!" another woman yelled, "And stop pretending none of this is real!"

"EVERYONE SHUT UP!" I screamed, making them all flinch, "Shut the hell up already!"

"Fingers on lips!" the Doctor yelled over me, "Now!" He placed his finger on his lips and prompted for all of us to do the same. Everyone slowly obeyed, even myself.

I sighed, "I feel like I'm a second gra-"

"Sh!" He gestured with his finger.

"But-"

"SH!"

I only made a small noise again before he did the same again. Eventually, he won and I was shut.

"Alright, in the last six days, three of your children have been stolen," the Doctor began, "Snatched out of thin air?"

"Erm...can I...?" One of the woman slowly removed her finger from her lips. When the Doctor nodded she went right ahead. "Look around you, this was a safe street 'til it came. It's not a person. I'll say it if no one else will. Maybe you're coppers or maybe you're not but I don't care. Can you please help us?"

And that was all we needed to hear before we quickly agreed.

The Doctor sent everyone home until further notice while he, Rose and I remained on the crabby man's front yard.

"Sorry you can't write your article," Rose said as the Doctor sniffed his way around the yard.

I shrugged, "It's alright."

"Now Joy, we'll help you with that article right after this," the Doctor called.

"Don't worry, I can always search it up on the internet...like a normal student would do."

It wasn't so much for the assignment I had joined the pair for the trip. I knew that if I was at home with Jackie, all I'd do was sulk over Mickey...like he was dead. And he wasn't. He was breathing and happy. I couldn't sulk over that. Yet, I miss him so much. I needed a distraction...

"Too bad you're not, though," the Doctor looked up. I mock glared. He stood straight and inhaled deeply, "Do you smell that? In the air?"

Rose and I sniffed the air and there was indeed something different in it.

"It smells like metal," I remarked.

The Doctor pointed, nodding. He walked past us towards the alleyway again, "So, Danny Edwards cycled in one end but never came out the other, " he explained and suddenly stopped walking, "There it is again!" He exclaimed, showing us the back of his hand, "Look at the hairs on the back of my manly hairy hand."

"There's that smell again," I made a face as I looked around, "Like a burnt fuse plug..."

"There's a residual energy in the spots where the kids vanishes. Whatever it was, it uses an awful lot of power to do this."

We continued walking down the streets. The Doctor started going ahead of Rose and I.

Rose suddenly turned for a cat. "Aren't you a beautiful boy?" She cooed, reaching down for it.

"Thanks! I'm experimenting with back-combing," The Doctor was quick to respond.

I giggled when he noticed Rose had meant the cat.

"Look Joy," Rose returned with the car in arms. I sneezed. "Isn't he beautiful?" I sneezed and I covered my mouth to sneeze again. "Are you okay?" She asked and the cat jumped off her arms.

"Yes-" I sneezed again.

Rose followed the cat towards a cardboard box, "Come here!"

I sneezed and sneezed, even making the Doctor turn. "Joy, what's the matter?" He walked over to me. He placed a hand over my shoulder but my continuous sneezing eventually shook it off.

"Doctor!" Rose called with an urgent tone.

I sneezed one final time again. The Doctor was in a struggle between who he should take care of first. With a hand, I motioned for him to go to Rose.

"Hold on, Joy," he said before running to Rose.

It's not like I needed him anyways; I was quite used to being on my own. And besides, I knew exactly things hadn't changed. I was on the trip for the assignment and distraction, not to be noticed...though it wouldn't hurt as usual.

I looked up to the sky and took a deep breath multiple times, "Stupid cats," I muttered. I could hear the Doctor rambling on to Rose about some iron residue but I couldn't make out the rest. My eyes felt watery and I knew it wouldn't stop unless I had my pills.

Too bad I was kind of far away from home.

"Alright, now what's wrong with you?" the Doctor returned.

"I'm fine now," I said with a scratchy voice.

"Are you sick?"

"It'll pass," I coughed, "Can we just get out of this spot, please? That would be a major help."

He nodded and led us down the street, "I sent Rose looking."

"What for?" I asked, rubbing my eyes.

"For anything, really. I don't know what we're dealing with."

"You know, that metal smell is kind of familiar..." I looked at him, "It's at the tip of my tongue but I can't say it."

"It'll come to you later. Are you feeling better now?"

I nodded, "Yeah, like I said, it'll pass. Although a glass of water could be some good use...and maybe a good distraction."

He chuckled, "I'm good at that!"

"I bet you are," I smiled, going ahead of him, "I think I'm smelling that scent again."

"I was talking to Rose about these little cakes, you know, cause I thought I saw some in the last street," he started to ramble as I sneezed more, "Did you ever hear have one of those little cakes with the crunchy ball bearings on top?"

I sneezed, and felt the scent getting stronger, "Actually..."

"No, but do you know those things?" He continued rambling and didn't listen. This was probably the first time he was talking to me about something he liked. That didn't happen too often. "Nobody else in this entire galaxy's ever even bothered to make edible ball bearings. Genius."

"Yes, but, I think-"

We heard a yell from our blonde companion and so we quickly rushed to go and help her. The Doctor arrived first and when I saw what she was being attacked by, I had to stop and process it.

"Stay still!" the Doctor instructed as he pointed his screwdriver at a ball of scribble. The ball stopped and dropped onto Rose's hands. "Are you okay?" He pulled her up.

"Yeah, cheers," Rose mumbled.

As they hugged, I stood watching with very much intrigue what Rose was holding in her hand. When they pulled back I quickly joined them and took the scribble ball from her.

"Hey!" She frowned but I ignored it and turned the ball over.

"I'll give you a fiver if you can tell me what the hell it is," the Doctor pointed, "Cause I haven't got the foggiest."

"Well, I can tell you you've just killed it," Rose shrugged.

"It was never living. Just animated by energy."

"And I assume it's the same one taking these people?" I asked, my eyes fixated on the ball.

"Correct."

"It's weird," I tilted my head, "I can tell you that this is familiar to me. But I don't know why," I looked up to them.

"Get out of here, you can't think it's familiar," Rose pointed at it, "It's not possible."

"I'm telling you!" I insisted, "It's like...I can't put my finger on it."

"You might be clever but not that much," she mumbled, making my eyes snap at her.

Had she really just said that? That was...rude. And I didn't see Cassandra anywhere which meant she wasn't possessed...

"Well, let's take this into the TARDIS then," the Doctor grabbed the ball and started walking, leaving us behind to have a sort of stare down.

"What?" She asked.

"You tell me," I said, my eyes half-wide as I turned away from her and followed the Doctor.

~0~

As the Doctor analyzed the ball, my mind racked itself for the word I was looking for to identify the similarity I had thought of between it.

"Get out of here!" the Doctor exclaimed as he read from the console's scanner.

"What it say?" Rose asked as he grabbed the ball again.

"Joy, by any chance, does this answer the word you were looking for?" He took out a pencil from his pocket and actually erased a part of the ball.

"Graphite!" I yelled immediately, pointing. "Same thing as a pencil!" I laughed excitedly and clapped my hands. "That's what I wanted to say!"

"You had it way before any of us," the Doctor smiled, handing me the ball to examine, "Maybe you should lead the trips."

"I would," I quickly approved the idea, "And I'll start by saying why make a scribble to attack people if that person or thing has enough power to create something much bigger and stronger? Thoughts, Doctor?" I glanced at him and smirked as he thought. Even Rose was thinking, although she still didn't seem happy and it was kind of getting to me honestly.

"I..." the Doctor said, clearly not having the answer, "Well..."

"It's like a child's drawing," I continued, turning the ball over, "When I made mistakes I'd scribble the heck out of the paper. I still do, actually."

"The girl," Rose suddenly said, her eyes widening.

"What girl?"

"Something about her gave me the creeps...even her own Mum looked scared of her," Rose continued, but to herself more than answering me.

"I don't know what has me more," the Doctor shook his head, "The fact that you figured this out before me," he pointed at me, "Or that you're actually deducting," he glanced to Rose.

"Actually, it's the fact I've done this more than once to you already," I leaned closer to him, smiling sweetly as he frowned at the revelation.

~0~

"Are you sure she'll let us in?" Rose asked as we approached the house of the little girl we had as suspect.

"Why wouldn't she?" the Doctor replied.

"Three strange people wanting to see someone's little girl? Yeah, I'd let them in," I said before knocking on the door.

For the first time, there was no response. The Doctor went ahead and knocked again, slightly louder than I had. A woman suddenly opened up.

"Hello! I'm the Doctor and this is Rose and Joy! Can we see your daughter?"

"No, you can't," the mother replied.

"Okay. Bye," the Doctor surprised me as he turned around and started walking away.

"...Why?" the mother suddenly questioned. The Doctor stopped and turned around. "Why do you want to see Chloe?"

"There's something interesting going on in this street and I just thought...well, we thought, she might like to give us a hand."

"Sorry to bother you," Rose caught on and began backing away.

"Yeah, we'll just let you get on with things...on your own. Bye again!" the Doctor waved.

"Wait!" the mother called, "Can you help her?" She looked so desperate now.

"Yes, I can."

"I'm Trish," the mother greeted as she brought us into the living room, "My daughter, Chloe, stays in her room most of the time. I try talking to her, but it's like speaking to a brick wall. She gives me nothing and just asks to be left alone."

"What about her dad?" I questioned.

"Died a year ago."

"I'm sorry," I said quickly said.

"You wouldn't be if you'd known him."

"Well let's go and say hi!" Rose exclaimed.

"I should check on her first..." Trish was hesitant, already backing for the staircase behind her, "She might be asleep."

"Why are you afraid of her?" the Doctor asked.

"I want you to know before you see her that she's really a great kid. Really, she is."

"I'm sure she is."

"She's never been in trouble at school and you should see her report from last year. All A's and B's."

"Can I use your loo?" Rose stood up. Trish nodded and Rose went off, giving us a slight nod as she walked for the stairs.

"She's in the choir!" Trish continued. "And she's singing in an old folks home. I just want you to know all these things because right now, she's not herself."

I heard some noises in the kitchen which drew me to go. I poked my head inside and saw a little girl by the fridge, which I assumed to be Chloe, "Hello," I waved. She turned around and drank from her glass. "I'm Joy Souza."

"I'm Chloe Webber."

"How are you doing?" I took a step forwards.

"I'm busy. I'm making something."

"I heard you draw some really neat things," I continued, hoping to make small talk, "You know, I draw too. I'd love to see your work...maybe even share ideas?"

"Joy?" the Doctor walked in with Trish.

"Just making a friend," I pointed to Chloe.

"Oh, hello there," he turned to her, "I'm the Doctor."

"Chloe Webber. I'm making something so I must go."

"Wait!" I exclaimed, "If you're drawing something, you wanna show us? We could give you pointers or something...?"

"They don't stop moaning," She suddenly said, looking straight ahead.

"Chloe..." Trish called.

"I try to help them but they don't stop moaning."

"Who don't?" the Doctor asked.

"We can be together," Chloe whispered.

"Sweetheart," Trish walked to her.

"Don't touch me Mum," Chloe snapped, making Trish freeze in her spot, "I'm busy," she spat then walked out.

"But I really wanted to see your drawings!" I called, rushing after her. "C'mon, Chloe!

"Doctor!" I heard Rose call from upstairs.

"Uh oh," I glanced back, "Doctor, Rose needs your help and fast!"

Like light speed, the Doctor went up the stairs with I, Chloe and Trish behind. We entered Chloe's bedroom and saw Rose staring to the closet.

"I'm coming to hurt you!" a roaring voice from the closet yelled.

The Doctor quickly shut the closet doors and turned to us.

"What was that?" I pointed.

"A drawing," Rose answered, "The face of a man."

"What face?" Trish went to reopen the doors.

"No!" Rose quickly barricaded the doors with her body, "Best not."

"What have you been drawing?" Trish demanded from Chloe.

"I drew him yesterday," Chloe replied, not seeming to be bothered by any of this.

"Who?"

"Dad."

Trish frowned, "But he's gone now. With all the lovely things in the world, why him?"

"I dream about him, staring at me."

"I thought we were putting him behind us. What's the matter with you?"

"We need to stay together."

Trish sighed, "Yes we do."

"No. Not you. Us," Chloe corrected, "We need to stay together and then it'll be alright."

"Trish, the drawings," Rose gestured to the wall covered with them, "Have you seen what drawings she can do?"

"Who gave you permission to come into her room? Get out of my house," Trish ordered, seeming angry.

"Tell us about the drawings, Chloe," the Doctor turned to us.

"I don't wanna hear any more of this."

"But that drawing of her dad," Rose insisted, "I heard a voice. He spoke."

"He's dead!" Trish snapped, "And those are kids pictures. Now get out!"

"Chloe has power. And she's using it to take children away. She's snatching them."

"Get out."

"Have you seen those drawings move?"

"I haven't seen anything."

"Yes you have," the Doctor slowly walked up to us, "Out of the corner of your eye."

"No," Trish stared him dead in the eye.

"You've dismissed it, because what choice do you have when you see something you can't possible explain? And if anyone mentions it, you get angry so it's never spoken of, ever ag-"

"She's a child," Trish reasoned.

"And you're terrified of her. But there's no one to turn to because who's gonna believe the things you see out of the corner of your eye? No one. Except me."

"Stop it!" I exclaimed, causing them to look at me. I knew my eyes were watery but I shook my head, hoping to get rid of them quick. "I don't like arguments in front of a child, okay? So either quit this and let us help, or take this down stairs away from Chloe," everyone remained quiet. I looked around, taking in a deep breath. "Now get out."

"Excuse me?" Trish raised an eye brow.

I glanced at her, my watery eyes making her shift uncomfortably. "I'm just gonna talk with her."

She sighed and nodded. My two companions however, did not seem very pleased.

"Joy, I don't think you do this," the Doctor said as Trish was walking out of the room.

"You don't get it. Neither does Rose. Only I do," I said quietly, rubbing one of my eyes.

"What's there to get?"

"Just go downstairs. I know what I'm doing," I snapped and gestured for the door. Chloe looked at me as the three walked out of the room. When Rose closed the door behind them I let out a big sigh. "Chloe..."

She walked towards her bed and sat down, "You're alone."

"I get it. I really do," I walked up to her, reaching for her desk chair and bringing it in front of her, "I know what it's like being afraid of a parent," I smiled faintly, holding up two fingers, "Try two," she stared at me with no response, "Mine never hit me though, I don't know about you..."

"I'm alone," She said, "But we can be together."

"Like...you don't have any friends?" I tried, "Because, I know how that I feels too. I don't really have much friends either...and the ones that I have right now, they don't even know my name," I sighed, "I had one best friend though, and he knew so me well, but..." I looked away, "He's gone now...so I feel alone again. Is that how you feel? Plain alone?"

"You are alone," she said, coldly, "Your people are gone."

'Yeah..." I faintly smiled, "...I have a lost some."

"We can be together."

"Yes, we can. Everyone can be," I agreed, "But, you have to tell me what's going on. I may not be much of a help but...one of the people I'm with...he can help you."

She pulled her legs up and crossed them. I believed that would be all I'd get out from her. Although I don't think I got much to start with. The door opened and I glanced to see the three coming back in.

"What did you do?" Trish quickly demanded.

"Nothing," I replied quietly, "Just talked."

"I think it's my turn," the Doctor walked to us.

I stood up and brought Chloe's desk chair back to her desk. I looked back and saw him placing his fingers on Chloe's temples. A few seconds later, she fell back on her bed with her eyes shut.

"I can't let him do this," Trish began walking to us.

I joined her and moved her back to where Rose was, "It's okay, just trust him."

"Now we can talk," the Doctor stood straight.

"I want Chloe. Wake her up. I want Chloe," Chloe was whispering but I didn't think it was her that was speaking.

"Who are you?" the Doctor asked.

"I want Chloe Webber!"

"What've you done?" Trish cried, frantically.

"What is it?" Rose asked.

"I'm speaking to you," the Doctor continued, walking around the bed, "The entity that is using this human child. I request parlez in compliance with the Shadow Proclamation."

"I don't care about shadows or parlez," snapped 'Chloe.'

"So what do you care about?" the Doctor asked.

"I want my friends."

"You're lonely, I know. Identify yourself."

"I am one of many. I travel with my brothers and sister. We take an endless journey. A thousand of your lifetimes. But now I am alone and I hate it. It's not fair and I hate it!"

"Name yourself!" the Doctor ordered.

"Isolus."

"Oh..." the Doctor breathed, "You're Isolus. Of course."

"Our journey began in the Deep Realms when we were a family," 'Chloe' began drawing on a paper beside her but not needing to open her eyes for it obviously.

"What's that?" I asked.

"The Isolus Mother, drifting in deep space. You see, she jettisons millions of fledgling spores; her children. The Isolus are empathic beings of intense emotion, but when they're cast off from their mother, their empathic link, their need for each other, is what sustains. They need to be together. They can't be alone." the Doctor looked to the drawing.

"Our journey is long," 'Chloe' continued.

"The Isolus children travel inside pods individually. They rid the heat and energy of solar tides. It takes thousands and thousands of years for them to grow up."

"Thousands of years just floating through space?" I raised an eye brow, "Don't they get bored?"

"We play," 'Chloe' answered my question.

"You just...play?"

"While they travel, they play games. They use their ionic power to literally create make-believe worlds in which to play."

"In flight entertainment," Rose remarked.

"Helps keep them happy. While they're happy, they can feed off each others love. Without it, they're lost."

"So they need love to survive," I smiled.

"One more thing we have in common," 'Chloe' spoke.

My smile faded, "Okay..."

"Why did you come to earth?" the Doctor inquired.

"We were too close," 'Chloe' began drawing on a new paper.

"That's a solar flare from your sun. Would've made a tidal wave of solar energy that scattered the Isolus pods," the Doctor studied the drawing.

"Only I fell to Earth. My brothers and sisters are left up there and I cannot reach them. So alone."

"Your pod crashed...where is it?" the Doctor asked.

"My pod was drawn to heat..." 'Chloe' answered, "And I was drawn to Chloe Webber. She was like me. Alone. She needed me and I her."

The Doctor stroked Chloe's head, "You empathized with her. You wanted to be with her because she was alone like you."

"I want my family. It's not fair."

"I understand," the Doctor nodded, "You wanna make a family but you can't stay in this child. It's wrong. You can't steal anymore friends for yourself."

"I am alone."

A sound from the wardrobe made us turn around, "I'm coming to hurt you," that same voice roared, "I'm coming."

"Trish, how do you calm her?" the Doctor asked rapidly as Chloe began jerking about. "When she has nightmares, what do you do?"

"I...I..." Trish hurried to her daughter, "I sing to her!"

"Then start singing!"

"Chloe...I'm coming," Chloe's dad warned, "Chloe...Chloe..."

Trish began singing to Chloe but the banging on the closet wouldn't stop. Slowly, it began to dissolve. Trish became in tears as she hugged her daughter. "He came to her because she was lonely..."

When everything became calm we left Chloe in her room, fast asleep. We walked downstairs to the living room where Trish began picking up every pencil lying about.

"I thought it was over..." She said, picking up a few pencils from the floor, "When Chloe's dad crashed the car, I thought we were free."

"Did you talk to her about it?" I asked.

"I didn't want to," Trish looked down.

"Trish, that's why Chloe feels so alone," I said, walking to where she stood, "If there's no one to speak to...you feel alone," I looked down, "No one to hear what you feel..."

"Her and the Isolus...two lonely kids who need each other. It's so desperate to be loved. It's used to a pretty big family," the Doctor said.

"So it's gonna keep pulling kids in," Rose shook her head.

I felt sad for the little creature. Maybe in a way, we were the same. But just like I got my help, so would it.

"We need to find that pod," I announced.

"But it crashed," Rose said, "Isn't it destroyed?"

"It's been sucking in all the heat it can," the Doctor reminded, "Hopefully that should keep it in a fit state to launch."

"Then let's go!" I exclaimed, rushing for the doors.

"It must be close. It should have a weak energy signature that the TARDIS can trace. Once we find it, we can stop the Isolus," the Doctor looked around the streets, "Let's get to work!" he rushed off.

"C'mon, Rose!" I pulled her away as she had gotten distracted with something.

We caught up with the Doctor and entered the TARDIS. As he worked, Rose and I fiddled around the console, not really having any other purpose for the moment. But, while she stood across from me around the console, I kept trying to think of a reason as to why she was suddenly so different around me. But I couldn't think of anything! I don't consider myself a white dove but I hadn't been rude or anything...

"You know, Joy, I'm impressed you knew the Isolus was lonely before it even said anything," the Doctor said as he worked, bringing me out of my thoughts, "Almost like you knew what it felt."

"Funny..." I said quietly, ignoring his eyes that were on me and silently questioning the reason.

"I knew it was lonely too. But, that's normal. I know what it's like to travel a long way on your own. But...you?"

"Well...that's...that's just coincidence."

"Is it?" he eyed me as he walked to the chair beside the console. Rose joined him and helped him with whatever he was building in his hands.

"Yes..."

"You know what I find very interesting?"

"What?"

"The way you ordered us out of Chloe's room like you owned the place. Impressed, don't get me wrong. But the way you looked at us...like we were doing something ungodly."

'I just don't like arguments in front of children."

""Did you have that around as a kid?" He asked.

"...no," I said quietly, "I've seen it but...no."

He didn't believe me, that was obvious but he let the subject go, "Well, hopefully with this thing, we can get the Isolus back home."

"If you ask me it sounds more like a tantrum," Rose shook her head.

"You were a kid, Rose." I reminded, faintly smiling.

"Yes! And I know what kids can be like. Right little...terrors."

The Doctor stood up and walked to the console, "Gum, please," he held out his hand to Rose.

She spit her gum into his hand which he then used on the device. "I've got cousins, and they can't have their on way. That's being part of a family."

"What about trying to understand them?" the Doctor asked, sticking the gum into the device.

"Easy for you to say," Rose walked to the chair, "You don't have kids."

"I was a dad once," he replied absently.

Rose dropped to the seat, eyes wide. "What did you say?"

I admit, I had to stop and process that one too. Of course, it didn't bother me as much as it did to Rose. I moved beside him and peered down at the device.

"I think we're here!" the Doctor exclaimed, "Now then, this Isolus doesn't want to conquer or destroy the world."

"It's just lonely and wants to get back home," I smiled.

"There's a lot of things you need to get across this universe," He continued, "Warp drive...wormhole refactors..."

I looked around and realized the idiot had missed a blinking, flashing screen. I pointed to it but he kept rambling on.

"You know the thing you need most of all? You need a hand to hold," he glanced over and saw my hand which he took into his with a big smile.

I giggled and pointed to the screen, "No, I meant look over there, you idiot."

"Oh..." He looked down to the screen, "It's the pod!"

"Is it in the street?"

"Yes!" he grabbed the device and ran to the doors.

I looked back at Rose, going to tell her we should follow but instead found her directly glaring at me. She stood up and marched up to me, thinking she'd probably do something but then pushed past me towards the doors. I turned around and watched her leave. I sighed and threw my head back, looking up to the ceiling, "You're alive," I gestured to the TARDIS, 'Can you tell me what I did?" There was a faint wheezing sound, causing me to chuckle, "Now if only I could understand you," I headed for the doors.

"So it's about two inches across. Dull grey, like a gulls egg. Very light," the Doctor was explaining when I had caught up.

"So the pods travel from sun to sun using heat?" I questioned, moving ahead of him. "And that's why it was attracted to a heated part around here?"

"Wouldn't that mean the pod needed just heat then?" Rose added, closely following me for some reason.

There was a crash behind and when we turned we saw the Doctor's device broken into pieces on the ground. What's worse, the Doctor had vanished!

"Doctor?" Rose called.

"Rose," I tugged on her arm, my finger pointing to the now-vanished TARDIS ahead.

"Oh no..." she whispered, "Brat tantrum," she muttered then dashed to the Webber's home.

We pounded on the door like our lives depended on it. Trish opened but didn't get a word out before Rose pushed past her to the stairs.

"It's okay! I've taken all the pencils off her!" Trish called after her.

"I don't think you did," I said, following Rose.

Rose burst into Chloe's room and ran to her desk, snatching Chloe's newest drawing.

"Leave me alone!" the Isolus now demanded, "I want to be with Chloe Webber! I love Chloe Webber!"

"You have to bring him back!" I exclaimed.

"No."

Rose let the paper go and grabbed Chloe's shoulders, "Don't you realize what you've done!?" She yelled, "He was the only one who could help you, now bring him back!"

"I love Chloe Webber."

"I know," Rose sighed, "I know..." She looked down to the paper and picked it up, "Doctor, if you can hear me, I'm gonna get you out of there. I'll find the pod," she looked up at us, "Don't leave her alone. I'm gonna go find the pod." she rushed out.

I sighed, looking at Chloe, "He was gonna help you."

"I could draw your people. Make you be together again."

"Can you just stop?" My voice broke, "No matter what you say or do will bring back my best friend or my family. Everyone's mad at me and I don't want to see them. So please, have pity on me and just stop," I walked out as well, close to tears again.

I sniffled quietly, wanting so bad to be alone myself. But I had to go and help Rose. I walked out and saw her speaking to one of the road workers. She was picking at the newly fixed pavement so I knew she was finding the pod.

"I found it!" She exclaimed, looking up, "Joy I found it!" I smiled as she rushed back, "Look," she held up her hands.

"That's great! C'mon!" I pulled her back inside.

"Trish! We've found it!" Rose exclaimed, "I don't know what to do with it but maybe the Isolus will just hop on board." Trish sat on the couch. "Hang on, I said not to leave her alone!" Rose's eyes widened.

My God. Em...what's going on here?

The TV suddenly became audible to our ears.

The worker Rose had taken the axe from came marching into the house. "I don't care if you've got Snow White and the Seven Dwarves buried under there, you don't go digging up-"

"Shut up Kel, and look!" Rose yelled and pointed at the TV.

The crowd has vanish! They're gone...everyone. Thousands of people have just gone. Uh...right in front of my eyes. But this is impossible!

"That stadium won't be enough," I shook my head, "The Isolus has four billion brothers and sisters. We're in trouble."

"Chloe!" Rose yelled, running for the stairs, "Chloe!"

We rushed up and found the door unable to open. "Chloe open up!" I pounded on the door. "We have your ship! We can send you home!"

"Chloe!?" Trish joined in.

"Back up you two," Rose instructed then with her axe, crashed down the door. She stuck her hand in the hole of the door and opened it for us.

As soon as we got inside, Chloe's 'Dad' was yelling from the closet. Chloe was busy drawing what looked like the planet on her wall!

"We've gotta stop her!" I pointed.

"If you stop Chloe Webber I will let him out," the Isolus warned as the closet doors rattled, "I cannot be alone. It's not fair."

"Look!" Rose held out her hands with the pod, "I've got your pod!"

"The pod is dead."

"It only needs heat!"

"It needs more than heat."

"It needs love," I whispered, "Doesn't it?"

Because when someone is or feels alone...all you need is love to remind you that you are never alone. Platonic or not, you need it.

"I don't..." Rose looked around, desperately, "I don't know..."

"But I do," I snatched the pod from her hands, "Because I understand," I looked at everyone for a moment. "And while I'm gone, you might want to check the drawings."

"Why?" Rose asked.

"Because I think they just moved," I nodded then rushed out. I looked around the street and saw a crowd at the end. "The torch was the symbol of hope, fortitude, courage...and love," I recited Sarah Jane's story, recalling the short story she had given to me as an example before taking the school's assignment, 'And that's exactly what I'm looking for." I smiled, dashing towards the crowd. I pushed myself towards the front of the crowd but was stopped by a policeman. "I've gotta get closer!"

"No way," he shook his head.

I groaned, "Moron!" He gave me a dirty look but I didn't care. The pod chirped in my hands and so I backed out from the crowd and turned my back on them. "You felt it, didn't you?" I asked it, bringing it closer to my mouth. "I understand you. Believe me. And here's my help: Feel the love," I whispered then threw the pod into the air. When I saw it rush to the torch, I jumped up and down in excitement. "Yes!"

One by one I saw all the children that had gone missing materialize on the street.

"Now then, where would that alien be?" I looked around, remembering where he had disappeared but not finding him. "But everything came back to life...all the drawings..." I started blinking rapidly with realization, "Hold up..." I turned around, "Everything came to life. Oh my god..." I ran back to the Webber's home as the thought of the closet returned to my head. I arrived but found the door shut. "Rose! Trish! Chloe!" I pounded on the door.

"The door is stuck!" Rose shouted, pounding on the door. "Where's the Doctor?"

"Uh..." I looked around, "He's not here..."

"WHAT?"

"Not important right now, sorry," I looked for another way in. I could hear Chloe's dad advancing to them.

"Help us!" Trish yelled, "Please!"

"It's not real!" I yelled, "Rose, tell them it's not real! It's just because they're so afraid of him! Rose!"

And she did. I could hear but I could also hear Chloe's Dad and he sounded much closer. Suddenly, I heard singing...? They were singing!

"Keep singing!" I yelled.

Boy I could really use Rose's axe right now.

When everything died down, the door finally opened and out came Rose.

"Are you okay?" I asked but her only answer was a silent nod.

She walked past me and into the streets, to which I assume she would be looking for the Doctor in. While we didn't work together, we had both went looking for the Doctor only to come up with nothing. We returned to the Webber's in defeat, hoping he'd be there instead.

"Nothing?" Trish asked when we returned.

I shook my head and took a seat on the couch, "Kinda hoping he'd turn up here..."

She smiled and turned the television on where the Olympics were being broadcasting again. Everyone had returned to the stadium and it was as if nothing had happened.

"Eighty thousand people, so where's the Doctor?" Rose whispered, "I need him."

I looked at her and saw she was almost going to cry, only adding to the tension we felt.

"Chloe?" I sighed, turning to her, "You think I can borrow a pen and a paper? I have to do some school work," she stood up and went for the things.

The torch bearer seems to be in a bit of trouble. We did see a flash of lightening earlier which seemed to strike him...um, maybe he's injured...he's definitely in trouble.

Definitely. He just collapsed.

Chloe returned with a pen and a journal. I smiled, taking it into my hands, "Thank you," I looked back to the TV as I placed the journal on my lap, "Guess I better get started."

Does this mean that Olympic Dream is dead?

"Joy, look," Chloe pointed. I looked up and saw the Doctor on the TV screen running with the torch in hand,"It's him!"

There's a mystery man, he's picked up the flame...we've no idea who he is...he's carrying the flame, yes! He's carrying the flame and no one wants to stop him!"

It's more than a flame now, Bob. It's more than heat and light.

"It's hope, courage and love," I smiled and looked down, beginning to write.

~0~

It was night by the time I had finished the article. The people were out in the streets, celebrating, including Rose who had been dragged out by Trish and Chloe. Once I had properly finished, I left the Webber's house and hurried into the streets to go find the TARDIS and type it up. Of course, at the whiff of a dessert, I had to stop and find its source. I found a table and saw it was filled with small cupcakes.

"Oh..." I said, taking a deep inhalation of their scents.

"You can have one," a woman said, coming up behind the table.

"Don't mind if I do," I grinned and took one of them off the table. I turned and began walking again, getting ready to take a big bite out of my dessert when I saw the Doctor across the street. "Hey!" I called, making him turn around. "You are in so much trouble you ridiculous alien!"

"Annoying, clever girl," he strolled right up.

I mock-glared for a minute before holding out my cupcake, "I might be those things but I listen to you."

Hopefully he'd start doing it as well...

He became ecstatic with it and took it right off my hand, "Top banana!"

I nodded, "Yup!" He took a big bite out of it, causing me to chuckle, "Do you like it?"

"Mm. I can't stress this enough. Ball bearings you can eat - masterpiece!" He exclaimed.

"Ridiculous, banana-loving alien."

"You have got to stop that," he mock glared and took another bite.

"Stop what?" I asked innocently.

"That," he pointed.

"I have done nothing except bring you your cupcake, so quiet." I said, pointing right back.

"What's that?" He looked down to my paper I held.

"It's my article," I waved the paper, "See?"

He took it from me and read it, "This is brilliant!"

I chuckled, "You think so? I wrote it in the heap of the moment!"

"You're an excellent writer, Joy!"

"Thanks, I dabble, I dabble."

"Do you also dabble in saving the world?"

"What?" I raised an eye brow.

"I know what you did. Once again, I owe you a thanks," he smiled.

"Thank you for bringing me here. Believe it or not, it actually did help me," I said quietly, "I hope Mickey lives a good life."

He nodded, "And he hopes the same for you," I swallowed, my eyes slightly becoming teary, "Oh, none of that," he pulled me for a hug which I immediately retreated to.

It reminded me of our last hug before he had taken Mickey along. He never did ask me what made me cry. But for that one split moment, I didn't think he was doing it to ignore me...he did it to avoid more pain. For once, he thought of me and did something to help. It wasn't the kind of help where he saves my life, but one that a friend would do...

"I'm gonna miss him," I sniffled and pulled back, "But I know he's going to be so happy and that makes me happy." I saw Rose coming up from across the street and looking directly at us. Wanting no problems, I backed away from him.

"What are you doing?" He frowned.

"Um...Rose," I pointed past him, "She's been kinda worried."

"Oh..." He glanced over his shoulder and she immediately smiled.

"I'm gonna go back to the TARDIS," I announced, "Have fun."

"Oh, Joy, wait," he grabbed my arm and pulled me back, "It's a night for celebration."

I looked at him then at Rose who's smile was faltering. Finally donning on me, I smiled, "I think I'll be better in the TARDIS," he didn't seem convinced as I released myself from his grasp, "I'll just wait over there," I turned around and walked towards the direction Rose was coming from, ignoring her glares, "Oh, Joy, you're such an idiot," I said to myself as I walked farther away.

She was jealous.

~0~

I was just about to open the TARDIS doors when Chloe came around and leaned against it with a smile, "Hey!"

I smiled and desisted from the doors, "Hello, feeling better now?"

She nodded, "I remember what you said back there...in my room."

"I said a lot of things, Chloe. Gonna have to be more specific."

"You said you were alone...like me."

It took a lot in me not to stop smiling for her sake, "But you're not. You're gonna make friends and be the great little girl you are!"

"What about you?"

"What about me?"

"You said you didn't have friends."

"Well, I have two," I corrected, but then I remembered Rose and thought I should reconsider the amount now.