Chapter Four: Petrova

One last look over my shoulder I see the backs of Orla and Bleddyn walking out of sight. Seeing Beth and Francis getting along as they leave makes a nice change. I try to ignore the newly made awkward air around Ward and I. We walk quietly along the roads; his patrol route is the easiest to begin with. So off we walk. The silence finally breaks me.

“She’s insane.” I say finally speaking, a hushed voice all the same, not wanting to be overheard. Ward registers what I said and looks at me curiously. I go back to looking around us, walking a little faster now. He keeps in touch with my steps. It’s his turn to speak but I don’t let him. “She somehow managed to stumble into an abandoned warehouse and run from a hoard of demons and ended up leading them into the graveyard on the off chance we would be there. It’s crazy, why didn’t she buzz for help?”

“Probably didn’t have time to deal with her phone, you did see how many there were right?” Trust Ward to bring some logic to the party.

“Fine but I don’t know there is something funny about her.” I try to cling to something right now.

“You just don’t like that she looks like you, I get it, you used to be the unique one and instead of them bringing on another one of us, or even a single that ascended like you they actually brought your ganger into our team. If that isn’t a slight, I don’t know what is. Maybe they didn’t know but all the same, I can see why you’re jealous.” He grinned.

“I’m not jealous.” I cross my arms as we walk onwards. “I just don’t feel comfortable.”

“Maybe that is a good thing. We are never meant to feel comfortable.”

“I feel comfortable with you.” I say letting the words fall out of my mouth faster than I can catch them. I see his grin turn into a broad smile that reached his eyes.

“That’s different. But she’s already stirred a change in the team, we fought better today than we have in weeks.” He keeps using logic against me and I hate it. I supress my smile.

“We had no choice, it was that or die-” knowing that is always the case, I just feel like being difficult and nit-picking right know.

“But that is always that way, I just felt like we worked better than we usually do. Look at how fast we are smashing patrol today; we are already close to your route.” Continue reading →

Chapter Four: Leianna

We are cousins. I know what I am about to do is wrong. But nothing about anything I tend to do is right, even if it is, it is probably for the wrong reasons. I can see her on edge. I don’t think I have seen Trova relaxed. Not even in the dreams. But right now, getting in under her skin, getting in her head is important, if I can twist her even slightly, I might stand a chance.

“No one’s here” I say, I drop the tone in my voice slightly, letting my smile falter. “I must make you really uncomfortable” I say undoing the wrapper on a mint from the pack in my pocket. I offer one to Trova, I enjoy watching her indecision, trying to decide if she should take one. But she does, and I can’t hide my smile when she pops it in her mouth, she doesn’t see the smile for what it is though. I watch her and wonder if it was a mistake, letting it be this easy. Don’t movie villains normally have plans and webs of deceit so much bigger than this? Perhaps I am a lousy Villain, but I am certainly never going to be a hero. So I watch her a moment too long.

I find myself smiling when she mumbles a thank you when she finally swallows the last of the mint. I crunch mine away to catch up and smile, feeling a little less fatigued I stand up when I see her posture slacken a little. I step towards her, slowly I begin to pull my tired frame into a new more assured position. A slightly more confident posture, my shoulders back and relaxed, a soft smile, everything I should need to get what I want. I let my voice change a little, I aim for something a little more enticing, something like a whisper but a little more calculated, “are you curious?”

I smile at her confusion, trying to work out what I am asking, I step closer. So very gently I extend my hand not wanting to spook her I push back a loose lock of hair that had fallen into her face and tuck it behind her ear. “About what it would be like to kiss someone who looks almost exactly like you.” I try to sound more curious than anything even though it makes me feel like a creep. I’m the only one of the two of us who knows exactly who and what we are. Continue reading →