EVABELLE

They checked out of the inn around the same time they had left the sanctuary the day before.  The sun was low enough for Kai to travel, but he still turned his jacket up against its glare.

            Lucis stepped behind the building, hidden from anyone on the street, along with Kai and Evabelle who had been waiting for the brothers.  "So we plan on doing what we call jetting," He began.  "It's when Anahalians basically speed fly.  We can go extremely fast that way, but it does tire us quickly, and we can only handle a few spurts of it.  We just really need to get there before morning."

            Kai and Evabelle nodded as Del finally joined them.  "Is everyone ready?" He grunted. 

            Evabelle's hands tightened on the straps of her bag of supplies as she gave another determined nod.

            "Good." Then in a sudden flash, Del darted forward and scooped up Kai, bursting upward into the fading day.

            Evabelle blinked a few times in surprise as Lucis laughed.  "He seemed rather anxious, didn't he?"  He grinned at Evabelle.  "Like he was trying to prove himself or something."

            Evabelle returned the smile and gave Lucis a little shove.  "You think you're so funny, don't you?"  She shook her head.

            Lucis scooped her up into his arms as she wrapped hers around his neck, both of them still grinning.  "Not often, but when I am, I know that I'm simply hilarious."  He laughed.  Then he shot off after his brother.

Jetting was a rather strange experience.  It was unlike other times when Evabelle had flown with the boys.  It didn't feel like they were flying.  It felt like Evabelle was sitting still as the world rushed by in nothing more than a blur of color.  She was pressed hard against Lucis's chest, unable to move.  She couldn't turn her head to look at the Anahalian's face or at his wings.  She really wanted to see how he moved his wings to get them going so fast.

            It didn't seem particularly long before the world slowed and Evabelle could move again.  Heavy breathing was the first sound that she heard over the rush of wind that had filled them as they had jetted.  She could feel Lucis's chest expand as he took in a great lungful of air.  Looking up at him, revealed a flushed face, with a bit of sweat rolling down the side of his jaw.  "Are you okay?"  She asked. 

            Lucis nodded.  "Yeah.  I'm fine.  It's been a long time since I did that."  He flapped his enormous wings a few times before allowing himself to glide for a bit.  That was a sure sign that he was tired, when he allowed the wind to carry him, rather than directing his own path through the sky.

            Glancing back behind them, Evabelle noticed Del doing the same thing.  He glided forward, breathing heavily.  "Maybe you should put us down, so you can rest for a bit."

            Lucis let out a strained laugh.  "You worry too much, princess."  Though drained, the Anahalian's blue eyes shone, and Evabelle felt herself smile with him.  Every laugh, every smile like the one he gave her in that moment, showed her the Lucis that she known since they had first met back in Jovis.  What had happened, she thought.  That could change him to the point where so many of those smiles are fake, and that he finds the need to hide himself?

            "Besides," Lucis cut through her thoughts.  "Where exactly would we put you?"

            Evabelle blinked and then looked down.  Dark blue waters reflected the two flying men, along with the few stars that had started to appear in the sky.  Looking forward and all around them, water was all Evabelle could see.

            "I doubt you would want us to put you down in the middle of the Atlantic."  Lucis said.

            Evabelle tore her gaze from the rippling waves and back to him.  "Are you sure you'll be alright?"

            Lucis winked.  "Of course."

            The boys flew and somehow, over time, seemed to recover from the jetting.  The night was dark once more.  Also the temperature had dropped considerably more than it did the night before.  Perhaps it was because they flew over a body of water.  But even through the bitter air, Evabelle couldn't help but enjoy the stunning beauty of it all.  She adjusted herself a bit in Lucis's grip, and rested her head in the crook of his neck, admiring the landscape in front of them.

            The sky kissed the land, lighting the water with stars so that it appeared as though the flying men were encircled with their own little galaxy.  "This would be a really lovely place to fall."  Evabelle whispered.

            Evabelle felt Lucis's heart beat harder against his chest.  His breath rustled Evabelle's hair as he began to speak.  Evabelle's own heart rate began to pick up.  "I—"

            Suddenly Lucis lurched forward, nearly sending Evabelle tumbling into the waves below.  She gasped and clung to him as he steadied himself.  "Sorry," he murmured.

            It was too dark to see his face, but Evabelle could practically see it in her mind.  It had to be the same expression that he had wore when he had broke off their fairy dust dance in Calandra's garden. 

            Suddenly Del's voice rang out through the night, startling the pair of them.  "I think we had better jet again, if we want to get there!"

            Lucis agreed with his brother and without another word, he set off with another powerful burst of speed.

The second jet left the angels more tired than the first one, but luckily Kai told them that they were close.  Del took the lead as Kai began to direct them.  "Now, I have to warn you," The vampire shouted over the waves and air so that the others could hear him as well.  "Each Isle is protected by its own individual powerful magic force.  They don't keep people out necessarily, but it will knock out any magic you possess as well as your ability to fly.  That affect lasts about a day at least."

            "Is there any way we can avoid hitting these walls?"  Lucis yelled back.

            "I believe so."  Kai replied.  "Angle yourselves around here."  He directed quickly before continuing.  "There's an opening in each one that only elves know about, however it can change every few years.  We're going to have to be careful.  Arch a little higher for a ways.  We're actually passing over one as we speak."  He explained.

            "That's rather impressive."  Lucis called.  "How do you know where these barriers are, when we can't even see them?"

            "You learn to recognize the aura they give off.  It's a sort of feeling that's rather hard to describe."  Kai responded.  "Now coast down a little, but wait don't—" His words were skewed as suddenly Del jerked sideways as though the wind had forced him.  Then the dark Anahalian and his passenger vanished completely, blurring away into the invisible void. 

            "Del!"  Lucis shouted as he tried to stop, but it was too late for him as well.  They hit the barrier and forces far stronger than the wind ripped them back and forth.  Evabelle was flung from Lucis's arms and felt herself being whipped in all directions, it seemed as though she was slamming into invisible walls as she fell.  She couldn't verbally scream, but her insides were most definitely letting off extremely high cries of panic.

            Through the tempest, her own warbled name miraculously managed to reach her ears.  Evabelle took a peak through her shut eyelids to see what almost looked like a hand.  With every ounce of strength in her, Evabelle lifted her arm toward that hand, until she could go no further.  Her own hand shook as whatever surrounded them pushed for her arm to go back at its side.  Just when she was about to give in, her fingers brushed another's.  And finally the hand closed around hers, pulling her toward them, until those warm familiar arms wrapped around her again.

            Still the two of them rammed against the invisible forces, but at least they had each other as they fell into the vast blackness of the ocean below.   

CALANDRA

"Anahalians were not built for this."  Faux muttered, wrapping his arms around himself as the pair made their way through the dark, claustrophobic murky tunnel.

            "I told you, you didn't have to come with me."  Calandra rolled her eyes.  "In fact, I'd have preferred it if you hadn't."

            The mage and Anahalian had left Gem at Kalas Hem, while the two of them got the location of their only hope to find Aza from Shaundee.  Talking to her twice in the same day had Calandra in an even fouler mood.

            "What kind of gentleman would I be to let a lovely lady like yourself descend into such Hell alone?"  Faux replied, leaning in as to whisper into Calandra's ear.

            She stamped on his foot.  "You?  A gentleman?  In what universe exactly, is that delusion a reality?"  The mage shook her head and continued forward, easing herself around a cluster of low-hanging roots.  "Don't even try to make me laugh."

            Faux hopped on one foot for a moment, holding the bruised, muddy appendage.  He gave a little shrug and put it tenderly back down.  "Hey, it's what I do."

            Now the two of them traveled to Bacardi Hole, a dwarf tavern in the northern part of California.  It was underground like all dwarf pubs.  With barely any light, and toxic air, the two made their way through the tunnel until they spotted some lazily floating fairies, hiccupping and giggling stupidly.  It was truly sad when the Day children fell so low that even they ended up drowning their sorrows in such a waste pit.  But, Calandra had to admit, being the angels over love could definitely reduce someone to such a state as these poor creatures.

            The two of them passed the intoxicated women and saw the very well camouflaged tavern buried under roots and vines, making it almost invisible.  One had to be keeping a sharp eye out for the lichen curtain that created the door flap, and the almost incomprehensible light and shadows flickering through nooks and crannies of the hovel.  But there was one thing that not even a blind man could miss, a deaf man, maybe, but just maybe.  Angry shouting, and drunken singing filled the tunnels and had met Calandra's and Faux's ears long before they actually saw the place.  There were growls, and snarls; howls and snorts.  Laughter that sounded flat and sad chorused out to them.

            Faux glanced at Calandra, who had already clenched her fists and flung aside the sorry bit of plant-life used as the door.  She strode into the dark, nauseating pub, standing tall, glaring ahead.  The place had gone quiet to gape at their two new guests, especially at Calandra.  The mage was used to being stared at, but still these disgusting creatures goggling at her like this, made her want to vomit. 

            The pub was rank.  The fumes filled the air, creating clouds of foul smelling smoke.  Demon borns had helped to create cigarettes, but they still had far worse that they still enjoyed using for themselves.  Smoldering, yellow eyes of werewolves, mismatched irises of changelings, silver and red of First, Second and noble vampires, inky black of imps, and blown out pupils of goblins and trolls, all stared hungrily as the stunning figure that made Calandra, who strode through the dwarf tavern, ignoring the stares, while thinking of burning her clothes once she returned home.

            She made it to the center of the room before she found herself surrounded.  Calandra froze, her eyes narrowing as she sized up the three morons that blocked her way.

            A pale teenage boy with curled ram horns and slit eyes, one a normal blue eye, the other a strange orange, marking him as a troublemaking changeling.  A hunched grayish man with tattered black wings said that he was an imp.  And a short green bald creature leered at the mage that was obviously a goblin.  "What's a delicate little flower like you doing here?"  Rasped the hideous gray creature that Calandra knew normally were quite a bit smaller like their opposite, the fairy.  But there were some that had the ability to grow to human size.  His breath stank horrendously as he showed off his revolting set of twisted teeth.

            "Yeah, Lady," the deformed teen smirked.  "Why are you stepping foot down in our dark domain?  Don't you know it's dangerous?"  Ram boy brought his tongue across his rather gross teeth as well.

            The green goblin, ugliest and the most repulsive of them all, laughed, stupidly, a large slop of drool dangling from his chin.

            The changeling took another step toward her and that's when Calandra moved.  In a the blink of an eye, Calandra's arms were perpendicular to her, a knife sliding out from each sleeve of her robe that, before anyone realized, were dripping with blood.  The changeling's ear was sliced and one of his many earrings was now rolling on the floor.  And a nice chunk of the imp's nose was now replaced with a large pool of blood as well.  Both creatures gasped and stumbled back, covering the new injuries.  "I don't have time for you."  She snarled.  "Now, get out of my way, before I really start causing you some damage."

            The ram-horned boy's eyes narrowed, slowly he lowered his hand from the side of his head, and lunged.

            A drunk minor, how pathetic.  Calandra thought as she twirled around and caught the stumbling youth's wrist and twisted his arm behind his back.  He snarled and tried to break free, but there was no chance for the boy, she pulled until she heard the pop.  He screamed, a high girly one.  The mage released him, allowing him to fall to his knees and wail as he held his arm.  "Oh, shut up," Calandra muttered, glaring down at this pitiful creature.  "It's not broken.  I just dislocated it." 

            Suddenly Calandra felt pressure behind her eyes.  She snapped back up, her hand rising, as she hissed her spell, allowing it to burst into its pale green fire.  She pointed directly as the imp, who still held one hand over his nose.  "And you," She snapped.  "Don't even think about trying any of your mind tricks."  The pressure faded and the imp stepped back a few paces.

            Calandra slowly, lowered her hand and slid one of her blades back into her sleeve.  She stepped over the crying changeling only to be met by the stupid goblin.  Not wanting to touch the disgusting thing with her hands, she raised her heeled boot and slammed him in the face, knocking him flat.  He didn't get up.

            No one challenged her again.  There was a silence that still hung in the air, that was broken by Faux, who Calandra had nearly forgotten was there.  The idiot was grinning at the crowd of Night children.  "I'm with her."  He laughed at all their faces as he scurried after the formidable mage.

            The two finally made it to the front counter, where the owner of the joint glared at them as he cleaned a filthy mug with an even filthier rag.  This dwarf was less hairy than most, but he also had those long greasy strands in dreadlocks, which could be hiding some of it.  He squinted up at Calandra, and spoke as the crowd slowly began back into their conversations, still watching their new guest from the corners of their inhuman eyes.

            "Whatcha' tryin' to do 'ere', scarin, away me customers?  I run fine establishmen' ere' and I don' need no troublemakers."  The little hairy man said, speaking from the side of his large mouth.

            Faux leaned forward on the counter, letting loose a cloud of dust, and quickly shoved off again.  He raised his eyebrows.  "Are you sure you're talking about this establishment?"

            The dwarf's eyes narrowed further as he slammed his disgusting glass on the counter and snatched the front of Faux's jacket, tugging him close.  "Whatcha' sayin', Scrawny?  That this ain't the fines' join' ya' ever laid yer eye's on, huh?"

            Calandra rolled her eyes.  "Ignore the idiot, Marv.  Just tell me where he is."

            Marv spat right in Faux's face before letting him go and turning to Calandra again.  "Don't talk ta' me so familiarly, Ensign.  It's Maste' Barke' to you.  And don' jus' expec'—"

            The small man was cut off as Calandra gave a good yank to his ghastly dreadlocks that made up his beard.  "I'll say it again, Marv, tell me where he is."  She said in no more than a whisper, pouring all the venom into the sentence.  It was the only way to deal with people like this.  Being polite and courteous didn't cut it with Night children or any creature that associated with them like the dwarves.

            Marv did his best to stare down the mage, but that was like trying to shatter a boulder with one's pinky, essentially it was just plain painful to watch the idiot stupid enough to even attempt it.  He quickly relented by replying.  "He's in the back.  The second door on the left."  Marv gestured with his hand as Calandra released him, nearly causing him to topple backward.

            The mage turned to go to where Marv had directed, but suddenly a hand slammed on the counter between her and Faux.  Calandra's eyes met flickering yellow ones along with a mane of shaggy hair and clawed fingernails.  However, unlike the rest of the pub's occupants, he paid Calandra no mind.  His attention was fully on the wiry Anahalian accompanying her.  "I thought I could smell a guardian, but I wrote it off as my sniffer acting up."  The ragged man, was rather scrawnyish himself, and his voice was low, and gravelly, going against his smaller physique.  "However, I'm beginning to rethink that."  The man gave Faux another sniff. 

            The Anahalian man had been wearing jacket to cover up his wings just as they did in public, but that didn't make him unsusceptible to beasts with higher senses.  Faux took a step away from the man and ran into a more brawny man than the first, however this one's expression spoke of a far lower IQ.  Muscle man gave Faux a lopsided, half grin, revealing jagged sharp canines.  Two more werewolves stepped up, blocking any escape for the Anahalian.  The first beast stepped forward, chuckling.  "Honestly, did you believe that just because your angel brothers have rejected you, that we would accept one of your kind?"

            The other demon borns in the bar were watching this dispute now, rather intently, some of them also rising from their chairs.  An Anahalian at Bacardi Hole was a rarity.  Their hatred for angels stewed deep.  They dealt with some fallen creatures, such as the few hiccupping fairies no doubt on their way to becoming imps, but an Anahalian was something else entirely.

            "Well," Faux swallowed.  "I wasn't really considering joining, just more of a..." He glanced at Calandra who was now heading to the back, where their confidant was waiting.  "Callie!"  He called out.  The mage gave a grunt as she continued on.  "I mean, Calandra!  Please!"  Faux tried again.

            But Calandra still didn't turn back.  She gave a little smile, hearing him plea like that.  She finally did give a response.  "Why don't you take care of them, while I go and deal with this?  It's probably better that way."

            Faux gasped.  "Calandra!  You can't be serious?!"  Mr. Muscles wrapped his mitts around and Faux's upper arms.  "Just use your fabulous womanly ninja charm on them!  They'll melt like putty!"

            Calandra gave a little scoff as the scrawny leader laughed.  "Now let's see those wings of yours."

            "I'm warning you!"  Faux's voice had risen a few octaves.  "You saw what she can do!  If you hurt me then she'll—" 

            All the werewolves laughed, the first one speaking as always.  "We saw how much she cares for you, buddy."

            Just before Calandra turned down the hallway that lead to the back, she tossed a coin to Marv.  She narrowed her eyes at the dwarf, who actually appeared to be enjoying the show of four against one.  He glanced at Calandra, then at the coin in his hand and back again.  She gave a little jerk of her head to squabble.

            Marv began to sneer and shake his head, but then he caught sight of the tip of the knife that had slid out from the woman's sleeve again.  Finally, the dwarf conceded with an annoyed huff.

            Satisfied, Calandra finally made her way to the door that held the man that could help them find Aza.  Taking a deep breath the mage pushed open the slab of wood that separated them.  A dark room met the mage.  The only light coming from a small, strange window in the corner of the room.  It's pale, eerie glow bounced off a single table with pair of filthy crossed boots.  Since the place was underground, and from the bluish tint of the beam, Calandra assumed that it must come from some vein of moonstone.  She wondered how that would be affecting the wearer of the boots as her eyes travelled up the large burly man.  He had angled his chair, keeping his face out of the direct light, hiding most of his features in shadow along with his mottled hood.  Thick arms were folded across his chest and it was hard to know if he was looking at her since his head was facing down.  However he was the first to speak.

            "This is interesting," He murmured softly, his voice not quite as rough as the gangly pack leader out with Faux, but still plenty low with its own growlish tone.  "The high and mighty Calandra Ensign calling on me." Though there wasn't much light, Calandra did catch the glint of his pearly teeth as his mouth stretched upward.

            "Don't consider yourself so flattered."  Calandra's lips twitched. 

            The man chuckled.  "Oh, but I am, your worship.  To have such a prideful witch as yourself require my services—"

            "Do not call me a witch!"  Calandra cut him off, slamming a hand on the table.  "Don't just group me away with your side."  She snarled. 

            Another laugh left the mysterious man.  "Then you don't group me away with them."  He nodded toward the door, referring to the rest of the tavern's customers.  "I'm not so easily intimidated as those morons."

            Calandra took a deep breath.  This man was dangerous.  What he said was true.  Calandra knew how to strike fear in the hearts of men, it was something she prided herself in, but she was aware that this man was not just any man.  She had never had a direct encounter with the notorious bounty hunter like this.  He was infamous, enough though, for her to know that this wasn't going to be easy.

            "Do tell me, princess."  The man spoke again.  "How did you track me down?  I'm rather curious."

            Calandra cleared her throat and did her best to keep her voice firm and level.  "Normally, Shaundee is disorganized and has no regard for responsibility, she does at least keep a tab on all her guests.  But actually, I admit to being surprised that you would be staying here, even though you are low enough, when I saw the wolf pack out there."

            The shadow man gave a scoff.  "Kenneth and his rag tag team aren't a real pack.  They're a bunch of wannabes.  Besides, they'd be easily taken care of."  He tilted his foot towards the end of the table where a long bow rested, and Calandra was aware that he was one of the only Night children that carried a gun (which was very illegal of course).  "Hmm, and I thought I told that mother of yours to keep off my back, oh well.  Now," The hunter's voice curled around the word, snapping Calandra's attention back onto him.  "For payment."

            The mage clenched her fists.  "I haven't told you the deal."  She snapped.

            "It doesn't matter what the deal is.  I don't discuss anything till the money's on the table."

            "You have to agree to the terms before I show you a cent."

            "Hmm," the cloaked ruffian bowed his head a little more.  "Then we have reached an impasse."

            A harsh silence stilled the room.  Two severely stubborn cold creatures, one standing straight, the other lounged lazily in the shadows, waited for the other to break.  The one that remained casual gave a push.  "It all depends on how desperate you are, Highness.  The fact that you turned to me for help says something.  It boils down to what it is you want me to find.  Is it an enemy?  No, you need to get to this thing fast.  So it's a friend."  Calandra made no reaction, but the cold chill in his voice continued to grow.  She could hear the cruel smile in the words.  "And this friend is in danger.  Are you going to let a few measly coins get in the way of your friend's life?  What do you think is happening to them right now, as we speak?"

            A leather pouch seemed to fly in from nowhere, slamming onto the table, bursting open, and sending mirror like coins everywhere.  "There."  Calandra growled, her eyes blazing.  She hadn't thought terribly much about this man before, but now she knew that she hated him.  He fed on her pain and reveled in her weakness.  He knew he had the upper hand, and he didn't plan on budging.  Being on the lower side, was something Calandra was not used to, and it unnerved her to no end.

            He finally uncrossed his arms, removed his boots from the table, and leaned forward.  One of his large meaty hands scooped up one of the loose coins and he grinned as he tossed it into the air, sending glittery blue light everywhere as the moonstone's glow dazzled off of it's spiraling form.  "Now you're speaking my language."  He swiped his hand through the air, winking out the light.  "How much will this be?"

            Calandra took another deep breath, forcing her form to stop shaking and her voice to remain calm, but still hold an immense amount of malice in it.  "One coin can transform into a fifty in American dollars.  You'd receive twenty pieces for your services.  And you can do your own math for the rest of the world money."

            Spinning the glass-looking coin within his fingers, grinning like the monster that he was, the hunter said, "One thousand dollars, nine-hundred twenty euro, six-hundred eighty pounds, seventeen-thousand two-hundred pesos, one-hundred twenty thousand yen.  That's pretty rough math, but I think I'm in range."  After every each word of currency, the small coin in his hand transformed into each one in turn.  "That's a fair amount of doe, though, Majesty.  I'm intrigued.  What's the job?"

            Calandra tossed the small flower charm to him.  "The girl that normally wears this in her hair has been taken and her trace has been smothered under magic.  We need you to help us find her and get her back, unharmed."

            He brought his hand that caught the flower to his nose and inhaled deeply as though it were real.  "Hmm," he murmured.  

            Calandra tapped her foot.  "Well, can you do it?"

            The hunter took a moment to respond.  "Don't insult me, queenie.  But it ain't going to be easy.  A trace covered by magic is hard to track.  Twenty pieces ain't going to cover it."

            Calandra almost screamed at him.  "You want more?"  She hissed in disbelief.

            He straightened in his seat.  "I'm not talking money.  I'm talking about a place.  You know, I'm a man who doesn't like to stay in any one location too long.  Barcardi is a dump, but I've heard your precious little home is a downright palace.  It's also relatively unoccupied."

            Calandra blinked a few times.  "You want to stay at my sanctuary?"  She asked incredulously.

            "Free of charge."  The man nodded.  "I want the same treatment as the rest of your guests."

            The mage struggled to speak for several moments, trying to process what this would mean.  "How long would you be planning on staying?" 

            "That doesn't matter.  But I do want it known that I ain't getting involved in the Anahalian's war.  That's right I know who you have at that mansion."  He replied to Calandra's twitch of surprise.

            Gritting her teeth and giving a pained grunt, Calandra breathed out her reply.  "You drive a hard bargain, Raoul, but you have a deal."

            The bounty hunter, Raoul leaned forward, his hood sliding back, revealing his grin along with sharp canine teeth.  His face finally caught a fragment of the moonstone's glow, where Calandra could see the dark tanned scarred face framed by a dark bristly beard.  His eyes finally became disturbingly visible as well.  Glowing yellow irises that burned into the mage with a dark intelligence that creatures of his kind should not possess.

            "Glad we could come to an agreement."