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Cassandra's Curse Ch. 01

By: simply_cyn



*Author's Note: This story was co-written with a very close friend of mine. Without his creative mind and knowledge about this particular subject, I wouldn't be able to share it. Thanks Chris!! {muah}

Cassandra, better known as Cass to her friends, kept to herself as much as possible when spending time on her own ... she was much too busy as an editor for a popular women's magazine and the only time she really had to herself was in the evenings. Tonight was no different ... she just wanted to be alone in her uptown warehouse apartment. She had spent an extravagant amount of money turning the abandoned upper floor warehouse into a cozy apartment that reeked of both style and the Old West, something that she was fascinated with even in the middle of New York City. It was her getaway and she needed one desperately.

Taking her latest book written by one of her favorite authors, Nicholas Evans, she glanced down at the cover of her hardback edition of his latest release "The Divide". She moved across the great bearskin rug that adorned the hardwood floors of her open living area, glancing up at the calming "thump thump" of her wooden and metal ceiling fan that circulated the air. Curling up on a worn-out beaten leather chair and ottoman where her bare toes flexed some as her ankles crossed, she settled before the roar of the fire beneath the old log that had been transformed into a mantel and curled up to read. Intent on relaxing this chilly night in the city, she could hear the distant rumble of thunder in the background.

The vampire was alone; as usual. He licked a scratch on the back of his hand almost like a cat and reached up to straighten his hair. He was a mess, actually. He had run across the wrong crowd and they'd managed to beat the crap out of him then left when human police started to show up. Leragie had managed to hide away and sneak out of sight until he made it to the maze of alleyways to be alone. It seemed pretty much normal for him. His own kind didn't like him; he was "soft" and too "gentle" for their tastes and he couldn't be around humans for long. He hadn't fed off a human in ages and he didn't plan to start anytime soon. The thought made him recoil.

His sharp eyes caught the motion of a skittering rat across the dank alleyway and he watched it dart beneath a trash bin. He was hungry... but he was too tired to try and chase something so small. They'd taken a lot out of him and all he'd been doing was keeping to himself. He had pondered leaving this city... but why? He'd only be shunned in other places too. Something was wrong with him; something had been wrong for years and years. He had never been able to figure out quite what. He just couldn't be "evil" like his kind wanted or expected him to be and so, he regularly got the crap beaten out of him when he ran across a gang of them»

Reaching up to wipe blood away from a cut on his lip, he licked it off his hand and further continued to feel over his face. It hurt. He'd been hit several times and he was just a ragged mess. His coat was torn where they'd tried to take it from him and there was a slash across his chest and belly. It hadn't seemed they were intent on killing him, otherwise they would've staked him and been done with it. No ... he was a toy; they were playing with him as they always seemed to. He remembered one saying they should keep him. Raj had managed to get away, even if the fight had been six to one. Granted, he wasn't the strongest thing ever, but he wasn't weak either. Those kinds of odds just weren't fair. 

Looking up at the sky, he heard thunder rumble overhead. Rain ... just what he needed. Raj rolled his eyes and tucked his hands into the pockets of his worn-out trench coat and continued on his walk down the alley.

Cass lost herself in the plot of the book ... what she wouldn't give for a little excitement in her life outside of the mundane everyday activities that kept her somewhat sane. Between the demands of work and the constant ringing of her phone and endless conference calls that went with her job, the only real thing she had lost herself in was the regimen of her work-out at a local gym. She had taken up kick-boxing as a stress reliever and between that and her daily runs, she had managed to keep in excellent shape. 

Closing her book for a moment, the inside cover marking her place, Cass set the book upon the rustic scratched end table next to where she was sitting and fingered the authentic steer-hide lamp shape before rising upwards to toss another birch wood log onto the fire. She was rewarded by the crackling and popping of the wood before drifting over to one of the many high arched windows that looked out onto the street. She had a beautiful view of downtown that seemed like the perfect picture for a postcard but still far enough to feel like she wasn't right in the middle of the busy hub-bub of the city. She could even see her office building looming tall in the distance; one of the larger buildings now that the twin towers were gone but still no where in height the way the towers had been. 

Raj's eyes naturally blinked as he came onto a main street, the fake light streaming over him and his vision adjusted. His home was on the other side of the city. Why he had wandered this far, he had no idea. The street was relatively dark ... quiet. It was a residential area; quite different from the hustle and bustle of the inner city. A light toward the top of one of the buildings caught his eye and he looked upward. Somebody was up late. Glancing at the watch on his left wrist he couldn't help but wonder why he even wore one of those things; perhaps to keep in touch with what little was left of his humanity. Or maybe just to annoy himself to see time go by but not a day passing for him. He probably would never know.

One twenty-seven a.m.; somebody was up definitely up late. He let his mind wander as to why. Maybe they couldn't sleep, or they were up for a midnight snack. Or maybe they had somebody over ... any number of scenarios were created in his mind, each successive one more and more in-depth than the last. He just stood there, flooded in the street light, sort of mesmerized by his own thoughts as he just watched the light in the windows. When a form appeared as a silhouette, all his thoughts came to a halt. Now he knew the answer ... or at least part of it.

As she stood there a moment, Cassandra's gaze shifted until she saw a lone figure standing in the flickering light of the street light. Her eyebrows furrowed momentarily as their gazes locked. There was something about him ... unnerving the way that he just stood there looking up at her but at the same time, it didn't bother her much. She was used to being "gawked" at. That was the best way to describe it. But even in the distance, she could see that he looked pretty rough ... like something had happened but there was an aura surrounding him; something she couldn't quite put her finger on. She felt something within her reach out to him even across the distance before she turned away from the window.

Stepping back towards the fire, she picked up the poker to push at the burning embers and logs that were aflame with bright dancing lights that licked along the dry fuel like a hungered predator along its prey. Leaving the fire to burn and heat the open room, she moved towards the metal staircase that moved up to her bedroom in the open loft. A moon roof was situated above her bed that allowed the night sky to filter in. Shrugging off her jeans and sweater, she pulled on a long fitted spaghetti strap nightgown that clung to her curves and tickled around her muscled calves. Running a brush through her long soft tresses, she considered sleeping in front of the fire on the bearskin rug as the rain started to patter against her moon roof and the windows

Raj's eyes dropped to the pavement when the woman stepped away from the window. He shouldn't be here he kept thinking to himself; especially with so many humans around. He could only imagine what he looked like, even if he was numb to most of the pain. He reached up to wipe blood from his lips again irritatingly and wiped it onto his trench coat. Curse the ability to bleed. It was too ... human. With his head relatively low, he turned to walk down the street toward home where he could just hide and brood awhile. He muttered beneath his breath as the rain started to come down and plop on his head. Glaring up at the sky as if to curse it, he growled when a raindrop caught him square in the eye and he reached up to rub it.

Just then he felt something ... just one. He immediately cursed himself for staying in the open and turned slowly toward the source. Just one; one he knew from long ago. A lone man stood leaning against the inner doorframe of an apartment complex, grinning evilly. "Poor Lerajie ... get caught out in the rain? And my, what happened to you?" He stood up and took a step toward Raj, taking the time to look him up and down slowly, appraising each scrape and cut and tsk'ed softly as if disappointed. "Lerajie, won't you ever learn? Those rats sure can give you hell. What'd he do? Drag you through a grinder?" he hissed in a wicked tease. 

Raj backed away when the other advanced on him, glaring at him intently. The other just grinned almost maniacally and reached out to caress a cut across Raj's brow. Hissing, Raj drew back with a sneer. "Go away Nisus."

Nisus just threw back his head and laughed. It wasn't exactly a laugh; it was more of a cackle that would make most anyone's hairs on the back of their neck rise. "Oh, poor Lerajie ... poor, poor Lerajie. You can't just tell me to go away and I vanish. You should know better than that. Or ... maybe you don't remember ..." He leaned forward again to whisper and Raj drew back as Nisus just grinned, "Fine then; I'll let you alone. I just thought you might want to know I was back in town." Then Nisus stepped back and seemed to become one with the shadows as his essence just simply vanished.

Pulling the soft leather and suede blanket from the end of her bed, Cass moved back down the metal steps from her bedroom loft. Turning off the lights as she moved across the hardwood floors on bared feet, she heard as the rain began to steadily drum against the windows and roof. As the last lamp was distinguished, only the firelight danced in the large room, casting warm shadows against the wall.

Pulling lush pillows from the couch and over-large chair, she piled them up on the bearskin rug in front of the fire and settled down with a soft sigh. She pulled the suede blanket around her slender legs and gazed into the fire, letting the flames' warmth both mesmerize and soothe her. Curled up in front of the fire, Cassandra let the flickering flames of the fire take her away, closing jaded gaze to relax as the sound of the rain intermingled with the crackling of the fire. The last thing that entered her mind was the image of the man that had stood in the lamplight beneath her building's window...

Raj visibly shuddered when Nisus left. That vampire always gave him the creeps. He wasn't overly strong; he was just. ... evil and maniacal. Raj shivered again and pulled his coat closer. This was just another thing that he didn't need tonight; Nisus was back in town - just more mayhem to try to keep under control.

His thoughts wandered back to the woman in the light he had seen. He hadn't seen much detail but he had felt their eyes meet. He didn't know whether it was a comforting or eerie feeling. At least she would wake up in the morning satisfied that another day had gone by in her existence in this world. For him, nothing passed; things just changed. And boy had they changed in the ages he'd been around.

Shifting on the bearskin rug as dreams began to take control of her thoughts, Cass' innermost thoughts began to take form in the comforting blanket of sleep; a life that was different and changed from the hurried existence that she knew now. It wasn't necessarily slower or more rustic as her taste in decor showed but definitely something different. There was that part of her that longed for high adventure instead of the boring mundane life that she lived in the city. The pressures were not ones that she could even really wrap her mind around ... they were more just robotic responses to that which was already programmed in her. What she needed was someone to bring something else into her life. But who? And when?

Even as she slept, the dancing light of the fire shifted over her sleeping form. The suede blanket had been cast off some to reveal a well-toned thigh that was partially exposed as her gown had eased up her flesh as she moved about on the fur of the rug. Her raven hair was like an ebony halo around her head and shoulders as it spread out against the pillows as moist lips stained crimson were slightly parted as her breath slowly eased past. In her dreams she could feel him ... someone, that same dark presence that came to her night after night in her dreams even though in reality, in the bright light of her day, she would hardly give a man a second glance

But in her dreams, she felt his presence even though she had no clue who it was; all she knew is that she felt at peace and her dreams were the only place that she could recall him but never in her waking hours. She couldn't even see his face ... just felt the lingering aftermath of spending a night in his arms, even if it was only in her dreams

It wasn't long after when Raj found himself on the front steps of his house. Yes, it was a house; a rather large house. The humans around the area thought the house to be abandoned and broken down. It was a mansion compared to most of the places around it; it was huge. Many times it had been threatened and contractors would attempt to buy the plot to tear down the house and build something else over the top of it. But always there was something that ... "persuaded" them otherwise.

Raj was soaked to the bone. It was pouring cats and dogs and had been for an hour. The lower streets and gutters were slightly flooded and water was everywhere. He shook his head as he got under the eaves and tried to get the water log out of his system. 

After draining himself off some, Raj pushed open the ancient oak door and stepped inside his rustic home. It was dark and musty; there were thick black curtains over all the windows and cobwebs and dust everywhere. Other than that, it was a pretty nice place. The walls were actually laced with gold in their marble design and large portraits of people decorated the walls. A large, crystal, candelabra hung in the entry hall that seemed more like a large dance hall. It jingled a bit as a gust of air blew in when Raj came inside and a cloud of dust poofed up only to settle again. There was a single trail; one that led from the door, across the main hall and up the left stair case. A matching staircase wound at the right to meet in the middle like a horseshoe, but he never used the right.

He trudged on up the stairs, following the rather beaten path to his bedroom. It was a large suite room that would have been fit to serve a king. He had a large four-poster bed with the same thick black curtains wrapped closely around it. The blankets were black and the sheets were black. This was the only room in the entire house that was clean. He kept it that way because he refused to sleep in filth. A grand wardrobe stood against the wall with a sheet over it and a door was slightly open that led to the rest room that connected to the suite. He never went in there but it was as grand as the room he was in.

There were huge picture windows that lined one whole wall of the entire bedroom. It was actually the front and top of the house. Through those windows lots could be seen but they were covered over with black curtains. Dust sheets lay over everything in the room aside from the bed. There was a desk, a table, several chairs, and a large sofa. A black blanket covered the hearth and heart of an extravagant fireplace that hadn't been used in forever.

Making his way to his bed, he pulled the curtains aside before pulling his jacket off. He was tired and worn. He wanted the night to be done and just to sleep the day away; maybe a few days. He wasn't that hungry yet. Why he had wandered tonight he had no idea. Something had called to him. What, he didn't yet know. He sure hadn't found out. Or maybe he had and hadn't noticed.

He looked down at his torn wife beater shirt and reached to remove it. The cut was already healing even if it did look nasty. After removing his belt, he simply crawled into bed and flopped onto his back to stare at the dull blackness above. He was careful to pull the curtains back into place, tucking the edge around so not a single slice of the beginning morning light could enter. It was finally time for creatures of the night to sleep.

Cassandra started to filter out of her dreams some, wanting to linger and experience what she was feeling but it was fading fast with the approaching light of dawn. She had never been one to be able to sleep once the sun crept up over the horizon. That was the time of day that she was usually out for her morning run so she could enjoy its beauty full on her face.

As she stretched cat like on the rug, slender fingers reached up to rub at her eyes and she shifted, glancing around. It was then that she remembered that she had opted to sleep on the floor in front of the now-dead fire instead of her room. Inhaling deeply, she could see the night sky beginning to lighten and knew it was time to get up. She had a busy day ahead of her.

Cassandra's Curse Ch. 02



It didn't take long for Raj to close his eyes and drift off to "sleep". Most folks, if they looked at him, would think him a corpse laying there; he lay so still and didn't draw a single breath. His heart hadn't beat in hundreds of years. Oh, he could breathe if he forced himself to ... but he hadn't in so long that it hurt to do so. His body didn't need it so he just didn't do it. As the sun rose and the city came alive, the night life crept away and vanished. Raj was simply waiting for it to return where he could prowl the streets again when the sun had disappeared once more.

Moving up to her bedroom, Cassandra quickly shrugged off her nightgown and pulled on her fitted jogging outfit; a plain baby doll t-shirt beneath a zipped jacket, mirror to the jogging pants that hugged each and every curve. Pulling on thick socks and tennis shoes, she glanced over at the television she had flicked on to catch the temperature as she tied the laces of her shoes. Seeing that she didn't need another jacket, she reached for her iPod before heading back downstairs and out the door, fitting the earplugs into place. She slipped the small sliver of music into her pocket before locking up with her key and started down the tree-lined street as the night sky grew even lighter.

Her feet seemed to move in time with the beat of the music blaring into her ears from the iPod Nano. It helped keep her mind on her work out even when her muscles started screaming that she had done enough. She always ran this trail twice ... to Barnes & Noble, then back home then to the store again for a total of fifteen miles and then the walk home to cool off for another five. It helped clear her mind for the day ahead and the rigors of her job. She was already on her second pass back to Barnes & Noble and she was looking forward to her cup of coffee.

She ran beautifully actually ... her motions were graceful as they were in everything she did. And she had speed but to start off with, she just wanted to limber up her muscles and get her breathing down before she pushed her body into a major workout. She ran more towards the city ... she liked to end her run at the local bookstore where she would always browse the new releases and end with a cup of coffee before walking back to her apartment for her cool down and hit the shower before work. Luckily, this Barnes & Noble opened early and gave her license to do just that.

Nijel was in the supernatural and witchcraft section of the store, as usual. He found himself here a lot. He was probably the only person who bought from this section and one of Barnes and Noble's best customer. It was here, the library or any number of other places he could get his hands on information. He was good at what he did. He kept people alive. That was his job; find out all you can to keep your people alive. He thumbed through the titles on the shelf, muttering to himself.

His fingers paused on a cover ... one he hadn't seen before. The title was in Saxon runes and he grabbed it and pulled it from the shelf to look at it, flipping the cover open to look it over. It was a chronology of vampire bloodlines. What the heck was it doing in Barnes and Noble? He flipped back to the front to see if there was any printing information. There was none; no author, no copyright, no publisher. Nijel's brow furrowed. "This is odd," he muttered to himself.

Nijel had several chronologies on hand back in his own personal library. Had he missed this one or was it new? He flipped to the back pages and scanned the ancient writing. No, this one was out of date; he had a newer one. With a sigh of relief he tucked it back onto the shelf and deftly pushed it out of sight. It didn't need to be seen by eyes that didn't know what they were looking at. Again he continued to thumb through the titles until a young woman approached him 

"Nijel! Look!"

The watcher's eyes snapped to his self-proclaimed assistant as she pointed to a picture of some demon or another and he arched a brow at her. 'Whatever is this for?'

She just grinned. "No reason ... I just thought it was cool. Don't you?"

Nijel grunted and rolled his eyes. "You need to learn to stay on task, dear."

The girl seemed to deflate some and closed the book. "Oh, okay Nijel. Sorry."

Nijel sighed and turned to look at the girl. He didn't want to hurt her feelings but she was so ... flighty. "Hope, why don't you go get a coffee and work on that study material?" He dug into his pocket and handed her his wallet.

The girl seemed overjoyed and grinned. "Yes sir! Will do." She grinned as Nigel turned his back and grabbed the pile of books they'd gathered on the table.

Cassandra pulled to a stop at the front of Barnes & Noble, drawing in deep breaths as her hands rested on her hips. Turning her face upwards to the sun rising over the horizon, she drank in the fresh air gratefully before turning her gaze to the now unlocked doors and smiled. Forcing her feet to walk forward again, her breathing tried to regulate as she entered the building. The smell of leather and freshly printed paper mingle with the aromas of Starbuck's coffee as they floated in the air, tickling her senses. She moved towards the escalator and stepped onto it so that it would take her upstairs to the coffee house first ... she needed some caffeine desperately.

Stepping off the escalator, she moved with sure steps on long legs towards the coffee house tucked into the southern corner of the upstairs store. The girl behind the counter noticed her immediately and smiled. "Cass ... good morning. Your usual?" Cassandra smiled and nodded, pulling the earplugs from her iPod out of her ears and tucked them into her jacket pocket along with the thin player.

"Yes ... that would be great Nicki, thanks" and took a moment to draw in a few more deep breaths as she waited for her latte to be done. Glancing around at the sparse shoppers out this early in the morning, she took the outstretched latte from Nicki and paid the girl before moving to take a seat near the window looking out onto the city. Sipping slowly, she took a moment to enjoy her latte before roaming through the aisles of books. She would have taken it with her but the proprietors didn't really want drinks roaming around the books and she couldn't blame them but she would have liked to keep moving. The best thing was to try and make it through her cup quickly so she could peruse the new releases before she had to head back. The sun was coming up quickly now and she had to be heading back soon to prepare for the work day ahead with a sigh. God, she needed a change in life.

A young girl, no more than twenty or so stumbled as she passed by Cass's table. The armful of books she had held in her arms suddenly flopped to the ground. The smaller books skittered and the bigger ones just fell with a big noticeable boom that resounded deafeningly, or seemingly so, through the quiet bookstore. The girl look startled "Oh wow wow wow! Jeez, I'm so sorry miss." She leaned down and started to pick up her mess, gathering the books once more and setting them on a table opposite Cassie's.

Cassandra smiled gently, setting her cup down and bent to retrieve a book that had slid near her foot. Handing it out towards the girl, her jaded eyes sparkled some as she spoke, "No worries ... you didn't do anything to disrupt me. You okay?" she asked, genuine concern etched in her brows as she looked at the girl.

The girl reached and took the book she offered "Thanks, yeah ... I'm fine." She pulled her reading glasses from her face to better see the woman and smiled. As she grasped the book she paused and spoke softly, "Whoa ..." Her eyes widened and she took the book, adding it to her pile.

Cassandra's eyebrows furrowed some as she saw the look on the girl's face, releasing the book to her hand "What?" Her hand involuntarily lifted to her face, wondering if she actually looked bad enough to comment on or if she had something on her face.

The girl just blinked and straightened the books up. She seemed startled and spoke again "Um, wow ... " She grinned and reached for Cass's hand."Hi, I'm Hope. I ... I ... " She blinked again. "Wow!"

Cass blinked, clearly confused as she reached for the girl's hand. She wanted to ask her what it was that had the girl so flustered but instead picked her coffee back up to take a sip. Seeing her still standing there as if she were expecting something, she couldn't resist asking, "Was there something I could do to help you?"

"Uh ... y-yeah ..." the girl trailed off. She'd forgotten about the coffee by then. Nijel's wallet was safe in her pocket as she grabbed the pile of books again and hugged them to her chest. "Yeah ... uhm, there's somebody I need you to meet."

Cass was completely baffled by now. This girl apparently had her confused with someone else. "I'm sorry ... but do I know you?" she asked, her jaded gaze looking the girl over. She was trying to remember if she had run across her before.

"Um yes, I ... I mean, no. I ..." She took a deep breath and tried to settle. "I know this may sound strange. I ... we ... I know you. Please, you need to meet somebody. He's downstairs." She blinked. She knew she must be coming across as some nutcase on crack. But, wow! She never thought she'd meet one; let alone here.

Cass glanced down at her watch. It was time that she started heading back. She was apparently not going to have time to browse the new releases and lifted her cup to drain the last of her coffee before glancing at the girl one last time. "I'm sorry ... I think you have me confused with someone else. I have to head back home to get ready for work ..."

Hope's eyes widened and she stepped in the way of the woman's escape. "No, no ... I can't have you confused. I ... " She glanced around. She couldn't talk here; she already sounded like a crack case. "Please, it'll take only a few minutes. You ... he'll explain."

Cassandra sighed gently, glancing at her watch one last time as she stood and tossed the cup into the trash. "Five minutes ... that's all I can spare but seriously ... I think you have me confused with someone else," she added. This was ridiculous but the girl looked so hopeful and anxious at the same time. They were in the middle of Barnes and Noble. It wasn't like she was following her outside.

Hope grinned from ear to ear and clutched her books like they were all she had in the world. She turned toward the escalator and before stepping onto it she glanced over her shoulder to be sure the woman was following her. When they met the ground floor she took a quick pace to the back corner of the store. It was an area not commonly visited except by a certain sort of person; somebody like Nijel or anyone interested in witchcraft.

Cassandra followed the girl, checking her pocket for her iPod and her apartment key ... something she did habitually after standing up after sitting. She glanced at her watch again as they started down some aisles and then up to see what section they were in. She noticed that this was one part of the store she had never ventured into before. "So who am I meeting?" she inquired curiously.

"You'll see." Hope said and darted into the section. "Um ... Nijel?"

An older man straightened up and looked at the young girl, looking rather irritated. "What now, Hope?"

The girl's eyes widened and she backed away a step or two. "Um ... Nijel, there's somebody ... uhh ... important you need to meet." When Nijel was again looking at the books she cleared her throat to get his attention. "Now, Nijel."

Cassandra stopped just behind the girl ... so Hope was her name. It was a beautiful name for a girl clearly lost when it came to common sense and Cass looked past her to the older gentleman before her. She was trying to figure out if she knew him somehow as well, clearly confused on what either one of them would want with her before glancing at her watch again. Whatever it was, they needed to hurry.

Nijel turned his attention again to Hope and sighed, reaching up to brush his salt and pepper hair back and adjusted his glasses as he eyed the young girl. "Fine. It better be quick." He looked at Cassandra as Hope pointed to her and he reached a hand toward her. "Hi, I'm Nijel. Pardon Hope. She's ..." he faltered off some as he cast her a meaningful glance. "She's a bit ...flaky."

Cass flashed him a brilliant smile, one of those that showed that not only was she smart but she knew how to use her charms. Shaking his hand gently, she distracted her hand from his and glanced to the girl Hope. "She's fine but I think she has me confused with someone else." Glancing at her watch again, she added with a soft sigh, "It was nice to meet you, really, but my time is short."

Nijel tensed when their hands touched but he let her go easily enough, only to meet her eyes evenly. He spoke to himself, but it was aloud. "It ... it can't be." He glanced at Hope and the girl nodded before he turned his attention back to Cassandra. "Wait, you can't leave yet."

Cassie's eyebrows furrowed some as she shifted her gaze from the man to the girl, catching the glance between them and wondered what in the hell was going on. "I'm sorry but what exactly is it that you wanted with me? I feel like I'm supposed to know something and honestly, I'm clueless. Do I know you? Hope mentioned that she knew me ..." 

Nijel just grinned and reached for her hand again to guide her to a chair and spoke in very hushed tones only for her to hear. "I can't say much here and I know we must seem like a couple of insane cases belonging in an asylum. I know; but you have to trust me and not be afraid. We ... " He glanced at Hope then back to Cassandra. "I do know you. You're the one I've been waiting for."

Cassandra felt herself being led to a chair and even as that rational part of her screamed that it was time to go, that she was going to be late, that other part of her was curious about these two and what they had to do with her. "Waiting for? What do you mean? I really don't think I know either one of you at all ..." she trailed off.

He glanced at Hope again and she just nodded as he continued quietly, "That's because you don't, but ... you will; and you do now. You're ... " he paused. It would come off rude, but he said it anyway. "You're older than I expected but that's fine. I can work with it."

Cassie blinked some, hearing his words. "Older than you ... what?" She felt her feathers being ruffled, so to say. She was far from old. She was only twenty-five years old and had made quite the name for herself in that short of time. Pulling her hand from his, she stopped following him only to say in a soft hushed tone, "I really think it's time for me to go."

Nijel sighed and rubbed his temple. It seemed a nervous habit and he shook his head. "Wait, please. Let me speak. Sit a moment. I'll give you a ride to wherever you need to go."

Cassie sighed a moment and sank down into one of the plush chairs that littered Barnes and Noble, glancing upwards at the man. "Okay ... speak because I'm completely lost here."

"Yes, I know you are. Probably a bit scared too, no?" He grinned good-naturedly as he looked at her and he bent forward to speak to her alone, his tone hardly above a whisper. "Have you ever found yourself profoundly agile in physical activity such as any kind of martial arts or fighting sport? Or have you ever had the feeling like you could read a person's personality or soul? Like an aura?"

She tilted her head a bit, looking at the man strangely for a moment. Cassie had stopped thinking about her natural ability to excel in sports, especially kick-boxing a long time ago. Her brows furrowed as she gazed at him, feeling very much scared as he had mentioned. "Who are you really?" she whispered almost harshly. "Have you been following me?"

Nijel blinked and shook his head "No ... no. I haven't seen you until today. You can rest assured I haven't followed you nor have I hired anybody. As I said earlier, I'm Nijel. Nijel Harris ... professor and ... " His tone hushed again. "Master of Knowledge of the supernatural."

That last comment confirmed her suspicions ... he was crazy. They both were. She blinked some though as if she couldn't quite believe what he had just said. "Excuse me?"

He sighed. She thought he was crazy; of course. The slayer had NO idea who she was. She hadn't awakened yet. Thank God he had Hope around. He watched Cass closely and spoke softly in attempt not to scare her. "I'm a Watcher, Cassandra ... does that mean anything to you?"»

Her eyebrows furrowed even more. How did he know her name? "No ... no, of course not. Why would it?" She didn't like feeling like she was in the dark. She had always been in control and on top of things and now she just felt ... confused.

He took a deep breath and tried to soothe the situation some. "I'm a Watcher. I was sent here to seek out a girl ... a Slayer. I was told she most likely wouldn't have a clue who she was and it was my job to teach her. I ... that girl is you. You're Cassandra Blackthorne, yes?"

"How ... how did you know my name?" she breathed, his words lost on what he was saying. "A Watcher ... a Slayer ... what does that mean? Teach me what?" She had so many questions and suddenly she had forgotten about having to get home and get to work.

Nijel looked around the place; it was relatively uninhabited. He would've preferred not to talk in a place where unseen ears could be listening but it seemed it was a now or never situation. "A Watcher is assigned to his or her Slayer. It's our job to retain information to tell our Slayers what they're up against. It's our job to keep our Slayers alive by giving them the information they need to stay alive."

Cass tried to wrap her mind around what he was saying. "Keep them alive? What do you mean?" She could feel her jaded eyes widening some as she listened to him. This was ridiculous. What in the heck was she supposed to be slaying?

"I mean to keep them alive; meaning not letting them die by some stupid mistake due to ignorance."

She leaned down, resting her elbows on her knees as her hands came up to run over her dark hair pulled back in a long ponytail. This didn't make any sense. What the hell was he talking about? Glancing up at him she asked, "I don't understand ... you're calling me a Slayer. What exactly is a Slayer?"

He smiled and sat back some. "I was waiting for that question. A Slayer is exactly that; she slays things ... things of the supernatural." Again he hushed his tone, speaking just to her. "A slayer is mortal but ... she is supernatural in herself."

She just kind of looked at him, unable to really understand what he was saying, her features showing her confusion and disbelief. "So you are saying that you want me to be a killer of supernatural things? That's got to be the most ridiculous thing that I have ever heard of" and then as she realized how harsh that must sound, added "No offense."

Nijel DID flinch a bit at her accusatory tone but he took it all in and smiled again. "I know. You're probably thinking I'm some crack case old fool. You have to take it on faith and trust me, Cassandra. You must."

Cassandra sighed gently as she gazed at him. It was apparent that he was serious but it didn't make any sense ... none of it. She didn't know what to do or what to say to him. "I ... I don't know what to say," she answered honestly. She needed time to think ... it was all happening so fast. This isn't what she expected today of all things.

He sighed and rubbed his temples again. "I know. Of course you wouldn't. It's alright. But please, just trust me; let me teach you." Glancing around he added, "I rally can't talk here."

Cass watched him for a long moment, a part of her wanting ... no needing to reach out and take hold of this and see where it went. Her dreams ... her unspoken desires ... it all seemed to be becoming more clear as if those things that only came to her in the night were suddenly starting to nibble on her consciousness and she didn't know how to explain it. Even as the words came out of her mouth, she was surprised to hear them. "Okay ... I'll give it a chance," she said on a bare whisper even as she stood up. She was late and she was confused but at the same time, she was unexplainably thrilled.




Cassandra's Curse Ch. 02



Nigel stood and placed a piece of paper into her palm. "There are no chances, Cassandra. It's yes or no. Once you make the choice there's no going back." He glanced at the piece of paper he left in her palm. "That's my phone number and address. I'll pay for a cab for you." Then he saw the emotion on her face and added, "Or you can just come with me."

Closing her fingers around the paper in her hand, she glanced down at it and then at him. She had responsibilities ... a job to do ... people that depended on her but the longer she stood here with Nigel, the stronger she could feel her dreams coming. She realized that for the first time in her life, she had to take a chance. She had to. Nodding, she bit down on her lower lip. "What do I have to do?" she asked, feeling clarity in her words as she glanced to the girl Hope that watched them both closely and hopefully

Hope just smiled like a kid in a candy shop and Nijel smiled too, reaching for Cassandra's hand to hold it a moment. "First, you have to trust me. Second, we need to get to a more private place."

She couldn't help but smile some, seeing both their faces and then nodded. Her fingers tightened on Nigel's some as she admitted with a soft chuckle, "Okay ... but I still think this is crazy."

Nijel just grinned and squeezed her hand gently. "Yes, I'm sure you do. Let me get you to the library. You won't find it crazy much longer." He let her go and moved through the main of the store to go call a cab, leaving her alone with the girl Hope.

"The library?" Cassandra managed to ask with furrowed brows and glanced to Hope as Nigel walked away. "So what exactly is it that you do? Are you a Slayer too?"

Hope's eyes widened and she giggled, clutching a few books to her chest. "Meee? No! Oh no, no." She couldn't help but laugh some. "No, I'm just ... an assistant to Nijel. The library is his library ... wonderful place."

Cassie nodded some, a smile flirting on her lips to hear the girl giggle and then glanced at her watch again with a sigh. "I need to call the magazine ... I'm going to be so behind, it's not even funny." But then again, she had no clue what to say to them about why she wouldn't be there.

Hope fumbled in her jacket pocket and started to hand her Nijel's wallet. "Oh yeah! I need to give this back to Nijel." Then she found her cell phone and offered it. "Here, call in sick."

Reaching out tentatively to take the phone from the girl, Cassie offered her a smile before moving up the aisle some to make a call to the office. Speaking to her assistant briefly, she made her excuses and then moved back up the aisle to give the phone back to the girl Hope. "Thank you," she said, glancing around to see if she could see if Nigel was coming back yet, still trying to figure out what all was happening. "So Hope ... what is it I am exactly supposed to be ... slaying?"

Hope's eyes widened again. It was a very dramatic facial expression on her face even if she didn't intend it to be. "Shhhh, keep it down." She glanced around. "The mortal world is blind to it all. You have been and will be until Nijel teaches you. But I guess I can tell you. Vampires are your main target as well as other demons that may come around."

Cassie blinked, her face registering shock before she suddenly erupted into uncontrollable soft laughter that hinged on giggles. She hadn't giggled in years! "Vampires! You've got to be kidding!" her voice suddenly getting softer as she glanced around, trying not to laugh. "Hope, that's nonsense!"

Hope looked horrified. "SHHH!!" and she reached to cover Cass's mouth. Nijel was coming back; she'd said too much. Nijel would flay her alive and enjoy hearing her scream. As Nijel approached them to tell them he had a cab, Hope just slunk back some and lowered her head. 

Hearing the outburst from Cass was enough and he glared at Hope, making her flinch. "We have a cab; let's go. Hope ... just hush."

Cassie glanced at Hope apologetically even though this whole thing was ridiculous. But she found herself following Nigel and the hushed Hope out of Barnes & Noble quietly and honestly, somewhat curious about this whole ordeal.

Nijel helped Cass out of the cab when they reached his house in the suburbs of New York. He reached with his other hand to help Hope and guided both ladies to the sidewalk before taking his wallet from Hope and used some of the money to pay the cabbie. He hadn't said a word the entire trip and he looked rather worried. It was obvious that he was still angry at Hope.

Cassandra could feel the tension in the air between Nigel and Hope and realized that it was her fault and as her hand slipped into Nigel's as he helped her from the cab, she tried to smooth things over. "Please don't be mad at Hope ... I was the one that pushed for answers."

Nijel stiffened and eyed Cassandra. Then he sighed and relaxed a bit, seeming a bit deflated. He glanced at Hope and just nodded and Hope smiled some. "C'mon, let's get you to the library. It's not all as much nonsense as you think it is."

Her eyebrows furrowed some at his words as she followed him into the house and to the library, glancing to Hope with a soft smile in hopes that she wasn't upset at her for getting her in trouble.

Nijel's house wasn't really any normal house. Well, it was ... until you got near the library. Pictures of the supernatural were everywhere on the walls. There was a crucifix on the door and several along the hallway. On the front door there had been a crucifix above the door frame. Everything else seemed normal.

Cassie's eyes raked along the walls, taking in everything with a sense of awe, even foreboding. What had she gotten herself into? Glancing from the pictures to the crucifixes to Hope and then Nigel, she managed to finally put voice to what had been nagging her since the book store. "Vampires? Nigel, you can't be serious ..."

Nijel turned toward her and just smiled. "But I am, dear. Remember my question about you ever finding the ability to read people before you get near them? Have you ever run across anyone that there was nothing?"

Her eyebrows furrowed some, thinking back as her footfalls stilled now that they were in the middle of the library. "I ... I guess. I hadn't really thought about it before," she said, looking at him for a long moment.

"You guess? Think a moment on it, Cassandra; think hard. There must be a moment you may have felt something ... odd about someone."

"Well yeah ... but doesn't everyone feel that way about people?"

Shaking his head, he replied, "That's not what I mean. I mean something ... different. Like they're missing something or they're cold."

She sank down on a plush couch as she looked up at him, listening. She tried to think back. There had been so many things before that she had just pushed out of her head ... things that had seemed so strange when she was younger but she had grown accustomed to them after a while. "Yes ... I supposed so but it's been so long ..." she trailed off.

He turned and reached for a book and pulled it off the shelf to hand it to her. The cover was leather, embossed in runes with English written beneath it to translate. "Vampyres" is all it said. At the beginning it explained what they were and walked through how their race worked.

She took the book curiously and then glanced down at it as her fingers caressed over the leather bound cover and then opened it up to flip through the first few pages. "I take it I need to read this ..." she replied quietly.

"Yes; that's one volume you need to read. But first, you need to know what you are."

Closing the book, Cass glanced up at him as she set the book in her lap, listening to him intently as this is the part that she really wanted to understand. "Yes, that part would be nice ..."

Hope sat beside Nijel as he sat forward to speak to Cassandra. "You are a Slayer. The term Slayer incorporates a lot of things. Slayer means exactly what it says; Slayers kill things. Rather, Slayers send the supernatural back to their ether world. Vampires are very numerous in these parts; there hasn't been a Slayer here in ages."

She listened to him intently, her brows furrowed as she tried to understand what it was that he was telling her. "And what makes you think that I am a Slayer ... that I'm the one that can do these kinds of things?"

"Many things. Your aura pulses with strength and power. You're strong and you're fast. Your reflexes are faster than most any other mortal. You're probably very adept in fighting arts ... it was probably a fascination when you were younger. You probably are very fascinated by the supernatural ... demons and devils and vampires and such."

"Well I admit I was fascinated with that all through school and read as much as I could but I never believed that they were real ..." she said, glancing down at the book in her lap again and then back to Nigel. "So you're telling me that Hope could sense those things about me in the bookstore?"

Nigel nodded and sat back some. She was catching on; quick learner. Stubborn, but quick. Good. He wouldn't have to worry about her not catching on to things. "I could as well though my sensitivity isn't near as strong as the young witch's. I'm simply a Watcher. I have no power, to speak of; just smarts."

Cassandra glanced to Hope with furrowed eyebrows. "A witch?"

Hope blushed furiously and seemed to try to hide herself. Nijel just grinned and nodded. "Yes, she's very young in her arts but she's maturing as she studies."

Cassie smiled gently at Hope and then glanced back to Nigel, her demeanor turning serious again "I'm not sure I can ... kill ... I mean, I just can't imagine killing anyone, even if they are a ... a vampire."

Sighing, Nigel rubbed his forehead. Why hadn't the order sent him a younger Slayer? He'd been here for five years searching for her. He'd been told he'd know her name when he met her and ... he did. He'd finally found her ... or rather Hope had found her. This would be a lot tougher than it looked. "Vampires aren't exactly killed in the literal sense of the word. They ... vanish; become dust. They have no soul; their bodies are only the core of the human they were before they were changed."

She could tell that she was irritating him and she hated doing it but she couldn't just believe blindly. She had outgrown that years ago ... but she was trying to trust what he said and put behind her every thing that she had learned and heard about vampires. Now she was suddenly faced with the fact that they were real ... "It's just hard to believe, Nigel."

"No, no dear. I'm not irritated with you." He grinned good-naturedly, seeing her surprise that he could read her so well already. "I understand your skepticism, I do; honest. It's just hard for me to convey the message to one so ... closed."

She stiffened some. Closed. A lot of people said that about her ... that she was so practical and no-nonsense but that made her a wonderful business woman. She supposed it made it hard for his job in trying to make her believe in the supernatural. "I'm sorry," she said.

"No ... don't be." He grinned again and patted her knee gently. At least she didn't think he was an absolute nut case anymore.

Cassandra sighed gently as she looked at him and then smiled a bit. "It's not anything new," she said with a half chuckle. "I'm trying to believe what you are saying it's just ... different."

"You can find most anything in here to answer you questions," he said, nodding towards the book. "I know it's different." He patted her knee again and added, "I look forward to working with you, Slayer."

She smiled gently, nodding at his words as she glanced down at the book in her lap again and then back up to him. "Me too but please ... don't call me Slayer. Cass or Cassie will do," she added with a chuckle.

Nigel grinned and moved to sit beside her but not too close. He was a gentleman and allowed her her space. "Very well then Cassie. Read awhile ... we will begin training soon to see how far you are along and how much I need to teach you."

Nodding in understanding, Cassandra sat back into the depth of the couch some as she opened the book again, flipping through the pages slowly as she started to read. Her brows furrowed some in interest as her natural ability to obtain information quickly took over. Maybe this was the answer she had been searching for. It was hard to know but she had a feeling that she would know soon enough. 



Cassandra's Curse Ch. 03



Raj was out and about again, finding solace in his alone time. The graveyard he prowled was eerie and quiet. There was even a little night mist wafting over the green close-cut grass. This place crawled with creatures of the dark when the moon came out. It always had. There was rumor that there was a Slayer around. One who went out looking for trouble to squander it and get rid of it. Raj hadn't met up with her yet and he rather hoped not to.

In the distance he heard a woman's scream and looked up rather casually until he saw the silhouette of Nisus in the direction of the scream. What could he be up to? Raj proceeded silently toward the scene to see what was up. He hadn't been noticed yet, which was a surprise. Nisus normally had a small army with him. What was he doing alone? Or was he alone? Raj's senses stood on edge and he looked around cautiously. As he drew nearer to the scene he heard the whimpering of a horrified girl that Nisus was clearly tormenting. She was bound to a headstone and gagged. Nisus was toying with her sadistically

Cassandra moved silently through the darkened streets of this rougher part of the city. She had completed the first part of her training and had begun her duty of ridding the mortal world of the deadly darkness that seemed to infest this city. Strange ... she had never really figured there were really this many evil creatures lurking about New York but she supposed it fit. True, she was a bit of a badass, living on the edge as she went out nightly to find trouble purposefully. Nigel worried that she was biting off more than she could chew so early on but she had proved that she could handle it. Her instincts were right on and her reflexes quick. She was in the best shape of her life and was eager to prove herself in this new life. Of course, she wasn't without fear ... she hadn't gone completely insane.

Yet.

Raj crouched behind a larger headstone and watched the scene a moment, letting himself probe the area around to see who was around. He couldn't feel anything ... just Niusus as he danced around the terrified prey maniacally, teasing and poking at her with a stick to make her squirm. Raj could smell her fear as it seemed to permeate the air around him along with her sweat and trickling blood from cuts across her arms and chest. She was more than terrified. Nisus had been at it awhile ... sick bastard. Raj snorted softly and drew back again, watching the scene, waiting.

Cassie stilled as she approached the graveyard. She could feel it ... that sixth sense that she had been working on perfecting. Something evil was about and she had that feeling that it was in the process of no good. She urged her feet into a brisker walk, determined not to run headlong unprepared into trouble and her training taking over as she slipped undetected into the cemetery.

Following her senses, she came across the scene unfolding in front of her and with a catlike grace, was suddenly sitting on an opposite headstone with her legs crossed, one shapely one swinging back and forth as she took in the vampire and his obvious prey . It was clear that he hadn't done too much damage yet. "I swear," she began in a soft lilting voice, "Do you people ever pick on someone your own size?" she asked, tilting her head a bit to look at the vampire as he suddenly swung around to face her.

Nisus hissed as he turned to face the Slayer and he just grinned as he took her in. Raj drew deeper into the shadows, taking the chance of Nisus's distraction to get closer to the girl. He was going to set her free even if it did look like he was moving in for Nisus's kill. Nisus had yet to bother to sense him. Didn't the evil ones ever use common sense? Vampires were as bad as wolves ... fighting one another off each other's booty and territory.

Nisus's attention was on the Slayer and he licked his lips "So.... we finally meet, Slayer. I heard you were in town." he looked her over again. "Rather old for this work, aren't you?"

Cass rolled her eyes as she heard yet again a favorite pun of those she had already faced even as her slender fingers tapped impatiently on top of the headstone where she was perched. "You know what they say," she couldn't help but tease as jaded gaze met his with a flicker of amusement. "The older the violin, the sweeter the music," and kicking off the headstone was suddenly standing with her feet planted firmly shoulder width apart, her hands on her hips as raven hair flowed down her back in an inviting caress. There was that part of her that liked toying with them. She had come to appreciate her beauty ... it seemed to temporarily throw her prey off balance. "Been looking forward to this, huh?"

Nisus stood still, just watching her as she attempted to throw him off guard or intimidate him and he just grinned, his black eyes gleaming with the maniacal madness that seemed to seep in his mind, contrasting violently with his pale flesh and white hair. Yes, it was white ... he kept it that way, held back in a tight braid. It was his mark, the mark every one of his kind knew him by. Nisus had killed more of his own kind than most any other vampire and he had killed many more slayers than the next one down the line.

"You have no idea who you're dealing with, my dear." His voice was silken and sweet, laced with a well-coated Russian accent. It was a voice that drew many prey to him with very little effort. Captivate them and draw them into the web ... it was always his trick. Then, he played if he wasn't very hungry ... played until they were nearly dead then sucked them dry.

Meanwhile Raj was still amazed at the whole fact that Nisus was oblivious to his presence or ... maybe Nisus knew and chose not to act. He couldn't be sure. Then, his foot came down on a dry branch that hadn't been picked up yet and it snapped with a loud crack almost as if to break the tension in the air. Nisus jumped to the side and hissed, glaring at Raj with fury and hatred.

Cassandra took the sudden opportunity presented to her to launch herself at the vampire with an ease of skill that had amazed her Watcher, her long use of the martial arts even more focused as her foot made contact with the unsuspecting vamp's stomach, sending him hurling across space at an accelerated speed until his flight was halted by the sudden appearance of a large statue and Cassandra's gaze quickly shifted to the other disturbance, a frown marring her features to see yet another vampire as he made his way towards the helpless girl bound at the headstone.

Nisus let out of growl as he connected with the statue and landed deftly on his feet when he came down, glaring at the Slayer. He glanced at Raj and just smirked at him "Have fun with the Slayer, old friend." and with that he turned and vanished into the shadows.

Raj froze and glanced at the Slayer. Wonderful; the coward had turned tail and run ... as usual. He could only imagine what it looked like in the Slayer's eyes as to what he intended to do ... even if what he really intended to do was the exact opposite.

Cassandra cursed as she caught the movement of the one vampire disappearing and then focused her energies once more on this second one as she took a defensive stance, emerald gaze glimmering with the job at hand as she addressed him. "I swear, how many of you does it take to attack a defenseless girl?" she sneered, her hatred glowing brightly in the flush in her cheeks and the snarl of her moist lips.

"I...." Raj glanced at the girl, then to the Slayer and shook his head. There was no point in trying to explain to the Slayer. He'd had experience in that and had failed miserably before ... it was no use at all. So instead of wasting his energies talking he took a defensive stance and prepared to fight, scanning her body for where she kept her weapons and stakes.

Cass saw him take his stance, his eyes sweeping over her form and she knew he was trying to figure out where she kept her weapons. She bounced some on her toes, her energy level beginning to top out as her training and instincts began to take over but as she started at him, she felt it ... something was different ... something was wrong.

Nigel had asked her when they first met if she had ever sensed when someone was just empty and that is how she read all of the demonic beings that she had sent back to hell in a cloud of dust but this one ... there was something different and just before her swinging leg made contact with his side, she hesitated. Something was off and she couldn't put her finger on it.

He took advantage of the slayer's hesitation and grabbed her ankle and twisted violently to topple her to the ground and advance on her to wrestle her down. He hadn't so much as blinked. It was all in a flash and he was atop her. He knew better than to up and run. She'd only tail him and kill him from behind. Unless he could miraculously out run her, she wouldn't rest.

Cassandra cried out in rage that she had been caught in her hesitation, quickly maneuvering to roll with the forward motion of his body as he managed to get atop her and twisted so that she was suddenly straddling his hips. Balling her hands into fists hand over hand, she slammed them down into his chest and then twisted her right elbow to catch him in the chin with a stunning blow. "You FUCK!" she howled in rage as one leg bent to place her boot near his side as her fingers plunged into it to retrieve one of her stakes hidden therein.

He grunted as he was suddenly thrown to his back and his head whipped aside when she hit him. Finally he managed to catch her hand just as she raised a stake and stopped her in a firm, powerful grasp. He wrenched her arm aside to pull her off balance and used her momentum to roll her over and pin her, grabbing her other hand above her head. His face had contorted grotesquely. He no longer looked the human man he had just a few short moments ago. Vicious fangs flashed as they seemed to simply sprout from the pre-existing k-9's.

Cassie grunted and then scowled as she felt him stop the downward motion of her hand holding the stake and then cried out in rage as she found herself on her back again. The elongating of his fangs took her by surprise for a moment ... it never failed. She just couldn't get used to that!

Her hips bucked up and a long flexible leg suddenly hit him in the back of the head and then wrapped around his neck to savagely pull him down to his back as she rolled forward and to her side, springing to her feet as she adjusted the stake in her hand.

He growled savagely as he was kicked and shoved aside and grunted as he hit the ground yet again. He tried to get his hands beneath him but toppled onto his back beneath her again. He swung with his foot at her ankles to knock her down again and pushed up from the ground to stand. "Would you stop to breathe a minute?!"

She saw the sweep of his leg and jumped high to clear them and slowly began to circle him as she tried to read what the hell was so different about him. Her raven hair was beginning to cling to the back of her neck from her exertion and her cheeks were flushed a soft rosy blush as her jaded gaze raked over him. "And give you a chance to regain your breath?" she hissed. "Never!" and with that she launched her attack again, moving quickly towards him and almost past to slam her elbow back towards his face, attempting to catch him off-guard before swinging around with the stake, hoping to slam it into the other side of his neck with the fluid movement.

He ducked to the side to avoid her attack and spun aside with her movement, his right hand sweeping out to catch her wrist to stop her and he met her eyes for a brief moment. "I have no breath, Slayer ... let's talk a minute." He saw her other hand move and watched it, coiling again, prepared to stop her.

Cassandra's eyebrows furrowed some. She didn't understand this at all ... and she kept getting the feeling that there was something different about this deity. As the swing of her free hand connected with the side of his neck in a hard karate chop, she quickly spun out of his grasp, adjusting the stake in her hand again as she put some distance between them. "What in the world would we have to talk about?" she managed to ask, drawing in a deep breath while she could, long strands of raven teasing over her flushed face. She blew at them to try to get it out of her face as she regarded him.

He grunted and let her go naturally at the hit and stumbled aside, reaching up to rub his neck. Finally; she had stopped long enough to give him a bit of space. He didn't want to fight her ... he had no desire whatsoever. Like any smart vampire he'd take the second he could to run away or outsmart her; fighting a Slayer was just suicide.

He watched her closely and spoke, his voice deep and rustic. It was an old English dialect accent ... sounding almost Roman but not quite. He regarded her warily as he spoke, "I'm not who you think I am." He knew it must've sounded rather dumb to the slayer considering he wore the mask of a vampire and had the fangs. "It's not really what it looks like."

Cass couldn't help it; the laugh erupted from her naturally. This was ridiculous and she suddenly felt transferred back in time when she had first begun her training beneath Nigel as a Slayer. She didn't believe in vampires even though she had been fascinated in them but she had learned to disregard her romantic version of what the undead was for the reality of what they truly were ... cold-blooded murderers that had no reason, no morals, no regrets.

And now ... now here was one claiming not to be what she thought! "You've got to be fucking kidding me," she said, mostly to herself as she regarded the vampire, her grasp on the stake never loosening but her wary regard never faltering.

He blinked. The shock registered even if he did expect the laughter and he rubbed the back of his neck. "No ... I'm not. Do you honestly think I would be talking to you if I wanted to kill you? I haven't killed in ages."

Cassie straightened her stance some, her fingers still tightly clutched around the stake as she shifted her gaze to the girl still bound at the headstone. She had lost a lot of blood and needed to be attended to. Stabbing the stake at the air towards the vampire, she hissed, "Back off then and let me get this girl some help" With that, she moved towards the girl, never taking her eyes off the vampire even as she approached the near lifeless body of the girl.

Raj flinched a bit as he saw the point of the stake flash toward him and he instinctively ducked aside as if she had thrown it at him, not willing to take a chance. When he found that she hadn't, he paused. Was she serious or was it a trick? Seeing her approach the girl he nodded and stepped back, giving the Slayer her space.

So ... here was the legendary Slayer whose reputation had spread like wildfire through the city amongst all the undead. Her name had been contorted from mouth to mouth, but here she was all the same. He could see why many were afraid of her; she meant business and had a no nonsense way about her. He admired that about her. Here was the One he'd been waiting for.

Cassandra saw him step back and even as she wondered about him, she was more concerned at the moment about the girl. No telling where that other prick had run off to or when he would be back with a pack of friends that were more interested in a feeding frenzy than common sense. Keeping one eye on the vampire that had given her room to work, she lifted her booted heel to the headstone, shoving the stake back into the high leather and pulled out a dagger which she promptly used to cut through the girl's bindings, holding her close as the girl began to sob, clinging to her. "Just hold on, I'll get you some help," she said quietly.

Raj's features had begun to return to normal, back to the ruggedly handsome man he was. He felt his heart ache for the girl in the Slayer's arms; she was horrified and would probably need a lot of therapy and care. Nisus wasn't any kind of nice creature to deal with; he was sadistic and cruel. He liked to toy and kill slowly ... like he enjoyed the scent of fear on a human. At least when Raj had been a Hunter he killed quickly but that had been ages ago.

He actually didn't remember the last time he'd killed. He did ... but it was buried somewhere. He watched as the Slayer worked, giving her room. He didn't offer to help as he didn't know how she'd take it exactly, even if he was honest at the idea.

Looping the girl's arm around her shoulder, Cassandra glanced at the vampire once more as she started to help the girl move away from the headstone and towards a large oak tree, trying to block out the girl's sobs as her concentration returned to her surroundings. She hated when other humans were involved ... it just interfered with her concentration and having this other vampire or whatever the hell he was near was not helping at all. She was still on high alert ... expecting him to attack while she was tending to the girl and she helped ease the girl down to the ground to lean against the tree as she pulled her small flip phone out of her other boot and speed dialed Nigel's number, her gaze never leaving the vampire.

Raj let his left shoulder come to rest on a nearby headstone and stuffed his hands into his pockets. He seemed normal enough now, even if he was dressed all in black. His hair was dark and long enough to be pulled back into a ponytail at the back of his head. He seemed a man from a storybook. He sensed the Slayer's stiffness and wariness of him. It wasn't fear ... it was more of a protective motherly sense about her; she was out to save the world. It was her job. He spoke gently as she raised the phone to her ear, "Would you like me to leave?"

Cass just looked at him a moment as the phone rang and then when she heard Nigel's voice, she simply stated, "I've got a girl here ... she needs attention quickly ... Old City Cemetery" and then flipped down the phone and shoved it back into her boot as she glanced at the girl a moment. "Help's on the way," she assured her a moment before she straightened back up and turned her attention to the vampire even though she kept her senses wary for any others coming up when she least expected it. "What's your story?" she finally asked, curious about what it was she sensed in him.

"My story? It's too long to start." Raj stood up straight and shrugged his shoulders back to shed his trench coat. His attention was on the girl against the tree. She was freezing and trembling with the cold and terror. He tossed the jacket to the Slayer and nodded toward the girl, "Cover her up ... she's freezing. I'll just terrify her."

Her hand shot out reflexively, catching the jacket and searching it, she finally stooped some to cover the girl, running a hand over her head momentarily as if to soothe her and then turned her attention back to the vampire. "I don't get you" she said suddenly, her brows furrowing some as she looked at him and then looked around. "Who was the other one ... he called you an old friend" she asked in an accusing tone as jaded eyes narrowed on him once more.

Raj grimaced a bit at the term and tone she used and he reached up to rub the back of his neck again, shaking his head. "That was Nisus. I'm more like an old enemy, actually ... long story between us. We ... don't get along very well. I'm Larajie but friends call me Raj."

Cassandra couldn't help but regard him warily as she straightened back up and then glanced over his shoulder to see headlights pull up into the cemetery and fall upon them, taking a deep breath as she saw Nigel suddenly step out of the car, his stance wary. She could see it from the distance. He had never seen her standing with a vampire and not fighting it and she wasn't sure she could explain why the vampire wasn't dead but she  stooped down, helping the girl to her feet as he approached. "Nigel, thank god ... I was starting to wonder if you forgot how to get here."




Cassandra's Curse Ch. 03



Raj winced as the light bathed him and his eyes burned a moment. He met the Watcher's gaze a moment. The older man was clearly perplexed but he took the girl all the same and glanced to his Slayer questioningly. "Who's he?" Raj just half grinned and waved a bit as he stepped aside to let them be.

Cassandra helped Nigel usher the girl to the car as she looked at her Watcher with a soft sigh. "I was hoping you would tell me ... he says his name is Larajie, or Raj for short." Glancing at him as she eased the girl into the back seat of the car she added on a hushed whisper, "There's something different about him ... I can sense it."

Nijel took the coat from around the girl and handed it to Cass as he wrapped her up in a nice comfy fleece blanket and handed her a teddy bear to cuddle ... old means to calm a person down and then he stepped back to close the door after telling her he was going to take her to a hospital. He glanced to Cass then to Raj and back again. "Well you'd better figure it out ... or kill him. You know what he is. They can't be trusted." 

Raj seemed unaffected as he listened, completely understanding the reaction of the people. He was a Hunter ... what else were they supposed to think? Nijel met Cassandra's eyes evenly, "You'd better not go getting yourself killed over some gut feeling either."

Cass met his gaze evenly, nodding solemnly before shifting her gaze to Raj. There he stood ... still. It didn't make any sense. Why hadn't he run? He had plenty of opportunity now while she was with Nigel but he hadn't done it. Not at the moment any way. Turning her gaze back to Nigel she said, "Do me a favor, huh? Drop me off at my apartment on the way ... I'm suddenly exhausted."

Nigel blinked a bit and glanced at Raj again. "You're g... nevermind." He shook his head. "Get in. Let's go." He glanced at Raj again, clearly confused. Larajie ... he'd have to look that one up. The name didn't come to mine immediately. He was probably some distant spawn of some other distant one of some kind lost in the web somewhere.

Raj stood up straight and cleared his throat a moment. "Can I get my coat back?'

Cass looked down at the coat in her hands and then moved away from the car for a moment, moving to where the vampire stood. She was still wary ... she hadn't forgotten what he was but her jaded gaze wasn't quite as accusatory or hard as she looked at him for a moment before thrusting the jacket out at him. "I'll be watching you," she said in a low voice as he reached out for the jacket and released it into his hand.

He reached for the coat to take it and just grinned. It was a good-natured grin. There was nothing sinister or vicious about it. Sarcastically he responded, "I'm honored." He chuckled and la id the jacket over his arm. "Can I at least get your name?" 

Cassandra saw his grin and she wasn't sure what to make of it. There was that something about him that she couldn't quite put her finger on but inherently, even though it went against everything she had learned about vampires and the undead, there was something that was ... good? Shaking her head some, she turned to head back to the car and Nigel who she could see was staring at her in disbelief. Turning as she reached the car, she simply responded, "Cassandra." She didn't offer a nickname or what friends called her ... she had no intention of making friends with a vampire. But as their eyes met she knew that she'd have to be careful around him. Shifting her gaze to Nigel, she slipped into the passenger seat of the car and shut the door.

Nigel folded into the driver's seat and shut the door, locking them all in as he buckled up and started the car again to back up and pull out of the cemetery. Raj stood there a moment, watching them as they drove away. He could hear Nisus coming back with his gang. The old coot was getting slow in his old age. He slipped into the shadows and became one with them to vanish.

After a while Nigel finally spoke up, "What the hell was that back there?"

Cass simply stared ahead at the road. She didn't know what to say or what to think about what had happened or what was going on with this particular vampire. But she knew Nigel expected an answer. "I don't know," she answered honestly, turning her head to look out the passenger window, lifting a slender hand to her mouth where she chewed on her thumbnail. It was an old habit and one she did when she was deep in thought. She couldn't make sense out of it. Withdrawing her thumb, she turned her face to look at Nigel. "Did you feel it? He isn't like the rest I've come across."

Nigel was quiet for several minutes as he sped toward the city hospital. He would get Cass to her apartment as soon as he knew the girl was taken care of. She was asleep in the back seat, thank God. Finally he took a deep breath to answer, "Yes ... I felt it and you're right, he's not like others. But I still don't understand why you let him stand there. Now he knows my face and yours. They're not dumb creatures, Cass ... they can put one and one together. What if it was a trick?"

Cassandra sighed deeply, turning her face away again. "I don't know ..." she trailed off as she gazed at the road in front of them. It was near empty with it being in the early hours of the morning. She didn't even care what time it was. All she could think of was a hot shower and curling up in front of her fire and damn it ... this ... vampire. "I don't know, Nigel ... I know it's stupid. I know it's insane. I just felt something ... human about him."

Nigel snorted as he turned on his left hand blinker to get in the turn lane and go toward the hospital. "Human. Cass, he's a vampire. He's not human. Get that idea out of your head. Haven't I taught you better?"

Cassie rested her temple against the car window with a soft sigh. Yes, she had been taught better. Yes, she knew he wasn't human. Yes, she should get this idea out of her head. But she couldn't. She remembered the way his face had morphed ... the way his fangs had elongated when they had fought. She also remembered the way he didn't run and the way in which he had watched her while she cared for the girl. It was just insane. She needed sleep.



Cassandra's Curse Ch. 04



Nigel seemed all sorts of excited as he entered the main room where he'd set Cass to eat after letting her sleep for a long time on his couch. He plopped a big giant thick book on the table in front of her. "Lerajie." He pointed to the page it was turned to.

Cass lifted her gaze questioningly, her fork frozen mid-air as he said the name. "Huh?' she said quizzically but then remembered ... he meant Raj. Lowering her fork and gaze simultaneously, she looked over the opened page curiously.

Nigel pointed at those "related" to Lerajie, each in turn, yabbering about this and that. It was a chronology of vampire lines. Then he stopped on Lerajie again. "Lerajie comes from a direct line from Lucifer himself. He's many, many generations along the line ... but he comes from it all the same. This isn't any normal vampire we're dealing with here."

Cassandra followed along with his finger as it pointed out things, glancing up at him as he spoke and then furrowed her eyebrows some at his proclamation. "What do you mean? None of them are normal."

Nigel chuckled and sat beside her, flipping back a few pages to scan the writings then he spoke again. "The Lucifer line is what is considered the 'pure' or 'untainted' line. In other words, those that come from that line may have direct contact with the power Lucifer beholds ... or something along that line."

Cassandra read along with him, stabbing her fork every once in a while at the food on her plate as she let her mind wander to Raj. Maybe that's what she had felt that was different about him. She just didn't know. "Okay, so is this particularly bad or what?"

"I don't know," he said. "You said you felt something about him. What exactly did you feel?"

Cass sighed gently, pushing at the food with her fork before glancing at Nigel. "I have no clue ... this is going to sound weird, I know it is. But I felt something ... good ... about him."

Nigel's brows arched curiously. "Good?" He blinked a bit then looked at the book. "I can't imagine one of Lucifer's line being 'good'."

She shrugged some, knowing how off the wall it sounded but she remembered back to the night they fought and the way that he had stood his ground and wanted to talk to her. "There's something there, Nigel ... I can't put my finger on it, despite his line, as you call it."

"You need to meet him again. Track him ... see what he's up to. You said there was another ... before Lerajie came around. Did you happen to catch a name?"

She thought for a long moment, clearly seeing him in her mind's eye. "I don't think so, no ... but he had this stark white hair pulled back in a braid. Raj said something about them going back some but not in a good way."

Nigel looked back at the book and frowned a bit. He couldn't do much without a name but he'd look into it. He had more than just this book. If they'd gone back, there was probably information about it. He had his work set out for him. "Did you get plenty of rest?"

Cassandra nodded, even though she was lying. She hadn't slept much. Her thoughts were pervaded with this vampire, Raj. "Yeah, it was good, why?"

"No reason," he responded with a smile. "Just looking after you is all. Have to have my slayer in tip top shape."

Cass smiled at him. He was thoughtful. She had to give him that. She was spending more and more time at his place and this library than she was at her own home though honestly, she missed it. She wanted a night to curl up in front of her fireplace again. "It's a lot more work than I originally thought," she admitted, looking at him with a smile

"Yes ... it gets that way. It's a way of life, not just a job." He flipped through a few more pages in the chronology. "I want you to meet Lerajie again somehow."

Cassandra stabbed her salad again, taking a bite before saying, "How am I supposed to do that? I don't even know where he is."

"Well, he has me interested. It could all just be a trap. Tread carefully ... but I want to see what he's all about. I'm not sure how you can meet him. Leave a note someplace maybe?" he grinned teasingly and glanced sideways at her.

Cassandra laughed and then her face suddenly froze. It suddenly came to her. She had seen him once before. That night ... outside of her apartment building; it was him.

~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~

It had been several weeks since Raj had seen the Slayer last. The rumor mills were all sorts of alive with things to say about the girl; she was evil, she was bad, she had to die. Raj had never paid much attention to the rumors. He just tried to keep track of where she prowled and what exactly she hunted but she seemed random. She'd killed one known as Talon ... a semi-important figure. That had sparked all kinds of rumors and stories. One could never tell the truth from the story. Raj had given up. That's why he kept to himself; no connections, nobody to worry about except himself.

He sat in a swing in the middle of a deserted park. Lights from the tennis courts flooded the small playground. The swing squeaked almost irritatingly as he swung back and forth absently, but it was rhythmic and rather soothing. It allowed him to just sit still awhile and not think about anything.

Cassandra had been staying busy in the dark world. She had never realized just how much evil there was out there and it just seemed to keep popping up along the way. Her training was going along at a more accelerated rate than she had ever imagined. Nigel had taught her how to tap into her supernatural type powers and it was overwhelming. 

She was starting to develop a sixth sense when it came to slaying and who to go after first. But she knew the more she worked, the more good she did, the more her own life was in jeopardy. She couldn't let her guard down. 

Maybe that's why she had not sought out Raj as Nigel had wanted her to do. She didn't want to let her guard down ... And something inside of her said that that was exactly what she tended to do around him. And she didn't understand why. It perplexed Nigel and part of it pissed him off as well ... she could just tell.

She took a deep breath, moving into the park. It was late or rather, early in the morning and she knew that this was the time of night that trouble was usually lurking. Sheesh, she was keeping some really strange hours ...

Raj's head was leaned back against one of the chains as the cool air caressed his face, swinging back and forth in the creaky swing. His eyes were closed and he was enjoying his alone time. This was when he could enjoy himself the most. He'd fed himself and now he could just be himself, letting himself go a little bit.

Cassandra had developed the habit of moving about almost unnoticed, as if she could just suddenly "appear" and as she moved into the park, she froze somewhat, hearing the tell-tale creak of the swings moving, her head swiveling over towards the sound as she moved into the shadows. Someone or something out this late could only mean one thing and she felt herself stiffen some as her eyes narrowed some as she moved along the tree line and in the shadows silently closer to the swings.

Raj was lost in his thoughts. He was back in his beloved homelands; the sun was up and he could hear the sounds of children playing in the courtyard. The abby dually served as a worship place and an orphanage. The war and famine had taken its toll on the people and children and women had been left behind.

He liked these memories. They were so entirely long ago but they seemed like yesterday, as did everything else in his head. The curse of the immortal ... not only cursed to walk the earth for eternity, but to remember every last thing that happens in that eternity.

The closer that Cassie got, she could make out the figure sitting on the swings and he was alone but his back was to her so she wasn't sure who it was. But she couldn't feel the foreboding that usually came along with those that she encountered. She stiffened for a moment, hoping it wasn't Raj. She really didn't want to confront him ... and she didn't want to let down her guard either.

Taking a deep breath, she moved out of the shadows of the trees quickly, almost like a blur until she was leaning against the playground equipment with a sort of self-confidant stance even as she saw that it was, indeed, Raj. "So ... we meet again," she said in a half drawl, seeing him startle to suddenly find her so close to him.

Raj seemed to jump out of his skin and he leapt to his feet, the swing flying out of control to smack him right in the thigh. His eyes snapped to Cassie and he glared irritatingly at her, his tone one of half anger, half dread, but it wasn't fearful. "What the hell are you doing here?"

She watched him, half amused that she found him so off guard, the other irritated that she had stumbled across him and she glared at him even as she continued to lean somewhat casually against the equipment even though she made a mental note as far as how far he was away and where her weapons were. "I was going to ask you the same question," she snapped back at him.

He rolled his eyes and reached to still the swing whose squeak was now annoying him. "Reminiscing, if that'll make you feel better," he snorted in irritation and sat back down in the swing, never taking his eyes off her

She could feel her eyebrows furrow at that statement. She hadn't expected that from him and suddenly found herself speechless for a moment as she watched him sit back down. Why didn't she have the same urge with him to drive a stake through his heart? And why didn't he come at her like all the rest of them did?

"Why would it make me feel better?" she snapped, feeling somewhat irritated that she felt so confused around him. And why in the hell did Nigel want her to meet up with him again?

"And here I was expecting some smart comeback from the all mighty slayer that seems to have struck fear into the heart of evil. Instead she asks why she should feel better."

He stopped for a moment, regarding her. "Here, let me help you a bit more." His eyes seemed to lighten a bit as he brought the good memories to life all over again, almost as if there was a person beneath all the dark. "I was remembering little orphan children I used to take care of. Many of them were my friends."

Cassie stiffened some at his words. They were so mocking and they angered her for a reason she couldn't explain. She pushed away from the playground equipment like she would attack him for toying with her but then was struck still by his following words, watching the way the emotions changed over his face as he spoke. It suddenly dawned on her. Maybe he knew why Nigel would want her to meet up with him.

"What's your story?" she suddenly blurted out. "You come from the darkest line of vampires yet you speak as if you have a heart. Why would my Watcher want me to meet up with you again instead of murder you for the villainous, blood-sucker you most obviously are?"

He grinned. "Nigel wanted you to track me down, huh? Maybe he's finally accepted it." he shrugged a bit and pushed at the ground with his feet to swing again slowly. He knew she was trying to insult him, but he'd long ago grown relatively numb to the adjectives used to describe him and his kind.

"I really have no story. I was sent to help a Slayer. In truth, I've helped many of your predecessors. I must say none were as old as you are. The Watcher's Council getting slack in their weeding?"

Cassandra stiffened some as his words sink in. "I'd say they are finally realizing that someone with more maturity can kick asses more efficiently," she practically spat out at him, telling herself to remain calm and not le t him get under her skin. She had to stay in control, especially around him.

She simply folded her arms in front of her, took a deep breath and addressed the other comment he had made. "What do you mean 'finally' accepted it'? And are you trying to say that you were sent to help ME?" She snorted softly. "I don't need any help especially from your sort. YOU are what I'm here to destroy."

Raj opened his arms in offer. "Kill me then, Slayer. Nothing's stopping you."

Seeing her not move immediately he put his hands back on the chains and continued to swing back and forth slowly. "Nigel and I go way back. He knows who I am although he probably knows me by a name other than the one in the little books he keeps. But ... he knows who I am."

He looked at her meaningfully. "I know this may be hard for you to understand. You might think I've lost it, which I've been accused of before. He ..." and pointing up toward the sky continued, "One of his little messengers sent me. As you've noticed, I don't exactly fit into the mold of what you'd expect of my kind. Look in my eyes and you'll see life."

She just stepped back a moment, shocked at his words. Nigel knew him?? She blinked for a moment and raised her fingers to her temples. Why hadn't he said anything and what did he mean by HE sent him ... it was all too confusing.

She just shook her head some and looked at him. "I ... I don't understand."

"No, you wouldn't understand ... which is alright. You don't have to."

Raj still kept a keen eye on every move she made. He wasn't at a point he could trust her. She could just as easily shove a stake through his heart as stand there and listen.

There was that part of her that felt betrayed. Nigel hadn't been completely honest with her and here she was risking death on a nightly basis to do what he had asked of her to do and she felt like she was losing a part of herself in this good vs. evil battle. There were times that she wasn't sure which one she was: good or evil.

She took a deep breath and moved to sit in one of the empty swings, even though she kept an eye on the vampire not just a few feet away from her. She didn't trust him at all. Hell, at this point, she didn't know who to trust. Instead, she dug the heels of her boots into the sand and just simply pushed.

'Good,' he thought. She hadn't decided to just launch herself at him and try to kill him. At least she had a head on her shoulders.

Quietly he spoke, almost like telling a story. "A long, long time ago, I was pinned beneath a Slayer's wrath. She was a millisecond away from removing me entirely from the earth never to be heard from again. My blood brother stopped her, nearly killed her ... something came over me and I yelled at him to stop."

Cass glanced over at him as he spoke, her mind a whirling tornado of confusion. None of it made any sense. Perhaps he could shed some light on it ...

"It was the first time I had ever spoken up against a kill. Time froze. I was approached by a wiccan or an angel or whoever she was and I was told my times would be different from henceforth. Well, they were ... I could no longer stand the taste of human blood. The smell of it makes me recoil."

Cassandra's eyebrows furrowed as she watched him, listening to his story. This was ridiculous but then again, this whole way of life seemed so surreal at times. "Your blood brother? Who?"

He shook his head "I can't tell you that. Not yet. You'll figure it out soon enough if you hang around. You're a smart girl." He pushed into the sand again to gain a bit of height with the swing. It really was rather refreshing to have the cool air caressing his face.

"It wasn't long before they figured out I was different. I no longer joined hunting escapades. I never went out with anybody else anymore. I was shunned and humiliated ... forced to walk the streets alone. I couldn't fit in with my own kind and I couldn't conform to human standards for very obvious reasons."

He shrugged a bit before continuing, "Lived off rats, mostly ... bigger creatures when I was starving and I could get my hands on them. I live the same today. "

Cassie's eyebrows furrowed at that. Damn him. She hated being kept in the dark and she felt very much in the dark just with the information he had given her already. She looked down at the sand in which her boot heels were sinking and instead of swinging on the equipment, she simply drew patterns in the sand as she listened to him. Part of it stuck with her ... part of it just kind of swirled around her as she tried to figure out what the hell it all was supposed to mean.

Raj smiled a bit at her and chuckled, kicking at the ground again "You look confused. Anything I can clear up?"

Cassandra glanced over at him with somewhat of a scowl on her face. "I think you've done enough, thanks," she retorted and then rose from where she was standing, having had enough of this. She needed to talk to Nigel and straighten some things out. 

As she started to walk away, she suddenly remembered another piece of the puzzle that needed to be cleared up and turned to face Raj once more. "Who was the vampire that night who had attacked the girl in the graveyard? What's his name?"

Raj looked up and watched her start to walk away. She had a tendency to do that ... get into a conversation then just walk away. It was getting rather old but he had all the time in the world.

He arched a brow. "Um ..." he seemed to think back. "That would be Nisus. Watch out for him. He's a coot and he doesn't play fair."

She nodded, hearing his words, muttering some "Thanks" before heading away from him with a quickness to her step. She was determined to walk away from him instead of get sucked into whatever this was. Maybe Nigel was right ... maybe it was all a game. She didn't know. Right now she didn't know anything ... she just knew she needed some answers. 

But as she continued on her way, she realized that what she really needed was a night back at her own apartment. It had been too long and instead of heading towards the library, she instead turned the opposite direction and headed towards the place that beckoned her home.

Raj watched her leave. She seemed to be having a hard time digesting what he'd told her. Of course she was; how often was it that a slayer met a "good" vampire? Never ... that's how often. 

He glanced up at the sky. "Why the hell do You ask me to torment them like this?" When he got no answer he just shook his head. 'Course not ... he'd never gotten a straight answer from the One who'd given him the soul he bore now. It was always one of his messengers that explained things and that hadn't been for a very, very long time.

The fact was that Raj had lost all faith in the One called God the night that he was changed. That was over 1700 years ago. A very long time to be without the One he called Lord and Savior. But where had the Savior been the night he died? 

Yes, he had died ... there was no existence and then he woke up again to be brought into the living hell of unending evil and murder. Then he was supposedly blessed with a soul by some wiccan that appeared to him that one surreal night a few hundred years ago. Everything had changed for him again. But instead of a murderous hell, it was a nonexistant hell. 

He didn't belong anywhere except with himself. He was one and completely alone. No. There was no God ... not according to him. He had devoted his life to serving God and for what? Absolutely nothing except only to be abandoned.

After awhile Raj got up to wander a bit. He was careful when he wandered. He had to be. It was either be careful or be hunted. He'd made the mistake of being caught before ... by none other than Nisus, actually. 

That was a long, long story. He never wanted to relive it ever again either. He shook his head. No, there definitely wasn't any God. What kind of God would allow one of his most faithful servants be cursed to walk the earth for eternity? What kind of God would let a soul be lost and damned to hell forever when it was promised to go to heaven? No ... there was no God. Raj had decided that long ago. 

Pain tore at him. It had for as long as he existed. He had been cursed to be cold for eternity. He had been cursed to walk alone with nowhere to go and nothing to look forward to each night that passed. He had been cursed never to see the sun again, never to enjoy a beautiful warm sunny day in the garden tending the living things that grew there. No ... never again would he feel those things.




Cassandra's Curse Ch. 04



Cassie moved quickly enough but it still seemed an eternity before her apartment building seemed to loom ahead. It had been long ... too long since she had been home. Nigel would probably be worried when she didn't show back up later or call in but she needed a night alone to think. This whole lifestyle was confusing her and now this ... why hadn't Nigel said he knew Raj. What was he hiding?

She buzzed the doorbell and then opened the door as the doorman let her in and then made her way up the stairs (she hated the elevator ... just the thought of being stuck in one gave her the creeps) to the top floor and her apartment that stretched out more like a small cottage, unlocking the door before stepping in and bolting all the locks behind her with a soft sigh. 

If she was really honest, she would admit that she was lonely and that this life was taking a toll but she would never admit it ... not out loud at least. Tossing off the long leather jacket that she had been wearing haphazardly over the back of a straight-backed chair at the table where she never ate anymore, Cass headed towards the fireplace ... she needed warmth, something to take the chill that she could feel permeating her entire being. But it had more to do with the things going on inside of her instead of the brisk night air. 

She crouched in front of the fireplace, all lights off still as her eyes were already accustomed to the dark with only the moonlight shining in from the many windows as she started the fire, only moving away when it was crackling and popping comfortingly in the hearth.

Nigel glanced up at the clock again. It was getting late even for Cass. She was usually back by this time and all the pacing that he was doing was starting to rub a trail along the carpet beneath the picture he had of Lucifer and his followers hanging on one wall. Stopping, he glanced up and it suddenly occurred to him that he needed to go looking for her. He had tried to call her more times than he could count on two hands but no answer. And damn it, he was now officially worried. Gathering his coat, he stuffed his cell phone into his pocket, checked his watch one last time and headed out of the library to see if he could find her.

Raj shook his head again to shake visions from his mind. He couldn't keep reliving it. He'd done it over and over and over again and each time it took him down a few notches. "Get over it, Raj" he kept telling himself. Each time it happened it seemed to hurt all the more. He felt like he wanted nothing more than to scream and fall to the ground crying until he couldn't cry anymore.

Nigel got into his car. There was no way he was hoofing it. He had a lot of ground to cover. Thank goodness he knew the major hang-outs of those that Cassandra would be hunting and with a full moon tonight, there would be plenty of those. 

He turned towards the graveyard first; a drive by would be enough. He knew enough not to get out and go through it alone but he had to at least know if Cass was there and if possibly she had been taken down or hurt. Each place that he tried only seemed to up the worry that he felt building in him. She had to be somewhere out here! He could feel his fingers clamp down on the steering wheel as he made his way towards the park. The more he worried, the more his anger grew. He had taught her better than this.

Raj was sitting down, leaned against a tree. He didn't really remember getting there. But there he was, tucked into the shadows out of the moon's glow and he looked like nothing more than just another addition to the shadow aside from his pale face that seemed to glow in the darkness.

Nigel pulled up at the park, the headlights of his car suddenly illuminating the figure sitting beneath the tree. At first Nigel thought it might be Cassie and hopped out of the car, his voice calling out as he stood at the door, always cautious just in case he was wrong. "Cassandra?!"

Raj looked up from his steaming thoughts, actually grateful for the distraction. Some worried parent looking for a kid that didn't call home. Great, that's all he needed ... some human finding him. All the same he stood up casually, still half-blinded by the lights.

Nigel's brows furrowed as the lights illuminated the figure standing there. It definitely wasn't Cassandra but ... who WAS that? He looked very familiar ... someone from Nigel's past and for a long moment he stood there as the memories clicked through in his photographic memory before it suddenly came rushing back to him like a punch in the gut. 

Taking a deep breath, he stepped away from the car and let the door shut behind him as he started to walk across the distance that separated them, his voice calling out more of a statement than a question, "Raphael."

Raj blinked a bit. He hadn't heard that name in a long time and it took him a minute to realize that the man was speaking to him. Then he realized who it was. 

"Nigel ..." he said somewhat of a wary tone in his voice. He hadn't seen the Watcher in a long time. Granted, they had left each other's company on good terms, but God only knew what the Council may have beat into his head since then.

Nigel continued to walk towards him, slowing his steps as he got closer to the vampire standing beneath the tree, the headlights now casting his own shadow over Raphael. He stopped and looked him over curiously and then it suddenly occurred to him ... this was Larajie, the vampire that Cassie had refused to kill that night at the cemetery. Why hadn't he recognized him before?? 

Drawing in a breath, he clasped his hands before him as he added, "Or should I call you Larajie?"

Raj stilled a moment. So ... the Watcher was smart. He nodded. "Yes ... that would be about it, Nigel. You even pronounced it correctly. I'm proud of you. It's been a long time."

Nigel reached up to remove the glasses adorning his nose for a moment, cleaning them as he glanced down. "Yes, it's been a long time." Glancing up at him, he looked Raj levelly in the eye. He wouldn't be distracted. Cassandra was still missing. "Have you seen my Slayer?"

"Yes, actually. Not that long ago. About an hour or so ago. She went that way." He pointed in the direction of her apartment. "She's having a bit of a hard time understanding things."

Nigel swiveled his head to look in the direction that the vampire had pointed, thinking momentarily that she might have gone home but why? Turning his gaze back to Raphael, he couldn't help but wonder what had happened between them to drive her to her own home instead of checking in with him. "Why? What happened?"

"Well ... she wanders in the park, finds me, I didn't try to kill her. She asked questions and I answered her. She's confused over my whole situation. At least she didn't tell me I was an outright liar like a lot of others have. Since you've figured it out, you can understand how hard it would be to piece the puzzle together of one of Lucifer's line being good."

Nigel nodded some, taking a deep breath before he put his glasses back on and regarded Raphael. It had been such a long time. He wasn't sure he would be able to think of him under this new name. He made a mental note to ask him later about it. "What did you tell her, specifically?"

"I ... don't remember exactly," Raj lied. Of course he remembered. He was a vampire. They had flawless memories right down to the last little speck of dust. It was part of their curse. "I told her something about myself ... and the fact that I knew you. She seemed rather upset after that."

Nigel eyed him. That couldn't be good. No wonder Cassie had just wandered off without another word. She probably had just enough information to confuse her to hell and back. He scowled some at Raphael, knowing he was holding back information. "Why are you toying with her?" he asked point blank. "You know she senses it in you and yet you are tormenting her."

"I wasn't intentionally toying with her ... well, yes. Yes I was. Seeing how smart she is and if she can figure it out on her own. She seems a smart enough girl. Or does she have to rely on her Watcher to solve her puzzle?" 

His voice was rather mocking even as he added, "Yes, Nigel ... I have a soul. The only fucking soul there is in the undead. What kind of freak am I? Hmm? A liar, a coward, a misfit ... you name it. What was it the Council called me when you brought me up in a discussion? Ah yes ... a blasphemous beast from hell toying with your head. You remember that Nigel? Yes ... they nearly removed you from council because they thought you'd lost it."

Nigel took a deep breath. He was never one to lose his temper even though Raphael's words were enough to turn him into a raging bull. How could he forget it? He had almost lost his position for standing up for Raphael and the good that he had done for the cause. 

"She's not ready to deal with you or what you are. She is still adjusting to her role. And you are endangering her further with your association with Nisus. How long will it be before he comes after Cassandra because of you?"

Raj just kind of blinked, completely caught unawares by the Watcher's proclamation "Excuse me? My ... association with Nisus?" He blinked again and reached up to rub the back of his neck. Somewhere along the line there was a drastic miscommunication. 

"I haven't 'associated' with Nisus for several hundred years, Nigel. You should know that better than anyone else I know. I didn't by any means regress."

Nigel folded his hands before him again, much like he was in prayer, something he tended to do when he was trying to find out information. "So Nisus wasn't the other vampire at the cemetery that night? I'm just assuming here," he said, lifting one brow slightly. "Correct me if I'm wrong ..."

Oh boy. Yeah ... big miscommunication. 

Raj shook his head. "You're not wrong. It was indeed Nisus. But I ,,, " He paused at the look in the Watcher's eyes, almost expecting to see the friendship they'd shared those few years ago. That was probably the time Raj had felt the happiest when he had somebody who trusted and believed him and believed IN him. But now there was only skepticism and hurt, which could be understood. Raj had caused a lot of problems for the Watcher in the past. "I wasn't there helping him, Nigel. You know me better than that. I was going to help the girl. Your Slayer showed up at an inconvenient time."

Nigel watched Raphael for long moment before speaking. He wanted to believe him. They had been close friends, something the society had frowned upon and the main reason that he wanted Cassandra not to get too close to the vampire. She was in a state of confusion that could quickly turn into something more if he wasn't careful and watch her every step. 

"I'm not accusing you, Rapha ... Larajie. I'm just trying to look out for Cassie. She's the best Slayer I've ever trained. She's got it in her to do the will of the council but she's at a vulnerable state right now. Nisus is a cold-blooded killer and you know it."

Raj nodded in understanding. "I'll take care of Nisus if he so much as even catches your Slayer's scent. And ... call me Raj, please. I haven't been Raphael for several years. Not since I no longer needed the alias when Nisus found me."

Nigel nodded, unfolding his hands to reach out one towards Raphael in friendship, something he hadn't done in a long time "Thank you ... Raj. I'd appreciate that. I'm worried about her."

Raj looked at the outstretched hand a moment. It was a rather foreign gesture to him but he reached out to clasp the Watcher's hand and nodded. "You'd do yourself a world of favor if you told your Slayer about Raphael, Nigel. Just don't tell her all. Let her figure it out on her own. She will."

Nodding, Nigel tightened his fingers on Raj's hand. "I will and you're right, she's a smart girl and eager to learn." Releasing his hand, he added, "I better go by her apartment and see if I can talk to her." 

Turning to walk away, he glanced once more at his old friend. "It's good to know you are around again, Raj."

A smile warmed Raj's face. It was a real smile. "I'm around for awhile at least. Got a new place though. You'll have to stop by sometime." He winked teasingly before adding, "Go on. Go get your Slayer before she does something stupid."

Nigel chuckled a bit and adjusted his glasses. "Call me and let me know where you are and I'll come by" and then he turned to head back to his car, knowing that Raj was right ... he needed to get to Cassandra.

"Oh sure," Raj called out to him. "I'll call if I figure out those confounded phone things. I'll be glad to!"

Nigel chuckled, hearing him before he opened the car door to get back in and slowly backed away, heading towards Cass's apartment.



Cassandra's Curse Ch. 05



It had been six days. Nigel hadn't seen hide nor hair of his slayer and now he had hunted down Raj to have the vampire go chase the girl out of her nest. Why? Raj didn't know. Cass didn't answer her phone, didn't answer the door, didn't answer emails at all from Nigel. What made him think that Raj would be able to get through? 

Raj stood on the sidewalk, looking up at the low lit windows of Cass's apartment. He had a handful of rocks. One by one he tossed them up at the windows making soft *tick, tick* sounds, trying to get Cass's attention. It was after hours. The doors were locked and the guard wasn't there. 'Sides, even if he was, Raj probably wouldn't have gotten in anyway.

Cassandra had been holed up before the steadily fed flames of her fireplace, curled up in a thick sheepskin and leather blanket, the chill of impending Winter staying just outside the small circle of her apartment. She hardly turned on any of the lights ... she didn't eat much ... she definitely didn't go out. She was through. 

This good vs. evil way of life was too much. She didn't want any part of it anymore. She just wanted to turn back the hands of time to that day that she met Nigel so that she could just turn around and walk out the doors of the bookstore. The small ticking sounds on her windows were lost upon her as she just watched the flames consume the dry wood through half-closed lids.

The small stones weren't working. Nothing was moving in there. Raj snorted and dropped the few he had left and picked up a crunched beer can out of the gutter. God awful stuff. How humans could drink it he had no idea. The German ale he'd had in the past was so much better. 

He looked back up at the windows and chucked the can toward one with a loud CLUNK and the impending crash of aluminum on pavement as gravity took its toll on the projectile. That should at least get some response. He really didn't want to break her windows.

Cass turned her head suddenly the sound at her window, her natural instincts taking over as she was suddenly on alert. But then as suddenly as it came, it dissipated back into the closed part of her consciousness as she turned her head back towards the fire with a soft sigh. It was probably Nigel and she really didn't want to deal with him right now. She didn't really know how many days it had been since she had seen him but there had been countless phone calls gone unanswered ... her doorbell had rang almost non-stop. She just wanted him to go away.

Again another CLUNK sounded on her window. Raj was getting irritated now. If the girl didn't pay attention soon he WOULD break her window. He couldn't very well go in without her invitation, and he didn't particularly care to anyway. A vampire in a slayer's den ... well, he'd rather not go there.

This was getting annoying and Cass had had just about enough. Tossing aside her blanket, she rose wearing long flannel pajama bottoms and a ribbed tank top that clung to her skin, her bare feet trodding across the hardwood floor to the window where she flung open the window to half hang out, her voice harsh as her voice echoed into the empty night "Nigel, what the hell do you want?!"

"Well, well, well. There is life in there. I was beginning to wonder if someone got to you before I did." Raj looked up at her and met her eyes evenly. "Such a temper too."

Cassandra's eyebrows furrowed as she stared down at the figure standing in the lamplight and it suddenly occurred to her that they were, in a way, repeating the first night that she saw him. Frowning, she spat down at him, unable to figure out why HE was there. "What the ... Raj! Why are YOU here?"

Raj tucked his hands into his trench coat and hugged is closer to his body, still looking up at her. He grinned rather cockily. She was so cute when she was mad. "It's cold out here... mind letting me in?"

She sighed heavily as her shoulders slumped. The last thing she needed was Raj here. He was the epitome of what she was trying to get away from, not to mention that cocky attitude that just made her want to get to know him even more. This was ridiculous! She ought to just tell him to fuck off but instead found herself shaking her head slightly, unbound raven tresses falling around her shoulders. 

"Fine," she surprised herself calling down. "Buzz in and I'll let you up."

"You've got to invite me." He said it with a finality as he turned for the main door and mounted the few steps to the set of buttons. It took him a second or two to orient himself with the numbering system. English, 21st century ... right. He pushed the button that matched her apartment number, half tempted to push the rest just to see how many people he could get yelling at him and just grinned, refraining from the childish temptation.

Cassandra walked over and pushed the button that allowed the front door to unlock and spoke into the intercom softly, but somewhat irritated, "All the way to the top floor ... it's the only apartment here. Come on up" and then unlocked her own door, leaving it slightly ajar as she moved back some to watch the door, mostly out of a natural instinct to be wary.

When the door buzzed and unlocked he turned the handle and stepped inside. Nice place. He found the stairs and climbed all the way up as instructed, seeing the door ajar and he approached it to just in front of the threshold and pushed the door open a bit more. "Gonna let me in?"

Cassandra watched as his figure shadowed the doorway, her eyes narrowing some and then relaxed a bit as she stepped out of the shadows and waved him in as she made her way back to the soothing crackle of the fire place. "How many times do I have to invite you in? Just lock the door behind you" and after a moment, glanced back at him before she sank back down on the furs before the fire. "Please," she added after a moment's pause.

Raj stepped inside at the invitation and closed the door behind him, clicking the lock in place and turned back toward her. "I ... well, we, meaning ... well, you get the point. We can't pass through the threshold of a door without being invited by a human."

She glanced over at him as she pulled her legs towards her chest some, wrapping slender arms around them. "Yes, I know the routine ... just didn't realize how blatant I had to be about it," she said before turning her gaze back to the fire, staring at it a long moment before quietly adding, "Why are you here?"

"To talk to you ... a pretty girl like you shouldn't hide away like this." He leaned against the door, not really wishing to go any deeper into the slayer's den any more than he had to.

Cassandra glanced at him, her eyebrows furrowing at his comment. He never ceased to surprise her that was for sure. "Whatever ... you have a reason for being here. You don't even want to be here. That much is obvious" she retorted, noting the way he would hardly come in through the door.

"Should I want to be here? Obviously I'm not in the best of places for my kind. It's kind of like walking into a mouse trap and trying to steal the cheese without getting squished. I came to talk to you. That's all. Why haven't you talked to your Watcher? He's worried about you."

She just looked at the vampire for a moment, trying to figure out where HE fit into this whole puzzle and then turned her gaze back to the fire, her jaded gaze staring at the flickering dance of the flames. "What does it matter to you?"

He looked her over closer. "Girl ... have you eaten at all? You're pale." He pushed off the door and was going to approach her then decided against it and turned for the kitchen instead to have a look around.

Cassandra turned her gaze again to watch as he entered her kitchen. It didn't make sense ... none of it did. She knew, she instinctively knew, that he was connected to her Watcher and that Nigel had hidden something from her and yet, here she had to put her own life on the line for someone that couldn't even be honest with her. "What's going on, Raj? You're hiding something. Nigel is hiding something. And quite honestly, I'm sick of it."

"Me? I'm not hiding anything ... you just haven't asked the right questions." He was clanging around in her kitchen with her pots and pans. Soon after the sound of her gas stove clicking to life and sizzling bacon could be heard and the faint smell wafting toward her. "Nigel and I are good friends. Well ... were. Still are, just ... we don't talk much anymore." 

She stood, crossing towards the kitchen, her face a cloud of confused anger and half hurt "Then how come he acted like he didn't know you? Why didn't he tell me? And if you don't talk much anymore, then why are you here concerned about whether or not I've spoken to Nigel?"

"He probably didn't recognize me." He flipped the bacon over and it started sizzling all over again as it cooked on the other side. "He left the country for awhile."

Cassandra just looked at him a moment, sighing softly as she slipped into a high back stool, watching the vampire cook in her kitchen, confused by the whole thing. "That still doesn't explain much" she said.

Raj sighed as he plunked two pieces of bread into the toaster. Then he opened the fridge to fish around inside to find her Miracle Whip. "It's a long story, Cassandra. He's probably the one to tell it to you since he was the most affected. Let's just say he and I became friends when he found out I was ... well, different. It caused problems for him. Lots of problems. It caused him to leave the country.

She drummed her fingers on the countertop as she watched him move about in her kitchen as if he belonged. She didn't even really know why she let him in ... she had wanted to just shut them all out and end that part of her life. None of it made any sense ... she didn't want to be a part of it but yet there was something about him.

"He's not here and you are. Just please ..." she sighed, reaching up to rub her forehead. She probably shouldn't even be curious about what had happened.

Raj took another deep breath, slathering Miracle Whip on the toast and he laid it on a plate before scooping the bacon out of the pan and blotting it before laying it on the bread. Again he was digging in her fridge to find some leftover cut tomato and lettuce, making a sandwich out of it. "Alright ... I'll tell you." He handed her the plate. "Eat first."

She looked at the sandwich and then the vampire, a look crossing her face as she pushed the plate back towards him. "I'm not hungry ... I'd rather hear the story."

Raj got a stubborn look on his face and put the plate in front of her on the table "Eat while I'm talking then."

She made a face the picked at the sandwich some, pinching off a small piece of the toasted bread and placed it in her mouth, mostly to pacify him as her gaze settled on him to listen, long legs crossing as she sat on the high-back stool, her foot swinging a bit back and forth.

Raj sat across from her, keeping his distance and giving her her space, crossing his hands over the table and looked down at them as he seemed to toy with the air with his thumbs. "It started a long, long time ago. I met Nigel on the streets one night after he'd had a hell of a time at some club or another. He was too drunk to care who or what I was. The way he was headed, I knew trouble was around the corner, so I led him in the opposite direction."

Cassandra listened to him, picking mostly at the sandwich as the fire crackled in the background, the shadows flickering on the walls and ceiling as she nibbled a bite here and there.

"I sat him down and stayed with him to make sure nobody got to him. He slept on that little park bench and I just kept watch over him until he woke up again. He was complaining about a headache when he did wake then asked where he was, saw me and practically had a heart attack."

Cassie couldn't help but chuckle a bit, hearing that. "Was he a Watcher at that time?"

"Yes ... he had no assignment then, however. He was still in training and a part of the council."

She nodded in understanding, glancing down at her sandwich as she lifted one corner of the toast to look at the bacon and then pushed the plate back some and leaned back in her chair, looking at the vampire as he spoke. "So how did you two become friends and how come he didn't tell me?"

"Well, once he figured out I wasn't going to eat him he calmed down enough to talk to me. Of course his first question was why. My answer was and still is the same ... I can'.t."

She turned her head some to look towards the fire and then unceremoniously slipped from the stool to move back towards the fire, stopping before it to gaze into the flickering flames as her arms crossed over her waist, just lost in her own thoughts.

"He made a habit of seeking me out. He found out I didn't fit in anywhere ... gave me a place to stay until he helped me rebuild my old home, or at least clean it up enough I could live in it."

Cass listened to him talk as she stared into the fire, the drone of the crackling and popping soothing.

"It was a mutual contract between us ... sort of an 'I'll scratch your back, you scratch mine' thing."

She turned her head slightly to look at him. "So you're saying that you are on 'our side' ... is that it?"

"I have been for a long time now. I don't kill my own kind unless I have to ... there are a few that I would like to kill but haven't had the chance. But yeah ... ridding the world of evil is kind of my goal."

She just looked at him as if she couldn't quite figure him out, part of her thinking he was full of shit as the other part wondered how he could be real. Then she turned her face once more back to the fire, not really knowing what to say in response.

"You need to eat, Cassandra. You're still pale. And don't give me the 'I'm not hungry' shit. I know better. You wouldn't even make a good meal. Your blood would be bitter. Eat."

Cassie simply ignored his words as she said, "I'm not cut out for this ... I think Nigel made a mistake," speaking quietly as she gazed into the fire.

"Mistake? No ... Nigel doesn't make mistakes. There's not much you can do about it. Cut out or not, you're stuck with it. You've got the power." Raj sighed. Every Slayer went through this stage; sometimes more than once. He knew it and he wanted to help her, but he couldn't do much except talk to her.

She lifted her hand, rubbing her eyebrows with her fingers, something she tended to do when she was lost or confused about something. "I don't want the power," she admitted quietly.

Raj stood up and silently approached her and laid a hand on her shoulder from behind. "You can't just turn the power in, Cass. It doesn't work that way. You were chosen from your generation. Why? Only the powers that be know. Sure, you could quit and walk away. But are you going to just let the world fall into chaos and let pandemonium take over?"

She turned her head slightly, feeling his hand on her shoulder and then sighed softly, her own hand snaking up to cover his as she turned her eyes back to the fire. "I just feel so ... alone."

He smiled a bit and squeezed her shoulder as comfortingly as possible. "Well, for all it counts you've got me. And you've got Nigel. You've even got Hope."

She nodded quietly, feeling his hand try to comfort her as she battled with the feelings that she had inside. She wasn't quite sure, honestly, what all was going on. She just felt lonesome and overwhelmed and suddenly helpless despite the power that had been given her.

He continued to talk quietly. "Nigel's and my friendship grew a lot in the years after. I taught him a lot of what he knows about my kind. I've given him chronologies of our bloodlines and he can trace who is who. He knew me as Raphael back then. For a long time that alias covered me ... kept me from the little peeping eyes all over that were trying to find me."

She listened to him, letting his words sink in as she tried to come to terms with the way her life had suddenly shifted. The warmth of the fire was soothing as well as, surprisingly, the company she found in him.

"Nigel took my case to a council meeting ... tried to tell them that I was good vampire and that I fought for their cause." His eyes darkened a bit and his hand tensed on her shoulder. "They told him that I was a liar and was simply tugging on his emotional strings. They told him he was wavering and becoming too emotionally involved with the cause ... that he was thinking irrationally."

Feeling his fingers stiffen on her shoulder, she turned her head some to look at him even as she thought of the way Nigel had looked at her in the same way when she mentioned that Raj, himself, was different from the other ones. But she knew she wouldn't admit this to him ... not yet at least.

"They prohibited him from seeing me. When I tried to talk to him he yelled at me and told me I was an awful, horrible creature and nothing more than a liar trying to destroy him and the council." He took a deep breath for a moment as he reflected back. "I was supposedly a spy sent by Pandemonium to infiltrate the weak Watcher and worm my way through to the council."

Cass turned completely to look at him, her eyes gazing into his for a long moment as if she could read him simply by just looking at him long enough. "What changed his mind about you then?"

"I was able to get through to him eventually that I hadn't changed and it wasn't an act or the plan of a spy. The council had put a price on my head for any of theirs and even my kind ... if any of my kind were able to remove me from existence, the council would have paid them handsomely."

She stared at him a moment, seeing that he was telling the truth and something in her just simply trusting him. "So if all that happened, how come he's still on the council and why did you two lose touch?"

"It was then that my alias was effectively destroyed. My kind had been looking for Lerajie for many years. Lerajie had simply vanished and couldn't be found anywhere. He was thought dead. Nisus found out I was alive and hunted me." He looked at her a long moment before adding, "Nigel's job was at stake."

In a gentle motion, Cassandra took his hand from her shoulder and sank down onto the fur on the floor to settle before the fire, urging him gently to join her as she listened to him. He watched her a moment as she settled, faltering momentarily when she silently invited him to join her and then slowly sank down beside her to sit.

She leaned back against the couch, her jaded gaze closing for a moment as she softly sighed, digesting it all. "I must sound like a whiney human to you ... complaining about not wanting to do this."

"Not at all," he reassured her. "I don't blame you one bit. I feel the same way a lot of the time, actually."

She opened her eyes to look at him, her head still leaned back against the couch as she sized him up a bit. "Nigel's been worried, huh?"

Raj's face and emotions didn't change. His eyes were dark, emotionless ... his face relaxed and unreadable. "Yes ... he's been very worried."

Cassandra stared at his unchangeable face, unnerved by someone that could hide emotions so well and then she wondered if he had the capability of having any emotions at all as she turned her head, her gaze locking onto the fire again instead of the blank, expressionless face sitting across from her. That was one thing she'd never be able to understand ... how someone could be so callous and cold.

"It's why he asked me to come and see you. It was the first time I've seen him on my doorstep in years and years. I actually didn't know he was back in town until that night at the cemetery."

She turned her face to gaze at him again, clearly confused. "Why would he ask YOU to come see me?"

"I ... I really have no idea. You'd have to ask him." Raj leaned back some to settle on his hands behind him. "We've been kind of distant ever since the council sent him back overseas for "retraining". I have an idea they brainwashed him into thinking I was evil again, or he made them think he was convinced and he's keeping his distance to keep from falling in again. I really did cause a lot of problems for him."




Cassandra's Curse Ch. 05



Cassie watched as he leaned back some, her eyes slowly taking in his form ... he looked human enough. If it wasn't for that one time she had seen his facial features change and his fangs elongate, she might have forgotten that he was a vampire and started to trust him. He was cute enough ...

He sighed and reached up to rub his eyes a bit. "When the council threatened to kick him out, everything changed. We just ... can't be as close as we were is all. If the council knew I was still around there'd be a whole new hunting frenzy for me."

She nodded some, listening to his story as she watched him. "I'm sure that is why Nigel keeps his distance ... he's a rule follower, you know." She couldn't help but roll her eyes a bit at that even as she smiled. It was quite endearing, actually.

"Uh ... yeah, I know he is. He's a good guy that way."

Cass laughed, probably for the first time he had known her, the sound reflecting in her emerald gaze as they glimmered a bit, finding humor in the stiffness of their conversation and finally relaxed a bit as she leaned against the couch.

Raj blinked and looked over at her. At least the emotionless face had changed a bit. He looked confused. "What was that for?"

Cassandra smiled, seeing a look she finally could relate to cross his face. So ... he DID have some kind of emotion. "Nothing," she said, shaking her head even as she continued to grin some.

"Uh huh ... sure. I call it bullshit."

She laughed again, turning her gaze back towards the fire again as she relaxed even more, a soft sigh releasing from her lips finally as she just let it all go. No use in fighting something she couldn't control. "Nothing really ... I should call Nigel, I suppose."

"Eat first ... then call him. He can wait a few more minutes. You've let your sandwich get cold."

She turned her gaze back to the vampire sitting just inches from her and smiled genuinely at him. "You sure are pushy" she stated.

"We get that way," he simply stated, showing no hint of a smile.

"There is no way I'm eating a disgusting cold bacon sandwich but thanks ..." She just grinned at him some and stretched, reaching for her cell phone on the coffee table just out of her reach, pulling it towards her and making a face at all the missed calls and messages that waited for her.

Raj shifted to sit back against a chair and pulled his knees to his chest. Beneath the trench coat he just hugged into a ball, setting his chin on his knees and sat quietly.

She glanced at the vampire as she hit the programmed button for Nigel's phone, holding the flat flip phone to her ear as she waited to see if he picked up, her thoughts scattered about the man sitting across from her.

On the other end the phone rang a few times before Nigel did finally pick up. "H-hello?" he sounded kind of flustered. Raj was just kind of eerie ... he didn't seem to breathe or even move as he sat there, gazing into the flames of the fire in front of him.

Cassandra watched the vampire and then, hearing Nigel's voice, rose to her feet and walked slowly back towards the tall uncovered windows that gaze out onto the street and the wooded park beyond. "Nigel? It's Cassie ..."

"Cassie! Oh God, hi! Um ... are you alright? Where are you? I've been trying to get a hold of you for days! I um ..." There was a crash then Nigel cussed. The base of the phone had crashed down from the counter it was set on. "Oh ... sorry. I've been so worried about you! Are you alone?"

Cassandra stopped before the windows, chuckling some as she heard the phone crash, pulling the receiver away from her ear, making a face and then gingerly listening again, only to grin at his words. "I'm fine ... don't worry and no, I'm not alone" turning her head some to look at Raj sitting before the fire.

Nigel took a few breaths before speaking again. "Cassie ... I've got to say one thing ... I'm sorry. I didn't mean to confuse you like I did." There was a pause before he asked, "Who's with you?"

Turning back to look out the windows, took a few more steps away from Raj as she lowered her voice some. "Don't worry about it ... I know you didn't mean to confuse me. It's not your fault." Stopping further down the windows, she glanced back at Raj a moment before whispering into the phone, "Raj is here."

Raj looked up as she tried to whisper but he didn't say anything. Instead he reached toward the flames with an open hand as if he were a child feeling the heat of fire for the first time. Nigel didn't speak for a second or two. "I ... I'm sorry for sending him to you, Cassie. I was just so worried and you wouldn't talk to me, so I thought maybe you would ... well, talk to him. Is everything alright?"

She shrugged some as if he could see her, turning her gaze back to the window as she reached out with a finger to trace patterns in the dew forming on the window from the condensation from the heat inside the apartment in contrast to the chill outside. "Don't worry about it ... I'm sorry I ignored you these past few days. Everything's okay."

"No ... it's okay Cassie. Would you like me to come over or just see me tomorrow? We can talk things out."

She smiled some into the phone, pulling her finger away from the drawings she had traced onto the window. "It's late ... we'll talk tomorrow, okay? I just wanted to let you know I was okay."

"Yeah ... okay. Take care of yourself, alright Cass? Get some sleep and I'll see you tomorrow. Hey ... Tell Raj hi for me, would you?"

Cassandra nodded and then turned some to look at the vampire as she spoke into the phone "Do you want to talk to him? I could give him the phone."

"No ... no. That's fine. Just tell him hello for me. That'll do. I'll see you tomorrow, Cassie." His voice seemed a bit down, like he was fighting something internally and about ready to cry. "Goodnight Cassie." With that the other end clicked, soon followed by a dial tone when Nigel hung up.

Cassandra blinked some at the dial tone, her eyebrows furrowing as she detected a hitch in her Watcher's voice and flipping the phone shut again, she turned to look at Raj curiously for a moment before saying, "Nigel wanted me to tell you that he said hello."

Raj sat back against a nearby chair and nodded. "Yeah ... I'm sure he did." A shadow of a smile flecked across his face.

Cassandra took a seat again but this time on the thick bear rug spread out on the hardwood floor before the hearth of the fire, her legs folding cross-legged as she ran her fingers through long strands of raven-hued hair, catching the smile that barely flickered on Raj's face as she just regarded him for a long moment.

"He owes me one." He leaned his head back and if he could have he would've sighed and just closed his eyes lightly. "You should get some sleep Cass. It's late."

She just watched him for a long moment and then leaned back on her hands that moved back behind her on the rug, her arms stiff as she stretched out her legs some. "Probably ... I'd say the same about you but do y'all sleep?"

He chuckled a bit and looked at her. "If you can call it sleep. More laying there when the sun is out; feels more like being dead than anything. There are times that I still dream."

Cass smiled some as she listened to him. "Well that sounds ... interesting. What kind of dreams do you dream?"

"Oh ... all kinds of things. Sometimes random ... sometimes not. Mostly memories." He looked at her a long moment before adding, "It keeps the human side of me alive."

She nodded some in understanding as she just watched him. She had gotten out of the habit of sleeping at night and it was starting to become a weird feeling ... usually this time of night she was out and about, hunting but lately, she had enjoyed the safety of just being at home. Normally she would want to be alone but for some odd reason, Raj's company was ... comforting

"You seem so... human ... at times. It's hard to keep you straight from the other ones."

Raj grinned again. "Don't try ... I'm not like they are. One, I'm loyal to the wrong side. Two, I don't feed on what they do. I can't. It's all part of the curse."

She crossed her ankles as her legs stretched out, shifting her gaze to glance down at her unpainted toes. It didn't seem that long that she used to do all those girly things ... painting her toes, doing her nails, getting her hair done and lately, she had been so wrapped up in her new "job" ... she hadn't really thought of being girly. What reason did she have to do it? It's not like she was trying to attract someone of the opposite sex. All she dealt with anymore were demons and vampires.

Raj leaned his head back again to relax. It felt rather nice to be in a "normal" home for awhile. "And she goes quiet ... what are you thinking about over there?"

She glanced up as if she suddenly remembered that he was here, a wry smile flickering on her lips as if she had been caught thinking about something that she really didn't need to be thinking about anymore. She didn't have time for a relationship that much was obvious. No sense lamenting about it. "Nothing."

"I call bullshit."

Cassandra couldn't help but laugh some, her green eyes twinkling in amusement as her gaze followed the lines of his face. He wasn't bad looking actually but he was still ... a vampire. Tilting her head to the side some she just smiled and replied, "Nothing you'd be interested in, trust me." Then glancing back to the fire a moment, spoke softly "You hungry?"

Raj shook his head. "Not for what you're thinking about, no. I'll be fine. Your sandwich is cold." 

She wrinkled her nose some at the mention of the sandwich and then looked at him for a moment. "Well what DO you eat?"

"Rats, mostly. Sometimes feral cats or dogs when they get out of hand ... nothing really of notice to anyone else."

She couldn't help but make a face at that. "You mean to tell me that you can't have any kind of FOOD food at all?"

"Oh I can have food ... but it does nothing for me."

Cass nodded some in understanding as she listened to him, somewhat fascinated and at the same time, somewhat disgusted.

Raj chuckled at the expression on her face. "Disgusted at my taste in sustenance? Don't worry, most of my own kind are too."

She couldn't help but laugh some at that. "Yeah ... I guess so. They are considered delicacies in some countries ... or so, I heard."

"Yes ... in Romania of all places. And some areas of middle Europe and Africa."

Nodding some, she rolled over and with an agility that still amazed her sometimes, suddenly moved into a crouching position before the fire and used her poker to refuel the flames, adding another log to the burning embers. "Well then, you are in popular company there, I suppose."

Raj chuckled. "I'm originally from what you call middle England. We liked rats."

She turned some to regard him and then stood, moving to the plush leather couch, worn looking in its appearance and sank down into the cushions to listen to him. "That's just ... wrong."

His laughter was somewhat contagious and made her smile to hear it. "To you maybe. Folks didn't really know better back then." He looked at her out of one eye and just grinned at her

Cassandra laughed softly, crossing one leg over the other and swung it haphazardly. "Yeah, I suppose but ewwww ... just eww."

Rolling his eyes, Raj then closed them again as he spoke. "They're what I survive off of. It's better than killing innocent human beings. Just the idea of it makes my stomach roll."

She sighed softly and nodded before laying her head back against the back of the couch, clearing her mind of that for a moment as she listened to the crackle and pop of the fire. "Nigel seemed ... weird tonight."

"Isn't he always weird?"

She laughed softly and nodded some before turning serious. "This seemed ... different."

Raj opened his eyes to look at her, getting serious at her tone. "How so?"

"I don't know really ... he seemed ... sad. And then hung up on me. It sounded like he was about to cry or something."

"Hmm ... wonder why. He and I haven't talked in awhile ... well, seriously, anyway. What was he talking about?"

She shrugged some, trying to remember his words before speaking. "Just said that he had been worried and that he was sorry."

"Hmm ... I know he didn't really like the idea of sending me here."

Her eyebrows narrowed some as she gazed at him. "Why not?"

"Hmmm ... long story," he trailed off.

She smiled some before speaking. "It's not like either one of us has a place to go."

Raj chuckled. "Pushy, ain't ya?" He opened his eyes again to look at her.

Cassandra grinned at him. "Yeah, sometimes."

"Well ... you know Nigel and I were really good friends. I caused him a lot of problems." Cassandra just nodded some, listening to him. "We went our separate ways after all was said and done. Our parting wasn't the sweetest of things. The Council washed his brain with lies about me ... told him I was a liar and a skank trying to spy on the council. He started to hate me as much as the council wanted him to."

Cass listened to him, tucking her feet beneath her as she curled up on the couch, her eyes taking in the vampire as he spoke about his past with her Watcher.

"Well ... he tried to kill me."

Frowning some, Cassandra continued to listen, fascinated with the story though.

"We ... didn't part too well after that. I stayed here ... he went to England."

"I knew that much ... but I don't understand why he is so sad right now."

Raj shrugged before continuing. "We were best friends. He tried to kill me because the Council wanted me dead. He did it for show ... I didn't know that until he had me on my back and told me he'd let me go." He stopped for a long moment, caught up in the memory of it. "I should have died that night. Nigel should have killed me ... but he didn't. Instead we parted on the agreement we wouldn't speak ever again."

"Oh, I see ... so you haven't spoken again until now?"

"Pretty much. The fact that he was sent back to England for the Council to "re-train" him ... and they did. He's ... different. I didn't know he was back until that night at the cemetery."

Cass nodded in understanding as she listened to him, letting it all sink into her mind as she watched him closely. For some strange reason, she felt drawn to him. It was odd because she didn't really view him as a vampire even though, in all reality, that's what he was.

"Anyway ... he came to my doorstep asking me to help him out. If the Council ever catches word of him talking to or interacting with me ... he's gone."

"Still?" Cassandra looked dumbstruck for a moment.

"I'm supposed to be dead, remember?" At her nod, he continued, "The council sent him to kill me ... and he didn't. They know I'm alive because of the stunt Nisus pulled ... but I was supposed to be dead."

She turned on the couch some, watching him as her cheek pressed to the back of the couch, listening intently to him speak as he shrugged a bit. "I've cost him enough problems as it is. Our friendship was the cost of what had to be done. Nigel is loyal to the council, the council doesn't like the whole idea of an ensouled vampire because they believe it's a farse, and he had to do what he had to do."

Sighing gently, she reached up to rub at her forehead some. "So how come he sent you to talk to me then?"

"Because he thought I could get through to you. And I apparently have."

"Yeah but how come? And how did he know?"

"I ..." he paused dramatically a moment before continuing with a grin, "have a way with women. The whole sex appeal pheromone silky tone kind of thing."

She couldn't help but laugh some, jaded eyes twinkling. "Ohhhhhhhhh ... is that what it was?"

Raj grinned and nodded. "Yep."

Cass just laughed, looking at him. "That's ridiculous ... I am sooo not attracted to your pheromones!"

Raj playfully arched a brow at her. "And you weren't thinking of jumping my bones just a few minutes ago?" He grinned at the look on her face. "Yeah ... thought so."

She just blinked at him a moment, a look of shock crossing her face before she burst out laughing. "Dream on" she retorted playfully.

"Mm hmm ... you were. Admit it; I'm too sexy for you. You couldn't handle me." He winked playfully at her and then gazed toward the fire.

Cassandra laughed, grabbing a pillow from the couch before throwing it at him, watching it hit him in the shoulder before grabbing another pillow and hugging it close. "You're full of it."

Lerajie laughed as he caught the pillow. "And you're stubborn as hell. Tell me something I don't know."

Her mouth opened dramatically before she chuckled good-naturedly. "I am not," she retorted, hugging her pillow close.

"See? Arguing ... that's an aspect of being stubborn."

Cassie laughed softly, resting her chin on the pillow as she glanced back at the fire. Damn, he had hit a nerve. Now she couldn't help but ponder on just how sexy he was.

He glanced at her, seeing the look in her eyes. "See? Told you you were thinking about me."

She shifted her gaze to him for a moment, staring at him as if she hadn't quite comprehended what he had said, her thoughts on other things other than the words that had come out of his mouth before shaking her head slightly, her eyes blinking. "Huh?"

Grinning, he shook his head. "Nothing. Nevermind. So ... anymore questions about me? You seemed so curious earlier."

She cuddled with her pillow some, the warmth of the fire lulling her more into a euphoric state of consciousness as she relaxed around him. There was just that something about him that made her feel at ease. "Uhmm sure ... do vampires take mates or is that all just a movie thing?" And then she wondered where in the hell that question came from.

Raj grinned. "We can. It's not like we're broken or anything. Everything works properly. We ... just don't breathe." He laughed, seeing the look on her face. "Don't ask me how it all works. I don't know."

Cass couldn't help but laugh at the whole "everything works properly" comment, her face taking on a soft blush before she glanced back at the fire. "Well so then ... how come you don't have anyone?"

"No desire, really. She died, actually." He stopped speaking for a moment, his tone darkening a bit.

She turned her head some to look at him, a frown marring her features before her eyes turned cloudy. "I'm sorry ... it's ... none of my business."

Shaking his head, he continued quietly, "It was a long time ago. I ... shouldn't have ever gotten attached, let alone love her."

Cassandra nodded in understanding as her gaze turned back to the fire. It had been a personal question and one she shouldn't have asked. "So," she said, trying to change the mood some, "Where do you live?"

Lerajie looked at her out the corner of his eyes. "You think I'm dumb enough to give a slayer the whereabouts of my roost?"

She turned her gaze back to him with a smile. "You think I'm going to come kill you during the day? I could have done that here ... tonight."

He eyed her a bit. "It's out of town a bit. Straight out from 49th street."

Nodding, she bit back a yawn as she curled further down into the couch ... it was nearing the early morning hours. If they stayed here talking too much longer, he would be stuck here. She knew he couldn't walk out and about during the day. She secretly hoped he stayed even though she would never admit it to anyone. "That's not a bad neighborhood."

"Eh ... not too bad. It used to be where the high mucky mucks used to live. There's still those sort up my way, but they leave me alone. They don't seem to like my abode."

Cassie chuckled some, twisting some to scratch at her lower back and then got up, heading towards the kitchen. All the sudden she was hungry. "Well you know those snobby types ..."

"Well ... the ladies don't like to get their dresses dirty. And nobody goes anywhere near the old haunted Anderson mansion."




Cassandra's Curse Ch. 05



Opening her fridge, she turned some, hearing him and chuckled. "So THAT'S where you live."

Raj grinned. "Yes, that's where I live. It's a nice place."

Smiling, she pulled out some cold pizza, tossing it onto a plate and then shoved it into the microwave as she dug around in the fridge again for some beer. "I've heard of it but I've never been there myself."

"Mmm .. you don't want to. It's pretty treacherous. I hear ghosts haunt it and strange things happen there."

She laughed, pulling out a beer and then held up one of her Coronas, offering, "Want one?"

"Sure ... I'll take one." He smiled some before adding, "So ... you ARE hungry."

Laughing softly, she pulled out a matching Corona and her little supply of lime wedges, tossing the first beer bottle towards him with a playful, "Heads up!" and then as the microwave dinged, she pulled out the pizza and grumbled some, "Yeah, a little I guess."

Raj caught the beer and watched her. She was gorgeous when her hair was down. Hell, what was he thinking? She was gorgeous anyway. Wait ... why the hell was this in his head? He was here to help her, here to build relations ... not a relationship. He popped the top off the Corona and took a swig of it as if intending to drown his thoughts.

Cass smiled as he caught the beer and then popped her own top before shoving a lime wedge down the slender neck and lifted the bottle to lick the juices from around the opening of the bottle, just happening to catch Raj's gaze over the rim. She couldn't help but grin seeing the look on his face, flicking her tongue over the opening again for another taste of the lime before dragging her gaze away from him to take a long swig of her beer and applied salt to the heated pizza.

Shifting a bit to get more comfortable there on the floor, Raj leaned against the chair and took another swig of the beer. God, this stuff was weak. But ... it was at least tasteful. At least she didn't have something like Budweiser or the other cheap-ass American imitations of real beer.

He kept thinking about why exactly he was here. First she was ready to kill him ... now she was serving him cocktails. She was surely a strange woman.

Grabbing her plate of pizza and swinging the beer lightly as she held it by her fingers, she made her way back to where he was sitting before the fire, lowering down to sprawl out some beside him and began picking the meat off her pizza. Her long hair fell over her shoulders some, tickling down her back as she leaned back against the couch, shifting her gaze to him every now and then.

He stiffened a bit when she neared him and he seemed about ready to get up until he relaxed and settled again. "So why'd you quit?"

She glanced over at him as she picked at her pizza and then took another sip of her beer, savoring the lime flavor before shrugging some. Glancing back at her pizza , she continued to mangle it some as she spoke, "Why stay?"

"Because without balance, evil will rule and New York will become the headquarters for Pandemonium to take over."

Cassandra sighed softly, reaching up to rub her eyes before answering him. "I know ... I'm stuck. I can't exactly quit but this ... thing ... its killing any other kind of life for me. You can forget dating!" She glanced at him with a soft smile, thinking some things are better left unsaid.

"Mm ... I can see that complication. Most men don't hold my hours do they?" He grinned at her playfully. "That and you come home with bloodspots on your clothes. He'd wonder what happened."

She laughed softly and nodded, tearing the layer of cheese off her pizza and nibbled at it. "Yeah, exactly ... not exactly something you explain to a guy, I suppose."

"My first reaction would be asking who I'd have to kill. Then I'd ask what happened."

Cassandra glanced over at him, her smile softening some as she just regarded him. If she didn't know better, that sounded like a protective nature in him coming out. If she wasn't careful, she was going to get attached to him and that's the last thing she needed and probably the last thing he wanted.