Cynical Musings of the Wondering Mind

Writer's Block: Caring

Wed, 02 Jul 2008 14:54:02 GMT

Who do you care about most in your life?

Why do we have to care about people in a numerical order? Why can't we just care? I mean i love my boyfriend, I care so much for him, and i know i certainly wouldn't be able to function without him. But i also care for my brithers, but it's a different kind of caring. They both mean equally as much to me, but i care for them in completely different ways. So noone in my world is cared for more than another, they are just simply cared for in different ways.

The Stone of Asphallys Chapter four

Tue, 01 Jul 2008 11:37:46 GMT

Disclaimer: I own nothing to do with blood ties. I do own th eoriginal characters and the plot line.

Synopsis: Evil rears its ugly head,

Thankyou to Cindy who has done an amazing job of fixing up my messes!

Rating, R for violence

Chapter Four

The Stone of Asphallys

A shadow moved in the darkness, flashed darker for just a split second and then became indistinguishable, lying in wait for its quarry. Carath watched the Guardian patiently, his dark eyes systematically sizing her up and assessing her strengths. His mouth opened in what could have been mistaken for a grin, but the gesture was far too dark and predatory for that—he would pick at her defenses and exploit all of her weaknesses one by one until she had nothing left—was nothing. The process had already begun when he had killed her mother and then her grief-stricken "father" had voluntarily walked into the sun.

As he watched, the Guardian came out through a door accompanied by a vampire and two women, a blonde and a brunette. She looked content, considering all that had recently happened to her, and the carefree way that she walked beside them was encouraging; he knew immediately that these people were one of her weakness. He sniffed the air around her—there was no trace of the stone near her.

She has hidden it somewhere. The creature laughed at her stupidity. No Guardian would ever leave the stone alone for too long; she would soon lead him to it, afraid to be apart from it, or as he secretly hoped, would try his patience and force him to take drastic measures.

****

Adonica laughed as she saw Henry rush off in front of them trying to get away from one of Vicki's "playful" hits. He had just been informed of what Adonica had done to Mike earlier that afternoon, and he had said something under his breath so that only Vicki could hear it. The way that Vicki reacted, told Adonica that it was something either very insulting, or very cheeky. Knowing Henry the way she did, Adonica guessed it was the latter.

She watched as Vicki ran after him, intent on catching him, even though they both knew it was useless. She smiled warmly, glad that Henry had finally found someone he could love after all those years of being alone. She cringed as she remembered her younger days when she had had a huge crush on "Uncle Henry." Every time that Lucas and Henry felt that they would be able to get along in the same territory, she had begged him to sit with her and read her bed time stories while sipping hot chocolate, which he never drank.

When she was older and well into her teens, the crush on him had diminished and he became her confidant, adopting an almost protective big brother attitude towards her. At least I have someone left. The loss of her mother and father made Henry and her new found friends all the more important to her.

Coreen, who had been quiet until this point, noticed the way that the smile had slipped off of her face, and she decided to lighten the mood again as they walked past her favorite coffee shop.

"I've made an executive decision," she said to Adonica, trying to be as cheery as possible. "We are going to go in and get hot chocolates whilst those two act like the children that they are." She pointed towards Henry and Vicki, who were now play fighting in the middle of the street.

Adonica nodded and smiled appreciatively. They walked into the coffee shop and all of their senses were immediately and brutally assaulted. Adonica heard Coreen throw up in the corner as she looked around the shop, taking in the carnage spread out before her. Blood painted the walls a bright, sticky red, and dead bodies littered the floor, seemingly flung about like rag dolls. The sharp, pungent stench of sulphur lingered heavily in the air, and even Adonica had to fight back a sudden wave of nausea.

"Henry." Her voice came out barely above a whisper, and she silently hoped that Henry could hear her. Why hadn't he been able to smell it? Why hadn't I? She realized that the coffee shop had to have been masked by a spell, and there were only so many beings who were capable of doing that. Given the recent events in her life, she had a few suspicions as to who was behind all this. She looked around the room at Coreen who was sitting in the corner staring at something in absolute terror, and the old instincts immediately kicked in.

She pitched her voice to its most commanding level. "Coreen, go get Henry, and you and Vicki go back to the office. Now!"

When Coreen didn't respond, Adonica opened the door with her mind and regretfully sent the girl flying through the air and out into the street. Desperate times called for desperate measures.

Too late, she sensed a presence behind her and spun around. The sight that greeted her caught her totally unprepared. Before her stood Carath in all his vile glory, leering down at her and obviously enjoying the fear he was invoking within her. He was humanoid in form, but the demon in him was unmistakable; skin appeared to be hewn out of rough stone, and when he smiled at her, molten magma glowed fiercely from within.

He advanced towards her.

****

Henry and Vicki turned around in shock as they heard Coreen hit the pavement behind them with a bone-rattling thud. With his vampire speed, Henry reached her first, but Vicki was fast on his heels.

"Coreen, what happened?" He attempted to sound as calm as possible, even though every cell in his body was screaming that danger lurked nearby.

When she just stared at him blankly, he vamped out and ordered her to answer him.

"Coreen, you will answer me! What just happened?" The girl's eyes slowly widened in delayed terror, but she responded to the command.

"Demon in coffee shop… everyone's dead!" She began to tremble uncontrollably and was obviously in shock.

Henry turned to Vicki. "You need to take her to a hospital. She's going into shock, and you know it's not good for her heart."

Before Vicki could respond, Henry had rushed inside the coffee shop. She bent down to help Coreen up from the pavement, both worried and scared for Henry and Adonica. She couldn't just leave them to handle whatever was happening, so she took out her cell phone and dialed for an ambulance. No sooner had she put away the phone and had turned her attention back to Coreen, when she saw a familiar figure heading towards her. Mike.

Things had just gotten more complicated. Mike, what the hell are you doing here?!

When he saw the two of them standing there in middle of the street, he immediately became concerned and demanded an explanation. Vicki gave him what little information she had, but already Mike was heading off in the direction of the coffee shop. Vicki grabbed his arm and attempted to keep him away from there, but she knew it was useless.

He and Adonica may not have gotten off to the best start, but the detective in him, the officer of the law who swore an oath to protect the innocent, was not going to stand idly by while some nameless horror rampaged through the city and killed whoever got in its way. She released her grip and allowed him to proceed, suddenly feeling as if she had allowed him to go straight towards certain death.

She could only hope that she was wrong.

****

When Henry went inside the coffee shop he felt his stomach lurch at the sight before him, the blood scent that lingered in the air assaulting his senses. He quickly scanned the room for Adonica, but couldn't find her in the front room. A loud crash and a grunt of pain alerted him that they—Adonica and the unknown horror—were in the back of the building.

****

Adonica threw the beast through the air as hard as she could and it hit the far wall with a deafening crunch, the effort nearly draining her.

Carath stood up slowly and casually brushed the dust from his body in an almost bored manner. "Is the Little Witchy getting tired?" He mocked her as she stood there panting, sweat beading her forehead. She had expended too much energy too early on in the fight, and it wouldn't be long before she didn't have enough strength to stand.

The whole thing was nothing but a game to him, and he was enjoying himself immensely. Adonica sucked in another lungful of air and braced herself as he rushed at her again, gathering her remaining power to repel him once more.

"Still got some in me, you bastard!" She sent a bin flying towards the demon, even though she knew it would not harm him, but hoped it would cause enough of a distraction for her to escape. She was about to make a run for it, when Henry rushed out into the room. He let out a primal roar as he sped towards Carath, and tried to pull Adonica away from a battle that he knew she would ultimately lose.

Before he could do any of these things, the demon grabbed a hold of Adonica's arm and flung her across the length of the store yard. She slammed painfully into a metal fire escape ladder, and one end of the ladder that was dangerously sharp impaled her through her abdomen. The white vest she had borrowed from Vicki quickly turned a dark and tragic red, and she bit back a scream, determined to not give the demon the satisfaction of seeing her writhe in pain.

She looked up and through half-blurred vision, saw Henry sail across the other end of the yard. She howled in a mixture of anger and frustration as he landed in a heap at the bottom of another fire escape, and she wriggled around, trying to free herself.

Carath turned his attention towards Adonica, pleased at the obvious pain she was in at not only her own predicament, but that of her friend's as well. "I seem to be having a sense of déjà vu, because I know that I've seen this before. But where?"

He appeared thoughtful, and his fingers slowly stroked his chin as he appeared to be lost in thought. After a moment, his eyes lit up triumphantly. "Oh yes, now I remember! Didn't your mother die like this, slowly watching her life ebb away as she bled to death in front of her daughter? A daughter that she died protecting?"

His tone became steadily more gleeful as he prepared to strike the final blow. "Seems to me that she died in vain."

Wrong thing to say.

At the mention of her mother, the anger washed over her, and with it came a much-needed jolt of adrenaline. Adonica used the last of her remaining strength to lift herself from the ladder, and she screamed in agony as she removed the piece of metal from her stomach. She focused her will, knitting the wound back together as quickly as she could, knowing that Carath was preparing to charge at her again while she was hurt. The coward.

She coughed and a drop of blood fell to the ground with a small splatter. Her blood. Swallowing, Adonica stared defiantly at the beast that was coming towards her, and was preparing for impact when she heard gun shots coming from somewhere behind her. Carath froze in mid-charge and screeched, the sound unearthly in its fury and filled with pain. Cutting his losses, he decided that it would be in his best interest to leave and continue the fight another time. He quickly opened a portal in the empty air around him and said in a threatening voice, "This isn't over yet, witch!"

Adonica slumped to the floor knowing that he was right. She lost consciousness before she hit the ground, and her wound, nearly healed, reopened and began to bleed furiously. Blood poured from her mouth and she began to tumble down into darkness.

****

The minute the ambulance arrived and took Coreen to the hospital, Vicki had sped off in the direction of the coffee shop. She felt a stab of guilt over leaving her assistant like that, but the girl had nodded her head as if to say that she understood. When she arrived, she had missed the majority of the battle, but it was obvious from the scene before her, that everyone involved was on the losing side.

****

Henry watched helplessly as the strength left Adonica and she began to slip unconscious towards the floor. He tried to run fast enough to catch her, but he was too late; his own wounds were slowing him down, and by the time he reached her, she lay in a pool of her own blood, her breathing ragged and shallow. He broke into sobs as he cradled her small form in his arms and felt the life seep slowly out of her.

The stone of Asphallys, Chapter 3

Thu, 26 Jun 2008 16:25:34 GMT

Rating: PG
Disclaimer: Own nothing, Only O/C
Thankyou Cindy another jobe well done! Would be more enthused...just knackered!

Chapter Three

The Stone of Asphallys

Of course they had questions—how could they not after having the proverbial bomb dropped in their laps like that? Adonica sat there steeling herself for what was to come, hoping that she knew enough about the stone, its creation, and possible means to destroy it, in order to prepare them for the coming battle. She looked around the room waiting for one of them to break the silence.

Not surprisingly, Vicki was the first to speak up. "I think that our best course of action is to figure out who is after the stone. I mean they were obviously desperate enough to take possession of it by taking on your mother like that…." Adonica stiffened at the mention of her mother, and Vicki hastily redirected the conversation elsewhere.

"This is no different than any other case we've encountered—well, except for the fact that we are dealing with the possible destruction of two worlds instead of one—but a name is our best bet. We have means," she ticked the points off on her fingers, "and we have opportunity. If you could give us a name and motive, then we can get the immediate threat out of the way by nailing the bastard who did this, and concentrate on destroying the stone, which would be in everyone's best interest."

Adonica had to admit that the PI knew what she was talking about, and there was a certain amount of logic in what she had said. Identify the killer, study their nuances, and with any luck, find their weaknesses. The next logical step was to exploit those weaknesses to their advantage and turn the tables against him.

"The demon that killed my mother was called Carath." Adonica practically spat the name out like bitter gall, "and he wants the stone for the obvious benefit of ruling both worlds. The only thing that could possibly destroy him is next to impossible to get a hold of."

"So it's not something that we could pick up at the nearest hardware store, is what you're saying then? Now why am I not surprised?" For a split second Adonica was sure that Vicki's resolve had wavered, but she made no move to cut and run from the room. Apparently sarcasm was one of her trademarks, and no one else seemed to be bothered by it in the slightest.

"It's a special atheme" Adonica replied simply, unsure how to explain what the atheme was made out of. Giving it a go she continued, "It's a blade forged out of molten lava that has been blessed by The Pope himself. So yeah, not something we can just pick up anywhere as you pointed out."

Vicki had crossed her arms over her chest, and as if on cue, her assistant had immediately picked up her pen and pencil to take notes. "Okay, now that we've gotten that out of the way, why can't the stone be used for good? Why does it always have to be bent toward evil intentions, and more importantly, why can't you use it?"

Adonica had been prepared for this line of questioning, and had suspected that this was going to be the first thing asked of her.

"If I were to use the stone—even for good—its basis is in evil. The more powerful a person is before they use it, the more power it would have at its disposal to effectively take over both worlds." She hoped that that would suffice for an explanation.

"Through you it would wield a power too great and terrible to imagine."

Vicki, Adonica, and Henry all turned to stare at Coreen, who blushed a brilliant shade of scarlet. When no one said anything, she rolled her eyes and said "Haven't any of you watched Lord of the Rings?"

Adonica chuckled to herself. She was glad someone got it, even if it was through a pop culture reference.

Vicki turned to her. "So what you're saying is that no matter what side you are on, the stone will automatically switch to evil-mode, and the more powerful you are the more powerful it is." It was more a statement than a question, and while evil-mode was not exactly how Adonica would characterize the whole process, she was nevertheless correct in her observation.

"Right." No sense in drawing out the suspense any longer.

"Okay, one thing that I don't get," It was Coreen's turn to talk this time," is how and why your family came to be involved in all this? How exactly did you get to be the protectors? I mean, I know you have the whole natural ability and everything, but why you specifically?"

Adonica felt herself beaming despite the direness of the situation. "My great, great, god-knows-how-many-grandmas-removed, was rescued by Asphallys. She had pretended to be a slave girl—a pleasure slave, in fact—in order to get close to the man that Asphallys worked for. You see she was an assassin, and she had the same powers that I have, but hers were much more advanced as she had come fully into them."

"She had been sent by her family to assassinate this man because he had unfairly taxed the poor people of the land for years, and had no pity for those who couldn't meet his demands—real people person he was—and after she killed him, the guards seized her and threw her in prison. Asphallys had fallen in love with her the minute he met her, and couldn't bear the thought of her being executed."

"Even though he knew in his heart that their relationship was doomed to failure because of the circumstances, he risked his own life and offered her an alternative. She could either rot in prison awaiting the gallows, or she could protect the stone. It was a simple choice really, and it should be obvious which path she chose. Since then my family has had to guard it, passing their secrets down through the generations."

Adonica was getting tired of answering questions and summed up her explanation. "I think that pretty much covers everything."

"I think so," Vicki agreed, noticing the weariness about the girl. "If we need anything else we know where to find you. Are you going to be staying here at Henry's?" she asked just to make sure.

Adonica looked at Henry as if to ask him if that was all right.

"Of course she is." They were his first words of the evening. Adonica smiled graciously at him and then nodded at Vicki to reply to her question.

Vicki stood up from the couch. "Okay then. Well, Henry I think me and Coreen will be going for now." She motioned for Coreen to follow her out the door, and when she seemed to hesitate, Vicki stared at her. "What?"

"Well, I have one more question," Coreen said meekly.

"Okay, shoot." Adonica smiled warmly and tried to put the girl at ease.

"Who is Robert Oppenheimer?"

Everyone stared at her and laughed.

*****

The next day whilst Henry was asleep, Adonica decided to go over to Vicki's office and help out for the day. Seeing as how she couldn't pay for their help, she thought she might as well earn it. The most that Vicki had asked from her was for her to get some coffee and help Coreen out with the research, but there wasn't much research to do really. Her family had managed to keep the stone hidden from the public eye, so anything they found was just speculation.

At around half past two, a man came into Vicki's office wearing a long trench coat and a suit with a badly matched tie. His blonde hair was draped over his face and curtained dark and tired eyes.

At the sight of him Coreen shouted, "Vicki, Mike's here!"

The reply that came out of the PI's office was a groan that could have been easily mistaken for frustration or excitement. Adonica guessed there was some history between the two. Old lovers maybe?

Vicki stepped out of her office and walked casually over to Coreen's desk and parked herself at the edge of it. "Mike, to what do I owe the pleasure?" There was definitely no mistaking the sarcasm in her voice.

The man named Mike replied, "I was wondering whether you were free for lunch today?" His voice sounded nervous and his body language suggested that he had a potent fear of rejection. Adonica guessed that Vicki could read this as well, and wondered what the woman was going to do next.

"Well," she began, "I'm actually working on a case at the moment, and it's kind of important." She finished the sentence with a slight gesture of regret. She hadn't seen Mike for days now, and the only time they spent together was when they were working on cases.

Mike's hand ran through his hair as he said resignedly, "Maybe I could help you out with it. What's it about this time?" His tone indicated that he was less than enthusiastic about the case, and Adonica thought that she detected a hint of suspicion as well.

"You really don't wanna know," Vicki replied sincerely.

"Vicki," Mike replied snappishly, "What is it this time?" His tone was quickly taking on a frustrated edge, and Adonica could tell from Vicki's body language that she was gearing up to go on the defensive. The way that her shoulders had been squared and the manner in which she had tensed her jaw, indicated that Vicki was not to be messed with today.

Mike didn't seem to notice or care, and continued to push her buttons, and Adonica was left wondering whether he was incredibly brave or incredibly stupid. Either way, it was a bad mistake.

"What has Fitzroy gotten you into this time?" The venom in his voice was undeniable as he spat out Henry's surname like a curse.

"Fitzroy," Vicki's sarcastic tone matched his, "has gotten me into nothing. Mike, meet my client. Adonica, meet Mike."

Vicki motioned towards the chair where Adonica had remained unseen up until now. Truth be told, she looked like a deer caught in the headlights, and felt kind of put out being used as a buffer, but she supposed that she ought to get used to it.

Mike turned in the direction that Vicki had indicated, and his face dropped in shock as he saw an astoundingly pretty girl dressed simply in blue jeans and a black top sitting there staring back at him.

He stumbled for words as his tonsils caught in the back of his throat, and he ran his hands through his hair nervously unable to speak.

He does that a lot. Adonica had always been interested in human body language, and found that the way people presented themselves were often completely different from what they were feeling inside. Mike was no exception, and she could immediately tell from his actions that he was ashamed of his outburst.

To ease the tension, Adonica raised herself from her chair and reached out to shake his hand. He took it. "Detective Mike Celluci."

She returned the pressure, which was considerable, and which was obviously meant to try and intimidate her. Either that, or it was meant to reassure himself that he was once again in control of the situation, in which case he was sorely mistaken.

"Adonica Rayne."

She could already tell that within the first five minutes of meeting this guy that she didn't like him, and that had been confirmed by the way he had tried to use his "power" as a detective to try and impress her.

Mike continued to maintain his grip on her hand. "So, how did you and Vicki meet?"

Adonica's reply was as blunt as his questioning. "I needed her to help me find the man you call Fitzroy," she sarcastically.

Mike released her hand and spun around to face Vicki," I knew that bloodsucker was involved somehow! He always is!" His face turned red with rage, and Adonica felt the heat rising in her own face as well. How dare he talk about Henry like that!

Vicki moved closer to him and met his gaze. "So what if he is?" she said quietly. Adonica wasn't stupid enough to mistake that tone for anything other than threatening. The same couldn't be said about the detective, who continued to glare at Vicki as she finished her explanation. "He's only protecting a friend." She motioned towards Adonica, and as Mike turned, he redirected his anger towards her.

Big mistake.

Adonica felt the power building within her, but dialed it back a notch. It wouldn't be polite to inflict bodily injury on one of Vicki's friends—however unpleasant and blunt they were—and besides, she had more restraint than he could ever hope to have.

"How can you be friends with that….thing? Knowing what he is, knowing that he's killed people?"

That did it. It was one thing to try and intimidate her—which wasn't exactly smart—but it was an entirely different matter to attempt to discredit a dear friend and blast holes in his character. Especially when the detective knew good and well that he wasn't likely to show up and defend himself.

She moved closer to Mike, her expression threatening. Mike took an involuntary step back and after engaging in a slight inner struggle, dug his heels in and stared defiantly at her.

"Detective," she spat, "I think of Henry as more human than most people. Which includes you."

Mike looked at her trying to stare her down. She was short by modern standards, but he felt intimidated by her and was not able to stare at her for long. Deciding to cut his losses, he turned back to Vicki. "So what freak show is in town this time?" Coreen, who had been watching the events unfold from the safety of the front office, winced involuntarily. Vicki made a move to say something, but Adonica had clearly had enough of the detective's rudeness.

"If I so much as hear one more word out of your mouth that insults my friends or is said in a tone that displeases me, just remember this.."

As she spoke, Mike's eyes became transfixed on hers as they slowly turned red. The ground began to shake and everything in the office that wasn't bolted down was lifted up off the floor, and began to swirl about the room. A squeal emerged from the front office as Coreen was lifted up out of her chair and began to float into the air. She groped frantically to hold onto something to anchor herself back on the ground, but it was useless. There was no escaping the power that now flowed freely throughout every fiber of Adonica's being. Seeing the gothette suspended in midair was enough to snap Mike back to reality, and back to what Adonica was saying. "…

"Henry is not the one that you should be afraid of, Detective. I have the power to stop your heart with little more than a desire to do so, so if I were you, I'd choose my next words very carefully."

With that Adonica's eye's turned back to normal and everything dropped to the floor, including Coreen, who landed with a shriek near her desk.

Adonica turned to help her up.

"Sorry about that." Vicki and Coreen simply nodded, too shocked to say anything.

"I think I should leave" Mike said quietly.

"Looks like you don't have a death wish after all," Adonica said dryly. Mike had the good sense to keep his eyes directed elsewhere and his comments to himself.

Vicki's eyes followed him as he quickly walked out the door, and when she was sure he was gone, she turned to Adonica. "So, your powers aren't fully developed then?"

Adonica shook her head.

"Okay, then." Vicki couldn't help but wonder just how powerful she would end up being when they finally had. If this recent demonstration was any indication, things could only get more interesting.

New site

Thu, 26 Jun 2008 14:19:18 GMT

Hey there,

I don't know whether I'm allowed to do this but, oh well.
I have just started a new site called Mythology World, This is a site that is dedicated to Mythology from all over the world. http://community.livejournal.com/mythologyworld/
From Classicism, to Myan. You will eventually be able to find stuff there.
If you are interested, and know anything weird about any civilization/Myth feel free to post it.
If you have any avi's that are relevant, post them.
Same goes for any myths themselves, if you want to post them you can, If you have requests for any myths to be placed up there then just ask.

You can post fanfic too, but this must have relevance to some civilization, or must have elements of mythology in them, for example; A god of old plays an important part in the story you are posting. The fanfics can be from anywhere but must be relevant.

Thankyou for taking the time to read this,
I just think it will be a really cool site when it gets off the ground.

Emma

Sadness and ranting!

Wed, 25 Jun 2008 12:50:49 GMT

I'm very annoyed today!
My twenty first birthday is coming up in two weeks and I decided i was going out for it to this club night calle Rock of Ages. I told my friends about it months ago and even gave them all details and bought them all tickets to get in. They all paid me back, which was fair enough, but then they are all suddenly "too busy" to come. It's just no fair, I mean I know that the music that they play at the night out is not to thier taste, but when they invite me to the fucking dancy clubs i make an effort to go, even though the music is not to my taste!

I don't think that that is very fair personally. If they didn't want to go, all they had to do was say so. Instead they build my hopes up and make me think they are going to make an effort. Just for once is it too fucking muh to ask that people don't let you down? I suppose that in this world it is!

Rant over!

Writer's Block: Comebacks

Tue, 24 Jun 2008 15:03:27 GMT

Know any great comebacks?

View 500 Answers

At least i don't look like Barbie's best friend Skipper turned Crack Ho! He he he , i don't know where i heard it, but it makes me chuckle!

"Screw you guys' i'm going home" A south park classic! Another one:

"If my dog had a face like yours i'd shave its ass and teach it to walk backwards".Another good one!

The Stone of Asphallys Chapter Two

Tue, 24 Jun 2008 12:53:40 GMT

Disclaimer: I own nothing to do with Blood ties. That Honour goes to Tanya Huff. I do own all original elements from this story though!!! Yeay I own something.
Thanks To Cindy for Beta ing you did a brilliant job again.
Synopsis: No spoiler!
Rating:PG so far

Chapter Two

Adonica stirred fitfully in her sleep, haunted by memories that no one should have to recall. The image of her mother suddenly welled up and caused her to jerk back, and as she watched, she handed her the stone and told her to run. "It's up to you now" she had said. The fear shone forth from her eyes and was evident in her voice as well. "I love you".

They were the last words she uttered as the tip of a dagger pierced her abdomen from behind, and her mother's face twisted up in pain, the front of her white vest stained a tragic red.

"No!" Adonica screamed at the memory and watched helplessly as her mother sank wordlessly to the ground, the life gone from her eyes.

With a shout, she sat up and found herself in an unfamiliar bed and began to shake as cold sweat dribbled slowly down her back. A familiar hand was placed on her head and she was pulled into a firm embrace as the sobs once again wracked her body.

"Henry……." The sound of her words were drowned out by her whimpers, and Henry did his best to comfort her.

"Shhh," he soothed. He sat with her in his arms and gently stroked her hair and let her cry until the tears eventually stopped.

His own emotions were stretched to the breaking point, and he felt powerless to comfort her. She had lost both her mother and someone whom she had regarded as a father—two people whom Henry had considered close friends, and for the first time in his long life, he felt lost and utterly helpless.

Her mother had died protecting the stone, but Lucas…. Henry was torn between grief and raw fury for his having abandoned Adonica during her time of need, but grief ultimately won out and the tears trickled silently down his cheeks. The only thing he could think to do was to hold her and try to keep her as safe as possible until her sorrow eventually gave way to the steely resolve that he had come to admire about her.

As both of their tears died away into silence, they sat there still locked in the embrace, each attempting to support the other in their time of need. Adonica was the first to venture a remark.

"Henry?" she whispered.

"Hmm?"

"Is it possible to meet with your friend today?" She asked quietly.

"Vicki?"

He realized that it was a stupid question the moment it left his mouth. Of course she meant Vicki; she was the only friend Adonica had met of his.

"Yeah, I think I owe her an apology. I figure it will be easier for me to explain what's going on with both of you in the room, especially when I tell her that I need the two of you to help me straighten this whole mess out."

Henry sighed. He knew that Vicki would not be happy at the prospect of meeting Adonica again, but would probably comply with the thought of free Chinese. This last thought made him chuckle softly to himself. Nothing like a little peace offering to smooth out the tension and diffuse an otherwise volatile situation.

"Done."

"One more thing Henry."

"Yes?" He almost reconsidered, but figured that requesting a face-to-face meeting with a woman whom she'd only recently threatened, was about as bad as it could get. Hopefully.

"Do you know where I can get some clothes at this time of night?" In her rush to get to Henry and protect the stone, she had not had time to pack any clothes.

Henry laughed with relief. "I'll get Vicki and Coreen to pick some up for you on the way over here." With that he walked out of his bedroom and went to make a phone call still chuckling to himself.

******

Half an hour later Vicki and Coreen had shown up with paper, pens and clothes. They were seated around the table in the lounge area when Adonica stepped out of Henry's room wearing a pair of what she assumed were Vicki's jeans and a vest which looked too gothic to be Vicki's. Judging by the triumphant expression on the assistant's face, it was obvious who had picked it out.

"I told you they'd go" Coreen said to Vicki smugly.

Adonica looked around the room taking in the people seated before her. When her eyes landed on Vicki, she shifted uncomfortably.

"Vicki?" Adonica's voice sounded small and uncertain, as she considered whether or not she had the right to call her by such a familiar name.

"Yeah." Vicki's reply was just a tad forceful, and the way she had squared her shoulders suggested she still had some lingering reservations about the girl. Despite her misgivings, she managed to fix the girl with a steely and unwavering gaze. Henry couldn't help but admire Vicki's refusal to be intimidated, but knew that the stare-down was unnecessary. Adonica had called them there to earn their support and not to make enemies. With the stone now in her possession, she would have plenty to deal with soon enough.

"I'm sorry for what happened in your office yesterday, but you have to believe me when I say that I had to do it, and not because I wanted to hurt you in anyway."

The sincerity in that admission was palpable, and Vicki realized that the confident manner in which the girl had presented herself the night before was gone, and had been replaced by a mixture of fragility, regret, and guilt. Vicki's steely resolve melted as she continued to stare at the girl standing before her, all but begging for forgiveness and understanding.

"It's okay. You were doing what you thought was right for your friend. I get that."

Adonica slowly let out the breath she had been holding, relief suddenly flooding over her. She smiled tentatively, and Vicki shifted over on the couch. Adonica sat down between her and the assistant and they waited for the food to arrive.

*******

After they had eaten, Henry motioned for silence so that Adonica could begin to tell her side of the story. Vicki sat listening intently while Coreen took notes. Henry reached out and held Adonica's hand in a supportive gesture.

"I guess that I should start from the beginning."

"That's always a good place." That was Vicki just being herself. She hated the feeling of tension in the room.

"Okay, here goes," Adonica said nervously. A reassuring squeeze let her know that she cold stop at anytime.

"657 years ago, an alchemist by the name of Asphallys embarked on a quest to conquer death, and in the process, created the greatest weapon that man has ever seen; The Stone of Asphallys. It was more powerful than a thousand atom bombs put together, and whoever possessed the Stone of would have absolute control over the world as you know it, as well as the next one. The underworld."

"Once he realized what he had created, Asphallys is said to have shouted to the heavens: "Now I am become Death, the destroyer of worlds!" Robert Oppenhiemer is said to have quoted him, but that's besides the point. Asphallys may have been entranced and ultimately driven insane by the power he held in his hands, but he was smart enough to realize that if a demon, an evil human—in fact anyone—got their hands on this stone, then the world as we know it would effectively be brought to an end."

"The only way to prevent this from coming to pass, was to entrust the stone to someone who was not only powerful enough to protect it, but strong enough to resist the temptation to use it. Even if that use was originally intended for good. "

Adonica paused for breath and as she looked around the room, she saw that everyone was staring at her intently. Vicki sat there on the couch with a fork poised above her box of chinese noodles. Coreen had stopped taking notes and was huddled in the far corner with her jaw practically hanging open. Henry, who was familiar with the story, but had not yet heard it told the way that she was telling it, had slackened his grip on her hand and was simply staring at her. The silence was unbearable for Adonica, so she continued.

"My family seemed destined for the job. The female line possessed natural magical abilities which manifests itself in many different ways. As Vicki found out yesterday, mine is telekenesis." Vicki swallowed involuntarily at the memory.

"My mum before me was teleportation, and my grandma's was metamorphmosis. They needed no more power than they already had, so they were perfect for the task at hand. With this responsibility came a heavy price; many have died protecting the stone, my mother being the most recent." Adonica paused as she felt the familiar sting of fresh tears in her eyes. Henry's hand tightened it's grip on hers.

"I'm the next in line to protect the stone, but I haven't fully come into my powers yet. Until I do, then the stone is in constant danger of falling into the wrong hands. I need your help."

Adonica looked plaintively at all of them, and they found themselves hastily shifting their gazes to the floor. They knew that the odds were stacked against them, especially if a powerful witch had failed. Vicki was the first to look up from the floor.

"What can we help with?" She asked quietly.

" Research, fighting, anything. We need to stop this. We need to find some way to destroy the stone. Fire doesn't work, water is completely useless, and in fact, nothing natural works. Magic seems to be our only option. The Stone was created by magical means, so it seems logical that that would be the way to destroy it. Sort of like fighting fire with fire, but the truth is, my family and have been trying to accomplish this for centuries, and so far we have failed."

"What makes you think we can do it now?" Coreen had moved from her corner and was now leaning forward on the couch.

Adonica was undetterred. "The fact that you never back down, no matter how dire a situation is, or what it may take to diffuse it. That was my family's philosophy since the first female was given the Stone to guard. I can see that same resolve in all of you. You are strong people, and your concern for this world and for those you love transcends even your own safety. That's why we can succeed now. Won't you believe with me? Fight with me?"

Adonica's voice resonated around the room drawing tears from everyones eyes, but she wasn't finished yet. Drawing herself up to her full height, she declared: "I will not accept that my mother and father died in vain! The demon who did this will pay whether you join with me or not, but destroying the stone is something I cannot do alone."

She looked at them one by one, and one by one they nodded their assent. They would help her—no matter what it took.

The confidence and dogged determination returned to her features. They could beat the odds as long as they stood together. "Any questions?" Adonica asked.

Writer's Block: Passionate Eats

Mon, 23 Jun 2008 16:06:06 GMT

Honey!!! Lots of the stuff. Anything that is sweet and edible, and the at dribbles slowly! Mmmmmmmm!

New Fanfic: The Stone of Asphallys

Sun, 22 Jun 2008 17:35:53 GMT

Disclaimer: I own nothing in this story except the O/C, That pleasure goes to Tanya Huff.
Synopsis: I don't want to say much... I can't think of anything to say that won't give it away.
Thanks: I'd like to thank Cindy for betaing, you did an amazing job. Thankyou!
Rating: PG
Please be kind when you comment, oh but do comment!

The Stone of Asphallys

Chapter One

"Vicki, your six o'clock is here," Coreen shouted from the other room.

"Send her in," Vicki replied wearily. It had been a long and tiring week, and this was her last appointment before she could look forward to a case free weekend at her apartment with bad movies and even worse Chinese.

Vicki looked up as a young woman in her late teens/ early twenties walked into her office. Her pale skin and blood red lips were offset by black combat trousers, a black vest and a pair of Doc Martens. Raven hair completed the overall look and tumbled down the length of her back.

Vicki chuckled silently to herself. God, this girl looks like she stepped right out of the pages of Snow White.

She continued to stare as the girl sat down in the chair opposite her desk, and assumed a casual posture.

"How can I help you, Miss…?"

"My name is Adonica Rayne, Miss Nelson, and I need to find somebody. Fast." The girl's voice contained an air of confidence and urgency, despite her apparent youth.

Vicki found that she was immediately impressed by the girl and responded quickly. "Well, that's what I'm good at. So, who do you need to find?"

"A man named Henry Fitzroy," The reply was blunt and to the point.

"Henry Fitzroy?" Vicki was momentarily shocked but quickly regained her composure. We don't know why she needs to see him yet, so just calm down and get the facts straight first.

"Do you have a picture of this guy? Any thing I can go on?"

"Actually I do have something for you. Or should I say, you have something." The sarcasm in the girl's voice was plainly evident.

"What the hell are you talking about?" Vicki didn't appreciate Adonica's tone of voice, and didn't care in the least whether she sounded rude or unprofessional.

The girl sat forward in her chair and her eyes settled on a spot just below the cuff of Vicki's sleeve."I was referring to the bite marks on your wrist. They're from Henry."

"Alright, now hold on a minute…" Vicki immediately felt cornered, and attempted to stall for time.

The steeliness of the girl's gaze never wavered. "Miss Nelson, I'm going to find him anyway, so you might as well just help me and make things easier. For both of us."

Vicki refused to be intimidated. "I don't know any Henry Fitzroy, but for $500 dollars a day I would be willing to…" Her voice caught in her throat as the unmistakable sensation of cold metal made contact with her skin. She gingerly raised a hand to her throat and her fingers curled around a pair of scissors that were seemingly poised in midair. The girl remained seated with a melancholy smile on her face.

"I wanted to do this the easy way Miss Nelson, but I don't have much time. I need to know where he lives, now!" The sense of urgency returned full force, and for just a moment, Vicki was certain that the girl's resolve wavered slightly. As if she hated to rely on such tactics to get the information she needed, yet felt that the ends would ultimately justify the means.

"How… how are you doing this?" Vicki couldn't seem to make her mouth form the words correctly.

"Another time Miss Nelson. I promise that as soon as I've seen Henry, I will tell you all I can." The resolve wavered a little more. "Please Miss Nelson?"

Vicki decided that perhaps the girl's intentions were not geared towards violence and destruction—which was hard to do, considering the scissors weren't going anywhere—and told her unwillingly: "He lives in the high rises at the other end of town. Top floor." She prayed that her gamble would pay off and that she would have enough time to warn Henry before the girl found him.

A small sigh of relief escaped the girl's lips. "Thank you."

She stood up and the scissors bounced harmlessly to the floor. Walking briskly towards the front door, she turned around and said over her shoulder: "Miss Nelson, you're a good friend. Henry is lucky to have someone like you looking after him."

The moment she was out of the office, Vicki rushed to the phone and dialed Henry's all-too- familiar number. It was seven minute until sunrise; at least Henry would have time to get the message before the girl got there.

*******

As Henry took his first breath of the evening, he heard the familiar beep of his answering machine. He sighed, thinking it was probably Vicki asking him to meet her at some bar to watch a cheating spouse. He got out of bed and went to listen to the message, which was from Vicki, but it was anything but mundane or entirely expected.

"Henry, something weird just happened. A girl who called herself Adonica Rayne was just in my office, and she said she needed to talk to you urgently, but that's not the weird part! She put scissors to my neck without actually holding them, and I'm sorry, but I had to give her your address. Thankfully she let me go, and I called you as soon as she left to warn you before she got there. Please let me know when you get this."

Henry laughed despite himself as he envisioned the meeting between Vicki and his old friend Adonica, and he wished he could have been there to see it. He had to admit that Vicki sounded remarkably calm about the whole thing—not many people who had come face to face with Adonica could lay claim to that. The fact that she had had to use force to obtain the information concerning his whereabouts from Vicki was sobering, and he found himself wondering just what was so urgent that she had to see him immediately about. A quick glance at his watch indicated that she should be here any moment.

******

Ten minutes later, there was a knock on his door and he immediately sensed Adonica's presence. Using his vampire speed, the door was opened before she could knock again.

"Adonica."

He took in her appearance with equal speed, and it was apparent that something was wrong; her normally pale skin was ghostly, the flesh around her eyes was tired and tear stained, and her swollen lips were a deep, almost painful looking blood red. The once-familiar innocent blue depths of her eyes were gone, and had been replaced by twin bloodshot orbs.

"What happened Adonica?" There was no denying that something drastic had recently occurred in her life. Her appearance alone confirmed that suspicion.

"Can we go inside Henry?" She asked weakly.

Henry moved his arm from the door and guided her inside, shutting the door behind her. He moved towards the couch and sank down on the cushions, then patted the seat next to him. She obliged gratefully and sat down wearily next to him. Fresh tears began to spill down her pale cheeks, and Henry pulled her into a firm embrace and held her as she began to weep, her frail frame shuddering as she sobbed loudly.

They sat there together while she wept, neither one saying a word. When the tears finally stopped, Adonica pulled back from Henry and wiped her eyes with the back of her hand.

"Henry," she began, her voice barely above a whisper, "something terrible has happened."

He tenderly stroked her cheek and gently moved a strand of her hair from her face. "Tell me."

"Lucas walked" she replied simply.

"What?" Henry was overcome with shock and grief. "Why?"

"Henry, my mum was murdered, and Lucas simply couldn't bear the pain of her loss, so he walked into the sun the very next day."

The tears threatened again, and Henry attempted to remain calm for her sake. "How did Sara die?"

"She was doing her job—she was guarding the stone."

Henry's grief and shock was overcome by panic. "The stone? Who has it now?"

The stone in question was the Stone of Asphallys, which contained within its depths the power to control both this world and the next—otherwise known as the underworld—and Adonica's family had been entrusted with its safe keeping for generations. Ever since the stone was first discovered, one member of each successive generation was charged with guarding the stone at all costs, which in the case of her mother, Sara, included her very life. Adonica's family had been chosen for this task because the female line had natural witch abilities which manifested themselves in many different forms. Adonica's ability was telekinesis; her mother's had been teleportation.

"I have the stone Henry, and it's in a safe place. For now." The listlessness in her voice indicated that she was beyond exhausted.

"You need to sleep." It was as much a statement as it was a request.

His questions could wait until tomorrow, but right now she needed to rest. Henry lifted Adonica up and moved into his bedroom, then placed her on his bed and removed her boots. The minute he left the room his sensitive hearing detected that her heart beat had slipped into a methodical slow rhythm. She was sleeping.

Writer's Block: We met on LJ

Thu, 19 Jun 2008 21:01:59 GMT

Who did you meet on LiveJournal you wouldn't have met otherwise?

View 500 Answers

All the friends on my friends list.

Fanfic: Hurt

Tue, 17 Jun 2008 19:38:17 GMT

Hey everybody, this is a little stand alone that came to me when i listened to Hurt by Johnny Cash/Nine inch nails. You can listen to it here, it is a really good song and very fitting. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SmVAWKfJ4Go.

Synopsis, listen to the song. Ooh yeah, set before Henry leaves town.

Rating: PG?

Disclaimer: I own nothing, no characters or lyrics, just for fun, or tears.

HURT:

"I hurt my self today,
To see if i still feel,
I focus on the pain,
The only thing that's real"

Henry was out walking trying to forget everything that had lead him to this night. The night after his soul mate had rejected him for someone else. Someone she deemed "normal". The scene kept running through his mind, causing him to pain he never knew he could feel. He just wanted to forget everything, he just wanted to forget...her.

Whenever he thought of her a painful mixture of regret, and lost love coursed through his veins. Yet he kept on thinking , kept on remembering. Tears streamed down his face as the words "it was always you!" flickered through his mind. Why had she said that, only to reject him mere minutes later? His pace began to speed up in anger.

"The needle tears a hole,
The old familiar stain,
Try to kill it all away,
but i remember everything"

Vicki walked confusedly past the scene of last nights events. She chuckled meloncholically to herself as she thought that if breaking hearts was a crime then she would have surely being imprisoned by now. She remembered how she saw Mike's face shatter at her revelation that she had wanted Henry. The she remembered Henry's face as she rejected him mere seconds later. She had told him that no matter how much she had wanted him, he had lots of lifetimes to get over her, Mike only had one.
She had left Henry's and drank so much to try and forget that nights events, but no matter what she tried, it failed. She let out a sob, realising that she had messed evrything up. She was letting her feet guide her, trying to figure out a way to get herself back in control.

"What have i become,
My sweetest firend?
Everyone i know ,
goes away, in the end"

Henry chuckled to himself as his anger dissipated. It was typical Vicki to leave in the middle of an awkward situation. It appears he was learning a few things from her. Tonight was the last night he would be in Toronto, tomorrow he would be in Vancouver and would be able to start anew... yeah right.
What did he have to live for if he didn't have Vicki? Before her his life was settled, complacent...boring. Could he go back to that?
He doubted it. Vicki made him feel alive, Vicki made him hurt.

His feet carried him past her office, and on instinct he checked for her heart beat. There was none. Probably out with Selluci he thought bitterly.

"And you could have it all,
my empire of dirt,
i will let you down,
I will make you hurt"

Vicki laughed at herself in shame. Henry had offered herthe world, but her stupid mind had overruled her heart. Why did she have to be in control of every situation? Where was it written that Vicki Nelson had to control evrything and everyine around her. God, she was so stupid. Why had she chosen to stay and help Mike?What could he give her? Love? Yes, but at what cost? She would have to put up with him being jealous evry time she decided to talk to another man.

She knew she was just trying to find excuses, trying to avoid the real question. What could she give him in return?
She couldn't love him, not in the way she loved Henry.
She could only hurt him.

"I wear this crown of thorns,
upon my liars chair,
full of broken thoughts,
i cannot repair"

Henry wandered around the city, taking in the sights one more time. Everything in this place reminded him of her. What was so special about this woman? why couldn't he have another? he knew the answer as soon as he though the question. its because they weren't Vicki.
Oh god, he loved this insufferable woman. The man in him loved her with all his heart. Why couldn't she understand that. whay was she so stubborn? She made him want to make a martyr out of himself. He would die for love, die for her love. The minute she was no longer on this Earth he knew he would walk into the sun, he would go with her wherever she went. So why was he leaving? Why was he not trying to beg her to give him a chance?

She's made her choice.

"Beneath the stains of time,
The feelings disappear,
You are someone else,
I am still right here"

Vicki walked as far away from His place as fast as she could. She wanted to forget last night, she wanted to be left alone. It was what she deserved. Yet no matter how much she thought that, she couldn't stop wanting Henry, she couldn't stop loving him. What was holding her back? It wasn't Mike really, he would move on. It was her, she would change, she would age and go blind. Could she put Henry through that, knowing that younger women would be throwing hemselves at him forever? Could she risk breaking her fragile heart any more?

She thought all this as she eneterd the park. The amount of times her and Henry had walked around here, forgetting everything. she had never known such bliss before.

"What have i become,
My sweetest friend?
Everyone i know,
goes away,
in the end.
And you could have it all,
my empire of dirt,
I will let you down,
i will make you hurt"

Henry asked himself , as he entered the park, why had she made that choice? Was she scared he would run when she was old? He knew she was, he knew she was scared to feel. He wouldn't hurt her he knew that, how could he convince her?

"If i could start again"

Vicki thought that if she saw Henry right now then she would tell him how sorry she was. Tell him that she made a mistake. Would he forgive her?

"A million miles away"

Henry asked himself if he could forgive Vicki for what she had done. He knew the answer immediatley. Yes, he would cancel his move for her aswell, if only she asked.

"I would keep myself"

Vicki walked around the park, looking at the floor. she was probably better alone anyway, this way noone would get hurt.

" I would find a way"

Henry looked up from the bench he was sitting on. He was going to find a way to prove his love to her. he had to.
He got up and starte walking, he stopped abruptly.
Vicki was right infront of him.

Her eyes filled with love and regret.
He leaned forward, placed a hand on her cheek an brushed it with his thumb.

Vicki let out a small sob, and ran into his arms.

Writer's Block: Favorite Lyrics

Sun, 15 Jun 2008 17:58:00 GMT

What song lyrics would you love to have written, and why?

View 506 Answers

Descend the shades of night, by machine head. It is just asuch a powerful song, the feelings that it invokes and the images that it inspires are immense. plus i just Fuckin love machine head and Rob Flynn.

Writer's Block: Gender Bender

Sat, 14 Jun 2008 21:02:38 GMT

Do you ever want to be of the opposite sex? If so, what attracts you to the idea? If not, what repels you?

View 500 Answers

I think i would like to ry being a guy for the day, just to see the world through a different perspective. Also maybe to have more respect from people. At twenty and being a female i feel that people don't take me as serious as my boyf who is only three years older. huh!

Fri, 13 Jun 2008 20:24:34 GMT

Oh go d, it's been one of those days. You know the ones, its the one where you want to shout at everyone in a ten mile radius, you want to tell them to go and fuck themselves because you have had enough! You have had enough of acting like a servant for each and everyone of them You want to tell the world that I Emma Hays doesn't give a fucking shit anymore, you can go and moan and complain to someone who actually cares.
Sorry. I don't really feel like this often but when i do it's bad.

Writer's Block: The Eternal Nocturnal Struggle

Fri, 13 Jun 2008 19:22:48 GMT

Vampires or werewolves?

View 502 Answers

I think that's obvious, Vampires, as long as its Henry Fitzroy, or Lestat ( QotD). Lol

Writer's Block: Unique Talents

Wed, 11 Jun 2008 21:32:23 GMT

Do you have a strange and obscure talent? What is it? If not, have you ever seen someone else's? What did they do?

View 501 Answers

I have this wierd thing when i can traighten my knuckles and bend my fingers at the same time, it's really wierd. basically i can keep the set of knuckles closest to my hand straight, and bend the ones near my fingertips.
My Brother, he is a natural contortionist!!!

Writer's Block: Stolen Goods

Tue, 25 Mar 2008 15:34:53 GMT

What is the most valuable thing you've ever had stolen from you?

View 500 Answers

Three years ago yesterday i got a text message from my friend saying that my bestfriend had being stolen away from us in the middle of the night. He had had Lukemia and was in remmision, but he caught a cold, and died.... ironic huh?

Writer's Block: If at first you don't succeed...

Sat, 22 Mar 2008 21:40:20 GMT

What have you tried in life that you just weren't very good at?

View 500 Answers

Maths. No matter what i did, it just didn't click. I never actually grasped the concept that maths was deffinite, that it was fact and could not be bent. Why couldn't 2+2=5? Why does it all have to be a perfect flow? I guess i overcomplicated it for myself!!!!