Date: Sat, 7 Aug 2010 14:07:12 +0000
From: chaotic_child@hotmail.com
Subject: A Voice From The Night World - Chapter 1

I don't own The Night World or seek to profit from the ideas or characters
that belong to another. The Night World belongs to the wonderful L. J
Smith. I thank her for creating such a wonderful series that I can borrow
for the use of my characters.

The characters in this story are fictional and any similarities to living
people are accidental. As this story contains sex between males, you need
to be of legal age to be reading this story and if you don't want to be
reading about sex between young men you might want to stop now. Feedback is
very welcome, as is anyone who is keen to pre-read or edit for me. All can
be sent to chaotic_child@hotmail.com I hope you all enjoy!

A Voice From The Night World

By Cobalt Cin

Chapter 1

The Night World isn't a place; it exists all around us and you. We are a
secret society of vampires, werewolves, witches, and other creatures of
darkness that live among you. We're beautiful, deadly and irresistible to
humans. Your teacher, your parent, or best friend or even your boyfriend
could be one of us, you just don't know it, and if you did you'd be dead.

1998

My name is Liev, I am a shapeshifter and I was born this way. My full name
and the black foxglove tattoos on my wrists tell other Night Worlders what
I am. I am Scottish and French respectively, both my parents and older
sister are also shapeshifters. Our clan name is very powerful in this part
of the world and in the shapeshifter aristocracy we are ranked third in
Europe. I stalk the world as a lynx and like all Night Worlders I am a
predator.  I am the 6 foot, leanly muscled eighteen year old with the cold,
hard green eyes, sensual angular face and glossy short tawny blonde hair. I
have a dimple in my left cheek and a well shaped mouth that usually wears a
small smile that subtly mocks or invites you. I move with a certain feline,
predatory stealth and grace, you'll never hear me come up behind you as a
lynx or human unless I want you to.

Its okay for me to toy with you, kill you, fuck you and break your heart,
its okay by Night World laws for me to do pretty much anything I damn well
like as long as I never allow you to find out the Night World exists or
fall in love with you.

I am a kind of bodyguard; I work under Zach, one of the oldest made
vampires in the Night World and am part of a team of four other Night
Worlders. Our organisation is part of Circle Daybreak; we are an even more
secret group of Night World members and humans who try to be a barrier
between the rest of the Night World and the human world. We try to prevent
too many bad things happening and we fight against the Night World by
protecting prominent Circle Daybreak members.

At the moment both sides are on the hunt for the Wild Powers. We have a
prophecy made by a powerful witch called the Maiden. She foretold that four
special people born seventeen years ago will fight with blue fire in the
coming millennium battle and they are to decide the fates of all of us.  If
even one of the four Wild Powers joins the Nightworld we are all lost, so
it is a race to find them and pick your side.

So far two of the four Wild Powers, a half-breed girl and a lamia boy have
been found and both are on our side. But there are two still out there that
the Nightworld and Circle Daybreak are desperately trying to find. I am
what you would call a good guy in the Night World, or as close as we get to
being good guys and I don't mind you vermin. As Daybreakers we believe it
is time that the world started to become aware that we and the rest of the
Night World is here, has always been here and wants to stay here.

It was 3.30am in the middle of an ambush on a rainy, cold Thursday in
Scotland when I discovered my soulmate.  The soulmate curse keeps popping
up among us Night Worlders like a fast striking plague as we drop like
flies to the discovery of our other halves.  Like many of us I was
unprepared and I admit shocked to discover not only did I have a soulmate,
but that he would be the last person in the United Kingdom who I would have
thought of to be my other half. But it could have been worse; at least my
soulmate is another guy, as I'm gay, a female soulmate would be no good to
me. But I'll begin 4 months after I discovered my other half on that autumn
night in Scotland and let you into what life can be like for us.

I was tired, wet, cold and sore as I walked in the door of our headquarters
with my cell phone vibrating impatiently with yet another call in the front
pocket of my jacket, a large, ordinary looking two story town house in an
Edinburgh suburb. I headed through the open plan lounge and dining room to
the stairs and began climbing up to the second floor aiming for my room,
which was off the sitting room our team of four shared.

 "So nice to see you after you disappeared on us Liev." Drawled the smooth,
silky voice of my best friend and leader of my team from behind me, he must
have come from downstairs.

I grimaced as I paused in the hallway to turn and glare up at the tall dark
haired lamia, or born vampire to you, as he came up the stairs behind me
waving his own cell phone at me.  At 6'4 he is taller than me and has the
build of a boxer, being that is his favourite sport and an exercise he uses
to stay bulked up and fit.

"Jesus, what are you, my mother?" I replied wearily as I headed passed the
sitting room our team shared on my way to my goal, my bed.

"You disappeared for two days and I saw you take that hit, I couldn't reach
or find you." Damian retorted following after me as I unlocked my door,
pushed it open and sat on the bed. I checked my the glowing screen of my
cell phone and see three miscalls, two from Damien and one from my
soulmate.

I sighed as I ran my fingers through my short hair and met his tired dark
blue eyes. All vampires had telepathy to some degree, but Damien's was
particularly strong, so strong in fact he could use it as an effective
weapon and there wasn't much that escaped him.

His dark, exotically handsome face was a perfect blend of Spanish and
English with his clean, sharp bone structure, large hooded eyes and thin
well shaped mouth and at the moment it was just as tired as his eyes. He
really did worry like my mother sometimes!

I grimaced again and shifted on the bed, rolling my shoulders to relieve
the strain and soreness I could feel from my healing injuries.  Injuries
obtained on Thursday night's job, which had been a routine exercise that
had involved escorting a pair of high profile Daybreakers to a new safe
house for a meeting. But we had been ambushed on arrival, the fairly
routine, easy job turning to shit. Damian stayed to protect them, as the
rest of us split up to lead the attackers away.

"If you promise not to laugh your ass off I'll tell you." I reluctantly
said when the silence stretched between us all but vibrating with Damian's
curiosity and worry.

He raised a dark eyebrow for me to continue as he sat on my desk and folded
his arms across his well muscled chest a move that caused his black hair to
fall forward to shield his face. The movement also caused the stylised
black rose design on his bicep to peek out the sleeve of his t-shirt. Like
the foxglove was a symbol for a shifter, the black rose was a symbol for a
vampire, as was a black dahlia for a witch.

"I spent the time stuck in a tree, okay, stuck as a kitty cat." I finally
said, which was the truth, I had spent a cold, miserably rainy day and
night stuck up that tree.

I am a big cat, I don't like water and I'm not a leopard so climbing trees
isn't that easy, I'd had to shift back to human and climb it naked, then
change back to lynx to protect myself, all with injuries to my left
shoulder and back.

"But why didn't you just give them the run around and come home?" Damian
wanted to know, downstairs we heard the door open and slam shut as somebody
else came home. There were three other teams, besides our foursome working
for Zach, so there were a few of us coming and going.

"Couldn't after I led Lily Redfern's crew on my merry fox hunt, I let them
chase me into that forest, I was pinned there.  Couldn't get out of that
tree till they got bored and lost interest, bloody `wolves and vamps most
of them!  I was weak and dazed, had to wait for my back and shoulder to
heal a bit, they hit me with silver. They couldn't quite locate exactly
where I was thanks to Tien's spell, it served to hide my scent, so I just
sat tight. " I explained mentioning the third member of our team.

Damien whistled through his teeth long and slow, no hit of fang showing as
a smile twitching at lips. He absently brushed his hair off his face; it
was just long enough that it brushed his collar. "Sounds like a shitty
couple of days; you haven't passed Chay have you? He's been gone too, not
that that's unusual for the bastard!"

A typical leader Damian always wanted to know what was happening and where
everyone was at all times, like I said, he's the worrier in our team.

Chay the final, newest member of our team sauntered passed my doorway, tall
and leanly muscled he brought in the scents of fresh cool air, wood smoke,
rain, feathers and a warm musk that was his own. His tight dark jeans,
tight black t-shirt and black boots did not hide anything, especially wet
and that along with the predatory stalk he had betrayed him for something
not human. It was a typical crisp, rainy winter Scottish evening and he
wore no jacket, he wasn't even shivering. His shoulder length white blonde
hair was damp and tied up; keeping the silky stuff away from his high
cheekbones. What could almost be a fine boned classically handsome face
with perfect full pink lips was flushed with the cold, but was ruined by
the cold, proud cast to his features and brooding anger.

Icy, hard penetrating dark eyes regarded us and a smirk appeared as he
noticed and acknowledged us on his way to his own room.  Chayton or Chay as
he preferred was half Finnish and a gyrfalcon shifter Zach appointed to our
team to replace Mikasi, our coyote shifter.  She had left us a month ago to
follow her soulmate into hiding. Her soulmate had been a prominent lamia
lord, and it was forbidden naturally for our two battling sides to form
relationships.

"Good to see you came down out of the sky to bless us with your presence."
Damian called out to him sarcastically, worry a thing of the past, Damien
lived to bait and ruffle him.

I glanced between them as they sneered at each other before Chay slammed
his bedroom door shut.

"Wanker!" Damian muttered loud enough that Chay would still hear him. "If
he wasn't such a useful bastard in the sky and on the ground, I'd pluck and
spit roast him. How I miss Mikasi, next time I see her, I'm going to offer
to singe her tail for leaving with that soulmate of hers."

I smirked at Damian. "I wouldn't worry Damian just be glad you've already
got a soulmate or you might have ended up with him yourself."

Damian snorted and smirked back. "Gotta be grateful for small favours it's
already enough of a challenge being soulmated to the only male witch in
Scotland. Besides we already know who got stuck with him." He admitted
wryly.

 "Where is Tien anyway?" I asked curiously male witches were very rare and
his clan was one of the most powerful witch clans in the Night World.

"Saturday dinner with his family you know how he is." Damian answered with
a shrug.

I had to smile Tien and his family took family gatherings, especially their
traditional weekend dinners very seriously, witches they were such a
clannish lot!

"But hey I have to tell you I'll try to lay off that soulmate of
yours. Seeing him pace the house stressed and restless these past few days
is something I'll never forget. It looked like he actually cared." Damien
commented with amusement.

I gave him a sharp look and realised he was serious under the
amusement. Having felt the same worry and stress come through the faint
bond that connected me to my soulmate when we were apart I knew he was
telling the truth. I had felt him looking for me and his frustration that
he couldn't find me. Tien's spell really had been a good one if even my
soulmate hadn't been able to find me. Our soulmate bond wasn't helpful when
we were apart, because neither of us possessed telepathy like the vampires
it was usually just enough to let us feel strong emotions.

"Get lost anyway Damian, I need sleep." I ordered him after we'd shot the
shit for a bit longer; I was still tired and sore.

"I'm going." He said sliding off the desk.  "Remember we've got the usual
morning debriefing with Zach tomorrow, 9 sharp."  "Yes mother." I retorted.

I got a good view of his middle finger as he left and pulled the door shut
behind him, I would get him back later, and I'd known him since we were
five so I knew all his weaknesses. I sighed, relaxing as I looked around at
my simple white room with its double bed, wardrobe, desk and chair. It
wasn't much, but it was home to me now and nothing felt better then coming
home to it and my team. Pulling off my shoes and socks I dumped them on the
ground next to the bed, remembered to open the window and swapped my wet
clothes for my own skin as I collapsed on the bed.  I'd barely closed my
eyes when my senses alerted me to the fact that someone was in my room.

 "Can't you wait till tomorrow?" I whispered to the intruder knowing he
could hear me.

 "Why would I wait till tomorrow?" A low accented voice asked there was a
rough, husky quality to it that always made me hard.  "Suit yourself." I
replied as I rolled over and glanced over at the naked intruder as he sat
down on the bed next to me.

In the Night World one came across so many hot, beautiful men you got used
to it, but I didn't think I'd ever get used to this one or the fact that he
was mine. It took considerable will power to force my eyes to stop staring
at his lean, muscled body. His body and his muscles didn't have the
definition of mine; his muscles were more subtle showing more tone and
faint outline. The round ass he had was softer than the rest of him too; it
was all I could do sometimes to stop myself from grabbing his ass. The
dark, hot look he shot me let me know he'd seen me look and liked it.

"Where have you been?" My soulmate wanted to know the worry showing through
his eyes and his own sexual need as his eyes ran over my body with a
thoroughness and possession that had me hardening to my own full seven and
a half inches.

"I was stuck up a tree playing decoy." I replied giving him the same story
I'd just told Damien to distract him from the relentless search of my body
he was doing in his quest to check I was really okay.

He frowned at me his eyes returning to scowl into my face. "That's why I
couldn't find you! Damn Tien can be too good sometimes."

"Wipe that expression off your face Tien's spell saved my butt." I told him
pulling him down beside me and wincing as the action pulled at my still
healing back and shoulder.

I ignored the pain as I kissed him and felt the white-hot blue lightening
arch between us blasting open the light soulmate connection between
us. Ruthlessly it pushed us into each other's minds as he pressed up
against me and returned my kiss.

I didn't think I'd ever get used to the utter nakedness the full soulmate
connection forced on us. It left his mind, soul and heart wide open and
naked so I could see his memories and every thought or action he'd ever
had, good and bad. I knew he could see the same in me and it left me
feeling more vulnerable then I'd ever felt in my life. I could feel the
same in him and did my best not to look to closely as our spirits flowed in
and out of each other.

I focused on the physical deliberately looking away from his memories of
the last two days and ran my hands over him. I could feel him doing the
same to me as first he ran his hands over me to check with touch what his
eyes had already told him. When our kisses became hotter and wetter,
hungrier, his touch turned more fevered and grasping, as mine did. I would
never get used to touching him or running my hands over his warm body and
flexing muscles, especially my obsession that soft round ass of his.

 My soulmate pulled away from our kiss to roll on top of me and pant
heavily against my cheek. He dropped warm kisses on his way to my neck as
my fingers reached their goal. I grabbed his naked ass, squeezing and
pulling him tighter against me as his mouth sucked at the vulnerable spot
where my neck met my shoulder, we both cried out, me in pain, he in need.

His weight had put pressure on my still healing body and forced a wave of
weakness through me. Despite the fact I was just as desperate to appease
our mutual hunger for each other; my body just wasn't up to fucking. He
felt the pain in me and pulled away with a disappointed sound.

"Sorry." He whispered still scattering kisses across my face and throat as
he pushed himself up onto his elbows and slid off me.  "S'ok."I managed to
mutter back as I wrapped my arms around him and listened to the sound of
our heavy breathing that filled my room as the pain, sexual and other
throbbed through me.

Time passed and I noticed the rain had stopped as he curled up against my
side with a soft sigh and realised I was lazily stroking him. I am a very
tactile person with my partners, I like touching and to be touched, it's
not always sexual, it can be for comfort or just enjoyment of skin, hair
and the warmth of the body under my fingers. He shifted nuzzling my neck
and I felt his fingers run through my short hair and allowed myself to
relax against him.

"I'll help like before" I heard my soulmate say at some point jerking me
away from the warm, comforting arms of sleep that I'd been starting to
drift in.

I felt him nudge me and urge me to lie on my stomach. With a grumble I
complied, rolling over and I felt him press both palms against the skin on
my back and soothing faintly gold energy flowed into me through his
hands. Slowly the pain, aches and other discomforts I'd been feeling slowly
faded away.

"You're a witch huh?" I whispered to him, remembering he'd done the same
thing to me once before.

 I was drowsy and contented when I felt him curl against him once more. He
ran his fingers through my hair again, his hand stroking my neck as he
rested his head next to mine.

I felt a long hesitation and reluctance from him and shrugged. "S'ok, you
don't have to answer that."

There was another long pause and I felt those clever fingers rub my ears.

"My mother was a witch." He whispered back caution in his tone.

"I won't tell." I murmured back, feeling my own purr and felt him kiss my
neck as I fell asleep.

? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?  I woke up to the blearing sound of my alarm at 8am
feeling my stiff back and a cooling bed. It appeared my soulmate had gone
at some point. Slowly and steadily I stretched my body to get the kinks,
sexual and other out, taking particular care and time to carefully stretch
the healing muscles in my back. I felt that my own natural healing
abilities and what my soulmate had done last night had helped a lot, but I
still wasn't fully healed yet. Grabbing a clean towel and my toiletries I
headed for the bathroom the four of us shared to grab a shower.

Returning to my room in a towel I passed no one as I headed back to my room
to pull on dark jeans and an old light grey Metallica t-shirt. I never wore
underwear or unnecessary clothes, being a shifter meant I didn't need much
clothing, I am naturally hot blooded. Clothing tended to get shredded on a
regular basis too and underwear was just uncomfortable.  Running a brush
and some gel through my short hair, I arranged it in the style I preferred,
hung my towel up, threw my dirty clothes in with the laundry and headed
downstairs to grab some food.

 Spending time up a tree as a lynx and 2 days healing from injuries
inflicted with silver meant I was starving and needed fuel to replace the
energy I'd lost. I'd have to go on a hunt in the next few days; I needed
more than mere food could give me. Like the vampires need to feed and get
fresh blood to survive, shifters and werewolves need to hunt and kill live
prey. We needed the adrenalin of the kill, the organs and blood to feed our
own high energy requirements; we too healed from most injuries and had to
shift, unless we were killed we were near immortal.  The hunt also helped
feed our wild predatory instincts as well, much as the vampires needed
blood and witches needed energy to do the same. Most of the Night World
tended to use humans to feed their predatory needs, but Daybreakers used
animals and occasionally donors or soulmates if you were a vampire or
witch.

But for now regular human food would do to tide me over.  As I walked into
the kitchen I exchanged nods of greeting with Damien who was already there,
sitting at the breakfast bar an empty used plate in front of him sipping
coffee by the smell of it.  Unlike common myths vampires could eat human
food; it just gave them no nutritional benefit. There was no sign of any of
the other teams, but then we all had different schedules and different
jobs. Tien's auburn head was bent over a pot he was hovering over on the
stove. I could smell the tasty scent of breakfast and something else bitter
and sour.

"Love the hickey." Damien called out with a whistle as I walked past him to
pour myself a cup of coffee.

I ignored him as I sipped at my coffee, hot, black and with a hint of
sugar, just how I liked it, as I looked down Tien's shoulder at what he was
stirring. He was by far the shortest of all of us, at only 5'6 and slender
with it.

"I hope that is for you and not me midget." I commented with a wince as the
strong, sharp scent of the tea he was stirring went up my sensitive nose
and I moved away.

Tien had a tendency to try out various herbal healing remedies his mother
and sister taught him.  His power tended towards battle magic, not towards
healing like the rest of his family.  But this didn't stop him wanting to
have the skill his female relatives possessed, there was a friendly family
rivalry going.  Tien glanced over his shoulder at me; his violet eyes and
black dahlia signet ring he wore witch trademarks all over the Night World.

"You bet Cat Man, Damien said you got hit with silver. We need to counter
some of the silver poisoning your system. It'll help, trust me." He coaxed
his violet eyes gleaming with humour.

It was a sexy face; he did look like a fey, more delicate version of Jared
Leto we all agreed under that wavy auburn hair. There was a running joke
among us that someone in his family must have had fae blood but he denied
it fiercely. His patient act was a hoax he was powerful enough he could pin
me to the wall if he wanted to with a one spell and force it down me.

I backed away from him. "Keep it away from me. I'll take my chances with my
own healing abilities."

"Damien! Grab him, he needs to drink it. He won't heal right without
diluting the silver poisoning." Tien ordered as he turned the heat off and
moved to pour the hot tea into a mug, a frown altering his fey good looks,
patience wasn't his best trait.

"Come Liev, I put some honey in it so it won't be as bitter or nasty as it
smells." Tien tried again, seeing Damien stay put as he studiously studied
the contents of his coffee mug, knowing better then to get involved and he
knew how foul those teas could taste.

I sighed knowing Tien wouldn't quit and would continue to force Damien into
the middle.  I put my coffee mug down with an exaggerated mournful look and
allowed the witch to push his mug of steaming bitter tea into my hand. I
glanced into the dark brown liquid and winced, deciding to swallow it on
one go to get it over with. I shuddered, it was as bitter, sour and as
strong as I thought it looked and smelled. The honey I could only taste a
bare hint of but it did take the edge off a bit.

Tien beamed at me and patted my shoulder, accepting the cup back placidly
as I glared at him. He then handed me a plate piled with bacon, eggs,
sausage and hash browns, throwing on some freshly popped toast and gestured
that I should sit. He followed me to the table with his own plate of
breakfast.

"Tell me about your adventure." Tien invited when Damien came and sat at
the table with us, keeping us company.

So I told him repeating the same story I had given Damien and my soulmate
including the fact that the spell he'd given me helped hide my scent
between mouthfuls of food.

"That's awesome! Good to know my trial spell worked." Tien commented
sounding very pleased with himself as he leaned back in his chair and
chewed meditatively.

I protested. "Now you tell me I was your experiment."

Tien shrugged not put off by my cold look and smiled at me. "You didn't
need to know it was an experimental spell and it worked. So you're no worse
off. I just need to fine-tune it to fit you and then I can modify it to fit
Damien, Chay and myself."

Damien snorted. "Chay can just fly away."

Tien glared at his soulmate. "It's not fair to leave him out. Why you two
are always baiting each other is beyond me. In other circumstances I would
be wondering if you didn't have the hots for each other."

Damien shrugged and glanced at his wrist watch "Hurry up its 8.55am, we
need to be in Zack's office. I don't want a penalty `cos we're late again."

Damien got up to rinse his empty mug and put it in the dishwasher, he
glanced at us seeing neither of us was moving and gestured impatiently.

We got up and followed suit, rinsing our used plates and stacking them in
the dishwasher as we followed Damien towards the back of the house and our
boss's office.

The office we entered was large, with a large curtainless bay window and
fitted out like the sort of masculine study an English lord might have had
a century or so ago, all dark wood, rich carpets, ivory and black
leather. The funny part was that Zach was not English, he was Irish, and
the house had come with the study. Zach was sitting in his big office chair
behind a modern looking black desk with a frown on his face typing
something into the computer in front of him. As usual books, print outs and
papers were piled around him; there wasn't much room for the vampire at the
desk.

Without being asked the three of us took an armchair from the group on our
side of the room and sat down. Arriving on our heels was Chay who ignored
us all as he pulled the heavy wooden door shut behind him and collapsed in
the remaining free chair next to me. The gyrfalcon's hair was damp from a
recent shower and he had on an old ripped pair of black jeans and t-shirt.
To the world we were a security firm but our fees were so high we usually
only had inquiries from humans who were rich or who were movie stars. We
took the occasional offer to work with humans, but it was rare as we always
ran the risk of being discovered. Mostly we worked within the Night World
and turned down job offers from humans.

Being a few hundred years old and a made vampire, none of us were sure
exactly how old Zach was, as he never offered the information and we never
dared ask, he did not look like someone who would be a vampire or a leader
of an elite Night World business. He was very young looking, looking about
17 and he had curly dark brown hair that was cropped short around his head,
the kind of pale lightly freckled skin you saw on the Irish and a pair of
candid light blue eyes in a soft, boyish face. He was only average height
at 5'7 and his body was wiry and tough, close to being skinny and he wore a
pair of loose, old jeans, a simple white shirt, sneakers and an ancient
dark brown leather jacket.

But if you looked closer you saw the hard knowing glint and the shadows in
his eyes, the steely strength in the wiry muscles under those casual
clothes, the pearly sheen to his skin and the glossy note to his hair. You
would feel the air of quiet power that sat around him like the comfortable
clothes he was wearing and realise that his calm, easy going expression was
a mask that a predator hid behind.

"Glad you could make it boys." Zach greeted us with only a faint hint of
his Irish roots showing in his voice as he finally looked up from whatever
he was doing on his computer.

"It's good to have you back with us Liev." He added with a slight smile as
he acknowledged my return. "I take it you didn't suffer too much harm?"

I shrugged not too surprised that Zach was aware of the misfortune that had
befallen me; he always knew what was going on with his people. "I'm healing
and I'll survive from a cold night in a tree."

He nodded clicking a button on his mouse and we all heard the whirr and
click as his printer kicked into action.

"I have a new mission for you as you no doubt have realised. You are the
only team I have not got currently involved in a job. You are my best and
most skilled team so perhaps it is a good thing you're available." He told
us kicking straight into the meeting.

"What is it you want us to do?" Damien wanted to know.

"I received an email from Lord Theirry and Lord Sebastian a few days ago
and they advised me that they have picked up information that the third
Wild Power may be here in Britain." Zach explained a small smile
acknowledging our surprised looks.

Lord Theirry was the oldest made vampire in the Night World and he was the
leader of the American Daybreakers. Lord Sebastian was a lamia and the
Daybreaker leader in Britain. The mention of a possible identify for our
missing third Wild Power was also pretty exciting and none of us could stop
leaning forward or wipe our expressions of the eager interest.

"One of their joint teams is currently on the way down from London as we
speak to give us more detailed information on who the suspected Wild Power
is. Your job will be to befriend, follow and guard this person while their
team aims to discover proof and persuade the individual to join us. Because
if we have pinpointed the same person you can guarantee Nightworld leaders
will not be far behind." Zach continued to explain feeding our interest. "I
warn you now this mission does involve going back to school."

I groaned. "You're kidding me?"

Zach's eyes chilled as he regarded each of us. "I am not kidding. You will
do what you need to in order to make this job work. If that means going
back to school for a month or two, you'll do it."

I shrugged and glanced away from his sharp gaze we had all finished school
a year ago. "Whatever you say boss."

"Any more comments?" Zach challenged glancing at each of the other members
of my team, when they all shook their heads he nodded reaching out to pick
up his newest 3 page print out.

"Here, take this, read over it and report back to me in the afternoon. By
then Sebastian's team will be here and we can debrief each other on any
updates then." Zach continued handing Damien the print out when he leaned
forward.

Taking his words as the dismissal they were we all got up and began to file
out of his office.

"Liev stay for a minute." I heard Zach call to me.  Turning around I faced
him and shot him a questioning look as Tien pulled the door shut behind
him.

"Damien and the rest of your team have told me what happened on Thursday. I
would like to hear your side of the story as well." He requested.

I sat back down with a sigh, getting tired of repeating the same story and
told him what had happened to me.

"You're sure your injuries are healing?" He asked finally as he regarded me
for a moment with a long look.

I nodded. "Yes slowly but surely. It still hurts and I feel a bit weak, but
it is better than it was yesterday."

"Tien also gave me one of his teas to help counter any lingering silver
poisoning." I added with a wince and wry smile.

Zach gave me an understanding smile shuddering himself. "I have been at the
wrong end of those teas myself a time or two."

I managed a smile. "He claims they work."

"How is your soulmate?" He asked casually.

"What do you mean?" I questioned warily feeling a bit shocked by it.

"You don't need to play the fool with me. I know you now have a soulmate,
most would not be aware of it outside your team, as you both hide it. But I
can see auras, part of the tiny bit of witch blood that runs through my
veins, yours has changed." Zach answered in the same friendly, casual tone.

I was surprised even more by his comment about having witch blood, it was
the first time I'd ever heard him say something so personal about himself
and I'd worked for him for three years now. I'd had no idea; I'd assumed he
was human before he was turned. But then I guessed perhaps everyone in
Ireland had a touch of magic and the witch in them.

"Yes, I think you may be right there." Zach commented with amusement in his
voice and eyes.

I shrugged realising he'd picked the thought right out of my head and
sighed remembering to reinforce my mental shielding as Damien had taught
me. "As far as I know, my soulmate is fine."

"You are both adjusting okay?" He added with another of his slow, searching
looks.
 "As well as any of us do when hit with the soulmate lightening." I
admitted with a nod and the flashing smile I was so good at.

He returned my nod and smiled at me a hint of sadness softening the hard
glint in his light eyes. "It is always something of a curse and a blessing
discovering a soulmate."

I laughed in agreement as I got to my feet. "Is it okay if I go now?"

Zach gestured a shooing motion at me in answer and I saluted him mockingly
as I opened the door and made my way out of his office.

"Let's go see what he's given us." Damien said from the hallway outside
Zach's office where he had been waiting for me, the other two had
disappeared on their own business.

We went.