Hunting For The Sun

CHAPTER TWENTY THREE

Run, Run, as Fast as You Can

I awoke when a blow such as that when an ox charges headlong into a wall hit my mind. I reeled back, rolling over and over in the bed. My arm came to rest on cool skin, and my eyes snapped open to see Ori asleep. His eyes were closed and his lashes lay like a shadow over the top of his cheekbones. His mouth was slightly open, and one of his hands was wrapped in my hair, clenching it tightly. I couldn´t think what he was doing there.

Uh oh.

My ears were ringing already, but then another blow came. This time from the other side, knocking me across the bed, twisting the covers around me and hurling me to the cold stone floor. The fall jarred my bones and left me aching all over, the tang of blood tracing across my tongue.

`Rae?´ Ori mumbled. `Rae, what are you doing?´

I coughed, blood dripping like black paint to the flagstones.

Draco?

I choked.

I´m not in the mood for talking,

his voice spat.

What did I do?

I shrilled, puzzled.

See that inhuman monster on the bed there? You should be fairly familiar with him by

now.

Oh god!

I exclaimed, slapping a hand to my mouth in horror.

There´s no such thing,

Draco spat.

He did something to me!

I protested. He... hypnotised me or something!

Yeah, like I believe you,

he hissed, but he sounded less sure.

I would never do that!

I told him, half-shouting. You know I wouldn´t!

Your record doesn´t really do much to support any claims that you aren´t a traitor now, does it?

he pointed out.

I didn´t say anything. I couldn´t.

`Rae, come back to bed. I´m getting cold,´ Ori protested.

`Fuck you,´ I snapped, coming to my feet and wrapping the covers around myself primly.

`You already did,´ he drawled, rolling onto his back and linking his hands behind his head.

I had no comeback for that one. I hesitated.

`I would never have done it if you hadn´t been controlling me,´ I spat.

He looked at me thoughtfully.

`Maybe,´ he shrugged, settling back again. The covers were tangled around his waist and his bare chest was covered with bruises. He looked strong, but then I knew that.

Now, get out of there,

Draco instructed. I nodded and marched out, snatching my clothes from the floor before slamming the door.

I´m really sorry,

I began.

I know. There was a pause. He´s done it before.

He has?

I wasn´t exactly surprised.

Yes. That was when I was with Skye. I introduced her to this place. He took her too, but I left her for that.

Are you going to leave me?

I asked, a shocking realisation dawning.

Well...

he sounded amused now. I may. You might have to make it up to me.

I could tell he was joking now. Anything, I promised.

I wouldn´t make that promise yet, but I may take you up on your offer,

he told me. Now, when are you getting back to us?

Shouldn´t be long,

I told him. Then I remembered how I had got to Ori´s room. But I don´t know where Skye is.

AGAIN?

he drawled, sounding bored.

Uh... yes,

I said, sheepish. I´ll find her. Persephone took her.

Persephone?

he demanded.

Yes.

This is getting to be an ex- reunion,

he stated lightly, but I could feel that he was hiding a dark pain.

Ick. That was really gross and poetic. Someone hurry up and assassinate me already. I´m even making myself feel sick.

Persephone said her name was Virginia. Is she THE Virginia?

Yes she is,

Draco answered.

Do you know where her quarters are? I need to find Skye.

Right...

I could feel him search his memory. I´ll need you to shove over a minute. I need to see where you are.

I didn´t really understand his request, but I `shoved over´ mentally. I could feel him in there. It was strange. He went up to my eyes and looked out.

Okay, you need to go down to the left, then along until you find some stairs. Go up. That whole floor is Ginny´s. Her room is the one to the left of the tapestries, unless they moved them. It´s near the top of the stairs, anyway.

I nodded and started down the corridor, then remembering that I wasn´t wearing anything. I took a detour into a small empty room and dressed. Then I went on my way again, rubbing my arms to bring some warmth into the freezing leather of my coat. The stairs were clear, but they wound up into darkness for ages. I craned my neck to look up them, but couldn´t see to the top. I sighed and began to climb.

I stopped rather abruptly when a hand wrapped itself in the fabric of my coat, pulling me back against Ori´s chest.

`Running away, little rabbit?´ he asked nastily. I tried to struggle away, but I couldn´t even stand up straight. He was too strong.

`You know, it´s really naughty of you to run away,´ he continued, oily. `I´ll only catch you. You can´t get away from me, you know. It´s in prophecy that we´ll spend a lot of time together.´

I could feel his breath on my neck, his hands around my waist and his forehead against the back of my head. I felt terrified and the sudden realisation that there was someone away from whom I couldn´t get hit me. Someone with whom I had to spend time, regardless of my wishes otherwise. I opened my mouth and took a deep breath.

`Tell me you love me,´ he hissed.

I didn´t. Needless to say, I would never do that. I screamed. I screamed at the top of my lungs and I screamed until I could scream no more, then I took another breath and started from the beginning.

`Stop it! What are you doing?´ Ori cried, taking his hands from my waist and trying to slam them over my mouth, but I pushed them away and leaped out of reach. I spun and kicked him solidly in the chest, sending him rolling back down the staircase into the darkness below. I ran like a little mountain goat. I could hear him getting to his feet, swearing like a sailor. I pushed on the door at the head of the stairs and slammed it shut behind me. I searched for a tapestry, hearing sounds outside that terrified me to the bones. I couldn´t see one. I screamed again.

I ran to the door, still screaming, and slammed myself up against it, using my back to keep it shut.

In a second or so, doors began to open. One of them was Persephone.

`What are you doing here?´ she asked.

I shook my head. `Ori,´ I panted. She drew in a sharp breath, swearing.

`Get Skye,´ she told one of the maids. The vampire nodded and ran into another room.

`What´s he doing?´ Perse asked me.

`He... controlled me. Made me do something, then he came after me,´ I gasped, choking out in pain as he slammed against the door for the first time.

`I see,´ she said stiffly.

Skye rushed in, guns in hand.

`What´s happening?´ she demanded, seeing me back-pedalling against the door for all I was worth.

`Ori has been inappropriate,´ Perse said ominously.

`Ori?´ Skye frowned.

`Vampire,´ I panted. `Very -- strong - vampire.´

Skye´s eyes popped as she realised what I was doing, and she skidded to my aid.

`Why did he do it?´ I asked Perse.

`Because he´s such a shit that he can´t get a girl the conventional way,´ Perse answered, organising the folds in her robes primly. She shifted her bodice elegantly and then raised a hand.

`Step aside... now,´ she instructed. Ori came flying through the door and landed in a heap on the floor.

`Now, now. What have we been up to?´ she asked, turning her palm to the ceiling and raising it slowly. Ori came up like a wooden puppet, grotesque and reluctant.

`Thrall,´ Skye whispered. `Might well be useful at some stage.´

`Damn right,´ I replied, shaking.

`You´ve been a naughty boy,´ Perse was chiding him. `Very naughty. Say it.´

`Naughty,´ he drooled. `Bad Ori.´

Perse nodded and smiled. `Now, what did you do to Rae?´

`Hypnotised,´ he gagged.

`What do you say to her?´ She flicked her fingers, spinning him around hideously.

`Sooorrryyy,´ he droned, head lolling and tongue hanging between his teeth. Skye and the vampires were laughing. I was disgusted.

`Stop that!´ I cried. `Stop doing that to him!´

Perse´s eyes hardened. `No,´ she said. `No, I won´t.´ She bobbed her hand and he ducked. Then she started muttering commands and he danced around, then flapped his arms like a chicken. Skye was in hysterics on the floor, and all of the vampires in the hallway were clapping and cheering.

`Faster,´ Perse snapped. Ori began to spin really fast on the spot, the disgusting puppet show building up and up.

`I´m leaving!´ I yelled. I spun and charged down the stairs.

`But the show´s for you!´ Skye called. They began to chase me, but I ran faster and tried to remember the barrier spell as I stumbled down the step descent. As I reached the end, I skipped off and turned around, flickering the spell into the gap and watching it weave a web of purplish light for a split second before sprinting as fast as I could through the halls and back to the main chamber. I heard shouts behind me as they tried to break the barrier, but I knew that I had a while. I threw myself to the ground before the entrance hole and started wheedling myself through, smarting at the slowness.

It was hard going, and I nearly lost a boot as I wrenched my legs desperately through. I leapt up and started to run again, stitches all over my body and my boot lopsided. After I ran on it for a while, however, it sorted itself out.

I bolted out of the lower level and up into the main carpark. No cars were there, but that was to be expected. Who would park in a vampire nest?

As the light began to grow the higher up I went, I started to relax a little. Not many of them would risk coming this far up. I put on an extra burst of speed to get me into the top level and then out into the street. Thank the gods it was daytime. Even so, I followed the street as far as it went, sticking to the sunny areas. It widened into a square before long, and I mingled with the people, clutching my aching sides and neck.

But then it dawned on me that I had nowhere to go and no idea where I was. I estimated that I had about four hours of proper daylight left before the vampires could come out. They knew every nook and cranny of the city, and I could hide nowhere. Not that I had any places in mind. Time, I felt, to call for help.

Draco?

Can´t you last ten minutes without me?

he asked, but he was just playing. Not the time, maybe.

Not really,

I answered quickly. Look, they´re being really nasty and strange. I want to get back to you. I think I´m in trouble. I ran away. I´m out in a sunny square nearby so they can´t get to me, but the sun will go down in a few hours and I need to be out of here before then.

I think this prophecy is going to take a lot of work

, Draco mused. Apparate?

I don´t know any of the areas well enough to visualise them.

You´d better take it step by step,

he told me. I´ll give you a picture of a town. Go there, then tell me where you are. I´ll give you the next one, all the way to the coast. After that, you need to go the conventional way.

Thanks,

I said, totally relieved. Is this what I need you for, prophetically speaking?

Interesting term,

he laughed. Yes. I´ve done a heck of a lot of travelling in the past eleven years. All in preparation for you.

What about you? Where are you?

We´re about ten miles outside of the temple. Alethea´s holding up - barely. Raven´s going to put her in magical stasis when we get back, but right now it´s all we can do to get her through each hour. Cloud´s all healed, though.

I found that I had nothing to say to all that. How could a world crumple as efficiently as mine had in such a short time? Everything I touched seemed to turn to dust.

Always a silver lining, Rae,

he reminded me gently. I have to go. Alethea´s coughing again.

I swallowed a flow of guilt.

Here´s the town you need to aim for. There are no vampires there, so just find somewhere to sleep and I´ll get back to you when you wake up.

An image flashed up in my head and I focused on every detail of it, then let myself flow into the picture. It was hard work to hold it there, but I managed. When I next opened my eyes, that scene stood before them.

There´s a crappy hotel nearby,

Draco told me. It´s really, truly awful, but they won´t ask questions. Tell them I sent you.

I nodded vaguely and followed the directions Draco gave me through the crowded streets. This place was nothing like as impressive as the City, but it wasn´t too bad. It was snowier here, and the air felt colder. We must have been higher up.

Eventually, I came to a side alley filled with dustbins and bordered with two high walls of grey stone, slimy and smoky and with metal funnel chimneys sticking out of them at odd angles. There was a tiny door next to a pile of caved in crates.

Go in there,

Draco told me. It won´t cost anything, but you have to look official.

Too tired,

I mumbled.

Just this one last thing,

he said. Then you can sleep.

I tried to say something, but ended up yawning. I decided that that had to be my cue. I walked to the door and banged on it, assuming a look of great self-importance and praying that this would cover the horrible nervousness that I felt whenever speaking to these people.

A small man with a pouchy looking face pushed the door open a few inches and peered out suspiciously.

`What´s the password?´ he whined, staring up at me through narrowed eyes.

`I don´t know,´ I said. Uh oh. What if I really needed one of those? I was dying of tiredness! `But I´m here for Draco Malfoy.´

`Aha,´ he replied silkily. `Say no more.´ He stepped aside, opening a way into the musty darkness.

I blinked a little at first, but my eyes soon became accustomed to the gloom.

It was a members´ club, of sorts. Rather disreputable looking men and women sat around, either talking, drinking or playing cards at the shabby tables. There was a perpetual haze of smoke hanging over my head, and the smell of dried blood was evident. I coughed slightly and stayed close to the owner.

`You can join in any number of games,´ he told me in a half-mutter. Then his eyes took on a gleam. He rubbed his hands together. `What´s your trade? Thievery? Murder? Whore, are you?´ His little face lit up.

Ah, now this was something I could do. `I´m an assassin, a murderer, a thief, a crime-lord, a robber and a patron of grand-scale larceny,´ I told him, essentially telling the truth. `Not a whore, though. Not unless I need the money.´ To be associated with Malfoy, here I needed to sound really bad. I put on my best face of utter nastiness.

His face was reverent. `We are honoured,´ he murmured. `You´ll fit right in.´

I didn´t really want to. There were all sorts of curious looks being directed at me. It appeared that they had all been listening in to my talk with the manager, and spaces were being made for me at various tables. A group of footpads leered at me and budged up, fetching another stool. I shuddered. `Actually, I´m really tired. I´ve been travelling for weeks,´ I grimaced. He laughed.

`No problem. We get a lot of that. On the run?´

`Yes,´ I said. `I was captured, then I got in with the wrong crowd in the big city further inland.´

`Ah,´ he nodded. `I know. The vampires, right?´

`The very same,´ I nodded. `They wouldn´t take no for an answer. I had a companion, but she was still with them when I - shall we say - excused myself.´

He nodded again and laughed. `Follow me.´

This place was starting to feel a little better and a lot less repulsive. But then, it was my natural habitat. When you get right down to it, I´m a thief and a murderer. This prophecy was just some work on the side.

He took me up some stairs at the back of the room, running a hand along the peeling wall to stop himself from falling. Upstairs was a dingy corridor with peeling paint and about five doors leading off it. He directed me to one of them, muttering things about making myself at home and breakfast at eight, before bowing himself out and leaving me to sleep.

The room was fairly big, actually. There was a massive bay window at the far end, covered by steel blinds. A busted bed that looked like it had been pilfered from a hospital or similar, stood against an ornate headboard by the door. There was a caved-in sofa made of brown threadbare fabric that could easily have been green in a better era. A door led off to a tiny bathroom on the right, and a radio stood on a small three-legged stool by the window. I didn´t even bother to close the blinds. I just fell face down on the bed and curled up to sleep.