Dark Angel: The Light Within the Dark

Chapter 10

When I wake up Ash is already gone. I lay in the soft bed thinking until I hear the sound of voices coming from the living room. I rub my still aching head and concentrate on the voices in order to hear what they're saying.

"How do you know Jade anyway?" Ash asks Constantine.

"She's never mentioned me before?" He asks them and I can hear the hurt in his voice.

"No, but I'm assuming you met the year she ran away. That's the only time she could have met you."

"Jade ran away?" Zach asks confused. Even though no one is around I roll my eyes at Zach's' question. Of course, I did. Why else would Ash say I did?

"You really don't know anything do you?" Constantine says to Zach condescendingly. "Yes, that's when we met. I helped her take out a pack of demons that I was hunting. She was pretty badly injured so I took care of her. The first thing she did when she woke up was hold a silver dagger to my throat and my nuts. After getting her to put the knives down I made her an offer to be my partner. We started working together and I trained her. That's why she's the best warrior in all of your schools."

"What did you two do exactly?" Zach asks.

"We were bounty hunters. I still take on a job occasionally and what you do is the same really except you don't get paid so I guess she's still in the business."

"And you two started dating? I guess that's the reason she hates the idea of dating now." Ash questions.

"So what'd you do? Cheat on her?" Zach guesses.

"No. I've never cared about any woman the way I cared about her. I woke up one morning and she was gone. No note. Didn't take any of her things. She just disappeared and no matter how hard I looked for her I couldn't find her."

"It seems she's gotten over you. How long have she and Derek been going at it?" Zach asks Ash I assume and I can tell he's grinning from ear to ear.

"A while but it's never going to be anything serious. She enjoys being a free spirit." Ash says laughing softly.

"She sure is. I bet she has a long list of men she's left with broken hearts." Zach says with one hundred percent confidence. "Including you." He adds and directs towards Constantine.

"You don't know the first thing about her, Zach. Before you talk shit about someone make sure you get your facts right. That's how all that bullshit starts at school."

"Why is everyone glaring at Zach?" Abby asks and I can hear another set of feet close behind hers. They must belong to Dean. Sounds like everyone is up now.

"He just called our dear Jade a slut," Constantine growls angrily.

"She may act like it sometimes but she's not. Sure she's extra flirty but that's just who she is. All that shit people say about her isn't true. Once you get to know Jade you'll see. At school, she acts like a stone cold bitch because that's what they turned her into." The sound of chairs scraping against the floor fills the room. I decide to get out of bed and tug on my shoes.

"Are you sure?" I end up in the room before Zach even finishes what he was going to say. I'm even faster than I used to be.

"Cute outfit. Wherever you're going I want in?" Abby says with a wink.

"Thank you. I thought you'd like it." I turn to Zach. "As for you. If you're so curious about my list of partners all you have to do is ask. I'm an open book, most of the time. All you have to do is ask."

"I don't care." He lies. I grab his face and turn it to face me.

"Yes, you do. Don't be afraid to ask for something you want." My face is inches away from his and a couple seconds pass without him saying anything.