Leah Carstairs (Book #2)

Taki's Diner

2008

Oskino didn't know his way around this strange city called New York. Back in Edom, he had sophisticated ways of teleporting around - and more than that, the demon wasn't very fond of travelling and liked to keep to himself.

So he would stay in his self-built palace in utmost solitude and entertain himself by food, blood, gold and watching Leah Carstairs. Leah Carstairs. Her name itself plunged him in an ocean of guilt. He had been responsible for cursing her to a life full of torture. He was the reason she had been an outcast her entire life. He had been the reason for her death.

As much as he tried to forget Leah - her glass-grey eyes, the beautiful brown hair that she had inherited from her mother, her skilled warrior-like grace and speed - as much as he tried to forget all the wrong he had done to her - he couldn't.

Oskino forced himself back to the present. Right now, he had none of the demonic abilities or features he used to have. He couldn't see the future; he didn't just 'know' things, the way he used to; he couldn't teleport; he couldn't manipulate people to do his bidding; he couldn't kill people at the flick of his fingers.

Being so mundane and useless infuriated him.

Even hunger seemed to get to him. He started regretting his abrupt departure from Catarina Loss's house and wondered if he should have waited and asked her for some food to eat.

As he heaved his body around the city, in the pursuit of anything familiar, he noticed an abnormally ripped girl with curly brown hair, crossing the road and entering a place called as Taki's Diner.

A werewolf, Oskino thought pleasantly. And maybe others of her kind will be inside the diner.

He slyly entered Taki's, ensuring that his hood completely veiled his face. The inside of the restaurant was larger and much more pleasant than it had appeared from the outside. A variety of Downworlders were seated inside, gossiping and smuggling illegal products under the tables.

Oskino, hoping to fit in, claimed a singular table for himself adjacent to where the werewolf girl sat - with her female acquaintance, a young pale girl with sleek black hair.

It was quite unusual for someone like Oskino, who had spent eons in the universe, generally aware of vampire-werewolf disparities, to see a vampire and a werewolf sitting and chatting together so comfortably.

". . . So, is anything special being done for Maureen's funeral?" The werewolf questioned.

"No. We are just glad the so-claimed 'Queen of Dead' is finally dead herself. She was a real pest, if you ask me; a great affliction to the clan. And besides, I have better ideas for our investments."

"You do? Why, enlighten me then."

"Well, as you might have noticed, Hotel Dumont has been quite a shithole since the beginning of Camille's reign. I plan on making the interiors a little . . ."

"Less scary?" The werewolf girl supplied.

"As you put it."

"Wow. That's amazing. I mean, this is something I didn't think would happen so long as I'd live."

"Thank you." The vampiress spoke curtly. "How are you doing as the head of Praetor Lupus?"

"Oh, it's . . . it's hard; but I'm managing. There are only such less members, so many tasks to be taken care of, so many repairs, so many dead people to honour. Surprisingly, the Clave - and the Lightwoods - have agreed to fund us. I learnt later that it was Isabelle's idea."

"Isabelle Lightwood?" The vampire lifted an eyebrow. Isabelle Lightwood. Oskino knew her. "Simon's girlfriend? Why would she do that? I thought you girls had some . . . personal envy."

The werewolf lowered her eyes, and replied "We have been getting along quite nicely, since Simon . . . lost his memory in Edom."

"Oh."

Simon's girlfriend. Edom. Why, Isabelle Lightwood had been a part of the brave band of Shadowhunting teenagers who had gone to Edom on a quest to kill Sebastian Morgenstern. Leah had also gone with them - knowing, that she might die, or worse go insane, Oskino thought sadly.

"And," The werewolf continued. "There isn't any envy between us now. Simon remembers neither of us. It is this one thing we can relate to. Although, it's clear that Isabelle loved him much more than I ever might've." She sighed.

The vampire reached forward and, to Oskino's great surprise, squeezed her companion's hand. "He will remember you, Maia . . . eventually."The vampire stared at her feet. "At least he's still alive."

Maia took comfort in her friend's words, and then looked up in sudden realisation. "You loved him! Raphael. You were in love with Raphael."

Raphael Santiago. The late leader of the New York vampire clan, Oskino mused. Why, he'd be mistaken if he said that Raphael had not had his share of imprisonment in Edom.

The vampire sighed. "Well, there's no point denying now."

"Aw. I'm so sorry Lily." The werewolf girl spoke.

"I am so sorry too - for Jordan." Lily replied, and her companion wiped her eyes. "Well, we are leaders now - not lovers. We don't follow others; we guide them. I have got my clan, and you have got Praetor Lupus. And we must help others of our kind recover from the trauma of the Dark Days."

Maia sniffed and nodded. "I will always be there if you need any help." She reminded firmly.

Lily nodded. "Me too. Unless it is a daytime job."

The girls laughed at her joke. Wow, mused Oskino. 2 teenage girls, both who have suffered pain and loss, are successfully uniting 2 Downworlder races that have fought and repelled each other for centuries.

The Dark War had separated so many, and yet brought together many others.

A/N : Yo guys! I know I'm updating VERY VERY VERY infrequently, and I swear, I'm sorry. It's just so hard to get enough time to write, when I've got school and tests and homework and tuitions and so much other stuff to do. And I repeat, I'm sorry. But that's not what this A/N is for.
It's been some time, actually - I don't know how many of you noticed - but Leah Ravenscar has hit 1K votes!!!! Like, whaaaa???? How is this even possible?! O to the M to the G!!
THANK YOU SO MUCH GUYS FOR DOING THIS TO ME!!!!! IT'S AN HONOUR REALLY, TO HAVE 1K VOTES, AND I KNOW SOME OF YOU ARE THINKING THAT "LILA, IT'S ONLY LIKE 1K VOTES", BUT YOU KNOW WHAT?! IT'S NOT JUST 1K VOTES. TO ME, THEY ARE THOSE 1000 FINGERS THAT ACTUALLY TAPPED THAT LITTLE STAR THINGIE AT THE BOTTOM OF THE SCREEN, BECAUSE THEY GENUINELY FELT THAT THE CHAPTER - AND THE STORY - DESERVED A VOTE.
AND WHY AM I STILL WRITING IN CAPS?
whooooo! Back to normal. Cool.
And, I know many people come and "read" the story - purposely, or accidentally. But only a few vote. And having 1 THOUSAND votes is an amazing achievement (to me, at least). Thank you so much, again!!! You people are the best!!!! And my battery is going to die, so . . . . byeeeeeee!

~Lila Wayne