Incompatible Means (Completed)

Chapter 19

Not wanting to stay in my room and wait for another babysitter I left shortly after Roderick did. I knew that escape wasn't possible and I was surprised to realize I didn't want to, I wanted to find the person that hired me just as bad as Roderick probably did. I knew that if I left the attempts wouldn't end and I was almost positive we were both being hunted by the same person now. I was able to make it out the same French doors Tex had taken me out the previous day. As I walked around the porch some, there were soft glowing hanging lanterns illuminating the area. I wanted to explore but knew that it wouldn't be safe for many reasons. Most importantly even though I had realized I no longer had a desire to escape didn't mean the guards knew it or would believe it. Also with someone trying to kill me, I was sticking close to witnesses and had no desire to go back towards those woods. Though I wondered if my rescue falcon would still be out there.

I felt a power signature approaching but I didn't really respond to it, I was already becoming used to being surrounded by supernatural power signatures. This power signature was all too familiar, though on our first couple of meetings there had been so much going on that I didn't ever let myself analyze it. It was the darkest power I'd ever felt, now power in itself is neither good nor evil so dark didn't mean evil, but this time I was willing to bet they were one and the same. It was like looking into the abyss, the darkness felt never-ending. I turned to face Marko as he approached, emerging from the shadows like smoke with a wicked grimace on his face. I briefly wondered if he would be beautiful too if his expression ever showed anything other than a desire to kill me. His midnight hair shone in the soft lighting of the lamps and his angular features cast half his face in shadow. Though he wasn't a vampire he still moved with a certain grace but I didn't think he was a shifter either. Man, I was getting tired of not knowing what I was facing.

"Look at you outside all alone without any protection," he said the semi-threat with a slight accent I couldn't place. "With someone out to kill you, I would think you wouldn't be so stupid."

"I may be alone but I am never without protection." My voice remained even though my hand gripped the butt of my side arm. Marko definitely wanted me dead and had from the beginning, I wondered what it would be like for a supernatural to hire a vampire killer. Would this man be able to push aside his ego and hire someone else to kill Roderick to keep his hands clean? I almost made the mistake of asking him just that when Marko stopped progressing towards me and his death leer transformed into impotent frustration. Declan walked up to my side.

"Is everything alright here?" he asked in his musical tone.

"I was just making sure all was well with Miss Brooks. Nothing worthy of your concern Declan," he said with barely hidden condescendence.

"She looks perfectly well to me. I am sure you have more important things to attend to this evening." There was no question to the dismissal in Declan's tone. Astonishingly Marko listened with a stiff bow and left, Declan must be higher up in the supernatural chain than I had an original thought. I wondered what he was doing here. Marko didn't head outside but continued walking outside towards Roderick's private guest house. For some reason I felt it supremely important to follow Marko, something wasn't right about him. Declan silently followed.

"What are you anyways?" I whispered.

"Well I am Fae of course," he said as if insulted I didn't know this immediately. I didn't even begin to understand what he was talking about. The word Fae brought up thoughts of either flying tiny fairies or elves. Since there was nothing tiny about Declan I could start to see the resemblance to movie elves in his sharp features but he still looked normal human to me. I was about to ask more questions when I saw that I was mistaken and that Marko wasn't headed to Roderick's but instead the garage. He was going to leave the property and I needed to know why and what he was going to do.