Chapter 2

Sitting down on the roof I take off my jacket. My black tank top matching my pants and belt. ‘Why didn’t I change from my uniform to my normal cloths? It's to hot out here to be wearing black and these heavy cloths.’ I moan as I wipe a bead of sweat from my forehead.

“Shouldn’t a shadow like you be inside? I hear your type doesn’t like the heat. Also that you people don’t like the sun.” A snide voice came from behind me.

“Really, did you hear all of that? That’s amazing!” I say dripping with sarcasm.

“You and your people disgust me. You kill without feeling and then take everything from them.”

“Oh yeah and I bet a solar like you knows all about that.” I become enraged.

I stand up and leave my jacket on the ground. I turn slowly and look behind me at the voice. I see a man of tall stature and silver hair. I just stand their. I glance at his ribbed shirt and tight jeans. Then I glance at his shoes. You could run a steak through them and they wouldn’t break! My body fills with loath.

“I see you’re looking me over. Don’t or I’ll cut out your eyes and watch you bleed out.” He smirks.

“Bastard! You and your kind can all go to hell!” I yell to his face.

“Really and what would a killer know about that?”

“Ok ass hole lets get some things straight. I am no darkness. I am no killer. I am no one to mess with. And what I know about killing should be something a solar like you should be familiar with.” I sneer.

“Really. Doesn’t killing an entire family, out of cold blood, not count as a murderous act? Killing everyone but the helpless son.” He spits at me.

“I don’t randomly and viciously kill people. I am not a rabid dog! And how dare you accuse me of such a horrible thing! You don’t know me. And I have only killed seven people thus far. Probably much less then the number of people you have killed. Mine were for a good cause anyways!” I yell back.

“Pardon me but I haven’t killed but a couple people and they weren’t even people they were darkness’s. And if you are not one then what are you? Because I know your no solar. We wouldn’t be having this conversation if you were.” His cold eyes stare at me

“Bastard! My parents were nightwings. Well they were until your kind came to our house and hunted them down like the animals you are! My parents were just innocent bystanders and I was the one they were after. They protected me with their lives. And I am hunting down the murderous ass holes that did it!” I turn around and walk away.

“You’re of no interest to me. Your not old enough to have been their to kill my family. Later.” I grab my jacket and faze out of their before he can say anything else.

I reappear in the apartment as I hear Fannie in the other room. I quickly change into jeans and another tank top and but my hair into a pony tail, from the bun I just had it in. Then walk into the room.

“Hey.” I say in a mono tone.

“Lil! What are you doing here!” she says surprised.

“Well I kind of live here Fannie.”

“I know but I though you said you were going to get lost tonight.”

“And I kind of thought you were going over to his place.”

“I know I'm so sorry Lil. Please forgive me but theirs been a change of plans.” She whispers.

“Ok. I’ll be gone in a minute I have to pack. Then I’ll leave.” I turn and leave.

“Thanks.” I hear her whisper as the kitchen knob turns and I enter my room again.

I grab a bag and shove a nights worth of clothing in it and my shower supplies. I look around the room for anything else I may need and decide against most of it. Instead I grab my iPod and shove it in the bag. I faze out right as I hear them start up a movie as I whisper under my breathe “Good for you.”

I reappear on the top of an old abandoned building as I set down my stuff next to the hammock I placed up here when I first found it. The building itself was abandoned years ago as I had been hopping and came upon it. It's my home away for home. I come here when I need to get away and can’t stand to be around people. I kick the cooler open as I grab a Vault and then lay in the chair next to the hammock. I just stay their soaking up the air and then clear sky that’s becoming dark.

I stick my iPod into my ears and listen to Breaking Benjamin. I begin to hum it as I take another sip of my drink. ‘This is boring.’ Theirs no electricity on the roof and nothing else to do. I watch the sun set as I smell it again. Blood.

I roll my eyes and moan “I really don’t want to do this.” But then it hits me. The fall. I need it. I want it. My body begins to shake as I feel it growing in my stomach. “No. Not now!” I moan as I hold my stomach and bend over. I strain to gain control of my body. “Damn it!” I roar. I look around for it. I don’t see it. The damn juice. Were was it?

I stumble toward my hammock as the scent gets stronger and the fall hits me harder. My eyes begin to turn silver as I hold myself together. The pain is so immense I fall to my knees. I try and calm myself to go check the scent out but the fact that it's not subsiding isn’t helping. Finally I find the juice, the stuff that makes the burning go down till I can get a good feed in, and I drink deep and hard. It takes effect immediately as I feel better already. I stand up and take the whole thing down.

“Shit. I can’t believe it's been that long since I had the fall. I need to keep up with that better.” I moan to myself.

Still feeling the small sting in my stomach I put my trench vest on. I stick my knife in my leg holster just in case and then faze off the roof. I feel it getting closer as I stop a roof ahead. I scout it out fazing from roof to roof around the building it's coming from. It's still going strong so either someone is calling me or their bleeding out. Usually I wouldn’t hesitate like this but something about this blood makes me feel weary. The pain in my stomach is still their but I can get over it as I finally guess its ok to finally check it out. I faze over to the roof as I see him. The ass hole I saw earlier, but this time he’s wearing nicer clothing. A regular shirt and some nice pants.

“Damn you’re a little late. I thought you would have been here a little sooner. From what Pane said I thought you would have been here in an instant.”

“What do you want jerk off and who is Pane?”

“Such language for someone so pretty. Pane is my twin brother. You met him earlier. Shit I almost bled out waiting for you.” He snickers.

“Your twin. Well you do look just like him. Except…”

“…Except my eyes are blue right.”

“I never got to see his eyes. We kind of just argued.” I flinch.

“You ok? You look a little…jumpy. Or was that a flinch?” he smiles casually.

“Don’t worry about it. What do you want? I’ve had my fill of idol chit chat.” I glare at him.

He looks down at his arm and begins to rub it. As I watch the friction looks as though it's smearing the blood but it's really absorbing it back into him and healing the wounds.

“A little longer and I might have.” He laughs. I just look at him.

“So why are you here?” I say putting my hands across my chest and standing relaxed.

“I came to see you!” he said all cheerful. I open my mouth then close it. I really don’t know what to say. This hasn’t really ever happened.

“So. You’re really a darkness?

“No. I am no darkness.”

“Hm. Well Pane said you were.”

“Well Pane was wrong. He was wrong about a lot of things.”

“I'm actually really surprised you didn’t get killed around him.”

“Why is that? Does he usually kill and then ask questions.”

“No not at all. My brother is really complicated. Trouble just likes to follow him. His mouth and cold demeanor gets him into trouble most.”

“Couldn’t tell.” I say rolling my eyes.

“Right. Well my brother…” he was cut off by a hand. The hand was attached to Pane. I knew it was him even though he was not turned to me.

“My brother could you not sense she is in her fall?” he said coldly. “Bitch! Were you planning on feeding from my brother? You are truly soulless aren't you.” The chill in his tone set my bones on fire. My anger flares as my eyes flicker from silver to crimson and back.

“You sick son of a bitch! Yes I may be in my fall but I would never take someone without asking. I do have morals! Unlike you! You’re a cold ass who doesn’t give a shit about anything or anyone!” I snap back at him in just as much chill.

“Excuse me but don’t I get to talk. My name is Angher. Hi yeah.” He side steps from his brother and takes a step up. “Yes brother I know about her and the fall but I can handle myself.”

“Does that also count almost bleeding out?” Pane snarls.

“Whatever I'm gone. You seem to have enough family issues to take care
of….Wait! You lying son of a bitch! You said you had no family!” I jump and then flinch. That wasn’t good. It was coming back and with a vengeance this time. I groan as they notice something’s wrong.

“It's coming back isn’t it? What’s your name and were do you live?” Angher asks me.

I grab my stomach and am forced to my knees. “Li…Li…Lillia.” I finally manage out.

“Were can we take you?” Angher bent over to me.

I shoved him away. “I...I take…no help from…from a…solar!” I huff out. I try and stand up but to no avail.

“Leave her. She is a weak and pathetic excuse for any type of creature. You’re to caring my brother. It's going to get you killed one of these days.” Pane turns around to leave.

“Pane. Pane, please help me help her. Theirs something different about her.”

“Do you know what she is! She is what killed mother and father!” he roared.

I grab the ground and push off. I stand then sway. The hunger growing faster and harder then other times. “Like I said. I need no…help from a solar!” I grimace then try and faze out as a hand grabs me.

“What!” I snarl.

“Please let me help you. I'm not a solar. So will you accept my help?”

“You do not have….the kind of help that I need….right now.” I heave out.

“Well what are you then and maybe I can find the help!” Pane snaps. “I’m sorry.” He looks down.

“Never be sorry. Always say what you mean.” I take a deep breath. “Fine, take me to the abandoned building outside of town. The one in the ….middle of nowhere.” I become light headed. “And fast preferably.” I smile and fall back to my knees.

Pane grabs me by the arm and hoists me up in his arms. He may look weak but he sure is built. I can feel his chest under his cloths, it feels like a wall. I rest on his shoulder but I don’t put my arms around him. I’m too tired to hold my head up at all. I feel us faze as I begin to black out.

“Are we almost their.” I moan. I feel us land as he is still holding me. “Put me in the hammock. And grab me a bottle of that red stuff in the cooler.”

As he sets me down my eyes begin to close.

“Don’t die stupid. After all my brother did to bring you here!” I hear the cold voice close.

I try and speak but cant. To weak. I grab for the bottle and miss. Without saying anything Pane undoes the top and tips some into my mouth. I drink small sips as my strength is coming back but I'm still too weak to sit up.

As soon as I got some of my strength back I grab the bottle from Pane who sits back in the chair and watches me. I drink slowly but deep.

“Thank you.” I whisper.

They just look at me. I sit their as the sun finally sets. The blues and pinks and purples set off the sky and then disappear. I drink the rest of my juice and lean up. I hop out and grab my bag and begin to dig through it. I can feel both of them eying my movements.

“Don’t worry. I owe you some kind of loyalty for that.” I grab my phone and then head back to the hammock.

“There is no need for loyalty only the truth. You tell us everything about you no questions from you only us. Got that!”

I feel Panes eyes burning through me. “Fine, only I get 2 questions form you guys each!”

They glance at each other and “Agreed.”

“So, I guess start at the beginning?”

“That would be nice.”

I sneer and mutter “Ass.” Then continue my thoughts.

“Fine. Ok so I was born in the south then moved here to New York. But this was millenniums ago. I'm not that old though. So when I was 7 in regular human years their was a raid on my families house. A raid for Halfling's.” I take a deep breathe and continue.

“I am a Halfling. They were hinting me and my parents and family were all killed because I had to live.” I look away from them.

“I live so they die. That is the way. So I must live for them. Plus I'm carrying out my revenge. I’ve gotten all of them except one. His name is Exodus. I will find him and make him suffer.” I say coldly.

“He is a powerful solar and was the head of the raid team. He will suffer the most.” My eyes turn back to violet from being silver then crimson.

We sit their in silence for a good while. I shift in the hammock and then say “So what happened to you guys?”

“Pretty much what happened to you. But they were darkness that spread through our house to kill.” Pane said dripping with sorrow and distant. “I escaped. I ran like a coward. I didn’t know if anyone would survive I just ran.” He looks away.

“I found him. A century after that. We are the only to survive.” Angher said smiling sadly.

“I am truly sorry. For what has happened to you.” I say.

“Don’t take pity on us. I don’t take pity!” Pane snaps.

“I wasn’t giving you any I just said I was sorry!” I say in a huff.

“What would you know? Your family protected you. You didn’t run like a coward.” The chill was back I could feel it on my bones. I frowned and didn’t say anything. But then gave up on that too.

“You hard ass! You think you’re a coward because you ran for your life! You only ran because of the instinct to survive! You can’t blame yourself for something that you couldn’t control or fight!” I yell in his face.

“How dare you!” that’s all he could muster.

“Brother, please.” Angher reaches for him. But Pane shy's away. He stands up and walks to the other side of the roof and just stands there.

“Hard ass.” I mumble.

“Please don’t think ill of him. He really does take the fact that our family was killed to heart. He blames no one but himself and the darkness.” Pane’s features drop.

“Still he shouldn’t blame himself. Revenge does nothing for you except bring you misery and sorrow.” Solemnly I look up to the darkened sky.

“You blame yourself for your family to don’t you? And you don’t really want to avenge your family but you feel it's the right thing to do.” he questioned.

I can’t look at him. It's all true. I have blamed myself for living. I only continue to live because then vengeance wouldn’t be served.

‘Who am I to give out advice on redemption and forgiveness? I’m just as bad as he is.’ I shake my head. I feel a hand on my shoulder as it startles me and my instincts kick in. I grab the hand and pull with my weight and flip him over my leg. I let go instantly as I just realized what I did.

“Shit! I’m sorry. I…You scared me! I wasn’t paying attention.” I reach for
Pane. He hits my hand away as he sits up. He spits sideways.

“You really should pay more attention dumb bitch!” he doesn’t look at me.

My blood boils. “You could at least have the decency to look at me when you insult me! Maybe you shouldn’t sneak up on people like that and then you wouldn’t get your ass kicked!” I yell at the back of his head then scoff. “You may be in self loath mode right now but you don’t have to be a huge prick to everyone!”

“Guys come on calm down.” Angher gets up and puts his hands up toward us.

“Stay out of this!” we both snap at him as we both get up and walk to opposite sides of the roof.