Night World : The Chosen Chapter 8

Well? Daphne said.I think its the slave trade.And, Rashel ideal, I think I was up regenerate-this is or so amour big.The Night World slave trade had been censor a long time ago-back in medieval days, if she entertained the stories correctly. The Council app arently had indomitable that kidnapping hu mans andselling them to Night People for food or amusement was bonny too dangerous. exactly it sounded as if Quinnmight be reviving it, probably with turn out the Councils permission. How very enterprising of him.I was right just now round killing him, too, Rashel thought. Theres no cho trumpery now. Hes as bad as I imagined- andworse.Daphne was goggling. They were going to base me a slave? she almost yelled.Sh. Rashel glanced at the man behind the doughnut counter. I think so. Well-a slave and a change ofperpetual food supply if you were sold to vampires. Probably just dinner if you were going towerewolves.Daphnes lips repeated werewolves silently. alone Rashel was speakin g again before she could sine qua non close toit.Look, Daphne-did you return every abide(predicate) idea most where you might be going? You said they mentioned a ride. just now a boat to where? What metropolis?I dont ac subsistledge. They neer babbleed about twain city. They just said the boat was ready and somethingabout an aunt-clave. She pronounced it ont-clave. The girl said, When we captivate to the aunt-claveDaphne broke sullen as Rashel grabbed her wrist.An enclave, Rashel whispered. Thin chills of excitement were running through her. They were lectureabout an enclave.Daphne nodded, ascertaining alarmed. I guess.This was big. This was bigger than big. It was incredible.A vampire enclave. The kidnapped girls were being interpreted to one of the hidden enclaves, one of thesecret strongholds no vampire huntsman had ever managed to penetrate. No human had point discoverthe location of one.If I could get on that point if I could get inShe could learn nice t o destroy a satisfying t declare of vampires. Wipe an enclave off the spirit of the earth.She knew she could.Uh, Rashel? Youre hurting me.Sorry. Rashel let go of Daphnes arm. Now, listen, she said fiercely. I saved your life, right? I soaked,they were going to do terrible things to you. So you owe me, right?Yeah, sure sure, I owe you. Daphne made pacifying motions with her workforce. Are you okay?Yes. Im fine. and I need your assistant. I want you to tell me everything about that club. Everything I needto get in-and get chosen. Daphne stared at her. Im sorry youre crazy.No, no. I know what Im doing. As long as they dont know Im a vampire hunter, itll be okay. I defendto get to that enclave.Daphne slowly shook her flaxen head. What, youre going to, comparable, slay them all? By yourself? Cant wejust tell the practice of law?Not all by myself. I could take a pas de deux of former(a) vampire hunters to help me. And as for the policeRashel stop and sighed. okay. I guess on t hat point are some things I should explain. whence peradventure youllunderstand better. She elevated her eye and looked at Daphne steadily. First, I should tell you about theNight World. Look, in time before you met those vampires, didnt you ever take over the feeling that there wassomething eerie going on, right alongside our world and all conglomerate up in it?She made it as simple as she could, and essay to answer Daphnes questions patiently. And at last,Daphne sat back, looking sick and more frightened than Rashel had seen her yet.Theyre all over, Daphne said, as if she still didnt believe it. In the police departments. In thegovernment. And nobodys ever been able to do anything about them.The only people whove had any success are the ones who work secretly, in small groups or alone. We pinch hidden. Were very careful. And we weed them out, one by one. Thats what it means to be avampire hunter.She leaned forward. Now do you see why its so historic for me to get to that enclave? Its a chanceto get at a only bunch of them all at once, to wipe out one of their screen places. Not to mentionstopping the slave trade. Dont you think it should be stopped?Daphne opened her mouth, shut it again. Okay, she said finally, and sighed. Ill help. I can tell youwhat to lecturing about, how to act. At least what worked for me. She cocked her head. Youre going tohave to dress differently.Ill get a couple of different vampire hunters and well meet tomorrow by and by domesticate. Lets say six-thirty.Right now, Im taking you home. You need to sleep. She waited to see if Daphne would object, and the opposite girl just nodded and sighed again.Yeah. You know, after some of the things Ive learned, homes baging to look good. proficient one more thing, Rashel said. You cant tell anybody about what happened to you. Tell themanything-that you ran away, whatever-but not the truth. Okay?Okay.And especially dont tell anyone about me. Got it? My life may depend on it.Ellio ts not here. The spokesperson on the telephone was cold and as unlike as Rashel had ever heard it.Vicky, I need to talk to him. Or psyche. Im heavy you, this is our chance to get to an enclave. Thegirl from the warehouse heard them talking about it. It was Friday afternoon and Rashel was phoningfrom a booth near her school. Vicky was speaking heavily. We staked out that avenue for days and didnt see anything, but you justhappened to be in the right place at the right time to help a girl escape.Yes. I already told you.Well, that was convenient, wasnt it?Rashel gripped the handset more tightly. What do you mean?Just that it would be a very dangerous thing, going to a vampire enclave. And that a person would haveto really trust whoever was self-aggrandising them the information about it. Youd have to be sure it wasnt a trap.Rashel stared at the phone buttons, controlling her inklinging. I see.Yes, well, you dont have much credibility around here anymore. Not since letting that v ampire getaway. And this sounds like just the sort of thing youd do if you were in on it with them.Great, Rashel thought. Ive managed to convince her that I really am a vampire sympathizer. Aloud shesaid, Is that what Nyala is telling everybody? That Im working with the Night World?I dont know what Nyala is doing. Vicky sounded briery and a undersized uneasy. I havent seen her sinceTuesday and nobody answers at her house.Rashel tried to make her voice calm and reasonable. Will you at least tell Elliot what Im doing? Then hecan call me if he wants to.Dont hold your breath, Vicky said, and hung up.Great. Terrific. Rashel replaced the handset query if she wasnt supposed to hold her breath untilElliot called, or until Vicky passed on the message.One thing was clear she couldnt count on any help from the Lancers. Or any other vampire hunters.Nyala could be spreading any patient of of rumors, and Rashel didnt dare even call another group.There was no choice. Shed have to do it alone.T hat night she went to Daphnes house.Well, shes grounded, Mrs. Childs said at the door. She was a small charr with a baby in one hand, aPampers in the other, and a toddler clutching her leg. just I guess you can go upstairs.Upstairs, Daphne had to sideline a younger sister out of the bedroom before Rashel could posture cumulation. Yousee, I dont even have a room of my own, she said.And youre grounded. yet youre alive, Rashel said, and raised her eyebrows. Hi.Oh. Hi. Daphne looked embarrassed. Then she smiled, sitting cross-legged on her bed. Youre interrupting normal clothes.Rashel glanced down at her sweater and jeans. Yeah, the ninja outfits just my career uniform. Daphne grinned. Well, youre still going to have to look different if youre going to get into the club.Should we start now, or do you want to wait for the others? Rashel stared at a row of perfume bottles on the dresser across the room. There arent going to be anyothers.But I thought you saidLook. Its inviolable to e xplain, but Ive had a shrimpy fuss with the vampire hunters around here. So Imdoing it without them. Its no problem. We can start now.Well Daphne pursed her lips. She looked different from the disheveled wild creature Rashel hadrescued from the street last night. Her blond hair was soft and flossy, her cornflower blue look were bounteousand innocent, her face was round and sweet. She was fashionably dressed and she seemed relaxed, inher own element in this normal teenagers room. It was Rashel who felt out of place.Well do you want to just take along a title-holder or something? Daphne asked.I dont have a friend, Rashel said flatly. AndI dont want one. Friends are people to worry about, theyre baggage. I dont like baggage. Daphneblinked slowly. But at school I dont stay at schools more than one year at a time. I live with fosterfamilies, and I usually get myself sent to a new city every year. That way I stay ahead of the vampires.Look, this isnt about me, okay? What I want to k now-But Daphne was staring at the mirror. Rashel followed her gaze to see that the reflecting surfacewas almost entirely covered by pictures. Pictures of Daphne with guys, Daphne with other girls.Daphne counted her friends in droves, apparently. But doesnt that get unaccompanied?No, it doesnt get lonely, Rashel said through her teeth. She found herself getting rough with the webbed petty(a) throw pillow on her lap. I like being on my own. Now are we done with the press conference? feel hurt, Daphne nodded. Okay. I talked with some people at school and everything at the nickname isgoing on the same as usual-except that Quinn hasnt been there since Sunday. Ivan and the girl were thereTuesday and Wednesday, but not Quinn.Oh, really? That was interesting. Rashel had known from the beginning that her greatest problem wasgoing to be Quinn. The other two vampires hadnt seen her-she didnt think they even completed thatDaphne had run off with a vampire hunter last night. But Quinn had sp oken to her. Had been veryclose to her.Still, what could he have seen in that cellar, even with his vampire vision? Not her face. Not even herhair. Her ninja outfit covered her from neck to wrist to ankle. All he could possibly know was that shewas tall. If she changed her voice and kept her eyes down, he shouldnt be able to recognize her.But it would be easier still if he werent there in the first place, and Rashel could movement her act on Ivan.That reminds me, she said. Ivan and the girl- are their little groups into death, too?Daphne nodded. Everybody in the whole place is, basically. Its that kindhearted of place. A perfect place for vampires, in other words. Rashel wondered briefly if the Night People owned thedub or if some obliging humans had just constructed the ideal habitat for them. Shed have to read intothat.Actually, Daphne was saying, a little shyly, Ive got a poem here for you. I thought you could say youwrote it. It would sort of prove you were into the same thin g as the other girls.Rashel took the piece of notebook paper and readTheres warmth in ice theres cooling peace in fire,And midnight light to show us all the way. The dancing flame becomes a funeral pyre The Dark wasmore alluring than the Day.She looked up at Daphne sharply. You wrote this before you knew about the Night World?Daphne nodded. Its the kind of thing Quinn liked. He used to say he was the darkness and the relieveand things like that.Rashel wished she had Quinn right there in the room, along with a large stake. These young girls werelike moths to his flame, and he was taking advantage of their innocence. He wasnt even pretending to beharmless instead he was encouraging them to deal their own destruction. Making them think it was theiridea.About your clothes, Daphne was going on. My friend Mamie is about your size and she lent me thisstuff. Try it on and well see if it looks right. She tossed Rashel a bundle.Rashel unfolded it, examined it doubtfully. A few minutes late r she was examining herself even moredoubtfully in the mirror.She was wearing a velvety black jumpsuit which clung to her like a second skin. It was cut in a very lowV in front, but the sleeves reached down in Gothic points on the backs of her hands almost to the middlefinger. Around her neck was a black whip choker that looked to her like a dog collar. She said, I dontknow No, no, you look great. Sort of like a Betsey Johnson ultra model. Walk a little turnaround okay, yeah. Now all we have to do is cay your fingernails black, add a little makeup, and-Daphne stopped and frowned. Whats wrong? Its the way you walking. You walk like-well, likethem, actually. Like the vampires. As if youre stalking something. And you dont ever make a noise.Theyre going to know youre a vampire hunter from the way you move.It was a good point, but Rashel didnt know what to do about it. UmIve got it, Daphne said brightly. Well attribute you in heels.Oh, no, Rashel said. There is absolutely no way Im g oing to wear those things.But itll be perfect, see? You wont be able to walk normally.No, and I wont be able to run, either. But you arent going there to run. Youre going to talk and dance and stuff. Hands on her hips, sheshook her head. I dont know, Rashel, you really need somebody to go there with you, to help you withthis stuff.Daphne stopped and her eyes narrowed. She stared at the mirror for a moment, then she nodded.Yeah. Thats it. Theres no other choice, she said, displace her breath. She turned to face Rashelsquarely. Ill just have to go with you myself.What?You need somebody with you you cant do this all alone. And theres nobody better than me. Ill gowith you and this time well both get chosen.Rashel sat on the bed. Im sorry this time you re crazy. Youre the last person the vampires would everchoose. You know all about them.But they dont know that, Daphne said serenely. I told everybody at school today that I didntremember anything that happened from Sunday on. I had to te ll them something, you know. So I saidthat I neer got to meet Quinn that I didnt know what happened to me, but I woke up last night aloneon this street in delegating Hill.Rashel tried to think. Would any of the vampires believe this story?The answer surprised her. They just might. If Daphne had begun to come out of the mind control whileshe was in the truck if she had jumped out and started running, only to become fully conscious a littlewhile later.. .. Yes. It could work. The vampires would assume that shed have amnesia for the wholeperiod she was in a trance, and maybe for a little before. It could work.But its too dangerous, she said. Even if I let you go to the club with me, I could never let you getchosen.Why not? You already said I must be resistant to their mind-control thingy, right? Daphnes blue eyeswere sparking with verve and her cheeks were flushed. So that makes me perfect for the job. I can doit. I know I can help you.Rashel stood helplessly. Take this fluffy bunn y of a girl to a vampire enclave? Let her get sold as a slaveto bloodsucking monsters? Ask her to fight ruthless snakes like Quinn? I like to work alone, she said ina hard voice. Daphne folded her arms over her chest, refusing to be intimidated. Well, maybe its timeyou tried something different. Look, Ive never met anyone like you. Youre so independent, soadventurous, soamazing. But even you cant do everything by yourself. I know Im not a vampirehunter, but Id like to be your friend. Maybe you should try trusting a friend this time.Her eyes met Rashels, and at that moment she didnt look like a fluffy bunny, but like a small, confident,and intelligent young woman.Besides, it was me who got kidnapped, Daphne said, shrugging. Dont you think I should get to paythem back a little?Rashel caught herself almost grinning. She couldnt help liking this girl, or feeling a glow of warmth at herpraise. But still She drew in a careful breath and watched Daphne closely. And youre not scared? Of cou rse Im scared. Id be stupid not to be. But Im not so scared I cant go.It was the right answer. Rashel looked around the fill lacy room and nodded slowly. At last shesaid, Okay, youre in. Tomorrows Saturday. Well do it tomorrow night.