Saul skulked outside the house and peered into the window. Seeing Aradia and Dax kissing on the couch made his stomach twinge with jealously. Saul sighed because it did bother him a bit, getting her to join the side of the very hidden leader who had had her people destroyed, but if it would help her avoid being killed then he would be willing do it. Saul knew that Aradia was clever, but he couldn't believe that she didn't realize that by becoming the Witch Queen how much danger she had put herself in. In the world of the hidden race, many things were different but one thing was universal and that was power. Aradia had achieved it in only four years when it took most hidden leaders entire lifetimes. She may have been accomplishing changes in Salem, but in other towns and overseas many hidden leader's were beginning to see her as a huge threat.
And we all know what people do to threats, Saul chuckled bitterly to himself, it's funny that one of the criticisms she has of our world is that we are not like humans but in many ways, we are. Such as the fact that we use violence as a method to eliminate their enemies. Aradia, unfortunately, would be no exception.
I'll have to act fast, Saul thought, if I want her to join us but how can I get her away from Dax? They are always together!
I'll think of something, Saul finally determined to himself, when the time is right.
"Are you sure you have to go?" Aradia bemoaned as Dax shrugged on his brown leather coat.
He chuckled as he tipped her chin to look at him. "I know your father is okay with me helping you study, but I think he draws the line at me spending the night."
"Jesus! I don't know who's more determined to sabotage my social life my father or you?" Aradia asked.
She placed her hands on her hips and looked at him playfully.
Dax chuckled again as he claimed her lips in a quick kiss. "Look the fact is your mum and dad is going to be back any minute now and if I want them to keep liking me then I have to continue to play the role of the perfect gentleman."
She just shrugged, not wanting their conversation to escalate into an argument.
"Good luck. I will see you at school and we'll study again around the same time tomorrow." Dax blew her one more kiss before turning on his heel to walk out the door.
He waved at her as soon as he got to his car and Aradia watched longingly as he backed out and drove away.
He didn't get far though. He barely drove two miles down the road before he stopped the car completely and got out. For a few tense silent minutes, he stood next to his car not even moving an inch.
Until finally, he said aloud, "I thought it was you mate, but I was hoping it wasn't."
"Yeah well you know what Dax, life is full of disappointments," said the vampire that stood behind him as he lit another cigarette.
Dax chuckled darkly as he turned to face him.
Considering how long it had been since Dax had last seen him, Jack hadn't changed much. However, since Jack was also a vampire Dax supposed that he shouldn't have been too surprised. His dark brown hair was still scruffy and yet now had more of an edge to it. The top was spiked, the sides were uneven, and the back was almost completely shaved down to the skin. His goatee had become more of a beard and covered almost his entire face. He wore a blue jacket, dark blue jeans, and dark blue sketchers. A diamond earring sparkled from one of his ears while a gold watch shone from his wrist, reflecting the dim moonlight in the darkness of the night.
He took the cigarette from his lips as he exhaled the smoke. "How long has it been Dax?"
"Who cares?" Dax snapped.
Jack snickered. "Not me, I can assure you. If it makes you feel any better I would have been fine if we never saw each other again."
"Like you said Jacques, life is full of disappointments." Dax said.
The two of them stood facing one another in the middle of the dark road. The sky was pitch black and nothing moved except the wind that blew softly through the tree branches making the leaves rustle. However, despite the lack of light Dax could still see Jack as clear as day and for a while the two of them stood silently glaring at one another.
Until finally Dax said, "So are you ever going to tell me what the hell you are doing here or do I have to beat it out of you?"
Jack chuckled. "Like you could."
"Either way Jack, I want to know what you are doing here and I want to know now!"
"Or what Lord Bedford? What are you going to do to this poor fisherman's son? Have me thrown into the tower of London?" Jack said mockingly.
He raised an eyebrow sneeringly as he took another drag.
Dax's expression wavered to that of a man who had just been kicked.
"I wish you wouldn't bring that up," Dax said slowly.
Jack just threw his head back and laughed. "Good Lord Dax! You have not changed at all."
"You make it sound as if I was the one who needed to change," Dax grumbled with a bit of a smirk showing.
Jack scowled as he took yet another drag.
Amazingly, Dax found this humorous. "You are never going to quit smoking are you?"
"Being a vampire does have its advantages," Jack said with a cocky grin.
"Like not having to breathe?" Dax countered.
"Yeah that and seeing the shocked look on someone's face right before I rip it off," Jack exhaled a few more breaths of smoke as he grinned.
Dax, however, was not grinning. "You have not changed Jacques. You are still the same sadistic bastard who never seems to have any reason for doing half of the terrible things he does."
Amazingly, Jack sobered up at this and his expression turned solemn.
"Oh I have plenty of reasons Dax," Jack argued, "Although as much I hate to admit it I got bored with just the senseless killing so instead I decided to start my own business so to speak."
He chuckled as he brought the cigarette once more to his lips. "Funny. My father always did say I would make a good merchant. When he wasn't drunk and beating me that is."
"I think that was the only thing we had in common Jacques," said Dax, "Love-hate relationships with our fathers."
"Maybe a small part of you loved your old man, but I always hated mine," said Jack. "In fact, I can honestly say out of all the people I have killed he was the only one that I truly enjoyed killing."
"However," he added, "It's not like I didn't enjoy whacking my other victims as well."
"Whacking?" Dax repeated, "Huh! Just when I figured that your personality could not get any more obnoxious."
Jack opened his mouth to retort, but Dax cut him off. "But spare me the further insults Jack. The fact is I sincerely doubt the reason you are here is that you want to see me. Therefore, you must have a bloody good reason for being here and I want to know what is! Immediately!"
Jack exhaled smoke through his nose. "Now Dax, as much as I like to believe otherwise, you are pretty smart so do you honestly think I would just tell you my reasons for being here?"
Dax sighed.
"No," he reluctantly admitted.
Jack just chuckled.
"But if you were not planning to tell me something why show yourself to me?" Dax raised an eyebrow.
Another few silent minutes passed before Jack turned on his heel to leave. "Believe it or not, I just wanted to say hi."
"You are right, I don't believe you," Dax snapped.
Jack shrugged before saying, "And I couldn't care less."
Dax reached out to grab Jack in one final attempt to get the truth out of him, but he was too late. Jack disappeared in to the night in a whirlwind of dark blue.
For a while, Dax just stood by his car and not moving an inch.
Until finally, he pressed his hand against his face.
When he raised his head again was when he started muttering to himself, "You may not have told me your reason for being here Jack, but I can take a wild guess."
He then slammed back into his car, buckled himself in, and turned the key.
As he did a squealing U-Turn on the road, leaving tire marks, he continued muttering to himself, "And there is no bloody way I am letting you touch her."