Viva la Vida

As she walked down the street in the small town, that were she was currently staying, there was a distinct jump to her step, a lightness that wasn't normally there. It wasn't exactly that she was happy - though it was undeniable that she was more so than she had been previous to that point - but it was something deeper than that. She wasn't just happy...

She was content. Never before in her life had she been so completely... at ease with where she was. There had always been some regret, some deep rooted hatred for wherever she was. But at this moment, she just couldn't find any of that. Happy, and content, the two feelings were combining to make her feel lighter than she was. In fact, as she glanced between the stores, looking for what she needed, she almost felt the need to hum.

Ashleen was so lost in however thing in her life was going right for once she had no idea that it was going to all fall apart.

That would teach her for being optimistic. It always ends.

Tucker felt rage, for once in his life there was one thing he couldn't get and he had to find out by drawing it! The tracking down was easy, with his seeing, yes it was. He hid himself in one of the many alley ways in the street, knowing it was too busy, but hecouldn't give a damn. He would talk to here, make her see sense. She would have a bad life with the half breed.

He smelled her near by, just his look as she stopped carelessly by the alley. He quietly walked forward, grabbing her by her slim waist and outting his hand round her mouth, pulling her into him as he stepped back into the darkness.

"Hello Blondie," He said as he sniffed her neck. "How I have missed you. But it seems that its not the other way round is it, Mrs Beneparte? Hmmm." He tightened his hold on her, liking the feeling as she tried to escape. "Lets take this somewhere more, positive." He chuckled darkly, making his chest rumble as he appareted him and her to a location that blondie will never know.

Alleyways, there was always something about alleyways. They reminded her too much of that other time, once not as long ago as it felt. Usually she tried to walk passed them with no notice, or her pace quickened and she zipped passed them, as if she didn't dwell on it, it wouldn't be there. But on that day, in that mood, her knowledge of things to come lightening her, she didn't think about the alley she hovered in front of at all. In fact, Ashleen hadn't even noticed she'd really stopped - it had only been a half a second hesitation - before she had been grabbed, the startled shriek of surprise being cut off by a hand.

Memory was a double edge sword. Although at times it kept her cautious, not quite as narrow minded, or oblivious as her past self had been, it also had the power to incapacitate her; the memory of her attack clouding all rational thought, bring back flashbacks instead of reality. Different voices, different names - a hand had covered her mouth then too, after she had..

The name, "Mrs. Beneparte", finally snapped her back into what was happening. This wasn't last time, this was this time. She was alone, but she wouldn't be scared. Besides, it slowly dawned her that the voice was familiar, not just in the fog of the past, where she was sure it was all happening again, but in reality, in the present. This wasn't just any old person, it was...

The reality shifted, the alleyway gone replaced by the new location of her kidnappers desire. For this was kidnapping. Instead of struggling though, she froze in place, blue eyes steely, determined.

Whatever Tucker wanted, he wasn't going to get it.

They both landed on snow, in the mountains of Passo Tonale. He whispered a spell, to at least keep her warm, knowing she hated the cold. In front of them was Nott Manor, one of the many. This one he owned, and was glad about it that he got this when he turned 17. Its new name of course was Harris Manor, which suited the place better. The drive way was surronded by tress, covered in snow.

"Welcome to my Manor, Mrs Beneparte. I hope your time he is very charming." He whispered against her neck, him warm breath tickling her neck. He tightened his hold on her, undoing her coat as he slipped a hand inside and quickly got her wand, holding it tightly. "Won't be needing that now. Also your in my wards, no apperating out, not even walking out of my home. The fireplaces have been blocked aslo." He laughed bitterly as he pointed her very own wand into her back.

"Better start moving inside."

It took her eyes a few moments to adjust to her new surroundings, to stop feeling the need to squint away the bright lights off the snow. Snow, and mountains - that was where she was now. It brought back words of one of their previous conversations.

Skiing is one of my best past times and it was great to feel the rush of speed on my skies and snowboard, instead of a broom. Maybe next time you can come with me, you will just love the beauty of being 3000 feet up in the mountains.

Well he had kept his promise, hadn't he? Here she was - though she couldn't say it was how either of them expected it. Or maybe it was, maybe Tucker always was a psychopath, merely waiting for the right moment to do all this. Though she somehow doubted it. No, she figured Tucker was just a normal boy who she pushed one step too far - used as a pawn in her own games, and now she had to pay for it.

His breath on her neck revolted her, she struggled to pull away from it in his tight grip. She didn't get that far, and she was still squirming from that when his hand went into her coat. Unable to swat him away the girl merely growled, watching her wand disappear with what appeared to be a disinterested gaze.

"Do you always treat your guests like this?" One hand point a wand against her back, the other one holding her still left no hands to muzzle her at the moment. Something she was going to take full advantage of, "I can't imagine you get too many return visits."

She wanted to scoff at him using her wand; though the imagine was surely very vivid, he probably enjoyed how low he thought this made her, she couldn't help but want to point out that his own would work much better. Spells were more apt to be weak or faulty when not preformed with the wand that chose you. But telling him how best to weaken her was not a smart idea for her survival.

Ashleen walked forward, "What's your plan, anyway? Keep me here until I forget all about Treshawn? Or, is it more sinister than that?"

"Sinister? Ha! You wish Blondie. I might just let one of my friends drain you untill your almost drained, leaving you weak. Then maybe give you a potion that might make you lose the last seven years of your life with him." He laughed bitterly again as he forced her to move. The manors huge door opened as they walked in to the beautiful entrance hall.

Above the huge fire place held a Current painted picture of Tucker, in his house crest robes and holding a cain. He looked daunting. His eyes boring down. " I feel very hurt by your using of me Ashleen, used like a chest piece, a pawn on a bored. revenge is so sweet. I wonder what your husband is doing now? Hmmm?" He asked as he said a spell. "Petrificus Totalus." He said, watching her freeze on the spot. He let go of her as the doors behind them lock and glow.

"Mobilicorpus! Another spell he said watching her now float. He walked in front of her, pulling his robe hood down. His red stained eyes watching her. He stroked her cheek, watching her eyes while tilting his head. He let his hand drop and he moved forward. Kissing her froozen lips for a couple of seconds. He stepped back again.

Both his hands held her wand and in one bening movement, it snapped. And with his elfin strengh, he throw the broken wand into the now roaring fire.

"Why gloss things over," the girl quipped as they entered the room, eyes sliding around with disinterest, settling on the large painting staring down at her, "Say things like they really are; you're 'friend' is a vampire, and 'he' does have a name." A name Ashleen wasn't entirely convinced she could ever forget. Potion or not, Tre was so ingrained into her very being that she doubted that she could ever forget him. Though the thought that someone would try did terrify her.

She just wasn't going to show it.

In fact she wasn't going to show any emotion at all, for in the next moment the boy took that option away from her too. Left frozen, but still conscious Ashleen couldn't do anything but listen as he spoke, let him touch her, kiss her even though she was disgusted by every attempt. The snap of her wand - not the first time she'd heard such a sound rung in her ears, her blue eyes, hard and cold as ever followed the objects into the flames.

There wasn't anything she could do to stop it at the moment, anything to say in defence of herself.

She could only wait.

"Now now, Mr Harris. No playing with the food." A deep darkened voice said from the shadows of the grand staircase. His hands slid up and down the railing of the first floor as he watched with no emotion. "You do know that I might not do what you have asked." Vladislaus jumped onto the railing, balancing with no effert.

"I have to say, what a catch you have. She does smell rather tempting, especially with the sort she hangs around with, mixes with."

She could just see the new comer out of the corner of her eye, a flash of movement, a change in the atmosphere. He was the sort that demanded attention - like her, or at least how she use to be. Now she wasn't so sure she wanted to be that way any more - quite frankly she'd be happy to be anyway that wasn't this way.

His words drifted to her ears as easily as wings over air. For a slight moment her pulse raced, rocketed on its own, at the thought of what he was insinuating, what his appearance meant for Tucker's former statement. Though a deep breath through her nose forced it back down again, back to something normal. So what? Let him do what he wanted - he wasn't going to kill her, and even if he screwed up and did, would that be so bad? There was a rumour that the endorphins from a vampire bite were like drugs. Everyone had to go some way, she supposed this wouldn't be as bad as some others.

These thoughts were all bravo of course, a pep talk of her own. But if it kept her calm, kept them from having the satisfaction of seeing her fears, than she did not care.

"Vladislaus, you owe me one task. After all, I saved your immortal arse from the Mafia. Don't tempt me to tell them what you did." Tucker warned as he watched the very old vampire. "You don't want anything to happen to your son now, hmm? He is very precious to you, Tobias, Is he not?" Tucker raised a eyebrow at the vampire, knowing that he wouldn't die if he tried to kill him.

He tunred his head back to Ashleen. Listening to her heart beat go slightly sky high. "Should I give her to you first, take her to the dugeons or your bed chamber, or should I have the first round, giving her something that might have side effects?" He sort of asked. "Might aswell give her voice back to her, you like your victims to scream, don't you the Dracula. The tale about you and a certain castle in Romania." Tucker mused as he flicked his wand at Ashleen, doing a non-verbal spell, making her talk again.

She spat at his feet.

"If you think I'm going to give you any pleasure of hearing me suffer, you didn't know me as well as you thought you did," her gaze was harsh as she looked at the boy in front of her. The vampire that was to be her fate was being completely ignored. He wasn't her problem, he did what was in his nature she supposed. But Tucker... Tucker she had thought...

"You know why I asked you and not anybody else. I could have gotten anybody you know, we both know it - you wanted me because of it. I asked you because I thought, out of all the people, even underneath that bravo, maybe you had a heart, maybe you cared," her voice was full of nothing but contempt. She spat again, "I was wrong, wasn't I?"

She was working herself into an rage now. There was no room left for terror; she was angry at herself for thinking that things could work out, for being foolish enough to get herself into this situation. She was angry at Tucker for being scum enough to think this would gain him anything.

"Do what you're going to do - just get it over with; even if I forget him, you're not going to get what you want. If its possible to forget him, its certainly not possible to forget this. You. Are. worse. than. Scum." Was she nailing down the lid to her coffin? Perhaps - but surviving meekly didn't suit Ashleen. She hated Tucker for everything he was doing, and she wanted him to know that.

"Breather!" His voice thundered as he jumped from the railing onto the floor, showing his fangs at his full potential. He ran at Tucker, only to bounce off a invisible shield surronding the elf.

"You will not lay a finger on my son, Harris. Or hell will be let loose. Your just like your grandfather Nott you know. Heartless. One task, then you will never see me again. Am I clear Mr Harris, or do you want to spell it out with her blood on this floor?" He snarled looking at the girl.

"I wish you never laid eyes on this, nasty creature. He isn't who you thought he was. The mafia has corrupted him badly. Want to know this piece of infomation Mrs? Last month the mafia did something to him..." Vladislaus paused, getting a glear off the boy.

She raised an eyebrow as she watched the immortal man bounce off a wall that neither of them could see. Cocky little brat had his own shield of protection, huh? Well good for him, she supposed. It would have been more interesting to see them fight.

But there was only so much she could do with cowardice.

She let out a snort, "Hasn't the Mafia done something to us all. Thought I might have had a chance to escape it further, but it seems even when it does not mean to get me, the Mafia gets me just the same."

"I've grown tired of this game. Just get this over with."

"Oh, I'm scum now am I? Nice!" He snorted, not giving a damn. "I think I have already given up on you blondie. It's true, I'm affraid to say. There someone else. Shame, we could have had a great chemistry." He said with a smirk, lifting his head up a tad bit.

"Oh I cared, trust me I did. I won't rape you, if thats whats on your mind. I'm not that low. Thats too disgusting, anyway I don't want to be in anything that half breed has been in." He said with a huge laugh, watching the older vampire splutter.

He moved, cricling her with a smile. "Shame you will never get to know the real me Ashleen. Shame you have to be with Angel face too. Such a pity, such a waste." He now whispered into her neck.

"You can have her Vlad, she's all yours. Do whatever you want." He said as he pushed himself away, starting to walk up the stairs. He stopped once turning his head slightly.

"If you let her go, hell will be boiling over and Your son will be dead within said hour." He promised. "Have fun, now I have a certain potions master to check on."

Ashleen gave all his crude quips nothing more than a Cheshire smile; even at his worse moments she could never see Tre doing this, not to her. Maybe to someone - though she certainly hoped not - but definitely not to her. Tucker could think all he wanted, but Ashleen knew in her heart who was the better man - who it would have been a shame to waste her life with.

"You show great compassion towards your son," her voice was soft, no tone towards it. She was merely stating what she observed, "That is a good thing. We all need something to show compassion towards. Keeps us even a little sane."

She was quite for a moment, her gaze thoughtful, her hands longed to move, stretch over her body, wrap around herself. If she could have, it might have seemed that she was trying to be protective of the lower half, her stomach, abdomen, but that might of also have just been a trick of the light. In the end though, she was still frozen in place, still stuck as she was. There was nothing she could do to protect any of her.

"I use to think I did not want a child; the life I lead, they would just end up like me. We never want our children to be like us do we," she flashed the man something that almost seemed a companionable smile. She appeared to be slowly snapping. Or maybe this was just the only time in her life she had ever made sense, "But recently, where I was... I was forced to change my mind. Think maybe..."

She gave a soft, broken laugh, "Its too late for that now though, isn't it. I guess I was glad to have even those few moments with him, as his wife. I had never wanted anything more than that."

Again she was silent, waiting, thinking.

"You can do what you must now."

"Keeps us even a little sane? Trust me my dear, I have been around for over nine hundred years. Sane is not a word I have used in a very long time." Vladislaus sniggered, rolling his eyes at the girl. "But yes, My son is what I only have left in the world. He is why I am still alive." He nodded, looking at the girl with sad eyes.

"I would say your a year, two years older than him. Your young and I just canr't believe you have got yourself in a situation like this with a young man who has a split personality problem, child. Before I....." He paused, shaking his head, bringing his fingers to pinch the bridge of his noes.

"How in hell did you meet Tucker Harris?"

"If you're alive, sir, I'd say you're sane enough," the girl commented softly, her voice carrying ever so slightly. Her mood was peaking slightly, though not noticeably.

She had noticed something no one else in the room quite had. It was getting warmer, ever so slightly.

"Does how I got here really matter? I am here now, isn't it enough?" Ashleen felt as if it were enough. She did not have to explain her past actions, and she wasn't going to explain these ones either. Life just was, it worked out or it didn't.

Funny, how despite how hopeless all this looked, she felt as if it was going to work out.