SWNOVELS Chapter 32: A Ghost
Daishkan’s POV
Dai yawned and quickly shook his head to stop it. Smacking his face in quick succession as he walked in an attempt to wake up. It had been nearly 3 days since anyone saw his pretty kitty, and 4 since he had. He’d accepted overnight that she was gone, but never gave up the watch the last two nights in case her ghost walked the streets one last time.
How was he supposed to accept that he’d lost another Tribe cat to those bloodthirsty sapsuckers? And Mr Cloudhumper’s favourite toy no less! Dai’s permanent positivity had cracked too. He wasn’t ready to admit that he had really REALLY liked Angel either, as embracing that would fully break the crooked table his figurative Top Leader crown sat on. He didn’t deserve to wear it right now for letting Angel down.
The bar was noisy beyond the door, and pushing it open he found quite a scene. An unkempt Castiel was yelling and pointing fingers at the totally sexy vamp gossip queens while Gabriel held him back with a palm on his chest. Two armoured tin cans with heads were standing near the doorway with arms crossed, and Legion leader Taala with growling demon dog were staring from the dance floor. Castiel flew angry blue eyes at Dai after only a breath with a roared “And what did YOU do?!”
“Did I— Huh? I just got here! Whaddya mean what’d I do?”
“Nothing! You did bloody nothing!” He sounded frantic and unhinged. In better circumstances this side of Castiel would be cute to poke at. He pointed to the humans. “Angel went to the vampires and made some deal for THEM!” He pointed to the vamps. “THEY knew she was there!” Then pointed to the hellhound. “And YOU were supposed to be watching her so you probably escorted her right to his door!”
Voices spoke over each other in answer.
“We didn’t know it was HER!”
“We wouldn’t have let him if we knew it was sweet Angel!”
“It was only a theory Castiel. She could have dropped the blood box to us herself.”
“The cameras just didn’t show anything so we have to assume..”
“I delivered her to the Yard!”
“Castiel calm the fuck down.”
The last one was Gabe and he had a sad look in his brown eyes. The same defeated feeling Dai probably showed in his green eyes too. Dai walked boldly to the humans, crossing his arms to mimic their tough guy posture. “What’s this about a deal and blood with my Angel-cakes?”
A pretty little ponytail shook, its owner also looking sad. “A vial of blood from each faction. One set equals one weapon against the werewolves. This morning we found 6 vials at the door. We thought they were the same as the demonic set Taala brought, but testing showed they were vampiric. Angel must have at least spoken with Coven to get them.”
Dai’s jaw was certainly on the floor. His Sexy Secret Seeker had been a Sexy Secret Keeper! He spun and glared at the vamp girlies, suddenly very much on Castiel’s side. “So you knew! Knew he— which he? Wait.. Damien? Death-glare Damien had her?!”
One head nodded and the other sniffled. “Honest, we love her! We would have stepped in if we knew! None of us would shed a tear if Damien disappeared, but for our dear Angel.. We just heard there was a neko in the building a couple days ago, then later Damien came and told us to give a blood draw each yesterday. We didn’t put two together until these tanks came in here asking about it!”
Dai needed to sit down quick and plopped into the nearest chair. He added what he knew. “Ceberus here dropped Angel at the Yard in the afternoon and my guard saw her immediately turn tail for the hospital.” He looked towards Castiel who had fallen into a chair as well, Gabriel standing beside with hand on his shoulder. They both looked as if someone could blow them over with their own wing feathers. “She hasn’t been to the Yard in like 4 days so I don’t know anything about her plans. It’s my fault. She’s Tribe and I should have known.”
Gabriel thankfully spoke to stop the self-pity train Dai had never been on before. “Eva, can you not go ask Damien now where she is?”
Eva and her clone rose from the table with the group, all nodding like bobble-heads. “Of course, of course!”
The Syndicate pair moved in front of Dai, the buzz head unapologetically speaking. “We need cat blood to finish the order. 5 vials would finish 5 sets.” Dai licked his bottom lip and nodded. He’d send the Rumour Mill, they’d love the whole experience. “I’ll send some chatty cattys your way today then.” The man nodded, then ponytail spoke. “We- we also need to speak with Angel about her donation if she’s, you know… okay.” Dai furrowed his brow at her insensitivity but nodded, and they both clunked loudly out the door.
Silence filled the room. Dai had a lot to process, and he was short about 4 naps and 2 humps for the brain power to do it. Not only was his Incredi-cat making friends with factions, she was brokering deals for weapons now too. Lost in thought he missed the door softly open and close. It was only the deafening scratch from Castiel’s pushed back chair that made him look up.
She WAS a ghost. Pale, glossy-eyed, swaying in place. Dai lept up and hugged her in an instant and she became melted cheese in his arms. Fluffing Hell, she was real! Yay! Castiel stood a breath away now and Dai released his hulk hold so she could turn and mush into a hunky hug instead. Castiel stroked her hair and mumbled against the side of her head “Jesus Angel, what happened love?!”
She pulled back and exhaled loudly, her fingers rising to fiddle with a silver necklace around Castiel’s neck before pulling back closer to Dai who hastily enveloped her in a backwards hug. “Can I get a drink first?”