a/n:  Sorry about the wait!  Here's the second chapter.  Please read & review.

Note:  Speech that is in '.......' between Cassea and Eve is telepathic.

That's all!   Hollie & Emma x

Chapter Two - Meetings and Missings

It was just turning dark when Nikoli and Cassea arrived on the outskirts of Dieppe.  They were rather late for the Valiants regroup due to astronomical traffic queues when leaving Paris.  Even Cassea’s magic couldn’t help them evade the congestion. 

“Slow down, you’re speeding,”  Nikoli warned as Cassea whizzed round a sharp bend at 40mph.  The witch snorted, her emerald gaze fixed on the road in steady concentration. 

“This is slow.  Besides, we’re late,” she replied, changing gear and putting her foot down.  The car surged forwards like a fresh stallion.  Nikoli sighed irritably and tightened his seatbelt.  Travelling never used to be this dangerous...  he mused, recollecting the days of his youth when the only transport had been a horse and cart.  Cassea stopped abruptly next to an inn called “La Coeur du Moûton.”  Nikoli sighed with relief, throwing a dark look at the smirking witch. 

“Can’t handle the speed, eh, Nicky?”  She grinned widely at Nikoli’s thunderous expression. 

“Never call me Nicky.”  He said sharply, striding past Cassea with imperious grace into the noisy tavern. 

“Yes boss...”  she saluted, following him.  Nikoli scanned the room visually and telepathically for his team, locating them in a remote corner.  They appeared to be having a heated discussion.  He sensed Cassea come up behind him; the smirk on her face was almost infectious.  She brought out the joker in everyone she met, even in Nikoli, who through his 312 years of experience had learned to control his emotions, unlike the youthful witch who resembled a Cheshire Cat.  

‘So which one of you am I going to kill first?’  Cassea sent out an icy telepathic message to the Valiants, causing a tangibly tense silence to fall upon the group.  Six of the seven heads turned simultaneously towards the newcomers.  The seventh, a dark haired female with alluring kohl rimmed green eyes simply sat smiling mysteriously, shifting her gaze towards her twin who was openly laughing. 

  Nikoli rolled his eyes in exasperation.  Anyone watching the group as they greeted each other warmly would think them to be old school friends or students, not the supernatural assassins that they were.  After several minutes of casual chatting, Nikoli raised his hand for silence.  The group complied immediately, with the exception of Eve and Cassea who carried on their animated conversation through their twin mental link. 

“Cassea,”  Nikoli warned.  It was not the tone of a friend he used, but that of a leader.  Cassea obeyed immediately, apologising with her eyes.  Nikoli nodded in brief acknowledgement before turning to the platinum haired woman on his right. 

“What do you have to report?”  His tone was low and soft, like the gentle, warning hum of a bee. 

“Nothing much...  There’s been virtually no malicious activity in Dijon, Bordeaux and Rouen.  However, there was a minor situation with a renegade wolf...”  replied Bianca Lupo.  Her voice was like a musical growl, which wasn’t surprising due to her half wolf blood. 

“Minor situation..?”  Nikoli raised a curious eyebrow. 

“Yes.  Minor situation.  He killed several villagers, we hunted him, we killed him.”  She said simply. 

“Good...  Just as long as there were no problems...”  Nikoli didn’t miss the sly glance Bianca traded with Pierce, her 182 year old vampire lover/work partner. 

“Any other news?”  Nikoli glanced around the group, his eyes finally resting on a fidgety Eve. 

“Yes, Dante’s going to be with the Des Loups for another month,”  she said quickly, her eyes fixed on the table.  Cassea squeezed her sister’s hand comfortingly.  Eve was in love with Dante, a werewolf-turned-vampire of 270 years, Founder of the Des Loups and distant relation to Bianca.  Eve however, refused to admit it to anyone other than her sister, including Dante himself, who was completely oblivious to her feelings. 

“Right, that’s good.”  Nikoli glanced around the group, inhaling deeply.  They weren’t going to like his news...  “We’ve been summoned by the Council.”

A stony silence passed through the group as they stared incredulously at Nikoli, who grimaced under the scrutiny of their eyes. 

“You’ve got to be joking,” exclaimed a demoness called Garnet whose hair was the colour of red wine. 

“I’m afraid not,”  Nikoli frowned apologetically.  “Apparently there’s a group of archaeologists sniffing around the caves at Bodmin, the caves that lead to the Crypt...  The Council want us to keep track of the archaeologists.  Make sure they don’t get too close, and if they do...”  Nikoli’s eyes darkened.  No-one spoke.  They all knew what they would have to do if the archaeologists found out about the Archanes. 

            The party retired upstairs.  They had to rise at four a.m. to ensure that they would catch the five thirty-ferry from the small fishing harbour in Dieppe.  They hoped to cross the channel and arrive in Hove at seven-thirty, then Cassea and Ronan would drive the three hour journey to Cornwall. 

The innkeeper had only three rooms to spare at such short notice, so, much to their dismay, the Valiants would have to share.  Pierce and Bianca took the first room.  No-one shared with them for obvious reasons.   Garnet, Eve, Cassia and Asteria took the second room whilst Ronan, Leon and Nikoli occupied the third. 

Cassea and Eve spent several hours catching up before finally falling asleep.  The sisters had been separated for many weeks as the group was split into teams of two, scattered around France in search of two very dangerous Defiants who had been openly killing humans in supernatural ways.  Each Valiant had a partner, in Cassea’s case it was Nikoli.  Bianca worked with Pierce, despite their romantic attachment, they made a good team.  Garnet was partner to Ronan, a young but strong Elemental.  She was also his mentor for magic, as she had seventy-eight years experience.  Asteria and Leon, Catling and Mountain Lion, were almost as unbeatable as Nikoli and Cassea.  Finally, Eve was partnered with Dante, which often caused more harm than good.  They had a stormy relationship.  Their tempers, ideas, fighting methods, everything down to their dress sense clashed.  However, despite their differences they would rely on one another in times of need.  That angered Eve most; when Dante played the smug yet noble hero and ‘rescued’ her from danger. 

Despite their efforts, the Valiants had been unsuccessful in locating the duo.  Jaden and Lucius were very hard to track down and impossible to predict.

‘I missed you so much Cass.’ Eve’s voice sounded in Cassea’s mind as she stared earnestly into a pair of green eyes that mirrored her own. 

‘I missed you too,’ Cassea embraced her sister tightly.  A long mental silence passed; the actual silence of the night was only disturbed by Asteria’s soft, snuffling snores. 

‘I’m so worried about him..  What if he gets killed?  He’s the prime target for the Defiants.  Not only is he one of us but he’s also the Leader of the DesLoups...’  Eve’s eyes filled with tears of anxiety as Cassea held her, rocking her back and forth like a child. 

‘He’ll be fine Eve.  He’s survived for 270 years, hasn’t he?’  Cassea paused shortly.  ‘Have you told him yet..?  Does he know..?’  Eve shook her head violently.

“No,”  she gave a choking sob.  ‘What would be the point?  He’d either mock me and use it to his advantage or he’d hate me for it.  I can’t help it Cass...  I’ve tried so hard.  I can’t stop loving him...  He’s what I live for...’  Cassea stroked Eve’s hair, shushing her shaky sobs into a calmer state. 

“I love him...” she whimpered.

“I know sweetie, I know...  Go to sleep now Evie...”  Cassea kissed her on the forehead and Eve drifted off to sleep in her sisters’ arms, her dreams full of fighting, danger and a noble prince...

*  *  *

Melanie sat cross legged on the end of the large bed, dressed in her tatty jeans and turtle neck. It was 2:30am and she couldn’t for the life of her sleep, so instead she returned her attention to the runes.

She had translated the first set they’d found as ‘Archane’, however, it was the last rune that were causing her some trouble. A single rune, Daeg, had been etched into the floor at the far end of the cave. Why it was there, Melanie couldn’t begin to guess. It offered no luck or direct protection to whoever wrote it, so why was it there?

Jumping at the sound of a knock her door, Melanie frowned. Who would be calling at this hour?

With papers in hand, Melanie moved from the end of the bed to answer the door. Upon opening it she was pleasantly surprised to see a relatively tall young man, dressed in jeans and a thick woollen jumper with neatly kept dark blonde hair. It was her closest and only friend on the dig. Wesley Darlington.

“Wesley? What are you doing up?” Melanie asked still frowning.

He smiled warmly at her. “Melanie, sweetheart... Don’t frown it’s not very becoming.” He told her with a grin as he stepped into the room. “I figured you’d be up, either mauling over what happened yesterday or racking your brains over those bloody runes again.”

Melanie grinned sheepishly, extending her hand towards the paper spread haphazardly over the bed. “Fancy giving me a hand? Daeg is not a rune I’m particularly familiar on.”

“That’s why I’m here. Besides I’ve been thinking about it and maybe the rune was etched into the floor of the cave to mark something.” Wesley suggested walking over to the bed and picking up a handful of papers covered with Melanie’s spidery handing writing.

Melanie scowled. “Daeg is a rune linked to daylight…”

Wesley nodded thoughtfully. “Maybe we’re looking at this from the wrong angle. We know Daeg is linked to daylight, yes?”

Melanie nodded, moving to reclaim her position on the bed amidst the sea of paper and sketches.  She sighed tiredly. “Why would anyone etch the rune for daylight into the floor of a cave?”

Wesley shrugged with a sly grin. “Maybe they’re afraid of the dark?” he joked lightly, causing Melanie to roll her eyes.

“You know your jokes are getting worse,” she yawned.

Wesley gave another shrug and began clearing the papers and sketches away. “Go to sleep Mel,” he smiled watching her yawn again, this time with a cat-like stretch.

Melanie shook her head, “I need to get this done.” She remarked, returning her attention to her note book.  Wesley scowled at her stubbornness as he placed the pile of notes on the desk.

“Wesley, sweetheart, don’t scowl it’s not very becoming,” Melanie grinned not taking her eyes off her notes.

Wesley couldn’t help but grin back, he should have known his teasing would come back to bite him. He knelt on the edge of the bed, leaning forward slightly to keep his balance as he watched his friend.

Sensing she was under observation, Melanie scowled. She hated being watched.  It made her nervous, and Wesley knew it. She spared him a brief glance and returned her gaze back to her notes, still scowling.

Wesley grinned in amusement.  The brief glance she given him indicated she was already getting annoyed. Finally he sighed and snatched the note book from her fingers, finally getting bored of the silence.

“Wes!” Melanie cried irritably, “Wesley don’t be a pain in ass, give me my notes back.”

“No, sleep first,” he told her, closing the note book, “Research later...”

Melanie woke with a jump. Wesley gave an indignant snort from beside her as she lunged to grasp her clock from the bedside table. They had both dozed back off to sleep after a brief pillow fight over Melanie’s notes, a fight which she’d lost.

“Damn it! Wesley get up!” she shouted “Wesley we’re late!”

At those words Wesley sat up, wide eyed. “Shit,” he cursed rolling from the bed and grabbing his boots.

Melanie was hurrying to stuff her notes in her rucksack as he ran to collect his own bag. Pulling on her boots Melanie ran out of her room slamming the door shut, and almost colliding with Wesley in the hall way.

When they arrived in the hotel lobby, the pair were surprised to see the rest of the students and Professor Raleigh waiting.

Joining the group quietly, Wesley turned to speak to a dark hair girl, “What’s going on?” he whispered.

The girl glanced at him awkwardly, “Janet and Keith didn’t show up.”

Melanie frowned.  Why would the Professor’s top students fail to show up? When they knew what time they had to leave.

“Mr Darlington, Miss Gray, you’re late. Do I have to remind you of the rules about sharing a room?” Professor Raleigh asked glancing at the pair sternly.

Melanie opened her mouth to defend herself and Wesley, against her teachers accusations.

Wesley swung his arm over her shoulder and grinned at Raleigh. “No that’s quite alright Professor, I think we’re pretty much covered in that department.  Thanks all the same.”

Several of group snickered at his words.

Melanie felt her cheeks burn with embarrassment, Wesley had some nerve to insinuate that they were more than good friends.

Professor Raleigh narrowed his eyes at them before turning on his heel and heading out the double doors of the hotel entrance. “Let’s get moving people.  We’ve got a lot of work to do and I don’t want to get caught in the fog again.”

Wesley smiled, leaning down to whisper in Melanie’s ear. “That got his tongue.”

Melanie glared at him venomously. “Yes and I might cut yours out Wesley Darlington, how dare you make it sound like we’re sleeping together.” She hissed.

“Melanie Gray are you telling me you wouldn’t consider us as a couple?” He whined, placing a hand over his heart, feigning heartbreak. “Besides I wasn’t insinuating we slept together, the Professor was...” Wesley pointed out as they followed the group outside.

“You didn’t deny it either,” Melanie retorted.

“Neither did you.” Wesley grinned.

Melanie gasped, “You never gave me a chance to!”

Noting that his friend was not pleased and that she had no intention of playing along with his joking, Wesley nodded. “Alright Melanie, darling, I’m joking. At least the Professor didn’t blow his top at the fact we were late.”

“That’s probably because he’s more worried by the fact two of his best students failed to show for the dig.” Melanie told him, slightly perturbed from his lack of concern.

"They probably overslept same as we did.  Or checked into a different hotel..."  Wesley replied with a suggestive grin.

"This isn't a time for jokes, Wes.  Janet and Keith are hardly the type to elope..."  She repressed a smile at the thought of the plain, studious teacher's pets engaging in forbidden acts.  "Besides...  we'd better catch up with the group..."  She quickened her pace and they followed the group towards the caves.  Despite her determination to stay focused on her work, Melanie couldn't push thoughts of the missing students out of her mind.  She didn't know them well, she barely knew them at all.  But she did know that they were the type of people who were never more than a minute late for anything in their lives.

So where were they?