Too late

In others we find

Jack's point of view

It was a rather unusual sight that came through the court's most busy coffee shop Thursday morning. Kian was heading out of court, therefor I was off gate duty and eating breakfeast with him before we left. While we sat there, Tristan Arrent came through, ordered six doughnuts and an Irish coffee to go. It wasn't his early use of alcohol that surprised me, not the fact that he was up at this hour either – it was his attire. Anyone who knew Tristan, knew he never dressed in anything remotely out of fashion. Today wasn't an exception per see, and yet I'd never thought I'd see Tristan Arrent in a pair of sweatpants and a lumberjack shirt – designer, I am sure, but nonetheless a lumberjack shirt. Apparently, I wasn't the only one who had noticed this unusual sight.

"What on earth are you wearing?" Exclaimed my as always wordy employer, attracting the attention of not only Tristan, but most of the coffee shop's as well.

Tristan looked at Kian, then down at himself, and then back at Kian with a smirk. "It is called sweatpants, Kian. I am sure you have heard of them."

Kian shook his head at the quirky remark. "Sure I have, but I never thought I'd see you in a pair."

Tristan shrugged casually, but I saw his eyes quickly flicked to me before he spoke. "Well I am helping a friend move, so I figured I'd better dress the part."

Kian laughed in disbelief. "I am having a hard time believing you have friends that can't afford professional movers."

Tristan just shook his head and smirked. "Well, believe it or not, it is actually two friends. Both of which were kind enough to do it the same day, so I wouldn't have to wear this attire more than once."

Kian raised an eyebrow. "Two movings in one day? That is a little extreme."

Tristan shifted the weight of the box on his arm a little. "One just needs help with a few boxes, but the other is finally leaving the nest."

Tilting his head to the side Kian couldn't control his curiosity anymore. "Anyone, I know?"

Finally, Tristian's smirk faltered a little. "Yeah, Haley and Dana actually."

"Haley is moving?" Kian asked in surprise.

Tristan laughed and shook his head. "Nah, her dresses came in yesterday, and she needed some help moving them from the post office. From what I heard it is somewhere near a small truckload. Actually, can you spare an hour to help?"

Kian pulled back like he just got burned. "No way! I already helped with the shopping bags, and from what I heard they pretty much emptied the store."

Tristan just smiled secretly. "Well, at least I get to watch her going up the stairs all day. See you around Kennedy." And with that, he was out the door.

***

Haley's POV

I hated to admit it, but I loved this look. The royal blue satin corset bodice paired with a pair of black leather pants that would eventually be hidden under a long flowing skirt when we attended the party later tonight. The ankle boots had a stiletto heel but I knew how to fight in heels. Well, I used to anyway.

After getting ready, putting on light make-up, and stuffing my stuff into my purse, I skipped out to go find Alishia before we left. It was a four-day trip, so I had to cancel a drinks date with her. I found her with Kian, Aurora, and Jack at a bench in one of the gardens.

"Hi, Haley, what is up?" Aurora asked when I came over. I smiled politely at her, still not having forgotten how she tried to turn me against Rufus.

"Oh nothing much, I just wanted to tell Alisihia that I am not going to make it Friday. Lord Hale will be leaving the court for a couple of days."

Alishia looked slightly stunned. "Oh, well, should we re-arrange?"

I shook my head. "No, It'll be four days, so I figured maybe just next Friday?"

She nodded and sent me a smile. "Sure, have a safe trip." I waved goodbye and left to go find Rufus.

Jack's pov

"Wauw she looks stunning," Aurora commented as Haley left us. I barely registered her words, still looking after Haley.

"She really does, doesn't she? We used an entire day at the mall to pick it out!" Alishia gushed, and I paid attention to their conversation again as Haley slipped out of view. Why did she have to look so damn sexy all the time? I didn't like the attention she got from the other men, and I honestly didn't like the effect she had on me either. It seemed everything Rufus had bought her hugged her figure in a way that drove me crazy. It reminded me of that little red dress she had worn to the reception and everything that happened that night. The more I thought of her, the more determined I got: I would get her to talk to me again, no matter what it would take.

Haley's pov

Rufus looked me over before handing me the keys to the car. It was a Mercedes Benz. A nice car, a fast car, a flashy car.

"We won't be keeping a low profile?" I asked as I got in the driver's seat.

Rufus snorted. "I hate low profile. I didn't spend my life making cash for nothing."

I couldn't help but smile a little. The flashy style was crap for security, but I loved it. For an old man, Rufus was a pretty okay assignment. "So where to, Boss?"

"Jackson," he ordered before stretching in his seat. "It is a long trip, I'll try to get some sleep. Hopefully, you can catch a few hours before sundown when we land," he told me before drifting off.

It was a long way. I woke him up once we got near, and he guided me to our hotel where he left me to get some sleep while he had a meeting. We went to a fundraiser, a human one. I don't know what they assumed I was to him, but since I couldn't just go guard him from a place by the wall, I had to be his date for the night. Keeping an eye on him while blocking out the music buzzing voices really tested my skills.

Suddenly a smiling face came directly into my vision. "Anything to drink, miss?" A handsome young waiter asked.

I smiled back and went to grab a glass then frowned. "What is it?" I asked suspiciously, knowing the ways of the rich.

"Just champagne, miss," he answered with a bright smile, almost as if he was flirting.

I drew my hand back and frowned. "Where can I get something non-alcoholic?"

His smile fell a little but he nodded towards the bar. "Thank you," I told him and went there to have the bartender make me something virgin while I kept an eye on Rufus.

"Here with anyone?"

I looked out the corner of my eye to see a young man in a fancy suit. "Yeah." I nodded towards Rufus, " my uncle over there." A small lie, but I felt it was important to establish a family connection or this guy wouldn't back off.

"What is a beautiful girl like you doing here with your uncle?" He asked, implicating that I should have had a real date.

"Well, my dad sent me to him, so he could watch out for me. I always get into trouble," I teased.

The guy was about to say something when Rufus came over as if sent from heaven. "HALEY! What are you doing!" His voice came booming over the background noise.

I smiled and reached out to grab his elbow. "Uncle Rufus!" I smiled at him a little too sweet to tell him to play along, "I was just telling this fine young man how daddy sent me to you, so you could watch out for me." I bashed my eyelashes for extra effect.

Rufus seemed to get it and turned to the guy and held out his hand. "Rufus Hale, and you are?"

The guy smiled and shook his hand. "Emil Archibald, nice to meet you."

Rufus smiled widely and touched my shoulder lightly. "You too. I know your grandfather: Great man. I should talk to him, make a chance to get together sometime. Give you and my niece a chance to talk. Now I am sorry, but we have to get going, but I'll make sure she gets back to you. Right, Haley?" He gave my shoulder a tight squeeze, and I smiled just as tight.

"Sure thing. Excuse us, Mr. Archibald." I let him steer me away then whisper-shouted to him. "What the hell was that!"

He didn't look at me, instead, he scanned the crowd. "You wanted to play family with me, well, now you are family. Family date the right people to make connections." He looked at me out of the corner of his eye. "And we do have to go, by the way."

I frowned, the fundraiser had only just started 2 hours ago, and it was dark outside, very dark. "Why?" I asked, starting to calculate the risks of going outside this late.

"I have a date. It is on the William Carrige's grounds, don't worry," he added.

I shook my head. "Just because it is on campus doesn't make it safe. Can't she wait?"

He shot me a look. "No, she can't. We will be doing some light-sensitive things." I had to bite myself very hard in the cheek not to make a face. We were going to visit his w***e. I didn't speak to him till we were in the car almost at her dorm.

"You think this is wrong, don't you?" He asked me.

"I thought you didn't want my opinion?"

He shrugged. "I didn't, but I have never seen you this speechless before."

I inhaled deeply then turned my head to glare at him. "You know, you are just keeping the tabu alive, right? Do you have any idea how hard it is to be a woman as is? And then when people like you do stuff like that, well you set an example for the rest! Suddenly, every powerful man thinks they can just throw women around like they are well, whores!" I took a deep breath then suddenly realized something. "There wasn't anyone from William Carrige's University on your list of mistresses."

"No, she is new."

I didn't like the way he said 'new'. In fact, I didn't like any of this. And interestingly enough, he didn't seem to like it either. We didn't say anything else. When we got to her building, she met us outside. She was petite and young, a little younger than me. Dhampire, surprisingly, but she didn't seem like your average sugar babe. She seemed anxious. "Who is she?" She demanded, nodding towards me.

"My guard. You know I travel with guards," Rufus answered uncaring and a bit annoyed.

She looked me up and down. "Is she any good?" She asked, and I was about to snap at her for her offending comment, but Rufus answered before I could.

"Wouldn't have hired her if she wasn't. Now come on, we are wasting time."

She didn't say anything else and just showed us upside to her dorm room, then she stooped and looked at me again. "She can't come." She said to Rufus.

I was about to protest but he beat me to it again. "Where I go, she goes."

The girl scowled but then lead us somewhere else. A living room, closed off from the rest and without windows, much better for security than a dorm room. "She'll have to stand over there," she pointed towards an armchair by the door. "We'll talk behind the couches." I never thought I'd see Rufus Hale sit on the floor in a common living room, but he went over and sat with her behind the couch, where I couldn't see, and they talked so low, I couldn't hear it.

It lasted about 20 minutes. When they stood up again, Rufus licked a silvery substance from the corner of his mouth, and she had a dreamy look on her face but was well enough to walk to her room alone. We left in a hurry, heading straight for the hotel where there were more guards. Rufus didn't speak before we were in our room, waiting for room service to come up with whatever he had ordered.

"You didn't see anything tonight, right?" He asked carefully.

I looked away from the view. "Nothing."

He nodded satisfied and sat down next to me. "Good... I am sorry if I offended you. I didn't know my affairs were well known to others."

I shook my head. "It isn't just you... It is the system that is broken."

Rufus regarded me for a few moments before speaking. "What is the dream?" I really hope my face showed my confusion cause I was lost for words. "The dream – If you weren't born what you are, then what would you be?" He asked again.

I thought about it for a moment. What could I be? An author? Saleswoman? Lawyer? I shook my head. "I couldn't imagine a world where I wasn't doing this," I answered truthfully.

He nodded, understanding. "I was born for this too, you know. Royal life with all its politics. I couldn't imagine a life without it, but it isn't something I've chosen." Just then someone knocked on the door. I opened: If it was a threat it would meet me first.

It was room service. A young boy handed me a box then held out his hand. I reached over and took five dollars from the envelope Rufus kept for tip money and handed them to him then closed the door and opened the box. "You ordered room delivery for M&M's?"

2 days later...

Jack's point of view

I was with the Princess while she trained her magic with Arrent late that evening when it began: First Kian observed people gathering down at the street. He had been sitting in the window, bored at observing their healing magic but too paranoid to leave them alone. Next, a medical team came running. Then Mr. Richard called me, asking me to come down, armed. As I was making my way to the door Tristan's phone rang. He looked puzzled, spoke a few words then followed me, telling Alishia to stay put. She didn't.

Then as we were all on the street, I joined the other guards, who filled me in on why we were there: A car was coming in, the driver and the guard were both injured and needed immediate treatment, therefore they wouldn't stop at the gate. If it turned out to be vampires, we had to take them down before they got loose.

They were trying to get people away from the place but curiosity kept them there.

"Who is it?" I asked the guard seemingly in charge. He shrugged.

"I don't know, but I heard Princess Emily Paris is visiting a nearby city, so we should prepare for a funeral. People her age tend to die from the shock."

I looked back at the Princess, deciding I should get her to back away before the car came through. Get her out of line and not tempt her to use her magic, knowing the damage it caused when she did it. While healing magic was lifesaving it was also life draining. She cut years of her own life every time she saved someone else's.