Introductions

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Part 30

Nothing. She was nothing. Not human, not eternal, not... real.

Yet she existed, occupied space, engaged in actions which had definite REACTIONS.

But... no soul. No SOUL. NO SOUL!

And not in a way that made sense, she thought with a frown. If she'd been a demon of some kind-- a vampire, perhaps-- then being soulless would have made sense. But she wasn't. She was... mortal. Human-based.

Her frown deepened at the echoing silence that continued in the corner of her mind where the Powers had once spoken to her. And that continuing silence told her yet again that her dark brothers were right.

There would be no Heaven or Hell for her and her sibs. No earning their way to eternal happiness or damnation. No... future.

It was within her power to end her own suffering but that wasn't a route she would take.

Even betrayed as she'd been, USED as she'd been... Hypatia still treasured her existence, the ability to FEEL. To move at will and choose her own course of action.

And as she had nothing to lose and nothing to gain, she would do as Ricky and Iggy had done and simply... enjoy herself. With no consequences to the soul she'd thought she had, there was no point in refraining from indulging herself.

It was a purely wicked smile that spread across her lips as she pulled off the highway and turned around, heading back to her brothers and their idea of fun.

Yes... she would have the kind of fun SHE wished for... and fulfill her destiny in her own unique way.

It was fit.

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She'd only stopped twice on the way. Once to pick up a carton of cigarettes although she hadn't smoked before, and once to do a bit of actual shopping.

She lit her first cigarette with the pig-shaped lighter that had caught her fancy, coughing hard a few times before trying another drag.

Yes... nothing to live for, might as well get busy dying, she thought... but slowly. No sudden death for her. Not when there was so much FUN to be had.

It wouldn't be hard to find her brothers. Not now that she'd met them. Hell, she could feel them in her head... sense where they were in their constant travels.

She wondered for a moment whether they'd all consciously chosen attractive bodies with money attached but then she thought of Trevor.

Good looking guy, but no real inheritance there, she knew. Enough to cover the hospital bills for his body and leave him with enough to make a start, but nothing more.

And the thought of him made her frown more.

He didn't know. Didn't have any idea that they were soulless... that they weren't truly human.

Good, she decided after a moment. Trevor... he was GOOD... focused happily on his mission. Just as she'd been before learning the truth. Let him go on, all unknowing. Let him live and love and be happy. Let him never know what SHE knew. He was her brother. She loved him in her way. He could remain ignorant.

It was the least she could do for him, after all.

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She caught up to them a few hours later, her car overtaking theirs on the highway.

She honked repeatedly, giving them a sly smile before shifting slowly into the right-hand lane and taking the exit for the rest stop.

She parked a good distance away from the small building that housed rest rooms and vending machines then got out of the car, hopping up to sit on the hood as her brothers parked a couple spaces away.

She smirked, the expression stolen directly from a certain blond vampire she remembered quite well although she was well aware of the fact that he was far too good for the likes of her, considering what she now knew.

"Hello, gents," she greeted as they got out of their car and approached her, "Where are we headed, then?"

The two men exchanged looks, then Iggy grinned. "Been thinking, huh?"

"Something like that," she answered, the wicked grin clear once again. "Figured I could use a bit of fun for a change. I'm tired of being the Powers' bitch. So... what's the plan?"

Farrell shrugged, his eyes leaving his sister's to roam the rest stop quickly. "The usual, sis. Get somewhere with a decent club. Find the most shining person there. Take them and tarnish them." He smirked back at her. "Because we can and doesn't that make a statement to the Powers?"

"Sounds good," Hypatia said after a moment of looking deep in thought. "Just going to have a bit of a squat first. It's been a long drive."

She scooted off of the hood of the car and stood, arching a brow at the boys. "Don't leave without me, alright?"

Ricky shrugged, finally speaking up. "It's not like you couldn't find us again if we did, is it?"

"No," she answered smugly, "It's not." And with that she strolled off towards the rather ramshackle building a good two hundred feet away, entirely sure that they'd be waiting when she got back.

"Gods," she whispered, meeting her own eyes in the bathroom mirror once she'd finished her business, "I hope I know what I'm doing..." then she shook it off and stood straight, drying her hands before returning to her car and her brothers' pleased looks.

"So... lead on, gents. We're burning daylight."

Ignatius Farrell gave her a long up and down gaze, his eyes heated when they finally met hers again. "You know, sis... we used to be one. Might not be a bad idea to try that again now that we're... apart. You're fucking hot now."

The idea alone almost made her want to vomit but she'd made her choice, after all, and she wasn't the sort to change her mind. So instead of cringing or turning him down, Hypatia simply smiled her wicked and bad smile again and pursed her lips. "You're not bad yourself, Iggy," she replied after a moment then turned her eyes to Ricky. "Neither of you are, to be honest. It could be... fun."


Farrell snorted. "Yeah, good luck with getting Ricky to pant and moan for you, sis. He's the biggest fag you'll ever meet."

"Hey! I'm not a..." Ricky frowned and stopped for a moment. "Okay. I am. That's why I handle the gay bars while Farrell does the others." He grinned sheepishly. "Maybe I should have picked a female body. I could pick up a TON of guys if I looked like YOU."

Her eyes rolled as she dug her keys out of the pocket of her tight leather pants. "Whatever. I doubt you have any trouble with men regardless." She looked him up and down, much as Iggy had done to her a moment or five earlier. "You're a prime catch, Ricky. You know... if you were looking to be caught."

She got into her car with that comment and closed the door, strapping in and waiting for her brothers to lead her to their next destination and the new people who would be betrayed... just as Ricky had betrayed Robert, she knew.

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A/N: Thanks to Susan & DaniKitten for the reviews. Always adored and appreciated! *grins*

Susan: Got it and it DID open, so thank you! *huge effin' grin*

Dani: See, and somehow that doesn't sound like punishment to me. LOL As for what Spike does, you're gonna have to wait just a little while longer to find out. LOL I know how patient you are so that won't be a problem, right? *snerk*

Seriously, guys... thanks again for taking the time to review!