Wanna Piece of Me? - First 1k sections

Okay, so this time I'm showcasing the first two characters:  Miranda and Dali.

 

Perched within a sharp edged branching oak tree an ancient member of an old species, Dali Montaigne observed his target with calculation. She'd ruined his life, he reflected, just because she couldn't behave herself and stay away from him. He exhaled resigned to his impending departure, and not to freedom as fellow mercs believed.

His eyebrows drew into an angry frown as he considered his options. He'd made a separate deal with Saturnus. The mercs who knew about his decision viewed him as beyond nuts. He decided to make the choice freely versus imprisonment under the Commodore's various lackeys. He'd heard of certain prisons the megalomaniac ran to ensure obedience.

A grim smile chased away his frown. Dali knew Saturnus had reasons for approaching him after his disastrous meeting with Montano. Talk about an inauspicious set of events. Then there was the fact Emerald decided she wanted to turn his gut inside out. At least he knew whom she reminded him of. Miranda, the female he loved despite all common sense.

Not for the first time he mused over what fate threw his way. The one woman he might love, and she was his latest target. How effing ironic, he mused, sighted through his scope. There was another sniper there, somewhere; waiting to make sure he finished his job. His eyes narrowed in anger at the notion and he shrugged.

Screw the waiting mercs. As far as he was concerned they could wait until hell froze over. He watched for another target that prowled the beach. A man no one wanted wandering shores whether he was in human form or some other odd species. He mulled over the fact of the Commodore actually possessing a form that could be murdered.

He wondered who else knew about Trafalgar's weakness. Not many, he wagered, not even Montano knew what he held close to his chest. Unless the news was bogus, Dali wouldn't put it past Saturnus to sell him a whale load of crap. He'd done it to idiotic fools that tried selling him to deities that wanted Saturnus dead. He wasn't one of the common fools, but figured Saturnus tested him to make sure of his loyalty.

For some reason he thought about where he encountered Alistair "Montano" Doonesbury. Dali wondered at the similarities been himself and the other man. His body shivered as a cold breeze swept over him. The danger, he supposed, would be to walk away from the job. Take the offer he'd been handed, and go into a new life entirely. An amused smile curved his mouth.

The temptation was great, except he didn't believe Montano knew what tortures of the damned if he attempted to sucker their boss. Dali shook his head as he circled round to what bothered him more. The nasty threats and power to back them up, oh yeah, Commodore Alistair Trafalgar, wasn't a man to underestimate as Dali learned to his cost. He'd been a fool as a boy but no longer.

 

Coiled in a cumbersome net of chaos, her mind fought against jagged edges of insanity. First she remembered where she was and how she found herself in the current predicament. Miranda, my name is Miranda, she repeated. Her fingers curled into claws as she blinked and shook off terrifying memories and shivered.

There were steps she followed each morning and evening, Miranda remembered. If she didn't follow the routine she set, she'd go insane. Her mind tried conjuring images she rejected. No, insanity wasn't a choice she wanted to deal with right now. Chances weren't so hot as far as recovery was concerned. She had plenty to accomplish if she chose while existing in the astral planes.

However, she needed to be patient as her sight returned. Until it did, she was out of lucky. As she waited, her vision adjusted and revealed gleaming silvery shades of gently misting moonlight. Miranda pulled a sour face and shook her head aggravated. Why'd she hope one day she'd return to her original body? There was no way in hell that would happen. Not if Emerald had her way, she mused grimly.

Cool blandness surrounded Miranda to her dismay. She'd hoped for a different outcome when she awoke from her nap. For a moment she only looked around. She shook off unnerving drowsiness because she knew there were reasons why she shouldn't allow weariness to overcome her. She possessed all her faculties, and she must keep them sharp, reminded herself.

"I'm still in the astral planes." Miranda murmured, relieved, a bit disappointed, but pleased she hadn't gone off her rocker. "I have to check on Emerald's activities, joy of joys." She grimaced in distaste as she moved to spy on her. Her nose wrinkled but at least this activity did keep her focused on interesting points rather than inanity guaranteed boredom.

The part she despised most of her duties while caught in this netherworld of dangerous restless spirits, Miranda considered, was spying on the idiot who stole her body and proceeded to screw with her man's head. She hated the way Dali Montaigne was caught in a nightmarish situation of horrific proportions. If there was a way she could deal with Emerald safely and reunite with Dali she would.

Circumstances notwithstanding, Miranda doubted he'd believe her wild wacky tale about how she'd been dumped into the astral paths. She considered her words, and snorted. Nope, he wouldn't believe her, not a simple island girl caught in a nasty mess. A disgusted scowl scrunched her nose and mouth as she realized she'd fallen into a pit of self-pity. "Great, I'm wasting my essence sulking." She hated doing that and decided she needed to change her attitude.

"Where should I roam this time?" She mused as she floated onto a strange pathway reminding her of the stones in the courtyard of the manor on Helios Island. Pain flickered in her mind, but she ignored the shadow emotion. There was no point in allowing pain control.