Title: Hungry Heart, Part Three of Four

Author: Emma

Characters: Canonical Torchwood Three members… sort of.

Rating: Some chapters definitely not safe for work.

Disclaimer: Oh, please. If I owned them, would I let some of those idiots write the scripts? And if I were making any money off them, would I be where they could find me?

Summary: The team races to save Ianto’s life… and his soul

Part One is here; Part Two is here 

 

           Ianto sat on the edge of the sofa, Lisa’s hand in his. It was icy. Of course it’s icy, you twpsyn, the realist part of him snapped. She’s dead. He pushed the thought away and held on tighter. They could get through this, one way or another. And if there’s no cure, you’ll spend your life taking care of her until you cut off her head or let her Turn you out of sheer desperation.

            He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Control. For both their sakes, he couldn’t afford to lose control.

            “Tosh, how did you know we were here?”

            “I didn’t. Mainframe did.” She came as close as she could without disobeying Jack’s orders. “The sensor registered one extra heartbeat and two brainwave patterns.”

            “I can be detected by machinery?” Lisa asked. “I thought… People can't even see my reflection.”

            “That’s a bias of the human eye,” Toshiko said. “A brainwave pattern is the product of a normal biological function. Sensors can’t tell anything about who is generating it. Just that it’s there.”

            “And this place has many sensors?”

            Tosh laughed. “There’s so many I don’t even know where they all are.”

            “I was going to be a technologist,” Lisa said sadly. “My mum is a healer. We’d spend hours talking about the machines doctors needed. I was going to build them for her.”

            “After this is all over, maybe you can get back to it,” Tosh said. “Cardiff University has some terrific programs.”

            Lisa smiled at her. “Maybe. It’s nice to think about, anyway.”

            While Lisa and Tosh talked, Ianto had been watching Gwen. She was sitting on the steps to Owen’s greenhouse, as far away from them as she could and still be within shooting distance. Her face was pale and strained, and she was breathing in short, shallow gasps.

            “Tosh,” he said quietly. “Maybe Owen should take a look at Gwen.”

            “I asked, but she says she’ll be all right. It’s just that…” Tosh made an apologetic little gesture. “The unquiet dead.”

            Ianto flinched. In his panic to get Lisa to a safe place he had forgotten what it would do to Gwen to have a vampire near by.

            “Unquiet dead?” Lisa asked. “Ianto…”

            “Gwen is a medium,” he said as gently as he could. “A vampire’s kills stay close to it, the same way it wants to stay close to its nest.”

            “Oh. Oh. I’m sorry.” She hid her face on his shoulder. “I’m so sorry.”

            He stroked her back. “It’ll be all right, Lisa.” No, it won’t. Dear God, what have I done?

            “This was a mistake,” he told Tosh. “As soon as it’s dark I’ll take Lisa away. My family has some land near Ystradgynlais. It has a hill fort on top of a warren of caves. We can hide there for months if we have to.”

            “That won’t be possible.”

            Jack’s voice sounded even colder than Lisa’s skin felt. Ianto turned to see him emerge from one of the tunnels that led down into the lower levels. He was drenched in sweat, as if he had been running for miles; under his arm he carried a long package covered in burlap. Behind him, Owen had the disoriented look Ianto had often seen in the eyes of people who survived an encounter with things beyond the Veil.

            He opened his senses a little and encountered a closed door. Jack had severed their connection. The pain that sliced through him was worse than anything he had endured at Elaine de Cussac’s hands. What did I expect? I brought a monster into his home. I deserve whatever he decides to do.

            “It’s the best thing,” he said evenly. “Elaine will come after us and that will give you a chance to move against her.”

            “Elaine won’t move until she knows she can have a clear shot at keeping you alive. “Jack retorted. “And Lisa is her best way of doing that.”

            “What are you talking about? Lisa ran away from her!”

            “Really? Do you have any idea what Elaine de Cussac does to her get? How she controls them? Lisa was a sixteen-year-old girl when she was Turned. Do you really believe she could overcome Elaine’s conditioning?”

            “Don’t do this Jack,” he pleaded. “I know you’re angry, but don’t do this to me. This is Lisa, she wouldn’t…”

            “She has.” Gwen stepped closer. “I’m sorry Ianto, but she has. The dead say she’s been communicating with her Master all along.”

            “No! You lie!”

            “You don’t have to believe me. Tosh’s brainwave detector will show it. Ianto…”

            They were all taken by surprise as Lisa moved with the speed of her kind. She lunged out of Ianto’s arms, reaching Gwen before any of them could even think of moving. Grabbing Gwen by the throat, she whirled to place her between herself and the others. Her eyes became dark pools and her fangs dropped.

            “If you move, I will drain her. Do you understand me?”

            “Lisa!” Ianto started towards her. “What are you doing? Why?”

            “Stop right there.” She started to drop her head to Gwen’s neck and Ianto halted immediately. “Good. What am I doing? Getting you for my Master. Bringing you to us. To me.”

            “I won’t do it.”

            “You will. Once you taste what she can give you, you will. There’s so much power. So much we can have.”

            “I have had a taste of Elaine’s power. There’s nothing she can offer me that I will accept.”

            “Do you think your lover will protect you? Surprised? Did you think I couldn’t smell him on you? Or you on him? You love me! You’re supposed to love only me!” She started dragging Gwen backwards towards the medical area. “My Master will be here after nightfall. Your little medium and I will wait for her inside here. And if you try anything, there are things I can do to her that will keep her in agony for hours.”

            Ianto felt as if his world had collapsed. It had been so easy, so easy, for Lisa to fool him. He looked at his former colleagues, saw the looks of pity in Owen and Tosh’s faces, the deliberate blankness of Jack’s. There was nothing he could say, no excuse he could give. He started to speak to Jack, but at that moment Jack’s cell phone rang. He answered it, listened briefly, and then ended the call.

            “That was Brother Alaric at St. Teilo’s. Your family is safely in sanctuary.”

            “Thank God.”

            “Yes.” He paused. “Andy’s missing. Brother Alaric has seen some people loitering about the monastery that didn’t seem the usual kind. Dressed in black and heavy makeup.”

            “Vampire groupies. They were the ones who grabbed us.” Ianto rubbed his eyes with clenched fists. “What do you want me to do?”

            “You know.”

            “Yes. I’ll do it.”

            “Hold it.” Owen nearly snarled. “What exactly are you both talking about?”

            “Breaking my geis.” Ianto said. “He wants me to take control of Lisa’s mind. Don’t be shocked, Owen. It’s necessary and Jack always does what is necessary. No matter what it costs.” He looked at the man he loved. “Do you have a way to deal with Elaine?”

            Jack unwrapped the burlap. Inside was a short sword in a leather scabbard. The hilt was ridged, with a cap-shaped guard, and ended in a large pommel made from oak. Its only adornment was a carved and gilt Welsh dragon that held to the pommel with its claws.

            Ianto’s eyes widened. “All right. Tell me what you want me to do.”