Mystery of The Night

Ch. 8



The next morning came kind of quickly, and unfortunately as soon as Jack realized what time it was he had to leave immediately. He gave Isabella a warm kiss and then quickly rushed out the door, promising her that he'd be back tonight, leaving her completely confused. Jack was a complete mystery to Isabella, he never led out any information about his past or what he was and this made her very leery at times. She wanted to learn more about him so she could figure out what she's going to do with him or Bruce.



Isabella softly sighed as she pulled herself out of bed, she remembered what he felt like against her as they slept, his body was so warm and inviting that even thinking about it now sent shivers down her spine. However, what made her a little nervous about Jack was from what she saw last night is that he seemed to be possessive, this worried her dearly since Jack almost seems that he can fly off the rocker any minute and in honesty she can't handle that right now.



Bruce on the other hand, was a mystery himself for a man to go out into the night just to stop the chaos in the city seemed a little to endearing, how is it that he just decided to go and do this? Why? was the main question on her mind, it just made no sense to her. She knew that there was more to Bruce Wayne that what he was giving out and yes she knew his secret but there had to have been something that caused him to go down to this limit. Sure, she knew about Bruce Wayne… she researched the man but there wasn’t much that he led on and there was something more deeper about him than he'd like to let his onlookers see.



This also was bothering Isabella it seemed that Jack and Bruce were this dark little puzzle with missing pieces and then she'd have to go find the missing pieces and place them back into the puzzle to learn who they really are. Isabella's head was starting to hurt from all of the thinking she was doing between these two men, they both were definitely an enigma. She then walked over to her bathroom, took a long needed shower, once she was finished she then blew dry her hair, and softly applied her makeup.



Isabella then walked over to her cabinet and pulled out a pair of dark denim bootcuts with a pair of boots, she then pulled on a white lace collar ruffled buttoned down short sleeve top and black leather multi zipper motorcycle jacket. Isabella looked herself over in the mirror and then pulled her long dark hair back and placed on a pair of hoop earrings.



Once, she was through and decided that she was looked fine she then quickly grabbed her keys and purse and headed out the door.



XXXXX



As Isabella, started strolling down the busy streets of Gotham she couldn’t help but get this odd and irking feeling that something bad was going to happen today. It was odd but usually when she had these feelings they usually came true, and this is what worried her.



She decided that she was going to go pay Bruce a visit and decided to go see if he was at his penthouse. Isabella walked into the large building, seeing all sorts of residents walking around the lobby, Isabella sighed figuring that this place looked more like a hotel then an apartment building. She then walked over to the receptionist and smiled.



"Hello I'm here to see Mr. Bruce Wayne?"



The woman looked at her quizzically and then nodded. "Um sure let me call him really quick." Isabella nodded as she watched the woman dial his number. "Hello? Hi Alfred there's a young woman here to see Mr. Wayne?" the woman then looked back at Isabella. "What's your name?" Isabella then smiled. "Isabella Raven." The woman nodded and then returned back to talking to Alfred. "Isabella Raven." She repeated, and then nodded on the phone and then hung up.



"Alfred says you're welcome to come up."



Isabella nodded, giving her a slightly confused look. "Do you happen to know what floor and room he's in?" The woman looked at her curiously and started to laugh. "Darling the whole top floor is his." Isabella looked at her embarrassedly and slowly nodded her head. "Oh… Alright" she gave the woman a tight smile and then walked up to the elevator and pressed the button for the top floor.



Once the elevator stopped and the doors opened, Isabella then walked slowly out to see a door and gently rang the doorbell. The Door immediately opened to show Alfred in his usual suit. "Ah Miss. Raven it's quite a pleasure." Isabella then softly smiled at him. "It's really nice to meet you as well." Alfred then smiled at her and gestured for her to come in. "Excuse me may I introduce myself I'm Alfred Pennyworth. I am Mr. Wayne's Butler." Isabella giggled as then shook his hand.



"It's really nice to make your acquaintance."



Alfred nodded and then started to walk ahead of her. "Mr. Wayne will be most delighted to know that you're here." Isabella smiled as she looked around; the penthouse was huge with several different rooms. It gave out a very clean contemporary vibe and she knew that since the building was wide in itself that his penthouse has to be completely massive. Alfred then leads her towards the living room where Bruce was busy talking on the phone. Isabella softly smiled to herself as she watched Bruce waving his hands animatedly obviously very in-depth to whoever he was talking too, he then slowly turned to around to face them and looked surprised but happy to see Isabella standing there.



He smiled and waved at her while he continued to talk on the phone. "Max yeah listen I need to get back to you on that I have a guest." He then hung up the phone and smiled over at her. "Izzy! It's great to see you." he said happily as he walked up and hugged her. Isabella then started to laugh as she returned his hug, why was it that even when she hugged him that she still got those shivers down her spine? "It's great to see you too Bruce. Look is it a bad time? I mean you seem kinda busy." Bruce quickly shook his head as he released his hold on her.



"Oh not at all just planning the fundraiser for Dent, you know how that is."



Isabella then started to laugh. "Not really, I've never planned a party before." Bruce chuckled as he took her hand and led her to the couch. "Trust me it's a lot of work, was there something you needed to talk to me about?" Isabella smiled as he pulled her down with him and then sat beside him. "Oh I can only imagine, but um... I just wanted to talk to you about this feeling I have but I suppose that could wait." Bruce nodded as he looked over at Alfred. "How's it going by the way?" Alfred then walked over to them analyzing how the two of them are bonding.



"I think you're fundraiser will be a great success, sir."



Bruce looked up at Alfred skeptically knowing that he had his own assumptions as to why he was holding this fundraiser. "And why do you think I wanted to hold a party for Harvey Dent?" Alfred then smiled. "I assumed it was your usual reason for socializing beyond myself and the scum of Gotham's underbelly to try and impress Ms. Dawes and Miss. Raven here." Bruce glared at him while Isabella then started to laugh; Bruce rolled his eyes and took Isabella's hand in with his lacing their fingers together.



"Very Droll. But ever wrong. Actually, it's Dent. You see…"



Bruce then suddenly trails off and starts to stare at the television, Isabella quickly looked over to see what he was looking at and gasped.



On the television set there was a fake Batman hanging from a flag pole, his mouth roughly painted with a red dark smile mimicking the jokers with a knife stabbed into his chest with a playing card that had the words 'WILL THE REAL BATMAN PLEASE STAND UP?' Isabella stared in horror as she watched the newscaster coming back to the screen.



"…Police released video footage that was concealed on the body. Sensitive viewers be aware: This may be disturbing."



The image on the television then cuts to a blindfolded man, wearing a makeshift Batman costume, his face bruised, bloody and all tied up. It also showed that he was in a bright, fluorescent-lit room. "Tell them you're name." the voice who was holding the camera said as if he was talking to a child pointing the camera directly towards the fake Batman, Isabella stared in horror knowing exactly who it was.



"Brian…"



They then heard the man holding the camera giggle thoroughly amused as the Fake Batman was giving his full name.



"Douglas."



The man who was holding the camera then gasped and asked in a high somewhat shocked tone. "Are you the real Batman?" Brian then shook his head. "No." The man holding the camera then started to mock him. "NoOo?" then started to laugh thoroughly amused, while Brian said. "No." once again, with the man starting to giggle once again. "NoOo… noOooo" He then started to laugh, speaking back into his regular dark growl of a voice finding this hilarious.



"Then why do dress up like him?"



He said laughingly as he pulled off Brian's mask still laughing and waiving the mask in front of the camera. "WOOHoOoHoOoHoOo!" he said in a high-pitched voice. Bruce quickly looked over at Isabella whose eyes were glued on the television set and gently squeezed her hand, she then quickly looked over him giving him a fearful look and then back at the television.



"He's a symbol… that we don't have to be afraid of scum like you…"



The man then immediately spoke up. "Yeah… you do Brian, you really do…" he said the 'do' in a very deep growl as he grabbed Brian roughly, shoving the camera into his face. "huh yeah…" he said once again in that low growl "ah sh. Sh. Sh. Sh. Sh." He shushed as he caressed Brian's face with the back of his hand, and then gently smack him on both cheeks. "So… you think Batman made Gotham a better place?" he asked in his regular voice, Brian then bows down his head to the side. "Hm?!" the man holding the camera asked, noticing that Brian wasn’t looking at him.



"Look at me."



He said in his regular voice and then noticed that Brian refused to look up at him so he said it again in a loud dark growl.



"LOOK AT ME!"



Brian finally looked up at him and the man zoomed the camera up to his face for a minute and then whirled it around to do an aerial view down to his face to show that the cameraman was the Joker. "You see this is how CrAzy Batman has made Gotham. You want order in Gotham… Batman must take oOoff his mask and turn himself in..." he then pulls the camera closer to his face, while Isabella quickly looked over at Bruce who was in complete shock. "Oh! And everyday he doesn’t people will die… Starting to night." He then pulled camera closer to his lips, saying in his deep dark growl. "I'm a man of my wooord." He then allowed out a laugh of hysterics and the camera started to wave around making the picture blurry as they heard Brian screaming for his life and then suddenly the screen went black.



Bruce and Isabella stared at it in shock as the newscaster came back onto the screen. Isabella's heart dropped down to the floor and then immediately rose up. "I have to get out of here." She said quickly, running her fingers through her hair, Bruce quickly looked up at her and rose up from the couch. "Izzy…" Isabella then quickly cuts him off.



"No! no… I need to go I need to take care of this you stay here I'll call you and tell you what's going on!"



Bruce then glared at her. "If you know where he is you have to tell me Izzy!" Isabella then quickly shook her head. "Bruce, let me take care of this! This is between me and him!" she yelled and started to storm off but Bruce quickly grabbed her arm and pulled her towards him. Isabella glared up at him, her eyes starting to glow as he stared down at her.



"Be careful."



He whispered, Isabella stared up at him for a moment and then kissed him. Bruce was in shock for a moment but then immediately returned her kiss and then felt her move away from him, her eyes still glowing.



"I will…"



She whispered and then stormed out of the penthouse, leaving Bruce watching her as she goes hoping that she'll be alright...



XXXX



Isabella finally made it to the Jokers hideout, her eyes were seeing red and her rage was burning through her veins. She was so furious with his tactics to get to the Batman and was more than determined to kill him today, she was fully set on ending his life to show him how it felt to give him idea how emotionally wrong this is.



So, as soon as Isabella made it to his Hide out she roughly kicks the door causing it to fly open, his henchmen all quickly rose up once the saw her storm in, seeing she has completely morphed and her eyes were literally glowing as her teeth were gritted with her fangs showing.



The Joker's henchmen stared at her in fear as she continued to storm into the building, she knew where he was, she could sense the grease paint and hair dye and knew that he was in his den obviously thinking up another plan.



She finally made it towards his door and kicked that open as well causing everyone who was standing in the den to jump once they saw her.



A man tried to shoot her, but in an instant she appeared right in front of him, wrapped her hand around the barrel, and bent it upwards causing the gun to explode. The Joker smirked when he saw her, seeing her in all her fury was simply delicious and arousing.



Once Isabella laid her eyes on him, she sneered and immediately stormed up to him grabbed him by the neck and slammed him up against the wall, his feet dangling as she had her arm rose up above her, clutching onto his neck.



The Joker gasped and started to laugh as he placed his hands over the hers. "Well hello beautiful I didn’t expect to see you so soon." He gasped as she clutched his neck tighter. "Give me one good reason why I should kill you." she said darkly, as she stared up at him.



The Joker grinned down at her as he continued to clutch her hands almost willing them to let him go. "And what reason would that be darlin? After all we're not best friends anymore so too bad I'm no sharing." Isabella inhumanly growled as she moved him away from the wall and slammed him against it again, she was hoping he would cry out in pain but instead he just started to laugh.



"WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS!? WHY DID YOU KILL THAT MAN?!"



She yelled, this only caused the Joker to laugh even harder. "When are you going to realize that this is all apart of the plan?" Isabella gritted her teeth and roughly throws him across the room. "What plan? You've never told me any plan." The Joker started to laugh once again as he sorely moved his body up from the floor, his henchmen staring in terror.



"That is because you're not working for me anymore Darling. Why should I fill you in? After all since you left me I had to figure out another way to get to the Batman since you were my main source and decided to leave me."



Isabella glared down at him and roughly slams her foot into his stomach causing him to fly up against the wall, The Joker groaned, placing his hand over his stomach but then smirked up at her. "What are you trying to prove Izzy? That you're one of them? That the thing inside of you is just an illusion?" Isabella smirked down at him and tilted her head to the side. "No… I just plan on killing you." The Joker then started to laugh hysterically.



"Oh Izzy how I wish you had that in you."



Isabella glared at him as he rose up to his feet and started to walk towards her, licking his lips. "I wish you had a heart as dark as mine but in all actuality you don’t. You come here thinking that you're going to kill me and probably convinced yourself that you will but we both know you don't have it in you. You can kill creatures and things that go bump in the night but a real living being? No… it's not in you're heart, but that darkness… that darkness that keeps you going, that darkness that sears through your veins that is what intrigues me about you." He then slowly starts to circle her, a dark smirk morphed on his lips, twitchingly licking them again.



"When I watch you fight it's like you became this other being, this person who loves the kill you feel it and you yearn for it, you're a natural born killer and you enjoy every inch of your job. That's why you and me? We're Yin and Yang. We belong to each other and no matter how hard you try to deny it, and no matter how hard you try to hate me… you'll always come back to me."



He whispered into her ear, Isabella slowly looked back at him and glared. "I'll never come to you, you're beneath me." The Joker then chuckled. "You want to know how I always beat 'em? The question isn't "How'd I win?". The question is "Why'd they always lose" He smirked as he rounded around in front of her; Isabella kept her glare on him as she crossed her arms. "What's the difference?" The Joker's smirk then widened when in a quick flash he pulls out his knife and aims at her throat. The Joker stops, inches from her skin, licking his lips, while Isabella never even flinches.



"There's a big difference…"



Isabella then roughly smacks his arm away. "How do you do it?" The Joker then shrugged. "Hmm? A bit like this." He then went to punch her but she immediately ducked his hit, she then quickly rose back up and gave him a smug expression. "That didn't hurt?" The Joker then smirked as he started to pace in front of her.



"I knew I couldn't touch you. If there's no intent to hurt you, I knew that you are capable of taking every blow I throw at you so there's no sense in trying to harm you, I know what you become once you allow that creature to have full reign, I know how much of a danger you really are."



He whispered very seductively into her ear as he tried to wrap his arm around her waist, Isabella scoffed and roughly pushed him away. "You get off on this don't you?!" The Joker then started to laugh. "Well, yeah. I suppose you're telling me you don't?" He then allowed out a high pitched giggled. "How many of you're kind have you done in?" Isabella then crossed her arms getting really irritated with him right now. "Not enough." The Joker then nodded, licking his lips once again.



"And they just keep coming. But you can kill a hundred, a thousand, a thousand, thousand and the enemies of Hell besides and all you need is for one of them… just one. Sooner or later to have the thing the one thing they are probably all hoping for, but no, not me I personally think that you're too much fun."



Isabella then arched her brow. "And what would it be that everyone would be hoping for?" The Joker then smirked over at her and slowly walked up to her, his hands in his pockets as he leaned towards her ear and whispered. "One… Good… Day…" Isabella roughly shoves him away causing the Joker to laugh. "Hey! You asked and I'm tellin'. The problem with you, Izzy, is you've gotten so good, you're starting to think you're immortal." Isabella then shook her head. "No I just know that I can take care of myself." The Joker's smirk grew wider as he tilted his head to the side. "Really? Then how come you were literally mutilated not too long ago." Isabella then groaned out of frustration. "What does this have to do with anything J.!? This is nothing but nonsense!" The Joker then quickly shook his head.



"No… no, no, no… It's not. You're just not ready to know."



Isabella then gritted her teeth. "I'm ready." The Joker then looked up at her darkly. "Okay, then. Went like this…. To get through to this world you have to learn where you belong, whose in the game and who are the players. You see Izzy you don't belong in this game. Either you belong on the good or the evil and you don't know where you belong because you yourself have admitted that you are a Wildcard. It's all about the dance, the dance we portray. You see it always starts out as Business, but then it eventually becomes a cunning, resourceful... oh, did I mention? Hot little dance, one that I can dance all night with." Isabella then stared at him agitatedly.



"You think we're dancing?"



The Joker immediately stopped his pacing, turned his head to the side, and grinned. "That's all we've ever done." He then slowly walks up behind her and then places his hands on her sides and then leans down to her ear and whispers.



"And the thing about the dance is, you never get to stop. Every day you wake up, it's the same question that haunts you: is today the day I die?"



His hands then slowly moved up and down her sides, Isabella feeling that familiar connection to him as he slowly leaned down to her neck and nipped her skin.



"Death is on your heels, baby, and sooner or later it's gonna catch you. And part of you wants it... not only to stop the fear and uncertainty, but because you're just a little bit in love with it…"



He smirked and then gently grazed his teeth over her earlobe as he encircled his arms around her waist, feeling her shirt slowly rising up. "Death is your art. You make it with your hands, day after day. That final gasp. That look of peace. Part of you is desperate to know: What's it like? Where does it lead you? And now you see, that's the secret. Not the punch you didn't throw or the kicks you didn't land. Every creature like yourself... has a death wish. Even you. The only reason you've lasted as long as you have is you've got ties to the world... you're trainer, you're friends, your ambition. They all tie you here but you're just putting off the inevitable." He then slowly turned her around to face him, pulling her body tightly against him.



"Sooner or later, you're gonna want it. And the second… the second that happens... You know I'll be there. I'll slip in... have myself a real good day."



He whispered, mere inches from her lips. Isabella was so tempted to just lean in and meet him but all her sense came quickly to her and she roughly shoves him causing him to fall onto the ground. "This was a waste of time." The Joker then started to laugh. "Oh... did I scare ya? You're the Dhampir. Do something about it. Hit me. Come on. One good swing. You know you want to." He taunted, but Isabella was hearing enough, since she heard his henchmen starting to chuckle. "I mean it J. If you kill another being I will be here and I will show you where real nightmares came from." The Joker laughed happily, as he jumped up from the ground and clasped his leather-gloved hands together.



"Then do it! Give it to me good, Izzy. Prove me wrong!"



Isabella stared at him hesitantly as he moved closer to her. "J…" The Joker was now right in front of her once again and looked down at her, feeling the sudden urge to kiss her. He then leans in to kiss her. However, Izzy backs away in horror. Unclear whether she thinks he was going to hit her or kiss her. "What the hell are you doing?" The Joker then gritted his teeth, remembering how she felt against him last night and the things they did with each other, he then grabs Isabella by the arms, his words coming in a breathless pant.



"Come on. I can feel it, Izzy. You know you want to dance."



Isabella then stared up at him, giving him a daring look. "Say it's true. Say I do want to…" The Joker then smirked down at her, until she shoves him to the ground and looks down at him with disgust. "It wouldn't be you, J. It would never be you." she said in a dark grim tone. "You'll always be beneath me." she said in a disgusted tone and then stormed out of the building.



Once she left, leaving him alone on the ground. Suddenly visions of Jeanie leaving him were starting to show before his eyes, he keeps in the sob that was dying to come out and gathers himself up. Focusing his pain into murderous rage…



*****



A/N: So what do you guys think of the chapter? Sorry it's so short, I know this chapter was kinda different, but I promise that it'll get better. Ok let's recap, It looks like things are going to get little more harder for Izzy. The Joker is trying to convince Izzy that she belongs to him but no matter how hard she tries to hide the fact that there's a connection between them, she knows that she wont be able to hide it forever. Bruce on the other hand is another hard situation for her since she doesn't know how she should feel for him of Jack. Obviously Isabella and Jack are a little more physical by their attraction to one another but she feels that there should be more than that, and with Bruce he's the exact opposite she's learning more and more about him as she sees him, so here's where the hard part comes...



Should she Choose Bruce or Should she Choose Jack (The Joker) Who do you all think she'll end up with in the end?



Hope you all are enjoying the story it really is fun to write.



Reviews are greatly appreciated and help motivate me to continue writing. I cannot wait to hear from all of you soon, and if any of you have any questions or suggestions don't hesitate to ask. :)