Grace Of A Phoenix @graceofaphoenix - Tumblr Blog

WELCOME HOME w/@DarksDestiny

Bennu:

If it weren’t for the text I’d received straight from Destiny’s phone, I would never have believed that she was back in Caldwell. When she left, she had sworn she would never return, so I was incredibly curious as to what finally changed her mind. I had always envied her for her travels. I wasn’t brave enough to go outside of the area. I had left the house of the Chosen and moved into the city. That was as far as I had ever gotten. I never even took a holiday somewhere, even though Destiny had asked me to come visit numerous times. I just didn’t dare leave the protection of the Brotherhood. It always baffled me that Destiny was so fearless about being out in the world. I think it may have to do with the fact that I am older than her. I have lived under the protection of the Brotherhood for longer and it is more ingrained in me.

Anyway, I was looking forward to some dinner from Sal’s! It had been a while since I had eaten there. I used to eat there all the time, when I worked there. I don’t know why I didn’t go by more. I think my life had just seemed to take on a life of its own, recently and I hadn’t made time for those luxuries. That was something I needed to remind myself to do. Stop and smell the roses, as the humans liked to say. Even though I had a set schedule at SafePlace, I was always there way more than I was scheduled. That was all good, though. I enjoyed doing all I could for those women and children. They deserved it.

The table was just about set when I heard the phone ring. I knew it was Destiny, because the security door out front was the only thing that phone was good for, anymore. I had long stopped giving it out and only used my cell as a means of communication, now. I crossed the kitchen and picked it up. “Hello?” I wasn’t an idiot. I didn’t want to just buzz up anyone. I had to know it was her, first. The Brothers had taught me well.

Destiny:

As she answered the line I had to hold back my excitement. “I’m here and I have a ton of food.” She let me in and I made my way to her apartment. As soon as she opened the door it was a flash back to times long past. “Bennu, you are just as beautiful as you were the last time we saw each other. You look exactly the same. Well, minus the robes.”

She let me in and we walked into her kitchen. As soon as the bags were out of my hands, she grabbed me for a hug. “It’s good to see you too, sister. I’m so glad you still wanted to see me. I know my leaving didn’t go well with all and you are the only one who I’ve kept in touch with. I hope you are hungry. I order six different pastas cause I couldn’t decide.”

Bennu:

Destiny looked amazing! The independence that she had found certainly agreed with her. She looked way more confident than most of the Chosen, and it was almost as if she stood taller. I gave her a huge hug, before pulling away and helping her with the food. “Of course I would want to see you!” I admitted. “It may be years since I last saw you, but you will forever be my bestie! And I have to say,” standing back, “You look incredible, including that extra twinkle to your eye…” I cocked my head with a grin. “You going to tell me about it?” She could deny it all she wanted, but something was definitely up with my dear friend. Sure, it had been years since I’d seen her, but things didn’t change that much. Tells were tells, and she had a huge one when it came to her happiness.

I began to bring the food to the table. She had bought enough for a full-on feast. I was good with that, though. When it came to Sal’s and Italian fare, I could hold my own. As I brought out each one, I finally found the one I was looking for. I would sample them all, but their gnocci covered in a tomato cream sauce was to die for! That would be my main.

Putting the last of the serving utensils on the table, I took a seat, put my napkin in my lap and waited for Destiny to start in. I had so many questions for her, but the most obvious one, how she wound back up in Caldwell, would have to wait. I needed to hear about that sparkle, first.

Destiny:

Unsure of what the twinkle she referred to was, I took a moment to think what she could be referring to. “Well, I do love my new job. But I’m still trying to find a place to stay besides the hotel so it isn’t my home.” I opened the container full of chicken carbonara and for some strange reason had a flash back to the night of my interview and who I saw that night. She couldn’t possibly have known how I longed to see him again. “There really isn’t much going on outside of working but I am happy to be back here. I’m hoping I can reconnect with some of my past connections. And speaking of the past, do you still see any of the other Chosen or..” I hesitate for a moment “or.. any of the Brotherhood?” I could feel my cheeks flushing a bit and hoped she didn’t notice.

Bennu:

Staring out over the variety of food that Destiny had brought, I decided to start off with some of Sal’s famous garlic bread, while I dished out some antipasto onto my plate. I listened intently to Destiny explain how happy she was to be back home and to reconnect and I had a brilliant idea, but the second I saw the tint of her skin go from that dark, dusty, rose of the blush she usually used to a deep, radiant red that reached her ears and her neck, I knew exactly what the twinkle in her eye was.

I placed my fork onto the edge of my plate. “You’re hoping to see him, aren’t you? Is that why you came all the way back here? You know, you’d have to go to the manse. He doesn’t really get out.” I think I had been the only one that Destiny had ever confided in about her feelings for the King. Which was probably for the best. At the time, he was grieving his Queen and people would have just given her a hard time about it all. Phury would have had a heart attack! I wasn’t actually quite sure why I was encouraging it now. From Wrath’s perspective, it may as well have been yesterday that Beth went unto the Fade, but things just seemed different, now. Maybe, it was a difference that I saw in Destiny. Maybe it was the fact that everyone felt that Wrath could stand to move on from his grief. Then again, maybe I was just sticking my nose into things that were absolutely none of my business. But, Destiny was my best friend and if there was something I could do to help her be happy, I would do it.

I picked up my fork and popped a mushroom into my mouth. As soon as I swallowed, I began to acknowledge her questions. “So, in answer to your questions, yes and yes. I still see pretty much everyone. I still offer up my blood services to the Brotherhood one night a week, and aside from that, I have kept in touch with virtually everyone. I try to get to the camp at least a couple times a month. You should see it now. It’s huge! They’ve added so much to it.” I began to dig into the salad. “So, why did you come back, sister mine?”

Destiny:

I picked up a forkful of past and let it fall back to the dish. “No, I didn’t come back because of him.” I pick up the pasta again and take a small bite thinking hard about my answer. Could he have been part of it? “I came back because of the dangers of being on my own. The protection of being within the Brotherhood’s close proximity. It’s a scary world out there and I just had an undeniable pull to return.”

I picked up a piece of garlic bread and broke off a piece. “However, I saw him. It was at the interview for the job and he was having dinner with a couple of the others.” I drop the bread and lean closer to her whispering as if I didn’t want anyone else to hear even though there was no one to hear. “I swear I jumped back in time and every one of the … feelings came rushing back. I wanted to drop to my knees and offer him my vein just like before. I dream of him every time I close my eyes. I know it is wrong to desire a male who doesn’t even know I exist and one I should never desire. But, Bennu, I cannot help it.”

I sit back and take a deep breath. “And of course I will never admit this to anyone but you and, of course, would never act on it. You have always been my best friend and I know you what we share stays between us. Ok, now that I have admitted it, I can put it behind me.” I smile as I push the pasta around on my plate. “Besides, he will never love another female. So, why bother getting my hopes up. Right?”

Bennu:

Even though she denied that Wrath was the reason for her return, and the rest of her reasoning was sound, I could hear the doubt in her voice when she denied it. “You didn’t come across any danger, did you?” The thought of Destiny out there, in the world, and in danger was terrifying for me. Although I was close to many of my other sisters, Destiny was like my soul sister. I don’t know what I would do if anything ever happened to her.

Digging into the gnocci, I listened to her story about running into Wrath at her interview. “I’m surprised you got through the interview!” I teased. “It’s not wrong to have feelings, Des. And, you never know… you may be just the female to turn that din of an existence Wrath calls a life around.” I knew she was trying not to get her hopes up, and I wasn’t trying to put her in a position to get her heart broken. But, who said she couldn’t have what she wanted?

So as not to put too much pressure on her, I changed the subject a little. “So, speaking of males and feelings, I ran into Shade last time I was at the manse to offer up my vein. I usually go on Fridays, because he’s not on rotation on Fridays. But apparently, he was covering for one of the other males.”

Shade was a male I had become involved with in years ago, and eventually the reason I left the manse. I had believed he was my one true mate. Unfortunately, his feelings were not as strong and he never had that imprint on me that other males get when they meet their mate. We had kept our relationship a secret because we were afraid of what Phury would do. As it turned out, his intense feelings stemmed from that all the mystery, and once we were found out and Phury allowed our relationship to continue, Shade began to lose interest. I was left heartbroken and embarrassed and decided that it was time for me to find a life outside of the manse for myself. So, that was the reason I left. I still see him, once in a while, and every time I do it’s awkward as hell. He has tried to apologize many times. But, hearing him say over and over again that he was sorry he never felt like I did, was more than horrifying. I got it, I did. I just didn’t want to ever hear him say it, again.

Destiny:

I reach over and take her hand knowing that seeing him had to be hard on her. “How bad was that? Please tell me you didn’t talk with him. I know he always tries to apologize.” She doesn’t say anything right away and I recall how heartbroken she was when he backed out of their relationship. The tears she had shed seemed so long ago but I knew that kind of pain could still be felt. “You were too good for him anyway. He doesn’t deserve you. You deserve a male who knows how valuable you are and appreciates all of you.”

I sit back and watch her play with the gnocci wondering what is going through her mind as I can’t tell from the look on her face. “Hey, forget Shade. Oh, I have an idea. There are a couple of single males at the restaurant if you might be interested?”

Bennu:

As I push around a piece of gnocci on my plate, I remember the feeling in my gut as Shade came around that corner, in the med suite, at the manse. Even after all these years, he can still make my stomach feel like it has butterflies fluttering around in there. I internally roll my eyes at myself. Well, maybe I did a slight eye roll externally, too. I’m such an idiot. Part of me still secretly hopes that he might wake up one day and realize how much of a good thing he let go of. Another part of me wishes I never had to see him again. Although, after twenty-three years, you would think that I would have woken up by now, seen the proverbial light, and moved on. Nope. Not this hopeless romantic. I swear, sometimes I feel like Ally McBeal… and I want to kick myself. I should be more like MacKayla Lane.

“Nah. You know what. Someday it will happen for me. Until then, I have plenty of things to keep me occupied.” I stuff a gnocci into my mouth and savor the taste of it. “I forgot just how good the food is at Sal’s!”

Grabbing a piece of bread, I slather some butter onto one side. “So, you mentioned earlier that you were looking for a place. Why don’t you stay in my second bedroom? All I have in there is my extra massage table, and no one ever comes here for a session. I honestly don’t know why I still have it set up in there. I should probably just bring it to the manse or Safe Place. Anyway, the room is yours, if you want it.”

Destiny:

I almost drop my fork when she offers me a place to stay. It made a feeling of warm rush through my body, almost like a feeling of coming home. In a sense, she was like home to me. At least the only home I had truly had. “Bennu, that is is an amazing offer. I…” My words falter for a few seconds and I have to take a deep breath and fight back the tears I feel forming. “I would love that. I don’t have a lot of things so If you need to leave the table it is no problem. I can pay you for the room, too.”

I take a bite and then grin. “It will be like when we were young and stayed up past the curfew to talk about males and things we wanted to happen when we grew older. But are you sure? I don’t want to impose on you and I wouldn’t want to be in your way.” I sit back hoping to myself she is completely serious as this would be exactly what I need right now to get out of the place I am in now.

Bennu:

Tossing an incredulous look at Destiny, I spout out, “Absolutely!” I shake my head to emphasise my stance, “It’s no imposition at all. Don’t be silly. You need a place to stay, other than that hotel room you’re in and I have an empty room. Of course it’s yours!” A smile creeps across my features as I remember all the fun we used to have… and the trouble we used to get into, and a chuckle slips out. “Remember that time we snuck in to look into the scribe bowls? I thought for sure someone would rat us out. Thankfully, Shanda was the only one there. If The Directrix had been there, we would have been in so much trouble.” I thought back on the night fondly. “It seems like a lifetime ago”

Sometimes I wonder how life would have ended up so differently for us all if Phury hadn’t become the Primale. Vishous was actually almost the Primale, at one point! With all due respect to the Brother, that would have ended up horrifically! But, what if it had been someone else? What if we were never brought to This Side? We were never given the freedom we have now? I would have ended up an Ehros, like my mahmen before me. I don’t know how well I would have done with that position. Not that I wouldn’t have wanted to fulfill my duties. I mean, that was what we were created for, it was our station. But now that I know what freedom really feels like, I would never want to go back to all that.

Shaking my thoughts back to the present, I take a look at my best friend and sister, “It’s settled then, you move in as soon as you can get packed up from the hotel.” I flash Des an enormous smile.

#WelcomeHome #ImmortalSinners #BDBRP #IS

AN HONEST DAY’S WORK w/@Mary_M_Luce

Bennu: There were days when my job was just one of the most satisfying things I could ever do. Today had started out as one of those days. When I first arrived, I found out that one of our long-time residents, Natalie, had gotten the job we had set her up for and she and her daughter were going to be able to move into their own place.

She had come so amazingly far from when she first arrived. She and her 7-year-old daughter had been beaten severely. Actually, she almost didn’t make it. She had been left for dead. It was a miracle that Havers had been able to bring her back. When Havers had been called by their neighbor, Natalie wasn’t even breathing. Half a dozen surgeries later, between the two of them, and they wound up here, on our doorstep.

It’s been a little over ten months since then and they have both been put through the wringer. There is no reason in this world why a 7-year-old child should have to endure the things she has, let alone what Natalie has been through. Natalie’s cousin came into town from Wyoming to retaliate against the husband, and from what I hear, the husband never had a chance. Unfortunately, the cousin couldn’t stay, which made it harder on Natalie and her young, and why they ended up here. But this evening, she was offered a brand new job and handed the keys to their very own apartment. They had been given a whole new lease on life, and after all the time I had spent with the two of them, I knew they were going to make the most of it.

Strolling into Mary’s office, I couldn’t have been happier for Natalie and her young. However, the reason I was in Mary’s office was that we had a new resident. She had been at the house for a little over a month and already had some intense counseling. Now, it was time for her to start the physical rehabilitation that I could offer. It would be slow to start. Once a week, and depending on how she reacted, it would be as short as 10 minutes to as long as one hour. There was a lot to what I did and each person reacts differently. Most here, at the home, have been severely abused and can’t handle touch in the beginning, so we start off gradually. Sometimes, we don’t even start with a massage and just spend time talking, whatever is going to be best for the client.

I took a seat across from Mary, ready to hear about this new resident. I had seen her around but didn’t know much about her backstory. @Mary_M_Luce

Mary: [With everything that has been going on at the manse, I had barely any time to spend at Safe Place. But over the decades we have expanded and we're able to hire more managers to keep up with the day to day activities while Marissa, Bella and I dealt with more family and just the payroll and any big decisions with the Safe Place as of late. I wanted to take my mind off Bitty and Lyric so I decided to head back to work and get some updates on the residents and the employees.

Rhym, our full-time general manager, spent the last few hours updating me on various projects, residents and other daily activities that have been going on in the past few months. I was very proud and relieved at how well everything was running while the shellans and I took a step back for a bit. She was just telling me about Natalie and her accomplishments that I wanted to meet with Bennu to get to know her thoughts on Natalie and her transition being on her own. Getting the information from the intake coordinator. Bennu arrived in good spirits as she sat across from me.]

Hey Bennu, how it going? Rhym just told me about Natalie. Tell me more [I asked.]

Bennu: Sitting across from Mary, I always had a strong sense of calm. She was one of those people that could put you at ease without uttering a word. I think it was partially due to her training, but also greatly due to her character. She just had a reassuring sense about her. It was a quality that couldn’t be learned in a classroom. It was something ingrained and Mary had it in spades. I believe it’s one of the reasons this place did so well.

“Natalie has done amazing! I helped her into her place this evening. I know it’s not really part of my job, but I’ve worked so closely with her and her daughter in the past few months that I really wanted to be there, for them, for this. It’s just a small, one-bedroom and Natalie will sleep on the pull-out sofa. But, the sparkle in that little girl’s eyes when she saw all the toys that had been collected just for her... “ Tears welled in my eyes as I remembered. “She was beside herself.”

I continued, “For now, we got her a dishwashing job at Sal’s. That way, even though her hellren is gone, she can feel safe in knowing that she is well protected. Her daughter will still come here in the evenings, while Natalie is working, and become a member of our daycare program, so again, peace of mind for the two of them.

“I know it will take a little time, but they are going to be alright, out there, in the world. Natalie even has plans of taking some night classes in law.”

These were the best conversations, the ones that spoke about females that had been through the program and were moving on.

I shifted in my seat a little and sat straighter, “So… tell me of our newest resident. I hear she is ready to start work with me.”

Mary: [I listen with a smile as she animatedly tells me about Natalie and her progress. She was quite proud and she should be. She did a great job and I was impressed with the progress of our resident. I felt more comfortable knowing her experience with Natalie that she would do well with our latest new resident.]

Honestly, I’m not sure /she/ feels ready but I feel that without going forward and start getting her life together that all of her confidence she built to get out of her situation for herself and her young sons will disappear. Her name is Deanne came to us from #Havers after he set the younger son’s arm from a fracture but he noticed from the x-ray that there had been several healed breaks. One of the nurses took notice of how many times she came in for herself or for her sons and finally convinced her to come to us. So, the Brothers that are not on rotation or on duty at the Audience house are on alert, just in case, her hellren shows up. We also have them staying in the Wellessandra wing underground.]

Bennu: I listened intently to all the details about Deanne and her family. The ones that are reluctant to come to us are usually the ones that it takes the longest to get through to. It sounds as if she will be no exception to this rule. Young are more resilient, though. So, maybe it will be easier to get through to the boys. Time will tell.

“Well, sounds like I should start them off as a group. I’ll have to go slowly with her. It sounds as if both trust and touch will be difficult for her for a while, and that’s okay. If I have to start off with just talk, I can do that.” I picked up the file on Mary’s desk and quickly flipped through it. “Her story sounds a little like Tanya’s. However, we didn’t have to worry about Tanya’s hellren coming around for long.” We all knew how Tanya’s hellren’s story went. After Tanya’s sire got finished with him. His family was so ashamed of him, they shipped him back to the old country. “With the concern of Deanne’s hellren coming around, it is going to make it that much more difficult for them to feel in control. Hopefully, I can help them out with that.”

It wasn’t really my place, to suggest things outside of my purview, but I had picked up quite a bit of training while working at Safe Place and I felt comfortable speaking up with Mary. “I know it’s not my place, but I wonder if we shouldn’t start Deanne off sooner, rather than later, with some self defense training? It will go a long way with her self-worth and might give her that sense of control she is probably desperately seeking. Not to mention the effect it will have on her boys to see their mahmen start feeling like she can take charge of her life a little more.” Dipping my head in reverence, something long since ingrained in me from my years as a Chosen, I added, “Of course, you would know way better than me about that type of stuff.”

Mary: [Listening to Bennu’s plan, I learned more and more how detail oriented she was and it was a sound plan for Deanne. Her thoughts on the timeline were succinct and thoughtful observation.]

Yes, I think it is a great idea. Let’s start her off sooner rather than later, have her take control of something in her life and build her confidence. She needs to feel that she’s strong and that will help her boys know that everything will be ok.

You’re doing a great job and I appreciate your dedication for your work. When do you think you can start with Deanne?

Bennu: I was always filled with such pride when Mary thought that one of my suggestions on something outside of my own scope of work was worth putting into play. I had been doing massage for so many years that I felt more than comfortable with my knowledge on the subject. I also kept up with my continuing education, constantly learning more and more about my field of choice. But, when it came to the inner workings of other parts of Safe Place, I sometimes felt like it wasn’t my place to speak up. So, when I did and it was taken seriously, it made me feel all the more that I was in the right place.

I bowed my head once more, in respect of the compliment. “Thank you. It is an honor to be able to do what I do.”

Pulling up my iPad and turning it on, I scrolled through my schedule. “Why don’t we schedule something for the beginning of next week, maybe Monday or Tuesday? I have a 9 pm spot on Monday or a 10 pm spot on Tuesday. Let’s make sure to schedule them all together. I’ll bring in the chair and if they feel up to it, we’ll start with that. Otherwise, I will just explain the process to them and we can go from there.”

Mary: Sounds great, let's do Tuesday to give her a few days to get used to everything around here and meet the other residents and then start with your plans. [She had a good head on her shoulders so I knew that Deanne was in good hands. I could go back and concentrate on things at home now that #SafePlace was running like a well oiled machine with #Rhym and Bennu while the rest of us could focus on home right now. Rhage needed me, after all that has happened with the rescue and now Bitty. We needed each other more than anything. It was so hard to focus and be here that I knew I needed to leave it to Rhym and Bennu to handle #SafePlace.]

You have my cell phone. Let me know if you need anything from me.

Bennu: I nodded as I wrote Deanne and her sons in for the 10 pm spot on Tuesday. I was looking forward to getting to know her and the boys and setting up a plan tailor made for them. Each client at Safe Place was different, with different needs. I could already tell that Deanne was going to need a lot of patience, which I was happy to give. A lot of clients here needed patience. I was curious about the boys. I wondered where they were at in the process and how much they had been affected by everything that had happened. Apparently, broken bones for the youngest had been commonplace. Oftentimes the stories behind the why of how these female and young came to be here infuriated me. This story was no exception.

Placing Deanne’s file back on Mary’s desk, I stood up. “Thank you for your time, Mary. I have scheduled Deanne and the boys in for Tuesday at 10 pm. I will let you know if I need anything else.” Offering a sincere smile, I turned and left, ready to put the day behind me a start anew tomorrow.

#AnHonestDaysWork #ImmortalSinners #ISBDB #BDB #IS

HEALING

Twenty-three years ago, I left the house of the Chosen, unsure of what the future was going to hold for me. All my life had been spent with the others and I had no idea how to live on my own. Thankfully, the Brotherhood supported me financially, so I didn’t have to worry about that part of living life on my own. The rest of it turned out to be a total mess! I had refused the services of a doggen, so things like learning to do laundry was a feat in itself. My first attempt, I put way too much detergent in and there was foam for days on the floor of the laundry room. At that point, I decided that it would probably be prudent to have one of the doggen come out and at least give me some pointers.

Sara was her name. I knew her from the house, so I was already somewhat comfortable with her. She stayed for about a month, introducing me to things like laundry detergent pods, Swiffer Dusters, and Lysol. I had never been so grateful in all my life. After that, we decided that she would stop over once a week to check in on me.

The next thing on my list was a job. Interestingly enough, this was something I had to fight tooth and nail with Phury about. He didn’t want me to work. He was terrified that having a Chosen in the workforce was going to be too difficult to keep tabs on and keep secure. But, I needed something to occupy my time. I wasn’t going to just sit around, in my condo all day, even if it did have a rooftop pool and a small gym. There were other things I wanted out of life. I kept my job as Chosen and once a week I went back to the manse and fed anyone that needed it that evening. But, for the remaining six days a week, I needed something.

Phury tried to talk me into taking a position at one of our friend’s places, and I tried, I did. But, waitressing only held my interest for a few years. After that I tried cocktail waitressing. Phury really wasn’t happy with that, but at least it was at Trez’s place. Again, it was fun, but I needed something that challenged me more.

Phury next suggested that I go to medical school and work with medical team at the manse. That wasn’t going to work for me, though. I had left the manse for a reason and one night a week there was enough. However, the idea of school intrigued me. So, I looked over the curriculum for schools in the area and ones where I could take courses online. I finally decided on a career in massage, which turned out to be perfect because I loved helping people, and the school had night classes. Phury wasn’t the only one to end up furious about that decision. The Brotherhood was terrified about security. But, I was determined and once I agreed that I would work out of Havers’ clinic, they felt a little better.

I ended up working for Havers for about five years. As much as I loved the way the detailed tissue manipulation could heal the physical body, I knew there was more that I could do with it. I wanted to heal the body mentally. So, after five years of working with Havers, I went off to do some work at Safe Place. The work was so rewarding. These women and children needed to heal their hearts, they needed to remember what it meant to be able to relax for a while, and most importantly, they needed a reminder that not all touch was bad. Knowing that I could do that for them was so fulfilling. So, I’ve spent the past ten years working at Safe Place, healing the minds of the survivors.

#Healing #ISRPG

COVERING ASSES (w/@SonInCamo_BDBRW)

Rhon:

::It had been almost a week since Larimar and I made the plan to date and we still had yet to spend any time together but fighting was now so much easier. I found myself wondering how things were going with Larimar and her male, I was hoping she at least got some time with him. As the days went by though I started wondering if my mahmen had been talking to Larimar’s mahmen and if so what was being said? Was Larimar out as much as I was? Had our cover been blown already and our mahmens were just keeping it quiet, waiting for the time to strike?

It was only ten minutes into my musings when I had driven myself insane enough that I needed to talk to Larimar to find out what’s been going on and set up an actual date. Grabbing my phone off the bedside table I quickly pull up Larimar’s number and hit the call button as I start rummaging through my close as I wait for Larimar to answer. (@Larimar_BDBRW)

Larimar: Ghunner and I had seen more of each other in the past week than we had in a while and things were going really well! I had told him of the situation and once I he knew that the male in question was the same one that had been feeding me from time to time, he wanted no more information. As far as he was concerned, this male was getting far too much of my attention as it was, he didn’t want a name or a face to go along with his visions.

We had a nice night of Italian food, a little Netflix and some quiet time together planned when I heard the phone ring. For a minute, my stomach sank a little, hoping it wasn’t him calling to cancel but, I was delightedly surprised to see Rhon’s name and number on my caller ID. Hitting “Send” on my phone, I put it to my ear and responded, “Hello?” (@SonInCamo_BDBRW)

Rhon: ::At first I was worried that I might end up interrupting Larimar and her male as I kept rummaging through my closet to find something to wear for a night out, I wasn’t planning on fighting so I doubted my leathers was needed but even when I wasn’t fighting, my daggers were close by. As I was reaching into the hidden compartment to grab my daggers, I heard Larimar’s voice in my ear and I was somewhat relieved that it was obvious, at least in my eyes, I wasn’t interrupting anything.:: Hey there! What are you up to right now?

::The question was a simple one and I kept myself from asking any direct questions incase my brothers were listening as both now seemed to not be convinced of Larimar and me mating. My free hand throwing the daggers on the bed and closing up the compartment in my closet before turning back to finding something to wear.:: Do you have any plans for tonight? (@Larimar_BDBRW)

Larimar: Phone propped up against my ear by my shoulder, I tried to slip my legs into the dress I had planned on wearing tonight to no avail. So, I tossed the dress on the bed and slumped down next to it, giving up on the idea of dressing and talking on the phone at the same time. “Uh… tonight? I was actually going to head over to see my male. Why? Is that not a good idea tonight?” I hadn’t really thought much about what he was doing, when I was out seeing Ghunner. Or what I might be doing, when he was out fighting. We hadn’t really discussed all those details. Crap! We probably should. What if he told his mahmen that he was out with me yet, I was home, and our mahmens spoke, figured it all out… ? That wouldn’t be good! This would all be over before it began! “So, we should probably sit down and discuss those details sometime, huh?” (@SonInCamo_BDBRW)

Rhon: ::Silently I was cursing under my breath as Larimar informed me she was supposed to be seeing her male tonight, my partner for fighting having told me he was busy tonight so I figured tonight was the perfect time for me to take a break and try to meet with Larimar.:: Yeah we really need to but I don’t want to interrupt anything either. ::Lately it had seemed my partner was pretty busy, but in the end it didn’t stop me from fighting, maybe I could find another time.

Looking over my choices of outfits I grab something a little less fancy and toss it over on the bed as I looked around my room. When it came down to it, I knew that Larimar and I had to be seen together either in town or at each other’s house otherwise it wouldn’t take long before our mahmen’s figured everything out, they weren’t stupid by any means. Throwing the phone on speaker and tossing it on the bed, I began stripping out of my clothes as I raised my voice just slightly, but still kept it low enough that no one else in the house could hear me.:: Maybe we could go out and have a drink before hand? (@Larimar_BDBRW)

Larimar: For a second, I thought about flipping the phone to speaker. Then I thought twice. What if someone walked by the room and heard us talking about the agreement? I definitely was still worried about my twin, Killian, overhearing. I wasn’t sure he would understand. And mahmen… forget it! She would kill me, if not disown me on the spot! So instead, I walked over to my closet and started rummaging around through my shoes and purses.

“No, you’re right.” I replied to Rhon, a little disappointed at the thought of missing out on my night with Ghunner. We did need to sort this out, and sooner rather than later would be the best idea. So, when he suggested the drink beforehand, I jumped at the idea. “Oh! Perfect! How about we meet at that place over by Fifth?” It was kind-of a small place and even though it would probably be a little busy tonight, it was right down the street from Ghunner’s place so, I wouldn’t be too, too late to our date. Plus, its booths were somewhat secluded from each other so, we could talk fairly freely and not worry about people listening in. (@SonInCamo_BDBRW)

Rhon: ::For a second I had to think about what place Larimar was talking about since most of the places I ever went to were the clubs where the Brothers were known to hang at. Once I realized the where I nodded my head, forgetting for a moment that Larimar couldn’t see me and finally replied to her.:: That sounds like a good idea to me. I’ll see you there soon sweetheart. ::Reaching over to the bed I press the end button to hang up and then continue to get dressed, my mind wandering to other things now that I knew this issue was going to be discussed.

Ever since the last confrontation by my mahmen, I was pretty much left alone and allowed to do as I pleased unless there was a Glymera party then I would have to go. My parents had started talking about me sitting on the Council meetings but I quickly came up with an excuse to end that discussion, telling them that with the relationship so new between Larimar and I, I didn’t need something distracting me from her right now. That seemed to work as my mahmen just smiled and my sire had said that he could continue with the meetings for at least another year or so.

Once I was completely dressed, I looked into the mirror and checked myself out. Even though this wasn’t an actual date with Larimar, I still needed to look presentable in the eyes of the public otherwise I could see the fit my mahmen would have. On the way downstairs, I pass by my mahmen who asked if I was going out with Larimar again which I just nodded and headed out the door, dematerializing once I was outside of the house, not wanting to hold Larimar up from her actual date:: (@Larimar_BDBRW)

Larimar: “See you soon.” I replied and hung up the phone.

As soon as the line disconnected, I was back on the phone, calling Ghunner. I had to let him know what was happening so he wouldn’t worry when I showed up late to our date. To say he wasn’t happy was a complete understatement. He was beginning to think this whole idea wasn’t such a good one. But, I reminded him that once we got all the details ironed out, we were going to be able to see each other so much more. That sort-of pacified him, as long as I promised not to be too late. He also wanted to know where I was so that if I was late, he could demat right over.

Finally off the phone, I grabbed the dress off the bed and slipped it on. Zippering up the back, I guided each foot into the proper shoe before grabbing the clutch I had pulled out of the closet while I was on the phone with Rhon. It all matched, black dress with some burgundy wine trim, with the shoes and purse matching the trim. Double-checking myself in the mirror, I touched up my lipstick and headed out the door.

It was easy to sneak out of the house with my mahmen and sire out to dinner and Killian distracted with video games. Not that I needed to sneak out, all I would have had to tell them was I was headed out with Rhon and they would have been delighted.

I dematted around the corner to the place where Rhon and I agreed to meet up and walked the rest of the way there. It was imperative for our kind not to get caught just popping up places. Walking into the establishment, I looked around until I caught sight of an empty booth near the back. I waved to the hostess and pointed quickly to the booth in question. She gave me a quick nod and I took a seat in the booth to wait for Rhon. (@SonInCamo_BDBRW)

Rhon: ::Once I rematerialized a block or so away from the place Larimar had picked out, I realized I had forgotten my daggers back home on the bed and I began praying to the Scribe Virgin that no one went into my room while I was gone. I could of easily gone back for them but it would have raised suspicion with my family and it would of held up Larimar even more which I was trying to avoid. Once I got to the place where Larimar and I was going to meet, I realized that it wasn’t far from a friend’s house so maybe after this little meeting I would go see what he was up to.

Pushing open the doors to the little restaurant, my ears are greeted by the noise from the busy movings of others inside and I was appreciative of it, knowing that Larimar and I would have the cover from all the noise to talk freely without worrying about anyone overhearing. My eyes scan the place taking in not only my surroundings, a habit I had formed from fighting, but looking for Larimar, which didn’t take long at all. One thing I hated about being so tall and bulky was it was almost impossible for me to not be noticed in a crowd so as I made my way over towards Larimar, it seemed like everyone was watching me.

Stopping next to the booth Larimar had found a seat in, I reach out and take her hand in mine before lightly kissing the back of it and offering her a small sly smile. “I hope I didn’t keep you waiting too long.” (@Larimar_BDBRW)

Larimar: My lip quirked up in a grin as Rhon took my hand and brushed his lips against the back of it. “Aren’t you the suave one, tonight?” Waving my hand toward the other side of the booth, I responded, “No time at all. I’ve barely had a chance to warm up the seat.”

I quieted down for a moment as the cocktail waitress stopped over to take our drink order. I wasn’t taking any chances that a friend of a friend, etc. would overhear our conversation. So, once I gave my order to the female, I leaned in close and speaking quietly commented, “So, we should probably be talking a little more than once a week? Or at least text?” Letting out a soft chuckle at the thought. “I’m a little afraid our mahmens might be talking and catch us without having our stories straight.” I paused for a moment to look around. Satisfied no one was listening in, “Where did you tell your parents you were going tonight?” (@SonInCamo_BDRW)

Rhon: ::As Larimar waved to the side of the booth opposite of her, I took my seat and once again looked around the room, making sure no one’s attention was too drawn to us for several reasons, one obviously being the chance of being overheard, then turned my attention back to her. I never did understand how it was so easy for Larimar to look as beautiful as she did no matter what she wore but I had sworn she out did herself tonight. It wasn’t until the waitress had already asked for my order that my brain caught up, so the snort that escaped from my lips seemed rather rude and I had to apologize.With the waitress finally gone I focus back on Larimar and shrug my shoulders a bit.:: I just told them I was going out with you, same thing I’ve done for the past week. Although I’ve been informed that I’m not allowed to be out during the Glymera events as I will see you there.

::It was then that the cocktail waitress returned with our drinks and just for posture, I reached across the table and took Larimar’s hands in my own as the drinks were set down and the waitress once again left.:: Which brings up a whole new kind of game for us. It’s one thing to just say we’re going out together, something completely different to actually be together. ::My voice was kept low enough that Larimar could hear me but everyone else would definitely have to strain to hear us. Picking the glass up I take a sip of my drink and after setting the glass down I quickly add.:: Speaking of the Glymera, I informed my father our budding relationship is the reason why I cannot take over his seat with the Council just yet. (@Larimar_BDBRW)

Larimar: As Rhon reached across the table, I looked around trying to see what he was reaching for and for a split second, I pulled my hand out of his way before I realized where he was going with it. Crap! I really needed to keep in mind that we were supposed to be a couple now. Intertwining my fingers with his, I gave him a soft smile, hoping that if anyone caught it all, they wouldn’t have thought anything of it. I took a sip off my margarita as Rhon continued to talk, my eyes slowly gazing around, looking for anyone out of place.

Suddenly catching on to what he said, I swallowed my last sip. “Wait… which nights did you say you were with me?” I ran back through the nights in my mind. I knew there was one night, maybe even two that Ghunner had been busy and couldn’t get together. I had spent those nights at home. I hope I wasn’t supposed to be out with Rhon at the time! I didn’t want to ruin this, for either of us.

While I was nodding in response to his comment about the Glymera, “Good idea.” my brain was still counting the days of the past week, in my mind. I had been home Sunday, the night after the gala. I remember that because I was so excited to be able to use my newfound freedom to spend some time with Ghunner but, he already had plans. I was a little bummed about that but, I did see him on Monday and he more than made up for it. A small grin crept across my face as I thought about that. Crap! There was one more day… which was it? Thursday! It was definitely Thursday because, I ended up staying home and watching Scandal with my mahmen. I looked back to Rhon expectantly, waiting for his response. (@SonInCamo_BDBRW)

Rhon: ::The look on Larimar’s face and the sound in her voice told me I might of screwed up by taking advantage of our deal without really discussing it with her first. For a second I had to think about things and then I shrug my shoulders a little as I couldn’t remember but I was sure it was every night. Taking a long sip of my drink as I thought some more than set it back down and keeping my voice down I started running through my schedule of the past week.:: Well I am pretty sure I stayed home the first two days after the gala and then was out the rest of this week.

::Sitting there I felt nervous and immediately my brain kicked in starting to think of several excuses for any days that was possibly missed.:: Come to think of it I did go out for a bit the day after but I didn’t tell my parents I was with you, they just assumed it. ::My eyes narrowed just slightly as I looked at Larimar, seeing the waitress walking over to us and waving her off, Larimar and I did not need to be interrupted right now.:: (@Larimar_BDBRW)

Larimar: A small sigh of relief rushed out as Rhon mentioned that he was home on Sunday. I hadn’t even noticed holding my breath for that response but, as he continued and mentioned that he had been out the rest of the week, I was thinking, ‘We’re screwed!’ Paranoia began to sink in. It wasn’t really as if it were the end of the world but, for the two of us, the stakes were too high for us to not be coordinating our stories. Then I realized he had said the first TWO days. I was out on Monday and told my family I was with him.

“Okay, so… “ I was trying to come up with a plausible story for the discrepancies. “How about if anyone asks, on Thursday, I decided to spend some time with my mahmen? I didn’t want to ruin this… “ I pointed back and forth between us, “by spending too much time with you so, we decided last minute to spend the night apart? You just ended up going out with friends and didn’t think it would matter that you already told your parents you were with me?” I thought that through for a second, looking over my shoulder as I saw you wave the waitress away. Turning back, “What about Monday? I told my family that I was out with you but, you were home. It would have been too soon to use that same reason. We are going to have to make sure we coordinate this better!” I let out a nervous snort. (@SonInCamo_BDBRW)

Rhon: ::My mind was already whirling when Larimar had asked me what to say about Monday, thinking of every plausible story that could explain why the day after we agreed to date, I didn’t want to be with her. My mind was drawing a blank besides some really circumstantial things so while I thought I also nodded my head at Larimar’s suggestion.:: That idea should work and we definitely need to coordinate better. Maybe on the days that we go out we text each other and find out what the other is up to. ::My head was still only coming up with simple excuses and I wasn’t quite sure it would work but maybe simple is what we needed.:: The only one that saw me on Monday was my youngest brother but only in my room, we can always say that I had demated home for a few things.

::My shoulders shrugged as I looked at Larimar, grabbing my drink and out of nerves downed the rest of it, the cocktail waitress coming over almost immediately to refill my drink, waiting for her to leave before I continued talking.:: If that doesn’t work then you were right about us being screwed. (@Larimar_BDBRW)

Larimar: Suddenly, I realized that when I thought I had only formed the words “We’re screwed!” in my head, I had actually spoken it aloud. “Hopefully not!” I replied with an anxious tone. This would be so bad if it all exploded in our faces already. What would we say to our families? Why lie? What possible explanation could I possibly give to my family? And Rhon’s family would know immediately why he lied! Subconsciously, I gave Rhon’s hand a small squeeze. We had to do this better! We had to totally sell this! We couldn’t screw this up!

“Okay. From here on out, if we are going to be making plans, shoot the other a text asking them if they are free, worded in a way that if anyone were to ever see the text, they wouldn’t think anything of it. We can make plans that way.” I was hoping that made sense and would work.

I took another pull off my margarita, the “sips” beginning to get much larger as the alcohol soaked into my blood. I never really did learn how to handle my alcohol very well. “We should throw some sappy texts in there too, once in a while. You know, just for show. We are going to have to sell this to our families.” Suddenly, an idea came to me. “Oh! Actually, come here!” I slid over in the booth and patted the seat beside me. “We should take a few selfies to have on our phones!” I chuckled at the idea as I waited for Rhon to move over. (@SonInCamo_BDBRW)

Rhon: ::For a moment I was distracted by my own thoughts of whether or not Larimar and I had bitten off more than we could chew and it took a bit for me to come back to the here and now. My eyes scan the little area once again just to make sure no one was listening in. I knew I was being paranoid but for the past few minutes I had a horrid gut feeling that something was not right. Once I had finished scanning the room, my attention was back on Larimar, just as she started talking about selfies and sappy text messages and I pushed my gut feeling to the back burner figuring I was just worried about this blowing up for Larimar. Personally I could care less if my parents found out I was still fighting, it’s not like they didn’t already know I used to, but Larimar’s family wouldn’t understand or know why Larimar bothered lying.

My lip curled up a bit at the thought of sending sappy text messages to anyone let alone someone that wasn’t truly mine to be sending those text messages to.:: Oh yeah I can see those text messages going over well with your male. ::A little snort left my lips as my eyes rolled at Larimar’s want for selfies, I really was not drunk enough for all of this. I wasn’t a romantic person and maybe that was why I didn’t have a female of my own yet. Taking a few sips of my drink before getting up and moving over next to Larimar.:: You know I absolutely despise my picture being taken right? (@Larimar_BDBRW)

Larimar: “He already knows about us. He’s all good with it.” I cracked Rhon a small grin as I finished up my drink. Pulling out my phone, I got it all ready to start snapping away, as soon as he got situated. However, he wasn’t sitting close enough when he plopped down so, I scooted over, until I was just about in his lap, plastered on a wide smile and snapped the shutter button before he could make any more retorts. Once I got a few in, I stopped, “That just makes it all the better that you took some with me.” I took a look at the few I had and moved back into position before commenting, “Now, smile this time! You do want to sell this, don’t you?”

After forcing Rhon to sit there through my onslaught of selfie photography skills, I finally stopped and sat back in the bench. Looking over at him I commented, “I am a photographer you know. They will think it’s kinda odd if I don’t take at least one selfie with you.” I slid my finger across the face of my screen as I evaluated all the shots I took. Finally finding one that I found up to par, I sent it off in a text to my mahmen. “There. Proof.” Flashing a proud smile in Rhon’s direction. “She’s probably going to have that framed and put on the mantle, above the fireplace, in the formal living room.” (@SonInCamo_BDBRW)

Rhon: ::I was despising having to pose for photos but Larimar was right in that it would be good for proof of our “relationship” so I suffered through it with a smile and tried my best to look head over heels in love with Larimar. During one of the photos, I thought about sticking my tongue out to make it look like it was in Larimar’s ear but I decided against that at last moment. Once the photos was done I didn’t bother moving as I might as well stay next to Larimar and instead I reached over and grabbed my drink.

Sitting there I still couldn’t shake the feeling that there was something wrong, my eyes closing as I try to take in a deep breath to calm myself, and that’s when I figured out what was wrong. My eyes snapped open and I looked at Larimar, my whole posture changing to a defensive one as I growled out to her.:: We’re leaving, now!” Practically jumping up from the booth and grabbing some money from my back pocket to throw it down on the table, I grab Larimar by the arm and begin pulling her out, my nostrils burning with scent of baby powder. (@Larimar_BDBRW)

Larimar: “Whoop!” I barely had time to put my phone back in my clutch, and just about lost the entire contents on the table, when Rhon yanked me up by my elbow. “Where’s the fire?” I asked, my head spinning too much to search out the room, just as the realization of how little I drank mixed drinks was settling in. Usually, I would sip a glass of champagne or glass of wine at functions but, mixed drinks I drank next to never. Unfortunately, as it turned out, I couldn’t handle my alcohol very well, and I snickered at that thought. At least until Rhon tugged me one more time, while I was grabbing at the last item off the table, quickly tossing it back into my purse. Thankfully, I managed to salvage it, though. It was my last stick of Bette by NARS and went perfectly with the dress I was wearing.

Hustling after Rhon, I couldn’t help wondering just what the hell had his trousers in such a bunch. I had finally gotten a quick look around as we whizzed past the onlookers that were trying to figure out where this hulk of a male was dragging me off to. That’s pretty much all I saw though, a mass amount of people, some stunned at the sight, others ready to jump up and step in before thinking otherwise, once realizing Rhon’s full height and size, and still others doing what I was doing… looking around for the fire. If I hadn’t had so much damn alcohol, I probably would have caught whiff of just what it was that caught Rhon’s attention but, I was completely oblivious. So, trusting Rhon with my life, I blindly followed. (@SonInCamo_BDBRW)

Rhon: :Every person that even bothered to look at me got the death glare and those that seemed like they were ready to jump in, got the I fucking dare you stare. My mind was focused on one thing right now, somewhere nearby there was Lessers and although there was some humans in this place, you could tell the vampires that were there by the look of fear in their eyes. This place was crawling with civilians, the most important one being Larimar, and here I was without my daggers, can you say fuck me? It seemed like as we approached the door every single person was ready to follow me out and I could only hope they would stay put, last thing I needed was a fight in front of the human population.

As Larimar and I stepped outside of the place, my head turned in every direction, taking a defensive posture as I looked for the culprit, was it possible that the Lesser was actually inside the building? Turning my head and looking at Larimar, I shake my head and curse under my breath once I realize that she was definitely buzzed if not drunk.:: There’s Lessers nearby, can you demat? ::Almost as soon as I asked the question, two Lessers came scrolling out of the near by alley way, stopping in their tracks once they saw me, but smirking once they realized I was pretty much alone and not a Brother. Immediately I took up a position that defended not only Larimar, but the entrance to the building and snapping at Larimar.:: Get the fuck out of here. Go home and lock up. (@Larimar_BDBRW)

Larimar: The breeze on my face, once we passed through the front doors, had been a welcome change from the stuffiness of the inside. It was slight but, enough to blow my hair around some. Rhon, on the other hand, barely seemed to notice this and I was just about to tell him about smelling the roses and all that shit when he turned to me and asked if I could demat. However, I had already started my comment to him when he asked, and that caused me to miss the first part of what he said about the Lessers. “Yeah.” I replied with a defiant tone, as I swayed a little against his hold. “Of course I can.”

That’s when the direction of the wind changed and it hit me like a pan across the face. Lessors! My eyes went wide as the two cornered the building and Rhon stood in between us like a brick wall. I didn’t want to leave Rhon there all alone but, I was sober enough to know that, in the state I was in, I was only going to be a detriment to the situation. Plus, Rhon knew how to handle himself against Lessors. So, without forcing him to say it twice, I dematted away… but, instead of going home, I went to Ghunner’s place, shooting Rhon a quick text once I got there, ‘Text me to let me know you’re okay.’ (@SonInCamo_BDBRW)

#BDBRW #CoveringAsses

CONTEMPLATIONS

It had been a few days since Rhon and I decided to deceive everyone in our lives and I had flip-flopped on the subject more than a few times. Could I be that good of a liar? Could I fool the people that I considered most dear? How would they not see right through the facade? Especially, my mahmen? How could I pull the wool over her eyes on this? I know she had been wanting this for so long but, I had always insisted it would never happen. How could I pull such a 180* and no one blink an eye? I had so many doubts about this plan but, the payoff was so great. If it worked, it would mean I could spend so much more time with Ghunner.

Ahhh, Ghunner… that was the other part of this equation. If I went through with it, do I tell him? It was bad enough that I felt I was keeping something from him by not telling him more about Rhon. But, we had decided that the less he knew about the male that got me through my transition and fed me from time to time, the better it would be for our relationship. He was afraid that the more he knew, the more jealous it would make him of the male. He didn’t even know that Rhon and I had been friends since childhood. I think that would make it even worse, actually. But now, we were planning on telling everyone that Rhon and I were together to throw suspicion off our own secrets, Rhon’s intense need to continue fighting for our race, and my desire to spend all the time I could with my male that, if we were to be found out, I would be disowned by my family because of.

None of it was fair. I didn’t see any reason that Rhon couldn’t fight like he wanted, or that I couldn’t choose the mate that I wanted but, that wasn’t how our station worked. The Glymera saw themselves as being one thing, and if you didn’t fit into that mold, family or not, daughter, son or not, you were cast away as if you never existed. Honestly, I didn’t know how they could do it. How do you turn off that switch of loving someone, just like that? I had seen it done, though. When I was younger, before my transition, a friend of mine fell in love with a female of “lesser worth”. As soon as he came forward and broke the news to his family, they demanded he never see her again. He refused and one night he went out to see her, when he got home, the locks were changed, and his belongings were laid out on the curb with the trash. They wouldn’t even let him in the front gate. They claimed from that moment on to never have had a son.

I didn’t want that to happen to me. I loved my family. I couldn’t imagine existing without my mahmen and sire… and Killian. How could I live without my twin? The other half of my whole? We shared things that others just couldn’t understand. There is a connection with twins that goes beyond siblings. Oh Dearest Scribe! How would I ever pull this off with him? He would be sure to know it was all a lie. We always had a sixth sense about each other. If one of us were hurt, the other always knew it, instantly. We didn’t need to be together to feel it, it was just a gut instinct. If anyone was to see through this veil, it would be him. How was I going to pull this all off?

#Contemplations #BDBRW

The Hatching of a Plan

Rhon: ::Snarling at my image in the mirror as I adjusted the fancy suit I wore, feeling it tight around my large body. I hate this part of my life and I felt like nights like this were a waste of time, a waste of a night that could be spent hunting the scum. Tonight was yet another Glymera party and while I would normally just sneak out and not show up, my mahmen had been keeping a rather close eye on me ever since the other night so it was best if I at least made my existence known at this party. Looking away from the mirror long enough to send a text to my partner, letting him know I wouldn’t be there tonight even though the Scribe knew I wanted to be. My partner was a good man, a civilian who wanted to fight the Lessers and although he was an amazing fighter, it didn’t hurt to have some back up once in awhile. Once the message was sent, I looked back up at my reflection staring at the stupid suit I had managed to squeeze into and once again sneered at how I looked. I wanted nothing to do with the Glymera and these suits I was forced to wear during these parties made me feel like a prisoner in my own body, I much rather be wearing my leathers. “Rhon, hurry up! The Doggen will be here any minute with the car.” I couldn’t help but roll my eyes at my mothers impatience and want to take a car two blocks from the house. It was needless to have a Doggen take us such short distance when we could dematerialize or even just walk it. Taking one last look in the mirror and sneering once again, I leave the room and head to the front door where my family was waiting, tonight was going to be a long night. (@Larimar_BDBRW)

Larimar: Black was definitely my color but, red was a close second, and at events like tonight, red was my favorite option. I pulled out a sleek, scarlet, strapless gown from my closet and hung it up on the corner of my floor-length mirror. This one would be perfect. I would wear my hair up, with a few soft, curly tendrils of hair falling loosely against my shoulders, diamond dangles from my ears and my diamond rosary necklace that matches, laying perfectly atop my decolletage. For makeup, Dolce & Gabbana’s “Candy Apple” lipstick would be the perfect shade for this gown. Add in a little smokey eye and some blush, and the look would be complete.

I loved these Glymera events. It was like going to a grand ball; everyone was dressed to the nines, there was expensive champagne flowing until the early hours of the next day, and there was dancing. Of course, I hadn’t done much dancing in the past few years, seeing as my male was never even a thought on the guest list. He wasn’t Glymera, not even close. He was a civilian, and a fighter. Neither station fit for a Glymera female. Hence, all the secrets. I really did hate lying to my parents all the time but, there was no way they would ever consider him as a “viable candidate” (their words, not mine) for their one and only daughter. It hadn’t been until recently that they began to push me towards finding a mate. My mahmen had started “The Hunt” as I called it. She had actually brought males into our home for dinners, to try and match me up. The more I pushed against her attempts, the harder she seemed to fight back. I definitely got my stubbornness from my mahmen. No question there!

It took me about an hour and a half of fussing but, I was finally happy with my look for the night. Grabbing a clutch and tossing a few necessities into it, I made my way to the foyer. “Are you sure there’s nothing you missed up there, sis? Maybe, one hair you forgot to pluck in your left eyebrow, or something?” my brother’s comment dripped of sarcasm.

“At least I actually bathed myself, fully. How is it you can cover your whole body in a three minute shower?” I retorted. It was all in good fun. We liked to taunt each other but, when push came to shove, my twin and I were thick as thieves.

“Enough.” My mahmen said as she tucked a strand of hair behind my ear. “I swear, you act like you’re both still twelve sometimes.” Waving a hand towards the door. “Now, get in the car. Your sire will meet us there.”

The three of us piled into the back of our stretch limo and headed downtown to the gala. (@SonInCamo_BDBRW)

Rhon: ::The ride to the party was a quiet one, my youngest brother still a bit afraid of me after the knife throwing incident and my other brother wasn’t much of a talker to begin with. Once we pulled up in front of the house, my mahmen seemed to look at all of us and her gaze fell upon me. “For once Rhon, please don’t cause a scene and actually make us proud to call you our son.” I knew my mother at times hated claiming me and it wouldn’t of surprised me if both my parents had discussed disowning me a time or two and although I loved fighting, it didn’t mean I loved the disapproval of my parents.:: Yes, Mahmen. ::It was a simple reply and I knew I would do my best to do what was asked of me, no matter how much I despised these social gatherings. My mother seemed to stare at me for a moment or two longer as if she was trying to decide to believe me or not before she finally offered me a rare smile and spoke again. “Maybe with any luck you will find a nice female at this party and maybe give up that thought of being a fighter.” I had to bite my tongue in order to not get snippy with my mother but in my head all I could think was that not even the Scribe Virgin could provide my mother with that miracle. Quietly I exited the car and made my way into the gala, scanning the room for a certain person whom tended to make these damn parties a bit bearable at the very least. (@Larimar_BDBRW)

Larimar: Excitement buzzed through me like a live wire as we pulled up to the venue and the driver got out, walked around the car and opened up the car door for us. I may not agree with the politics of my station but, that didn’t mean I didn’t enjoy the perks that came from growing up with old money, and these galas were one of my favorites.

The driver offered his hand to me, in assistance. I reached out and took it and he helped me out of the car. I immediately moved out of the way to let my mahmen and brother out, all the while taking in the enormity of the place. There was carpeting laid out on the walkway and stairs, leading up to the massive entryway, lined with ancient, greek-looking pillars. The lighting was soft, yet still enough to light the entire passage.

Once everyone was out of the car, I just about bolted up the stairs, silk shawl blowing in the wind behind me.

“Larimar!” I heard my mahmen speak under her breath. Custom was, the families would enter together, /calmly/ and orderly. Proper. It was embarrassing enough to her that my sire was meeting us there. There was no way in hell the three of us were walking in separately.

I inhaled a deep breath. “Okay. Okay.” I replied, as I turned around on the top step and waited for my mahmen and brother to catch up. Once they had, I linked arms with my brother, Killian, and shot off a bright smile to my mahmen. “Ready?”

She just shook her head and walked one step ahead of us.

Killian elbowed me in my ribs, “Could you just settle down for five minutes to get us through the doors?”

With a sly grin on my face, I shifted my body to hold my head up just a little higher, rounded my shoulders back, and demurely adjusted my stance. The deviation in my body was slight but, the impact of the adjustments were great. I now looked like the perfect, proper princess my mahmen was expecting me to be as I entered the great hall behind her. (@SonInCamo_BDBRW)

Rhon: ::One by one the other aristocrat families began to arrive and slowly people would drift off to their own cliques within the bigger clique. I never really fit in anywhere among any of the cliques, of course everyone was polite and kind with me as I approached them with our family status being what it was, but that didn’t mean they actually /wanted/ to socialize with me. I stick by my family, keeping a half smile upon my lips as I was introduced to several families that I wouldn’t even bother to remember as it was rare I even came to these events.

After introductions, I was allowed to drift off on my own, my mahmen not far from me though as she kept her eye on me, making sure I didn’t sneak off in some shape or form and just disappear. Every once in awhile I would sneak up on a small group of people and throw myself into the conversation, only half paying attention just to make it seem like I was interacting and make my family happy, that alone was a chore in itself. My eyes kept drifting to the door, knowing that soon enough the one person I was hoping to be here would be here soon, and sure enough just as I peeked over, in walked @Larimar_BDBRW with her family.

I turned to the current group I was talking with and politely excused myself before making my way over towards @Larimar_BDBRW keeping to the edge of the room so she wouldn’t see me, or at least that is what I was hoping for. Managing to make my way behind Larimar, I waited as her family went through the same greetings every other family would go through before stepping up almost right behind her as stealthy as I possible could and whispered right next to her ear.:: Well fancy meeting you here, @Larimar_BDBRW.

Larimar: The entire idea of what I liked to call “the receiving line” at these things drove me crazy! I just wanted in! I didn’t want to have to go around and say hello to every single person my family knew, and some we didn’t, just to be able to find our table, settle in with some champagne and head off to do some people watching. Rhon would most undoubtedly be here, too. We always found some fun to be had. Rhon had become a pretty good friend. He had been my parent’s choice for my transition, and as much as I hated the idea of going through that with someone other than my male, I simply had no other choice. Rhon had turned out to be the perfect male for the job, though. Thankfully, there had been no interest on his end and it ended up being a purely businesslike exchange. Over the years, he had been my go-to for feedings, as well. Being as high up in the Glymera as I was, feedings were done with an audience. So, once again, I was going to have to go with someone other than my male. I’m not quite sure what Rhon got out of the deal. But, he always seemed happy to oblige. My parents were probably paying him, or something. Either that or, he was just doing it out of the goodness of his heart, for a friend. We never really talked about it much. It wasn’t a favorite topic of mine.

Anyway, my family was finally coming to the end of our “receiving line” and just about on our way to drop our purses, coats and other essential at our table when out of nowhere, there was a soft breath tickling my ear. My hand went up without thought and I slapped Rhon right in the face. As I turned around, both gloved hands went to my mouth, covering the beginnings of a laugh. “Rhon! I’m so sorry! But, you should know better than to sneak up on me like that.”

My mahmen whipped around sharply and gave both Rhon and I a glare that said, “If you two embarrass me tonight, there’s going to be trouble.” Then without a second thought, she plastered a beauty queen smile on her face, turned back around, and faced the crowd, gallantly walking to our table.

My gaze shot to Rhon as I gave him a look saying, “Uh, oh! We’re definitely in trouble now.” and a small giggle escaped from my lips. (@SonInCamo_BDBRW)

Rhon: ::The second @Larimar_BDBRW turned around I could see the slap coming and I actually had to fight back my reflex to stop it, not everyone here knew about my side job as a fighter and I didn’t want my mahmen having to explain it. I had to admit, Larimar had some really good strength to her but the look of utter surprise upon her face was worth the sting to my cheeks as I chuckled and rubbed at my cheek. For a moment I felt like a child again, getting yelled at for my shenanigans when Larimar’s mother turned on us and the look from Larimar afterwards made me stifle a snort as my eyes rolled just a bit.

My eyes glanced over @Larimar_BDBRW and a soft smile came to my lips as I took in the beauty of the dress and make up she was wearing before finally speaking again.:: You know for someone who’s as radiant as you, you pack one hell of a punch. ::I laughed as I shook my head and nodded towards an empty table, granted it wasn’t with our families but I was okay with that. “Shall we go catch up and see what other kind of trouble the night could bring us?” (@Larimar_BDBRW)

Larimar: At Rhon’s compliment, I politely stepped back with one foot and curtsied, bowing my head like a proper young female of the Glymera race. However, I couldn’t hold in the chuckle long. As I stood back up, I leaned into him and whispered, “I’ll take you on, any day of the week.” Knowing, that with his little side hobby, there was no way I could take him. Pulling back, “I should probably go at least drop my purse at my family’s table. Give me a couple minutes and meet me at the champagne fountain?”

I didn’t give Rhon much of a chance to do more than nod before I headed off to my family’s table. I had certain responsibilities to my family and Rhon understood that. My sire was at the table waiting for us. I went around the table, dropped my clutch and gave him a soft kiss on the cheek. “Good evening, sire.”

“Larimar. Killian. I hope you’re behaving for your mahmen.” It was more of a statement than a question and Killian and I just nodded as my father leaned in, took my mahmen around the waist and pulled her towards him. “Leelan.” He leaned down and gave her a kiss. “I’m sorry I couldn’t arrive with you tonight. I had matters of intense import at the office.”

“Not at all, my love. It was nice to get a chance to have Larimar and Killian all to myself.” She shot us both a knowing glance. “Okay, you two. Go. But, /behave/. Understood? Remember who you are.”

“Yes, mahmen.” Killian and I replied in unison, and I was off for the champagne fountain, to see what kind of trouble Rhon and I could find.

Grabbing a champagne flute off the table, I slid up next to Rhon and leaned back against the table. “So, are we hiding from your mahmen tonight, or should I take a minute to make an appearance and say, ‘Hello.’”? (@SonInCamo_BDBRW)

Rhon:

::I knew I was imagining things but it seemed everyone my mahmen or father was talking to, ended up staring at me as I waited for @Larimar_BDBRW by the champagne fountain and it made me want to tell them all to take a picture. I welcomed the sight of Larimar walking towards the champagne fountain a few minutes later, knowing that at least things will get interesting soon enough. My eyes roll as my mahmen is mentioned and I take the champagne flute from @Larimar_BDBRW and take a sip of it before I shake my head just slightly.:: There’s not going to be much avoiding my mahmen tonight, she won’t be far away. There was an incident yesterday and now she’s making sure I’m not too far out of sight.

::Nudging @Larimar_BDBRW with my shoulder as I look around the gala and shake my head a bit.:: You know, I never did get how you could possibly enjoy all of this. ::The words came out in a hiss almost as my hand waves to encompass the entire gala before me, my head shaking.:: The more I try to make my mahmen happy and participate the more ashamed I become of being apart of this bloodline. ::I didn’t know why I felt like I could tell Larimar pretty much everything, including my thoughts about the Glymera, but it almost came as second nature now a days. My head turns slightly so I can look over @Larimar_BDBRW for a moment.:: There’s too many rules for my liking.

Larimar: Once Rhon relieved me of the drink in my hand, I reached back and grabbed one for myself. Arching a slender brow in his direction, “An incident, huh?” I could only imagine what he had done to get himself into trouble with his mahmen this time. Truth was, trouble seemed to follow Rhon around wherever he went. It was the details of the stories I enjoyed, though.

Following the gesture of his hand with my gaze as he waved around the room, I couldn’t keep the smile from radiating off my features. “Are you kidding, Rhon? Look at all the pretty dresses, and shoes! Can’t forget the shoes!” I winked in his direction. “And the champagne, the dancing, the brilliant lighting that’s incredibly soft, yet bright enough to light up the entire room. It’s like watching the ball Cinderella went to where she lost her shoe, only in real life.” I let out a small sigh. “You know I don’t agree with the politics of our station but,” and now it was my turn to wave my hand around the room, “Just look at this ballroom, in all its glory. It’s majestic.” I took a small, dainty sip of my champagne before turning to Rhon and adjusting his coat. “You know, maybe if you just looked a little harder, you might find a female to go home to, instead of your parents.” I teased. (@SonInCamo_BDBRW)

Rhon:

::If my head snapped in Larimar’s direction any quicker, I would of gotten whiplash and if looks could kill, she would of been dead a million times over. The thought of even bothering to look for anyone to go home to was at the bottom of my to-do list, especially since the only type of person that would be acceptable is someone of the same status as myself and those of that status didn’t chase after fighters. Yes I was an aristocrat by blood but I was a fighter by calling and I couldn’t help but feel at times that fighting was in my blood more than the Glymera was.:: You know good and well I could care less about dating, I’m a fighter not a lover.

Larimar and I could sit here arguing back and forth about what was majestic and what wasn’t, but I really didn’t see the point in it to be honest. Instead I scan the room looking for my youngest brother before pointing him out to Larimar, a little smirk crossing my lips as I notice the scrape on the tip of his nose.:: Notice my brother’s new beauty mark on his nose. That may of been caused by one of my daggers after he threatened to wake up my mahmen one night when I came home late. That is where true beauty is at Larimar. Defending our race from the scum that would see us dead. The Brothers, the trainees, the King, all of the civilians who defends us, that’s what’s beautiful. (@Larimar_BDBRW)

Larimar: I didn’t even bother to turn and acknowledge Rhon’s look. I could only imagine the daggers I was getting. Yet, I did a pretty good job at holding back the chuckle. I knew he wasn’t looking to make one of these Glymera Stepford Wives his mate but, I never thought I would find a mate in a civilian, either. I had always hoped to find someone in the Glymera that felt the same way I did about the politics. But, life didn’t work out that way. The male of my dreams ended up being someone so far from that, it was scary sometimes. Finally, turning to face Rhon, I spoke somewhat quietly, “You know. You never know what you might find if you just step back and take a look. One of these females might surprise you.” I had a faraway look on my face, as I once again adjusted his coat, in some ways wishing it was the coat of my male, and he was here with me, sharing in this piece of my world that I loved. I had never told Rhon about him. Truth was, I was afraid to tell anyone about him. You never knew who was listening. Plus, once you tell one person, it’s like breaking a crack in a dam. You can’t put that genie back in the bottle.

As Rhon changed the subject, one corner of my lips quirked up and I quickly shot back at him, “And exactly how many lessers were perched on your brother’s nose at the time?”

As a photographer, I had a different outlook on what exactly beauty was from the rest of the world. Rhon and I had been through this discussion before. I had once tried to explain to him the beauty of a banana rhine that we found next to a dumpster. He didn’t get it. A small glimmer of a smile flashed across my lips as the memory danced through my thoughts. I did get what he was saying, though. I understood the beauty of the fight against evil. The story, and the art to go along with it, was as old as time.

“Yeah, yeah, yeah… “ I rolled my eyes and quickly changed the subject, as I looked back out across the dancefloor, “So, are you going to allow me to get one dance in tonight, before you poof out into the wind?” (@SonInCamo_BDBRW)

Rhon:

::I noticed the distant look in Larimar’s eyes as she adjusted my coat yet again and I even recognized the look. It was the kind of look I got often when stuck at Glymera events and I found my mind wandering to someplace else but for Larimar, she loved these events so I couldn’t help but wonder where her mind was. Even after Larimar took the time to adjust my coat, I adjusted it back the way it was so it was a bit sloppy, it’s how I was comfortable.::

I’m not going anywhere as long as my mahmen is here, I’ll never be able to sneak out without her noticing so you have me all night to dance with.

::Reaching out I grab ahold of Larimar’s hand and pull her out onto the dance floor as a slow song comes on, a little smirk crossing my lips as my hands grip her hips lightly and I began to dance to the music.:: However that means I have all night to drag out of you where your mind just was a moment ago as you were adjusting my coat. (@Larimar_BDBRW)

Larimar: I huffed out a small sigh and shook my head as Rhon readjusted his coat. “Really?” I knew he hated these events but, he actually looked good when he got all dressed up and it annoyed me to no end when he wouldn’t let me make those small adjustments that made all the difference in his outfit.

It didn’t take much to light up my features with a smile, though, and dancing was one of those ways. So, when Rhon reached out and pulled me out to the dancefloor, the frustrated frown on my face disappeared in seconds. Placing one hand in his and the other on his shoulder, we drifted much more gracefully than he would ever admit around the floor. The only thing that could make this better would be if it were my male out on this floor with me.

I always thought I could hide my thoughts and feelings pretty well. I had managed to hide my male from my whole family and all my friends for three years. Even the closest of my friends didn’t know about him. That was due to the whole genie in a bottle thing. It had always been safer that way. But, as our relationship grew stronger and stronger, those feelings got harder and harder to disguise, and apparently, Rhon had been paying attention. I debated whether or not it was time to confide in someone, just one person. It would be so nice to be able to talk to someone, and who better than Rhon to know. He was the one that was feeding me, from time to time. Out of all my friends, I don’t think I had a more intimate relationship with anyone else, aside from my male. Plus, he trusted me with his secret. I should be able to allow myself to trust him with mine. Then again, would he even understand? When he said earlier that he could care less about dating, he truly meant it. Never had I heard him express an interest in any female. Plus, it’s not like I could talk to him here, in the middle of this gala. There were too many people to overhear.

I looked up at Rhon, flashed him a gentle smile and quietly shook my head. “Oh, it’s nothing. I was just off in my own world, as usual. You know me.” (@SonInCamo_BDBRW)

Rhon: ::I knew how much Larimar loved to dance and the smile that came over her face, made me smile. I was glad that I could make Larimar smile simply because how much our lives were intertwined with each other. I was there to help her through her transition and even now I was there when she needed to feed. Larimar was not only my best friend, but probably my only friend so any chance I got to make her smile, I enjoyed it. As we danced around the ballroom, I watched not only her but everyone around and I notice my mahmen looking on with a satisfied smile upon her lips, score one for me.

My eyes narrowed as Larimar told me that she was just in her own world and I shook my head just slightly before twirling her and then pulling her back in and dipping her as I leaned over her, a smirk playing across my lips.:: I do know you Larimar, that’s how I know you’re full of shit right now. ::Chuckling a bit as I stand Larimar up and continue to dance with her, my eyes looking on her for a moment before I continue to talk.:: You know you can tell me anything. (@Larimar_BDBRW)

Larimar: I loved the Rhon knew how to dance, and was willing to come out on the dancefloor with me during these events. The way he twirled me around and dipped me was straight out of a fairy tale, minus the charming prince… not that he wasn’t an amazing male. He just wasn’t my prince.

I grinned as Rhon told me how full of shit I was, and as he pulled me back up and commented on how I could tell him anything, I let out another soft sigh. He was so right, on both counts. I was totally full of shit, which wasn’t uncommon for me, as of late. I had been lying to everyone, constantly. And yes, I could tell him anything. I knew I could. So, what had been holding me back? Oh yeah, that damn genie. It all seemed so stupid now. If I could trust anyone, it was Rhon.

Before I could even stop myself, I grabbed a hold of the back of his neck, pulled him down so his ear was less than an inch from my lips, and I whispered, “I met a male.” I let go for a split second before grabbing his neck again and tugging him back, “I mean, I’ve fallen in love with a male… a civilian.” This time I let him go and allowed him to withdraw, all the while searching his eyes for surprise, confusion, astonishment, disapproval, but hopefully, acceptance, anything to tell me what he was thinking. (@SonInCamo_BDBRW)

Rhon:

::For a split second as Larimar pulled me down, I thought she was going to kiss me, but instead I felt her warm breath on my ear which sent a shiver up and down my spine, my eyes growing wide as I heard her words. She had met a male, a civilian one at that. As I pulled back from Larimar, my feet stopped moving and luckily so had the music so it didn’t seem all that awkward. Quickly I forced my face into a passive look, keeping my shock to myself as I grabbed Larimar’s hand and pulled her not only off the dance floor but out of the gala all together. This was definitely not a conversation to have in front of the entire Glymera.

Once outside, I turn on Larimar and look at her, my eyes shining with confusion but also joy for my friend, my voice soft and quiet in case anyone was in earshot of us and I just shook my head.:: Your mahmen is going to kill you if your sire doesn’t disown you first. ::I kept my voice calm and non-judgemental, after all I never did agree with the rules and politics that came along with our status, that much was obvious with my want to fight.:: How did you manage to meet a civilian? Does he treat you right? :: I had a million questions for Larimar, but none of them were anything for blame or anything along those lines, I just wanted to make sure Larimar was being treated like she should be, she was my only friend after all.:: (@Larimar_BDBRW)

Larimar: The moment Rhon’s feet stopped on the floor, my eyes shifted around the room. Thankfully, the song had ended and no one was really paying any attention. But, terrifying thoughts ran through my mind. Had I spoken too loud? Had anyone else heard me? Could they tell by the look on my face how I felt, that I was in love? My gaze shot back to Rhon as he suddenly tore me away from the dancefloor.

Once outside, I saw a hundred emotions flicker across Rhon’s face. I was having a hard time deciphering what he was thinking. For a moment, I thought I saw happiness but, when he spoke, I wasn’t sure. The tone of his voice was gentle, yet still had a slight firmness to it. I wasn’t quite sure if he was reprimanding me, or just afraid for me. The thought of being disowned by my family brought tears to my eyes.

“Rhon, I know! I know exactly what they would say and do. I’ve been going over that in my mind for a long time…” I tried to catch my breath. “Do you remember that summer when I went to see my cousin upstate? I met him there. He was visiting friends too, and it turned out, he was from Caldwell. That got us talking, and it was instantaneous between us. And yes, he treats me like the world, and the moon, revolve around me.” There was a brightness to my voice as I spoke about him, yet there were still tears in my eyes. The amount of emotions I was feeling right now was astounding. Fear, love, confusion, joy, exhaustion, and relief all had a place, at the moment. (@SonInCamo_BDBRW)

Rhon: ::I watched the way Larimar’s body spoke along with listening to her words, I had gotten rather good at deciphering body language as it was a damn good use for fighting. I didn’t need to hear her words to see how much in love she was and instantly my lips curled up into a grin from ear to ear. My hands reached up and gently wiped the tears from Larimar’s eyes as I cupped her cheek in my hand and gently caressed it to try and calm her.:: Shhh! It’s okay Larimar, you have nothing to fear. You’ve kept my secret and I will keep yours and do everything I can to make sure nothing happens. You deserve love no matter who it’s with.

::My arms wrap around Larimar and I bring her in for a big hug, my hands rubbing calmly over her back. I knew what it was like to have to hold a secret so deep that if it was ever uncovered it would destroy not only my life, but the life of my family as well. It was something I never would of wished for upon my worst enemy let alone Larimar.

As I sat there holding Larimar and doing everything I could to comfort her, an idea came to me, one that made my heart began to pound. An idea that could help both of us.:: Wait, what if we were to date? (@Larimar_BDBRW)

Larimar: The second Rhon’s lips spread into a grin and he reached his hand out to wipe away my tears, I knew I had done the right thing. He would keep my secret. Although, that was never in question. What had been, was whether or not he would understand, and he did. It didn’t matter to him who this male was, what he did, or where he came from. All that mattered to Rhon was I be treated the way he expected me to be.

I thought I would be okay, for about a split second. But, then Rhon embraced me with his huge arms and gave me the biggest bear hug. I couldn’t stop it from happening. It was as if all my emotions compiled together and burst that fucking dam. The floodgates opened and the tears just flowed freely. Damn it! I didn’t want this to happen. How was I going to go back inside and face everyone with red eyes and mascara down to my chin?

That’s when he said it, the dating thing, and I couldn’t help by pull away and laugh. It was a reflex. I wasn’t even quite sure what I was laughing at. “Rhon, I just told you I was in love with someone?” (@SonInCamo_BDBRW)

Rhon: ::For a moment I was offended by Larimar laughing at the idea and then it clicked that I didn’t fully explain myself, my own laughter joining in on Larimar’s.:: I don’t mean actually date, just pretend. ::My mind was running a million miles a minute as the idea ran through my mind. Larimar and I both had a secret that we needed to be kept from our families and we could use each other as an excuse as to our whereabouts if we were ever questioned.:: We tell our families we’ve decided to mate and then when we want to do what we want, we just tell our families we’re going out with each other. My family would assume that maybe I’ve given up on my want to fight, and your family would get to think that you have chosen a male of worth. ::My eyes nearly rolled out of my head as I had to say the words ‘male of worth’ but I got it out.

Sure Larimar and I would have to pretend to be a couple in front of the entire Glymera but it would also get us both what we wanted. I would get to fight without having to worry about my parents and Larimar would get to spend more time with her male. (@Larimar_BDBRW)

Larimar: As I wiped away at the tears that were still streaming intermittently down my cheeks, I listened to Rhon go on about his idea. It was simple and brilliant but, could it actually work? Would people buy into it? We would have to do it carefully. I still wouldn’t be able to go out into public with my male, and Rhon would have to be take even more care not to get caught out, while fighting the lessers. One mistake and the whole thing could blow up in our faces. But… it could actually work. My mahmen had been telling me for years that Rhon was perfect for me. She always had had a soft spot for him. Could I do that too her, though. Give her that hope? It would be so easy. She would never second guess where I was, if she thought I was with Rhon. But, the lies… Then again, what other choice did I have? This was my way out. I was in love with a male that my family would never allow me to be with. If we did this, if we put on this ruse, I could have it all, my love and my family. I wouldn’t have to choose. Who better to trust with sharing in these lies than Rhon?

“That could possibly work. We’d still have to be super careful. But, we already spend a lot of time together. My mahmen is going to be thrilled! She’s always wanted the two of us to get together. I’m surprised she hasn’t pushed that idea on your mahmen, yet.” (@SonInCamo_BDBRW)

Rhon: ::Sitting there and watching Larimar’s expression for a moment or two, being able to see the wheels turn in her head as she thought about the idea. I could tell the exact moment that everything clicked in her head as it did for me and I couldn’t help but chuckle a little bit as I pulled Larimar into a hug, and just held her for a moment before pulling back, a grin covering my lips.:: To be honest with you, my mahmen brought you up on the way over here, I’m not too sure your mahmen didn’t put her up to it. ::The laugh that escaped my lips was a booming laugh that came from deep within my chest. Slowly I was starting to feel like shackles were be removed from and I was going to be free. I would have my chance to fight, I would have my chance to defend my race, and no more would I have to worry about my mahmen or sire being disgraced. I was going to have my cake and eat it too.

Stepping back from Larimar, I smiled and took her hand in mine, my thumb caressing the back of her hand as I laced our fingers with mine.:: Shall we go tell our family the good news?

#TheHatchingOfAPlan #BDBRW

Close Calls

As I sat and stared out the window, I could feel my heartbeat racing faster in fear. It was that predawn time, where the silky black sky was beginning to change and become lighter. The stars were disappearing amidst the twilight sky and the shutters were about to come down for the day… and he still hadn’t called. He called every night, the second he walked into his home, I was his first thought. He didn’t want me to worry that something might have happened to him while he had been out, rummaging the streets for those vile creatures. He’d had close calls before. But, he was always home before the shutters clanked shut. Tonight, I wasn’t sure that was going to happen.

I shifted my gaze to double-check the time on my phone. It read 6:32am. There was a tightening in my chest. What if he didn’t make it home? It took me 24 years to find this male and it was literally love at first sight, and not the fairytale kind of love, not the obsessive infatuation of a teenager kind of love. It was raw and pure, passionate yet, gentle. We had both been afraid of how strong our feelings had been right off the bat so, we had made sure to take it slow. We spent time getting to know everything about each other, learning about where we had come from, who we were, and most importantly, who we wanted to become. We shared our dreams with each other. He wanted to fight and rid our world of the lessers, if only one at a time. I wanted to make our world beautiful with my photos. I knew I would never be able to have my work shown in some amazing art gallery but, I had been doing a pretty good job so far at selling it to the Glymera. Just about half the homes in the city had one of my pieces in it and I had started to receive some inquiries coming from Glymera in other areas of the country. I was making a name for myself without the help of a gallery.

Suddenly, I heard the metallic sound of the shutters rolling down, over the windows, and a tear fell from my eye. This couldn’t be happening. He can’t leave me like this. Three years of secrecy, of hiding in corners, of waiting in my room with my phone on vibrate, waiting for a call that I can’t allow my parents to know I am receiving, three years of sneaking out for romantic rendezvous, and lying to my parents. Dearest Virgin Scribe, I hated this!

I jumped about ten feet off the chair as the phone vibrated quietly in my hand. Swiftly, I hit the answer button and with a deep breath, I questioned, “Hello?”

There was a slight pause, before I heard his deep, husky voice, “It’s me, nalla. I’m home.”

#CloseCalls #BDBRW

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