One of your oc finds a newborn baby alone in the woods, tell me how they deal with the situation? (I don't know if that counts has a prompt...)
This was supposed to be a drabble, BUT Fun fact, something like this kinda happens in Our Canon, though The children are a little older when found so i aged everyone down a little, so while the ages aren’t right, the personality is.
Cast: Cain Avendale (Mutt), Brekken and Bunbun Avendale (Rabbits)
“What the hell is that?”
The words slipped past his lips, unchecked by his thoughts as he stopped in his tracks, the cold crunch of snow seeping through the leather and fur that lined his boots as he looked down around the small clearing, ears flickering p as his back tensed, tail bristled with cold and attention as he strained to hear over the call of winter that hung in the ir, the scream of a blizzard on it way.
He had crunched on through the snow, listening to the sound of ice falling victim under his foot as he forced his wary forward, arms crossed over his chest as he mumbled indistinctly to himself, his eyes locked before him when he had heard iit.
That first little coo. It had been such a soft little thing he had almost missed it, something there and gone like a specter in the shadows, the darkness flickering between the light before it was gone in the next moment. It sounded out, then fell short, Followed shortly by a second one, too fast for him to ignore now.
Cain had stopped then, ears flicking slightly at the noise.
Now, as a growing family of six so far with a seventh on the way, Cain was not unused to the shrouds of children. It was almost engraved in him. The sound of cooing and crying babies made something in him flare up. His heart seemed to jolt, jumping into his throat as he whipped his head around, mouth closing, falling silent as he ached to find the source.
Cain was fifteen, almost sixteen, and he took pride in the fact his parents relied on him to help with his brothers. It was something he relished in, something that gave him this strange warm glow that bloomed in his chest, spread past his ribs and engraved itself into his veins. He was proficient in childcare, knowing how to make a bottle even with two hours of sleep and knowing how to change a diaper by the age of ten. He was one of the head caregivers of his siblings, the first to make their way into the world, the eldest of that family. As his father’s first born he felt it necessary to help out, to take part in his siblings lives. He had fed them, cooked for them, made them lunch. He had bathed them, helped with homework, rocked the younger ones to sleep. Cain had been there, through most of their lives, right beside their parents to help raise them and THAT, that sound he knew for a damn fact he had heard before, the sound of soft almost agitated cooing that was one more minute in the cold away from full blown screams.
That was the sound of a baby.
Cain moved, turning to take another step forward in the snow. His ears flicked, fur standing on end as the cold wind bite at darkened skin, ice from the mountains of Hell’s mouth and the deviating winters of Heaven’s falls intermingling to create this branch of frozen tundra that had him shivering.
He couldn’t have heard a baby. No one would leave their baby out here.
He was sure of it though, was as sure of it as he was his own name. That os the coo of a baby… but that didn’t make any sense. It was nearing the double digits in negatives, even farther with the wind chill. It was gonna be a blizzard tonight, with an estimated thirteen inches of snow. No one would leave a baby out in the cold like this, not in winter, and most certainly not in the In Between. No one would be that cruel. One One would leave a baby out here. It wasn’t safe.
When he finally stumbled on it, he could hardly breath. It was a basket, not very large in the grand scheme of thing. Honestly, Cain had almost missed it, having taken it for a tree stump of a fallen down tree in the many acres of woods that surrounded the In Between. He had almost walked right past it, tracking and hunting down the rest of his family, his brothers having run off to disappear into the foliage, almost having given up because he had through maybe the wind had just howled in a really weird way. He had nearly kicked it over in his search, his toe bumping it and the sound of weaved basket crackling made him pause. Cain stared down at the little unassuming basket, green eyes wide, his breath falling in short pants.
He had been right. Someone didn’t leave a baby out here.
They had left two.
Fury hit him first. Suddenly, passionately. He stared at them, a moment longer, his breath coming quicker and quicker. They Were so… small, little tiny things, one with long ears pointed on their head and the other’s rabbit ears falling to settle around them. They looked up to him, falling quiet like they were just waiting for him to so something, like he had interrupted a conversation, and Cain wondered how far their parents must be now, and if he ran now would he catch them in time to make they pay for leaving these two in the snow. His hands were moving before he could even think, experienced hands moving to brush over the small forms, fingers moving to brush red cheeks.The small children that seemed to stare up at him with expecting eyes, like they had been waiting for him.
“Shhh… shhh, It’s okay, I got you.” He spoke softly, pulling one to his chest as he watched the other shift and move, agitated it was not picked up as well.
He soothed it as he maneuvered them carefully, shifting to settle them both against him.
“I got you… I got you…. I won’t let anything happen to you.”
His parents were gonna be so mad….. but he couldn’t just leave them out here. Their eyes moved, gaze taking him in, wiser than their years allowed and searching him like he would give them answers. Someone had left them here, had left them here to die…
This is The First part AND The Newest Post together.
Everything written so far.
Wordcount : 10976
“How many more minutes?”
“Thirty.”
Renu’s pacing only grew worse as she heard her answer, her heart falling from her throat to plummet into her gut. Her heart stalled as she heard Koy answer her, realizing that their time in the safety of the law were coming to an end. Though it was only temporary, Just a simple twenty four hours of her year, and every year had seen the end of Liberatio day with her and Koy safe and sound, guarded by the best protection money could buy, she still felt it as her time slipped away from her, through her fingers like running silk. There was only thirty minutes before the demons made their way from the shadows they hailed from, where they would roam their streets as the beats they were, the truly horrific creatures that plagued the earth. The bearings that bore human skin in effort to hide what they really were.
In thirty minutes, they were allowed to do whatever they wanted, Beasts with a child’s understanding of human morals would be allowed free into the streets and here she was, pacing the hallways of Koy’s home as she worried and fret that the reinforced doors would protect them, that they would make it through one more Liberatio. Thirty minutes was all she had before hell night started, and most of those twenty four hours would be spent huddle up against her best friend, probably in the basement or Koy’s room, dependent on where her small and bubble friend wanted to hunker down.
“REN! Ren, Renny, Renu, Renny girl, my friend…”
She heard her before she saw her, The slightly heated little purr of the brunette that slithered along Renu’s skin like a whisper of flame. The warmth of Surreal’s body was almost welcoming to the ice cold that Koy’s parents liked to keep their home at, as her hands found their way along her bare arms. She soothed her with little patterns, something of her motherly instincts coming through even as Renu felt her shift more into her, and smelled the slight sting of alcohol on her breath. Her hands were practiced, be it by the fact that she had Remmy as a best friend and had a constant practice with trying to calm her wild temper as well as keeping her own in check. Surreal practically coddled her as as she pulled her closer, a slightly uncomfortable feeling beginning to crawl up the black haired girl’s spine at the closeness of her breath on her neck, the general unease she held at the touch of others starting to creep along her skin. Surreal didn’t seem to noise Renu’s unease at all, as she swayed slightly on her feet, a cool bottle touching Renu’s side as Surreal used her as something of a crutch.
Of course.
“Stop. Fucking. Freaking. Out.”
Surreal hissed the words in her ear, but most of it had lost it’s edge when she smelled the cheap beer wafting off her in waves. Any sort of affection that might ahin the movements lost a little of the light that had previously mingled in it. Her words only really making Renu roll her eyes for a moment before she shoved the other girl off of her.
“You’re seriously drunk, thirty minutes before Liberatio?”
“Better than running a path into the hardwood floors of my best friend’s house, huh?”
There was a cocky twinge to her lips as Renu felt her face heat, a stubborn burn that bubbled in her throat. Surreal leaned back, laughing as she brought the bottle back up to her lips, the laughter dying as she took her drink. The brunette twisted on heel, shrugging as she dropped the now empty bottle in the trash can.
“Either way, I’m not drunk. It takes more than a cheap beer to get me drunk.”
Renu watched as surreal moved about the room, her hands brushing over the walls that held them in. The windows had reinforced steel lining the glass, bars decorating the sill. There was a moment that surreal took them in, before she turned back to the pale girl, a look on her face that had Renu’s pride bucking up and her temper roaring.
“There’s literally like three feet of metal between us and any exit or entrance to this house. Your being overly worried over stupid shi-”
“I’m not stupid.”
The sudden snap of her voice, the dip in tone and pleasantries made The brunette pause, vivid green eyes turning to look back at the narrowed red eyes that bored back at her. Surreal watched her coyly, a steady stare under long lashes as she took in the smaller girl, the careful tension in her body and the smooth way her breathing shifted just the slight bit as a shudder of something dangerous unfurled in the shadow of her eyes.
Such a nasty temper.
“Koy! Get your Girl! Before she goes feral, thanks.” Surreal drawlled, her body already moving toward the door.
“I’m just staying. Nothing has happened in all our years, and it’s way more likely we will end up bored with a day off in our futures. Stop stressing, the demons won’t touch us, they’re not under your bed. We have nothing they want.”
Renu watched her leave as she huffed in irritation.
“Why did we invite them again?” She muttered as she turned back to her best friend and the only one she ever really cared about keeping by her side.
Koy Davis.
“Are you ready?”
--------------
“Okay, so i’m about to go ahead and set us up on live. Instagram or facebook?”
Vendetta Daniels shifted, the rocks under her tennis shoes scraping against the old wooden floors. She could not quite say the noise bothered her, rather it was comforting. It was a god send to know that there was no real easy way of moving about this place without making some sort of noise. That way there was no chances of a to sneak up on her. She could hear the chatters of the rest of the group as they approached the entrance that was behind Caven, Tex and herself now. Their laughter bubbling just up as the entered almost in a single file. The way through was small, not even a entrance, since the actual doors to this place were long over grown. No, what they were all trying to crawl into from was nothing more than a hole in one of the walls. There was a second where she just sat there, watching the bubbly girls as they took in the almost thirty year building in. Each of them showing a different range of emotions. Everything from astonishment to even a vague disgust.
But every single one of them began with practically same exact emotion as she always did. Awe.
“What time is it?”
“It’s 6:56. Four minutes to go.”
“Peyton. Blythe. We are in the middle of the forest, more than forty miles away from civilization. No one is coming out here. It’s fine.”
The words slipped out as slim fingers worked over the gopro attached to her head, adjusting the light before moving again restlessly. Her fingers fiddled over the glass of her screen, swiping through the lite up electronic until she got to exactly what it was she wanted.
“Facebook. We have more fans there.”
Her voice was sweet, low as she cooed the answer from petal pink lips. But those blue eyes never shifted from her own device, fingers moving agilely over the screen. Each motion with intent behind it. There was a second where the only thing she could do was stare at the girl. Caven Evans was exactly what you would have called the girl next door. Cute, cute enough to make Vendetta feel a pull deep in her gut to tease the girl. To see that lip pout as she looked her in the eyes, her own shining as tears brimmed. Just the thought of the sight of it pulled a wicked smile over her own mouth. As cute as she was, she could also have you wrapped around her pinky finger in a heartbeat. Her eyes enough to bring a full grown man to his knees. More than enough to have Vendetta putty in Caven’s hands.
“Okay, that's fine… How old was this place again?”
“Thirty six years it's been abandoned.”
Her eyes flickered again, this time to the brown haired Tex, her own hands fumbling with the light that was attached to her forehead. Trying to tighten the elastic band that was keeping it in place. She much like Caven seemed slightly distracted, by little details that were surrounding them. But her violet eyes squinted as she moved, her own feet taking her further into the building little by little. And though Vendetta noticed it. The questions began to spill from her lips.
“What even was this to begin with?”
“A hospital. They didn’t even get the chance to take anything with them when they were all leaving. Only got minutes to grab their belongings and evacuate. From what i heard-”
“Wait! Wait! I need to turn live on, i’m sure they all want to hear this. Just remember. No names, no one gets to know where we are until we are home.”
There was a few seconds of pure silence, other girls from their group moving completely on without them. All disappearing further into the building to do their own explorations of the rotting building. Vendetta flipped through the apps on her phone until she got to the shared account between her and the girls, it took seconds for the red letters to flash across the screen, and a smile swept over her lips. Her hand came up in a greeting as she smiled toothily at the camera.
“Hey guys, this is Vendetta Daniels. And i’m here once again with the Caven Evans and Tex Falkov. Like promised we are out on the most dangerous night of the year. Liberatio… Now today, we won’t disclose the location until a later video. For safety reasons. Obviously.”
“Like i was saying, The place has been abandoned for thirty six years. And it is indeed a abandoned hospital. One that was evacuated. There’s not a whole lot more i can say without giving it away. So let’s head on in.”
“First i’d like to state that crawling my happy ass in here was not exactly how i imagined us starting off the night but it’s all gucci. The entirety of the building is closed off and this was the only entrance we could find.”
She swung around to face the small opening, the wallpaper that was steadily rotting off the wall almost covered it again, bending forward to cover their only escape out of the place as well as in. Shrubbery was already trying to sneak itself back into the building from where they had to pry them back.
The silence seemed to thicken the air for a second as the sirens rang of in the far distance. Signaling the beginning of Liberatio. A night that all the girls she had decided to go exploring with would be free from this year. There would be no monsters here, no blood or carnage that usually sits right outside their doors on this night. Instead they were miles away from any other living people. They were all safe.
“Release the beast.”
Her words were mumbled as she stood, her feet crunching with each step as she moved back towards the other two girls.
“So, we stay together for a little while and then split in the lobby?”
-------------
It never meant anything.
Saho had yet to be asleep. It was true, he had honestly gone to bed about twelve last night, early enough for the Dhouti Prince but late in comparison to the early nights that humans had. He had intended it to be just that, a night in his bed, alone,w here he could finally try and get the good nights sleep he had been promising himself. However, as it was, Insomnia was a terrible mistress, and one who have him no rest days and offered him no relief, no saving grace besides his own body's limits. Insomnia and him and been far too close for far too long, as he could still feel her limbs, her hands, her finger tracing over his skin, his mind. Insomnia was a terrible mistress, and god when she rode him... she rode him hard.
He had spent the night staring at the window of his room, at the night skies, feeling the power under his skin but having to retain it. There was a simmer there, just burning in his chest as he breathed in his anger and controlled his strength so that he might hold the muse of being human. He thought about his life, the human life that blended in with his mask that had somehow become something more then a part time costume. Saho had no qualms with what he was, who he really, truly was meant to be. He knew it was dark, twisted, filled with latent emotion and vicious violence. He was a beating, of great revision, a demon of renown. Saho was a monster beyond anything this world had ever seen, and he knew it. He held the power of worlds in his blood, the abilities to render mankind the saves they were. He was greed, possession, luxury and the high life. He was what everyone strived to be. He got what he wanted because he held the power to do so.
He was a prince.
He was, at best, humanity, at it’s worst.
He played their games, bested them at every turn to remind himself that he was better.... He had risen to his power and took what he had wanted. He had walked over people and made more enemies than he could count…. He had done many things, more things than he really wanted to think about to get what he wanted. He had done something that he had disagreed with, had done many things as he had struggled and manipulated his way to the top.
But none of it had meant a thing. Not one instance of it did Saho ever doubt the thought that he was better than all those around him.
Until Vendetta Daniels.
His downfall was a stupid one. Saho would have never guessed the great equalizer between him and the humans would have been this tiny, little, perfect slip of a girl, a fragile, perfect girl whose voice rang like a melody he never wished to forget. She was the only thing he had ever found that he had craved so desperately, his usual wants fleeting and superficial but this? This was something else, something that bordered on obsession.
Though about one million other people would agree with him.
That was the part that baffled him. Sure, He was rich, he was powerful, he was a man who had it all, but to Vendetta he was just another username in the followers list, and the fact she thought of him in the same group as the relentless hounds that went after her didn’t sit well in his stomach, kicking the anxiety that had decided to play in his gut into overdrive. It wasn’t like he couldn’t see why. Vendetta was cute, gorgeous really, with pretty red eyes and long tumbling white hair that fell over a body the gods had crafted just to be spiteful to the rest of mankind. funny and just that touch of sarcastic and aloof distance that had you craving more of her content. She was someone made to be followed, a leader, a true divine being. The brightness of the cell phone's screen didn’t hold her warmth, and he longed for the day he would feel the pretty pale skin against his hands, the day he would hear her breathe his name in between heated moans and feel her heartbeat beat in time with his.
Vendetta deserved to be worshiped. She deserved to be worshiped by him.
But she didn’t even know his name.
He had never even met the girl, but she plagued him, played on the hunter that dwelled in his chest, the predatory and aggressive beat that commanded he claimed what he wanted. The short of it was that Vendetta Daniels had been an accidental find on youtube one day, and her snarky, sarcastic personality had lulled him as he made to click away. He didn’t see her at first, only her blond friend whose name he hardly remembered, and the brunette that also couldn’t really remember the name for. Honestly he had been interested, as he had always had an odd fascination with ruins and abandoned things, and her commentary made the discoveries more enjoyable. He had already half fallen in love with her after watching a few of her videos, but it was only when he came across the videos that actually showed her face that Saho had finally came undone.
It had started off so simple. He had binged watch her videos as Insomnia claimed another of her week long reigns. He had watched as she wandered the abandoned building. It had been harmless, but slowly she had grown to plague him too, and so he decided to solve it the only way he really knew how; to deal with the lust bubbling in his veins.
Vendetta Daniels would be his, his next conquest. He didn’t often take challenges, not really caring about who it was he slept with so long as they followed his rules, but when he did, there was something in him, a monster that went beyond the blood and status that ran through him. He was relentless, never letting up, determined to get what he wanted. And saho always got what he wanted in the end.
His Echevarria, His Lee, Anyone who held his interest, when Saho decided that you were going to be his, he didn’t waver from his goal. He didn’t care how long it took, He would find a way to get what he wanted, would corner anyone with enough time. Saho was a hunter, and this? This was his favorite kind of prey.
The perfect angel that would never see it coming.
Saho felt it as his phone vibrated, the screen lighting up to signal a notification. He groaned slightly, sure it was another of his friends messaging him and telling him he should be coming out this Libertario with them. They had bribed him with alcohol and drugs and all the girls he could handle, but Saho didn’t hold any sorts of interests in the mayhem tonight could bring. Lazily, the dark haired boy lifted his phone, tapping the screen to keep it lit as it took a moment for heterochromic eyes to settle against the blaring lights that were built behind his screen. He knew there should have been more excitement in his veins, but he felt nothing as he scanned over the words without really seeing them. He just wasn't feeling anything but Vendetta.
Vendetta Daniels Is Now Live
There was a moment of stillness, before saho could feel it, the surge of something rising in his blood as he gasped. He clicked it quickly, his lips pulling into a smile as he waited a moment for the video to load. He could feel that anticipation mingle with the dread in his blood, the hammering of his heart filling up the paces in his mind with quick harsh beats that made his skin warm and his eyes to burn. They had said something about being out tonight, on Liberatio, but he had thought they meant like they would run about their street or neighborhood for a bit, that the video would just end up being a vlog and he could stop worrying. He had been steadily trying to convince himself of this, to fight back that worry that had been clawing at him.
All hope of that died when the screen filled with the images of rotting wallpapers and a broken tile. His heart plummeting as he heard her start to spread, to fill those spaces with the honey of her voice because it was hard enough watching as she turned down the hall, where he saw nothing but familiar cracks and ragged rock.
She was in the old abandoned hospital. The meaning of the building had different translations based solely on whether or not you knew the real reasons for the sudden evacuation of an entire hospital. It was practically an urban legend for monsters, demons like him, and there she was, being careful not to say names and keep her location hidden.
But not from him.
“Oh Come on Ven…” He muttered into the silence of his room, his breath heady as he sighed his accented words into life. She was testing him. He had been fully sure to cancel any plans he might have had for this liberatio because he had wanted to listen to her, had wanted to see her…. He had intended, wholly, not to leave this bed tonight.
But She was less than fifty miles away from here and god she was calling him to her, a siren’s call that he could not help but answer.
Saho pushed up off his bed, His hand clutching his phone as he pushed himself into the darkness of his room. His body shifted, moving for a moment before it paraded he suddenly slipped forwarded, appearing right before his closet to pull out his leather jacket, his knife, all the things he would need on a hunt.
Mission. He corrected as he strapped in the blade, He was on a mission. Vendetta didn't know that she was being more than obvious about where she was to anyone with knowledge on monster legends, and so he was simply going to…. Protect her.
Yeah that sounded better.
Saho paused on his way out the door, his hand brushing over his smooth top dresser as he slowed his steps. Mismatched eyes took in the contents spread over it, to the little box that his fingers now rested on. He debated, turned the idea in his head. On one hand, he wasn’t calling it a hunt, so there was no need to do anything drastic. But wasn’t it always better to simply just…. Be prepared for any situation?
Saho Clenched his fingers, glaring at the box before he said fuck it and grabbed the contents of the box to throw it in his jacket pocket. He wouldn’t need them. He knew that…. But why not be prepared?
- Time Skip -
It had taken a little longer then he had thought it would to get here.
His bike had been stashed somewhere about five miles away, and now he was hiking through the woods on overgrown roads that used to lead straight to the hospital. He walked quietly, his eyes locking on the looming building as it appeared out of the gloom. His smile spread like the receding fog, his eyes bright as her voice drifted into his ears through the near invisible black headphones, ringing truth over him as he felt the growl building in his throat. The alarms sounded, distant, unheard by human ears, that signaled the beginning of the twenty four free hours he had.
“Release the beast.”
------------
He was nervous. If he could call himself anything it was that. He could practically hear his heartbeat drumming away in his chest. He could feel the low hum of his blood as it passed in his veins. His ears felt hot, his cheeks red from the cold wind that blew so gently over his exposed skin.
The house loomed over them ominously as the bells rang out across the town, signaling the beginning of a night he had wished it never had to come to. A night that he had hoped would never have to become a part as their reality. But sadly, here he was. Standing outside the quaint little house that Koy Davis’s parents owned, watching as the steel barriers began to slide into place over the windows. He even watched as Koy’s father, who could really remember the boring bob’s name, closed the steel cage that protected the front door. Nothing fancy, just your every Liberatio precautions. Sure the metal could keep out the neighborhood kids looking to start trouble. Thick enough to stop bullets from penetrating the house. But it was not nearly strong enough to keep him or his out.
Not by any means.
Nothing was going to be able to keep him from getting into this specific house tonight. Not so long as Renu had found herself behind the confine. Much like every other person here by his side, they had someone that was just important enough to them to keep them invested. Rhoe moved to flick the burning cigarette from between his fingers, his foot moving out to crush the lite end. There was a second before he blew out the smoke, his eyes drifting to Grey. The man who could only stare, menacingly, at the home.
“Is it just Thorn inside by himself?”
“Nah, you know fucking Rigger is attached to his fucking ass.”
Grey dragged in another bout of his cigarette never really flashing those oil slick eyes away from the building. He was wholly concentrated, wholly devoted to his thoughts on the nights plans. Something, that Rhoe had been imagining, dreaming, vapidly obsessing over for the past couple of weeks right along side his companions. The cluster of boys seemed to shift around them, all of them waiting for the signals to begin. Waiting patiently for their opportunities.
All he could think about was the black haired beauty that haunted even his waking hours, dream after dream of their meeting. Of her words that meant little to nothing to her, but the entire world to him.
“Hey do you mind passing me two of those beers?”
Her voice had captured him first. His interest peaking at the accent that seemed to punctuate each new word that spilled from behind lips that were just as easily captivating. Music seethed and roared, filling the huge house that had been around them, but even with those few notes that he had heard from her, there was already a need crawling through his veins. Creeping along ever so slowly to set something a blaze in him. He just wanted to hear her speak again. He wanted to hear the almost melodic undertones of her voice as she graced him with just pure existing in his general vicinity. He wanted to watch that pretty mouth of hers part, he wanted to watch as her lips move to form words meant just for his ears. Rhoe was already a man captured by a girl he had barely even just met. And if he was going to be flat honest here, he didn’t mind so much, not in this moment.
His lips parted, a small chuckle passing his own lips as he let her words actually sink into him. She was witty. A knack that had always got him caught up in some sort of trouble when it came to girls. One that he seemed to have a little bit too much of an appeal for. And she was quick, she was quick to set some sort of rapture in his chest. That slow burn turning quickly into an inferno that he could feel setting little sparks off in every direction in him. His hands move, one finding home in his jacket pocket the other finding its way to his jaw, rubbing along the skin before his thumb found his bottom lip. His smile wavered in thought for a second as he watched her eyes darken, almost as unmoving as his own. Endless channels that he only ever wanted to fall straight into as he watched them.
Fuck.
The girl hadn’t said more than fifteen words to him. Couldn't have. And there was a hint of frustration that spiked through his spine as he realized that he would have to actually say something in order for her to speak back to him. And that seemed to be a much bigger problem than he ever anticipated.
He could feel the stares, although he never looked up from this girl. He could hear the breathing of the crowd, the air moving through lungs like the rush of a freight train. He heard blood ebbing, flowing in veins, beckoning, a sweet seductress, teasing his senses until his craving was an obsession, dark and relentless. He didn’t want to hear them, he didn’t want any of them to exist around them in this moment. But he tried his best to brush that feeling off his shoulders. It wasn’t normal and it wasn’t something he often felt about anybody and he damned sure wasn’t looking to get attached to anyone.
They whispered. Hundreds of conversations. Secrets. Pickup lines. The things whispered in bars under the cover of music. He heard every word clearly as he opened his mouth to give her some sort of answer rather than standing there with his mouth agape. He heard the whispers of women as they discussed him. Rhoe. Lead quarterback and the only guy that most hadn’t even begun to really get to know. They wanted to bed him for all the wrong reasons, and he wanted them for reasons that would have terrified them.
Reasons why even the girl in front of him was not excluded out of. And he was not about to take her out of the running either.
“I’m at your full disposal.”
The words had slipped from his lips with a quirky half cocked grin. His eyes sliding from her only momentarily, moving over the little brown glasses by his side.
She could rob a man of his sanity
He could smell her now, a clean, fresh fragrance suggesting the outdoors, the rain forest after a cleansing downpour. A hint of exotic flowers, and something else-something wild. Something not quite human. Rhoe felt his muscles tense at the unfamiliar scent, a strange quickening, a heat spreading throughout his body, but he held himself under control.
But here was only one clear thought that flew through his head then and even now as the sirens rang off in the background.
Renu was his. And nothing was going to change that. Tonight was the beginning of their life together, even if he had to drag her into it kicking and screaming.
“Okay, we all know the plan?”
“Well, i would have hoped after the sixteenth time you repeated it we would have caught on.”
Deadly green eyes flashed toward the DelaRosa. Rhoe’s limit for fucking around already at its peak for the night.
---------------------
It was never as scary as people liked to think. That was not to say that this place was not terrifying on it own. No it had almost every dynamic to be the very definition of horror movie aesthetic.
The entirety of the building was rotting, the entirety of the structure creaked and moaned with each step that the girls took. But other than the sound of them it was almost silent. Even the other girls had dipped far enough away from them that she couldn’t make out any distinguishable sounds from them. Nothing. Which would have been concerning, if she didn’t know exactly who it was that she had brought with her.
Vendetta let red eyes shift restly over the cracked walls and broken glass that littered what she could only assume was the main hallway that would take them to the lobby. It was a long hall with what seemed like no end in sight, door after door they passed, all three of them in total agreement that they would wouldn’t truly start exploring until they had reached their first destination. Where any and all actual exploration would begin. Their time becoming their owns with each one of their own fan base. All while staying relatively in ear shot of the other. Or at least in walkie talkie range. They were not about to chance leaving anybody behind or even being lost to a building that had such scary stories behind it.
“How much further is it?”
Her voice rang through the hall, raw and echoing, bouncing off the walls. All it did was serve as the reason the chills were beginning to crawl their ways through her blood. The very reason she could feel her blood turning to ice in her veins. But Tex didn’t seem to notice, her eyes still crawling over the old map that she had just happened upon through a email. Nothing weird about that. But whatever, point was exploring this place alone seemed to be probably the dumbest decision she could have possibly came up with. But there was not a single way she was backing out of this now. They had come way too far and plus she was already on live. Was she really about to disappoint fans? Or embarrass herself by wimping out too early? Hell no. She was Vendetta Daniels, the girl was known for her abilities to stay stable under pressure.
“It shouldn’t be much further to be honest. We have to turn down one more hall first.”
As much as Vendetta liked to play s the capable badass bitch, she was not. Sure, these places were terrifying. And really she loved doing them. Would never give up the career. But who sat in there homes on what happened a boring tuesday evening and decide to go on a fucking the most dangerous night of the month and have a little party in a really creepy, super sick hospital. Fucking crazy people. And who decides to do it as a dare? Well… Apparently Tex did so can’t say much to that. Caven was not exactly against the ideal, considering that the second the idea had passed Tex’s lips she seemed to spark up. Vendetta was not being the only one to go against something that everyone seemed pretty adamant on.
Earth and debris shifted under each step, the crunch of glass growing ever more familiar as they passed by broken windows and shattered doors. She could hear little creatures shifting in their presence, hear the old creaks of piping that was steadily decaying. And sure, there were little things that peaked her interest. There were things that she stopped to show. Stopping almost multiple occasions to stop and lift up the small papers or objects she found littering the halls. Her fingers rubbed over the grim covered covering of a medical record. Giving a few good shots of the papers that still filled the binder, before setting it back down to move on again. Nothing really caught her eyes for more than a couple seconds at a time.
At least until she walked into the lobby.
The world seemed to go stark quiet around the three girls as they entered the side entrance to the main lobby. The whole thing looked like it came straight out of a early eighteenth century horror movie. The center of the entire room a huge what had to be at least twelve foot tall statue, vines and rot crawling its way over the wet stone. Above it the night sky loomed, bright stars dotting the sky, only visible thanks to the lapsed ceiling.
Vendetta moved, pulling her camcord off the clip on the back pack. There was no way she was going to miss a shot like this. There was silence as the others seemed to follow the same logic as her, beginning their own little routines to catch a living memory of this moment. The water dripped lazily from the broken edges of wood, serving to hit the statue below with a soft pap.
“This place is the literal definition of both terrifying and exciting all at the same time.”
Seconds passed after she spoke, silence her only reply.
---------------------
It had been the TV that had tipped her off to the beginning of the Holiday of dread.
Koy’s house didn’t have the thick walls that blocked out the noise of the streets that the premium package of Liberatio protection offered. But she had been paying attention more to the curve of Koy’s cheek as her smile spilled over her pretty pink lips, watched her eyes light up as she talked about the games she was playing and the plot of some show or other that Renu herself would never understand, but loved to see the joy it brought to her friend. She hadn’t heard the alarms as they blared, too busy staring at her pretty little Davis to Hear the words float along the now barren streets.
But she couldn’t ignore it as it blared through the house, a high pitch shrill that sent shiver down her spine as she gasped in surprise. Koy’s father like to have the TV set on high during Liberatio, mostly due in part to the fact that it was far easier to hear anything that might be important of it was playing just a few feet away from you. The alarm rang out like the toll of death’s bell, and she felt her lungs freeze as her breath caught in her throat. Her hands found solace in the only place she really knew comfort, Koy
This was it.
Liberatio had begun.
Did Renu really think that something drastic and violent and messy was going to happen tonight? Well, the possibly was always there but honestly the chances of it actually happening were astronomically low. As much as she really hated to admit it, Surreal was right in the fact more than likely, tonight was going to pass with her stress levels through the roof and a twenty four hour nap afterwards because her emotions had run her body ragged. Really, Renu didn’t think the world was going to change drastically overnight and she knew monsters tended to go after people who had wronged them or were dumb enough to go out at night and test fate. If anything she more thought that maybe some neighborhood monster boys would think it funny to terrorize the neighborhood, something that she assumed most monsters did when they were too young to understand the bloodlust in their veins. Her only real concern really was if some idiots would take things too far and try and scare more than they were willing to give out of the group. That was a frighteningly high possibility, if the rumors around school were anything to base off of, the whispers of violent threats and heinous crime that only furthered her belief that monsters were incapable of emotions. She knew she was making herself more stressed out then she needed to be, so she took a breath, inhaling the icy air as she closed her hand around Koy’s.
“Well, At least It’s Finally started…. No more waiting.”
There was a moment of silence, as Renu turned toward Koy to take her in. She smiled slightly, her lips quirking as she lifted her free hand to brush away the flyaway strands of hair that crossed over her features.
She could hear the rest of the guests in other rooms, most moving this way as she heard footfalls and voices getting louder in the entrance hallway to the den. The alarms didn’t just signal the start of the death dealing holiday, but it seemed it was as well the warning bells to the end of her solitude with Koy. She felt a bubble of resentment bubble up at that, but she pushed it away as she heard the handle creak, before a metal jingle rangt out, the den door stuck again. There was a moment, before the was silence, and a loud thump as she watched the blond haired boy tumble in, followed soon after by a pretty little blond with wide and almost innocent eyes.
“Talos, You going to break the door.”
The blond haired boy turned to Renu, and she watched as a look of mock appall crossed over his features like melting butter. His eyes went wide, a pretty dark wood brown that burned with an ember that never seemed to fade. There was a heady look to his eyes, something flirtatious he could not shake, and he added a little gasp to make the act all the more dramatic.
“I would never!”
“You broke mine just last week.”
Korin’s voice was high, a chime of silver in breathy winds as she piped up and stopped Talos in his tracks. The look was shifted from the Red eyes girl back to his best friend and supposed partner in crime, Korin Masters. Korin simply looked up at him, her hands placed together primarily as Talos gaped at her for a moment. There was a sigh before he huffed, crossing his arms a little.
“You're supposed to be on my side.”
“So The wrong side?”
“Tratorious little bitch.”
There was a giggle as Korin just watched him, and It was actually sort of amazing to watch the irritation slide of his features the longer he looked at the little blond. Talos was nowhere near what anyone would call the calm sort, a hyper bundle of nerves and instinct that had him in the office at school just as often as he was in detention. He was quick tempered and energetic, a bad combination when you counted in his mental and physical stamina. He was more than willing to throw the first punch so long as he also had the last, something he was sure to make sure of. There were few people that actually wanted to cross him, and while his reputation was more than earned, there seemed to be a more dormant soft side to him that only his forever best friend, korin. As it stook, Only Korin was able to get away with teasing or pushing Talos around, and it was because she had this boy so completely wrapped around her finger.
Much like the rest of the school.
Renu really wasn’t sure how Korin had found her way here, considering she was just about one of the most popular girls in school. Korin was…. Infamous, really, the school slut who didn’t seem to care what anyone had to say about the matter. She was wholly relaxed, dismissive of the hate that seemed to circle around her endlessly. The rumors never seemed to really affect her popularity however, as she was still one of the most sought after girls in the school. Especially compared to her and Koy, who people barely paid attention to them and hardly realized they were there. Renu wasn’t exactly well liked. She was more abrasive than anything else, and she seemed to always have something to prove. She wasn’t exactly the kind the wished for party invites and boyfriends, but it wasn’t hard to see the very distinct line between their world and hers. Korin didn’t live on the fringes like she did, Korin was the star of the show, the life of the party.
How did she end up here?
Oh yeah…. Koy couldn’t stop herself from over talking.
Even now, she felt it as the brunette by her side moved, her body shifting as she drew in a happy breath. Renu let her hand go and allowed her to move, flutter over to them to speak in quick and happy tones. Koy was a sweet girl, with pretty brunette hair that tumbled down her back in waves, her eyes a dark ocean blue that shimmered with more life than a thousand galaxies. Koy was pretty enough to be popular, but Renu was no fool that Renu herself was a massive deterrent to talking to the girl, and Koy didn’t do so well when it came down to deeper connections with people, the girl social but unable to make the friends she should have had, but Koy never seemed to notice, instead turning those thick lashed eyes toward her, her lips pulling into that innocent smile Renu would die to protect.
Renu moved her hands, feeling along the fabric of her clothing as she reached behind her. She felt the cool sting of metal, a comfort that she kept hidden from the rest.
“So what should we do now? We have twenty four hours to kill.”
She hummed lightly under her breath as she stood up from the couch, her hands restless and awkward, shifting positions until she settled them across her chest. There was a wicked gleam in Talos’s eye as he turned dark brown toward the smaller girl, and Renu felt her lips pull at the sight, her hands squeezing on her biceps.
That look never boded well.
-------------------
The tiny vibration of his cell phone radiated through his entire body, his entire being flinching as it purred loudly against the cold metal of the car. The small jingle captured his attention entirely as he shifted to place the newly lit cigarette between his lips. Tanned fingers pulled the sleek black electronic from his back pocket to hold up the brightly lit screen. His eyes flashed over the words that were planted across his screen in big bod italics.
Text from Rigger:
When do you want us to cut everything?
This was utterly terrifying to him, his heart dropping in his chest. But he tried to stay calm. She deserved it, she deserved him on top of his game. She deserved the very best parts of him and being a coward in the moments that mattered seemed a little bit unproductive. He was here. He was here for Renu. He was not leaving without her in his hands tonight.
She deserved to know about the fire she had lit under his skin, she needed to know the depth of gratitude he felt towards her. His body alive for the first time in his life and it was all thanks to her touch. And her touch alone.
Rhoe shifted, his elbow coming to make contact with Grey’s upper arm only to grab the dragon's attention. There was a moment where he could see the brief irritation cross over his features, a huff passing past his lips as the smoke poured into the brisk autumn air around them. It did nothing to deter Rhoe, all to used to the attitude that his asshole of a best friend seemed to always carry as a second skin. He just shifted, pulling the phone up so that Grey could lean in take the words in for himself. Rhoe watched as those eyes moved over the screen, the expression crossing his face only causing Rhoe's own lips to pull. This was not like Grey, not his Grey at least. You could read the stress that was etched into his expression as he pulled away. See the subtle hesitation that was built up his chest as he pressed his thumb and forefinger to his eyes trying to rub away some sort of anxiety.
Grey was not himself right now. He wasn’t what he thought he would have been on a night that he had decided to take his girl. Like the rest of them, by force if pushed. He was supposed to be the one that was riled up, rowdy in his game that he knew was about to unfurl right in front of them. Instead it seemed that every single one of the men around him seemed on edge, like the excitement had died down when the seriousness of the situation had actually planted itself on their shoulders.
“Just tell them not yet. It’s too soon... ”
As the words spilled into the quiet air, Rhoes fingers were already working over the keyboard on his phone, writing the words to a t before sending it. Honestly, it was surprising that out of all the men that were here, besides Ozera and Bridger that was that Grey was the most sound of mind between them. It was surprising only in the sense that he knew the man, had known him early into their childhood. They had sworn each other brothers if not by blood, and this was the most,... calm he had ever seen the man on a stressful situation. Considering we are talking about a man who would literally knock a person's teeth in for mispronouncing his name. Rhoe would know, he’d seen it with his own two eyes.
But there were people here that he would have assumed would have been a lot calmer than Grey, including himself. Rigger was definitely a top competitor in this, but considering he was the one actually in the house waiting for opportunity to tear the fuse box to shreds, Rhoe would not say he was the man that could really take too much more either.
“Are we giving them some sort of choice in the matter? Why wait?”
Bridger’s voice rang through the open air and cold eyes shifted to the smaller boy. He was moving restlessly, prancing basically from foot to foot as he rubbed warm hands over his jean jacket. Brown eyes never leaving what looked like a solidly protected home. But they all knew the truth. The barrier would do nothing against all of them .
“We have to at least give them the opportunity to hand themselves over.”
“That's fucking retarded. And you fucking know it. They would have already if they were ever intending to begin with.”
Bridger never moved, his eyes never coming away from the home. Anger a clear expression over his features, his eyebrows were pulled in concentration as he avoided each and every single gaze that was now turning into his direction.
“We are giving them the option first. There are other people besides you Bridger.”
Rhoe repeated, letting the words slide out just that bit more stern. He was not going to ruin what little chance he might of had of getting Renu as easily as possible because someone was butt hurt. She deserved the attention he was spilling into the plan. She deserved every little ounce of respect that he was trying to reserve strictly for the red eyed girl who had stolen his heart so wholly. And it was not going to waste, his attempt to win her love fairly was not going to waste over something so trivial as scorn lovers.
“Well,... Let’s get started then. We got twenty four hours to make them swoon.”
Xion pushed out of the car seat he had been sitting in, slamming the door behind him. Once again a clear sort of hesitation over even his expression, but he was moving. Right past Rhoe and Grey, and heading up the small little concrete blocks that made a cute little path to the front door. His movements were slow, his body moved with the grace of a predator, his fingers moving to press deeper into his pockets. And Rhoe was right behind him, his arms coming up for a moment before slapping back against his thighs.
“Game time boys.”
By the time he reached the small path, he could hear the metal screeching behind him. The scene he turned to would have impressed almost anybody here, if they had not all known Xion as capable. Rhoe could see his fingers straining against the heavy metal, but it was bending. Warping the dent out towards them slower and slower. There was no noise from the inside of the house that he could quiet make out yet. Instead it seemed almost stark quiet. Something that was suspicious on itself. But Xion continued until the heavy metal was away from the front door. Thrown haphazardly across the front lawn.
There was a second where Rhoe could only smile as Xion turned back to the boy, his own eyebrows lifted in expectation, his hands moving in a welcoming gesture to the lighter boy.
“After you big shot.”
Rhoe bowed slightly, his hand coming across his stomach before straightening to come to the front door, once again the unease set in his system. But he tried for all the world to seem unphased, to seem calmer than he really was. His hand came up, knuckles first to knock rapidly on the wooden door that sat between them and their girls now.
-----------------------------
There’s a moment, there and gone in an instant that he wondered what she would feel like. He freezes as his hands flutter along his arms to straighten the suit jacket that decorated his body. He gets lost for a moment, his mind racing off before the thought to stop it even crossed his thoughts. She flashed in his mind, his heart beat snapping in his chest as he thinks about how her heart might hammer slightly in time with his own, how, as he lifted the screen of his phone up slightly to see the video on her channel walk easily over broken glass and rotten papers, all trash, things he rather her pay attention to and he hoped was all she would find in her little quest here.
There were secrets, in those walls. Secrets he had to protect her from.
His gaze swept over the ruined walls of the hospital around him, his gaze snapping to the art that had long since fallen to the ground and the glass that had sattered against the tile. Everything was in ruin, everything was spilled over the floor even in the part of the building he was in. His mind never really registered it all, his ears strained to listen for the voice he so long to finally hear in person. He’s Locked in a fantasy he can not, will not escape. Her pale skin in calling him, her pretty red eyes and long flowing white hair that would collect dirt and grime and moss as she made her way through this maze of a building. His mind raced with a thousand different images, a hundred different ways his meeting with her could go. It wasn’t like him to imagine anything, Saho more of a doer than anything else, but Saho had been found lost in thought as the pretty albino girl passed his mind
The truth of it was. Saho was nervous.
The words were almost bitter to swallow. Saho didn’t do nerves. He wasn’t the kind of guy who really cared what others thought of him, so really, he did what he wanted, when he wanted and dealt with the ramifications and consequences along the way. But this wasn’t just some hot girl across the room or some pretty but replaceable girl from the suburbs looking to rebel against daddy.
This was Vendetta Fucking Daniels. This was more than a casual hook up, more than just a girl or booze, or drugs that made his heart sore and his mind fade from existence with only a flash of what was real, a sliver of solid ground. This would be his first time meeting her, the first time she would even be aware of his existence, and he didn’t want to make too horrible an impression. Thus why he had taken the time to go back to his apartment and change into a suit.
A suit was important for first impression. You always had to look your best when you had an important event.
And Crossing Vendetta off his Fuck list we definitely something he wanted to celebrant and commemorate with his best step forward
But what if he fucked it up?
The thought was enough to stop him in his tracks.His hands froze on his jacket, his body stilling before he ran an uneasy hand through his hair, a motion that brought him comfort when used to sneak into his parents room as a child and force them to lull him back to sleep.
Fucking this up was not an option. It never would be. He didn’t have the option of fucking this up, because one wrong slip up and everything he had ever dreamed about having or doing to Vendetta could go straight of the window. He couldn't accept that, not when he had been pining for her so long, not when he had been all but praying every night to finally just get a taste of her.
He was through Praying for what he could just take.
Saho moved along the floor, the slightly wet dewy substance splattering on his actually polished boot, griming them up again but really, Saho found it very hard to care in the moment as he heard her footsteps, soft, hesitate, a true explorer as she made her way over the unsafe flooring, the cracked tiles and the shifts in the concrete as it almost gave way to the hallways that layered beneath them. Saho moved, his head tilting as his hand moved to rest against the cracked pillars, the walls falling apart. He could feel it , the magic under his skin pulse as the shadows abut his feet shifted, struggled and pulled as the fell over his skin, making tanned skin almost ink black and his body almost as light as air. He shifted, nothing tangible but inexplicably it never stopped him from being able to see, to follow her where the moons rays would not touch his skin. Her footfalls echoed louder as he moved, and finally, saho watched as the creaking door opened.
And in walked perfection.
It was her. There was a sound in his head like the whir of a blade as he felt something in his life change the moment she passed through those doors. There was a gasp from him, his body tensing and hair bristling as he watched her, the uneven thump of his head making his chest hurt and feel like there was a sun right where his heart should have been. Saho’s heart stopped in his chest and he nearly lost control on the magic in his veins, his eyes widening as he watched as Vendetta walked into the room. It was one thing to have her on a screen, talking to him and twenty thousand other people at any given time, but now she was here, she was real, nota video, not a code or a program, but really, truly, flesh and blood. And she was even more amazing then he had even originally thought. There was no doubt about that. Vendetta was distinct, one of a kind, and it was more than long white hair, and burning eyes. Vendetta had a movement about her, a way she liked to shift and move that Saho had long since memorized. She walked like she knew what she was doing even when she didn’t, all confidence and pretty features that worked as a double threat to take him out. He had been expecting to be knocked off his feet when he saw her, had been expecting to find her more beautiful then he had thought.
He hadn’t been prepared to be assaulted by her very presence.
There was no denying how gorgeous Vendetta was. Her had long had a fascination with her odd correlations and had fantasized what it would be like to brush fingers through all the length of her hair what it would feel like to have this erede yes on him. He had fantasized about it, claimed the fantasies as his own and refused to let any of his friends harber any remote feeling of lust for the woman he had claimed. He had expected a certain amount of beauty, but the sight of her left him breathless, locked chains on his wrists,his ankles, his throat as he struggled to find the breath she had stolen from him. She was a tiny little thing, manly instinct to protect her rising in his blood like liquid flames. She was made of soft curves and beautiful to the core, body that had to be crafted by the devil himself, because nothing so good could have come from a prude like God. God did not touch on perfection in the mortal realm, but here, In the human's domain the devil ruled, and he had blessed Saho with the most beautiful destruction he had ever seen.
And then her scent hit him.
Everyone who knew the Dhouti’s knew about their particular thing for the scent of others. They had many quirks about them, his family, but a sit was, the whole of them seemed to agree that with all their enhanced senses, smell was the one they relied on the most. Most people smelled of rotten sweet and lingering sower human musk, but her? There wasn’t words for the scent she had and the effect it had on him. Her scent was bright, clean almost, something that reminded him of gentle laps of waves along the side of his Grandma’s boat. It was bright, like a windy Harbor day, and he found himself breathing in, inhaling as he parted his lips so he might gain a taste of her.
It wasn’t enough, never enough. It would never be enough of her because he knew, he knew that in this moment his whole life had changed.
And no one notice him or the astronomical event. Vendetta Daniels was here, live, in the flesh, and he had never been more ecstatic.
“This place is the literal definition of both terrifying and exciting all at the same time.”
Her voice bounced off the collapsed ceiling rock sand the walls still left behind., It vibrated in his skull, refusing to leave as he felt her words trace a line down his body, a bolt of heat surging through his body to nestle in his gut as a slow burn ache. Saho couldn’t help but close his eyes, his hand moving to that he could place his fingers over his heart, eyes closing as he listened to the rock steady thump that fluttered under a nervous quick bet. Blood roared in his ears as he moved, closer, closer, closer behind her, until he was directly behind her and could only smell her, see her, hear her, her heartbeat falling, racing beating in a mismatched step to his.
His hand was moving before he could top it, fingers tracing along her hair as he ran his fingers through a few strands, allowing the sink of her hair fall through his fingers.
“What was that?”
Vendetta snapped around, feeling the back of her head as she turned around to face nothing. Here yes went from wide to simply confused, before she appeared to come up with some excuse in her mind as to what it was.
Saho’s heart skipped as she nearly touched him, her face just inches from him as the shadows worked to keep him hidden from all in the human realms. If he wanted to, he could just reach out and take her, could just expose himself and pull her into his arms like he wanted to. She was just so close, and from this distance he could see the light pattern of freckles over her cheeks that made his gut flash with fire and his cock to twitch painfully.
Why did she have to be so goddamn cute?
“Thought I felts something… Probably a vine.”
At her words, Saho moved, stepping around her slightly so he could take her fully in. He let his eyes roam, his hand coming up as his eyes started to shift, his form going just that slight bit darker. He had twenty four hours to win her over.
Why not have a little fun first?
The girls were splitting up, which actually served Saho fairly well. He rose his eyebrows, not that any of them could see him as he gave his look of curiosity as they spoke of splitting up, which only left more opportunities to allow Saho to be alone with her. Which was exactly what he wanted.
Vendetta chose the notorious M block, the one wing known to have the worst of the of the urban legends that circled around this place, lores and legends she had no way of knowing without having a monster insider, something he was fairly sure she didn’t have or she would have never come her in the first place.
She started down the hall, her voice soothing as saho followed, slowly, softly behind her. He watched her for a moment as he fell into her groove, her element completely around her, allowing her to shine like he had never seen. It was one thing to see her on camera, on the other end, but in person, Vendetta seemed to just bloom under the spotlight.
How appropriate that she had stolen the spotlight of his attention. He would shower her with anythings he would desire, attention, adventure….
He’d hand her the word if she asked him to.
‘Just a little scared… Oh I bet she’ll be so adorable terrified…’
Saho’s heart skipped at the thought, his smile spreading over his lips as his hand lifted to cover the lower half of his face. The thought of it was enough to bring a flush to his cheeks, and the Older man bit his lip as he tried to call the racing, fluttering heart at the very image in his head. He felt it, the yearning that burned in his gut, his chest, his bones.
His hand lifted, a heavy moment before he flicked his wrist, watching as a door slammed violently right as Vendetta was trying to pass. There was a second before he shifted, sliding away from her reluctantly so that she might feel him as he felt his skin shift under his clothes, the real monster in him begging to come out and play with the pretty little prey.
“Does it matter? You’re going to kill us any ways. Hey? What’s it gonna take for a girl to get a glass of water over here? I’m thirsty and I don’t think with my impending death you should be treating a person so brutally. It’s all I’m saying, I’m done you can go on… What was the question?”
Dulche watched with a smirk on her lips as the ‘judge’ behind the grand wall sighed, his hands moving to soothe back white hair that could have easily been hidden by a good dye job. Those fingers sliding down wrinkles that she did not even think a vampire should have. Brown eyes paused on the motions when those eyes locked onto her again, his mouth opening so that those wrinkles that caught her attention sagged, and she could not help but scrunch her nose at the sight, blonde locks falling around her as she leaned forward.
“Can’t you guys get rid of those or something? The wrinkles I mean? Like with blood sucking, or vacuuming? I don’t know what you guys call it but you know what I mean… It just seems like a hassle to be an immortal hag… “
“You are accused of killing three ranking officers of the court, how do you plea?”
His voice shook as he spoke, the rage that was caught up in his throat slipping through the words like venom.
“Just because you speak louder does not make it mean more. Can we just get to the subject that you so rudely ignored? Like really? Hear a girl out, dying wish and such, how is it you keep your skin so ancient? You know so if I do survive this I do the exact opposite of that.”
“Just take her to the court. They’ll deal with her how they like.”
There was no victory won, she was not ignorant to that, but she had worked the man up into a big enough steam that she could not hold the smile back as he stood, hunched over the table, those thin fingers working over the paper to move on with his torment of innocent human beings.
“Look Sloane!!! We get to die together, cute right?”
She turned her gaze to her biffel, the beautiful brunette looking up at her from the gag with an expression was too used to by now. She winked in a mock delight as Sloane gave her the thumbs up. The guards moved in on her quickly after that, pulling up on the gag but not before she got a few words out first.
“Nobody has like had this in their mouths or anything, right? It’s been wash-“
And there it went that gag pulling into her mouth with no repercussions. The guards yanking her to her feet from the position they had put her in on her knees. They were rough handlers there was no doubt about that as they pulled her down on the seat next to Sloane, Shawna and Miranda looked at her with wide eyes, fear clinging to them like a second skin. Where Kato and Diedre only seemed vaguely annoyed.
It was not much time after wards they were standing again, all six of the girls forced to the middle of the room while the vampires exited. Only a guard standing at each door the indication that anything was even up. There were no whispers, no echoing winds in the room, just opens seats circling around them. Something that was only a little ominous compared next to the roaring thunder outside of the building.
It would be a lie if she said she wasn’t scared, that her heart was not racing a million miles an hour, that her body was not shaking over the unforeseen future.
She was fucking terrified to be honest, but she was not going to let a single viewer see that. Not even the ever beautiful Sloane that was leaning into her.
----------------------------
Tick…. Tock… tick….. tock….
It was almost hypnotizing to watch the dark gold metal flicker, back and forth, back and forth, and to realize that each tick of the grandfather clock that sat across from him was another second passing, each second moving, sliding, slipping through his fingers like running water. His eyes followed the tarnished gold, bright eyes never leaving the sway that had him so captivated, though the vision of it was upside down, as his back pressed flat against the edge of a lounging couch, the one open edge allowing his head to dangle over the side, ink black hair spilling, reaching for the wooden floors beneath him. His foot tapped to a unheard rhythm, his fingers moving, tapping along with each second to play over his exposed stomach, shirt hitched up as his body stretched to watched the metronome.
Time passed slowly, too slowly, and it was almost funny to him that no matter how long he watched this clock, time, for him, would have no effect. He was a bolder in the river, unmovable, unchallenged, time splitting around him to continue its path, leaving him here, right here, where he had always been, had been since the moment his father had changed him.
He would be here, long after this clock stopped and long after humankind stopped recording every moment, second that passed them by, brought them closer to the death they so rightfully deserved.
There was a noise, the sound of a door opening that caught his attention, but his eyes remained glued to the metal, his fingers never stopping, the only hint he even heard someone enter the light quirk of his lips as he began to speak, to address whoever dared to interrupt him as such a time.
“You better have a good reason for coming to me. I’m very busy.”
His tone was soft, playful and smooth as he continued his little motion, and he heard them shuffle on their feel, the slight creak of one as they looked around, possibly trying to decipher what it was he was busy with, not that they would ever really understand.
“My lord…”
Not a Squad member.
The smile on his lips never faded, but there was a hardening to his eyes, one that caused the man addressing him to stumble over his words and cough as the slight change.
“My lord,” He started again, “Your presence is requested in the Court room.”
“And do tell me, why is my presence required?”
Balthiair was many things, A killer, a trickster, a little bit of a man man…. but a fool was not one of them. He was not stupid, especially not when it came to his standing in the world. When it came to matters of the court, there was a ladder of people that judgement was passed to. It started with the True Kings, The Lee’s, Dhouti’s Arenello’s, Power’s and Khaset’s… the ones that had been dictated eligible to rule after the True son decided that he didn’t want the position as the king… just A king. If, by the grace of the original vampires, none of them were available, it moved down the ladder, to the most logical, the well calculated, the ones who have proven themselves, over and over again to be able to make a stable minded judgement when it came to all matters, ones who did not allow something as trivial as emotions to get in the way.
Balthiair was not one of those people.
It was no secret the boy was… strange, and that he held very little regard for human life. It drove Carson mad when they ate together, how careless He was, but Really, the green eyed boy could not find it in him to care. Humans, by nature, were disgusting, deplorable things, no better then the animals they so persecuted for simply not having the ability to communicate with them. They were filthy, they scurried like roaches when the lights came on the moment they saw a vampire, they were nothing, a plague to the earth, the very destruction to a beautiful planet. They were nothing to him, every human he had come across just as vapid as the last, just as dull, just boring. They held nothing bust selfish desire and fucked one another over easily, no loyalty among them, and what sliver they had…. That could easily be broken.
He hated them.
The smile never faded as the man cleared his throat.
“It… well…. No one else is available.”
Balthiair knew that. He knew the reason, had logically put it together with just the few words the man had spoken to him, But he had wanted to hear it…. He wanted a reason, and the moment the man spoke, as soon as the words left his mouth, Balthiair was moving, a blur against the background as he flipped over, feet landing easily on the floor with a silent thump, and he was before the man, a easy going expression disassociated with the flashing darkness of his eyes.
“So you mean to tell me that You’ve come to me as a last resort? You think of me last?”
The man Gulped. Balthiair grinned.
“You disrespected a king. You think I’ll go just because you ask?”
His hands were around his throat before he could even scream, and it was the sound of gurgling blood and ripping flesh that greeted him as he flung the man’s head to the wall, the blood splattering against his face, the grin never leaving as he moved to swipe at it with the edges of his black jacket.
“Seems like fun though… why not?” he laughed, and the room fell silent, save for that small passing of time.
Tick…. Tock… tick….. tock….
----
Now, what do we have here.
The thought moved through his mind as he pushed open the door to the Court room, his gaze sliding along the stone floors as the thunder roared overhead, a clash loud enough to rattle the windows that lined the walls of this particular room resounding as the door slammed shut behind him, almost with an ominous toll. He made no motion that he even saw the rest of them, the bodies lining the higher tiers of the staggered seating, his eyes locked, solely on the figure of a girl who was kneeling in the center of the Courtroom,. He watched her, a slow interesting building, Her eyes flickering, watching him, the guards, and the others that walked in. He heard Titus as he moved through the doors, heard the voices of Logan and Parker as they spoke in low whispers to each other, but Balthiair payed them no mind. His attention was focused, sure, and there was really only one thing that interested him.
He moved like a predator, all sleek movement and smiles as he walked to the edges if the seating, his foot coming up to push himself up to the railing, standing there for a moment as he bounced on the balls of his feet, before he flipped over the railing that lead down the to the court floor. He landed witha thump, the room silenced as they watched one of the most unstable of The United States Kings stand slowly, moving with reptilian grace toward the humans in the center of the circle. His expression, easy, playful, calm, never changed, that same smile on his face as he dropped, slid on his knees, closer to this blond human Until he was in front of her, this literal definition of perfection that was wrapped up in a disgusting human flesh.
She was perfect, the most gorgeous girl, Human or vampire for that matter, he had ever seen. Long blond hair framed a perfect heart shaped face, bright green eyes, framed by thick dark lashes, watching him as he moved, his hands coming up, tracing over her lips and the bit of her gag. Her skin was flawless, pale against his, not a blemish or scar or mark in sight and only the skid of dirt and ruin that she had been dragged through by his kind. She was small, such a small little thing, her body curved perfectly like she had been hand crafted to turn every head she came across. Her eyes flashed at him, bringing him back as his fingers trailed over her features in a mesmerized sort of movement, a small breathy hitch the only indication that something was different before he moved, taking the bit off, Balthiair blinking at her slowly, taking in her every move. She licked her lips, trying to get her lips to feel something again as she shifted her gaze, and a flash of anger surged in him at it.
Balthiair brushed his knuckles over her cheek, bringing her attention straight back to him, where it belonged.
“What’s your name?”
There was a moment of shocked silence after he spoke, and he was very aware of the whole Courtroom watching him, wondering what it was he was doing, why he was even talking to her, considering her filthy human status. The girl looked equally surprised, her gaze flickering with thoughts she would not say, taking in his smile, the one locked on his lips, the one that was now taking a sort of dreamy effect as he looked upon her longer. She was so pretty, a perfect ideal in a physical form.The girl never looked away, her lips parting as she sucked in a breath.
“Cynthia.”
Balthiair’s grin grew wider. His motions never stopping.
His hand snapped solidly against her cheek, making her whole head snap to the side. Even his hand stung a little, and eh could see the rest of his hand print already beginning to appear on the previously unmarked skin. The gasp that slipped past of her didn’t go unnoticed, but Balthiair made no indication, no mention of hearing it at all. Instead his fingers moved, sliding along her cheek to grip her chin with his fingers and then yanking her jaw to face him again. He could see a little redness on her lip, here the force had pressed her inner cheek into her teeth. It must have cut her a little.
“Ow, For one, that Hurt you know, I –“
“What is your name?
She paused, clearly not used to being cut off, as her expression changed to on of indignation, before answering again.
“It’s Beth.”
Balthiair’s smile never wavered, though he could feel it as his brows furrowed slightly at this. This time the slap was harder, and He watched as she dropped, her body slamming against the ground as she coughed slightly, her cheek bright red and her lip gaining a small cut that had not been there before. Balthiair moved, hovering over her slightly as he looked down on her, His expression never changing, his tone still soft, still friendly, casual. He seemed more like a friend, asking if she was okay then an attacker, his expression friendly, open, his tone soft and welcoming. His head tilted as he looked down on her.
“What is your name?”
“Fuck… Shit… that hurt.” Her words came out a little slurred, like she had drank a little and it was finally starting to hit her. Her eyes looked dazed as she opened them again.
“What is your name?”
“It’s Joan, Okay?”
The resounding smack reverberated through the near silent room. He could hear the girl behind them move, struggling against her bonds, but his attention never shifted. Her cheek was bright red now, and the cut elongated, a dribble of blood starting down her chin as she gasped in pain at the remaining sting. His own hand burned, but he made no motion to change his expression.
“What’s your name?”
“You just wanna go at it huh? Why don’t you take a girl out first before you smack her around, that's the gentlemanly thing to do ya know.”
Another slap. This time he could see her lips split again, even more painfully than the last, the whole bottom of her lip ripped through, painfully as his hand crossed her cheek again, his body moving now, crawling over her to straddle her body. He placed himself, either knee on the side of her hips as he looked down at her, face schooled in an expression that was far too friendly for his actions. The smile never dipped, only widened as his eyes did, his heart hammering against his chest, his breathing coming in slow shallow pants. His features were that of a friend, lips pulled, quirked, never failing.
“What is your name?”
“Are you broken? Or Deaf? Or maybe just stupid? It’s Delena, I told you.”
This time his fingers clenched, and the feeling of her flesh under his fist was a reverberating heave that sent shiver down his spine. The girl under him coughed as his hand drew back, a splattering of blood bubbling up as her lip split again, her body shaking as she sucked in a pain filled sob. He looked down at his hand, looking, for all the world, only mildly amused. There was blood on his fingers now, and god she smelt so heavenly. He wanted more, just as much as he wanted to know her name.
“What is your name?”
“… Andy…”
Another punch, the sound of her teeth clashing together as his fist connected synonymous with the sound of her control breaking. He wondered if she knew, knew he could heard her lies, could hear her heart accelerate with each little lie she told, could see the little ticks in her face that sang of her falsities. It was so easy to tell when a human was lying. It was a little more difficult with vampires, he would admit, but alway, always, always,he could tell. He had long since studied body language, had studied what it meant to lie and the signs of it. He had heard lies, lies telling him he was attractive, he wasn’t a monster, he wasn’t scary, so much so he could pinpoint them with a sniper's ease. He assumed that she didn’t or she wouldn’t have continued this way, or maybe her human nature made her stupid, like the rest of them, and she foolishly thought she could deceive him.
“What is your name?”
“Dulche… It’s Dulche.”
Finally… the truth.
“Dulche….” He spoke softly, tasting her name on his tongue. He liked it… he liked it a lot.
“That’s pretty.”
“What? You could tell?” Her words were slightly muffled, gurgled as blood welled in her mouth and she had to spit again, her head turning to allow the red to paint the ground, a little getting on his jeans. He didn’t mind. He only tilted his head, that grin never leaving as he skimmed her cheek again, enjoying the way she leaned away from him.
“Yes. I can tell when you’re lying.” He told her, expecting her to look horrified and for her to lean away again, to curse him, scream at him. She did none of those.
“Oh… Cute~” She spoke, her voice gurgled and slurred…. But truthful. She was telling the truth.
“What?”
That caught him off guard. Balthiair blinked, his eyes widening and the smile finally sliding off his face as he looked down at this bloody, broken mess of a girl. She didn’t seem apologetic for what she said, her heart beat the same speed as it had been before, no acceleration, no stall…. Her face remained the same, broken, but there wasn’t a single tick to it, not a single indication of lies he had come to associate with that word and him. She simply stared back at him as she allowed her words to slowly sink into the vampire king’s head, and as they did, Balthiair could feel the slow rising of warmth flooding over his skin as the blush built up, finally taking over his face and making him completely red.
Balthiair was anything but stupid. He wasn’t attractive, wasn’t smooth or pretty like the others, People didn’t call him cute, they called him hideous, intimidating, scary…. His heart hammered again, and he could feel his mouth gaping as his entire face ran bright, bright red.
“What?”
“Hard of hearing suddenly? Please tell me you aren’t actually deaf, I don’t think my face can take any more.”
“What?” He couldn’t think, couldn’t place together her words to him.
“Oh I’m screwed.”
“No, I just….”
Balthiair, suddenly, was at a loss of words. Luckily, he was saved from having to respond by Logan’s soothing voice, his tone hesitant but also impatient.
“Balthiair… Care to tell me what that was about?”
The dark haired boy looked up, his face still red and his eyes a little wide and watery from the raging emotions this situation had created in him. His eyes stung as tears welled up, green blurring as he but his lip. No one ever called him cute, very few people ever really said nice things about him. It was always monster, scary, demon… He had forgotten what affection, even the slightest bit of it, could feel like. He swallowed around them, pushing them down as he nodded, blinking rapidly to keep the tears from spilling.
It was like all the air was being pulled from her, the second those fingers traced over her cheek, electricity simmering over her skin at the feeling. She did not want to admit it, did not want to say it had actually happened but she could feel as she pressed her cheek closer to the warmth of those fingertips. A shiver running up the length of her spine in the same moment the little whine of desperation escaped her lips, those fingers moving to pull the gag from her lips. She wanted to say it had been so long since she had felt any affectionate contact, that was why she let her captor touch her so softly. That she missed the connection between another person and herself that did not bring the pain filled side effects.
But those were all excuses to a truth that she did not want to admit to herself. A truth that, if she was staying with this honesty thing, was as far from the reality she wished to live.
Her chest rose and fell, a heave to the motion that she could not stop as the shutters ran up the length of her spine. Those fingers moving again to loosen the blindfold, her eyes locked onto multicolored eyes that she never wanted to see again. A face of an angel, perfection personified, with the heart of a devil underneath stared back at her. Those eyes deceiving as always, something soft swam behind them. Something warm and inviting, something she wanted to fall into, and could feel herself lean into that hand. Those fingers that moved under her chin only to make her peer up directly at him.
A low whine pitched somewhere in her chest, as those eyes took her in. A plague of emotions behind those lids, confusion, worry, and something else. Her heart was hammering as he pulled her up, her blood screaming at her when those fingers once again caught her chin, his thumb finger running right underneath the split in her lip. Those eyes lingering before drawing back up to her own eyes. There was actual concern behind them. A feat that she did not need to fall into but easily did.
Everything hurt, everything was sore and singing in pain. But she wouldn’t tell him, would not allow her dignity to drop so low as to admit to the leech what he more than likely wanted to hear.
She had not noticed her own eyes until this moment, of which she hadn’t realized were brimming with tears. The burn that settled behind her eyes seemed obnoxious now. She was terrified, her body shaking in his fingers even though he touched her so softly, his words nothing less than heaven on her ears. But still, her heart was in her throat, her teeth clattered as she swallowed, trying to push some of the pride she had, the little bit of dignity she still owned back up to the fore front of her being.
“Lucky?... That’s what you call this? Being bound and gagged daily? Being beaten, watching the person I want to protect be beaten? Sitting and waiting and wondering when or how our deaths are going to take place?”
But god, he smelt, good. His hands felt heaven sent against her flesh and his eyes had her almost melting on sight. There was something lying underneath it all, something screaming at her to fight him, something screaming at her to revolt, retaliate in any way just to get away from the man. He had done terrible things, left her to die and only decided in the last seconds of her life to spare her. No this was a man that would take her life without a second glance, a man that would tear into with a smile gracing those perfect lips.
Then there was the part of her that was yielding, yielding to nothing but the desire of his touch. Yielding to the comfort that was brought along by his being.
“In all respect, fuck you, your majesty.”
-----
The first thing she heard was footsteps. It was her first clue, besides the voice that had shot out, had answered the men who had brought her here with a hardened voice that resonated with the shiver of a leader. Instinctively, Ashlin’s head snapped up, eyes that could not see turning toward the sound of approaching footfalls, each thump matching another of her heard, every rhythmic sound sending her nerves into a frenzy. The sound of them stopped before her, Ashlin not9ing that though whoever it was did not touch her, kept a careful distance of a few inches between them, she could feel them, sense them like she could sense the coming of a storm, all cool wind and soft breezes along her body. Their body was warm, close enough that she could heard his breath, the slow intake of air as he looked down at her, her lips pulling into a thin line as she lifted her head slightly, a slight effort to look more dignified than she felt. Her throat burned, her body ached and her head pounded with this unknown poison racing through her veins, but she refused to let it show, refused to allow it to show on her Face
That is, until he touched her.
The next thing she could feel was fire, bright hot need, burning and vivid along her skin as she felt his fingertips run, lightly, along her skin. It was a soft touch, hardly anything notable but it stung like she had been slapped, the brush of his skin lighting up her skin like fireworks. She stiffened, feeling as he ran his fingers through her her hair, to find the tie that held the cloth over her eyes. She marveled, silently, at how he made quick work of the knot on the back of her head, the cloth falling away to reveal closed lids, ones that she moved, opened slowly as she swallowed thickly enough for everyone in the room to hear. Her gaze remained steady on the floor, violet eyes locked on the chaos of the man before her, taking in every stitch, every slight shuffle as he stood before her, and she knew it was only a matter of time before he forced what he wanted out of her, before she would have to look up at him.
Her gaze traveled, moving up his legs, his hips. His waist, taking not that though clothing blocked her view of his naked for, it did little to hid the strength that slide under his skin. She could see it in his broad shoulders, wide chest, his arms and legs thick with muscles that could easily annihilate her with a single twitch. He seemed easy in his kin, something that warned her that he was used to having power, and he must have been used to using it, considering he held no hesitation to his movement, simply went in for what he wanted, paying no mind to consequences he might have or may he simply didn’t see her as a threat
Ashlin believed it to the later more than anything.
Ashlin was not…. Strong, not in the common sense of the word. She was small, weighing only about 100 pounds soaking wet and standing at 5’3, that was incredibly small. Her body sported little to no muscles, and he didn’t strike a very intimidating picture when you first met her. She had always been… willowy, waifish in terms of body, but it had never held a problem before, for her aim was more than enough to make up for any physical limitation she may have had. People say her as an easy target…. But you could not kill what you could not touch, and Ashlin’s aim always rang true.
But her aim did her no good here, and the man before her didn’t seem worried that she might retaliate in the slightest.
Her heart pounded, exasperating the headache that sang through her veins and made her whole-body ache, made her whole figure shake with some unspoken need, something in her calling, harsher now that he was close, louder now that his hands were on her and that she could feel his breath brushing over the tops of her hair. Her knees felt weak, wobbly, as she trailed her eyes higher, past his chest, his shoulders, his neck. Before she found herself staring at his face, dark blue locked with vivid violet as her eyes widened, and that need she had just barely been managing to keep contained exploded past her hold.
“A-a….”
There was no uncertain amount of distress in her voice. No uncertain amount of terror on her face as she realized the words would not come, her lips refusing to form the words that should have fell easily from her tongue. His thumb brushed over her lip. Drawing a sharp breath from the girl who usually had such good control over what she did, had a commander hold on her own emotions. She stared at him, his features, his face, all new but somehow she knew them, knew them almost as well as her own, and she was absolutely drowning in them, hair as brown and thick as the oak of her home town, eyes bluer then the darkest pits of the ocean.
Ashlin turned her head, yanking her chin away from him as she breathed in, not realizing she had been holding her breath. She meant to get away from him, to take a step back. But her body betrayed her, instead of moving backwards like she wanted, the moment she began to move she tilted, like something had pushed her, straight into his hold, between his lifted arms as her fore head pressed against his chest, her body shaking hearing his hammering heart just under skin and bone. It matched hers, at the very least.
She wanted to talk, to say something articulate to make it seem like she wasn’t just throwing herself at him. But there was something in her, something strong, powerful that refused to unbind her mind, pulling tighter against her thoughts the more she struggled against it. This need… It was overwhelming, and there was only so much Ashlin could fight after five days of constant attack from this poison in her veins, the one that refused to go away. Everything hurt, her body, her mind, her soul, and just being near him… seemed to make that pain edge.
“It’s Ashlin…. What have you done to me?”
Her voice was dry, hoarse from disuse and pain. She felt both like she was drowning and like she was dying of thirst, her senses overwhelmed as her head pounded with his heart and her mind, not nearly as sharp as it was before, not nearly as calculated as it had been before.
“What’s wrong with me? What did you do?”
------
Later, he would account his unraveling to the little whine, that little hum of despair that fell past her pretty pink
lips as she leaned into his hand, leaned into his touch like it was her only lifeline in a sea of despair that she could not escape. The sound…. Did something to him, tapped into the similar feeling that had been boiling in his chest for… days now, the aching feeling of needed blurred the lines between each day so that he could not accurately give a number as to how many days had passed in the blur of need, but hearing, hearing her desire something in him with just as much desperation as he had for her.
It was enough to make his blood boil.
It took everything in him not to take her then, to not take her at that tiny little sound and to keep his hands still. The feeling of her skin was heaven, silk, satin, lace and everything he equated with sensual desire and longing, but here it was, wrapped up in this tiny human slip of a girl, in one of the few humans he knew he would never be able to have as he truly wanted. Most vampires, who found a human they so liked, would take them, keep them as their own personal living blood source and servant until the end of their days. It was a fairly common practice, one his own court, their blood, their families were not immune to. Aiden himself had taken one long ago, and while Carson had never looked down on him for it, he had never really understood why it was Aiden, of all people, had decided to take a little wisp of a human in as his own, or as they were formally called in Court, as his pet.
Now he could, and he figured he owed an apology of some sort to the red headed bodyguard, but if he was going to be honest, Aiden would never hear it.
The only difference was, unlike Aiden’s, who had a long term dependency on him and seemed to wilt whenever Aiden would leave, who thrived when he showed her any bits of attention, despite the need that ran as rampant through him as it did her, this one seemed to despise him, hate his very being with everything she had even as her body was calling for him. There was a look in her eye, he mused as mismatched brown caught hold of watery blue eye, sparkling lakes in a thunderstorm that was the emotions she held, that screamed of her disdain, that cursed his name without even knowing it. It didn’t matter that her body was craving him, that she was leaning into him with the impatience’s of a lover, Requiem’s mind was far from broken, and that brought Carson a bright, vivid burst of joy.
That joy was quickly diminished by the sudden anger that surged in his gut, burned his throat and eyes as her voice, pure, soft, perfection, filled the space between them.
She chose to selectively hear what it was he was saying, answering only a part of it as she snapped her answer back at him. There was something seriously wrong with him. He knew, because her words on any other occasion would not have brought such a reaction out of him, and as much as he wanted to think logically, his mind burned, hazed over in rage and he could hardly see through the red fog that had built up around him. His hand moved, steadily, purposefully, catching either side of her face to press viciously into her jaw, feeling as her jaw was forced open, her cheeks, skin and fingers between teeth as he lifted, pulled her up, up up, until she was fighting to stand on her tiptoes, his eyes flashing with a warning most others did not see.
Carson’s lips pulled back into a snarl, his eyes narrowing as he held himself back from simply tearing into her like he wanted to. He watched her struggle for a moment, a second before his words came sliding through snapping teeth and bitter tongues, his hand crushing her jaw just slightly as he pulled her to him. Her breath was on his skin, and her lips brushed over his for a moment as he spoke, and really, it was the only thing keeping him grounded, from flying off the handle
How strange that she made him so furious yet calmed him at the same time.
“You’re lucky, because I haven't found it in me to kill you yet. No doubt you’ll make some smart aleck reply on how that is your wish, how you want to die, but you know very, VERY little on what I can do. You’re scared, your fear is all over your face when you look at me, but compared to what I can do, what i am able to do… What I exposed you to was nothing. Death by a vampire is gruesome, but Death from a king is a whole other game. We don’t play nice, we don’t have mercy, and if you think I’ll stop at you, you're dead wrong. I had to stop because One motion I made almost killed you, and You are lucky that something in me made me save you.
“You are alive simply because I wish it, you are here because I wanted you to be. I suggest, if you like the privilege of seeing your little friend again…” He turned her head toward Ashlin, the little human now in Abram’s grasp, close enough that she couldn’t run, even if she wanted to, jerked it sharply enough to draw a gasp of pain from her, which only enticed yet another snarl from him, “You’ll start appreciating what it is I’ve done for you. Any and all inconveniences in your life are drawn from your nasty little habit of attacking every vampire that comes your way, so, in tandem, Fuck you, Princess.”
Carson Dropped her face, letting her go so she could stand on her own two feet again. His hand moved, slid into his pocket to pull out a knife, the blade flicking out and gleaming in the low firelight.
“Stay still.”
Carson moved, grabbing her arms and pulling her closer, the blade sinking straight into the ropes that bound her hands and cutting them, letting them fall to the floor in an unceremonious heap. His expression never changing as he spun the blade between his fingers, a little flourish before he closed it and pocketed it once more.
“My name is Carson, and you have been claimed by me. Meaning your life is in my hands, if you die, it will be by me. I would say you don’t have to worry about it, but you also seem to have a habit of running that pretty little mouth of yours and getting under people’s skin. Not a bad trait, I like a girl with a back bone, but I warn you, there’s only so much I will put up with.”
------
Her hair fell across her face in a silky fall of brunette strands. Faintly shocked that he could see the individual colors, Abram could only stare at her hair. For one moment, he couldn't think, couldn't even breathe, drag air into his lungs. It was impossible, yet the hand he raised to the fall of brown hair was smeared red with blood. Blood that he wiped so tenderly off those lips. Red, not a muddy gray. His fingers brushed her hair back over her shoulder with exquisite gentleness, an instinct bred into his bones, exposing the line of her neck to him. She didn't seem to notice, working meticulously on trying to keep herself up right. Her skin was soft and inviting. Like satin. He bent his head forward, slowly, steadily, the fangs lengthening, the demon roaring, his body clenching. Her breath was warm against his skin. His teeth almost touched her pulse, that vulnerable pinpoint beckoning seductively.
Her blouse gaped open, revealing exquisite breasts, lush and full and soft enough to pillow his head. He wanted to slip his hand inside her shirt and hold warm flesh as he bent to her neck. Her heartbeat more enticing than any he had ever heard.
Her words were a melody on his ears, dancing through his mind as his fingers gripped the silk strand of hair, pulling back on them with enough force to snap her head back. His nose ran the length of her neck, his body crying out for hers as he pressed himself against the soft curves of her body.
“Calm, Khaleen. I won’t let anything more happen to you. It’ll all be explained”
She made a sound, frowning, still absorbed in her steady work, of steadying herself. Abram inhaled, taking the scent of her deep into his body. He didn't have control of her mind, and he was too enthralled to waste what was left of his control on working out the intricate puzzle. There was a nagging in his mind, screaming for him to claim what rightfully belonged to him. Something telling him to tie them together. And apparently when it came to his one he was a weak-willed man. He whipped up his arms, locking her body to his as his teeth sank deep into her neck.
White-hot pain lashed through Ashlin's body, danced like a whip of lightning through her bloodstream, heating her body so that every nerve ending was alive and pulsing with fire. The pain gave way to a dark, erotic, slumberous ecstasy she was helpless to resist. Abram was certain she struggled, but he was like iron, her softer body battering itself against his hard one, and he didn't seem to notice to the outer world. Didn’t seem to notice the screaming girl in the same room, he was internally lost. She felt the strength growing in him, spreading through him, even as her own strength seemed to slide away from her. There was a part of her that seemed to be separate, standing apart, watching and feeling in a kind of horror. There was fire in her blood, moving through her body, muscles clenching, tightening, going boneless, pliant in his ironlike grip.
Abram glanced up at the camera trained on him, his mouth twisting in a humorless smile, flashing his white teeth. With his eyes staring straight at the lens, he lowered his head and stroked a caress across the pinpricks on her neck with his tongue. That look would tell them everything. He knew each of them, knew their scent; he knew his enemies. Their stench was in his very lungs, and he was a hunter. He had gone from prey to predator with one small infusion of blood. It wasn't enough to close the bond, but it was enough to allow his fate with hers to entwine. They wouldn’t take her from him, they would not be taking the one thing in this word that he already considered precious.
He lifted the Ashlin's limp body easily bridal style, moving with a graceful show of strength. He had every intention of drawing his enemies to him and away from his family. But first he would destroy everything they had built out in the world. They hid their laboratory away from prying eyes. They hid their hideous torture chamber deep within the forest, thinking they were far from the law, far from justice, but he would show them who owned this part of the world, who had owned it for a long, long time.
Ashlin erupted into a wild struggle, attempting to squirm away from him.
But Abram only tightened his hold on her.
"Stop it," he ordered. "You have no way to escape. It is impossible. Lie still." His voice was a soft, menacing command.
Ashlin lay quietly, feeling the enormous strength in his arms. She fought down her panic, trying desperately to think. Her body had become lead. It was an effort to lift her arm, make a fist, pound on his chest. She was dizzy and sick. His emotions were swamping her, a wild swirling of dark danger beating at her. She had never come close to feeling such overwhelming emotions. They welled up like a volcano, explosive, violent, very intense. She sensed something wild and untamed, a predator without equal. Her neck must have throbbed and burned as she wondered what manner of demon she had unleashed.
He knew she felt the strength gathering in him. Felt it.
Carefully, he helped the small slip of a female, retaining possession of the woman by holding her body close to his, until they made their way to a nook in the room. He felt her. Every inch, every curve. Her skin was unbelievably soft. He bent his head to her thick mane of flowing hair, inhaling the scent of her. It took a tremendous amount of self-control not to bury his face in the silken strands.
She was very frightened, the fear swamping her despite the fact that he had tried to soothe her. Her brain patterns were different, the most difficult he had ever encountered. He caught her chin firmly in his hand and tipped her head back so her strange eyes were forced to meet his gaze. Her eyes were shaped liked a cat's, a deep violet in color. Her lashes were long and inky black color. He stared down into her eyes, a simple hypnotic technique that should have calmed her instantly, but instead he could hear the frantic rhythm of her heart pick up.
Ashlin tried desperately to regain her energy. Her legs were very heavy, her arms still leaden and he knew this without even having to touch her mind. He was the only thing holding her up. She was dizzy. She blinked rapidly, trying to find a way to regain her ability to think clearly.
"What's wrong with me?" Her mouth was dry and her voice sounded far away to her own ears.
“I took your blood Khaleen, and I took a lot.” His knuckles brushed over her cheek bones, his thumb moving to trace over her bottom lip as he watched her every movements.
Abram answered softly, honestly. "There is no need to fear me, I will replace what was lost." His arms tightened possessively, his body sliding over the length of hers so that he could watch those eyes that drew him in.
Her eyes widened with horror as he stared at his hands, the wrist pressed against his own mouth until he bit into it, enough to draw the blood she needed in her system. Ashlin drew in on herself, stifling a gasp as he tore a long cut in his own wrist. Blood dripping as she watched in a fascinated horror. His own mouth working over the wound to draw more of the life-giving sustenance from himself.
He bent his head to hers, her breath warm against his skin. His lips grazed over hers for a moment, before he moved his mouth against hers, nudging her lips open and pressing his tongue inside. She tasted hot, like spice and secrets, like warm summer nights and a midnight rendezvous. He found himself nudging her lips apart and pressing his tongue inside to get more of her, swallowing her grunts as she tried to push against his form.
Blood trickled from the corner of their lips, meeting the lilac pillow underneath her head.
She could see the shadows shifting behind the blindfold, could see the tips of her feet from underneath the cloth. She could hear her heart thundering in her chest again, matching the roaring storm outside of the walls that kept her captive. Hands pressed into the flesh of her arm, nails threatening to cut into her at a moment’s notice. There were huffs, voices so small, almost inaudible that she stranded to hear, her eyebrows narrowing In their concentration on words that just seemed to keep evading her.
Blood dripped onto her foot, and she watched in an utter fascination as each drop slipped past the gag. She had a split lip, her tongue coated in a tint of her own blood. She really would not be surprised if Ashlin did, not with the moves she had made when they had come to get them. Not a single word was spoken to them as these men dragged Ashlin out of her cell, their lips stern and their eyes lacking any emotion other than a pure rage. They ignored her as she asked on a sort of repetition what they were doing.
Still there was no answer, and she wasted no time as the cell door opened, the stem of that goblet so beautifully crafted tightened in her grip as her hand slung out, slamming the glass along the wall so that only the stem remained. The first guard made his move pulling onto her arm and she swung, the stem landing its hit directly into his neck. Blood sprayed as she yanked back, taking the glass with her. There wasn’t much room for scuffle when the rest burst through taking her down in a mirage of movements. The only things she could feel was the pain wracking after just a few seconds of fighting back.
Next she was walking, watching the blood drip from her gag and straining to hear any clue as to where they were going.
“They are going to get us killed. All of us. You know their little human friends are still looking for them.”
“Quiet, do you think they won’t take you out for speaking ill?”
There was sudden pause in their footsteps, The hand resting on her arms squeezing and pulling her to a stop infront of what she could only imagine was elaborate doors, both swinging open with a creak.
---------------------
God, everything hurt.
At this point, this was nothing new to her. Pain had become something of a constant, a forever faithful companion that never seemed to leave her side, even in the night when all she wished for was sleep. It clawed her now, dragged its nails along her skin and spine, pulling at her with every step. Every movement she made a fresh wave of pain, a new throb against her temples, a headache that would not fade.
She supposed a little of that had to do with how she was greeted this morning, or what she assumed was morning. There was something people didn’t tell, or just didn’t realize was something that happened. When you were held prisoner, time passed differently. Everything seemed…. To slow, or speed up to the point she could no longer keep up, all sense she had of being part of the normal stream gone with the light of her days. She had her window, had the glass planes that separated her from the churning skies to tell the da, the time the hour….
Ashlin had barely managed to fall into sleeps hold, had just managed to allow sleep to trail it’s way past her fitful shakes and trembling hands, when a sudden noise woke her, making her body snap up in instinct, skidding along the floor as she pushed herself backward into the shadows, the only comforting place she had now.
The doors to their cells were opened with an unceremonious bang, loud, reverberating through the … what she assumed was a large space. She snapped up, eyes wide as she watched them file in, one, by two, by three, until it was all she could see, all she could hear was their voices, snapping at her, telling her to stand, to get on her feet now.
Ashlin blinked, too surprised to comply.
That hadn’t sat well with them.
One had reached out, ignoring the way she flinched away, to grab a fist full of hair to yank to her feet, pulling a strangled yelp from, a desperate sob as she heard her sister calling, pleading with them to tell her what was going on, her voice gaining in desperation as the lifted the brunette to her feet.
It happened on instinct, a quick surge of desperation and anger that mad her pull back her leg and swing, paying no mind to the pain of being held solely by her hair, the weight of her body dangling on the fistful of stands one of her captors was holding. Her feet planted firmly into the chest of one struggling to get a hold of her, and in that next moment, all she could feel was an exploding white pain behind her eyes as something slammed against her face.
There was no fight from her after that.
She tasted blood, she mused as she had walked, solemnly down the halls, guided by a stiff hand and the whispers of those around her, low mummers, hints of a conversation she could not follow. Her eyes were covered again, a blindfold tied tightly around her temples to block her from seeing. Her lip throbbed as she bit more harshly into the gag, blood, or drool, she really couldn’t tell, dripping down her face as she strained her hearing to pick up anything useful.
“They’ll get us killed…”
“Still searching…”
“Don’t see what’s so special…”
“Wouldn’t talk for five days, why start now…”
The words, though ultimately useless to her, were heard, stored away in her mind as she tried to place together what was happening. She didn’t know much, but she could gather they were taking er somewhere important, and they didn’t like it, that there seemed to be a general air of tension and discomfort toward the whole situation.
How curious…
The doors opened, old hinges on even older doors, the creak of it making her back straighten and her body tense again.
“Lords… We have the girls…. Per your Request….” There was a stiffness to the mads voice, one she could feel as the hand on her arm tightened to pull her in, toward something warm and homey, smelling vaguely of wood and smoke and cinnamon.
“Drop them.”
The reaction was slow, a reluctance that wasn’t there before, but slowly, the fingers left her skin, left her body and she was left to stand on her own two feet, a little wobbly but ultimately, fine.
“Requiem… tell me you’re okay…”
Her voice was low, soft, and she knew she risked much with just those few words… but she hadn’t heard from her since that scuffle, and her heart pounded with absolute fear.
-----
Honestly, the fascination at just seeing her again burst an emotion he had not felt in thousands of years through his heart. Relief washing over him even as he stiffened in his chair, his pointer and thumb rubbing together in a sort of contingent, the motion soothing an insufferable need to get up and touch her. To make sure for himself that she was fine, to look her over himself, to unbound her and drag her frail frame against his. To whisper apologizes into her ears. Even if they were to fall on deaf ears, how could she have forgiven what he had done to her.
Though to his defense he was exclusively softer to this brunette that Carson had been to the darkling sitting next to her side. Carson made a move from his side, trying to move towards the two women and Abram pulled on the sleeve of his jacket, his opposite hand coming in a motion of pause. Blue eyes flicked over the girl, her lips moving around the gag in her mouth to speak to what she could only assume was her friend, her colleague. Either way some one of importance to her. Her voice threaded with worry, but spoken so low that even someone of his race would have had difficulties hearing the chime of her voice. But he was a Lee. There was no hiding anything from him.
“Fine. I’m fine. Stop worrying about me.”
Abram’s head cocked at the interaction, his eyes flashing to the guards that still stood in the room. His hand waved towards them, once again motioning for them to leave a hint they did not seem to grasp. The room was silent besides the foot falls of the guards and the slow creak of the doors closing behind them.
“You… you don’ think… it’s the kings again do you….”
He watched as the darkling spoke, her head jerking to the general area of his brunette. And he could feel his own heart pick up with hers. Her heart thundering at the mere mention of them.
“I don’t know.”
Abram stood from his chair, his fingers splaying against the mahogany wood of his desk. There was a tick to his blood as he heard the chime in her voice ring again, fear underlying every note. A secret obsession he could not get over, though he had just found it. The sound of her voice touched him like he imagined her fingers on his skin would. A caress of sound. The woman's voice - throaty, husky, erotic - held the promise of satin sheets and candlelight. It played over his skin and sang a song of pure magic in his soul, tantalizing, enticing, sinful. It mesmerized him easily, and he wanted nothing more than to sit here and hear her voice speaking whispered words to him; it haunted and captivated. The notes danced, pure and beautiful, weaving a spell of enchantment around Abram.
After long, empty centuries, in a single moment, everything had changed and it was all thanks to her. He could feel. He could see the brilliance of the colors in the world. His body was alive with needs and desire, not simply the ever-present gnawing physical hunger for blood. Power and strength ran through him, sang in his veins, flowed through his muscles, and he felt it.
His feet fell to the ground in a low thump, his eyes on her filled with a desperation that he could not hold out on. He moved with the grace of a predator towards her, his whole humming as he approached. His fingers worked quickly, soothing back stray hairs as he untied the blindfold, then the gag, his thumb brushing over her bottom lip in a motion unstoppable even if he truly wanted to.
“What’s your name?”
----------------------
In the moments before they entered, Carson had found himself standing at the large windows that decorated one side of the large den that the cousins had claimed for themselves, the fire roaring to one side of him, behind the chairs they had placed there to form a semi-circle around the fire place. His body was ridged as he stood, arms crossed over his chest and one hand lifted to his lips, thumb brushing over his lip, Brushing over metal to play with the lip piercings absently, languidly, his mind a thousand miles away as his body remained here in the present.
“Did you consume her blood, Carson?”
That same line, over and over and over, ran through his mind, a record on lop that he could not stop. His father’s voice drifted over him, pulling him back to his father’s office, when he had entered along on his father’s request, his heart hammering in his chest as he thought about what it was his father could possibly have wanted.
It was clear that Carson had disappointed him. It was in the way his eyes had narrowed when he had answered his previous question, in the way he had shaken his head and looked away from him for a moment before he had started to speak, his voice low, stern, almost harsh as he told them they could have the girls they so desperately sought. Carson’s stomach, already battling this strange nausea that just would not leave, did somersaults in his gut, his hands clasping behind his back, a sign of respect as well as a way to hide the trebling of his hands, both a nervous tick and a symptom he could not control.
The question hit Carson as odd. After all, he had expected a lecture of some sort, had expected his father to simply tell him how disappointed in he was, to tell him that he had disgraced the Dhouti name last night and that the position of king would not be handed back to his Eldest brothers, that he had taken both his and his twin’s future away from them with a single mishap. A thousand possibilities had run through his head, but this…. This had not been one of them.
Carson froze, his mind going, straining to remember that moment, the feeling of her lips against his something he could not forget. It overpowered almost everything else. Her lips were so soft, petal pink with a coating of bright blood red that caught his easily. He could remember the feel of them as he had forced her lips to part with his own tongue and lips, his tongue nearly bitten in two to give her enough blood to back track the damage he had done to her body. However, He had to push past that, tried to see past her lips and her low grunts into his mouth that he had swallowed gratefully…. And still, Carson found that this answer, as well, escaped him.
Another disappointment.
“I don’t know.”
His father had released him soon after that, a simple warning to not take things lightly and to not allow his temper to get the best of him again. Carson had nodded and left, his mind hazy still, and now swimming with even more question.
Why had his father asked that? Was he trying to see if had taken her blood because he was afraid he would control? Was he saying there was something wrong with her? Did he not trust him?
Of course he didn’t, Carson had lost that trust when he had lost control.
“Stupid.” The word was spoken softly, too low for anyone to really hear, but his thoughts were halted as he heard the door creak open, and Carson turn wide, multi colored eyes toward the door, taking a few steps to get closer to Abram as they were led into the room.
And there she was again.
God, seeing her was like getting sucker punched right in the gut. She was… absolutely stunning, the most enticing girl he had ever seen, and he had seen many, MANY girls in his very long life. He’d chose her, again and again and again, any day, over any of them, as she was more inviting they any of them could ever hope to be. . In five days, he had nearly forgotten what she looked like, had forgotten how tiny she truly was. She couldn’t have been taller than five foot, if that, her long ink black hair falling, tumbling around her face and body, nearly hiding from view the wounds that covered her body, wounds that Carson knew should not be there.
Any and all wounds he gave her would have been healed with the amount of blood he had given her, so the blood dribbling from her mouth was not of his hand, and that in and of itself was unacceptable.
Anger ripped through him, his mind racing as he took a step forward, a step to go toward the girl, but there it was, a light pressure that worked better than ten thousand men when it came to a Dhouti. The hand of a lee was a powerful thing, as they all hand the Dhouti family eating from their palms like tamed attack dogs. Carson stopped, froze in his tracks as he waited, watched their little interaction with a mind interest, his mind and duel colored gaze never leaving the girl as he waited.
It didn’t take long until Abram was up and moving, already heading to the Brunette he was so obsessed with.
Carson moved slower, no rush to his movements as he calmed himself. Of course, that effort was wasted, as the storm he had thought he had quelled suddenly surged once more, filling his chest with a heated torment, a desert in his throat as he closed in on her. Everything was pain and longing and need, and he needed… something from her, needed something to make this stop, make it fade, and somehow, he knew it was only her that could to it.
Carson stopped before her, close enough that he could feel her, her heat, her breath run over his skin as he lifted one hand, his fingertips, in such a striking contrast to the last time he had touched her, brushed over her cheek, her skin heaven on his frayed nerves.
How was it she could make this hell inside him feel like a heaven?
His fingers found her hair, moving to the gag that was ripping into her split lip, untying it solely, allowing the cloth to drop to the floor with a near silent thump, his gaze on her as his hand moved again, taking off the blindfold as well, before his hand moved to her neck, nails tracing patterns along the hallow of her throat before he pushed her chin up, forcing her to look at him.
Carson, for the first time since he had met her, allowed himself to truly breath, taking in a deep breath to catch the scent of what he had now claimed as his.
And Carson drowned.
Her scent was something he could not describe, a heaven, an addiction, a sinful hell he had fallen into and held no desire to escape. Her scent was heady, heavy and light, secrets that hurt no one, bike rides on stolen time and day walks in the woods. It reminded him of absolutely everything he loved, brought to his chest a surge of desire that he could not recall ever feeling, his breath hitching as he drew in another breath.
“Requiem.” The name he had heard the other one call her slipped from his lips as he breath, the name shaky, unsure, like he was tasting it on his tongue and was slowly discovering he loved the flavor. He pulled her closer again, her body flush against him, every inch of him screaming with joy, a revolution in his mind as his body called for something, something he knew all too well… Blood.
This call was so different. It was powerful yes, but instant, needy, almost raging against his chest. The monster in him beat and clawed, roared it’s need but he paid it no mind, ignored it.
He would not lose control… not this time.
“You don’t realize how lucky you are, Xanvek… Tell me, who gave you this? Was it one of my guards? How harmed are you, does it hurt much?” the questions flowed through him easily, too easily.
Why did he care? Why did it matter to him?
He didn’t know, It didn’t make sense. She should have been nothing, should have simply been a target....
Things would have been so much easier if she had remained that way.
Waiting had never been one of his strong suits. That had been something he had always known, and even with the thrumming of electric excitement running through his veins, tonight was no exception.
Zebon huffed as he leaned himself back again, his tongue clicking against sharpened teeth as his foot, the one not propped up to allow one of his hands to rest against it, bounced against the floor, thumping with the nervous excitement that seemed to fill his very being, that lit his very nerves on fire with a need he never knew he possessed.
He had been watching, waiting, for tonight for a while now. Today had been a last day of classes before the winter holidays, something that was always met with the low simmer of hyper joy that created a livewire undercurrent in the student body of every collage, his being no exception, and while he should have joined them in their joy, should have joined the masses in making plans to visit his father and mother over the long holidays, instead, Zebon had been making phone calls to the very people he so longed to see and made excuses, reasons as to why he would not be seeing them over the winter break.
It wasn’t that he didn’t want to see them… but as it was, Zebon had plans for this Liberatio, once that could not be canceled. He had been counting the days down, had been watching the hallways to get just a glimpse of black and white hair, to hear the tinge of laughter on their voice as he marked just that one more ‘X’ on his calendar, another day down until tonight, and now that it was here, almost upon him, He didn’t know if he would be able to stand the few minutes ticking away until those alarm bells rang.
Night had long since fallen, a silk black curtain on the world that Zebon had watched from the sill of his window, back propped against the wood as he waited with an impatient twitch of his hands, his fingers drumming along the wood that held him up. He had watched the sun disappear behind the mountains that framed his school, has watched the stars appear, one, by two by three, until he saw nothing but the light of the dorms spilling over the rocks and hills that he had come to call home.
It was almost here, almost here…just that little longer…
“Hey! Earth to Fuck boy! Anyone in there?”
His voice snapped Zebon out of his trance that he had unknowingly fallen into, the spike of shock sending his heart pounding, racing harder than he had previously felt, fire and gold eyes flickering toward a pain of identical eyes that seemed significantly more calm then he himself felt. It was instinct that had Zebon’s lips pulling back to expose sharp teeth toward the man who bared a mirror image face to his, a snap of his teeth as he moved, twisting his body to turn toward his twin, the only one of his family he would be seeing over this winter.
“You fucking shitwipe, do you even know the meaning of knocking?”
---------------------
Soren rolled his eyes as he expertly dodges Zebon’s hands that swiped at him, aiming to land a solid hit on his chin, one that he knew from experience would hurt if it actually landed. However, years of being this Asshole’s brother had given him the knowledge and reflexes to not only dodge the hit, but to flash him a cocky grin as he shoved his hands in his pockets, a futile effort to hid the shaking of his fingers, a tremble that he could feel even against his legs as she clenched his fists.
“Why, Cause You don’t wanna get caught jacking off again?”
Zebon’s eye roll was the perfect mirror image of his own, the Younger twin standing up from the dark wood of the window sill, his gaze narrowing slightly as he crossed his arms.
“Fuck Off, Soren, You know you never caught me beatin it, but even that is better than begging your precious little whore to pay attention to your sorry pathetic ass. You wanna call me a fuck boy, But I’m not begging some two cent bitch to just put the head in. Just how many dicks to you think you’ll taste when you finally have her?”
“About as many as yours.”
The words slipped through his lips, past his tongue even as his teeth gnashed together to grit painfully. His hands clenched into tighter fists as he took a step forward, a deep rumble rippling through his body as he hissed his displeasure.
It was always like this. Always. He really shouldn’t have been surprised, considering. Zebon and him had a very strange relationship, one where people, outsiders looking in, would think the two hated each other. Their relationship was built on snarls, violence and insults, ones that of heard from anyone else would be grounds to paint the walls red. They mocked one another, teased and pushed and fought until there was nothing left but pants and breathless curses from them, their body’s screaming in pain as their own blood was drawn from them, but always, always, always, there was the smile that crossed their lips, because they knew there was no a single person in the world quite like the other person.
They only had one twin, and no matter how they acted, they needed each other. There was no Soren without Zebon, as there was no Zebon without Soren. They shared everything, thoughts, feelings, rooms, they had never been apart for longer than a day.
That didn’t mean they had to forever play nice though.
“Fuck you man… where’s Koda and Alden?”
Soren shrugged as he flopped onto the small twin bed he shared, rather uncomfortably, with his brother. He sighed, but opened his eyes to look toward the ceiling, a uncharacteristically thoughtful gaze to his gold and oranges eyes.
“This is it…”
There was a beat, a moment of silence before Zebon’s forced laughter ripped through the air.
“You’re not getting soft now, are ya?”
“Hardly,” was his snapped reply, “I’m simply stating a fact. This is the last night I won’t have her, the last night I lose her to someone else… It’s almost…. Liberating.”
Zebon’s response was a book to his face. Zebon had never had a taste for the fine art of humor.
-------
“It’s probably a lot safer than going home, let’s just be honest. A house is a pretty easy target, if ya ask me. Who the fucks going to come to an abandoned school to look for people? They might be monsters but they aren’t fucking idiots, ya know?”
The scoff that rang out from the other end of the phone rang in her ear, and Rue could imagine the small smirk that lifted the lips of the ever-elegant lips of Urbana Hurst, could imagine those green eyes roll as the moved stiffly about her home.
“Right, but a logical person would want to be around the people who love them on a night like this.”
Even her words seemed stiff, and edge to the words that Rue knew was a sign for something, just not quite what it was. It was not something that she was going to dwell on either. Not when her main priority for the night was block out all this non-sense.
“Aye, I’m just saying, but whatever. I called to check in, that’s all. Give the little shits lovin from Aunty Rue. Be safe.”
“Take care of yourself tonight Rue.”
“Always.”
The phone flashed, showing back to the home screen as she pulled it away from her cheek, her feet pulling from the top of her desk to hit the ground with a low thump from the boots. The chair rolled under her while she stood, her arms stretching over her head. Blue eyes flashed over the trinkets and books that collected around her side of the room.
This was going to be one hell of a boring night.
Rue pushed a hand through her white dyed hair, pulling the tendrils back just momentarily, before letting it go with a solid smack to her thigh, her palm splayed against the jeans for a second.
There were few things she could do, even in her own room. She could let her eyes drift over the books continuously, but she had them repeatedly for years now. Nothing new. The tv was looking lonesome… But really who wanted to watch a horror movie on a night when real monsters were roaming the streets.
Rue parted black painted lips to let out a sigh, her feet digging into the carpet under the boots.
“RUE! FUCKING! DANIELS!”
‘What the actual hell….’
Rue moved almost instantly, her fingers pulling on the door knobs before she could really think through her motions. The sight behind the door was a strange one to behold, that much she could openly admit.
“Koda…. Why the hell are you screaming down the halls like that?”
Rue set her hip to the threshold of the doorway, one eyebrow pushed up as she stared the brunette down, his smile threatening to burst through closed lips. Tanned fingers moved to wave towards her, shooing off her question.
“Turns out Remsy’s car broke down and some slashed Gentry’s tires, neither could take me back into town with them, so she’s picking up some things from her room and we are going to have a movie night!”
------
“THIS WAS LITERALLY THE WORST IDEA!”
His laughter filled up the air surrounding them, filled his chest, and it was genuine. The happy fluttery feeling filling him up was pure, and so exhilarating he could barely could contain the small shivers that were running up his spine. His palms pressed to his thighs, fingers digging into the thick fabric of his jeans as he watched the blonde scream, her fingers covering her eyes as the man on the screen popped up behind the unsuspecting teenagers.
“It’s just a movie Remsy.”
“THAT DOES NOT MAKE IT ANY LESS SCARY!”
Koda moved his shoulder pressing it into Rue’s side, His own blue eyes flashing over the small cluster. He could feel as the girls jumped over the alarms blaring out in the distance, the noise drawing yet another toothy smile to rise from the ever impatient NeKoda Lee. Koda pressed his elbow into the hips of the girls on either side of him, his smile too apparent.
“Hey, nothing like a little fear to kick you into high gear though huh?”
“You little shit head…”
“Ow. Ow. Ow. Ow. Ow!! Staph ith Rue!”
His words spilled out in an awkward lisp as Rue pulled on his cheeks, her eyebrows narrowing in a mock expression of irritation.
“Stop trying to scare the poor girl then.”
It was a little mean, he knew that. But with Remsy, she was an easily scared little thing, Rue thought she was a little too big for her britches. It was gonna be fun knocking a little sense into the girls, but the real prize of the night… was something completely different.
There would be no more mistaken friendship. No more mistaking his intentions. No. Tonight he would get it all out, and tonight he would get exactly what he deserved, what he wanted, what he knew he would not be able to live without.
“Fine, fine. Jesus….”
His hands pushed at Rue, forcing her back down onto the couch, her lips quirked into a smile.
“Where the hell is Gentry? It’s been like thirty minutes.”
“Uh, … I don’t know. Did you want me to go check?”
Remsy, pushed herself up from her stretched out position, already ready to burst out of the room in top speed it seemed. And Koda could only laugh as he pulled on her shirt, forcing her back down onto the couch.
“Sit down, chicken shit. I’ll go check.”
-----
Silence stretched between group as the alarms finally blared out, something he could only barely hear as his heart slammed against his chest. The echo of his blood rushing behind his ears as he looked up to the girls from his crouched position. His eyes flashing from Gentry to Uli, lingering for only a moment longer than he probably should have allowed.
God. How long had it been since he was able to get any good chases out? A month? Two?
And there went the arrival of his said freedom, a freedom he was going to take a run with. He just had to hold out a little longer. Only a little.
“It’s not anything that I am going to be able to fix tonight, and I doubt any of us are going to want to be going out anywhere else tonight. Why don’t we go inside?”
Alden stood and wiped his hands off, clapping the dust from the ground off. There was a low hum rumbling in his chest as caught his eyes on Uli’s. His fingers curling as he brought his arms up across his chest.
------------------
“You’re shitting me, there’s nothing you can do?”
The words felt like the tolls of the death bell, ringing silently in the frigid cold air that surrounded her, little puffs of white spilling from her lips as she crossed her arms over her chest, pulling them closer in an effort to stop her shaking. Icy fingers felt a smooth as deaths hands, and she could feel it, those fingers moving, dancing, twirling patterns in her skin as they trailed their way to her neck. They curled around her, making it difficult to for her to swallow, especially around the lump that had found its way to her throat.
Her mother was going to kill her. She was going to rip her to shreds because she should have been there literally, YESTERDAY, and she had stalled, procrastinated, had named Rue, Remsy, Uli, homework, returning textbooks, hell even Zebon, Koda, Alden and Soren and her teachers as reasons as to why she had to stay behind, and all she could hear now was her mother’s voice warning her that if she didn’t make it to the house by the time the Liberatio bells went off, she could kiss her ass goodbye, along with any and all help for paying for the sky high tuition that it cost to stay, learn and live in a collage like this.
She was so screwed.
There was a beat, a moment as she looked at Alden with a quickly fading hope in her eyes, before she could feel the sting starting behind her eyes, her hands coming up to clutch at platinum blond hair strands that were significantly more frayed now that she had spent about an hour out here in the cold with not even so much as the prospect of anything that could cheer her up, like a cigarette, or a bottle of liquor, or hell even the warmth of some hot guy against her. She was going to be stuck here with the Virgin squad, the four boys in the whole fucking school who didn’t know the clit from their elbow, and she could only hope Someone had thought to stalk up on cigarettes and alcohol because she wasn’t sure the student store would have it at all, before some fuckwad decided ‘Hey! Before I go home to get molested by my creepy uncle joe and beat my girlfriend to deal with the repressed memories and unresolved feelings, Let me SLICE THE FUCKING TIRES OF THE CARS STILL HERE IN THE PARKING LOT, THAT’S A GOOD FUCKING IDEA!’
God she HATED people.
“No… No no no no….. Noooooo….”
“Well, now that’s a sound. Alden doesn’t usually hear that until he gets his pants off with a girl.”
Gentry’s eyes, vision watery with unshed tears of absolute frustration, snapped up from the slowly building piles of white flakes, to see the practically glowing smirk of Soren Dhouti, who looked the picture of ease as he strolled up to them, clapping Alden on the back slightly as he turned his grin toward him. Gentry could only scoff, her gaze snapping back toward her car as she reached her hand out to grab her backpack, slinging it over her shoulder while the truck popped open with a violent thud.
“Shut the fuck up, Soren, as if the virgin squad would even know what to do if a girl plopped down naked in their lap.”
Soren blinked, turning duel colored eyes toward the smaller girls as he held one hand over his chest in a overexaggerated display of mock pain, a playful frown pulling at his lips.
“Ow. Hurtful, Gen, What the fuck crawled up your ass?”
Gentry didn’t even get a chance to responded before Uli’s voice slid into the space that laid between them.
-------------
“Someone slashed Her tires. Well, not just hers, but Mine as well, it looks like all the cars have been slashed actually, some last-minute prank, probably, and Gen’s mom isn’t exactly the forgiving type.”
This was BEYOND stupid.
The agitation had been slowly building in her chest since the moment she had seen the deflated tires on her car, and to be honest it had only been escalating at a steady pace the longer she stood here, in the cold, her body shaking with either rage or cold, she didn’t know. All she knew was that she was significantly ready to just drop this, to call a mechanic or a tow truck in the morning and get indoors before any monsters decided to try this isolated little school up in the mountains for a meal. She wanted to be warm, under a heated blanket with something warm in her hands, alcoholic or not.
She should have been on a train by now…. Her now useless ticket now rested in her back pocket, something that felt almost heavy as she moved her hands to rub at her temples, her brightly colored eyes flashing as she closed them, breathing in winter’s chill to calm the summer’s storm that was bubbling just under her skin.
“Oh shit… Really?”
“Yeah, And I just told them there’s nothing we can do, nothing that can be fixed tonight, so they at least have to wait until Liberato is over to even call someone.”
Uli turned her gaze toward Alden, his calming voice drawing a little bit of the calm she knew she needed to sooth the raging beat of her heart. It was almost unconscious, the way her body moved, taking that smallest step toward him, her hand coming up to brush over his covered arm to give him a sigh and something of a smile.
“Thanks for looking anyway.”
Gentry mumbled something under her breath, and Uli snapped golden eyes toward the blonde, her brows furrowing as she took her hand off Alden to reach out and smack the girl over the head, earning a loud whine from the girl, but honestly, Uli couldn’t care less. She understood that there was a lot of pressure on Gen, that her mother was more of a bitch and a controlling cunt, but really, All they had been trying to do was help, and logically, Gen had to know, somewhere deep down, that when she saw her tires slit that’s he wasn’t going anywhere. It was the first day of winter holidays, Liberato was starting tonight, not one single person in their right minds would be at an auto shop tonight.
“You know where everyone is Soren?”
“They said something about a movie night, at least when Koda called us that’s what he mentioned. So they’re probably at Rues room or some shit… Zebon already ran off to go check.”
“Of Course he did.”
Her snappy replies were getting on her nerves, but Uli just rolled her eyes, instead turning back toward the brunette and black haired boys she had come to call her friends, taking a step closer to Soren, only to reach her hand over to the hem of his pants, pulling him closer by his belt loops. His body pressed against hers, his chest hitching slightly as her hand moved, trailing downward, finding their home in his pockets. She had to look up to truly see him, her brown hair falling into her eyes as she flashed him a smile, a glint of mischief in her eyes.
“You’ll thank me… trust me.”
And she pulled out his pack of cigarettes.
“Hey! Miss Bitchfit! Here!” Uli snapped, tossing the pack and her lighter at the girl before she huffed a few of her strands from her face, watching Gentry struggle to catch both with a sort of bitchy pleasure.
“Smoke a few and shut the fuck up. I’m tired of hearing you whine already.”
----------------------
All he had to do… was knock on the fucking door.
That was it. Literally, that was all Zebon had to do, and he would be face to face with the girl who so haunted him, a figment, spirit, specter in his mind, as ever present as his demons. He could hear her now, her low voice a thrum along his nerves as she spoke in low heady tones, her voice a soothing bell chime on his hearing, drawing a breath from him that he hadn’t even known he was holding. This was it, this was the time that he had been counting down toward, the hours that he had desired so badly he could almost taste them on his tongue, hot and spicy and burning his throat as he breathed them in, the echo’s of alarms long since silenced still ringing in his ears, the mark of his night falling, of his time to take what he wanted, to take what belonged to him, a Dhouti, a KING, and all he had to do to start it was…
‘Just knock…’
His fingers clenched, curling against his palm to draw painful crescents over flesh, and he moved, lifting his leather clad arm to finally place knuckles to the wood….
Only to be barreled down as the door suddenly snapped open, the full weight of his Six foot seven best friend barreling straight into his gut, knocking the wind straight from his lungs as he wheezed his protest, his own body dropping with the force he was hit with, slamming to the floor with a painful grunt.
“Are you… fucking… KIDDING?”
He hissed his displeasure, pulling himself up slightly, his gaze already moving, flickering toward the girl he longed for.
“This how you let all your guests treat your friends Rue??”
He wanted her touch, longed for it even as he heard the teasing words fall from his lips. He wanted her hands on him, her skin on his and nothing in-between… He wanted her to need him just as much as he needed her, and he had only one night to make that happen.
Soren better hurry up.
-------------------------------
“I’ll catch up with you guys. I gotta check my car and get some supplies, Ya know?”
There was a tilt, a small hint to his tone that he donned when he left no room for arguments, Soren already turning from the small group to head back toward the direction of his car. He walked steadily, easily, like he didn’t have a care in the world, but inside he was bubbling, boiling, his body shaking with repressed excitement. It didn’t take long to hear them enter the Dorms, his hearing finly turned and made for the strain he placed on them, his head turning slightly as gold and fire peeked out from under long back lashes and even longer bangs, his lips finally splitting into the demented grin, twisted, gnarled and wrong, that had been threatening to cross over his lips for a while now.
“Last call, Loves….”
His voice was a tad deeper, a ripple of a growl as he started to shed his human skin, a flash of black over his skin as he took off, the world a blur of motion against his skin as she made his way for the only cell tower near campus, the only link, lifeline, connecting the girls to the city below the mountain, the people that had called this place home. His hands sunk into the cold steel, the metal under his hands giving against four strong claws.
The sound of grating metal filled the air, and all he could so was laugh. They were stranded, trapped, caught in their web and they didn’t even know. It was only a matter of time now before they started to panic, and God he could not wait. Would she scream? Would she cry? Would she curse her luck? He wanted to see her lose it, wanted to see her cry as she realized she could not escape. He wanted to taste them, the tears as she realized just how thoroughly she was his
It was hard enough to admit that there was anything that Sorex needed more than he needed to read the romance novels that were shoved under his bed with the fragmented remains of his broken and shatter weapons, hard enough to admit that there was something that he could not just simply have with a breathed desire of what sliding past his lips. More often than not, what he wanted, his father gave to him, easily, willingly. Just the slightest hint that he wanted something, and it was his, in his hands the day of or after, and he had never truly felt that burn that came with need and desire.
Until now.
“I can’t stand it…. It’s not fair…” He breathed, pacing about the room at the very pinnacle of the lust dorms, pacing, plotting, thinking as his mind ran away from him once again.
“Why can’t I have her?”
“She doesn’t even know you exist, Sorex.”
The reminder was painful, a slap across his mind, and he could feel as his body started to tremble as his thoughts started to break, fragment and shatter. He had never felt anything like this before, had never felt this… desire. He could feel her under his hands, the silk of her hair and the soft magic that surrounded her was a taste on is tongue. He wanted more, needed more.
“Why not just… take a page out of Fafnir’s book… You want her…. Go get her, take her for your own.”
What about like if someone thought he was his brother
“Carver…. CARVER!”
Sorex didn’t bother looking up from the hardback book in hishands, eyes trailing over the words as he leaned back against the soft armchairof the library. It really wasn’t anything unusual to hear people calling forhis brother. Carver, if nothing else, was prideful, talented and social, thekind everyone invited to the hidden parties and seemed to flock around. He wasthe very definition of popular, and because the brothers, unless they had tobe, were never apart, some of that popularity seemed to rub off on him. Nonethe less, He couldn’t count the number of times he had heard his brother’s namerip through the halls, and just like every other time, Sorex blatantly ignoredit.
Only problem… was it didn’t stop.
“Carver… CARVER! “
“What!?”
Sorex snapped, closing his book, ‘The accidental bride’after marking his page so that he could turn his blazing eyes toward the girlwho stood at the arm of his chair to gaze at him with quickly dimming eyes, hersmile slowly slipping of her features. Sorex looked her over, giving her acurtosy glance over, and that was more than enough for him to realize that thisgirl must have been one of his brother’s cast offs, or someone who had yet toconfess their feelings for the Rokram.
Sorex put on his best sneer, standing as he brushed off his armfrom the imaginary dust she had gotten on it, eyes closing.
‘You owe me Craver…’
“Let me put this perfectly clear. I will never date you, Iwill never like you. to fol yourself into thinking you had a chance with me itjust foolish and ridiculous, and properly stupid on your part. You’re nothingbut a cast away, a side bit of fun if I ever wanted to go gutter diving, butyou will never be anything more than a failed, clinging parasite. Just give itup.”
Sorex didn’t even flinch as she burst into tears… he simplywalked away.
