Kiss of Death
Chapter One: Happy Birthday
"I'm gonna sing the freakin' song if you don't stop primping and answer the door," Charity growled from her usual spot on the couch. Of course, though, now the couch is not only occupated by cat-like Charity, but her vampiric boyfriend, Sam.
Speaking of vampiric boyfriends...
No, Magnus and I aren't back together. He refuses to do anything like that. But he is my friend again, and that's a start.
Oh. I might want to introduce myself. Duh.
My name is Faith Isabella de Silva. Daughter of Jesse and Suze de Silva. Now, after hearing that, you probably are expecting me to say 'I see dead people' in three seconds.
I don't.
I see undead people. There's a fine line.
Of course, I not only see undead people, but I make out with them. And Magnus? Yeah, that's fun. But I have forced myself to move on despite that mind-boggling kissing he gave me a couple months ago, and Rob and I are doing fine.
Carefully, I checked my reflection in the mirror. Just because we aren't dating anymore doesn't mean I can't look nice! Anyway, for my seventeenth birthday, we got my parents' permission to go to a club. They know that Magnus and Charity, with their 'special capabilities' will keep us from harm. Anyway, I was dressed in a short red dress, with strappy heels. My wavy hair cascaded to my waist, and some sheer make-up highlighted my spanish heritage.
This was all for Rob's benefit, you know.
"Hi," I grinned, answering the door. My voice was breathless. Well, I couldn't help it. Magnus was dressed up, all in black, looking like a member of a mob.
"Hey," He smiled, showing perfect, sharp teeth. His blue eyes dared to take in my appearance. "You look nice."
"So do you," I mumbled, looking down. "Um, Rob should be here in a minute."
"So he's late?" Magnus asked, his tone suddenly cheerful. "That's too bad."
I met his gaze, and my voice was cold. "What are you getting at, Magnus?"
"Sorry, Faith. A girl like you just shouldn't be kept waiting around like this. You don't deserve it."
"Oh," I laughed without humor as he walked in. I grabbed my jacket. "Like you kept me waiting around after dumping me? No, after dumping me twice? M-hmm, really nice."
Charity and Sam gave expasperated sighs as they walked in on our fight. "Please, lord," Charity groaned. "Just take my accursed soul and be done with it."
"Faith?" Mom's stern voice came, and she waddled into view. She's due any day now, and her stomach is ginormous. "Rob called. He said he's picking something up."
I stuck my tongue out at Magnus. He rolled his eyes, and smirked. "You'll see," He promised me.
See what?
I'm lost.
Rob's car comes into view a few moments later, and walks up, a gigantic teddy bear in hand. I had to hold back a flinch. He had given me one soon after our first meeting in the hospital, so I guess the thought counted...
But dude. This isn't the fifties where girls treasure stuffed animals their boyfriends give them. I like a little-as Charity would tease me-'bling'.
"Happy birthday!" He grinned, handing me the bear and adding a kiss to it. I slid my eyes towards Magnus. He yawned, not remotely interested in my love life anymore.
"Hey..." Rob held out his hand for Magnus to shake. "Sorry... what's your name again?"
The vampire smiled easily and shook Rob's hand, nearly crushing it in a death grip. "Magnus. We've met before, but it's... been a while..."
Ha. Not really. Magnus keeps an eye on Rob's 'antics' with me. Poor Rob. His hand was visibly bruised when he brought it back. I bit my lip, and Charity had to hold back a snicker.
This would be a long night.
xxx
"This place is great," Rob said enthiastically as we walked into the club. All eyes were on three people with the two of us. I turned my head to see the Vampires walking in. Arching an eyebrow, I realized that something was different. They walked all together, Magnus at the front, scoping out the place, Charity and Sam flanking him a few steps behind. Kind of like...
A pack.
Interesting.
The look in Magnus's dark blue eyes was certaintly not impressed. In fact, more like mocking, scoffing. I pushed a hand into my hair, then walked over to his side.
"Act excited," I muttered to him.
Magnus flashed a quick smile. "Happy birthday."
"So tell me," I smiled. "What exactly is this thing that I will see?"
"You'll see," he repeated.
Rolling my eyes, I walked over to Rob, who grinned and slipped an arm around my waist. A low growl rumbled from deep in Magnus's throat. I turned back and smirked at him, waving.
Charity suddenly stood up on tip-toe and began to speak quickly and softly in his ear. Sam paused and joined in, his voice just as low. Wow, he was really getting into this Vampire thing.
Magnus nodded quickly, then gave the most discreet motion to show that they were free to go. Charity awkwardly strayed, and began to look around, looking like a Gothic princess. A few guys grinned at eachother, inspecting Charity's figure.
Sickos.
"Hey," one boy walked up to her, grinning widely. "You look lonely."
Sam had been watching the whole time, and now his eyes narrowed. Magnus muttered something to him, a sly grin beginning on his lips.
Sam, smirking back, moved in quickly, looking like a copy of Adonis(because Magnus really is the only guy hotter than Sam-though we all know Mag beats him way out) and slipped an arm around Charity's shoulder.
"She's with me," he said coldly. "I really don't think you need the company of these idiots, do you, Charity?"
Charity let herself smile, and looked up at him. "Not really," she answered in a faint voice. I noticed Magnus, standing a bit farther off, something in his eyes. He is my partner... I could feel a strange emotion coming from him.
"Sorry," I whispered in Rob's ear. "I need to go talk to Mag. Save a seat for me at-" I pointed "-that table?"
"Of course."
With a thankful smile at him, I walked over to Magnus's side. His eyes traveled to me. "Yes?"
"You're acting weird."
"Thanks."
I tilted my head to one side, and made my voice teasing. "Aw, our little Charity is falling in love. It doesn't seem that long ago that we were convincing her not to get mediated."
"Yes," Magnus murmured, and then looked at me. "And it seems like yesterday when we first met. It's been ten months now, Faith."
I nodded. "Yeah. Can't believe it, vampguy."
"Vampires." Magnus shook his head. "That's what we are. Charity, Sam, and I. I kind of forgot it... you make things very human for us all, Faith. Before you, Charity was lifeless-both in a sense and literally." He laughed. "And I was worse."
"Worse?" I asked.
"Haven't you ever wondered why Charity watched us so carefully at first? Why I had so little control that night? You've never seen Charity like that, have you?"
"No," I admitted. Then it dawned on me. "Magnus...?"
"I hunted humans," he admitted slowly. "The donor program was very new..."
"Nonono," I said quickly, laying a hand on his arm. "I understand. Perfectly."
Magnus watched me for a moment. "May I give you your birthday present?" He asked suddenly.
I smiled shyly. "You didn't have t-"
Before I knew what was happening, he was dragging me away to a more secluded place. A case was in his hand, black and velvet. Now, any girl knows what that means.
Jewelry!
And boy, was I right.
My eyes widened as Magnus opened the case. "Magnus!" I cried. "It's gorgeous!"
For in the case was a necklace. It had a single stone, a huge emerald with tiny diamonds around the edge, matching my eyes.
"It's meaningful to me," Magnus admitted as he helped me out with the necklace. "I was about to give it to Isa-" He cut himself off, looking confused.
"Who?" I asked, having a feeling that Isa-whoever was a midevial maiden. But something wasn't right. Magnus had only loved Rowena in ye days of olde, right.
"I don't know," he said quickly. "Slip of the tongue, I guess."
"You said-"
Now it was my turn to go silent as I stared into the air.
"Magnus, what are you hiding from me?" I laughed. The vampire grinned, showing sharp white fangs. But he would never hurt me.
"Just be patient, m'dear," he murmured into my hair. I leaned my head back, closing my eyes at the touch of his icy breath. What was so frightening to other captivated me.
"We could have forever, you know," I sighed. Magnus tensed.
"No."
"No what?" I asked in a dazed tone.
"I didn't say anything," Magnus assured me.
"Really?"
"Yes."
"Then wha-"
At that exact moment, my cell-phone began to ring wildly(as you all know 'The Monster Mash') and I picked it up after seeing it was Nick's number.
"Yeah?" I asked quickly.
"Faith," Nick panted. "Mom's in labor!"
xxx
EEEK!!!! OK: Boy or girl? What happened in Faith's vision?