Stevie Rae wasn't sure which hurt more, the gaping hole in her chest; or the fact that Aphrodite was so appalled that they'd imprinted. A logical person would think the first reason; getting shot with an arrow would defiantly rank higher. But watching someone openly detest a bond they have with you was a little worse. In her opinion anyway.
A sharp, hot, pain filled Stevie's chest at that moment; she gritted her teeth and felt sweat trail down her temple. A wave of nausea came over her as her chest was wiped with a cloth. A burning, damp one at that; the scent of disinfected wafted into her nose.
A groan escaped her lips and she slowly opened her eyes, only to see the whole room staring back at her.
Great. Just what she needed; her friends and fellow fledglings looking on as she got her chest sewn back together.
Stevie opened her eyes fully and went to look at Aphrodite; the girl was seated on a stool, wine bottle in hand, acting like she was somewhere other than here.
Here being the tunnels under Tulsa.
"Priestess?" Darius, the Son of Erebus Warrior/Medic, asked her.
She looked away from Aphrodite to meet the heavy gaze of the young man in front of her.
Darius wasn't that old, maybe in his early twenties, she didn't get why he talked so eloquently. Maybe Warrior training came with a free set of etiquette lessons?
A small, hysterical-like, giggle slipped from her lips; followed by a burning, needle-like pain between her breasts. She sucked in a deep breath and gritted her teeth.
Laughing, not so good when you've just been shot with an arrow.
"Priestess, are you with us?" Darius asked, his green eyes filled with concern. His thick, arched brows were furrowed and his thin lips were pressed into a stressed line.
Stevie Rae swallowed thickly, with a stuttering breath she said, "Y—you don't . . . have to call . . . me that." Her voice sounded so weak, barely above a whisper. It was dry and her throat was scratchy; probably from all the screaming she'd done not thirty minutes before.
"He means your wound, honey." Zoey said from her spot across the room. She and the rest of the gang were pressed against the wall; as if waiting for a monster to pop out and eat them.
Damien and Jack were wrapped up in each other, Jack's head on Damien's shoulder; Damien looking teary eyed and tired.
The Twins were holding hands and the laughter that had been spread across their faces was gone. Replaced by sullen looks.
The rest of the red fledglings were silent, almost antsy, they weren't used to this many people down here. Stevie couldn't blame them.
"I—I just . . . got shot . . . ." Stevie Rae took a strained breath, "With a—an arrow. H—h—how do you . . . think I feel?" The words would've been rude but because she was so weak they sounded more pathetic than anything else.
"Priestess," Darius's voice had her turning her head to face him, "I've cleaned the wound and will secure it with gauze." He picked up a bundle of white cloth from the first aid kit beside him.
"Zoey, would you please assist me?" He asked, looking at the fledgling who was biting her lip and shifting her feet.
"S—sure." Zoey gulped and walked over to sit next to Stevie's right side, "This shouldn't be too hard, right." She gave Stevie a weak smile, her hazel eyes filled with worry.
I'm the one who almost died and she's worried?
The thought passed through her mind just as Darius gave Zoey the first line of gauze. She began to slowly wrap it around Stevie while Darius held the bundle.
Stevie Rae closed her eyes, wishing she was somewhere else. Anywhere but in a tunnel under Tulsa while a horde of half-man-half-bird things tore up the city.
"Hey, Z." Damien said, Stevie couldn't see him but she could hear the nervous twinge in his words, "I think me and Jack will go look for something to eat."
"Y—yeah," Jack's voice squeaked, "might as well try to scrounge up some food while we're down here."
"I'll show them to the kitchen." Venus volunteered. Odd considering she mostly kept to herself and rarely spoke to anyone outside their little group.
Stevie heard their feet trail out of the room; their voices hushed and somber.
"There, all done." Zoey's voice made Stevie Rae open her eyes, she turned to see her friend smiling.
"Wasn't so bad, huh?" She asked, her hand resting on Stevie's bare shoulder.
Stevie Rae looked down and saw a wrap that started from the top of her breasts all the way down to her rib cage. At least her boobs were covered.
"Better than before." Stevie rasped as she leaned back against the pillows, her head suddenly feeling light.
Zoey took her hand from Stevie's shoulder, "I'll get you a shirt." She got up from the bed, pausing, "Want some more blood and wine?"
"Blood, no wine." Stevie answered. The wine made the blood taste sweeter than it was.
Zoey nodded and turned to walk toward the dresser that was in the left hand corner of the room. She rummaged through the drawers till she found a shirt. She went back over to Stevie and handed it to her.
It was a black, low V-neck shirt. Not Captain America but it would work.
Darius helped her into the shirt, even as gentle as she was being, small, sharp pulls still went through her chest.
When the shirt was finally on—only a little bit of queasiness from doing so—Stevie leaned back against the pillows.
"Here." Zoey held out a clear glass of blood, the sides of it stained red.
Stevie took it and brought it to her lips; the warm, metallic scent filling her nostrils. Her mouth started to water and the hair on her neck stood up.
She took a large gulp, almost draining the glass; the blood hitting her tongue in short, prickly bursts. The salty, penny-like flavor to it made her bit back a moan.
She pulled back from the cup, it was almost empty, and licked her lips.
Already the pain in her chest started to ebb and her mind felt clearer, more alert. Breathing didn't hurt as much now.
"Can I have more?" Her voice clearer, stronger.
"Yes." Darius took the glass from her, a polite smile on his face.
He smiles? Stevie thought, she'd always thought Warriors never smiled.
As Darius went to go refill her glass; Zoey talked quietly with the Twins; and the red fledglings milled out of the room, Stevie Rae could feel eyes on her.
She turned to her left and saw Aphrodite looking at her, a strange, off expression on her face. Her blue eyes were a bit unfocused, her pink, blossom lips parted slightly. She looked confused? Worried? Stevie Rae couldn't tell.
"Yes?" Stevie Rae asked, her tone neutral. She was still annoyed with the blonde but she wasn't going to let her know that.
"Nothing." Aphrodite sneered, her lip hitching up and her eye narrowing. She turned around and took a long pull from the wine bottle.
Stevie sighed and looked away from her; if only she could be as indifferent about this imprint too.
Darius came back with the glass, refilled to the brim, and handed it to Stevie Rae.
"Thank you." She said as she took a sip, she had to savor it; who knew when she'd be able to get more.
"You are welcome, Priestess." He gave her a kind smile.
Apparently he wasn't going to drop the 'Priestess' title anytime soon.
She'd talk to him about it later. She wasn't a High Priestess, not even close. She was just given the role because she looked the part.
"Okay, we're back!" Jack's voice sounded from the doorway, he was smiling brightly and holding an armful of food.
"I can't believe you have fridges down here." Damien exclaimed as he walked into the room after his boyfriend.
"And two of them!" He continued as he put down a stack of wrapped sandwiches on the top of the dresser.
"Well, the other was filled with, uh, blood." Jack said, his voice hushed as if he was telling a secret.
"But, I mean, there's water, soda, juice, heck, even beer!" Damien added, his brown eyes wide, "How did you get all this stuff down here?"
Stevie Rae opened her mouth to answer but Aphrodite beat her to it.
"Hello, how do you think they got all that crap here?" She raised an eyebrow, her lips turned down in a frown, "Her and her little band of misfits stole from the grocery store." Her eyes went from Damien to Stevie Rae.
Stevie could feel Aphrodite's eyes burn a hole through her head; she peeked to see the blonde giving her a nasty look.
"What?" Zoey asked, her voice shocked.
Stevie lifted her eyes from Aphrodite to look at the other girl, "What? We had to or else we would've starved."
"But stealing? That's wrong, Stevie Rae."
"I know, and I felt bad about it but . . . we had to, Zoey. We don't have any means to get by right now. It was either steal or die." She explained.
Stevie Rae would rather take hundreds of dollars' worth of food than slowly die of starvation.
"Theft aside," Damien cut in, "it is really amazing how you managed to get all this stuff down here."
"Yeah, you guys even have showers and stuff." Jack piped in.
"Showers?" The Twins gasped, both girls were leaning against the wall, whispering to one another.
"Yeah, actual running showers. With hot water and everything!"
"Oh my Goddess, and here I thought we'd have to rot in our own filth!" Shaunee gave a sigh of relief, hand on her heart.
"Rot? I was going to just lick myself clean, Twin!" Erin said with a look of pure joy on her face.
"So, where are the showers?" Zoey asked, clearly ignoring the Twins.
"On the first floor of the depot, in the locker rooms." Damien answered.
"Alright, good. We'll eat and then some of us can get cleaned up and then we'll rest." She instructed.
Soon Stevie Rae's little room was again filled with people; all sitting on either the floor, a spare chair, or her bed. Some were leaned against the wall. The red fledgling had come back and were a little off to the side, keeping to themselves but not fully detached from the group.
Everyone was eating sandwiches—either ham and cheese; tuna salad; PB and J, or bologna with ketchup—and eating chips. It made things feel a little normal, well as normal as it was for teenagers to be hiding in tunnels.
Stevie Rae looked over at Aphrodite, who was on her second bottle of wine and nibbling on a ham sandwich.
Stevie let out a quiet sigh, feeling a weight on her shoulders. Would Aphrodite just ignore her till their imprint was broken? Possibly.
When they had all finished eating Zoey directed everyone to go to bed or guard the door that lead up to the basement. She gave Stevie Rae a parting smile before leaving the room with the Twins.
It was just her and Aphrodite.
Stevie Rae looked over at her, the wine had been taken from her and she was drinking from a bottle of water.
"I don't think one water bottle will be enough to curb a hangover." Stevie Rae said dryly.
Aphrodite stopped drinking and looked at her, her body swaying lightly. She rolled her eyes and sneered.
"Hangovers are for poor people." She said, her words choppy and slurred.
"I'm just saying, you've had a lot to drink."
"You—you don't know anything." Aphrodite pointed woozily at her, a hiccup popping out of her mouth.
"Not true, but okay." She shrugged.
Aphrodite snorted which turned into a burp, "Yes it is. You don't even know how bad this imprint is."
"I don't?" Stevie Rae furrowed her eyebrows, "I don't know what an imprint can do to a vampyer and a human? Then, tell me, Miss Perfect." Her voice was sharp, the annoyance from earlier bubbling in her stomach.
Aphrodite stood up from her stood, she stumbled but regained her balance. She took an uneasy step toward Stevie Rae, "I will. It's bad for me because I'm connected to you! Little Miss Goody-Goody, ugh, like I want that! No thanks.
"Now I have to feel everything you're feeling and it—it sucks! Now I'm just some human blood bag for you to snack on whenever you're thirsty! Okay, I'm—I'm just some—some play toy for you to use when you're bored!" Her voice was wavering.
With every word Aphrodite took a step toward Stevie Rae's bed till she was sitting on it. She was sitting in front of Stevie Rae, anger and pain clear in her wine- filled eyes.
Stevie Rae bit her lip, looking down at her hands. She hadn't known Aphrodite had felt that way. And she should've; imprinting with a vampyer wasn't the highlight of a human's life. It was the downfall.
"Aphrodite." Stevie started.
"N—no, no, d-don't say whatever you're gonna say." Aphrodite shook her head sloppily, "'Cause I—I'm right." She poked Stevie Rae's shoulder, "You're just gonna use me like everyone else."
Stevie Rae looked up to see Aphrodite's eyes fill with tears, her cheeks were red and her bottom lip wobbled.
"Hey," Stevie Rae said softly, soothingly, "that's not going to happen, Aphrodite. I'd never do that to you."
("I'd never let something like that get between us." She'd said as her fingers had trailed up Stevie's bare back.)
"Y—you say that, but, like, it's gonna." She sniffed and ran a hand through her tussled hair, "I know how I am. I'm—I'm me. And I get thrown away when people are done with me."
"And—and that's what you're gonna do." She hiccupped, the scent of wine burning in the air between them.
("I'm just a pretty face that no one really wants."
"I do. I want you.")
"No, I'm not. I'd never do that to you." Stevie Rae assured, she met Aphrodite's eyes, "I know imprints aren't the best thing and I'd much rather not have it. But that doesn't mean that I . . . ." She bit her lip.
"What?" Aphrodite's voice was quiet, tears staining her cheeks.
Stevie Rae swallowed, she looked at her hands, "T-that I don't . . . ." She looked back at Aphrodite, her eyes on Stevie's face.
"I don't want you." She finished, the weight lifting off her shoulders.
Aphrodite swallowed loudly, her teeth sinking into her bottom lip, "Why? Why me?"
"Because—because you . . . you're so . . . ."
("You're kind, you can't deny that for a second. You care for people but you're also scared of being hurt by them. You put up these walls, put on this mask that makes people afraid of you. Hate you. So that way they won't get close to you and hurt you. You're scared to show this real side of you because you think people wouldn't like it. Like you. Or because they'll like you and then leave you forever. You're afraid to be alone so you push people away before they can do it to you. You think being rude and horrid will get you what you want because you were raised that way. You think if you lock up your heart then no one will break it. You think being alone will keep you from being lonely.")
"You're . . . you. You're Aphrodite. That's why I want you." Stevie Rae answered, her hands moving to clasp the other girl's.
Aphrodite let out a whimper, "O-okay. Okay."
Stevie Rae smiled and kissed the tops of Aphrodite's knuckles, "I love you."
"Me too. I—I mean, I l-love you."
Stevie Rae laughed and winced; Aphrodite pulled her hands away and gave a look of concern.
"F-fine. I'm—I'm okay." Stevie Rae gasped. Her chest burned.
"A-are you sure, I-I should get Darius." Aphrodite stood up from the bed only to sit back down as she let out a woozy moan.
"No, seriously, it's okay. I'm fine."
"You got shot, Stevie." Aphrodite argued, her face was a bit pale. Stevie didn't know if it was from the alcohol or the fact that she was right.
"I know, and I'll deal with it later. Right now I think you need to sleep." She answered lightly.
Aphrodite let out a tired sigh and crawled onto the bed, sitting beside Stevie Rae.
Stevie Rae laid down next to her and took her hand; Aphrodite turned her head to look at Stevie.
Both girls smiled at each other.
The hole in Stevie Rae's chest didn't seem so big now.
A/N: This is just something I thought up and wanted to share it. Hope you liked it :) Please leave a review :)