Chapter 7
Lucus
Selena kept checking on me to make sure I was ok. Damn. The first night I meet her, I have to be taken down by some punk ass big shot. "Are you sure your ok?" She asked me again. "I'm fine Hun." I smiled at her. I was about to kiss her for the third time this night when Vick once again interrupted.
"Hey! Where in the hell have you been?" I heard him yell from the distance. Selena didn't recognize his voice and spun around, knife in hand. She was about to attack him when she realized who he was. "Oh. It's just you." She said, relaxing only a little. Vick looked at me then his gaze shifted to the hole in the front of my black shirt where Jet's weapon had pierced me.
"What happened?" Vick asked completely seriously. Selena gave him a detailed description of everything that had happened while he was AWOL.
When she finished talking, he managed to ask who Jet was just before his phone started ringing. When he answered the phone and his face lit up, I knew that it had to be good news on the other line. Then his expression hardened. Uh-oh.
He shut his phone and tried to calm down. After a few minutes of me and Selena just listening to his ragged breathing, he finally turned to face us. "Nikki's home. Andrew's there. Someone named Alejandro attacked Marie. And Michael's back and he stronger and badder then ever. We have to get home." He said as he started walking swiftly towards our house.
Finding our house was the easy part, I just didn't know how to introduce Selena to everyone. I mean, I'm a shy dude and now I am walking in to the house with this gorgeous girl on my arm.
Feeling my nervousness, Selena gripped my arm a little tighter, giving me that heart warming smile she gave me when she had asked for my phone number. God she was gorgeous.
We reached the front steps and I took a deep breath. I bent to kiss her on the cheek just as the door opened and Monah looked out at us beaming. "Well it's about time we see Lucus with a girl again." She said, causing me to blush a deep dark pink as we entered through the door way.
The guy who was next to Nikki was definitely Andrew, and I couldn't believe when I saw Seth. I did a double take and stepped back. Seth grinned at me and held his hand up for me to shake. "Seth. It's been a while. How are you?" I asked him. It seemed unreal. I mean, Seth and Monah were close when they were young. I met them bother when their little brother died. It was a tragic family event and I believe it was the only time I had ever seen Monah cry. Although she'd probably deny it now.
"I'm going to apologize before you decided to tear my head off." Andrew said kindly. I laughed at him a shook my head. "It's fine. I understand what you did was to keep her from getting even more mad at me. I'm sure she would have wanted to kill me if I would have showed up unannounced. Although I thought you would have liked the help when Michael showed up and I appreciate you keeping her safe for me. Thank you." I said in one huge breath.
"Ok. Everyone's all happy. Yay. Everyone's home safe and sound. Now, we need to figure out what we're going to do." Ruby said, suddenly sounding a lot older then she was. We all looked at her. Marie, however, beamed at her with pride. Whether or not Marie would like to admit it, she loved that little girl to death.
"Wait... Where's Damien?" Amanda asked frantically thinking of him now. "Well who was the last one to see him?" I asked. "He left with Alejandro..." Monah said softly. SHIT! This can't be good.
"Well where were they headed? And why did you guys let ONE person go with someone who attacked Marie?" I asked totally dumbfounded that they had overlooked to possibility that he was a dangerous risk.
"He was only mad that he got rejected. We didn't think he would hurt Damien.. I mean.. Amanda, call his cell." Marie said a little too late because Amanda already had the phone out and she had it on speaker phone. When no one answered Amanda's face went white. This can't be good.
Alejandro
Damien drove very well actually. And he seemed to be a pretty cool person. "So, why do you think Marie rejected me? I mean aren't I hot?" I asked just before I realized exactly how that question sounded.
Damien laughed and glanced at me. "Dude, I am not at liberty to discuss you looks. I'm one-hundred percent straight." I looked straight ahead kind of embarrassed. Suddenly there was a guy in the middle of the street. "DUDE LOOK OUT!" I yelled. Damien pulled the wheel of the big hummer just in time to go drifting.
My adrenaline was pumping as the huge car barley came to a stop in front of the stupid ass that was standing in the street.
Quickly he reached Damien's side of the door. Pulling him out, and without even breaking a sweat he threw Damien clean across the street.
Damien hit the ground very hard. And for a minute he wasn't moving. Then things shifted. Damien jumped on his feet and started summoning his power. The green light glowed around him. Almost as green as my florescent eyes. Almost.
With a flip of his wrist, Damien sent a ball full of power straight at the guy in the street. But, even though I couldn't believe what I was seeing, the energy only made him stumble back a few feet. What the hell was he?
"You power is no match for mine. Don't you know that." The guy spoke. His voice held so much power. So much power that I wanted. A sudden greed came over me. Hell I was tired of being just a shape-shifter. I wanted to have magic powers too. And this guy seemed to be my ticket to ultimate power. Jackpot.
"You can't kill me and I know you won't because the Royals will send their 'hounds' after you. What I am curious to know is why you take pleasure in messing with us. We've done nothing to you. Just because you cant get over-" Damien was saying. Before he could finish his sentence, the guy had came up to him and picked him up again. Then, as if in Damien was a pillow, he flung in at the hummer. Damien landed hard on the windshield of the vehicle. Ouch.
The windshield cracked from the weight of Damien's limp body. Shit. He must have a god damn concussion. Uh-oh.
The bad ass dude came over and pulled me out of the car. He stood there, studying me for a minute. Satisfied with something he saw, he released me and smiled. "You hate Marie. How would you like revenge against the whole messed up family?" He asked me. I stood there for a minute. I mean, Seth was a friend and I mean... Damien wasn't that bad of a person, but I wanted power. "Yea. Bitch rejected me." Then, as if in I though it would help, I shifted back to my original body. The dude seemed very happy and impressed that I was a shape shifter. "You are going to help me get my revenge on them. Name's Michael." He said, shaking my hand.
Unsure of what to say, I shook his hand as well. "Alejandro." Then, like fricken clockwork my god damn phone went off. I saw amusement flash through Michael's eyes as my 'Alejandro' ring tone went off again. "Hello?" I said. Then as soon as I heard Andrew's voice, I knew that he knew I was doing something considered wrong. "Where are you man?" He asked in a very peculiar voice. "I have a life Andrew. And yours is about to end. I know everything. I know your Sister is Nikki. You might want to teach you man Damien here to check up on the people he decides to trust. I mean come on. I attack that stupid bitch friend of yours and he decides to let me in on your whole family. Wow." I said with a tone that would have gotten me a well deserved beating from him. Well it didn't matter anyways. I'd have powers soon and he would be the one getting the beating.
Before he could say anything, Michael took the phone from me and threw it in the air. When it was half way down, he threw a ball of energy similar to the one Damien threw at him. It hit my phone and incinerated it in mid air.
I stood there gawking as the burned piece of plastic hit the ground. "They know how to track phones. If that friend you were talking to is Nikki's brother, then I met him not too long ago. He's a aggressive little sucker ain't he?" Michael asked slightly amused again. This information caught my attention. "Where did he say he was going? I'm pretty sure he wasn't in the alley when he called me. I could sense at least seven other spirits with him. So at least seven people are there." I said, trying to be helpful to the guy with powers.
He nodded and thought for a few minutes. Finally, Damien started to come to on the hood of the hummer. Michael picked him up and helped him to stand right. When he realized that it was Michael helping him, he jumped back and was about to summon his power with Michael spoke. "Don't even think about it. Just go on home to your little friends. Tell them that I'd sleep with one eye open."
Then Michael beckoned for me to follow him and without looking at Damien, I did. I don't think I could have looked back at Damien just then. I mean, he was trying to help me when he gave me a ride home, I could have just helped Damien instead of wanting all that power, but come on. Power beats friendship any day. Besides when I'm all mighty and powerful, I won't need friends.
Suddenly before I could shut up I decided we could use some help. " I know someone who has a personal grudge against Lucus and would probably be willing to help." Michael turned to me with a very odd glisten in his eye and a twisted grin upon his lips. "He would be?" He asked me.
Now I knew Jet. I had followed him for years. When I befriended Andrew and I found out what that ass did to him, I held a grudge again him. But after I realized that he had power and he was as bad-ass as me, I decided to make him an allie.
I led Michael to where Jet usually hang out. It was an old alley the was near a park where little kids hung out. That way when Jet wanted a snack he could just send Miles or John to go get him a helpless little kid. I mean it was disgusting to watch them literally suck the life out of the little kids, but it was their nature.
Finding the alley in the dark was a little difficult, but I found it. Of course, he was on his toes since the threat I gave him earlier that day. "Hello my friend." I said, stepping out of the shadows. Jet jumped and whipped around to face me. John, his brother, and Miles we both at his side now.
I glanced back and that was Michael's cue to step out of the shadows. They all three took a step back. Jet sniffed the air then gazed at Michael in wonder. "Your a vampire yet you reek of witch, warlock and I think a little of pixie. What are you?" He spoke in awe.
Weird. "Where I got my scent and why I'm as powerful as I am is nothing you should worry about too much." Michael said. His voice held such a thundering note that no one knew what to say afterwords.
After a few moment's of silence, Jet's smart ass attitude came around. "So what in the hell do you want?" Michael looked at me and I shook my head. He turned back to Jet. "Well dumb ass. I heard that you have a personal grudge against Lucus. Wish for a chance at revenge?" Jet's eyes seemed to light up. "Hell yes."
I heard a rustle of something, and so did everyone else. "What was that?" Michael asked, peering around us into the dark. We all looked around, wondering if we were being watched. "This is ridiculous." Miles said suddenly, turning our attention to him.
"What is? Revenge?" Jet asked him. Jet knew better then anyone that Miles loved revenge. With a passion. His whole life revolved around vengeance. "No, the fact that we are going to trust some ass that messed with us earlier today and his all mighty and powerful friend dude that no one knows." I hate to admit it, but he sounded logical. And if Jet was smart, he'd agree. Jet however, was like me. He loved power and he knew how to get it and Michael... Michael knew how to give it.
"Shut up. We ain't breaking any rules technically so we're good. If your too much of a girl to help me get revenge on the ass then fine. Run home with my bother to mommy." Jet answered. John hadn't said anything since we got there. He merely stood and stared at Michael. It was kind of creepy now that I mention it. I mean, he wasn't even blinking. Stalker much?
"I don't plan on going home. You are my brother so I am forced to stand by your side with whatever stupid decision you make. However, I'm kind of interested on how you three plan on taking down a family of about eight. It's rather interesting." John said for the first time. Now Michael had something to share. "My man Alejandro here is going to shape shift into one of them while they are out. All we need is something to prove that they have broken a law and we'll let the Royals take care of our dirty work." He said.
Everyone turned to gawk at me now. The weird shape shifter. Ugh. Sometimes being unique is so hard. "So your idea is just to give them a death sentence? What about torture? What about inflicting emotional pain?" Miles asked. Wow he really did like vengeance.
Michael shook his head and tsked at him. "Well idiot. What do you think will happen if say we capture one of them and torture them for a period of weeks?" Michael asked Miles. "I'd have fun." Miles replied with a wicked grin on his face. "Yes, I don't disagree with that, but in the end, the Royals will have is killed. Then what do we gain from it all? Death? Is it worth it?" Michael countered. Miles stayed quiet and we knew who wont the conversation.
"Fine. Fine. I get you. So how do you assume we get Alejandro over there in the house without them knowing it's him?" Miles asked.
"Easy. I've been watching Jet for the past five years. I know exactly how and what he's thinking about. Right now he's thinking about Lucus's dead body." I saw Jet flinch which let me know that I was right. "All I have to do is watch one of them for a few days and I'll be able to swing it." I continued.
Michael looked pleased with my answer to Miles's question. Finally we all came together. We were going to have daily meetings and we had to be sure that no one saw us together unless it was at night.
"Good. So we're all going to meet here again tomorrow night at exactly mid-night." Jet confirmed. Michael gave a short nod and departed. As did I.
Annabelle
I saw them leave. Thanking god that they hadn't heard me. My heart literally stopped when the Michael dude asked what the noise was. When everyone had left, I came out of my hiding space in the old abandoned building that was to the left of their meeting area.
My heart was pounding so loudly it was amazing that they hadn't heard it. I was damn lucky that that Miles guy spoke when he did or I would have been dead meat. I waited a good ten maybe fifteen minutes before exiting my hiding space. There was no way I wanted any of them to know that I was in the wrong place at the wrong time. But what am I supposed to do now? Alejandro was no longer going to let me be around him when all he worried about was getting this immense power and Andrew had gone AWOL with his sister. Where am I supposed to go? I hated facing the reality of the situation but thanks to my inconvenient timing I was left with very few options. One I could go to Andrew and try to blend in with his family but Andrew and I weren't exactly friends. I knew that him and Alejandro were close but now I'm not so sure they are even on the same side anymore.
I sat there on the sidewalk thinking of what to do when I heard footsteps approaching from a distance. I acted normal but when the stopped right beside me I knew that I was caught. "Isn't it a nice night?" The man behind me said. By his tone I could tell that he was smiling, but I didn't relax just yet. "yea." I answered distantly hoping that he'd just go away. The guy called Miles sat down next to me. I recognized him almost instantly and I froze. Damn. I've been caught. Well there was no way I was going down without a fight. "Now now no need to get all the fire in your eyes I have no intention of getting you in trouble. I merely don't want a nice girl like you to get hurt over a mistake or a wrong place wrong time situation." He said defensively. I tried not to smile when he said I was nice but I judging by t he expression he had on his I figured I must of let him in on the secret thoughts.
"I'm Annabelle." I said introducing myself to him as I extended my arm to shake his hand. "Miles." He answered taking my hand in his he brought it up to his lips where he planted a sweet yet innocent kiss of kindness. I could feel my cheeks warming as my blood ran up my skin to make two perfect pink circles. Damn I was blushing. Miles looked at me and smiled. I scooted over and he sat next to me. Close enough that I could swear I were in his lap but I wasn't. I could feel his heart beating because his and mine were pressed closely together since he refused to put any distance between us. Not that I was complaining or anything.
"So..." Miles said taking a deep breath. Out of the corner of my eyes I watched as his chestnut colored chest rose and fell with his intake of breath. He was built pretty good and the thing that fascinated me most was I had no idea what kind of being he was. You could say that he awoke in me an infinite curiosity that I was dying to play with. I kept sneaking glances at him wondering what I should say to him but I didn't know anything he was interested in or what he liked to talk about or anything. I hadn't been this nervous about talking to a boy since I was a teenager. Blah. "So, what were you doing there in that hiding spot of yours?" Miles asked breaking the incredibly long silence that had overcome the air. "I was following Alejandro." I said casually. "I wanted to make sure he wasn't getting himself into any trouble." Miles seemed to stiffen at the sound of Alex's name. I waited for him to ask because I knew the question was coming. "Alejandro is you boyfriend?" He asked a little quietly. I laughed a little and shook my had. "No, hes more like a brother then anything else." Miles smiled at that and tried to change t he subject my asking me about my family and my past history as a vampire. He wanted to know t he things I had done and the people I had known. When things started getting personal I started asking him about his family too. I was surprised when he told me that he and his family were still close. He had to be mortal if he was close to his family because any being is forbidden to be apart of a mortal family. The Royals themselves had banned it when a vampire killed his mortal family one night when he had ignored his thirst.
The Royals have a lot of rules that thousands disagreed with but there was nothing we could do about it. The only possible way that us city beings could every stand up to them and win our rights back was if we all worked together but as you can tell there aren't really big groups of us hanging around. Me and Alex hung around and even then we usually weren't together. Many times we had added a third person to the group and it almost always ended the same way, we left person number three or he/she left us. It was just bound to happen. The only reason that me and Alex could bond is because we had managed to get to know each other enough to know where the other would be if we ever fought or ever got hurt. Its like we each had out own safe place and our enemies didn't know that our safe house existed. I guess that's the good thing right? You never want your enemy knowing where your safe house is. It kind defeats the whole purpose of calling it a safe house.
After a while Mile's and I ran out of things to talk about so we just sat there in silence. It was kind of peaceful hearing the crickets and the owls making noise in a perfect harmony. "This is nice." Miles said quietly. I smiled at his sensitive grin that took over his face.
He was quite the catch too. But I didn't want him knowing that. Shesh if every guy knew if they were the perfect catch they'd play with your hearts until it stops beating. I leaned back against the post of which held the stop sign up. "Now who do we have here?" I heard a voice from behind up chuckle. Miles got stiff as did I.