Spring Dance Book 1

by SupremeEpicHeavyMetalSince1977

Tenebrae is a Goth. She was forced to lead a life that isn't worth living. After being forced to attend the Spring Dance, she finds herself drawn towards Demetri Cicada, the hottest guy in school. But, Demetri's hiding a secret he isn't proud of.

Chapter 1

Spring Dance. It's supposed to be the one of the greatest times of your teenage life, right? Well, not for me. Single, covered in punch and wearing a dress which my Mom forced me to wear. It's a pink, fluffy sleeved, tutu dress which reaches the floor and it also shows most of my cleavage which I'm not happy about. The boys' are making jokes about me because of the punch and because I'm a Goth who is wearing a stupid pink dress. It wasn't my idea in the first place to come to the spring dance anyway. I wanted to stay at home and listen to Slipknot all night and some other heavy metal bands. But, yet again, my Mom forced me. She said that I'm going because it's the last chance I get to see any of my friends and to socialize.

I go to the bathroom in the Gym because it has a shower and I have supplies hidden away in there. I left my black simple, long sleeved dress, black biker boots and my Goth make-up in there two weeks ago, knowing my Mom will force me to come to this stupid excuse of socializing and getting a last chance to get laid before parting ways. As I turn the corner, I see Demetri beginning to chase after me before being stopped by this girl who has a huge crush on him and forces him to dance. A lot of forcefulness tonight, hey?

Demetri Cicada is the Quarterback from our football team. He has dark charcoal hair with bleach blond streaks, deep, sharp blue eyes and handsome- almost chiseled- features. He was graceful, fast and alluring. He can seduce any girl who is willing to be seduced. Every girl desires him, well, every girl apart from me. Something about him makes me disgust him even more than when I did first see him at the start of the last year. He was only here for the year and he has seduced most of the girls in the grade. I don't know what it is about him that makes me hate him or disgust him, I just do and I don't want to find out.

I pick up my pace before he escapes from dancing with the girl and lock the girls' changing room behind me. I open up my locker and get out my stuff. Entering the shower, I hear footsteps outside in the corridor, pacing back and forth in front of the girls' changing rooms. I turn on the shower, wanting to block out the pacing. Why is he after me? We haven't even spoken to each other for most of the semesters we had classes together in. Only two words and that was it. Why was he after me now?

After drying myself, I put on my simple black long dress, a Spikes necklace, my make-up and I feel like my old self. My Mom isn't going to be too impressed but why should I care? After all, it is my spring dance night whether I wanted to come or not. There are footsteps outside in the corridor again but not flat soled shoes, high heeled shoes. I shove my old stuff back in my locker and walk out of the girls' changing room. Angelica was storming towards the exit.

"What's the matter, Angelica? Lost something?" There was indeed an offensive pun intended there. Angelica stops and glares at me.

"No, of course not. I've been waiting to use the bathroom but you had locked the door. Now move out of the way." Shoving past me, she goes in and heads towards the toilets. I cautiously enter the hall where everyone was slow dancing. I see no sign of Demetri thankfully. I keep to the shadows against the wall and slowly make my way towards the exit which leads to the car park. God dammit! My Mom's picking me up, isn't she? Still, I head towards there.

"Tenebrae!" I hear my name being shouted. Please don't let it be Demetri. I turn on my heel and I see Daniel coming towards me.

"What do you want, Daniel?" I ask him as kindly as I can. He knows that if I try to ask nicely or kindly, I'm in a rush.

"I'm just wondering where you're going. So, where are you going?" He tucks his hands in his pockets. Daniel Calisher has dark brown hair which hung just past his ears, green eyes and a dark tan. My best friend.

"Out to the car park. Why are you wondering?"

"Because I want a fag. Come on or else, I'm going to get caught." He hurries towards the car park. When I enter the car park, he was already half way through his cigarette. "Where did you disappear to? I couldn't see you."

"I went to the gym to change because I had punch spilt all over me."

"Why did you have punch all over you?"

"Toby and his gang decided it would be funny to spill all their punch over me. They laughed at me when I just stood there, doing nothing. They also stared at my breasts which isn't a surprise. So, yeah. I went to change into something better."

"Bastards." He turns sharply towards the doors; I place a hand on his arm.

"Don't do anything, Daniel. Look, I know you want to do payback but I don't want you to. After tonight, I won't have to see them anymore, will I?"

"You'll be living in the same town as they will be, as we all will be. You'll see them again and they'll do anything just to make you more miserable than you are now."

"No, I won't. I've been waiting to tell you at a good time but you've put me into the position where I'll have to tell you now."

"Tell me then."

"I'm moving away."

"Where to? Did you want to move willingly?"

"I'm moving to the other side of the state. And yes, I do want to move. I need to leave my past here. I don't want to leave you here but I have to. Too many bad memories and I want to get away from my Mom and everyone else."

"Including me?"

"No. Not including you."

"Why so soon? Can't you wait until a month after tonight?"

"I just want to get away from everyone and everything."

"Tenebrae, please hold it off."

"Why should I? So everyone can torture me?"

"No because I want to spend more time with you."

"We spend enough time now. I don't see how we can spend more time with each other." I cross my arms and look towards the darkness through the trees. Yes, the school is next to a forest and on the other side of the forest is a graveyard.

"I love you." I shake my head and snap my attention back to him.

"I'm sorry, I think I must've miss heard you."

"You didn't. Tenebrae, I love you and that's why I want to spend more time with you. I'm scared of losing you." He takes my hand and kisses my knuckles.

"Daniel, I don't feel the same way. I'm sorry but I only see you as a friend."

"I don't care about that. I just want you to be near me." He smiles and I shake my head, taking my hand away from him.

"No, I'm moving away, I don't love you and… and…" I run off towards the forest.

"Don't go in there!" He shouts, chasing after me.

I trip over a root and I can't hear him coming. "Where are you? It's dangerous in here." I can hear him shouting still.

"Leave me alone! Go back to the spring dance. I'm going home." I stand up and lean against a tree to regain my balance.

"Not until I know you're safe." He's coming closer and he knows it.

"Daniel Calisher! Tenebrae Amethyst! Come back here now!" Miss Lawrence shouts from what I suspect is the doors.

"Miss, Tenebrae's missing though." He trudges back towards the school.

"Where?"

"In the forest. I can't leave without her."

"Daniel, just go back in. We cannot go looking for anyone who is lost in the woods because we don't have enough torches and we will have to wait till sunrise to start looking. I'm sorry but she is going have to find her own way back."

"But miss..."

"But nothing. Now, go back in and enjoy." The doors slam shut behind them. I sigh in relief and in fear. A shiver goes through me. It's a chilly night and I've got no coat. I wrap my arms around me and start walking back the way I came.

"Stupid Daniel having to admit he loves me and goes chasing after me. If he didn't do that, I wouldn't be here, shivering and lost in the woods." I mutter snidely to myself.

Chapter 2

The moon was out and it casted silver shadows on the trees, making them look all the same. I begin to grow scared. I couldn't see any sign of the school, I could hear it but I couldn't locate it. A growl comes from behind me and then footsteps running. Please don't let it be Daniel. I turn around and I see glowing green eyes, bared teeth and fur. My heart goes into hyper-speed and I gasp in shock. That couldn't be possible. This forest isn't meant to contain wolves. It's gray and black fur stood on edge, its legs in preparation to pounce and its teeth bared in warning that I'm going to die soon.

A bark comes flying through the air and then the wolf backs down, staring at me with hungry eyes. Another wolf, pure black, lands in front of me. It growls at the gray wolf. I turn and run, more barks coming through the air. I ignore them and carry on running. I must get out of these woods or I am going to die. A hand grabs my arm and forces me against the tree. Demetri. "Get off me!" I shout at him. With inhuman strength, he keeps me against the tree, his blue eyes filled with anger. "Demetri, get off me! We have to go back to the school." The gray wolf comes trotting in behind Demetri, teeth bared again. Demetri turns his head and barks an order. That can't be possible, surely.

I kick his shins but he wouldn't move. He places his legs over mine and I couldn't do anything now. I was pinned against the tree by a man I didn't even like who was a freak. I begin to cry, failing at trying to keep the tears back.

"Tenebrae, listen to me. I'll take you back to the school but you must promise not to tell anybody that happened here. Everybody saw me race out of the gym but they don't know why. I'm going to tell them that I needed to get something from my car. You are going to say that you shouted for help and that I heard you and saved you. Got it?" Demetri tells me quickly and quietly.

"What if I don't? What if I tell them you can talk to wolves and you've got inhuman strength? What will you do to me then?"

"Nothing but 1: You are going to tell them what I've just told you and 2: No one will believe you, they'll think you've gone crazy. And if you do tell them that," An evil smile spread across his face. "I'll have to do something you will not like."

"Why did you save me? How did you know I was here?"

"I saved you because no one wants to see a loved one go missing and then find out that the person has been mauled by wolves which aren't supposed to live in this forest. I didn't want poor Daniel and your Mom to go through that."

"How did you know?"

"Let's just say it was a gut feeling." He shrugs his shoulders and turns back to the gray wolf. "Get out of here before I skin you alive, Jay." He tells it. The gray wolf departs with a final growl.

"What are you?"

"I'm a human being, just like you." He stands aside and takes off his jacket. "Here, take this. You could catch your death, standing out here." He places the jacket on my shoulders and an arm around my waist. I give his jacket- and his arm- back.

"No. I'm fine. I don't need your gratitude. Thanks anyway."

"Tenebrae, I can leave you here if you want. Let Jay eat you and let your Mom and Daniel get heart broken. Or, you can come with me, safe, warm and protected from any danger that might impose on you."

"Keep your hands to yourself, Demetri and keep your jacket. I just need to walk to get my blood pumping around." I take a few steps, unable to feel my feet made walking dangerous for me and it was dark so I couldn't see exactly where I was going. I can feel Demetri's eyes on me, waiting for me to give in. I have only the moon to see where I'm going but even that's not helpful. I still can't see anything. I reach out and lay my hand against a tree. The clouds have just blocked out the light.

"Still don't need my help?" He asks mockingly from behind me.

"It wasn't exactly help you were doing, was it? You were trying to seduce me, weren't you? I can tell you now; it isn't going to work with me."

"Of course I was helping you. I have no intentions of seducing you like I've done with the other girls. It never got any further than kissing, I promise you that. I'm saving myself like you. I know you're saving yourself."

"Too much information." I mutter, mostly to myself but he laughs. "I actually couldn't give one if it went more than kissing; I hate you and your guts."

"That's what I like to hear. Some girl who isn't swooning over me, who actually hates me. At last." He almost sings the last two words.

"You are a strange person."

"Like you." A laugh echoes throughout the trees and it wasn't his laugh.

"Who's that now?" I turn around blindly to see who it was. Demetri places a hand between my shoulder blades.

"No one. I'll ask again. Still don't need my help?"

"Fine. Please can you lead me back to the school?"

"Sure." He places my arm around his so we look like the proper spring dance couple.

"This is why I hate spring dances." I look to the sky. The stars were covered along with the moon and a snarl broke the silence again.

"Jay, I have told you." Demetri's voice broke into a snarl near the end of his sentence.

He places me on the ground against a tree. "Stay here. I'll come and get you." Demetri tells me firmly.

"No. What's wrong, Demetri?"

"Don't worry about it. Just stay here unless you want to be killed." He goes off before I can say another word. There was the sound of multiple growls and snarls then barks. There's more than one wolf here. I squint into the darkness, I can see shadows but that's about it. I can feel my heart going faster and faster by the minute. There was a roar of pain ripping through the silence. Birds flew out of the trees and a harsh wind blew briefly.

I stand up and my legs had a mind of their own. I was running and Demetri's threat sped through my mind. Just stay here unless you want to be killed. I gulp hard and pick up pace when there are sounds after me, slowly closing in. A pain shoots through my leg and I fall to the floor. Wolves circle around me, snarling, growling and hungry. I sit up and look at my leg. Deep teeth marks in my left leg, the blood was gushing out at uncontrollable speeds. The gray wolf from before, Jay, takes two steps towards me and changes into a man. Totally naked. Wonderful physique, dark gray hair and green eyes.

"Tenebrae, is that your name? I heard Demetri talking to you and I couldn't help but hunt you down so I could have a word with you myself." His voice was harsh and deep.

"Why do you want a word with me? I'm a Goth; I'm of nobody's interest." I cover my left leg with make-use bandages by ripping off the bottom of my dress.

"You are of interest to some people. You're of interest of me, certainly now that I've met you. And Daniel, of course. Poor, stupid, blind Daniel. He doesn't know what love is and then you come along in his life and suddenly, everything seems brighter. Then you have to run away from his admittance and break his heart."

"Shut up! Shut up!" I shake my head, trying to ignore all of them.

"Demetri, you're of interest to him in more ways than one." A smirk was lurking in his voice.

I carry on ignoring him. I try to stand up but one of the wolves' – a deep chestnut brown with deep chestnut brown eyes- knock me back down. "You're not going anywhere for a while, Tenebrae. So, make yourself comfortable while I question you and you will answer my questions otherwise, I'll skin you limb by limb. Alive." He reaches under the tree closest to the chestnut brown wolf and pulls out some clothes. He puts them on.

"I have to go back though. My Mom will be wondering where I am."

"Your Mom doesn't give two shakes about you. She's forgotten that you're even at the spring dance." He sits down in front of me. "Sorry about the bite though, didn't mean for it to go that deep."

I wasn't shaking because I was cold; I was shaking because I was scared. These were real life werewolves or shape-shifters or whatever. I can't believe it. Real life supernatural creatures. No one will defiantly believe me now.

"What do you want to ask me then? I don't know much so I won't be much of help." I raise my chin to show them that I wasn't scared when I really am.

"You would be much of help because the questions are mostly about you." His mouth rises up in a smile when I back away, biting back a scream.

"What's so interesting about me?"

"Everything. I- we- want to know everything about you so we will know what we can do for and to you."

"I don't like the sound of that. There's loads of other girls' in my school, go for one of them instead of me. I just want to be left alone from all of you."

"No chance of that. Question one: Why are you called 'Tenebrae Amethyst'?"

"Tenebrae is Latin for Darkness and Amethyst is my Dad's last name."

"Why Tenebrae? It's a strange name for a girl."

"Ask my Mom. She'll know. I couldn't even pronounce it until I reached high school." I turn around, looking for something which will let me know that someone is looking for me or that dawn is coming. Nothing seems different.

"Why are you here if your Mom didn't care for you?"

"She does care for me, just not much or she doesn't show it very well." Jay grabs my hands and pulls me against him. His body was overloading mine with heat even though our clothes should've stopped that.

"Would you leave your Mom forever if you had the choice?"

"No. She needs me despite her non-supportive attitude towards me."

"Jay, I said to leave or else I'll skin you alive and now, I get to skin you alive." Demetri's voice is half growl and half threat. He runs towards Jay and throws him towards a tree. I stay sitting there, staring in shock.

"Oh please, Demetri. Since when have I listened to you? You're not the alpha so I can so whatever I want." Jay smirks but Demetri crashes Jay against the ground repeatedly and throws him into the circle in front of me.

"Why can't you learn to shut your gob, Jay? You should follow my orders since I'm the Beta male. You're just a Pup Sitter. Now, leave us be." He let Jay go. Jay turns back into the gray wolf and left with his tail between his legs. The others' stayed until Demetri growled at them. They also turned with their tails between their legs. I stare up at Demetri, shock and relief filling me. "Tenebrae, I wish you had to see none of this. I wish you didn't have to run away from Daniel."

"Demetri, we'll talk about it more later. I just want to go home, get this bite washed and cleaned. Please, just take me back to school and I'll ring my Mom to come and pick me up." I pull myself up with help of a tree and place weight slowly on my left leg, I collapse to my knees. Demetri stands at my side.

"Alright, we'll talk about this later. The sooner, the better. Tomorrow is the best time for both of us because Jay and the others won't be able to see you and I'm not doing anything all day. Around five in the evening? I need to do a few errands. I know you're not doing anything all day either except homework."

"Actually, I'm moving tomorrow." He freezes as he bends down to wrap and arm around my waist.

"What? Why? I should've heard you talking about it to Daniel but Annabel was talking in my ear so loudly."

"I'm moving away to the other side of the state to forget about all this and to have a new beginning. I'm packing my stuff all day and I'm supposed to be at the airport at five in the evening." I close my eyes. I didn't want to look into his blue eyes and see the desperation to help me forget all this.

"I'm coming with you." I was expecting him to try and persuade me not to leave.

"No you're not. You can have a life here and how will you get on the plane without a ticket? It took me two months to wait for my ticket to come."

"You can also have a life here but you choose not to. I can follow you by foot."

"Don't be daft. You can't me on foot. I'll be in an airplane and you won't be able to keep up." I roll my eyes at him and smile.

"Look, I'm going to cancel that flight of yours and we will talk about it. I'll come around your house if you don't cancel it before I do."

"Is that an empty threat?"

"No. It's a promise." He lifts me up to my good foot. "Put all your weight on me and we'll be back at the school quickly."

"What we will tell them about my leg? They'll ask questions." I try to keep pace with him. He stops and sweeps me up in his arms. Instinctively, I wrap my arms around his neck. "I wish you'd tell me what you were planning on doing."

"We'll tell them that you were attacked by something that we couldn't identify and that you're okay now." He ignored my last words.

"I'm going to feel so guilty if Daniel sees me in your arms. He knows that I hate you and if he sees us, he'll think I was lying and that I'm loving being in your arms which I'm not by the way."

"Don't worry. He won't think that. He'll see your leg and understand why you're in my arms. And, you are secretly loving being in my arms, I know you are."

"What do you know about me and my thoughts? We've barely spoken to each over the last year and tonight, we're speaking like nothing happened and its spring dance. I so hate my Mom right now, more than ever."

"Why do you hate her more than ever?"

"She forced me to come to this stupid night which led to this moment."

"I prefer the pink dress you were wearing before. It suited you better than your Goth look. Mind you, any kind of color suits you just fine."

Chapter 3

"Is that a compliment from Demetri Cicada, the person most girls' would love to be with? You shouldn't flatter yourself; it'll just make you look like you're stuck up your own ass like most people I know."

"Very funny and I'm not flattering myself, I'm flattering you. It's also true; every color does flatter you and your figure."

"Are you calling me fat?"

"No, of course not. You're barely as fat as a twig."

"You do know how to flatter girls'." I tell him sarcastically. We reach the school and the music was still going.

Demetri storms through the doors without caring what people thought. He sweeps an arm across one of the tables and lies me down on it. "You could've just sat me down on a chair, not sweep a table." I stare at him as he takes his jacket off. I try to push myself off the table onto the chair I could reach but his glare locks onto my gaze. I freeze.

"I've got better light if you're on the table. Or, would you rather have me take you home and bandage you up there?" He places his hands firmly either side of my hips and his face close to mine.

"The second option please. My Mom wouldn't give one just like you said."

"That means I'll have to carry you in my arms to my car and then drive you home with everyone watching." I can hear a smirk hidden in his voice.

"Tenebrae, I was worried sick about you." Daniel comes through the crowd and hugs me. I feel awkward. It's probably because my best friend admitted to me that he loves me. Probably is that.

"You shouldn't have. Luckily, Demetri was nearby and heard me shouting. Just in time, I should think also." I see a glint in Demetri's eyes when I quickly glance at him. Daniel's body tenses underneath his clothes.

"I knew I shouldn't have come back in here."

"Don't worry about it now." After I said that, Demetri has me in his arms.

"Where are you going now?"

"Demetri's taking me home to get my leg sorted. I don't want everybody to see what happened." I see the worried look in his eyes. "Daniel, you worry too much." I shake my head.

"I can take you home. I've got my car and I'm strong enough to carry you."

"My Mom doesn't like you so it's for the best. I know you want to help but it is for the best." I keep my eyes away from Demetri's; the other lads' were passing and the girls' who are obliviously jealous that I'm in Demetri's arms and not them. Trust me. I wish I could swap places with ya. I thought, wishing that I could actually swap places with them.

When we reach outside, it was raining. "Oh yay." I blurt out sarcastically. "I love rain." I rub my hand all over my face and my make-up came off easily.

"My car's just parked around the corner. The quicker we get to it, the quicker we can get to your house and the quicker we can get your leg sorted."

"So, what will happen to me now that I've seen Jay and all that? Are you one of them? If so, thanks for your help but I'm running." A grin was being held back. The corners of his mouth twitched.

"I don't know. I've known Jay for a while and he told me about his secret but I never thought he'd come after me as well."

"You said that you're the Beta male so that must mean you're whatever they are. You must be."

"No. I used to be the Beta male in a game we used to play when we were younger. I'm not like what they are. Jay told me what they were but I forgot." He places me down on my good leg while he unlocks the black Mercedes Benz CL600 and opens the door. The chocolate brown leather didn't suit the car. I sit in the passenger seat and makes sure my dress was tucked under my legs before closing the door. He got in the drivers' side and made sure I was buckled in before driving off the school grounds.

"How's your leg? Feel anything like nausea, dizziness or anything like that?" He asks, stopping at a light.

"I feel fine. And, I don't know about my leg. I don't even know if it's still bleeding." I look at where we are. Miles away from my house. My house is in the outskirts of the town and when I mean outskirts, I mean we're alone, miles away from the town. "Turn right here and then follow the road for a mile and then turn the first left when we reach the last house and then right after a few yards and follow that road for a while." I tell him. Demetri nods. He mutters to himself the directions and follows them. The rain starts to pour down harder and faster than anything I've seen before.

As he turns left when we reach the last house on the edge of the town, a mist starts rolling over the hills and the road, making visibility hard.

"Is it always this misty when you go to your house?"

"No, not usually. Mind you, when I go home, it's not as late as this. The sun is either still up in the summers or the moon is just beginning to rise in the winters."

"Do you drive yourself to school on winter nights?"

"Yeah. I can look after myself; I am eighteen almost nineteen years of age. I think I can drive myself safely back home in the dark. Been doing for a year and a half."

"But how much longer will you be able to keep safe if you carry on driving home in the dark by yourself? What if you get in a crash, get robbed, kidnapped or raped? No one can see or hear you out here."

"You're becoming like Daniel. Don't worry. I'm a big girl now. I'm able to look after myself." I shake my head and stare out of the window. Why is everyone in such a worrying mood tonight? Especially Demetri.

"I'm nothing like him. I'm only trying to drum up a conversation." He says in a stern voice that almost frightens me.

"Oh God Demetri, I'm sorry alright for snapping at you. I know you just want to ensure my safety." My gaze turns to him and he growls. I think he growls, it's either sleep or the blood loss that's finally setting in that's giving me the hallucination that Demetri is growling. "What's wrong now?"

"We're being followed." Demetri's voice is almost unrecognizable. He spoke those words through gritted teeth and from trying to stop himself from growling.

"By who? I see no headlight behind us." I turn around in my chair and I see no headlights. Demetri swerves the car into the side of the road and get out.

"Stay in there!" I hear him shout through the thunderous rain and the thunder. Lighting lights up the sky with its flashes, showing no sign of this storm ending. I lean over the seat and try to see what's happening outside but the rain's coming down to hard and too furious to give me a chance of seeing perfectly.

A howl came from right outside the car. Oh yeah, I also forgot to mention that there are forests all along this road and way past my house. The forests went on like never-ending seas both lengthways and width ways. Nothing is known to hide in those trees except for squirrels and foxes. I stay still as there's a sniffing noise along my door. I quietly settle back down in my seat, hoping that if I didn't move or make any noise, the creature would leave me alone. The driver's door opens and Demetri quickly snaps it shut as he gets in.

"Demetri. I demand an answer. What the fuck is happening?" I ask him, agitated.

"Shut up and keep that seat belt in." He orders me just as harshly.

He races off, I see headlights now. We shouldn't be driving down this road as fast as we are, in weather like this. We're going to die. But if we don't, we might die anyway if the person or people who are chasing us get us. My mind keeps reeling around my head. Demetri mutters a few indecipherable words. He unplugs my seat belt and pulls me onto his lap. "On the count of three, I'm going to jump out of the car with you in my arms. Once we land, we're going to run. I'm going have to ask you to run on your own because I can't run and carry you at the same time, it'll waste my energy from when I'm going have to fight Jay and friends off. Are you okay with that?" He holds my gaze.

"I'll try as hard as I can but it's unlikely I'll be able to run."

"Trying isn't good enough under these circumstances." He opens the car door and we fly out. We land in the mud as the Mercedes spins off the road and crashes into the ditch. Demetri immediately hauls me to my feet. I place weight on my leg and cry out in pain. "Are you ready for this? It's going to be very very painful but good news is, we're near your house. Just a few metres up the road, that's all." He plasters on a fake smile just to reassure me. I take a deep breathe and I begin to run. One step in, I collapse to the floor, crying out in pain. He picks me up and helps me take a few steps before I learn to walk on my leg and stop crying out in pain.

He holds me against him as we half walk and half jog. The dress sticks to me, making my maneuverable abilities reduced. Demetri's un-tucked shirt clung to him, revealing perfect unmarked smooth skin beneath, a flat stomach and a body of a runner. He must workout. He took off his dinner jacket when we were in the car and left it there. "Come on, you're doing really well Tenebrae." His voice is but a mere whisper. Another howl broke the silence. Why is Jay so adamant on getting me? I wanted to ask Demetri that but I daren't in case it angered him. I feel my leg give-way and I collapse again to the ground. I scream out in pain.

"Shit. Demetri, I can't run anymore." I reach out for him and he hauls me to my good leg. "I think I broke my leg." I wanted to see if I had but Demetri places his hands on my face. I'm leaning against his body.

"I'll have a look at it when we get to your house. I'm going have to carry you. Thank God it's only a few yards away, less than fifty." He picks me up in his arms and run. I begin to feel nauseous now.

"I feel sick now." I don't mean to mutter it aloud, it just came out.

"Keep conscious, that's the main thing for you to concentrate on now." He jogs up the stairs to my front door. The lights were on the porch.

"Just walk in. She won't notice." I force myself to look up as he enters cautiously at first. When my Mom's voice didn't break the silence, he rushes up the stairs and looks for my bedroom. "The last door on the right." Demetri lies me down on the bed and fetches a glass of water to my en suite bathroom. My bedroom was Mongolia with a metal double bed and oak furniture. The furniture consisted of a chest of drawers, a wardrobe and a bedside table on both side of the beds. The carpet was blood red and the covers on the bed was bright red with black patterns all over it. A TV was on top of my chest of drawers as well as CDs and a stereo. I had few clothes in my wardrobe, most of my clothes consisted of pajamas which were deep blue.

"Tenebrae, I'm going to have a look at your leg now, okay? Just tell me if it's hurting." Demetri tells me gently as he pushes my dress up to my knee and begins to unravel the straps of my dress from around my leg. I hiss in pain as the damage is revealed. I feel his finger tips go over my leg and the pain flaring.

"How bad is it? Tell me the truth." I place my hands on my head and try to take in the pain and calm my breathing.

"Very. You have broken it but I can fix that as well as your bite."

"Let me have a look." I begin to sit up but he places a hand between my breasts and pushes me back against the bed.

"No. I don't want you panicking at the sight of it." Demetri grabs a towel from my bathroom and places it next to my leg. He disappears from my room. I take my chance and try to sit up. My heart sounds like it was drumming in my ears. I can see my bone and ripped muscle. Fighting back tears, I stare at my leg. Oh dear God. Look at the state of it. Where has Demetri gone? Oh God! Why did I have to run away from Daniel and his confession? I snap my head up at the sound of running on the stairs. Demetri rushes back in with a First Aid kit and a cell phone in his hand. When he lifts his head from his cell, anger flares up in his eyes. "I'll call you back, Jez." He snaps his phone shut and slams the door shut. "I thought I told you I didn't want you to look at your leg because I didn't want you panicking at the sight of it."

"I'm not panicking. I'm blaming myself for all this. You could say I have self-pity. But, I feel sorry mostly for you and Daniel. I shouldn't have runaway from Daniel and his confession and I wish you hadn't saved me. I disserved to die."

"I only got involved because I didn't want Jay to have you. He wouldn't have killed you, he would've only taken you right on the spot and I didn't want that to happen because it's the lowest of the low. Sure, you've got self pity but it was a reaction for you to runaway at a confession. Daniel should've known not to tell you like that directly."

He places both hands on the bone and stares at me. "I need to straighten this out so I could put a splint on it to keep it straight. Scream if you must, but I recommend you grab hold of the bed sheets and squeeze tightly."

"Wouldn't it be easier if we called the ambulance and I got to hospital to have this done professionally?" I place a hand on his bicep.

"Then tell them what really happened or lie again? Okay." He grabs his cell and pauses. "They would need an explanation of why you're in your bedroom instead of outside. So, what shall I tell them when they ask why you were in your bedroom when you had obviously broken your leg outside as well as get the bite mark?"

"Tell them that we were watching a movie and suddenly, a wolf came in and bit me. You tried to throw it out but the wolf had knocked the coffee table over and it landed on my leg, therefore breaking it."

"About the wet clothes?"

"We had just come in and we couldn't be bothered getting changed and decided to sit down in front of the fire and watch a movie. Satisfied?"

"Not yet. I need to take you down stairs and place you on the couch. Are you brave enough to hold in a scream while I transport you there?"

"Of course. What about my Mom though?"

"She was out, partying or something." He puts his phone in his trousers pocket and picks me up yet again.

He lies me down on the couch and then rings nine-one-one. He's a brilliant actor. A couple minutes later, the ambulance arrives and they give some pain killers like morphine and had me on a stretcher. Demetri, in the meanwhile, was packing a bag full of my clothes, ready for when I could change. Once he was sorted, he sat next to me in the ambulance and looked worried. In his eyes, he looks anger and yet, pitiful. "Are you alright, Tenebrae?" He asks.

"Yeah. A little high off the morphine but I'm fine." I reach my hand out towards him. Demetri stares at it, confusion making his eyes glaze over. "Thanks for everything you've done for me tonight."

Chapter 4

"Miss Amethyst, glad you're awake." One doctor with thick glasses on greets me. I nod and push myself into a much comfier position. "We're going have to operate on your leg, to keep it straight as it heals. Are you okay with that?" He wants an answer out of me now. My mind's reeling so I couldn't get my logic back. I glance around the room to find out it wasn't a room, it was a ward. There were no other occupants of the same ward.

"Sure. Where am I and when can I get back to normal life?" I am so eager to forget all about this and get back to planning my future.

"You're at the local hospital. May I ask, why did the wolf bite you and not your boyfriend?" He leans closer to enquire about this.

"He's not my boyfriend. He saved me. And, I don't know why the wolf bit me."

"He told us that he was your boyfriend of two years."

"Demetri Cicada is not my boyfriend. I've barely known him for a year, never mind being his girlfriend for two years. I'll have a word with him."

"Doctor Hew, you're needed in Ward K." A nurse with flowing, curly blond hair informs him. He nods and we exchange our goodbyes.

I cross my arms and glare at Demetri, who was still on his phone. He was pacing back and forth in front of the double door entrance to my ward, looking annoyed at the person on the other end of the line. I spot a group of nurses peering through the door, drooling over him. I wave my hand and they immediately get back to their duties. Hiding a laugh, I lean back and try to figure out what the patterns in the ceilings meant.

"Hey, you're up." Demetri's voice interrupts.

"Why did you tell them that you were my boyfriend of two years?"

"They asked me what relation I had with you so I said the first that came to my head."

"It could've been a brother or a cousin. Demetri, they've grown suspicious because I've said that you're not my boyfriend and that we've barely known each other a year. Jesus Christ!" I wipe my eyes before focusing on him.

"They weren't the first thing that came to my head. Look, I have to go soon because I've left Mandy at the spring dance alone. I have to go and pick her up."

"Mandy? Are you serious? You took Mandy to the spring dance?"

"What's wrong with her?"

"She's a slut. She was pregnant at the age of fourteen, then again at sixteen. She had both of them aborted. I swear she's pregnant again, I swear by it."

"You're just jealous because she had me to take her to the spring dance."

"Why would I be jealous of her? I hate your guts and I've never wanted you to take me to the spring dance. I weren't planning to go anyway. As I said before, my Mom forced me to go. I hate parties, dancing and I especially hate the girly stuff."

"You would be jealous of her because she's not alone."

"I'd rather be alone if I was her. You must be blind if you'd go out with her."

"Defiantly jealously."

"I ask again. Why would I be jealous of her? I hate her and I hate you. End of."

"You'd be jealous of her because she has somebody to love her, hold her in his arms and to be with her forever as you are alone." Going to hit low, is he?

"Guess that makes you a man-whore."

"I'm not actually going out with her; I just took her to the spring dance. I was going to ask you but when I heard that you weren't going, I decided with her."

"Liar. Even Daniel had second thoughts about asking me and he knew what my answer would be. That's why he took Kat McGuire."

"Tenebrae, you're a bad liar."

"You're bad at keeping secrets." He becomes alert when I say that.

"What do you mean? I have none."

"If you had none, you wouldn't have become alert when I said that. It just proves that you're hiding a secret. So, tell me, Demetri Cicada, what are you hiding?"

"I'm not giving away my secret for anyone, especially you. I've helped you and this is how you repay me? I wish I had left you so Jay could've taken and claimed you." He stands up abruptly.

"What do you mean by 'claimed'?"

"Think about it and it's come to you."

"If you're going to throw a hissy fit every time I'm asking a question, you might as have left me in the forest, alone and raped by Jay and probably the others." I turn my head away from him, there's silence between us.

"I'll be back in time for when you wake up from the operation. Do you need any help changing into something more comfortable in the meanwhile?" There's a rustle of a bag. I bite my lip.

"You're not a pedophile, are you? Or a pervert?"

"No, I'm not. I'm just a guy who wants to help the damsel in distress get more comfortable in her temporary home."

"Promise me you won't tell anyone you've helped me changed."

"I promise. I'm a decent guy. There are few decent guys out there in the world as you know." He holds out a dark midnight blue nightdress with matching bra and panties. "These okay for you?"

"Yeah. They'll be fine. Help me out of this bed." I push myself to the edge of the bed and Demetri holds onto my waist and I stand up on my good leg. He tightens his grip as I steady myself. "This is going to be weird."

"Sure is. Should I get a nurse to help you change? It'll be better that way because you won't be as embarrassed as you would with me."

"No. I can stand embarrassment, have done all my life." I begin to take off my dress when I hear a gasp. I wish I had thought about this before actually doing it. To a person who's just walking in, it'll look like we're about to have sex. Demetri turns his head and laughs. "Who is it?"

"Your Mom. She's shocked because she can't see you, that's all. She's just left." He turns his attention back towards me. "Quickly." Demetri steps away and turns around, his back facing me. Whilst holding onto the bars of the hospital bed, I get off my dress and my panties.

I sit back down on the edge and put on my panties quickly. I take off my bra and put on my clean one. Demetri goes to the door and stares out of it intensely. I quickly put on my nightdress over my head and through my arms. I lever myself onto my good leg and pull it down. It reaches three inches above my knees. As I about to push myself back onto the bed, I feel my balance go and I prepare myself to crash against the floor but Demetri catches me in his arms.

"Thanks." I tell him once I'm back on the bed.

"Be careful." He murmurs into my ear as he steps away from me.

"I'm trying to be. It's not my exact fault if I lose my balance. What is wrong with you? At first, you're all relaxed and humorous and now, you're all harsh and serious. What's happened to you?"

"Nothing. I have to get back to pick…urm…" Ha! He forgot her name.

"Mandy. Just go. My Mom's here, I think I'll be alright."

"I won't be long."

"Take as long as you want. I'm not Mr Pothead, am I?" I get a low chuckle out of him. Our Maths teacher smokes Pot, hence the nickname Mr Pothead.

"Still, I'll be here before you get back from surgery. See you later." He walks away without another glance or a word. Thank God he was gone. I thought I was never going to get rid of him.

I wait for my Mom to come back in all night but I see no sign of her. Loneliness starts creeping in with the feeling of being watched, stalked even. I can feel myself getting paranoid as I keep looking out the window to spot some one. I can also feel myself wanting Demetri to come back as soon as possible, the person who saved me and the person who cared for me when my Mom didn't. I hadn't known him long but he's a pretty awesome guy. I wonder what he's like on a normal daily basis. I still can't see why all the girls' like him. Yes, he has gorgeous features, a good body, kind, sweet, protective, graceful, fast and alluring and his charcoal hair brought out his eyes but he needed to get rid of those blond streaks, natural or not.

Chapter 5

Before I know it, it was midday. I have had some water and I'm about to going to my operation for my leg. Demetri strolls in, wearing jeans that suited him well enough to show off the physique on his legs (WOW, by the way) and a comfortably fitting white t-shirt with a pattern on which consisted of a Ram's skull and cars. He was also wearing sunglasses. His blond streaks were well hidden.

"Hey, I told you I'd come back." He greets me with.

"Bad timing, I'm afraid. About to go into surgery."

"I'll just wait for you here then."

"Was there any more run-ins with Jay and the gang?"

"No, not really. I wonder why he's after you though."

"That's an answer we both want to find out."

"Did your Mom visit you?"

"Nope. I was hoping she would but she didn't." I am not going to tell him that I wanted him to come back last night.

"Why do you think she didn't?"

"God knows. Anyway, I was thinking last night."

"I'm surprised the world hasn't ended. You actually thought?"

"Me too. Anyway, I was thinking and you need to get rid of those blond streaks. They don't suit you at all. They also ruin your image. Natural or not, I want them gone before I get back from surgery." I am waiting for the question I'm expecting him to ask. But, he only smirks.

"You were that bored? Tenebrae, you shouldn't have. I like them."

"They don't suit you and yes, I was that bored that I actually thought about you."

"Lucky they're not natural, hey?" Another deep chuckle. "They're almost gone anyway. I'll dye them black, just because you say so. Every other girl likes them."

"Every other girl likes your looks and your body; they don't actually like you, just your image and your physique. You should've seen them when you first arrived, they practically drooled."

"Don't forget the rest of the lads'."

"Don't get me started on the lads'. Jealousy filled the atmosphere because of them. They were worried sick that you'll take their girlfriends away. Daniel was afraid but I told him that I hated you already. I pictured you as a player."

"A player? Oh please. I'm saving myself for that perfect girl. I've had girlfriends but they weren't right for me and I weren't right for them."

"I'm still a virgin in all areas." I slap my hand across my mouth. Why did I just say that? Demetri's eyebrow rises.

"You've never had a first kiss?"

"No. I scare the lads' away and none of the lads' at school are too good for me so I never bothered to have a crush on them, including you."

"You look beautiful without all that make-up on. You shouldn't wear it. That's probably why you scare all the lads' off."

"That's probably one of the reasons. The other reasons are that I act too much like a lad, I listen to heavy rock or heavy metal music and I don't go to all these shit events like the spring dance. I'm not going to go to prom unless I have a very good reason like a date."

"You'll only go to the prom if you have a date, hey?"

"Jesus Christ! I wish I learn to shut my big mouth." At that moment, two nurses walk in. "Looks like it's time for my operation. See you later."

"Yeah, see you later. I'll try and get your Mom to be here." Demetri's laugh rings through my head as I'm in the room just before the operating room and the surgeon puts in my anesthetic. All goes dark.

Looks like Demetri stuck to his word. His face is the first thing I see when I wake up. I can't help but smile at the sight. Gorgeous, protective and excellent Demetri. Whoa! Where did that thought came from? Not my hatred feelings towards him, that's for sure. I sit myself up and wipe my eyes clean so I can focus on the room.

"How long was I gone or out?" I shake my head to help my focus.

"About three hours. You did wake up once but you went back to sleep. I've been waiting for you during that time."

"I'm not being rude or anything but why have you stayed and waited for me to come out of surgery? You did your bit by helping me get here."

"It's my fault you're here," He pauses for a moment. "And Daniel's." I roll my eyes and turn my head away.

"Can't I go one day without hearing the name 'Daniel' or talking about my best friend? Oh my God."

"I'm sorry but it was his fault as much as mine. Look, what do you want to talk about then?" Oh yay, I love it when he's in his grumpy, pissed off moods. NOT.

"I still want to know what you're hiding and why you're still here."

"I've got nothing to hide. I'm still here to protect you from Jay and the rest, until they stop; I suggest you get used to the idea."

"I'm sorry for asking questions which need answers. You should've known that you were going to get interrogated by me about all this."

"I'll tell Daniel that he can see you now." He storms towards the doors.

"Why didn't you tell me he was here? No, forget I asked that. I can tell your in a pissed off mood because of my curiosity. Send him in."

"I told him that you wouldn't see him because of last night." Demetri growls as he comes back to me. "You didn't want to speak to him just yet because you still hadn't gotten over the news he gave you."

"I'm sure you're not deaf, I swear by it. I said forget that I asked. Thanks for answering anyway." I keep my face where it was. I can feel his breathe against my lips, making them tingle with the sensation of his lips upon mine.

"I'll send him in unless you don't want me to." There's was a certain level of a challenge in his voice. I bite back a laugh.

"Is he fit to see me, Doctor Cicada?"

"A little shocked about hearing you're in hospital with a broken leg and a wolf bite but, he's fit to see you. Do you feel ready to see him?"

"Yeah, I'm ready. Bring it on." I push myself back against the pillow. Demetri runs his tongue over his canines and smiles.

"Alright. I'll also send your Mom over." He leaves. My body suddenly aches along with my heart.

What is wrong with me? His lips upon mine? Now, that's a disgusting thought. Why does my body ache? Lack of sleep? A need that needs fulfilling? Dehydration? There must be a reasonable explanation and Demetri has nothing to do with it or with the reason why my body and heart aches so. I've barely known him for a year and I've barely talked to him until last night, I still hate his guts. Every other girl can have him as far as I'm concerned. I'll feel sorry for the woman who gets married to him and has his kids. I really will. Poor mare. She'll fall in love with him and thinks that he loves her only to find out he's a player.

Approaching footsteps and a rustle of plastic tears me out of my thoughts. Daniel has his arm behind his back and smiles at me.

"Hey up. What are you hiding behind your back?" I ask as cheerfully as I can. He brings his arm around and Daffodils greet me. The Daffodils are at their peak this spring and their yellow could be seen everywhere in every field.

"I thought you would like them. I know they're not your favorite color but, I'd thought they'd brighten up your day. So, how are you feeling?" He sits down after giving me the flowers. "How's the leg?"

"I'm feeling fine and my leg, well… it feels the same as it did before actually. I've had to have an operation on it."

"What have they done to it? About the wolf bite?"

"I don't know. I'm sure they've told Demetri what they've done to it."

"Demetri? What about him?"

"He's the one who saved me and brought me here. You wouldn't believe what he told them when they asked him what relation he has to me. The cheek of it."

"Why? What did he say?" Sourness shows in his voice. He hates Demetri more than I do, only because he thinks that Demetri will take me away from him.

"He told them that he was my boyfriend of two years! I can't believe he told them that. I told that he could've said that he was my brother or cousin, anything but boyfriend but he said that being my boyfriend of two years was the first thing that can to his mind. I still can't believe it now."

"I'm sorry about what happened, Tenebrae. I shouldn't have said anything." "Don't worry about it. Daniel, do you actually love me or do you think you love me? There's a difference before you argue with me."

"I do actually love you. I don't care if you're normal, scene, Goth or emo. I still love you with all my heart. And, I love you because of your personality, not your looks." He places a hand on my thigh and squeezes gently.

"Daniel, that's the kindest and sweetest thing anybody has said to me. I wish I don't have to break your heart."

"It's alright. I know you don't feel the same way, as long as we can hang out as normal and act the way we where before, I'll die a happy man."

We talk for another half an hour before Daniel had to go. I had the hospital slap called food and waited until my appointment with the physiotherapist can around. My Mom arrives and ignores me completely as I answer her questions.

"Mom, you don't have to stay here if you don't want to. You can leave."

"Well, I've got something to tell you actually." My Mom looks nervous.

"Go on, tell me."

"I've met a man and we're running away together. But, he doesn't like kids much so, I'm leaving you behind. I'm so sorry."

"When are you going? Who is this man?"

"We're going today in fact and, this man is called George Hargges. He's Russian."

"Okay. Where are you going? Russia, I presume." This doesn't come to me like a complete shock. Been independent most of my life.

"Yes. A beautifully scenic village just outside of Moscow."

"So, I'm going to look after the house?"

"Oh…" She pauses for a minute and strolls to the window, arms crossed. "I've kinda sold the house already."

"Where am I supposed to stay now? I can't stay at Daniel's because there's no room and I can't rent out anywhere because I haven't got enough money to do so. I wish you thought of me when you do stuff like this."

The physiotherapist arrives. A slender dark brown woman, holding a pair of crutches comes walking up to me.

"Tenebrae Amethyst?" The woman asks.

"That's me." I stand up on my good leg and the crutches are passed over to me. I start using them like I've used them before. No trouble with balancing or anything. "So, when can I go? I'll call for someone to pick me up." I hop to the corridor and I crash into someone. The person wraps an arm around my waist and holds me against their body. I look up, a smile lights up my face.

"We'll arrange for your time to be discharged." The physio leaves.

"Look at you, hopping around already. It was only three hours ago I saw you sitting in bed." Demetri lets me hop back to the bed and sit on the edge.

"Are you serious? Three hours?" I'm stunned at myself. My Mom sits next to me. "Sorry, introductions. Mom, this is Demetri Cicada. He's the person who helped me. Demetri, meet my neglectful, runaway Mom. Mary Amethyst."

"Hello, Demetri. Are you one of Tenebrae's friends?" My Mom's asks. I shoot Demetri a warning glance and a pleading glance.

"Not exactly. Just her savior. I've heard a lot about you, Mary." Demetri nods at the Daffodils.

"Demetri, I have a favor to ask. It's a pretty big favor but it's due to my Mom's fault." Caught his attention now.

"Sure. Ask away."

"My Mom's met this bloke and the bloke doesn't like kids much so they're running away together and leaving me behind. I'm wondering if I could crash at yours for a few days until I get a job, some dollars and able to rent an apartment. It'll be for a few days towards a couple weeks, tops. I know we've not known each other long and it'll seem awkward but I can't stay at Daniel's because he hasn't got a spare place for me to crash and I haven't got anyone else."

"Sure. I live on my own and stay as long as you need. Until you can do everything you could before, you're staying at mine." There was a promise of mischief in his eyes. I gulp hard. "If that's alright with you, Mary."

"Yes, yes. It's alright with me."

"Just one question before you leave, Mary. Why did you call your daughter Tenebrae? It's Latin for Darkness."

"When she was a baby, she was a dark child so I decided to call her Tenebrae." My Mom rushes off. Surprised, Demetri looks at me.

"She didn't even threaten us or told us anything she disagreed on."

"That's my Mom for you. Neglectful. We could have sex and I could get pregnant and my Mom wouldn't give two shakes about it." I shrug my shoulders.

"That's a good example to use by the way. Sex." He chuckles and picks up the bouquet of Daffodils. "Who gave you these?"

"Daniel. He thought that they'd cheer me up. He was wrong by a long shot." I reach down for the bag and brought it up onto my lap. I take a top, clean underwear and shorts I wear for Cheerleading trials. "You have to pick the shorts I hate, don't you?" I ask jokingly as I change. Demetri places the flowers down on the bed and helps me up when pulling up my panties.

"How do I know which clothes you love and hate?" He asks as I pull up my shorts. "I'm sure you'll tell me soon enough. Luckily, my sister has gone to live with my Dad so you can have her room. It's got a wardrobe and a chest of drawers and pretty butterflies all over the pink walls." He laughs.

"I didn't know you had a sister."

"If you had paid attention whilst I was introducing myself, you'd know that I've got two older sisters and three older brothers, one younger brother. I've got another half-brother on the way also." He slowly sits me back down. I stare at him in amazement.

"You're parents divorced?"

"Yeah. When I was fifteen."

"Feel sorry for ya. Your Mom and Dad married to different people?"

"Yep. Mom's in Egypt and Dad's in Brazil. Both have a family now. I've got three other half-brothers from my Mom and two half-sisters and one half-brother from my Dad. I've got another half-brother on the way from my Dad. So, I've got a huge family. What about your Dad?"

"A year ago, my Dad was in a horrific train crash off Santa Barbra. He was in hospital, critically ill. We drove there and stayed, hoping he would get better. Each night, my Dad didn't improve. He was on life support. One night, a month after the crash, the doctors' came up to me and Mom and asked us if we should turn off the machine. I said yes because I could see he wasn't going to get better but Mom gave no answer. So, they turned it off. At school, I was a huge mess. I decided my Dad's fate and my Mom was even further away from me than before. So, that's when I decided I become a Goth. It was the only way I could cope with the guilt and with the grief of the world."

"Jesus, that's bad. You shouldn't have gone on that on your own. Why didn't you get some help with the grief?"

"I couldn't because nobody would've wanted to listen, including the doctors so I decided to take the grief out in my own way. Even Daniel wouldn't listen to me because his head's always filled with other things apart from what it'll feel like having sex with me, I bet and seeing me naked."

"Still, you've written it down in a diary or something instead of becoming a Goth." "I couldn't put my emotions into words. I still regret the day when they pulled that plug but I know it's for the best, he wouldn't have recovered. That's some comfort, hey? Knowing it was for the best?"

"Yes, but you couldn't done anything about it anyway. You made the correct choice and helped you, your Mom and your Dad." Demetri collects my bag as the Nurse comes in with a wheelchair. "Looks like your getting discharged. I'll bring the car round to the entrance." He nods to the Nurse as he walks away. I get into the wheelchair with some difficulty and hold the crutches close.

Chapter 6

"Your boyfriend?" The Nurse enquires nicely.

"No. Just a new best friend. So, what are the arrangements for my cast?"

"You have to be back in two weeks for an x-ray and a cast, not a back-slab. Then, four weeks later, you have to come in and get another x-ray. From that x-ray, they'll decide if you'll need another cast."

"Alright. That's four x-rays, no doubt. Knowing me, I'll need the other cast after my first one." I let out a dry chuckle.

"If you don't mind me asking, but how long have you known your best friend?"

"I've known Demetri for barely a year. He joined school lasted year and we've barely spoken to each other until last night. He helped me and we've come close."

"I'd be careful with him, Miss Amethyst. He looks slippery and secretive."

"I thought he was a player at first sight but he's saving himself for the right one. And, he is hiding something but he keeps denying it."

"Still, be careful." We go silent as she takes me to the front entrance.

I get out of the chair and into my crutches. With parting farewells, she leaves. I stay standing with my left leg up, waiting for him. I practice the crutches by 'pacing' in front of the main entrance. The Nurse's warning in my head. So, I wasn't the only one who thought he was hiding something as well.

"I'll take you back to your house to collect a few things, and then we'll go to mine where you can make yourself comfortable." Demetri's voice pulls me out of my trance. A silver Vauxhall Astra, 2.5 liter was in front of me. Passenger door open and waiting for me to get in. "You alright?" Demetri pushes himself off the car and comes strolling over to me.

"Yeah, I'm fine. What happened to your Mercedes?"

"Remember last night. I jumped out of it with you in my arms, it crashed into a tree and it's at the MOT station, getting repaired. There wasn't actually too much damage done. This is my sister's, she's letting me burrow it for today."

"I thought your sister had moved out."

"No, that's my youngest sister. My other sister's moving out. She's still packing." "How many live in that house of yours?"

"You don't want to know, trust me."

"Okay, I trust you." I hobble into the car and buckle my seat belt in, the crutches in the middle.

"What are your sisters' names? All of them."

"There's April and Isis. April has strawberry blond hair and is an athlete. Isis has dark brown hair and she's an artist."

"Your brothers?"

"My three older brothers are called: Kyle, Thorn and Quinn. They all have red hair and all athletes. But their features are different. My younger brother is called Lucas. He has sandy blond hair and he's more of an intelligent git who is also an artist like Isis. My soon-to-be-born brother will be called Anubis."

"So, most of your family has red, blond and brown hair. Why do you have black hair and why did you parents' go for Egyptian names and exotic names?"

"They wanted to be different so, they called most other siblings Egyptian or exotic names. Why I have black hair? I don't know. Pick of the draw I suppose. I'm also the only person to have blue eyes in my family. Most of them have green or brown. No one in my family has been recorded to have blue eyes and charcoal black hair until I arrived. I guess my genes decided to shake things up a little. They all see me as an omen because of the difference."

"So, if Isis and Lucas are artistic; Kyle, Thorn, Quinn and April are athletes. What are you and what do you think Anubis will be?"

"I'm an athlete but I'm also an artist but in the sculpting area and I'm also a photographer. I really shake things up because no one in my family has all those qualities. I don't know what Anubis will be but he won't be all of them like I am."

"I can't understand how you can remember everyone. It'll confuse me." "It's pretty easy if you've got a big family anyway."

"You don't have to answer if you don't want to but, why did your parents' get divorced?" I wait for the anger to bubble but nothing.

"They divorced because of me. All my relatives looked upon me like I was the Devil himself. My grandparents, uncles, aunties, great grandparents, cousins and others told my parents' that I'll bring bad luck upon them and Hell will reign the world with my help. I and my siblings didn't understand. But, after years of arguing, they finally divorced. It was because of what I looked like, my qualities and what I could do, forced them to get a divorce. So, my sisters, my brothers and I grew up in the house that I still live in. Slowly, they all moved away."

"Oh my God. I… don't know what to say. I'm so sorry you had that happen to you in your life. That shouldn't have happened to anyone."

"Don't be. I don't mind because stuff like that usually happens in my family but it doesn't end in divorced usually."

"Are you an uncle yet?"

"No, but I will be soon. April's having a baby, she's three months along. She's keeping me up-dated with pictures and news and even videos her husband films."

"Wow. A boy or a girl?"

"She won't tell me because she wants the sex of the baby to be a surprise. But, they've got names for it already. Marko or Marcus for a boy and Luisa or Jenna for a girl."

"Your family sure does love the exotic names, don't you? Do you want to get married and have children?" I prepare myself for the blow.

"Yeah. Just a simple wedding and as many children as I could cope with."

"You can barely cope with me, how would you cope with children?"

"I'm learning to cope with you and, I'll get used to the noise of children."

"If you could pick anyone from school to have a family with, who would you pick? You have to choose someone an' all."

"That's not fair. I like no girl but I have to choose. Urm…" He places his hand over his chin, thinking deep. I stare at him, waiting for an answer. "No one. I feel nothing towards any of you so… I'm going have to say, no one. Probably some one soon but I'm not too sure." He answers at last. "Do you want a family?"

"Yeah. Believe it or not, but yeah. I want a child and I want a husband I can have a great laugh with and who is my best friend."

"If you had to pick a boy from our school, who would you choose?"

"Oh God, why did I have a gut feeling you'll ask me that? Daniel, defiantly not. Fabian, nope. Guy, nope. Andrew, nope. Any of the lads I know, nope." I close my eyes and think. A husband I can have a great laugh with and who is my best friend. Well, only one name springs to mind who I've had a great laugh with and who acts like my best friend despite not knowing each other long. Demetri. "No one as I can think of. I'd rather be a lesbian that be a wife to any of you lot."

I'm lying to myself. Demetri would be the perfect husband but he wouldn't want me as a wife. I ask too many questions and I can get on his nerves. But, why do I have these thoughts of him kissing me all of a sudden? Why do I want to know what his lips feel like on mine? Why do I want to have his strong, protective arms around me all the time, to have sex with him even?

"We're at your house. Do you want to come in to collect your clothes?"

"Of course." I was already inside my house when he goes to the stairs. He was tall, lean and muscular. No wonder his body was muscular as he admitted not too long ago. He was an athlete as well as Kyle, Thorn, Quinn and April. I go up the stairs on my ass and hop into my bedroom. I plunk myself on the edge of my bed, in front of my wardrobe and chest of drawers. Demetri crosses his arms and leans against the door frame. "Yeah, this is my bedroom. Don't look so shocked."

"Where are your suitcases? Start packing. You can tell me what you want and I'll pack it."

"I've got two under the bed." I get off the bed and go to the wardrobe. Demetri picks me up and places me back on the bed.

"You're not going to move from here. I said you tell me what you want and I'll pack it." His body's so close to mine, I can feel heat radiate off it. His face was so close to mine, his eyes bore into mine and I wave of unwanted wanting flows through me. I can feel myself burning for his touch and his lips.

"Okay. You can get off me now." I only just realize his knees where outside my hips and his hands on my wrists above my head. He shifts his weight and gets off. I take a deep breathe of relief. What is coming over me? I hate Demetri!

He opens the wardrobe and holds out each piece of clothing, he doesn't look phased with what just happened. I also noticed as he bends to pick up my trainers, he has a nice, firmly sculpted ass. I can't tear my eyes away from that sight I'd love to have. "You have a nice ass." I accidently blurted out. Demetri shoots straight up and stares at me.

"What did you say?" He genuinely didn't hear what I said.

"Nothing. Just muttering to myself about my Mom." I am so awful at lying. Demetri nods and begins to bend back down when his cell goes off.

"It's Isis. Won't be long." He strolls out of the room. I get my cell out and quickly take a picture of his ass before it went out of sight. I bite back a bark of laughter and a grin as I set his ass as my cell's wallpaper. I shall have that photo forever now. "Tenebrae, you have a visitor!" Demetri's shouts before going back to his conversation with Isis on the phone. I go down the stairs on my ass, but I only go half way. Daniel walks in and glares at Demetri.

"Hey, Daniel. What you doing here?" I ask, surprising him.

"I've just come to see if you were home. Did you know that-" Daniel sits next to me on the step I'm sat on.

"Yeah. My Mom's sold the house. I'm just getting my things because I'm going to crash with Demetri for a few days until I can sort out a job and a place to rent." "Why is Demetri so over you now?"

"He helped me get to the hospital. Also, he feels guilty about what happened. His childhood friend nearly attacked me, Daniel." I lower my voice to a whisper.

"He shouldn't. I wish I could've saved you. It was my fault you ran away."

"Stop feeling sorry. I get that all the time. Look, you just wanted to tell me how you felt and I overreacted. And, it was pitch black so you couldn't have found me." I place a hand on his knee.

"But he did alright. How?" Daniel was beginning to feel jealous. It is too obvious. "I daren't ask to be honest. It's for the best. Perhaps, he knows the forest like the back of his hand. I have seen him go walking around in there during lunch recess. So, it could be that." I shrug my shoulders. That's another mystery to be solved.

"I don't trust him, despite saving you. He seems too weird."

"Daniel, I know you're jealous of him. It's alright. I'm not going to fall in love with him and I am not going to let him harm me. I didn't ask to crash at yours because I knew you didn't have that room and I have no other friends. Demetri's sister is moving out and I'm having her room. Look, if you can't trust him, trust me. I am not going to fall in love or I'm not going to let him do anything to me."

"Okay, I trust you. When does this come off?" He taps the back slab.

"Two weeks. I get an x-ray then my cast. Four weeks will go by and I'll go in for another x-ray and see if I need a different cast. In six to eight weeks time, I'll be in physio, learning to walk again. Yay." I feel like in a sarcastic mood.

"You can't do anything until you can walk again so that means you can't get a job and you can't get away from him."

"You shouldn't be jealous and Demetri's a really kind-hearted lad really. He's waiting for the perfect girl and he wants a family."

"I don't care and I'm not jealous of him."

"Your face doesn't seem to say the same thing. You're green all over and that's not from being ill. You're very envious of Demetri because you think he's going to take me away from you and turn me against you."

"I'm not worried at all. Stop shaking your head. I know what I feel and I'm not envious or worried about you staying with him."

"Okay, okay. I believe you." At that moment, Demetri comes strolling over.

"Isis just called and she can't wait to meet you despite being in your condition. She's not leaving until you and her has had a long chat. And trust me; it's going to be a long conversation. The kettle's on and she's waiting for us to hurry back so we can get you settled in." He looks at Daniel. "Hey Daniel, how's it hanging?"

"Hi, Demetri. I'm doing well. About you? Out to steal Tenebrae from me?" Daniel stands up and squares up to Demetri.

"No, of course not. Tenebrae's your best friend and your love. I'm starting to worry if what she told you has sunk in yet. She is not interested in you." Demetri dodges Daniel's fist and hits Daniel in the stomach, making Daniel keel over. "I should warn you. I'm a boxer at this moment in time, so I'd watch who you're throwing the punches at. I can knock you out in a single blow." Demetri faces Daniel again. "You got it? I'm the type of lad you don't want to mess with." Daniel tries to punch Demetri again, aiming for his face again. Demetri catches Daniel's fist before it makes contact, I can see Demetri's hand tightening around Daniel's fist.

"Beg for mercy so I won't break your hand. And, repeat the warning I just issued." Demetri makes Daniel kneel down on one knee.

"Demetri, stop it! Stop it!" I stand up at the bottom of the stairs. He lets go of Daniel's fist and stares coldly at Daniel.

"It's not broken. Just bruised. Put some ice on it though and take that as your warning instead." Demetri goes into the kitchen and gets out a bag of peas from the freezer. Chucking them at Daniel, he stands next to me.

"You're insane. You are not human. Too strong to be human." Daniel mutters as he stands back up, peas over his hand.

"I'm as human as you are. I just workout."

"Daniel, don't do that again! Christ! Demetri, you don't do that again." I shake my head. "Got to control your temperament and strength, both of you. I'm sick of being in the middle of jokes and fights."

"Sorry Tenebrae. I'll try to control my temper when he's around." Daniel stares angrily at Demetri who just returns the stare with cool, smooth blue eyes.

"I only fight back if someone starts a fight with me. Which, well, resulted in the challenger losing." Demetri sits on the arm of the chair and stretches his legs out in front of him. Bloody Hell! He had long, muscular legs.

"Just go Daniel. You'll make the situation worse if you stay. See you in school." I turn my back to both of them.

"Yeah, see you in school." Daniel leaves without another word. I go back upstairs and lie on the bed.

"I'm sorry about what happened just then. I wish there wasn't a fight." Demetri says. "I shouldn't have provoked him."

"To be fair, he was out to provoke also. No, don't be sorry. No one should be sorry, not today. Isis is waiting for us, didn't you say?"

"Yep. Shall we get a move on?"

"We shall."

Chapter 7

We arrive at his house. It was a five bedroom house with an extension out to the side. I presume it's a kitchen extension. He parks in the garage. The garage is neatly arranged. The bikes are over to one side, the DIY tools the other, decorating equipment near the front of the garage, gardening tools in a corner and spare tables and chairs near the door.

"I must warn you. Every Sunday, the whole family comes over. So, Mom and family, Dad and family, sisters and brothers come. It's an annual event we have every week. So, if you're crowded or you feel uncomfortable, just tell me and I'll sort something out for you. I must warn you as well, my other relatives are very acquisitive so expect to get asked a lot of questions."

"Is that why you have loads of spare tables and chairs?"

"Yeah. We have a barbeque outside if it's sunny or inside if it's raining. Expect animalistic eating from the rest of them, especially April."

"Okay. That's understood. Tomorrow's Sunday though." I wait at the garage door for him to bring my ONE suitcase.

"Yeah. They'll start arriving soon. You can fit four cars in this garage and another four on the drive outside. We've also got space to fit everyone. There's one problem though." He knocks on the door, waiting for Isis.

"What?"

"You can't have your own room. We have to share. Two people to a room, maybe three. Mom and Dad in one room. Isis and Lucas in another. Quinn, Kyle and Thorn in one. April and her husband in another. That leaves me and you in the last room."

"Don't you ever think about getting a mansion instead of a five bedroom house? You'll be able to give each of your siblings and parents' a room each."

"No. There's no nearby and I like this house. I was born near here and I've been raised in this house all of my life. I just went to a different school before choosing to go to the current one. Also, we don't mind sharing a room. We're all territorial but we've learnt to share rooms."

"Aren't your grandparents' coming?"

"Oh dear God, no. They only come for the day and leave at the end of the night."

"What are your brothers like?"

"They are very competitive, like to fight, noisy. My sisters are very supportive to each other and they talk none stop. My Mom and Dad act like they've never got divorced. Of course, being the black sheep, my brothers take the piss outta me and I always beat them if a fight. It's all for good fun, rarely get badly hurt. My sisters will ask non stop questions about me to you. My Mom and Dad will talk to you but it is mostly questions like my sisters." Demetri smiles at my rather shocked face. The door opens and a girl of Demetri's description stands in the doorway. She hugs him.

"About time you're back. Mom's just rung. Saying that she'll be a little late because Henry" In a French accent. "Wants to come but there won't be enough room so they're arguing."

"Okay, that's fine with me. Isis, this is Tenebrae. The girl I told you about who'll be staying with us for a while." Demetri places a hand on my shoulder.

"Nice to meet you Tenebrae. I love your name, by the way. Has Demetri told you all the warnings and all the events that's going to be happening over the past few days?" Isis's accent was a little bit like French. She was beautiful.

"Yes, he has. I'm prepared for most of it anyway. Still can't get over how big your family is though." I laugh when she laughs. I love her laugh, it's like wind chimes.

"Hopefully, if things go well with your friendship with my little brother, you'll be part of it soon and who knows, add to it." Isis turns and walks away.

"Ignore any of that. Isis plans too far in the future for other people, she can't plan for herself. Ignore her completely." Demetri steps through the door and closes it after I've entered the room. I almost fall over at the size of it. It was a high-ceilinged, huge living room. A wide screen TV was above the stone fireplace. Three three-piece suites were surrounding it. Almost in a rectangle, just with one side missing. The carpet looked like Persian. A big coffee table was in the middle of the rug with coasters on it. The room was a very pale yellow. An arch led to the dining room. A huge table went through the room. It could fit about thirty people around it. There were patio doors, leading out to another huge yard. The room was also a very pale yellow. On the solid oak table, there were candles, plate mates, coaster and cutlery.

Another arch led to the kitchen. It was as big as the living room. A silver oven lay in the middle of the wall facing the arch; next to it were white washed cupboards. Above the oven, a fan was in level with some more cupboards. Two big rectangular windows were near another set of patio doors which led to another yard. The black tiled floor sparkled. The window sills were filled with herbs. Demetri next leads me through the living room and into the hallway we walked through, to the stairs. The hallway was wide and was white. He jogs up the stairs. "Which room are you having? Kyle, Thorn and Quinn will need the biggest one which is Mom and Dad's bedroom. Why don't you have the one on this side?" Demetri shouts as he comes back down to me.

"Are you having your usual room or a bigger one? Mind you, who are you sharing with?" Isis shouts back. Demetri sweeps me off my feet and carries me upstairs. Isis comes out of a room and smiles at us.

"I'm sharing with Tenebrae. Mom and Dad together. April and her husband. Kyle, Quinn and Thorn. You and Lucas. That leaves me and Tenebrae staying together." "Why don't you have the second biggest room?"

"Isn't that my room anyway?"

"Well, duh." Another laugh. Demetri carries me to the end of the corridor and opens a door. The room was bigger than my room by miles. A double bed near the wall furthest away from the door. A window above it, a chest of drawers beneath it.

There was a dark blue carpet down. The bed was wooden and the covers were white. On the chest of drawers, there was a single clock. The room's walls were bare. It looks so tidy compared to my room.

"Will we be sharing a bed together?" I have to make sure.

"We don't have to. I can always sleep on the floor." He places my suitcase underneath the bed and opens the window to let in some fresh air.

"No. I don't want to kick you out of your own bed."

"You don't mind sharing a bed with me? You hate my guts so it should be easier." He stands up to move out of the way so I can sit on his bed. He kneels down in front of me.

"Which side of the bed do you sleep on?" I ask him, pondering why he's knelt down in front of me. He pulls his sneakers off, placing them under the bed. "I usually sleep next to the wall. You can sleep next to the wall if you want." He then stands up and opens the bedroom door.

"No. Either way, I'm going to hit you. By kicking or I'll hit you in the face."

"Why in the face?" He stops himself laughing. "Isis, do you know when Kyle, Quinn and Thorn's coming?" He shouts towards Isis.

"Yeah, why?"

"Just wondering how long I've got to prepare myself for fighting."

"They said that they'll be here in at least an hour. There's busy traffic on the interstate so, maybe more than that." Isis walks into the room and gives Demetri the house phone I presume. "Call them. I want to speak to Tenebrae for a minute." Isis sits down next to me and Demetri shakes his head.

"This is what I warned you about. Watch out for her tricks into making you tell the truth. Many a girl and boy has fallen for it." Demetri catches the pillow Isis threw and throws it back at her.

"Just ring them, will ya? Otherwise, Dad will beat them here." Isis throws the pillow one last time at him before the door closes.

"Is it like this all the time?" I ask, laughing for real for the first time.

"Yeah. I'm going to miss him and this place when I move out."

"Why are you moving out if you're going to miss him and this place?"

"I don't want to be stick in the same house all my life like Demetri does. Anyway, that's enough about me. Tell me about yourself."

"Well," I take a deep breathe and start telling her about my family and me. She nods quietly and smiles at some bits. "And last night…"

"What about last night? I hope you didn't with my brother."

"No. No. Of course not. Last night, I went outside to ring my Mom to come and pick me up. My best friend followed me and while he was having a cigarette, he told me that he loved me. I overreacted and ran into the forest and this wolf bit my leg. Demetri came and defended me from the wolf. Jay, he said that the wolf's name was Jay. So, Demetri rescued me and I told him to take me home, I just wanted to get home and get my leg sorted out. So, whilst Demetri was taking me home, Jay had found us again and we had to jump from the car. While running away, my leg broke. Your brother carried me to my house and called the ambulance. So, I went to hospital and had the operation earlier today and I've just got discharged. Demetri saved my life and I'll be grateful for as long as I shall live." I look at Isis and she laughs.

"Wow, that's rare." She says finally after her laughing fit.

"What's rare?"

"My brother very rarely saves people. Either because he hates them enough, they don't disserve to die or he can actually save them just in time."

"Oh. I guess I'm one of the lucky few, hey?"

"You sure are. At school, does every girl practically drool over him?"

"Every girl apart from me but yeah, they practically drool."

"Apart from you, hey? I take it you hate his guts."

"Yep. I thought he was a player at first sight."

"Someone always seems to get that impression from us. When me, Kyle, Thorn, Quinn and April were in high school, we were pictured as players but look at us now. April's the only one with a husband and a baby on the way. I'm still single, Kyle's got a girlfriend, Thorn's single and Quinn's single too. Lucas is still too young but he's pictured as a player also and single. Demetri's single as far as I know. What about you? Are still you single?"

"Yeah, I'm still single. I think I scare every other boy away in my school because I'm a Goth. I just haven't got my make-up on and my Goth clothes."

"You look fit to be a princess without all that make-up and those hideous clothes. You're drop dead gorgeous without that slap on."

"I'm thinking of throwing it all in the bin and go natural."

"Yeah, you should. Lads' like it when girls' go with the natural look."

"So I've heard. Probably it was due to my make-up I scared the lads' away. Either that or because I act too much like a lad."

"You don't act like a boy too much. Mostly girly I think." Isis runs to the window. "Oh, April's here. Come down stairs and meet her." Isis jogs out of the room as Demetri comes back in. "Demetri, get your ass down her to greet your sister!" Isis shouts back up. He rolls his eyes and smiles at me. I hop to the stairs and about to sit myself on the top step when I'm in Demetri's arms again.

"While you're in this house, I'm carrying you. You don't want to be going up and down on your ass on these stairs during the time everyone's here nor be hopping around down stairs." He tells me as he places me on my feet in the hallway.

Chapter 8

A girl of Demetri's description hugs him as tightly as she could due to her stomach. April. He places a hand on her stomach and murmurs to it. April went inside with Isis and sat down on one of the three-piece suites. Demetri went outside and greets a tall, dark tanned man. This must be April's husband. They carry a suitcase in each and place the suitcases in the hallway. The man rushes to April when she hisses. Demetri takes a deep breathe.

"She looks a little big for three months." I comment as I hop in.

"No, April's eight months now. Sorry about the mix up. I was only confusing myself. Take a seat." Demetri sits on the arm of the couch I'm sitting on.

"Would anyone like a drink? April, Kaleb?" Demetri asks before standing. "Is it alright if I have a cream soda? I've got a craving for them." April says.

"No, thanks." Kaleb says, his voice was really deep.

"Isis?" Demetri asks as he goes to the dining room.

"A glass of water. You want anything, Tenebrae?" Isis turns her attention to me. "No thank you." I smile sweetly. April looks at me.

"So, you're the Tenebrae Isis has been on about on the phone to me. Nice to meet you at last." April leans over and shakes my head.

"Yeah, nice to meet you too April. Demetri's told me all about you. Congratulations on your baby."

"Thank you. I hope he's warned you about me and Isis, what we do an' all that. He should've." She raises her voice on the last sentence on purpose.

"Yeah, he did. I'm ready for it."

"I'm going to be asking you questions until you get better enough to run away."

"Oh dear." We laugh. Demetri comes back in. A cream soda for April and a glass of water for Isis is given before he sits on the arm again.

"Your suitcase is heavy April, what have you got in it?" He asks.

"I was hoping that I could stay until the baby was born. I want it born in America, not some foreign country I've never liked."

"Sure. You can stay here permanently if you and Kaleb wish. Tenebrae will be staying here until she's finished her physio course after the casts."

"What do you think, Kaleb? Demetri's great with kids and Isis is moving out soon so, we can't leave my brother and Tenebrae on their own, can we?"

"If you want to stay here, we can. We're getting the house next door though." Kaleb agrees. April pecks Kaleb on the cheeks.

"Yeah, we'll just need to sell the house in Greece then, we'll buy the house next door. Renovate it and then… who knows?"

"It'll be cool to have one of my sisters staying in America with me. I'll feel like my whole family's abandoned me." Demetri chuckles.

"We all love ya, Demetri but we do need to fly the coop at some time."

"I know. I think I'll feel abandoned if you all go because of Mom and Dad. You know?" He leans forward and shakes his head.

"Your genes have to be awkward though. Why couldn't you be like me or Isis or any of the triplets? I guess someone had to rock the boat, it was getting a little boring without anyone rocking the boat."

"I was our grandparents' fault. Let's be fair, I didn't exactly choose the hair and eyes and abilities, did I? It was our grandparents' that had set the rocking into motion." He leans back and places his arm on the top of the couch, above my head. I feel like he's going to slowly place that arm on my shoulders and press me close to him.

"Yeah. What do you think about what happened in our family, Tenebrae?"

"I think it's awful. Worse than what happened in mine. I can't understand why they see it as an omen." I look up at Demetri. "Just because Demetri's got different hair and eye color and a collective amount of abilities, it shouldn't be something that is seen as bad but something that should be seen as good and a sign that it's time for change." I lean forward and rest my elbows on my knees.

"I couldn't have put it any better myself." Isis shouts as they clapped. April stands up and hugs me.

"Anyone with a mind like yours is welcome into the family at anytime." She looks at Demetri. "Tenebrae's defiantly a keeper. Take good care of her."

"April, we're not in a relationship. We're just friends. Don't rush to conclusions." Demetri tells her. "Earlier, Isis hoped out-loud that if things go well, we'll be a couple, get married and add to the family. It was funny and yet, it offended me." Demetri glances at Isis.

"Hey, I'm just hoping that it does happen. You look brilliant together." Isis says. I place my head in my hands to hide my embarrassment.

"Isis is right. You two would make a brilliant couple but, only you both control what will happen about your futures." April sits back down.

"Thanks for the comments but, she hates me and I'm not too great about her as well." Demetri jumps up at the sound of the door bell.

A sound of crashing fills the room. "About fucking time you guys made it. The conversation was getting awkward." Demetri shouts. Obviously, his brothers have arrived. "Sit down on that one. We have one more guest who will be staying a while. April's moving from Greece to next door and Isis is moving out."

"Oh Lord, help us." A voice almost like Demetri's says. Three well-built ginger-haired men walk in and sits down opposite April and co. They smile at me. Demetri stands behind the couch and pointed out Thorn, Quinn and Kyle. Kyle was the one with bright green eyes, Quinn was the one with the dark brown eyes with freckles and Thorn was the one with the light green eyes, spiky ginger hair and dimples when he smiled.

Again, Demetri sits next to me, but not on the arm, on the actual couch. "This is Tenebrae Amethyst. I saved her last night from Jay and took her to the hospital. She has a broken leg and a wolf bite. She has just got her bone straightened out, no metal in it at all. Her Mom's running away with a bloke and has sold the house; her best friend has no room so I've offered her a place here for as long as she wants." Demetri tells everyone. Kyle gets up and walks out of the room. "Drinks are in the fridge in the garage." Demetri shouts.

"When are Mom and Dad arriving?" Thorn asks.

"I don't know. Grandma and Granddad are coming tomorrow, both sets and leaving before dark."

"Seriously? All they do is complain. The food's too hot. My drink is too cold. Why is it too warm in here? Why are you all so loud?"

"Yeah, seriously. Even though they do complain quite a bit, we have to stick to family tradition, Thorn. Everyone in our family has done the exact same thing."

"I know, I know. I'm stick of hearing them complain though."

"Who isn't?" Isis speaks up. "Tenebrae, you'll see tomorrow why were complaining about our grandparents' today instead of tomorrow."

"So, are you two, you know...?" Quinn makes a whistle.

"No, we're not. She hates my guts and I'm not too fond of her. She asks too many questions." Demetri tells him without looking at me.

"You seem quite comfortable sitting next to each other. I just thought that something was going on between you."

"You'll think much worse once I tell you the sleeping arrangements."

"You two aren't sharing the same bed, surely?"

"Fucking Hell, how do you always guess these things and get them right?"

"I'm your big brother, that's why. Demetri, make sure you use protection." Quinn winks. I can't help but laugh. Demetri throws a cushion at him; it hit Quinn right in the face. "Tenebrae, I'd make sure he goes slowly at first if I were you." Demetri throws another cushion at him.

"Tenebrae likes to live life on the fast lane." Thorn says. Demetri lunges at both of them. The play fight begins. I can't stop myself from laughing.

"That's enough you guys. You're setting a bad example for the baby. Thorn and Quinn, stop provoking Demetri. Demetri, if you don't react, they won't provoke you." Isis shouts above the noise. Demetri pulls away sadly and plunks himself down next to me again. He runs a hand through his hair as he tries to settle back down. Thorn and Quinn makes a love heart with their hands and points it at us. Demetri raises his middle finger to them. "Thorn, Quinn." Isis snaps.

"If we're in a relationship, I'd be kissing her without hesitation in front of you two, but we're not so I don't and won't." Demetri says.

April hisses. Demetri snaps his head towards her. "You alright, April?" "Yeah, the baby's kicking that's all. Tenebrae, come here." April reaches out for me. I get up and hop towards her. She places my hand on her stomach and I can feel the baby kicking. It was strange and yet, amazing.

"Wow." I mutter.

"That's what you get to feel if you decide to have a baby with the man you love." April lets my hand go and I sit back down next to Demetri.

"That's amazing."

"It is. My little baby. I want Demetri to get married and have a baby."

"I already wanted a family before you even thought about it. I will once I found the one girl I'll love for the rest of forever." Demetri butts in. "Speaking off which, while the sun is still up, shall we go outside and enjoy the sunset?"

"Yeah. We can keep an eye out for Mom and Dad and we can have a little game of soccer." Kyle says, racing out already. Thorn and Quinn follow.

"I'd like that." Isis helps April get up and they go out with Kaleb in tow. Demetri stares at me. I can feel my eyelids grow heavy.

"Tenebrae? Do you want to see the sunset?" He asks.

"Where will we sit to see it though?" I snap my eyes open and look at him.

"A hill. Didn't you notice the hill we've got at the back yard? No doubt Kyle, Thorn and Quinn will be playing soccer at the foot of the hill, Isis, April and Kaleb near the top. I always sit on the very top. So, are you up for it? You can hop it you want, it's just gonna be hard work."

"What time is it?"

"It's seven in the evening."

"Already? Time went fast."

"It always does in my family." He stands up and pulls me to my feet.

"Do I have to go? I feel really tired." I reach for my crutches and put my arms in them.

"No but it'll be nice if you did. The medicine must be affecting you again."

"Okay. I'll see the sunset but I want to go bed after."

"Sure. Do you want me to carry you up the hill and down?"

"I thought you said that as long as I'm in this house, you'll carry me."

"A challenge? I've always liked challenges." He picks me up and I scream out of surprise. He walks out and goes to the end of the back yard. There was a hill, not a very steep hill but a high hill.

"Can you carry me up this without falling yourself?" I wrap my arms around his neck in fear.

"Yeah, of course I can." Demetri begins to climb.

"Get in there, Demetri! Carrying her up the hill to see a sunset then giving her a bit of your VA VA vroom!" Thorn shouts up.

"She has a broken leg; she can't climb up by herself. And, of course not. I'm not like you; I don't go into places unless invited." Demetri replies.

"Whoa! She's inviting you alright!"

"Just ignore them. Let them think what they want to think. They're childish." I tell him. He places me down and the view was wonderful. It takes my breathe away.

The view was of the sun setting, trees and a few buildings. The sky was slowly going from color to color till it reached the space blue. Demetri sits next to me. I shake my head, feeling my eyes fill with tears.

"What are you crying for?" He asks, placing a hand on my back.

"It's just; no one's done anything like this for me before. Thank you. It's a breath-taking view." I wipe the tears away with the back of my hand.

"Hey, you disserve the best after what you've been through. You have nothing to thank me for." He places his arm around my shoulders and squeezes.

"I do. I'm sorry for being snappy towards you. Thank you for giving me this chance. Thank you for doing everything no one else could."

I lean my head against his shoulder. He shakes his head for a moment before raising two fingers up. I look down and I see the triplets making sex signs and taking photos. Isis, Kaleb and April were lost in conversation.

"Bastards. I wish they could understand that you hate me and we're not together and not going to have sex or anything like that."

"Ignore them and they won't carry on."

"They'll see it as a confirmation from me if I do ignore them."

"Let them think what they want to think." I turn back to look at the sunset.

"How can I? They're hurting my pride."

"Is pride all you lads' think about? Think about other things than pride and sex." I don't take my eyes away from the sunset.

"Not all of us think about sex and pride. I've thought about your safety. It's only my brothers that think about sex and pride." He rests his head against mine.

"Do you think we'll become a couple like Isis and April said?"

"I highly doubt it. You hate my guts and I'm sick of your questioning. We won't work." He raises his head at a sound of cars pulling up.

"Your parents' have arrived, I take it."

"Yeah. Lucas has just run into the house, expecting to find somebody there. Sucker." Demetri laughs.

"How old is the triplets, your sisters and Lucas? I forgot to ask." A yawn cuts off most of my sentence. He runs, catching something that was about to hit my head.

"That's not nice. Tenebrae's our guest, Kyle. You shouldn't throw a football at her." Demetri shouts back down.

"Just wondered if she was fast enough to catch it." Kyle answers, half mocking.

"Well don't in the future." He throws it back down to him. I glance up at him. Oh God, that ass! I force my eyes to go back to the sunset.

"Relax, Demetri. Sit back down." I mutter, barely keeping my eyes open.

"They piss me off so much when they do shit like this to me." He hisses as he sits down and wraps his arm back around my shoulders.

"You never did answer my question." I feel comfortable in Demetri's arms, like I belong in them. I've never felt like this before.

"What question was that? My mind was filled with their taunts."

"How old are the triplets, your sisters and Lucas?"

"The triplets are twenty six years old, my sisters are twenty-two and Lucas is just twelve years old and a smart ass, thinks he knows everything."

"How old are you? You seem to be older than seventeen and eighteen."

"I am in fact, nineteen in four months."

"You shouldn't be in high school then. Too old."

"They don't know that, do they? Shush, I want to keep it a secret. Only you knows my true age, I don't want everyone else finding out."

Chapter 9

"What age do you hope to get married and have children?"

"I want to be married and a Dad at the age of either my early twenties, late twenties or early thirties."

"Early in life."

"You've only got one life; you might as well live it. What about you?"

"I'm hoping to get married in my late twenties and become a Mom in my early thirties."

"You want to get married in your late twenties? Why not earlier?"

"I don't know. I seem to see myself ready for the big change in my late twenties." "If you have children, what sex do you want them, how many and what names?" "I want two boys and a girl, and I would want to call them Fabian, Luke and Julia. I'm not sure if my future husband will agree with all of them but I will have to wait and see, won't I?" The sun eventually goes down and darkness succumbs the sky. "Demetri, Tenebrae! Get your asses down here now!" Isis shouts. Demetri smiles and picks me up.

"Looks like it's time to go in and get mocked and questioned by the whole family. You'll easily see my parents and you'll know where we all get our qualities from." He goes down the hill in normal stride, I anticipate Demetri to trip but he doesn't. He places me on my foot and I follow him inside. There was a load of chattering and laughing. I'm overwhelmed with the atmosphere because it was filled with laughter, happiness.

"The atmosphere is hugely different to what I'm used to." I speak aloud by mistake. Demetri laughs and walks ahead.

"Mom, Dad. It's nice to see you again." He acts cheerful but I know that there's something different behind his shell.

"How have you been?" A high pitched woman's voice asks. I hop in, Demetri places a chair next to the couch I was sat on before and leads me back to my place on the couch, he sits on the chair. "And, who's this?"

"I've been fine. Just a few ups and downs here and there but, I've been fine. This is Tenebrae Amethyst; I saved her last night from Jay. Got a broken leg and a nice bite mark. Jay was a wolf. I didn't know such things could exist."

"Jay? Why is he showing his face around these parts after I told him not to?" A man with a light shade of brown and dark brown eyes to match stands up. He looks like Kyle but with different colored hair and eyes. Dad, I take it.

"I don't know but he's after Tenebrae. If I didn't show up last night, only God knows what he would've done to her. I don't like to think about it also."

I close my eyes and keep my breathing easy. "Would you like to go to bed now and face the questioning of my parents' in the morning?"

"You make it sound like a bad thing. What are the sleeping arrangements anyway? Most of us need to unpack." His Mom says, half bemused.

"Kyle, Thorn and Quinn are sleeping in the biggest bedroom. Lucas and Isis are sleeping in the smallest room, April and Kaleb are sleeping in the third biggest room. You and Dad will be sleeping in the only room left. Tenebrae will be sleeping in my bed and I will be sleeping down here." He announces the change of plans. I inhale deeply and try to pry my eyes open, no luck yet unfortunately. "No, you're not. I'm not going to kick you out of your own bed." I rub the sleep from my eyes and try to focus on anything but him. "I'm going to sleep on the floor; he's going to sleep in his own bed." I correct him. He shakes his head.

"I'm not. Hosts give up their bed to the guests. It's only polite. Now, shush. The arrangements have been decided."

"No they haven't. I'm not sleeping in your bed, you are. I'll be alright on the floor." I push myself up so I can sit properly and Demetri smiles.

"You two fight like an old married couple. Can't agree with one thing." His Mom says, laughing. "You'd make the perfect couple I'd have ever seen."

"We're not going to be in a relationship. She hates my guts because she has a bad vibe against me and I saved her out of pure instinct. Tenebrae's only staying because her best friend doesn't have enough room, her Mom's running off with some bloke and she has sold the house, so I offered her a place to stay."

"Whatever! You only want to give her some of your VA VA vroom and she wants to receive it! You two are so a couple!" Kyle shouts out. Demetri lunges at him again and they fight.

"Kyle, stop provoking your brother and Son, sit back down!" Their Mom shouts. Demetri skulks away with a cut eyebrow and a burst lip. Kyle has no wounds on him. "Why do you have to provoke your brother every time you're here, Kyle? Isis, go and see where he is, will you love?" Their Mom sits next to me as Isis goes after Demetri. She takes my hand.

"I don't mean to provoke him though. I just want to have a little fun." Kyle finally answers. I rub my forehead.

"You know how he is though. You know his temperament also." Her voice was calm and full of pain.

"I'm sorry, Mom. I try and not to do it again."

"No, you won't." She turns her eyes on me. Deep like fall and warming. "So, Tenebrae, what did you see last night?"

"I saw a gray wolf comes towards me, Demetri blocking him and then running. I heard Demetri growl and I felt he had inhuman strength. Jay chased after us and bit into my leg. I think Demetri was hurt somewhere. A circle of wolves surround me, Jay turns back into his human form and then we had a little chat. Demetri came again, carried me towards his car and started driving…" I close my eyes and try to remember the rest, I know there was more. "I…I…" I stutter. "I can't remember the rest apart from breaking my leg and Demetri taking me to the hospital."

"You saw Jay turn into a human from a wolf?" She sounds like she didn't believe it but her eyes told me I was in deep shit.

"Yes. Demetri told me that Jay told him his secret about it."

"Okay. I'll let you go off to bed now. You look at exhausted as you a should be."

"Not exhausted, just tired really. Been up most of the night and day."

"Go to bed and we'll talk more in the morning, okay?"

"Sure. See you." I get up and hop to the stairs. I'm about to sit down on the bottom step when Demetri appears in front of me.

"I think you and I need a little talk." His voice is filled with warning. I gulp hard.

"It's about what I told your Mom, isn't it?" I slowly lower myself onto the step and push myself up two, Demetri staying close.

"Yep. And a lot more."

"I'm in deep shit, aren't I?"

"Not exactly. Just a little trouble."

"With you, that's a lot."

"Not entirely." He takes my crutches and goes up the stairs with them. I keep on concentrating on getting up the stairs rather than trying to figure out how I'm going to retrieve my crutches.

I balance myself against the wall when I reach the top, Demetri hands me my crutches and picks me up for the twentieth time today.

"Can you please stop picking me up? I'm getting rather tired of it and it's making me look like I'm a lazy bitch."

"If you want." He puts me down suddenly and strolls ahead towards his room.

"Thank you. I'm grateful for everything you're doing for doing for me but I want to do some of it myself." He scoffs back a laugh. I shake my head and come to a stand still. "Why do you find me helpless so funny?"

"I don't. I find what you say funny."

"Is it because I've only gained some independence and now look at me? Dependent of the person I hate! I still want some independence despite being crippled for at least six to eight weeks. I might as well stayed at home until there was a buyer." I'm already irritable because of him and his family but with the added tiredness, that is not a good combination for me.

"I would've forced you to come here anyway. Jay would've found you if you stayed at home. I know you would like some independence back a little but I'm telling you now," He comes right in front of me. "While you are in my house, you will not be doing anything unless I want you to. Got it?" His voice was an almost growl.

I daren't speak after that. I'm too scared to even make a little noise. I'd like to know why he was so ferocious at the moment. Sure, I told his Mom what really happen but leaving out the extra detail but she was his Mom for Christ's sake! I stare at him, scared. He storms off and disappears inside his room.

"Fucking Hell!" I hiss to myself.

"Are you coming in or not?" He pops his head out of the door and stares angrily at me. I gulp hard and begin going towards him. I so hate his guts right now. I enter his room and he's standing at the window, the sky was now completely black. I lean against the wall, waiting for his shouts.

"I'm sorry for telling her some of the story and not sticking to the one you told me to. So, vent your anger out on me, I'm ready."

Chapter 10

"Why did you have to overreact when Daniel confessed? If you didn't, we wouldn't be in this mess." He questions without facing me.

"I don't know why. My instinct was to run away from him. I went into a state of shock and panic because… because no one told me they loved me before. Not even my Mom." I turn my head away.

"Nonetheless, you should've gone home."

"My Mom was picking me up and I wasn't prepared to ask anyone for a lift."

"You could've walked home. You'd been safe enough," There was a pause. "I think." He finally admits. I shake my head.

"You saw how far away I live. Even if I did walk, Jay would've found me and raped me because you would've been too late to save me. I might have a broken leg if things were different but Jay still would've gotten his hands on me and who knows? I might have even fallen pregnant with his baby if I didn't tell anyone or if you arrived. Any type of forest is dangerous, it's just the danger that lurks inside." "Don't speak of Jay here, don't even speak his name. He doesn't disserve to be my friend, nor does his friends. If he'd done that to you, I would've found out either way. I'm like a detective, I find out things easily. If he did that to you and you fell pregnant with his baby…" He shakes his head this time. "I would've skinned him alive and made you have the abortion."

"It didn't happen and that's all that matters. So, when does your family go to bed?" I want to change the subject ever so badly. Why so protective all of the sudden?

"Don't change the subject. If you were raped by him and you fell pregnant with his child, what would you do?"

"What do you mean?"

"Would you keep it and when it gets older, tell it the truth or abort it?"

"I…I…" I raise my eyes towards him; he was only a few strides away from me. "I don't know. He would find out and he would make me keep it, most defiantly."

"What if he never finds out? What would you do?"

"I don't know that answer."

"You have to, in case it did happen. Who would you tell if you really wanted some one to talk to?"

"If it did actually happen, I would pick to keep it and tell it the truth. And for the second question, I wouldn't. There isn't anyone for me to speak to. I'd write it down in a diary or something."

"Why would you keep it, knowing that one day, asking who its Dad is is and where is he?" He sits down on the bed and pats the side next to him.

"I believe that everyone has a right to live in some way. So, if I had the abortion, I was taking away an unborn person's right to live and that isn't fair."

"What would you tell it when that fatal day will come? An excuse?"

"I would explain to my child in detail what happened when it's older."

"What if the person is a teenager or a young adult?"

"I would explain what happened when he/she was conceived." I rub my eyes. "I don't want to talk about this any further."

"Okay, okay. You're sleeping in my bed, that's it, no arguing about it."

"I thought we both were going to sleep in it. I'll sleep on the right, I can't kick you otherwise." I am trying to lighten the mood but my joke doesn't work.

"No, you're sleeping in my bed on your own. I'm going to sleep downstairs."

"I refuse you to do that. I'm not going to kick you out of your own bed; I don't care if I am a guest or a cripple."

"You're in my house and I've made the sleeping arrangements. Don't argue with me. You are sleeping in my bed and I am sleeping on the couch."

"What if Jay invades and tries to rape me like he tried to last night?"

"He won't. We have enough protection to stop him and anyone else who isn't part of my family or hasn't been invited."

"How can you be sure that will work though? I'm scared shitless and you're going to leave me alone in your bed with a deep sickly feeling in my stomach that Jay will come after me?"

"Jay will come after you but he won't be able to find you for a while and he can't enter the house without any of us giving him permission to. If it makes you feel better, I'll get my Mom or Isis to sit outside your room."

"No, I don't need a watcher or a babysitter!"

"Then why do you want me to keep you company? Unless…"

"No, I do not want you and I do not like you in a single way! I know you can keep me safe, that's all." I keep my chin up.

"Whatever. Admit it, Tenebrae. You're beginning to warm up to me and you're beginning to fall in love with me, I can tell by the way you've just blushed."

"Don't be so stuck up your own ass. I do not like you and I still hate your guts! I'd much rather have gotten raped than love you!"

"It's not too late for you to get raped by Jay, you know. All I have to do is take you to where he will mostly likely to find you." He crosses his arms.

"You wouldn't."

"Is that a dare, Tenebrae?"

"Of course not."

"Aw. I never get asked to do a dare."

"Why isn't that such a surprise to me?" A dry laugh lightens the mood for a moment. The corners of Demetri's mouth rises a little.

"I don't know. I haven't got a bad reputation as far as I'm concerned. I've heard rumors about me like I'm a player but not a bad reputation."

"No, you haven't got a bad rep. I've heard that you're gay, you were born in Australia and raised by wolves by the way you move."

"By the way I move? How do I move?"

"Gracefully, majestically and you act almost like a wolf. Protective and ferocious and very brave."

"Is that from you or from what you've heard?"

"Both. I've seen you around school and I know how you move."

"That's a compliment and a half. I'm not going to forget that compliment."

"I hope you do. I regret saying that now." I cover my forehead with my hand and hide a grin.

"I won't. I've got a memory like an elephant."

"Whatever. Is there anything else I should be warned about before I go to sleep on the floor?" I can feel myself sway from side to side.

"My grandparents' arrive early and just keep an eye out about April. We all will be hearing for any signs of her going into labor. She might only be eight months but she can still go into labor at any time."

"Okay. Grandparents' arrive early. Listen out for any sign of April going into labor. Got it."

"And whatever you do, don't go outside on your own during the night." "That's a strange thing to tell me."

"It's not, you're a girl, think about it for a minute then add Jay or some other bloke into the equation. There's your answer."

"I see. I can protect myself."

"Not in that state, you can't. Just stay inside the house when it's dark, okay. Even during the day, get one of us to go with you."

"Because of Jay or some other bloke tries to kidnap me?"

"Yeah, exactly that."

"Alright. I get the message. Don't go anywhere on my own. I might as well be in a prison. You go nowhere on your own in a place like that."

"But here, you don't have fellow prisoners staring at you and wanting intercourse."

"Thanks for that. I think." I think it over and shake my head once more. "That's true. At least I've got five men to protect me from the harm."

"Don't forget my Mom and Isis. April's in no fit state and my Mom's a good fighter. As for Lucas, he's too young to know how to fight at the moment."

"Speaking of Lucas, where is he? I haven't seen him all night."

"Er…no, neither have I. I'll have to ask my Mom when I go back down."

"You sound like you have no intention of asking."

"I wonder where my smart-ass of a brother is now and again. This is a rare occasion where he doesn't turn up the night before. Usually, he loves staying here when we have this event. Strange really."

"Probably he's ill."

"No, he's never ill."

"Has something other planned?"

"Nope, he never plans on weekends because he's here."

"Oh, I don't know then. I'm sure he'll arrive tomorrow."

"I hope he does. I don't want Mom, Grandma, Grandpa, Dad, Isis, April and Lucas getting worried. We've already got enough on our plates with you and April."

"Calling us inconvenient?"

"No. I'm ecstatic that my sister's pregnant. As for you, yeah, I'd call you an inconvenient." He laughs. I place my hand over my heart and gawp.

"I'm sorry. Probably I should leave." I hold my chin up high and hop towards the door. I burst out laughing and face him.

"Okay, go. No clue where you're going to crash." He jokes back. He throws a pillow to the floor and reaches up on to of the wardrobe to pull down a bag. The bag opens up to reveal a quilt. I'm mesmerized by his biceps, how they move in a rhythm unknown to me and just tells me more about his physique.

"I don't know. Oh well, I guess I'll have to stay here for the time being."

"Dammit! I thought you were going."

"I hate to disappoint."

"Nah, you love it really."

"I feed off it."

"I can tell. All the despair and the disappointment in the air and you breathe it in. You don't breathe in the air, just the sadness with other mixtures in it." He looks at me and his eyes literally sparkle.

"Jay's here!" A shout echoes throughout the house. The sparkle goes and so does all the humor in the air.

"Right, Mom!" Demetri storms towards me and grabs my arms. "Jay's here for you so, we're going to run into the hill. Inside the hill, we've prepped it full of supplies. Like an air-raid shelter they did in England in the World Wars. I'm going to take you into there and April. You two are our main priority. Lucas is going with you. Since April's burdened and Lucas is only young, you'll have to take care of them."

"Okay. What if he has the area surrounded?"

"Mom only said Jay. Come on, we've got to move fast before he does call for back up." He picks me up and takes me downstairs. Lucas was standing at the bottom. "I'll be easier if you get on my back, Tenebrae." Demetri says, placing me on the third to last step. "Mom, bring April out in the hallway. I'm going to take Tenebrae, Lucas and April to the hill. You lot make sure Jay doesn't get inside or finds out we're going to the hill." Demetri shouts as I get on his back painfully. I see his Mom with April. Being eight months pregnant, she fears for her life and wants to get to safety quickly.

He takes her hand and holds it tightly. He would be a great romantic if he wasn't single. Lucas goes to through the front door and quickly closes it.

"He's outside." Lucas tells us.

"Shit. We have to go out of the back. Lucas, you go and keep an eye as April and I go towards there. Are you okay, April?"

"Yes, I'm fine. Scared but fine. Anubis is a little uneasy too." April answers.

"He will be for the moment. Come on, we'll have to hurry." Demetri walks as swiftly as possible through the living room, the kitchen and stops at the back door. It was pitch black outside.

April comes up beside us and Lucas looks towards Demetri for more instructions. "They're outside; making sure our path is safe." Demetri mutters. He steps outside himself and the path was clear because he was moving, holding onto April's hand and Lucas's so they don't get lost. A growl to the right sends shivers down me. It was Jay. "You're in our territory Jay, and since my sister is burdened and my brother is only young, it only makes us more lethal." Demetri warns, leaving me out of his speech because I'm not exactly as vulnerable as his siblings. There were growls from the left, loads of them.

"Doesn't mean that I can't get what I want. I'll leave your family alone if you give me Tenebrae." Jay must've changed into human form.

"No deal. She's on our ground so she's ours at the moment." Demetri tries a brave move and runs, Lucas runs beside us and April manages to keep up surprisingly. He stops for a moment and makes sure Jay isn't following. There's a fight from where we were a moment ago. He hauls open a door and we go inside. April sits down quickly, Lucas I think sits down next to her and Demetri puts me down. He slams the door shut and lights candles. The inside of the hill was huge, almost making the hill hollow. There were shelves and bookcases full of supplies like canned food and first aid kits.

April was breathing heavily, Lucas clutching her hand. Demetri kneels down in front of her. "Are you okay? Do you need any water, food?"

"No, just a towel." She answers.

"You're not going into labor now, are you?"

"I don't know!" The 'know' ended up in a hiss.

"Bloody Hell, Anubis! You sure know your timing. I'll get Mom."

"No! She won't be here in time if she's fighting Jay. Demetri!" April starts to scream. "I think my water's broke." She stares at him.

"Lucas, go get towels. They should be in the cupboard. Tenebrae, get your ass here and hold my sister's hand. Thank God you're wearing a dress, April."

I move myself over to April's side and hold her hand. "It could take hours for you to be ready to push Anubis out, April."

"No, he's ready now!" She nearly cuts off my circulation in my hand.

"Lucas, stay here with Tenebrae and April. I'll go and get Mom and Kaleb." Demetri announces before he disappears out of the hill. Lucas rests his head against April's shoulder.

"It's going to be alright. Don't worry." I mutter.

"Tenebrae, why aren't you and my brother going out yet?"

"Because we hate each other."

"You don't hate him at all. I can see it in your eyes. You used to hate his guts but you're coming around."

"Nah. I still hate his guts and he hates mine. Have you heard our argument? We constantly argue so we wouldn't make a good couple."

"Yeah, I have. We could hear you from downstairs. It sounded so fierce over something so little like where you and him are sleeping. Then, you wounded it off with joking. All couples have arguments and some end it with a joke or silence or a kiss. Kaleb and I argued about having this baby. We kept arguing. I wanted it because I wanted to be a Mom and bring someone else into the family. Kaleb didn't want to be a Dad so we kept arguing. So, one day, I threw away my pills without him knowing and the condom split and I ended up being pregnant. I refused to have an abortion so, here we are." She screams again.

"Take really deep breathes. It's only a contraction." I tell her gently. She takes deep breathes. "Lucas, can you get me a cold flannel please?" He goes off in search of a flannel. "They shouldn't be too long."

"Do you want a family? You know, married and kids."

"Yes and no. Yes because it'd be nice to settle down and enjoy having your children around you who will love you for eternity and which a husband who loves you. No because of childbirth, financial problems, location, how many children, trust in your husband not to cheat and just finding that perfect man."

"I understand. I was in Toronto when I met Kaleb. We were staying in the same hotel, The Carlu, and we bumped into each other. He split lime cordial all down me and we started talking. Soon, we became friends and then, a couple. We were a couple for two years before he decided to ask me to stay with him. I said yes then introduced him to my parents' and then moved in with him. And, here we are still after many arguments and talks of children and marriage."

"Lucky you. I scared all the boys' away in high school when I wore all my Goth clothes and make-up. I only had one friend, his name was Daniel and last night, he admitted he loved me. So, I overreacted and ran into the forest. You should know the rest."

"I hope you're not crushing on my brother."

"Oh God no! We barely spoke to each other until last night."

"I've seen the way you look at him. You are crushing on him!" Another scream. I place the flannel on April's head and stare at the door.

"No, I'm not. I've always pictured him as a player in fact."

"Everybody thinks that about our family." She laughs as the door opens. Her Mom and Kaleb rush down to kneel in front of her. Her Dad, the triplets and Isis rush to her. I push myself away and use my crutches to stand up. Demetri's nowhere to be seen. I hop to the other side of the room and sit on the floor, resting my head against the wall. I hope Demetri's okay. April's screaming pierces the silence and there was a thud against the hill.

"Where's Demetri, Mom? I don't want him to miss this." April asks, panic flows through her voice as if it's always been like that.

"I don't know. Thorn, Quinn, Kyle and David. Go look for him!" Her Mom shouts. All the males apart from Lucas go outside. They're thrown back inside. They hit the other side of the hill, not far from me. I hear a mocking laugh, filled with the promise of getting his prize. I gulp hard and stare at April.

"Stay away while my daughter is in labor." Mom growls. Jay comes towards me and places a hand on my shoulder.

"I'm only after one person. I don't intend to hurt any of you." He hauls me up onto my good foot. A growl makes Jay stop. I look over his shoulder to find Demetri standing there. His lips pulled back over his teeth, showing sharpened canines.

"You are not taking her away from me." Demetri's fierce growl slices through me. He runs at Jay. Jay thrusts me in front of him and uses me as a bodyguard. Demetri stops immediately.

"Who's more important; your life mate or your laboring sister?" Demetri looks to his sister and back at me. His features softened.

"Demetri, save her. I'll be fine." April breathes. Gosh, she was as pale as death. Anubis must be taking an effort to get out. Demetri glances back and forth. Jay decides to pick me up by the collar of my top and run. I scream a name, I don't even know if it was my scream. My heart was pounding and all I could think about was Demetri.