Prologue
Rose
"You-" The man coiled under my blade.
"Yeah, me." I smiled down upon the ash blonde, master vampire. "I staked you. And?"
I had grown tired of his game. We had been in the brunt of the fight for 20 minutes already and it was time to call this argument. I could have easly gained the upper hand on him several times, but I chose to prolong it until this very point.
"My blade is inches from your heart, now..." I spoke slowly, so that the daft creature could understand what I was saying. "So tell me… Do you want me to play nice? Or not at all?"
"Where's your brother, Princess?" He hissed ominously.
Without though I glanced around. Marcus had run into over 15 minutes ago. I hadn't seen him since. I could hear the helicopter in the neighboring field and knew it had to be the team. He must have called for back up. He must have caught Clark and was already in the copter.
Clark had been the worst type of vampire. Teaming up with mobsters to do their bidding. He would hide the astranged victims here, in his home and dispose of them at will. Unfortunately, the victims had no will of their own though. Not after he green eyed them. Sure these were humans that had delt with the mob in one form or another, but they were still humans, non the less.
That was when it hit me. What he had asked. What he had called me.
"First of all, NO ONE calls me Princess." I slammed the back of his head into the ground with enough sheer force to hear his skull on the pavement of the driveway. "Secondly, I never said he was my brother."
"I know who you are." His full, round cheeks smiled up at me.
At that moment, looking into this horrible vampire's fanged face, I made my decision. Whether he knew me or not, he was going to die. I just ded to find some things out first.
"You have no idea who I am…" No one did. That information was kept highly classified and had been since my birth.
"You do know that it takes just one twist and your gone, right?" I slowly lifted my hand to eye level, watching it with full enthusiasm as I slowly snaped my fingers. Then I looked at him and smiled slowly. The true fact was that I hated doing this, he was another being and would have deserved to live, if he had chosen the right vampire proffesion. Why couldn't he have just been good to begin with?
"You look just like them you know." Now he seemed to be grasping at straws. This vamp knew absolutely nothing. Then he continued... "The perfect mix, just a lot shorter. It's sexy though."
That caused me to edge my blade even deeper into his chest. His eyes grew wider.
"Enough banter!" I snapped. Enough with the combatant coments. I was finished, and so was he. "You know why I have you here. So, as much as I enjoy this position, let's not play games anymore."
"Who says it's a game?.. Rosamond." He chuckled, meerly to himself.
Okay, so he had one on me. He knew my name. No one knew my name. No one was supposed to.
"How do you know my name?" I slammed his head into the pavement again, hearing the same lovely snap. "Tell me now!" I slammed his head a third time.
"I told you, you look just like them. Beautiful… Gray eyes and all."
"You know what? I have made an executive decision," I winked at the him. He knew too much. He had to be terminated. "We don't need you for our investigation." I gave a quick jerk to the hilt of the blade now in my hand just as he opened his mouth to speak again.
Now to come up with a story for Tate….
2 years later
Term
I opened the door and moved through the crowded night club. I hadn't expected it to be open to buisness. It was unusual to have a meeting like this in such a crowded place, but as soon as the atmosphere hit my senses it all made sense. A vampire bar. I should have known from the name, Bite2. Vampires were everywhere. I couldn't spot all of them, but I could sense them. The vibrations they let off were one of a kind. Strong and feral, while their scent was somewhat sweet to the taste of the air around them. Almost electric.
I glanced around taking in all of the industrial metal and lights around the place. From what I could make of the walls, they were black, but with all of the neon lighting - even the bar was lit from underneith - it seemed brighter. With the pumping tone of the music, the place was very upbeat and happening.
I was supposed to be meeting an old family friend here, I hadn't seen him in 17 years. He must have had a point to meeting me here. He wouldn't have set it like this otherwise.
"Oh!" A woman exclaimed, as she slammed into me from the side.
"I'm so sorry!" She fumbled around a bit before she stood up strait to meet me face on. Her look went crooked before she regained herself. "Are you alright?"
This little assailant couldn't have been more than Five feet tall. She could never have hurt me, but I froze. Unable to speak. She was beautiful and the look she gave me, although confused, was simply something otherworldly. Her dark brown hair was curled perfectly around her little, round face to reveal the most beautiful eyes I had ever seen in my life. I couldn't determine whether they were a light, sky blue or a faded gray, but in the meer seconds that it took her to completely straiten herself and move on, I knew that they would be burned into my mind forever.
I continued to survey the crowd as I wandered through. The woman that I had encountered was definately human (I knew from the heartbeat that I had heard), but aproximately seventy percent of the beings in here were not. They were vampires.
What on earth could he have wanted to meet me here for? He had asked if my family was still "intact." Of course we were, we never separated. Plus, I there was no way I could say "no." My family owed him too much grattitude to be so rude.
I made my way to the back where I had been told there was a staricase to the manager's office. When I slowly crept up the steps I wasn't sure what to expect or how he would recept me. My family had always left his kind with good graces, but my kind could be less welcoming.
Upon knocking I was given the go ahead to enter. I moved slower than normal. Didn't want to startle the old fellow.
When I entered the room I took in two main things upon anything else, three of the four walls were one way mirrors. One could view the whole club from any given standpoint. It was definitely the owner's office. The second was standing in front of the largest view, overlooking the large dance floor.
He was my height with blond hair that shone nearly white in the poor lighting. Only one with heightened senses could see that it had panes of yellow shining through. Not once did he look in my dirrection as I walked to his side. He seemed on edge, with his hands folded behind his back as if he were taking a military stance. He swalled hard, his pained brown eyes concentrated on something below on the floor. He seemed as though he was actually on the verge of loosing his mind.
"Term. You've filled out quite a bit." His brittish accent was the only sound in this otherwise silent room. His voice seemed hallow and awkward and his attention was notibly elsewear. I was surprized he had even noticed.
"How goes it?" He moved his hand to shake mine.
"I run a lot. Have to keep fit." Inside joke. "I'm good. You?"
"How's your mum? Your brothers? It's been ages since I've made it 'round. I miss it. Simpler times those were. I was sorry to hear of your father." He asked ignoring my question.
"So were we. The family's good. Mom worries, like always. The guys are coming to their own, though. Although, they seem to think their indestructible. Jody, the youngest has even joined in. He's eighteen now, but still needs to watch the temper."
"He's a kid, it will come, Mate." The corner of his mouth turned up in a near sneer.
Silence suddenly seemed to be overwhelming. In the dimly lit room.
"Bnes, you didn't invite me here for small talk. You know who I am and I'm in your debt." I decided it was the easiest way to aproach the subject. It was time to get this over with. He had never asked for anything from us before, now was the time to repay the kindness he and his friend had bestowed upon us.
He looked at me then. Surpize and pain showed in his eyes. Then, just as soon as it was there, it was gone again and he was back to watching the crowed. It took years of practice to hide one's emotions. He has those years times 20.
"I never looked at it as you being in debted to me, Mate. I was friends with your great-grandfather as well as your father, I was there when you were born. I just have a small job that I need you for. I hold this very high on my priorities, I just can't do it myself. You were my last resort, but you should feel honored that I trust your abilities." He seemed a little hurt by what I had said. although I hadn't meant anything by it.
"What is the job?" Now I was gaining curiosity. I wouldn't kill anyone, but I idn't think he would need me for that anyway. Him being fanged and all.
"It's nothing too taxing. The pay is good. I just need you to play nice. Do a little baby-sitting for me, for a few months is all. Then you can go back to your family and no one is any wiser." He didn't look at me again, he only watched the dance floor.
"What would this baby-sitting entail?" I liked kids, but I couldn't spend months with them.
"See that girl down there? The one you ran into." Bones nodded toward the dance floor. The brunette that I had encountered was in plain view. "You'll be watching out for her. Make sure no one comes after her. Just make sure she's safe."
As I glanced down, I fully noticed her. She had drawn the crowd around her and her partner, but I knew that there was no way they would be watching him. Did she know he was a vampire?
I honestly couldn't blame the crowd for being pulled into her. She was amazingly beautiful. Her long dark brown hair glistened with a natural red under the lights. She had a mischievous smile that highlighted her high cheekbones and grey eyes and body of a true dancer, not skinny and anorexic, but from true dance. She had a heavier bust with a small, but firm waistline and little to no strike. She was even more beautiful in full view.
"What's the story? Is she into something? She's human. Why would anyone come after her?" Unless Bones is hiding her for some reason.
"Let's just say, that if anything ever happened to her I would hunt the bloke down and kill him myself." His words came to me like acid. "I just can't baby-sit her 24/7. She won't have me around her. She hates it when I have people fallow her. I have other things to tend to as it were. Anyway, she might not mind you so much, Mate."
"Is that vampire one of her guards? Why choose me if you have vampires? Not that I was arguing or anything. I just don't understand." I defonitely was not arguing. She was gorgeous and I did owe it to him despite what he said. I just didn't understand. "I'll do it, but don't you have others who can protect her better than I can?" I knew he had goons for these things.
"There's no one else. We have had... Issues in the past. She's never come across your type before. She won't kill you if she doesn't know how. She's slick like that." He smiled. An honest smile, for a moment before he went on. "She's attending a liberal arts college, you're college age. A little older, mind you, but she won't know. I hope you can dance, Mate."
"I've dabbled in the past." I returned his momentary chuckle. "You know that." I had once told my father that I didn't want to fallow in his footsteps. I wanted my own life. Playing in a band. It didn't last long before he put an end to it all.
"-Why I asked you, Mate. Why I asked you... She dances and sings. The whole bit. If you need refreshing on your moves you have nearly 3 months before classes begin. I need someone to get in close. Someone she doesn't know or expect. She just needs backup if anything goes…. Off. She knows how to protect herself, she chooses not to. She's given up on herself. Won't let anyone help either." He paused, face twisting as if carefully thinking about his next words. "She's very… Special to me. I will not have anyone coming after her."
God damnit! They were a couple! … He was married. He had to be hiding her from his wife. Maybe Cat knew something and he that was what he was worried about.
"So, I baby sit, dance a little, and keep her safe." I nodded, although I was a little skeptical about this, if I was protecting her from a scorned lover this could be tough. The worst part was that I would probably be protecting her from Cat. Cat was dangerous. Military, hating all humanity dangerous.
"Exactly. I wouldn't get too close though, Mate. She may be little, but her bite matches her bark." He smiled to himself before continuing. "Plus, I may not like it."
"How much do I get paid?" I didn't really care about the money. I had no finacial cualms. My bank account several million short of being empty. I just needed to change the subject. The fact that the beautiful young woman I was seeing below was possibly seeing the married vampire, that had just employed me to babysit her, made me sick.
"Everything you need is here, including the cash." Bones replied as he tossed me a fully stuffed manilla envelope.
Chapter 1
At first sight
Rose
As I made my way to my first academic class I beamed from the adrenaline of the past two hours of dancing. Sure I had to get here at 6am to remain discreet, but dancing was one of my outlets,I didn't mind. Dancing before classes helped me release and since I had been feeling murderous lately, now I felt somewhat calm and ready to take on the masses.
It was my first day back after having left half way through the year last year. Although I wouldn't say I left as much I would say that I had been kidnapped and people stared as I walked past. They could suspect anything. I had heard it all, but no one truly knew why I had been out.
I was concentrating on my books in my locker, ignoring the stares I recieved, when I noticed my former dance partner, Jesse down the hall. He was, as per usual, the center of attention. He had his arm around a beautiful lengthy blonde as he addressed the group around him. She was here for ballet. It was something one could just tell. They all had the same look. Everything about her tall, anorexic frame screamed it. I was happy that he had found someone. Then felt momentarily ashamed that I had left him on the lurch last year for our dance rutine.
I looked away, saddedned by the thought of him standing alone, looking for me behind the curtains. Then I thought better of it. I hadn't missed him. The boy was no good. He had deserved it.
Jesse was a singer, actor, dancer. He was 5'11", with blonde hair that fell loosely to his large, green eyes. He had a pretty frame, you could tell that the man had never done any real physical labor. He was just your average boy next door. That's why people liked him, they could relate and all the girls could swoon over him. He let it get to his head so much that had cheated on me when we were a couple. Several times... Yes, he had deserved what I had done to him.
"So, I heard that there's this new girl and she's a total bitch." A voice I knew all too well announced as they clopped up to me, dragging their heals down the marbled floors.
"Mira!" I squealed, throwing my arms around her. "You are a sight!" I took in her outfit from bottom to top. Spiked heals, tight faded blue jeans, a dyed tee with a black vest and a matching tie, complete with top hat that had her red hair flowing out around it. Yes, the girl was a classy rummage sale. She didn't care what people thought. She always dressed to show her emotions. That was what my brother loved about her... Had always loved about her.
"Don't wet yourself, Honey." She rolled her eyes as she spoke with her New York accent. "If you hadn't kept in touch, I wouldn't be talking to you either."
"You're my best friend, you would have forgiven me sooner or later."
"You just couldn't shut me out because I know all your dirty little secrets... And I would squeel on a dime, baby!" She put her arm around me, pulling me along down the hallway. She was the only person who truly knew me down to the last detail and she loved all of our little surreptitious escapades together. I could truly be myself around her and she would never tell a soul about any of it. She had seen my heartbreak and witnessed the pain I had gone through. She too had felt the heartache my status brought. That was why I loved her so much. We were inseprable.
"How did he take it all, anyway? The whole "coming back thing to college" thing?" I laughed when she actually perethasized her words.
"Bones?" I knew she meant Bones, but I wanted some form of reassurance before I went there.
She gave a nod.
"Not well, at all. He's gone overboard with the protection. He even has his guards outside of my house. This," I looked around the halls, from the TV's located in all the corners that were playing crappy, student made videos, down to the marble floors for emphasis. "Is my only freedom."
"You haven't been strong for a while now, it's not your fault. You do know he just wants to keep you safe right?" I watched as her pupils tighted in the unspoken pain we both felt. She knew that I had gained my strength back, it was just something we never discussed. She suddenly shrugged and moved on, as if shaking something of her shoulders. "Freedom is what you make of it anyway. Embrace it while you have it."
"I intend to, Dear Watson. Trust me. I intend to."
She paused suddenly and had a mischievous gleam in her eye. "Does that mean that you'll be embracing this freedom at Hot Spot this weekend? Don't say no! We can still go to the field after."
Ah, Hot Spot was our club. A huge group of us always went there to unwind. It was tradition. We would always end the night with drinking in a local football field.
I glared out the corner of my eye at her and gave a sly smile, "Love to get rowdy."
"Yey. Thank God! You need a night out and I need my friend back." Mira gave a few little hops as she giggled and we continued on, walking right past the crowd of people that had surrounded around Jesse and strait on to class.
As I walked into the door to the classroom I felt the air shift. Almost like a heated current. I had never felt this before. I couldn't place it.
"Ah, Rose?"
"Yeah, Mir?" I could nearly taste an earthy undercurrent flowing through the air as I glanced around for the cause.
"We kind of need to get to our seats." Mira sounded concerned, but didn't move. For some reason she was frozen next to me.
Realizing how tightly I held her arm, I loosened my grip. I had stopped moving to glance around the room, holding Mira in a near death grip, ready to run.
I then noticed what had been the cause for my alarm. The instant I locked eyes with him I suddenly recalled that I had felt this sensation before. In a club one night. Months ago. When I had bumped into a tall, dark, handsome man in a leather motorcycle jacket. It was him, I would remember those deep brown eyes anywhere. It was as though they bore into me. They knew me. It could have been the intensity of the shade they were, but I decided at that moment that the power that I felt was eminating from his being.
All of my senses went on nerve as I looked away and started to move again. This wasn't a strange occurance. He had been sent here. He must have been watching me in the club that night. Maybe he had followed me. Had he been following me for months now and I hadn't noticed? Even longer? What had he seen?
"We'll sit in the back today, if that okay with you?" I glanced at Mira's face, hoping mine didn't give away a murderous glare as I ran the possibilities through my head. Trying to figure out who sent this guy and what he could be.
Although he was seated now, he was tall, I remembered that much from Bite2. He had short, wavy, dark brown hair that only hung an inch from his head at the longest point. His face was chisled, with a strong jawline that had a shadow from apparently not shaving this morning. I wouldn't miss that face anywhere.
His near-black eyes had connected with mine for just a moment that nght and I had felt some kind of jolt. I had originally assumed it was just some residual current from a passing goul or vamp, but now I had decided he was using some sort of magic. One unfamiliar to me. On me! A lot of magic. I had never come across this before. This was cause for concern.
We went to the two empty seats in the back of the class. I could feel him watching as we moved. I
felt his head turning, but I couldn't bring myself to return his gaze. What if that's what he wanted, so he could attempt something? Was he even that type of guy? Something deep down inside of me said no, but my mind screamed that I needed to have more facts before I came to any conclusion. He could be an axe-murdering, flesh-eating, fire-breathing zombie, for all I knew. I had come accross some strange characters in the past, it honestly wouldn't surprize me.
"You're going to have to explain something to me." Mira quietly pondered as we sat, watching the guy. "If you're free here, who sent Mr. Hungry Eyes over there?" Mira giggled quietly. So she had noticed.
"Who do you think?" I replied furiously in whispered tones. "Tate, Bones, or someone out to get me. Take your pick. I highly doubt anyone against me, though. He could have killed me by now. I don't even know what he is, I've never come across his kind before. Don't look into his eyes. He might use magic."
When I looked in his direction again he was facing the front of the room, but I could swear that the corners of his mouth were tipped into a smile. Could he hear us whispering?
"He's hot though." She gave a nervous giggle.
"But that wouldn't help if he was planning to massacre the student body, now would it?" I turned from her and nestled into my seat.
"If he was sent by Bones or Tate we don't have to worry about that and you have a hot bodyguard." Mira always had to have the last word.
"I don't need a bodyguard." I pouted. This would end soon enough if that was the case. I hated the idea that everyone thought I needed protection, but he was pretty hot.
One of the reasons I had sat here was so I could watch the guy in question. I knew enough from working on missions that it always worked to my benefit to watch my prey before I leapt into anything. This new guy was bound to mess up and give something away. If I didn't keep my eyes open now... Well, accidents did happen. I didn't need them to happen to me. It would give Bones a reason to put me on total lock down, again. The past several months had been bad enough. Every lockdown was getting worse.
The second reason was to avoid stares and questions that I knew were yet to come. I wonder what they were going to be this year. The year before I supposedly had a drug problem and spent 7 months in a rehab fecility. Oh, if that was the case...
Jesse moved into the room then and took the seat in the second row, about three seats up and one right from me. Right in front of my new friend. He wasn't very perceptive, he hadn't noticed me yet. I don't even think he noticed the new guy. He opened his books as the teacher entered the room.
A woman with a short blonde bob and a bounce to her heals stopped at the front of the class, as the bell rang. She paused with her books in arms and smiled at the class. Her name was Miss Klinger. I knew this from previous years. English was boring, but she made it interesting with her flippant attitude. Hence why I was in her class.
"Okay everyone, I have a new student to introduce to the class today." All the heads in the class turned to look, at the new guy who stuck out like a sore thumb with his deeper tan.
As Miss Klinger motioned to him, he stood. Lord, he was taller than I rembered! And muscular. Not a thick muscle but long, lean muscle.
"Term Coulter is our new student. He's derrived from Maine. Let's give him a welcome." Miss Klinger started to clap ecstatically. If the girls weren't busy drooling, they would have done the same. The guys gave sluggish nods and waves. It was quite amusing to watch.
"Term will be a level 3. Song, Dance and Act. So, if some of you would be nice and show him about the campus later I'm sure he would be grateful." I could see a couple of the level 3 ladies going nuts for their chances. I would have to keep tabs and make sure that none of these girls disappeared before I
found out what he was or what he was into.
Before he sat he looked pointedly in my direction. Although I had a heavy urge to run up to the increadibly handsome stranger and attack, my better judgement told me that now would not be the time. I was still trying to avoid eye contact at any cost. Until I knew more about him. This was going to be tricky.
I found myself wondering where he originally came from in Maine. I would have to look up the sups in Maine. I hated research.
"Okay," She shook her head, as if clearing it, had he messed with her mind? Could he do that? He was handsome and she was flighty, but it made no sense that she would act like that.
She continued, "Uhm… Yes, I also wanted to welcome you back, Rose. We missed you at year's end last year." She smiled warmly, attempting to put me at ease. It didn't work.
Suddenly all eyes were focused on me and I was the spotlight. When you disappear right before a big proformance people don't take it too lightly. I received a lot of haughty glances. I could just feel the tension in the air.
"Hi again." I gave a curt wave, watching heads turn from Jesse and back to me. As his expression went from surprized to angry and angrier I could see faces lighten up in heavy interest. Oh, they had tons to gossip about now.
"Well," Keeping her smile she turned to the black board. "Shall we begin?"
"Please." Someone murmured with a sigh, from the back. A giggle followed.
"Where are you off to now?" Mirka asked me as I collected my things quickly. I had to get out of this room.
"We, my dear friend, are off to the dance studio. Level 3 remember?" I tried to laugh off my frustration.
"Ooh, we?" She sarcastically noted. "Honey, you know some talented people to be able to get back into a 3 spot."
"Uncle Tate loves me!" I put heavy emphasis on the uncle. Due to the fact that he wasn't my uncle at all. She got my joke immediately and we started to laugh. I had missed this. She had always been so understanding of that part of me and she even laughed at my corny jokes. That is a true friend.
"Senior Coulter left awful quick, don't you think?" She asked pointedly.
"I had noticed that, I'll deal with him later." I winked and readied myself to move out.
As we walked through the door Jesse was there, ready to strike. "Rose, we need to talk. In private. Now." His eyes moved to Mira. He was nervous and on edge, he didn't like to confront me and had no idea why. His own instincts actually working perhaps?
"Don't know what could have brought this on…" I joked internally about the situation. Of course, I knew it was coming. Might as well get it over with now.
"I'll go change up." Mira gave me a sympathetic smile, before she walked away.
"What is so important that it can't?" I turned to Jesse.
He looked like he was about to have an emotional breakdown, "I-I-" He couldn't find the right words. "You left. In the middle of the year."
"I had personal things to take care of." Like keeping a Vampire off my back.
"Look, I know I screwed up, but that was no reason to leave. You were my dance partner and my girlfriend and you left me on the lurch."
"Jesse, trust me, I didn't leave because of you. Although, you cheated on me. Three times… That I know of. I did have things that were a little more taxing going on in my life. I don't need to worry about what you're doing too."
"I apologized for that! It's no reason for you to ignore my calls. You didn't even write me or tell me what was up." He was speaking in frantic whispers. Looks like I had hit a soft spot. He deserved it.
"Apologies only get you so far and it doesn't get you anywhere with me." I moved closer, noticing that we had drawn an audience I lowered my voice to meet his whisper. "I have been done with you for eight months. You had proved that you were finished with me the minute you laid up with someone else.
Apparently you were finished with me a two years ago. So forgive me for not having been sympathetic toward you."
"That was when you changed! After-" He stopped mid sentence. He new not to go to that subject. Then he looked around to see the of students groups forming to see what would happen next. "We need to talk privately."
"This is as private as you will get with me." I bit out.
"Fine." He became nearly inaudible as he leaned over me. "Did you have a baby? Is that why you left?"
I couldn't help it. I started to laugh. A whole hearty laugh that I hadn't done in years. I should have seen it coming. It did seem strange that I disappeared for exactly 8 months, I just hadn't thought
that he would think that.
"Hell no!" I belted out and rained myself in to a quiet tone again. "We had that discussion nearly four years ago, Jesse. I can't have children. It's completely impossible for me to concieve."
I walked away, not giving him a chance to say anymore. I had to get my next class and standing around here with him wasn't buying me any time.
