The Blue Heart
Part Two of Three
No one questioned the two spirits who obviously had an attraction of one kind or the other for each other. At least, not out loud. Maria and Abe spend every moment together. They read, eat and go on walks along the perimeter when permitted as a pair. Such as tonight, while the midnight sun glows in the ebony sky. At this moment Abe is not walking, but idly flipping through the pages of a book under a tree. Together they also share something sacred, which are their secrets. Like now…Maria is not supposed to leave the premises.
He listens intensely to the noises of the night as he had never before done. The sound he waits for is the gentle flapping of batwings across the night sky. Of course, some nights he can smell the blood before his 'walking' partner returns from wherever she disappeared to. Some nights it can be quite a powerful smell. To think he even bothered to make her promise that they would only do this one night and one night only.
"The day we stop…is the day you are taken away." He muses to himself, stopping briefly from his book to wave his bare hand through the air.
He feels nothing…related to her anyway.
How a man fish can even fall in love is beyond Abe's genius mind. But here he is and there she is, out there…feeding. And he loves her too much to deny her food, because if she does not get it she will succumb to vampire nature. And if that happens…things become unclear. Whether his actions are selfish or not are painfully clear as Abe knows what he is doing is wrong, but losing her will result in the breaking of his fragile heart.
"A lovely color comes off of you when your skin is hit by the moon." A sultry voice, coming from above.
Abe stands fast enough to catch Maria as she falls into his frantic arms. She leans in and smells his skin…still like rain. Her lips curve into mischievous smile as she notices him shifting uncomfortably before gently putting her back on her dainty feet. Abe looks down at her with a complex stare. Maria has changed so much so fast. Hardly as shy as she was when they first met, she has developed a more taking attitude. And as for body language…her low cut black dress with the thick slit on the side surly explains that.
…he waited all night for you…and you for him maria…
Still…she always comes to him.
"Abraham, what are you looking at?"
Her voice boils his blood when she uses her vampiric tone.
…he thinks you're beautiful…go on and tempt him…
"You…You were gone quite a while." He mentions, nervously. "Was everything…okay?"
She looks at him. A black swimmer's suit covers his torso, chest and upper arms and legs and he has his breathing apparatus on. Tonight he is wearing his contacts instead of his goggles because he wants her to see his blue eyes. She loves blue.
"Everything was fine. Thanks to your aid, of course." She gives him a teasing smile. "Even without a full moon, it's beautiful out here tonight."
"Yes…you-it is, the night…" He pulls back, his hand clenching as he rests it nervously on his chest. "Tonight is…lovely. B-Beautiful." He stammers.
…such a shy, timid creature…we will have fun breaking him of that…
agents think Abe and Maria are good friends. Behind her back they talk about the two as being inseparable, but not for good reasons. They laugh at Abe because in their minds he is a freak that is being taken advantage of my a beautiful girl who pays him some attention. To some degree this is true in all honesty, but what makes their allegations outrageous is the fact that all Maria wants is to have Abe all to herself. No one understands how she can feel for him, even if overall it does seem that she takes advantage of his heart. Which she does from time to time.
Liz seems to be the only one Maria can talk to about such matters of the heart…
Everything in a relationship should be about giving and taking equally. Maria cannot give Abe anything he would not regret later. All she does however, is take. Conflicted, she clutches her dress and tries to think about something else as lustful images flood her mind. Every night the urges get stronger. Maria can feel and see herself changing into another person, but is helpless to stop the transformation. She looks around for something to keep her mind occupied and sees the dull sky. Only a few stars poke through the smog.
…the flesh is stronger than the mind by far maria…remember that…
"When I lived in the country I could stay up all night and gaze at the stars." She sighs, tilting her head up towards the sky. "But in this city, there are none. So tonight I flew pretty far, until I saw them. Beautiful."
"Sometimes we go places where we can see stars." Abe comments, half to himself. "They are wondrous." His heavy eyes fall upon Maria glowing in the moonlight.
"I thought about not coming back." She says as she begins walking towards the building. "But, then I realized how foolish the idea was."
"Why?" Abe asks in his gentle proper way that only he can.
…nobody makes you feel this way…
Maria stops, her high heels covered with wet grass and mud. She runs her fingers through her silver hair as she slowly turn around just enough so he can see her face and her shimmering eyes. Abe feels his heart drop. How can anyone be so beautiful?
"If I left and never came back…I'd never see you again."
"Maria…we cannot go on another walk for awhile." Abe says quickly. "The others are getting suspicious…they know you remember."
"Because you told them?" She asks, slightly suspicious.
"…Because the professor has noticed the change in your habits." He offers.
"Fine."
--
Hellboy, Liz and Abe all reside in the solitude of the library; Hellboy sits lazily on a couch munching on a Baby Ruth candy bar and Liz idly walks by the four golden music stands for the hundredth time to turn the pages for Abe, who is currently floating in his tank with a pair of underwater headphones playing classical music with titles only he can pronounce. During the day there is hardly as much to do as night, though recently things have been a little slow and honestly, tracking down the creature that nearly killed Maria and has been attacking random places since has required many man, demon and fish hours.
"Abe. How many more pages till yer done?" Hellboy grumbles. "I'm hungry! I want. To go. To lunch." He pouts like a child, earning a sarcastic look from Liz.
"Chill out red. The pages I haven't turned yet look pretty thin." She offers as Abe points to a page he has just finished. "Abe's so fussy about his pages being turned. It's the only time he's pushy."
"He's a nerd, whadya want?" Hellboy chuckles. "He lives in those books. What's he reading anyway?"
Liz walks over to a page Abe is not reading and turns the cover up. She quirks an eyebrow at the title; girls for dummies. Curious, Liz looks at the other two covers to find that they are his usual read, but the one he is on looks fishy. Not noticing Liz's curious adventure, Abe moves to another page, gently swishing his hand in the water. The page he has just finished is from the novel Dracula.
"Go figure." Liz sighs.
"I'm hungry!" Hellboy shouts.
"We get it red." Liz grumbles, but then looks back at whimsical Abe reading his how to books. "I get it. But, we are all going to eat together…and Maria has not woken up yet. Then we have to wait for Abe to dry…just go and get started if you're that hungry."
"All by myself?" Hellboy whines.
"Then you're not THAT hungry." Liz notes as she begins turning the pages for Abe again. "I'm sure whether Abe is finished with his books or not, Maria will fish him ut of the water as soon as she arrives." Liz offers attentively.
"Screw the fanged broad, I'm hungry." He grumbles.
"Red. That's just rude. Maria is our guest, and Abe's friend." She offers. "Can't you be a little nice to her?"
"No." He groans. "I can't. I dun like her, she's creepy…suck'n people's blood, or cows blood. She's even creeper now that she knows she's a vampire you know." He points with the large piece of candy in his mouth like a cigar. "She started wearing black and her eyes turn all red and crap all the time…it's freaky."
"You're one to talk." Liz taunts. "You're red all the time."
"…But…I don't drink blood. That freaks me out. Watch your neck Abe." He pretends to tip a glass to Abe, who is engulfed in a book on Werewolves. "He can't hear me, guys not even reading me…just reading his damn books."
Maria arrives a few minutes later wearing a long navy blue shirt that goes down to her knees and a pair of stretchy white peddle pushers with black slip on shoes. Her half-lit smile fades momentarily as she is hit with Hellboy's glare. Shifting her flickering red eyes away from the demon, her lips curve as she spies Liz just besides him in the same jacket she wore when the team had first found her. She walks up to Liz waving like a girlfriend.
"Morning Elizabeth." She greets, ignoring Helboy shifting away from her as she leans down to shake Liz's hand.
"You don't have to be too formal anymore. Just Liz, Maria." She chuckles.
"O-Okay…should I just call him Hell then? Or boy?" Maria coyly jests, narrowing her red eyes at Hellboy.
"I dun pick cotton and I dun go by the name of hell…very often." He grumbles, recalling the few times people have spouted the word upon seeing him. "Just call me Hellboy…ya little fanged harlo-"
His mumbling is cut off as Liz jabs him in the side with an elbow. Maria giggles softly, inwardly enjoying Hellboy's pain as her attention wanders to other parts of the ancient Library. Abe is not near the desk or bookshelf, as she summed as soon as she entered the room. He is definitely…in his tank. Her eyes blink very slowly as her green eyes meet Abe's blue ones. Instantly, he takes off his headphones and places his hand against the glass.
Abe sighs inwardly as for the first time in his life he feels like a caged animal looking out at the free world. Maria watches Abe shoot off into the water as he rushes to wherever it is he goes to surface.
"Keep your fangs in yer jaw…he'll be out in a jiffy." Hellboy grumbles as he notices Maria's unsettled stance.
"I find that comment racist." Maria states, glaring at Hellboy. "You always imply that I'm going to bite somebody."
"That's cause I see the way you look at my buddy." He growls. "It's like watchin a wolf eye her prey before she snaps its neck and devours it."
"Red." Liz scolds.
"I'm just sayn. You betta not suck his blood…Abe's ugly enough without being all dried out and fluid…less."
"Actually, I don't drink enough to drain a body that much. Common misconception, but if you recall HUMAN anatomy, I'm sure you must know some thanks to Elizabeth…the human body is made mostly of WATER." She narrows her eyes menacingly before adopting a vixen expression. " And so you know…drinking blood, or the feeding is a sensual experience for the victim. Most consider it the most intimate feeling in the world. Like a rapturous hickey." She winks her blood red eye at Hellboy, who recoils back into the sofa next to his blushing girlfriend.
Abe walks into the room to find an odd silence among his friends. Maria runs to him and grabs a hold of his gloved hand. Hugging onto the appendage, she drags him speechless out of the room. Hellboy swallows a thick knot in his throat as Liz gently pulls back her hair. She coughs lightly before standing. Hellboy sits for a minute before following Liz out of the room.
"Maria means well…she was just joking you know?" Liz offers.
"You know what I think? She's full of crap." He grumbles.
In the kitchen, Maria and Abe sit at the counter side by side. Liz and Hellboy sit across from each other…so Liz can keep and eye on him.
"Hey Abe. You better not disappear on one of those walks of yours again tonight." Helboy grumbles. "We've got to research…or some crap tonight."
"Try to identify the attackers and their main objective." Abe offers, earning a ticked off look from Hellboy.
"May I help?" Maria sighs as she looks over at Abe.
"Yes-"
"No." Hellboy bellows milliseconds after Abe and Liz answer.
"Red. Now you're just being a jerk." Liz grumbles, giving him the eye as sips a glass of orange juice.
"Brother Red…Maria is a part of our team now and-" He jumps as Hellboy slams his stone hand down on the table.
"That's it…can't take it no more." He grumbles, pointing at Maria. "This girl's got you under some kind of spell, Abe."
"I'm not an enchantress, you brute." Maria grumbles. "I've never done anything to you…please, why don't you leave me alone? What have I ever done to you or to anyone?" She pauses briefly before quietly adding. "Besides biting their necks and drinking a small bit of their blood."
"Hellboy…" Abe tries to tend to the matter, but is cut off by Hellboy to continues to fuel it.
"I don't trust anybody who for one, drinks blood, two survives a massacre they probably caused and three…this is a doozy, blue." He chuckles. "She catches her prey by seducing it. I wonder what she's trying to do to you! Let me guess? Hm?" He taps his chin a couple times before glaring over at Maria.
"I hope you got that out of your system." She sarcastically grumbles between her fangs.
Maria throws her water at Hellboy's face and runs out of the room. The double sided door swings hastily as her light footsteps fill the hall. Abe looks after the sound, then glances angrily at Hellboy. He hears her steps vanish before excusing himself and running after her. Liz rests her head in her hand, just glaring at him for a moment before slowly getting up herself and heading for the door. Hellboy stubbornly leans back and crosses his arms.
"Maria! Maria wait!" Abe calls after her in the hall.
She slows down, hardly winded herself but hearing Abe's gasping breaths. It is hard for him to run on land even with his breathing gadget so she stops for his well being. Her eyes flicker between red and green as her mind races. Abe takes a moment, with his hand flat on his chest to catch his breath. Maria watches him with wide, gleaming eyes. Inside, half of her feels like a monster and the other half feels like ripping Hellboy to pieces.
"Am I a monster Abraham? Something demons loath?" She cries as she approaches him with hand clenched at her breasts. "Why?"
He cannot answer her question, and doubts that anyone can.
"You are most certainly not a monster." He says with that soothing voice of his. "Nobody loathes you. " He assures her as she steps closer to him. "Y-You're…beautiful. Inside and out." His voice, like a steady ocean current soothes and pulls her in to him as she gently wraps her arms around his thin swimmers waist.
…Can I tell you something, Abraham?… She whispers in her mind, a rare occasion where she lets him in.
He looks at her curiously, shaken by the closeness they now share. Her skin is so soft. Maria looks up as Abe leans down to hear her words. None are spoken as Maria seems to float off of the ground. Startled, Abe pulls shoulders first into a backwards stumble. Eyes wide, he touches his lips, where hers just were a moment ago.
…He tastes like rain…
"I…I don't believe, that you need to say a word, Maria…" Abe breaths as his heart races.
…oh yes…but, just one…you say it or I will…
"Stay." She whispers as Abe being the timid creature he is, is hesitant for contact.
Liz cannot help but walk heavy as she searches for Maria and Abe. A small inaudible sound catches her attention and without thinking Liz jogs to the end of the hall. She rounds the corner and gasps. Maria and Abe are kissing…weird, she thinks to herself as she ducks around the corner. Peeking, Liz curiously watches Maria and Abe exchange modest saliva. Still, seeing someone kiss Abe is the strangest thing Liz has EVER seen in her life. Which says a lot.
Feeling guilty for spying, Liz steps back to leave, but something catches her eye. Maria's eyes are red. Liz watches her remove Abe's breather clumsily and despite his verbal protest.
"Maria" He harshly whispers as her action catches him off guard. "W-What are you doing?"
"Shh." She coos softly. "It's okay…I'll be gentle."
She begins kissing Abe's neck and Liz struggles to keep her eyes locked on the two during what Maria describes to be an intimate moment. Deep down, she feels something is wrong. Abe places his hands on Maria's arms as she continues to kiss his neck. Liz notices Abe's wiggling movement and catches a light push by Maria. She steps out into the hall.
Maria gently nibbles at Abe's neck, though she knows he wants her to stop. Too many emotions are running through her to cause a pause as she fights his gentle nudge with his hands on her upper arms. He can feel her fangs gently scrape the tender flesh of his lean shoulders and it stirs a kind of primal fear. A sense of survival. She leans back as he begins to make a light gurgling noise and stares with her red eyes.
"Are you afraid?" She whispers as she looks into his eyes. "Am I…scaring you?" Her eyes change to a dull green.
…stop catering to his docile ways…I won't have you ruin this opportunity…
"I…would do anything for you…Maria. Whatever makes you happy. I have no fear." He whispers.
…see…he's with the program…
"No fear…" She repeats.
"Maria…are you okay?" His gently voice brings her back to reality.
Maria blinks and her eyes turn to a soft green.
"Abraham." Her voice is weak.
"What's…" His voice trails off as he reaches out for her. "Maria…" His lips hang parted as she steps away from him, frightened by some unseen force.
Little does Abe know it is herself she is afraid of.
"Abe." Liz sternly shouts, startling the two. "Maria."
"Elizabeth…" Maria looks over at Liz with tired eyes as she feels her body growing weak. "Abraham, I am sorry…I didn't mean…the voice got to me." The last part is hardly audible to his ears.
"Step away from him." Liz cautions as she reaches for her gun.
"I will not harm him." Maria softly assures. "I'm just, tired…it's very hard to keep control." Her eyes fade as she sways from side to side.
Liz's eyes soften slightly. She walks over and wraps her arm around Maria's waist to support her faltering form. The young girl definitely feels off, almost like dead weight. Maria looks away from Abe, ashamed.
"Oh, Abraham…I'm sorry I cannot-maybe you should-"
She freezes in place as Abe takes a long step forwards and briefly presses his lips against hers. He pulls back like a wave from the shore and both of them are blushing. His heart races as he trembles at his own bravery. Abe reaches for his breather as he feels the fatigue settling in on his own body. Placing it over his neck, Abe stands up straight and pulls back his shoulders. He looks so proper as his hand reaches out for Maria's. She gently takes his hand, after a gently nod from Liz and leans against him.
"We have a little time before we need to start researching…you can rest in your room until then." Abe says.
"And you'll get me when you guys start?" She asks weakly.
…you pathetic girl…what makes his neck any different…
"Yes." He smiles. "Promise."
…are you honestly in love with this creature…
"Wait." Liz says as she holds her hand out. "Forgive me, but Maria you appear to be having more and more of these episodes. Is there a point when you don't come back? You could have bit Abe." She looks away as points out Maria's obvious interest in Abe's slender neck. "forgive me for not being entirely comfortable with you two being alone."
"I know. And I'm so sorry…but I promise I won't let myself get carried away like that again." Maria swears. "I know now that I-have to be…cautious. I promise."
"Okay, but I'll see that you keep that promise." Liz turns and begins to walk back to the kitchen. "I have my eyes on you."
--
Liz watches Maria purposefully graze her body against Abe's in the library. First her hand gently brushes against his thigh and then she accidentally bumps into him as she reaches over to place a book on his desk. Liz rolls her eyes at how Maria fights o keep Abe's attention more and more in the past couple of days. It is almost like she is trying to seduce him, but Abe could never get that. If Maria was indeed trying to seduce him which Liz doubts.
Whispering something in his ear, Maria gently touches his shoulder as she talks to him. Sighing, Abe seems completely smitten with everything Maria does from batting her large luscious eyelashes, to whatever comes out of her petite mouth. Even the slightest touch renders him helpless as noted by his departure to fetch her an iced tea. Liz notes how odd it is that she would send him away after accidentally bumping into him all morning. Hellboy walks into the room to catch Abe rushing out into the hall. He raises his hand to greet a blur as it passes him dismissively.
"Nice to see you to buddy." Hellboy raises an eyebrow as Maria turns her head and smiles somewhat wickedly. "Good Evening Fangs…what's goin on Sparky?" He places his attention on Liz as she idly stacks books on Abe's desk.
"I've been pulling books off of these shelves for hours." She notes, pointing to the large pile on the desk.
"And I take it she's been putt'n em back?" Hellboy nods towards Maria, who turns towards him sharply with an accused look.
Maria softly walks over, supposedly to put a book away. Her actions are timid as Abe rushes back into the room with a smitten smile plastered on his face. He strides to her effortlessly with an impression that he is walking on air to gently hand her, her requested beverage in a glass cup with a blue paper umbrella in it, but no ice. Maria softly takes the glass, sips her drink and smiles. The water in Abe's breathing apparatus bubbles as a sort of natural compromise to not being able to blush. Hellboy narrows his eyes as Abe stands at Maria's side, oblivious to the world.
"Blue…hey Blue." He grunts annoyed as he is ignored. "Abe!"
"-Wha…" Abe jumps as if he hadn't realized others were even in the room at all. "R-Red?"
Hellboy watches Abe turn his head to one side in obvious confusion. Lately, spacey has been the word to describe his aquatic friend. That and twitterpated…it is completely obvious to everyone that all Abe can think about is Maria. To Hellboy's dislike, Maria knows Abe's weakness all too well and over a course of a few weeks has grown very accustom to be waited on hand and foot. Liz sits on a sofa, realizing that no work is going to be done in the near future. Hellboy walks over to Abe and places his normal hand on his shoulder to guide him to his desk. Abe walks with his eyes somewhat blank as he stares off into space.
"Start researching those books of yers Blue." Hellboy grunts. "We gotta figure out exactly who was behind that slaughter."
"And the others." Liz notes, flipping through their assignment packet. "Several attacks have been executed since that night…oddly all in very rich areas."
"Any thoughts on that Blue?" Red asks as he slaps his friend in the back.
"I…" Abe begins as he gathers his thoughts. "They are definitely looking for something in particular. Perhaps, an artifact?" He muses, opening a small aged book. "What we need to search for is what the wolves would gain from these attacks."
"An even betta question." Hellboy muses as he looks over at Maria, who continues to distance herself. "Why out of all of these attacks…she is the only one to survive."
"That is, an excellent question Red." Abe turns around and with a wave of his hand gestures for Maria to come to him. "Maria, much of your memory had returned to you since that day. Can you think of any reason those wolves would attack you for?"
Maria walks behind Abe, gently tracing the back of his chair with her fingertips. She sits down next to him in a slightly smaller chair with a coy smile. Hellboy feels a shiver run up his back as a strange sensation comes over him. This beautiful woman appears to be glowing as her spring green eyes are gently covered and uncovered by thick feathered lashes. A small bump from Liz and Hellboy shakes his head to remove the dazed feeling. Liz watches Hellboy rub his face groggily, as he mumbles some inaudible words under his breath.
Hellboy looks over at Abe and sees his friends posture change from his usual straight back and raised level head, to a relaxed kind of hunch. Suddenly realizing what just happened, Hellboy looks down at Liz annoyed before walking over to Maria and Abe. Liz holds up her hand as if to stop him, but looks over at Abe and stays quiet. Abe stares at Maria as she talks in a soft, almost sensual tone. The sound is like a silver bell that just relaxes the muscles and sooths the mind. Something similar to Abe's voice, only it actually seems to alter your emotions.
"You see this war between vampires and werewolves is very old…" She goes to continue her seemingly practiced speech, but is cut off by Hellboy.
"Enough of that old as time crap." He grunts. "Now cut it with the vampire mind powers and come clean. If you're too scared to tell us what happened, we can't help you." Hellboy looks down at Abe and grabs his chair, pulling it back till it falls over and Abe tumbles backwards onto the floor. "Stop being such a rock, will ya Blue?" He sighs.
"There isn't any particular reason they would want me. They must be after something else." She whispers, intimidated by Hellboy's stare. "I'm nobody special."
"Well, I have a file here that claims you to be a very wealthy woman who loves all of these particular places that your little wolf friends have been visiting." He hands her a piece of paper with her information on it. "Are you in on it? Do you know where they are? Who exactly are you?"
…tell them what they want to hear Maria…
"I…I told you, Hellboy." Her voice begins to quiver. "…I'm nobody."
Maria looks up at Hellboy and then down at Abe as he is slowly getting to his feet. Inside of her is a tired force waiting to be tinkered with and it terrifies her. She looks from him to Hellboy and then back before running into Abe's arms sobbing. Abe looks down at her and scowls. Gently assuring her of peace, Abe walks her to a sofa and sits her down. He turns around and glares at Hellboy.
"Red, that is no way to speak to a lady." He scolds.
…go on and shed a few tears dear, let him get you out of this mess…
"Abraham…" She sobs. "P-Please can I go to my room? I'm very tired." She grabs a hold of his hand and he melts in place.
Without even a word Abe helps her to her feet and walks her out of the room. Hellboy and Liz watch them leave without a word. Alone, the two look at each other in disbelief, but with a mutual knowledge that Maria definitely knows something. In the hallway Maria clings to Abe's arm as they walk. They reach her room. She opens her door and pulls Abe inside.
"Thank you." She breathes. "He was being so…nosey I don't like fingers being pointed at me!"
"Mmm?" Abe asks as he gazes upon her beauty.
"Abraham?" She questions. "Please, wake up will you? I can't talk to you when you're like this!"
…you act like you don't enjoy manipulating him to your every will…well, not every yet…
"Ugh! Shut up! Shut up! Shut up!" She grumbles frustrated.
Maria throws herself on the bed to drown out the voice with a pillow. Abe looks over at her, quietly wishing he could lay next to her….touch her. Shaking the thoughts from his head Abe watches Maria return to a sitting position on her bed. Her eyes convey a feeling of guilt as she darts them about the room. Something about her seems different and awfully enchanting.
"I'm not an angel…but I'm no killer." She idly comments. "Lover…not a fighter." Maria giggles.
She rolls over on her bed, the long fine strands of silver hair flowing around her. Maria beckons him to sit on the bed by giving a spot besides where she lays a gentle pat. Abe obeys and is at her side in a second. Gently, she reaches out her hand and brushes the smooth flesh of his thigh. Shivers run up Abe's spine at her sensual touch. After a moments pause she sets her entire hand on the side of Abe's thigh and gently rubs the area briefly.
…Look at his blue skin…lovely isn't it?…
"You're skin…it's so smooth." She whispers.
"T-Thank you, Maria." He stutters. "Much like average fish my skin excretes an oil that allows me to glide through water easier-" He freezes as her attention falters.
"Oh, Abraham I'm sorry." Maria apologizes for her rudeness. "My mind is somewhere else."
…somewhere blue and smooth…
"Maria?" Abe asks as he notices that lost look on her face that sometimes leads to red eyes.
"Excuse me? Did I drift off?" She asks, looking up at him. " I'm sorry…what you were saying was interesting, but I just don't think of you as a fish?"
"You…don't?" He asks surprised.
"Neither of us are animals…though I'm sure under the right circumstances we could act like them." She smiles, letting him know for once that she is thinking dirty. "You have a lot to let loose and I just hope I can be on the receiving end one day."
"I…" Abe is at a complete loss for words, this kind of talk not being his forte. "Uh…"
"Abraham…are you blushing?" She coyly jests. "I hope I'm not out of line, I know how proper you are. I'm not as proper as I act most of the time. But, you know that." She smiles. "Sometimes I hate being so polite, but it is in my nature to act a certain way though I despise it. You know, I don't enjoy lying to people, you and Liz especially." She stops, gently focusing her eyes on nothing as her mind begins to wander. "Abraham…do you hate me sometimes?" Her voice goes soft as she is unsure about herself.
"Why would I?" He asks, answering quickly.
"Because I…when I feed, you have to lie." She briefly looks him in the eye. "And lately I cannot help myself. My vampiric abilities just come and go as they please it seems." She gently sits up and scoots next to him on the edge of the bed.
"I am sure you will get better at controlling yourself." Abe offers, as he realizes her hand is still resting on his thigh. "Mind over body…"
Is he saying that for her or himself, he is not quite sure. What Abe does know is that the room is getting smaller and smaller. Everything seems to be closing in on him and Maria as the two are pushed closer and closer together.
"No." Her voice is like a ghost. "Body over mind…"
Her voice disappears into Abe's mouth as she engulfs his plump lips with hers. The softness of her palm on his face sends an extra thrill running through Abe as his body suddenly wants more; he is almost overwhelmed by the sudden emotion running rampant through his body. Abe feels everything she is doing, almost before she acts at times and revels in the anticipation. Maria wraps her hand around his arm gently as she works his mouth. But, Abe's body begins to tremble as he feels a spark of something he has never before known. Primal lust.
Making a gasping sound of shock and irritation as Abe jerks away from her, she looks up at him with wide eyes. He looks at the wall, terrified and pumped with adrenaline. Inside of him he is more alive than he ever has been and it has delivered a striking shock to his usually mellow system. Maria watches him for a moment before leaning against him again impatiently. Her arms snake around his slim waist as she gently kisses a fin protruding from his elegant spine. Abe's body stiffens as images flood his mind.
"I've been fooling myself…" Her soft voice echoes.
…It's never going to stop…unless you make it…
Abe sees lots of red as it pools down walls and stains sidewalks, drenches car seats and soaks bedspreads. So many paralyzed faces form before his eyes, and his mouth hangs open in horror.
…you may ask why so much blood when all I want is yours…
Silhouetted, Maria walks up to a mirror in a room he has never seen, but when she steps into the moonlight her figure vanishes as if it were never there. In the mirror he can see a hansom man with shoulder length blonde hair, his large blue eyes open wide and shaking with pure terror. There is so much pain in his eyes as his head hangs limply over the edge of a bed.
…and the answer is…because I cannot have yours…
For an instant, that man becomes Abe. He suddenly sees himself for an instant lying there with Maria on top of him, smiling with her pearly white fangs shinning in the red moonlight. She leans down with her eyes locked forwards on him observing the horrifying scene. There is so much blood as she sinks her teeth into his virgin flesh. All the blood turns blue.
…accept our fate Abraham and let me drink…let me rest for once in peace…
"M-Maria…" He gasps, stumbling off the bed and trying to make the horrible visions fade from his mind. "You…is that what you've been…?" He gasps as he talks, unable to understand how this sweet girl could do such ferocious deeds. "I feel, sick."
…maria…make him understand…
"Oh, Abraham. Please don't be angry." She smiles. "I'd do it all again to be with you." Her voice is haunting and sends a chill through the air. "Believe me, I tried to be gentle with them…but they would fight. Sure some didn't, but some did." She gently rises from the bed and walks after his scrambling body. "I've tried to satisfy my hunger by any means necessary, to keep the voice happy." She tilts her head to one side as she kneels down in front of him.
"Maria…" His voice is so low, she pays it no mind.
"But nothing works anymore. I ask you to get me things, fetch drinks and read to me because I'm trying to compensate for what attention I cannot get from you."
…suddenly so thirsty…
Abe sits with his back against the wall like a deer caught in bright blinding headlights. His breathing is slightly shallow as he tries to remain calm, but all those horrible images filled with so much blood haunt him. Especially because it is all his fault. But still, those spring green eyes are so full of something that lives within Maria. It grows and thrives for him. He looks her in her eyes to see them red.
…can't fight anymore Maria…
"The other night I realized something Abraham." She whispers as she gently touches his bare stomach with her fingertips. "I care for you more than anyone realizes." Her lips gently press against his chest as her palm goes flat on his cool stomach and his entire body shivers. "I want…"
Abe feels her hands slide down his stomach steadily and slowly. He completely loses his breath as he feels her fingertips gently nudging at the hem of his shorts. Without much thought Abe attempts leaping to his feet, using the wall for support. Maria nearly falls back, but grips his wrist with surprising force and yanks him and her together. The two fall onto the floor in a heap. His deep breaths echo through the quiet room as Maria wraps her arms around him possessively to prevent him from escaping.
"I don't…understand…" He yelps as he is turned over onto his bare back.
A tight hold on his shoulders, Maria pins poor confused Abe down. He doesn't struggle very much at first, but as he is unable to persuade her to let go manages to conjure up a light case of hysteria. Once settled, he looks up at Maria. She smiles coyly as one of her hands gently leave his shoulder and slides across his chest and up to his hidden neck. The apparatus is big and in the way. Very slowly, she removes the apparatus to reveal his slender neck and gills. Her red eyes gaze upon it as a whole hungrily. Smiling to herself, her hand gently rubs the side of his blue-green neck and her fingers gently stroke his gills; for the first time she wonders what they feel like. Abe's entire body flinches as his mouth simultaneously falls open without warning. A small gasp escapes his plush lips.
…see…you're not the only one losing control maria…
They must be sensitive appendages.
…look at that blue skin…untouched and beautiful…
"Oh, Abraham." She breaths, obviously aroused. "I want to bite you."
Her voice is dark and laced with a kind of lust so foreign to Abe he cannot help but be unable to fully understand. Something he can hardly explain is happening to his body as Maria gently kisses his neck. Her hands rub his broad shoulders as she coaxes him into remaining calm. Abe looks into Maria's red eyes and sees something he has never noticed before. A primitive yearning she can hardly control. An inner working that compels her to do what she does. For once, Abe feels like he understands why she does what she does. Like him being drawn to water, she is must follow her instincts as well.
"There's nothing I could enjoy more." She breaths as she lathers a controlled amount of saliva on his skin to numb the flesh.
As Abe blinks back to reality, one thing is for certain; Maria's licking her red lips and gazing down at his blue neck as if he is the first scrap of food she has seen in months. A new instinct overwhelms his body. Fear.
"Wait." His voice softly whispers, but she does not hear him.
"Maria!" He shouts as he tries to push her back. "I…please stop." His voice quivers as she reaches out and presses her lips over his. "Maria!" Abe pushes her as she tries to force him onto his back. "No!"
Afraid and certain this is not going where he wants to go Abe struggles to get a very persistent Maria off of him. She grunts as he fights her and grits her teeth as he turns his face away from her lips. Hurt and angry, Maria takes a moment to pull her hand back and swings it full force. Abe is so shocked by the strike, he does not move his completely turned head. After a pause, he gently raises a hand to touch the bruising flesh. His wide eyes look into Maria's red glare as she forces him to face her. Inside of her large eyes, there is no woman…only a hungry carnivorous beast.
"Nobody tells me no." Her voice is low and venomous. "Lay your blue ass back down."
"What…are you going to do…I must decline, this situation is growing dark." He says as calmly as he can. "You are not well at the moment."
"Abraham. Abraham. Abraham." She sighs, trying to contain her impatience. "You just do not understand. You've read thousands of books, but you don't understand real life!" Her fangs curl into a snarl as she gently shakes him. "Right now I need something from you. Something very important, but you…you just don't get it. So now I have to take it." Grabbing his shoulders and lifting him up, Maria looks deeply into his wide eyes. "You might as well get with the program fish stick." She snarls.
…stop…
Abe freezes, listening for the gentle voice.
…not like this…
He closes his eyes as he expects something terrible to happen. Blood. Death.
…not like this…
Frightened, Abe remains still. Her hand twitches and pulls back again as a threat to strike. Abe turns away as her other hand grabs his shoulder to keep him still and squeezes it hard. He shuts his eyes to block out the pain as her hand starts to fly down. But…nothing happens. For a moment there is only silence and then Maria is lifted off of Abe. He opens his eyes to see Hellboy pressing Maria's face against the wall with her hands behind her back. Her eyes are like fire as she struggles for release. Woozy, Abe falls onto his back and takes in shallow breaths.
"If I were you I'd be quiet." Hellboy grumbles. "I'm not scared to hit girls…especially if they hit my best friend." He grits his pearly white teeth as Maria's struggling begins to falter.
…What's going on?…
"Let me go you brute!" She screams. "Abraham! Help me!" Her voice is filled with fear as she calls out to Abe.
"Maria." Recent events seem to fly out of his head as he hears her plight. "M-Mar…" Abe freezes as he sees Hellboy pinning Maria against the wall; his eyes narrow with anger.
Liz enters the room to see Abe grabbing a pair of scissors off of Maria's vanity with dark circles under his eyes. One look at Hellboy restraining Maria and Liz runs between the two friends with her hands blazing. Abe looks through her.
"Blue, what are you doing?" Liz asks, holding up her hand to stop him. "What happened to your face?" She gasps as she notices the darkened flesh.
"My…M-face?" Abe mumbles as he gently touches the bruise.
Wincing from the pain he drops the scissors and stares down at the floor hard, trying to remember how this thing got on his face. After a thought or two he recalls struggling with Maria as she advanced and how she had brought her hand back with such anger in her eyes when he told her no. Liz watches Abe's tortured face contort into different levels of hurt, embarrassment and pain.
"Abe. What happened?" Liz asks again, with a softer voice as she gently places her hand on Abe's shoulder.
"Maria…she struck me." Abe says it as if he is still contemplating whether she did it or not. "We were talking…she…" He recalls her kissing him. "…and then I…and Maria…" He looks over at her as angry tears stream down her face.
She screams and struggles as if Hellboy were killing her. From the looks of it, keeping her subdued is no easy task. Hellboy's eyes are narrowed as he looks down at her and inwardly sees how easy it would be for someone with her strength to subdue someone as light as Abe. A growl forms in Hellboy's throat as she cries for Abe to help her. Liz has to grab the amphibian's arm to keep him from going to Maria.
"Maria…why did you…" Abe's weak voice asks.
"What did she do?" Liz asks forcefully towards Hellboy.
"Little fangs here was aiming for a afternoon snack with blue. That and…" A dark shadow befalls his red face as he looks at Liz. "When I came in…she was, I dunno exactly…she was on top of him."
"Abe?" Liz looks at him with complete disbelief. "What exactly was Maria trying to do to you?"
"She…said she wanted to bite me." He says, though in his mind he wonders if Hellboy had not come in…whether biting his neck would have been all she would have done.
"Abraham! He's hurting me! ABRAHAM!" She screams as she reaches out to him. "Abraham!" His expression is lost as a shadow crosses his features and Maria briefly freezes to gather herself. "Abraham…what's wrong-what's going on. God, what did I do?" She cries as he wraps his arms around himself. "A-ABRAHAM! I'm sorry! I'm so-"
Abe has to look away as her eyes ignite to a glowing green that reminds him of spring. The dark circles start to reappear beneath his eyes and he covers his ears, flinching as Liz tries place her hand on his shoulder. He loves her so much…he imagines picking up the scissors and stabbing Hellboy to rescue her, but forces the idea out of his crumbling mind. These are his friends, and this woman is doing something to him.
Something that is both horrifying and wonderful.
"Stop it with those crocodile tears." Hellboy growls as he forces Maria out of the door. "You're on lockdown. And you are never going near my friend again…" Hellboy pauses as they are half way down the hall. "Cause if you do, or heaven forbid you sink your freaky little bloodsucking teeth in Abe I will personally kick your ass. Understood." He shakes her to encourage an answer.
"What…if Abe wants me to." She smiles like a madwoman as her reddening eyes narrow. "He's crazy about me you know red." She chuckles as Hellboy shoves her down the hall.
"I think you're the one who's crazy." He grumbles.
Maria stops walking and completely stops moving or a moment. Hellboy tugs at her arm a few times to try and get her to move, but she doesn't budge. He looks down at her and her tear stained cheeks. Maria gently puffs out her lower lip as she looks up at Hellboy with her large spring green eyes. She gasps as she tries to contain her sobs.
"I think you're right, Hellboy…" She gently smiles in defeat. "I'm crazy…in love and insane. I could control it before I developed feelings for Abe." She sighs.
"It?" He questions. "What do you mean IT?" He shakes her, but her tip-toes being the only thing touching the floor does not phase her for an instant.
"This voice isn't going away. It wants Abraham too…all to itself." Her voice is barely a whisper.
"Yer creepn me out, fangs." Hellboy warns as he gets her to start walking again.
"It needs him." She smiles softly. "And he needs me. That's why he'll rescue me, even if he's upset. Abraham loves me. He loves me…too much."
--
"How long!" Broom shouts as Abe sits with his head bowed on a sofa in the library. "You must have known…I was suspicious about those walks but now I cannot believe you Abe." He shakes his head as he sits down in front of his other adopted child. "You have no idea what kind of force you have played with Abraham."
"Professor…Maria's not a bad vampire." Abe tries to reason.
"No. Of course not, she just tried to force you on your back in her room while you shouted for her to stop." He muses. "Tell me Abe, does Maria ever ask you to do things you don't want to do?"
"Maria…" Abe says her name slowly, trying with all his might to keep the picture of her he has in his mind a pure one. "Maria's requests have never been anything I wouldn't do for her." He honestly replies after a pause.
"Yet this one time you told her no she attempted to force you into fulfilling her request…if you should call it that." He shakes his head, inwardly terrified at the thought of anything happening to Abraham. "She is beautiful and can act like an angel…but Maria is not an angel, she is in fact a demon."
"Demon?" Abe asks. "I don't…understand professor."
"Inside of her is an entity. Very ancient evil entity that chose Maria as a vessel because of her beauty and immortality." He begins. "Previously, Maria was kept at another B.P.R.D. Headquarters location in a sleep chamber." Broom looks at Abe with sadness in his eyes. "Maria Beauty was a very wealthy woman in her time, some hundred years ago when she was bitten by a vampire. It was however, thirty years ago when she was captured by a wolf clan worshiping a moon goddess. They kidnapped Maria and performed a ceremony which placed the moon goddess within her…"
"How can we separate this entity from her?" Abe asks, pleading. "Maria is trying to control herself…whatever is inside her, is too strong.
"The goddess will only leave Maria when a body is created for her." Broom lowers his gaze to the floor.
"By what means?" Abe asks, confused by this concept.
"Abraham…" Broom's voice drops. "Maria's motivation was not to bite you…she wanted to do something else to you." He whispers.
"What? Professor?" Abe's voice becomes lost as he remembers his vision. "She was…going to force me?" He asks with large eyes and a suddenly dry throat.
The professor stands with his shoulders straight.
"Now that she wants you, she won't change her mind especially after you rejected her. The goddess is very vain." He grumbles. "You are not allowed to go anywhere near Maria. That is final. I had hoped she would be able to live a normal life if she lost all memory of the goddess. Sometimes, when you stop believing in things they go away like the boogeyman in your closet." Broom comments as he thinks of Hellboy as a child.
"But…" Abe pleads. "Maria needs my help."
"This is a different matter all together I suppose." He sighs. "Maria will have to be sent back to her sleeping chamber until we can extract the demon from her without killing her or releasing it." He tenderly approaches Abe and tries to put his hand on the amphibian's shoulder to comfort him; when Abe jerks his shoulder away Broom appears hurt, but remains stern. "Maria is dangerous. Hellboy had a hard time holding her, if she got her hands on you again…"
"Fath-Profess-Sir…I-I love her." He admits out loud for the first time. "You-You're being…unfair!"
Though he shouts, Abraham's supposed verbal assault is still lacking assault. Professor Broom raises an eyebrow at Abe's tame outrage.
"I know, my son. And I'm sorry." He whispers, not noticing as Abe angrily runs to the door that leads to his tank.
"Abraham?"
--
(Chapter Talk): Okay, second chapter up. And shame shame on all you people who read and didn't review. Be thankful to Belka for giving me such a wonderful review that I decided to finish the story. Thank you very much for the inspiration. I hope this chapter surpasses the first Though it focuses on Abe and Maria's relationship obsessivly, everything will fall into place during the next chapter. Enjoy and review!
