Fire and Fury
Chapter Four-Full Moon
Nik
I was standing in the darkness with my family. Mother, father, Finn, Elijah, Kol, Rebekah, and Henrik. The family together, darkness surrounding us. I felt separated from them, even as a mortal, always different from them. Something always between us, separating me from them.
"Are you far?" I heard Vivian say, he voice fading, I turned to see her standing in the distance, under our apple tree, she was clutching her hands to her chest, tears running down her cheek, "am I left to die?" I tried to run to her, but I couldn't get near her, the darkness never ending.
I called out to her, she held out her hand, a sad smile on her lips, "will you come to my rescue?" was she in trouble? "My heart will burn for you." The air around me became stale, I ran to her again, this time making ground, standing before her, I wanted to wrap her in my arms, but I couldn't, she looked up at me, remorse in her eyes, "It's all I can do…"
"Vivian..?" I went to her, standing before her.
Her delicate smaller hand reached up to touch the side of my face, whispering my name, a prayer on her lips, "why are we unraveling? Was I me, will you come to my rescue, or did I push too far when I turned my back on you?" The ground was gone under her, unable to catch her, Vivian well, her eyes forever locked on mine, hand outstretched, the darkness swallowed her.
"VIVIAN!"
I sat up in a cold sweat, my heart pounding. My beast pacing, on edge, telling me to rise from sleep, which I had to leave that realm of rest for sanity. Taking the sheets from my waist I pulled my legs over the side of the bed until I felt the floor. Leaning my elbows onto my thighs I attempted to catch at my breath. I have not had a dream of Vivian in one thousand years. Understanding that she was gone, the dreams stopped, now they've returned. The moon was pulling me, calling to the beast. His fur, as thick and sharp as metal, piercing my skin, wanting out. Vivian spoke of her wolf as her other self, her companion, mine was a bloodthirsty beast. Possibly from its release when I had become a vampire. I ran my hands through my hair, heart still pounding.
I felt lost in the darkness.
The phone was at my ear before I realized it.
"Hey this is Caroline, I can't get to my phone right now, so leave a message, BYE!" her sweat voice calmed me.
The beeping told me to say my message, "Caroline," was that my voice? "You don't have to call me back, love, I just needed to hear your voice." I said more, but I said it without thinking.
I got up, I didn't need to look at the clock to know I had only slept three hours. I went like a machine to my easel. Opening paints and grabbing a brush. My beast clawed at me, the only way to subdue it was to fight it down, choking it back. I forgot myself in the paint, dark greens and browns, one bright yellow diluted into shades of white. I did not care what it was I painted, as long as I lost myself. As long as I could no longer hear that beast inside me.
I could hear Vivian singing the lyrics to Paradise City as I walked into the hallway. She was no doubt in the kitchen cooking up a storm from what I could smell. Elijah fell into step beside me, dressed in his uniform of a suit, looking me over, of course I'd dress comfortably, Henley shirt and scuffed jeans. Just because I'm an original does not mean I should dress like a perfect angel. An angel I most certainly am not.
"She brings a certain life about the house, doesn't she?" he asked, Vivian sang just a bit too loudly, reaching some of the lyrics, was that a pot banging?
"Certainly…" I chuckled.
Entering the kitchen together, we were whiteness to Vivian thrashing her head around as she jumped from the island to the countertop, singing loudly, Hailey sat at the island, clearly enjoying Vivian's antics. She was dressed in one of the dressed I had purchased for her, a deep greed dress, with a delicate bow in the back, she had paired it with thigh high black socks, but was wearing no shoes. Long curls flew about her head as she continued to dance about, walking over bowls and plates, avoiding the stove, which was on.
I could not hold back the smirk of seeing her wear the clothing I had bought her. Down to the intimates and socks, everything she had on was my gift to her. She would never admit knowledge of taking a gift from me. But I was satisfied enough. My sister's clothing would never have done. Fashionable trends and Vivian, would never mix. She deserved fine cottons and silks, delicate dresses and frilly things. So sweet, like her. Yet the things she paired with them were edgy, thigh highs? Black eyeliner and lashes, red lips? Downright sinful. As curvaceous as Vivian, beautiful and womanly, it was a sin to even look at her let alone gawk at her socks.
"I see you are in better spirits today?" Elijah was the first to speak, stopping her as she stood over the stove.
"Yes I am," she laughed, ignoring me, running a nervous hand through her long locks, wait, she had cut them, new layers now framed her face, "Hailey and I had a girls night, after I caught her making a PB&J sandwich in the wee hours," she laughed, shaking her head at the girl, "from now on, good foods, that baby needs a healthy mommy, not a bubble-butt mommy!"
Throwing her hands up in the air Hailey groaned, "She tried to feed me fish…"
"How do you know that you don't like it, unless you've tried it?"
"It wasn't covered in bread crumbs."
"Blasphemy!" She jumped down off of the counter and turned to the stove, doing something before turning back around, a plate in hand, "here you go, egg whites, peppers, fried twice baked potato, and onions with a sprinkle of kale." She offered it to my brother, her eyes never landing on me.
Mine! The beast woke, feeling her emotional distance, even though she was close. It wanted her attention, called for her wolf to come, to look towards us, to breathe in our direction, anything. She was so close last night, I had even touched her without a backlash. Even though the moon was close, she had chosen to sit on my railing, outside my bedroom, had chosen to allow me to side beside her, mere inches away from her, to touch her, to give affection. She had placed her forehead against my chin, gently nudging me, giving off her affection for me.
As she had done before.
Why now was she cold?
Shocked, Elijah reached over and took the plate, "thank you, you did not need to go through all that trouble."
"Nonsense, if I cooked my way through Italy and France, why not go through the trouble?" she smiled so sweetly, a flush appearing on her cheeks as she watched him take a bite of egg, pure pleasure erupted in her features as she watched him enjoy the food. "There is enough for Rebekah, but I doubt she'll wake any time soon, so help yourself." With that she sauntered past me, as if I didn't exist.
I went to fetch myself something when Hailey gripped my shirt tails, stopping me.
"She said to give you this." She looked away as she slid a plate towards me, Looking down I smirked, ham steak, corn, peas, warm carrots, and a fork and knife.
Vivian
"I've only really traveled around the states, sticking close to wooded areas. Ever since my adoptive parents kicked me out, I've never really found a home." Haile sighed, "Where have you been too?"
"All over, actually," I laughed, thinking about my shenanigans, "Rio, Morocco, Paris, the big cities. But I'm a homebody, I like having a quiet little place, secluded, handing around." I sighed imagining my villa in Italy, the last place I had lived before deciding to hop back to America, "but I will say, nothing beats Versailles."
"You've been there?" Hailey smiled, her eyes dancing with wonder, "I've always wanted to go to France."
"Of course, dove!" I playfully slapped her shoulder, "Louie knew how to throw a party! But I was only there for a short while, then there was a cry to move on, so I did. I went wherever the wind decided to take me."
"So where you like this ravenous courtier?" Hailey shifted her eyebrows, smirking.
"Cheeky!" I giggled, thinking about it, "well I'll have you know I frequented many courts, dazzled many princes, but I never once gave in. try as they might, Henry was impossibly impatient, but my good friend Anne distracted him well enough so I could disappear."
"Anne Boleyn?"
"The very same, a shame Henry put all those false charges on her, just to be rid of her, when she would have happily divorced him. They were a violent match, both had tempers." I had wished I could have arrived at the tower sooner, to save her, "my favorite was Tsar Nicolas, he was a kind and skilled man in his youth, and not just in the art of flattery."
"It's so strange,"
"That I'm throwing all these big names out like I'm some amazingly connected person, dove? Everyone I knew I dead, though I will say immortality did serve Marline quite well up until she had to fake her death, once you're a vampire in the light, you have to leave as quickly as you came."
"That I fell as if I can talk to you about anything, that no matter what I feel so connected to you, that never happens. I've always been alone, always distance. Even here, they hid half of the truth from me, and the other half I have to throw myself in to understand. I don't like it."
"Then I should tell you…" I felt as if I had to, "Hailey, your chances of living to see this baby, are very slim…"
"I feel fine, more than fine."
"Okay, but listen, there is a possibility that this baby is not even a baby at all. You are a wolf, Nik is an immortal wolf with a dash of vampire. There is a chance you're having a full-blooded wolf, no human attached, with immortality and vampire tendencies added. It could even be an immortal witch, Nik's mother was a powerful witch."
"Okay,"
Did she just brush me off…? "…you're taking this so lightly."
"Whatever she will be, she's good." Her hand rested over her belly, "it's not a scary thing. The idea of having a monster just isn't in my head, I'd know if it was evil, I guess, she's not. Feel," she took my hand, and placed it over the bump.
I felt a slight motion under my palm, tuning my earing I could hear the heartbeat, thrumming away, fast, and strong, it kicked under my palm again. I thought about my pregnancy as a human, how I'd place my hand over the foot for hours, enjoying the movement, or how I felt him roll inside me and stretch. Nik spent hours waiting for movement, waiting for some sign, claiming it was a miracle to feel his child move.
"You're thinking about Rikard?" she asked, her eyes connecting with mine, "do you ever think about finding someone to care for?"
"no," I smiled sadly taking my hand away, "not once, immortal children are an unwritten 'no', they can't control themselves, it would be too stupid to turn a child to fulfill a selfish need to mother, when they'd have to be killed eventually."
"What are we talking about then?" Rebekah stuck her head into the room, her hair in a long braid, dressed to look casual, but I've seen the price tags, it paid to look casual.
"About the courts I frequented in Europe."
"We stayed as long as possible in all the important courts, England, France, Italy, made ourselves wealthy with lordships and titles. A blast if you ask me." She crossed her arms as smiled, "let me guess you spent your time…"
"William the Conqueror,"
"Richard II."
"Henri II,"
"Louie X,"
"Henry VIII,"
"Elizabeth I,"
"Peter the Great,"
Rebekah scrunched her nose and closed her eyes, "you got me there…" she laughed.
"Haza!" I threw my arms up in the air and laughed, Hailey laughed more at my choice of words, muttering that no one used 'Haza' any more.
Rebekah sat down beside us on the couch as we told stories of our personal adventures in love, battle, and high stakes of dodging hunters. I learned that their father had become hell bent on killing Nik, all because he was a product of an affair. Every time I thought about him I got a gut wrenching feeling, as if there was smoke or bile in me. Rebekah caught me up to speed on their family's problems, Kol and Finn were dead, and Ester had tried to undo the spell that would have killed all vampires. Hailey told me of how she came to be in this situation, following a friend, Tyler, who was the only living mea Hybrid, and found herself in our old village. Mystic Falls, how charming.
"So if you two where ladies in courts, did you learn the dances?" Hailey laughed, she despised dancing, and any teenage normalcy she was against.
I laughed, "yes, you name it, I danced, it."
"The line dances where a bore, I preferred the waltzes." Rebekah laughed as she topped back her brandy she poured herself a while earlier, "there was just something about later dancing that became ballroom that was risqué when it first started." I had to agree with her.
"Waltzing was risqué?" a finely plucked bro raised, "and here I thought grinding was raunchy."
"Not raunchy," I chuckled, sitting up more form the settee, placing my hand over my uncovered knee, the dressed somehow ended up in my room, but it fit me so it was an accepted gift, from Nik. "Before men and women where only allowed to touch at hands, but when the ballroom came to court, the Portuguese were masters at dance, it was declared almost indecent for a man to hold a woman close, having his hands on her, whirling her around. To the women of that time it was almost erotic."
"Erotic?"
"You wouldn't get it," I laughed, "would you like us to show you?"
"Um…" she pulled away, not wanting to learn to dance, but I could see it in her eyes, and she longed for fun, fun with others.
"Hate to break it to you, sweetheart, if you're a member of this family, dancing needs to be learned," Rebekah joined me in tormenting the pregnant wolf.
We managed to clear the coffee table away and got Hailey to stand beside us in the room. Rebekah proved to be a good teacher, using me as the example of where to put hands and how to stand. She took the lead stepping forward and explaining each step, and insulting my height as we continued. Hailey bit down onto her lip, hands over her chest, she wanted to learn, but she also was afraid of looking stupid.
I continued to dance in place while Rebekah partnered Hailey, together the laughed and tried to do the steps without hurting each other. I held my hands out, pretending to be holding a man's shoulder in one hand, the other cradled in his hand. I heard music in my head as I swayed and stepped.
I remembered my time in Vienna in the late nineteenth century, I had thoroughly enjoyed a social life there, always invited to balls and the opera, never was I without amusement or new friends. Dancing was possibly one of my loves then, always dancing. I hummed to the tune in my head as I twirled towards the door, short stepping and then turning back, I laughed when Elijah stepped into me, a smile on his lips.
"Elijah!" I laughed when he took hold of my arm, placing a hand on my waist, taking the lead of the dance.
He strengthen the hold, pulling me closer, creating straight lines with his back, "I thought I could help with this little demonstration." He smiled, stepping back, I followed, flowing into the waltz.
Hailey had started to get the steppes, smiling away as she accomplished it. Rebekah joked with her about how women would fight over Elijah at balls, because he was a divine dancer. It was true, he commanded the dance like no other. I was quite surprised with it. Elijah and I enjoyed a few turns before he twirled me away, I expected to stop and twirl back into him, but ended up in Nik's arms.
I made to pull away, much to my wolf's displeasure, she woke with his touch, sending electricity throughout me, and he pulled me back, holding me tightly. "Hello," he smiled, dimples peeking through, his eyes clear as the summer sky.
"I'm done," I said as I tried to pull my hands from him.
"We're just getting to the best part, love, I won't bite." He laughed, before pulling me closer, his lips at my ear, "unless you want me to?"
"Nik," I hissed, "don't even try it."
"What's to try love," he lifted me, turning away, his back to the others as he continued the steps, "we've done it all." I looked around him, Elijah had moved to help Hailey, "I'm not letting you go and don't use the moon as your scape goat." He laughed, "Did you really think I'd buy the 'siren call'? We've got something, Love; and it will always exist—past, present, and future."
"Nik," I looked to the side, seeing the pocket door to the kitchen, self-preservation taking over me, "stop," I closed my eyes, imagining running, but I heard my wolf whispering into my thoughts, the heart arch, it hurts, but he could stop the aching, because he was the one we needed. "Don't claim me."
"You didn't mind the claim of wife all those years ago, Vivian. Why the sudden change? We both know the pull was there, just like it is here sill. Nothing could break us then," his hand on my waist became claws, pinching my skin, "I burn for you, Vivian, just like you burn for me."
"Fires devour each other," I said, leaning into him, for only I wanted him to hear it, "you'll always have the best of me, I never knew love like your love knew me, Nik." But it has to be enough…
"You see how easy this is?" he whispered back.
"The dance is not complicated," I looked over his shoulder, to ready to look at him, but I knew he was looking at me intensely, I had to avoid him.
"How we could just easily pick back up where we left off?"
Anger boiled, I looked up at him, challenging him, "you—the scared little boy too afraid to tell his father to go to hell? Me—the woman who would have waited until the earth ended for someone who was not coming back?" rolling my eyes I chuckled darkly, "we're not those people anymore, Nik." I pulled away, but he pulled me back, "that girl died a long time ago."
"No," he smiled, "there she is," leaning him, the smell of his cologne over powered me, Lover, the wolf rasped, aching to rub against him in affection, to yield to him, sensing his alpha nature, "the same fiery, spirited, and yet shy girl I knew all those years ago. Destiny is hard to fight, Vivian."
"But it's not impossible…" I looked into his eyes.
The draw between us was palpable, like a rope under our ribs, pulling us together. My wolf sang as she felt his, the energy of possession pulling them together. The wolves would never be denied, their sent triggers to the opposite. When I had woken and sought out my thirst, I has scented him, miles away. I knew exactly where he was. Like a beacon in the harbor I could not fight the pull, I had to seek him out. I had often done that before, whenever the Mikaelson siblings had shown up in the same area I was. Drawn to him, I had to look at him, to scent him, then I'd force myself to leave. I had intended to leave when I spotted him in a library window, but when the night crawler attacked him, I went rabid. My wolf could not bear to see him in danger.
But now I was in danger. Of losing myself in his blue eyes. They offered me the world, eternity by his side. Love and affection greedily my only vice, I craved it, and so did he. The two of us, lost souls, forever seeking happiness in the world. If I gave myself over to him, what was there to insure I would not betrayed.
One, the one I need, she rasped.
"Come to me," Nik whispered, pulling me from my thoughts, he pleaded with his eyes, "be my wife again, Vivian. Be mine, and I will be yours forever."
Mine, wolf sang. "I can't," I whispered before I pulled away, breaking the connection and walking out of the room.
He had let me go, an expression of sorrow or anguish on his face as I ran. The others stopped what they were doing, not even realizing what was taking place mere feet away from them. Hailey recognized my exasperation and called out for me. I kept running, that's what I'm good at.
"Vivian!" Hailey chased after me, following me up the stairs to the room I had woken up in yesterday, territorially claiming it as mine, she came in right behind me, shutting the door, "what the hell?" she said.
I stood in front of the far window, looking out into the tree line, I felt my blood go hot, like fire, my skin freezing, heart pounding, head light, yet my wolf stirred, wanting to run back down there and to him. I caught my breath and hid my face in my hands, not ready to look at her. I felt her presence, irritating, she tapped her foot against the wooden floor, waiting. With my hearing that tapping might as well have been a bomb!
"Stop," I commanded, my wolf's voice coming through, I looked over my shoulder at her, and I knew my eyes were feral.
"Was it just me, or where you and Klaus having a bit of a moment?"
"The full moon is tonight, she's affecting us." I lied.
"You're not a werewolf,"
"I still am a wolf, I feel the pull, so does he." Wrapping my arms around myself I turned back to her, "the pull is towards him."
A secret little smile pulled at her lisp, "you want him." It sounded like a question, but I knew it was a statement. "After all this time, you and Klaus still have a thing for each other."
"Yes," I admitted, "our wolves like each other, they always did, even when his was dormant."
"So you're wolves are attracted to each other," she did buy it, she crinkled her lips as she mulled over it, "Sounds like the true mate call to me."
"It does," she was smart, "it is."
"Wow, the shit just hit the fan!" she stepped forward, "you and Klaus are like this destined hybrid super-power-couple!"
"Hailey," I stepped towards her, "don't make a big deal of this, once I'm free, I'm gone. I'll be out of the picture…"
"Hey," putting her hands up, she looked like she was about to vomit, "I'm having his baby, and not fighting you in a lovers duel over him…." I couldn't help but laugh, I tried to fight it, but I couldn't, she too was soon laughing, "did I just say that?"
"Yes you did."
"So you love him,"
"I still do," I looked into the mirror, looking into my green eyes' refection, "but I won't let that stand in my way of freedom, and taking back what's mine."
"Why not rule the Quarter as king a queen?" she joked.
"Don't even mention that to him, he'll go all conniving and manipulating until he makes that happen."
"Right,"
-X-
"Davina?" I knocked at her door, listening to her heart beat, she froze when I spoke her name. "Can I come in, dove?" I heart her breath intake, the lights started to flicker, her magic was struggling with her fear, I knocked again, "Dove, there is no need to be afraid of me. If I wanted to kill you, I would have." Maybe that wasn't the right thing to say, teenaged girls are not exactly my forte, "Dove, calm down, I know I haven't been the exact definition of friendly towards you, but please, use your magic, am I lying?"
Heard her step towards the door, her heart still beating fast, the knob twisted, and she opened the door slightly, one beautiful dark brown eye looked through, "you are not…" the poor thing was scared of me, "but the elders offered you a chance to kill me,"
"I don't make a habit of killing children."
"I wanted to kill them all," she stated, "for what they did to me."
"I know, Dove." I placed my hand on the door, "can I come in?"
Pinning me with a long look, she gave in, opening the door to me, allowing me into her room. She stayed by the door as I entered her safe haven. I looked around, charcoal drawings all over the place, some scribbles, some fully finished. Papers littered the floor, books spread all over, open, pages torn out. I used my vision, they were all Wicca, Voodoo, and I gathered she was freaking out about the Harvest, about how to bring the three other girls back to life. I had heard of the ritual about two hundred years ago, in Romania. A coven of ancestral magic witches cleansed their powers. It worked, they were stronger than ever, but those children knew of their fate, they knew that they had to be killed and then they would be resurrected.
Davina, I was told, had no idea they were being lead to slaughter. I then noticed a book of shadows on the bed, it wasn't hers, the elders had it, and I saw it when they tried to find a spell that would had sent me away. It must have been Esters', they must have given it to her, to help her either control the magic, or find a way to stop the Harvest.
Turning back to her I smiled, she looked petrified, "Davina, calm yourself." I said, the electricity was still flickering, she was still in a panic. "I just came to ask for a favor."
"What do you want?"
"Tonight is the full moon, I want you to place down the barrier that's keeping me in the house." I sat down on the bed, crossing my legs, trying to look as nonthreatening as possible, "I know Nik and Elijah bribed you with this book of shadows to not do this, so how about a compromise?"
"Why would you compromise with me?"
"I know you are the last piece to the Harvest Ritual, you need to die or the magic is lost, and you want that, to be a normal girl. But you also want to find a way to bring back your friends, and if I know Nik, and I do, he will punish you for releasing me, by taking away the source of your little research project." I took the book into my lap, looking down at the spells, at the beauty of the magical world, "you don't want that, and I certainly do not wish that on you, so I'm willing to compromise, I can leave the house, but not the back acres of land, the property line will be my barrier."
"He is keeping you held against your will,"
"Yes,"
"And you only want to roam in the woods?"
"Exactly, nothing like a run in the forest during the full moon." I smiled at her, "I may not be a wolf, but I have a connection to the moon. I need to go outside tonight."
"Why wouldn't you just want to escape?" her perplexed expression caught me.
"I have no desire to escape," Mate, stay, lover. I would leave when the timing was right.
"But you're whole scene in the kitchen?"
"That was the night talking, I become bolder at night, in the day I am simply me." I laughed, crossing my legs, "it's kind of like a personality awareness, the awareness shifts and become stronger, why do you think Nik becomes more ruthless at night? It's his wolf affecting him."
"So you want a run in the moonlight, and I want my friends back. You obviously know about the ritual of the harvest, and its outcome. You want to protect me," she was figuring it all out, I smiled and kept listening, "you already protected me, when the remaining elders offered you a chance to kill me, so you killed them. You're going to kill Marcel, I see it in your eyes," this little witch was smarter than the average, I nodded, "so I owe you once more, for that, what do you want?"
Chuckling I tapped my finger against my lip as I leaned forward, "your help, with one simple little spell," I looked down at the page I had placed my finger against absentmindedly, turning to it, I showed her, "and then we're even…"
-X-
"Where are the werewolves?" Nik ordered as he entered my room, un announced, I turned, wrapping the fluffy white towel I had in my hands around me, I motioned for him to turn, "nothing haven't seen already, love." He smiled deviously.
He had left in the middle of the day, a happy little smirk on his lips. He and Elijah had spoken about the wolves returning to the quarter, supposedly one of the spies Nik had created from Marcel's vampires had spotted one, or heard something. Happily he went off to see if his plans where working. Obviously with his question it was a fruitless quest for power.
"I don't know, off hunting rabbits? I told you I am not their alpha."
"But you didn't contradict whether or not they would feel as if they could enter the Quarter with you roaming free."
"If that where the case," I turned, looking up into his icy eyes, "technically I am not roaming free, gilded cage, remember darling?" he cleared his emotions, "one thing you over looked, eh?" I smiled.
A tinkle revealed itself in his eye as he thought of something, "What is this possession of yours Marcel supposedly has? You were the drunkard's daughter, nothing of wealth was passed down to you." He pinned me with an accusing stair.
"Thank you for reminding me." I sighed, "It's my business. It will serve you no good, it is nothing you can use to your advantage. It's my business, Nik."
"As your husband, I should know what it is you have your hands into."
"Don't claim me." I warned.
"Stop avoiding the inevitable." He smirked stepping closer, making me crane my neck to keep his gaze, challenge rising, "stop avoiding me."
"Who would want to be around their jailor all day long?" I smirked.
"We will have at it, eventually."
"There is no 'we', I will not help you take down Marcel, I will not remain here, so release me."
"No,"
"Then get out of my room."
"If I recall correctly, this is my house."
"This is my cage."
"Now who is being possessive?"
"Territorial," I answered, "moonstruck."
Stepping back he smiled, dimples making me look playful, "yes, your thing about when the sun sets and the night reigns you become a bolder person."
"It happens to you too," I answered, turning my back on him, which wasn't a good idea, he was instantly on my, hands around my waist and neck, pinning me against him.
His hot breath ticked my ear, "then you know I become even more ruthless?" he whispered, "to deny me anything, answers, truths, what it is I want—it's not a good idea, wife. So I suggest we make a bargain?"
"How about you let me go, and your penis stays outside your body?" he chuckled at me, hands maneuvering me until I faced him, his hands on my hips, I held my towel up, "unless you want a sex change?"
"The full moon is tonight."
"Are you shitting me?" I faked surprise.
"Come to me." He leaned in, perfectly shaped lips so close to me, I looked at them before looking back into his eyes, "come back to me."
"Sorry, still not a harlot, Nik." I laughed, "A for effort."
"If you're married to me, a harlot you are not." He smiled.
"Not going to happen."
"It will; full moon, the wolf you want in closed quarters, no way of getting outside for a run, the only skylight in this house with the view of this moon, is in my room."
I felt a smirk pulling at my lips, I had to distract him, pulling back I released the towel, letting it drop to the floor, hand only hips. His eyes watched the cloth fall in slow motion, eyes drifting to the floor. Slowly the slid up my legs, over the curve of my thigh, around my hip, lingering at my breasts before returning to my eyes. His face shocked, overwhelmed, and pleased.
Turning away I headed back to the bathroom, "look your fill, this is the only time tonight you'll see this, Love."
-X-
It felt so amazing to run in the moonlight again, so long had I been parted from her light, I felt free, I felt wild. The rays of moonlight fed my skin, giving rise to my wolf, she sang under the light, I could feel her fur under my skin, coming to life. The darkness of the woods brought out my senses, making me aware of myself, I knew what I was, and relished in the fearless that was me. I never denied my wolf, even when I was turned, she was still an entity inside me, and we lived together in this skin. We had always been a lone wolf, since the brining, she never thought to remain with the packs we ran with.
I relished in my speed, easily covering ground. Everything seemed to be moving slowly, almost as if time was slowing down for me. I could hear everything, the mice and the little creatures underground stomping around like elephants, I could hear the music in the Quarter. There was something spicy about New Orleans' music, though I preferred heavy metal rock music, it was sensual, almost as if it was a lime of the lips and a shot down the hatch.
A sent caught my attention, I stopped running, found myself in a clearing, and the moon's light glowing. Crickets and their friends sang away, almost as if there was a fairy ball to attend, magical, earthy, and beautiful. My wolf shivered at his nearness, only having him so close hours before, and her inhibitions lowered from the mesmerizing call. He would not come out, I heard his heart, beating so fast he might explode, anticipation rolling off of him like maverick waves in the ocean, my wolf howled for his, sensing his distress. It did not answer back, it should have, the full moon was the one night where the wolf controlled, had power over the host, why was he denying it?
"Come out, Nik."
He appeared at my side instantly, one hand wrapped around my wrist in a vice, the other at the small of my back, "Vivian," he warned, his heat at my back, alerting me he too was under the spell, a child of the moon, helpless to resist her temptations, even as a hybrid with a choice.
Tuning into him, releasing his hold I looked up into his sky blue eyes, silver with the moon, "Nik," I held his face in my hands, he welcomed my touch, his skin searing my already warmed skin, he leaned into my touch, holding my gaze, "Oh, Love," I noticed the pain, the fear, and the loss he had in his eyes, "you did not lose me." I assured him, my wolf groaned at his emotions.
"Not yet," his hands incased my waist, claws peaked through, scraping against the denim of my shorts, he felt the tails of my shirt and instantly maneuvered under it to touch my skin.
"Not now." Answering him by going on my toes, placing my forehead against his chin, showing affection for him, I knew he was edgy, ne needed something tangible, I searched for his wolf in his eyes, and did not find it, "you need to run, Nik, run with me. Your wolf needs to be let go."
"No," he pulled away from me, stepping back, "the beast will not be let out." Not knowing his ancestry, to shift so painfully and unknowingly must have scared him, forever locking away the wolf, no matter how much he relishes his animalistic side, he has not fully accepted it, and I could see it in his eyes.
"It's not a beast," I said, "it's a part of you, it's beautiful, just like you." Resisting the temptation to run my hand through the growing curls at the back of his head was pointless, his hands pulled me closer as my nails scraped against his scalp, threading through his hair, my toes holding me up as I petted him, "the spirit inside you is who you are, let go, let him run, give yourself over." Placing my lips at his ear I smiled, "run with me."
Nik's eyes went wild, the wolf intrigued and taking the offer to run. Taking his hand I pushed off, pulling him alongside me. The run started out as simple, me leading the way, Nik struggling with allowing his wolf reign. I had grown with the spirit inside me since childhood, it was natural for me, and he on the other hand refused it. But now, under the spell of our moon he became free. Running alongside me, rubbing shoulders, pushing me aside to have me push back. Like real wolves we chased and raced each other through the trees.
Laughter rolled from us as we ran. The power of letting the wolf run, to live in our skin, to allow it to control was intoxicating. We kept running, Nik now taking the lead. My wolf was still an alpha and did not like her leadership questioned, by anyone, she challenged Nik, pushing him down to the ground, rolling him across the grass until we pinned him.
"Got you!" I laughed as I looked down at him, a smile pulling at my lips.
He was stunned, but smiled in return, hands reaching forward to hold my shoulder, "nice try, Love." In a whirlwind my back was shoved against a tree, branches snapping from the force, his hands on either side of me, eyes looking down into mine, "I'm the alpha,"
"nope," I laughed before slipping under him, hands pushing at his side as I escaped, "I'm older, I'm in charge." I laughed running off, not using my speed, I wanted this game to continue. Chase, chase, run, run!
"And who acts like a child?" Nik appeared next to me, his arms breaking the run, immobilizing me as he held me fast, lifting my feet off the ground.
"Nik!" I laughed, trying to break free of his hold, "brute!"
Throwing me into a clearing I landed on my back, looking up at the sky, clouds where rolling in, smelling the air I could tell they were storm clouds. "We should head back." I said as he came to stand over me, offering his hand.
"Scared of a little rain." He pulled me up, his brows raised, "I thought you were tougher than that."
I smirked, "tougher than you…" I laughed.
As the rain came, we held gazes, predators by nature, accepting challenges and advances. Never moving from the clearing, as we became soaked to the bone. Heat was visible as it flowed from us, we continued to stand, shivering, but not letting the cold get to us. We have a challenge to complete. The rain grew heavier, smaller drops like little knives, falling down at impossible speeds, hitting us.
"Back down," he said.
"You first."
"You're shivering."
"Not the only one, darling."
At the first crack of thunder and lightning, our hyperaware senses made us jump, landing on our knees, as low as possible to the ground. Well this was stupid. Looking at each other, we silently agreed to head back. Taking my elbow into his hand he ushered me north, back to the house. The storm grew stronger, wind picking up. I could sense magic. Looking around, Davina? Nik kept pulling me. But he soon felt it too, the strong pull of magic, he stopped and examined the area too, but found nothing.
I noticed something off in the distance, it was a game lodge, it wasn't rundown, but it was dark. Nik looked in the direction I was, seeing it too, "came with the house." He said, "It's empty."
"As long as it's dry." Thunder crackled loudly behind us, the electricity of the sound pushing me forward, screaming like a child, but the energy flowing though me. Nik soon joined me, taking my hand as we ran. In my sight the raindrops fell slower, creating a portal though it as I ran.
We ran into the cottage, escaping the rain, laughter rolling off of our lips as we entered, Nik closed the door. Tuning my head up I licked away the drips of water from my lips, feeling the others rush down my skin, down my neck. Wolves are creatures that enjoy textures and touches, and the water rolling down me was no exception. I shivered, feeling the temperature of my skin sink, crawling up my skin.
His hands held my arms, heat traveling from his skin to my own. Tentatively they traveled up my bicep, to my collar bone. I felt his body move closer as his warmth seeped into me, closing my eyes I allowed the contact, allowed him to move closer until I was pressed against him, one hand tracing my jaw, his nose in my hair, and hot breaths at my ear. Two fingers escaped my jaw and traced my lips.
Lover, the wolf sang. "Nik," I whispered breathlessly.
He stopped, heart pounding in his chest I felt it being so near. Taking in a breath he groaned, "I'll start the fire," he whispered before pulling away from me.
"I'll find us some towels." I answered.
I came back, towels in hand, to fin Nik had started a fire, the flames slowly growing, he was kneeling by a cabinet, and the clinking of glass alerted me. "Whoever lived her, had a fine collection." He said when he placed a bottle of scotch on the counter before closing the door.
"Nice," was that all I really could say? Want him…oh no you don't, I will booze you down until you can't think, wolf! Mine, I want him.
I handed him a towel, and then turned away to fling my hair over and dry it, he set about keeping the fire strong before drying himself down. We both settled near the fire, sitting against the couch, on the floor. Pealing my shoes off, and socks, I stretched out and sighed at the feeling of warmth at my feet.
"Comfortable?" he smirked as he opened the bottle, taking a sip.
"very," I laughed as I shook my hair, feeling the curls drying and stiffening, so I ran my fingers through it, watched by Nik, every move I made he followed with his eyes, the bottle in his hand, sighing I thought of something, "Truth or dare?" I said, crossing my legs over each other.
Taking a sip, he choked on laughter, "really?"
"20 questions?"
He glared at me.
"Tit for tat?"
I peaked his interest, "for what?" he smiled.
"Lingering questions, the other has to tell the truth." I reached out for the bottle, when he did not hand it to me looking from me to the space I had put between us, a good five feet, I sighed, "and I'll slide closer to you with each of your answers."
Dimples appeared as he slid the bottle over to me, "you start."
I waited until I had savored the fine liquid before I thought of a question. "Best cake you've ever eaten?"
Chuckling he reached for the bottle, "staring off heavy? Fancy little shop in Paris, late nineteenth, mixed it with liquor for the taste, vanilla for the smell."
I slid an inch over, he rolled his eyes.
"Worst idea you've ever had?"
Passing the bottle I answered, "Promising Queen Victoria that Albert would rise a vampire, he did not die with my blood as she had thought, I was too late." Poor girl, she spent more years a widow than alive. "Whatever became of your mother?"
"Before or after she rose from the dead with a vendetta to kill her children and the vampire race?"
I slid another inch closer, "bitch,"
"Have you ever tried to make hybrids?" I turned and looked at him, he stared into my eyes as he took a drink, and continued, "You obviously could make vampire, what about turning wolves."
"No," I answered, pulling the bottle to me, taking a drink, "never crossed my mind. Will you be a father to your little one? A girl needs a daddy, she picks her men on the type of dad she had," I laughed and pointed from him to me, "Example A, daughter of the village drunk, paranoid hybrid."
"I don't know…" he reached for the scotch, I withheld it, "I have no idea how to be a father, my biological did know I existed and my stepfather killed my father and then chased me for centuries trying to kill me. Sue me for not knowing the defining." He took the bottle and drowned that answer into himself.
Another inch, close enough.
"I have not stopped thinking about our dance from earlier."
"That was not a question,"
"But it was lingering."
"And here I thought you'd mention the fact that I was standing naked in front of you?" I laughed, playfully batting his shoulder, "such the chivalrous man!"
"I am far from chivalrous." He warned, the liquor getting to him, already drunk on the moon.
"When you want to be."
"Closer," he ordered, so I slid, daring myself.
Want! My wolf cried out as I sat next to him, taking the bottle and drinking of it, his eyes watched every movement. "Do you love Caroline?" I will rip her head off!
"I have affection for her." I felt him withholding the truth.
Sliding back an inch, I smirked, "you deviated,"
"I want to love her," he sighed, bringing one leg up foot on the floor, "I intended on being her last love." He looked away from me, and into the fire, he felt guilt.
"Loving someone else is nothing to be ashamed of, Nik." I slid back next to him. MINE! My wolf growled, jealousy eating at her, but I pushed her down, "you believed me dead, its fine."
"What about you?" his voice was deeper, wolf like, his eyes piercing me when he turned back, features darker, "Have a new husband fretting about you?"
"No," I answered, "you know me,"
"I knew the saintly young girl who tested me for months until I married her. You said yourself you don't consider us married!" he pushed up from the ground standing over me, predatory gaze, "why would you not find someone else? Why would you not move on? You're the one who left me, why would you remain faithful to a union you don't acknowledge?" the beast voice startled me, his wolf was rising him in anger and jealousy, the man was trying to make sense of the reasons why he felt that.
Standing too challenge him, I felt so diminutive, and he seemed bigger, hulking over me, beast eyes looking at me. "There is nothing to be jealous about."
"I have everything to be jealous about!" he sneered. "You got to spend the last thousand years relishing in your hybrid status, I was cursed, you had no one to run from, my father hunted me until the day I finally killed him—you never had danger following you at every turn. You had freedom, every time I found some shred of happiness it was taken from me."
Sharpening my gaze, my claws protruded from my fingers, "and what about you?" I sharpened my gaze up at him, "Fate gave you another chance at family, another child!" I pushed against his chest, "and you're not even grateful!"
"I would trade anything for our son back!" he stepped back, gripping my forearms tightly, "I would trade all the immortality in the world to go back and protect you, to live with you, and raise our boy. Our Rikard!"
I slapped him, the echo of the slap the loudest sound in the room, "don't you dare say his name!" I slapped him again, "you have no right to speak it!"
"He was my son too."
"And look at what kind of father he'd had; a paranoid, evil coward. I waited for you!" attempting to pry him off my arms, I felt my tears forming, I couldn't let him see them, the second he did, his wolf would command him to comfort its mate, I couldn't have that! "I waited like an idiot, you weren't coming back! You never searched for me. We were both in England at the same time once, when you found Katerina, when you hunted her. You never once realized I was standing next to you, or across the room from you. You didn't bother to search for me, once you gave up! If you love someone, you'd never give up! Never!"
"Says the person who could have just said 'hey look at me! I'm alive!"
"I couldn't trust you! You betrayed me!"
"I told you, I didn't!"
"Well the past can't change, no matter how much we want it to! It's too late to redeem us." I pushed away, "let it go, Nik," I bit my lip, "let me go."
"You left me, Vivian; you left a hole in me, like we were nothing at all. It was not what you meant to me—we're meant to be, don't think I can't hear my beast screaming in my head, you're mine, forever."
Its right, I know, never let him go, mine. "I said good bye to you centuries ago. It's too late."
"It's never too late," I turned back to him, "love is never too late." He was in front of me before I knew it, one hand shoved into my hair, the other at my waist, pulling me against him, his lips touching mine, "I will never let you go," he vowed as he held me tighter, placing his lips against mine twice, three times more.
Lover…my lover…the one I want… my wolf howled in happiness. Giving myself over to his heat, his passion, I closed my eyes, fisting my hands in his shirt. Kissing him back. After so long. It wasn't rushed, it was languid, a slow drink of each other. As if we both were desperate. Hands became rougher, strength pitted against one another, shoving the other from one wall to the other, claws ripped through clothing, fangs descended, and blood was drawn.
For wolves, even we hybrids, sex and violence are one in the same. Excitement chilled through me as the scent of blood filled the air. Fisting his hair I pulled him closer, his hands pulled me up, forcing me to rely on him to hold me, wrapping my legs around him as the violent kiss continued. Pulling my shirt clean off of my body Nik looked me in the eye, pinning me with his gaze.
"I thought you said this wouldn't happen?" he smiled, using his dimples and perfect lips against me.
Rolling my eyes, I fisted more of his hand, "shut it." I laughed, coking my head to the side, "I am a free creature, to do as I please. And do what I like.""
"Now you shut it." He laughed.
Sitting up I surveyed the damage we had done in the cottage. Nik lay beside me, half asleep, hand clamped on my elbow. The fire had almost died. The couth was flipped, claw marks running all across the warn material, wallpaper shredded, chairs and side tables in pieces, curtains from the window pulled down. I heard the echo of our groans and moans still in the room. I chuckled, this living room was ruined. My hair fell around my face when I turned to look at my lover, drowsy and plaint like putty, he looked like a young man rather than a thousand year old supernatural, the scheming and paranoia aging him well beyond his physical years.
I was not surprised at his tattoo, the feather breaking into birds, lightly I traced it, counting the birds. Freedom was what wolves craved, no matter what, the choice to run, even in the moon. Nik was ticklish on his collar bone, he smiled as my fingers lazily danced from his shoulder towards the secret spot I knew. When I reach it, he laughed, pulling away from me his eyes opening, an emotion of content and giddiness in his ocean blue eyes.
"Vivian!" he laughed, trying to escape me.
I kept on him, straddling his waist, seeking out the other spots on his rib cage, and on his side. "I found your weakness!" I laughed.
"Vivian," he laughed, his steal arms locking around my back, pulling me down so I was flush against him, unable to attack him.
We settled into that, taking in the other. I felt our wolves connect, they lazed against the other's essence. Nuzzling my head he held me tighter.
"Should I question this, or blame it on the alcohol?" he whispered.
"Why should you question it at all?" I answered against his neck, taking his unique scent in.
"I seem to be accumulating drunken one night stands." He chuckled, his hand playing with my hair.
"Nik, you know why."
"No I don't,"
He was searching for the truth, sighing, I gave it to him, unable to resist his emotions, his questioning, the uneasiness he was feeling about me. "I love you," I admitted as he held me to him, "I have loved you for a thousand years, and I will love you for a thousand more…"
Word count: 9,276
Page count: 20
