Alright, so I've been away for a while. But before the booing and hissing starts, I'd just like to say that I went away to my cousins earlier then my parents had told me and came back later then expected. AND THEY HAD NO SIGNAL! I haven't even checked my emails since I've come back (late last night)! But I thought I'd come and update for you lovely people because I'm just that nice (Jokes). Alright, on with the story!
Chapter Four (I think?): Carolyn Meets Red
Barnabas didn't mention what he had undoubtedly heard the next morning over breakfast. Then again, he didn't have much chance over the blubbering mum was making over me for the ENTIRE TIME I was down for breakfast.
I had never known my mother to be overly emotional. Not once during my eighteen years of living at Collinwood had she cried within my hearing or sight, or laughed uproariously or any such like thing that human beings (That would not be me then) were prone to doing. But just then she was clutching at me, sobbing into my hair, hugging me tightly to her and when I firmly removed her from my person she stood behind me, touching me with little soft touches on my shoulder or running her fingers lightly through my hair as if to make sure I was real and would not vanish on her.
Unfortunately, that was one trait werewolves hadn't acquired yet.
David also circled me protectively. At one point I caught him eyeing the distance between me and the doorway, as if debating if I could get out before any of them could stop me. I tried to give him a reassuring smile but he ignored me, shuffling his seat so he was between me and the door.
Vicky, damn her soul (As if being a vampire didn't do that already) sat opposite me with a serene smile on her pale face, sipping her cup of tea, pretending to be oblivious to the tension in the room, eyeing the distance between Barnabas and me. Tea, for gods sake! TEA!
"What, no need of Caffeine?" I snarked, feeling guilty as the new maid (Not supernatural, thank god) poured me my third cup of coffee.
She smiled at me and set her cup back down in its sourcer.
"Being a vampire keeps me alert and awake for all of my waking hours." She told me. "I have no need for caffeine any more."
Well, neither did I, what with me being a werewolf and everything, but caffeine did help to enhance my abilities somewhat, especially my speed, smell, sight and hearing. My other abilities, such as Shadow Control and Lunar Extension, as well as the few magical abilities I'd nabbed off the other Supes I'd come across were somewhat handicapped by the caffeine, regrettably, but I had no need for those abilities that day. I was hunting.
After breakfast, Vicky kindly offered to help clear away and wash up the dishes for the servants despite the fact she herself had not eaten. I barely restrained a growl as Barnabas shot her an unscrupulous glance.
"I'll help too." I offered kindly (Ok, so it was mainly to look good for Barnabas but so what? I was a grown werewolf. I could skirt around the edges of Barnabas's attention without getting bitten. Hopefully.).
Suddenly, one cold hand was hooked over my elbow and I was pressed against the side of one hard body.
"Actually, Carolyn, I need to talk to you about something." Barnabas declared clearly so everybody could hear him.
I turned my gaze on him and gave him a level, even look.
"I'm sure it can wait until after I've helped, Barnabas." I told him smoothly. "It's only fair that I help as well since Vicky didn't eat anything at all and I did."
Please let it wait until after I've thought of an escape route!
I pleaded in my mind but in Barnabas's black as night eyes I could see that he wasn't going for it.
"I'm sorry, it cannot wait." He then increased the pressure of his hand on my elbow and I let out a yelp of surprise, springing to my feet as I did so. Barnabas took the opportunity to wrap his arm around my waist and take control of my body and where it went. He nodded coolly to mum and David. "Elizabeth. Master David." His eyes lingered on Vicky, who was looking at the both of us with elegant poise. I tried to tug away from Barnabas discreetly so she wouldn't see, but I saw the way her eyes flashed to where Barney's hand was wrapped tensely around my waist, his fingers digging into my soft side, and then to my face. Her eyebrows lifted in a silent question and one thought echoed through my brain. But it wasn't me who thought it.
Do you need some help, Carolyn?
I glanced at Vicky, who gave me a small smile.
Evidently, your time away has opened your mind to other supernaturals. Do you need some help in escaping him, Carolyn? Do you not wish to go with him anywhere? I can help, you know.
I met her eyes and considered her offer carefully before finally shaking my head slightly. I'd have to face him sooner or later.
Her eyebrows lowered and she turned her head back to Barnabas, her expression curiously unreadable.
"Victoria." Barnabas nodded his head in her direction before turning back to mum and David. "If you'll excuse us..."
"Wait! You won't take her away for too long, will you?" Mum cried out anxiously, and I saw the way her hand fisted around her knife and fork, her knuckles straining under her force of worry. "You'll bring her back?"
Barnabas paused in the act of kidnapping me, before slowly turning around and giving my mother an understanding smile.
"My dear Elizabeth." He murmured. "Do you really think that I would spend so long searching for her then just let her go?"
Mum still remained tense, eyeing him suspiciously.
"I know you wouldn't, Barnabas. I know you wouldn't let her leave you. Its whether you'd let her leave me, or take her away from me, that's the question."
Barnabas paused and his arm snaked tighter around my waist.
"I will not take her away from you today, Elizabeth, or any day soon." He answered carefully.
My mother relaxed, finally satisfied.
Then she looked at me, such sorrow in her eyes that I realized that she would never be relaxed with me. Or at least, wouldn't for a very long time.
"Carolyn." She then whispered softly. "You won't try and run away from me again, will you?"
I pretended to consider it light heartedly.
"Nah, you're alright you lot. I might stick around." At the sight of mum's weary and tired face, I quickly changed tactic. I would've gone and smoothed her hair back comfortingly if Barnabas wasn't clinging onto me so tightly. "No, mum. I won't leave. I'm here to stay now. You won't get rid of me that easily, I promise you."
Just as mum's face relaxed into a relatively happy smile, I found myself facing the door as Barnabas jiggled the door knob in an attempt to get out.
"This damn thing!" He hissed.
I reached forward and covered my hand with his, ignoring the electricity that charged through me as I did this.
"Oh, for all your vampire powers..." I muttered as I helped him squeeze the brass metal, turn it and wrench it open in one swift, strong movement. I then smirked at him.
He glared at me.
"Oh, for all my vampire powers what?" He demanded.
"Oh, for all your vampire powers you're still rather wimpy, aren't you?" I filled in for him.
He growled, impressively like a wolfs growl, actually.
"That's it. We really need to talk. Outside, Miss Carolyn."
"It's cold outside..." I procrastinated suddenly, remembering why we were heading out of the safety of others company.
"You're a werewolf and you've got me." He propelled me down the corridor. "You can deal with it."
"At least let me fetch my coat..."
"No."
"Or my gloves."
"No."
"Or my scarf."
"No, Carolyn."
"Or a shot gun..."
"Carolyn, I said...wait, what did you just suggest you got?"
"Oh, that's right, you can't be killed but a shot gun can you? Just out of interest, what can kill a vampire?"
"Are you proposing that you kill me to get out of having a conversation with me?"
"Well really, you can be paranoid. Whatever gave you that impression?"
From the look on his face, a lot.
The gardens had been beautifully kept since the burning down of the first Collinwood. Rose bushes and flower gardens and little swings and ivy climbing the walls of the secret maze that could lead either to the tennis courts or a secret meeting place that was like the Secret Garden. It was beautiful. It had always been one of my favourite places to go when I was trying to de-wolf. It had never worked, but it'd kept me hidden from my family, kept me relatively sane and protected previously mentioned family.
Barnabas was silent as we walked through the gardens and I tried to remain as calm as he was, though my body twitched at the urge to hunt the scent that still lingered here. I sniffed again, trying to be discreet about it. Then I frowned. If anything, the scent seemed to have become stronger in the hours since I'd last smelt it. I glanced at Barnabas through my hair, trying to distinguish from his expression if he too spelt the unfamiliar scent and recognised it as a threat.
But his expression was as calm as it had ever been. He swung his cane leisurely, stopping to sniff flowers occasionally and, once, plucked one single white rose from a bush and turned to hand it to me.
"I know you like white roses the best." Was all he said as I grasped it from his hands, avoiding the thorns, and smelt it. The smell of the white rose was subtle and lovely. I could still smell it, but it was almost over powered by the smell of hair dye and death. My body twitched again in the need to break the Genetic Lock I'd placed on my own body, in the need to hunt and destroy this threat to my territory.
But I couldn't move with Barnabas watching me so carefully (Even though he was pretending he wasn't.)
"What do you want to talk about, Barney?" I finally sighed, breaking off the majority of the stem on the rose and braiding it into my hair so it didn't handicap my hands but I still got to keep it secure.
He smiled at my action.
"I'm glad you like the rose, Carolyn." He murmured softly. He then shook his head. "I actually wanted to talk to you abou- wait, Barney? Barney?"
I smirked at his out raged face.
"I'm annoyed. Carry on." I strode on without him, leaving him to gape after me before he finally managed to gather enough wits to follow me.
"My name is Barnabas." He corrected me stiffly, still swinging that dratted cane in front of us as he caught up with me.
I sighed again.
"And my name is Carolyn. How do you do? And I'm going to go inside if you don't tell me what I'm doing out here in the damn cold. And that cane is going to get broken in half if you don't stop swinging it. And mum is going to get shouted at if she doesn't get off my back, and David is going to grow older even if I have to put him on a stretcher and Vicky might actually want to explain to me this telepathic talk thingy and stop being so damn Vicky-like and you are going to stop acting like yourself in your pompous arrogance or I'm going to scream and ugh! WHERE IS THAT SCENT COMING FROM?"
Finally, my rant broke the wolf free of my control and I morphed almost instantly, having resisted the pull of the full moon last night with ease. I didn't usually transform during the day without my potion but I didn't have time to ponder that now, my sight now focused on one thing, my scent on one thing.
I padded away from where I'd been standing, following the stench of hair dye, death, sea salt and another familiar essence that I couldn't quite identify. Was it...perfume? I didn't know, nor care at that moment as I picked up my pace. The scent had been crossed and zig zagged across the gardens in an intentional attempt to confuse me and throw me off the true lead to where the thing was. But I was good, a werewolf for most of my life and a werewolf that had had to fend for herself for almost a decade. They couldn't confuse me that easily.
"Carolyn, Carolyn!"
A deep, masculine voice called after me, and I was sorely tempted to turn towards it and cower into the safety that it offered but I couldn't. I had to find this thing and destroy it.
"Carolyn, you can't do this on your own! For fucks sake, you're still weak and tired from the potion and travelling and the full moon. Carolyn, can you hear me? Understand me? Get back here!"
Suddenly, a human was in front of me. Wait. I sniffed at his familiar and safe scent. Not a human. Death and collogue mixed together in an almost pleasant scent. Vampire. A vampire with dark hair dark eyes and a pale face.
I growled at it and tried to push passed it but it wouldn't let me. Couldn't it understand I was hunting?
"No, Carolyn, no." It reprimanded me.
Confused and suddenly very startled, I sat back on my hunches and whined. Who the hell was Carolyn?
"Carolyn, you're not like this." It continued to insist. "Carolyn, you're relatively human. Come back to me. We can hunt this thing together. Carolyn, I need you, my love."
I howled even louder, the scents of the two creatures mixing my my nose. Suddenly, I twitched. This vampires scent and the other scent held similarities. Vampiric similarities. The unfamiliar scent was something to do with a vampire. Or was a vampire. But what of the sea salt scent, the perfume, the hair dye scent that made it so maddening, so familiar? Did normal vampires smell like that.
"My love," The vampire moved closer towards me and I barked at him in warning. He didn't stop moving towards me until he had his hand wrapped around my muzzle, gently but with a firm, immovable grasp.
"My love," He murmured again, reaching forward with his other hand to stroke my fur. I tried to snap at him but found myself unable. And found myself not wanting to snap at him. "My darling, precious love. Can you hear and understand me? You're even beautiful in wolf form, Carolyn. And you're mine. All mine."
I growled and tried to bark again. Damn this vampire. What was with me and me not wanting to hurt him? Vampires were wolves enemy's.
I couldn't smell properly with this man vampire so close and his hand wrapped around my muzzle but I could still hear and see pretty closely. A rustle in the trees beside me made me jump and I tried to jerk away from the vampire to take a closer look but it wouldn't allow me. All around me, quick flashes of colour and noise alerted me to another's presence. Two others actually. One deafeningly familiar.
"No, Carolyn, look at me. Come back to me. Return to human form." The vampire in front of me coaxed.
I momentarily glared at him.
Patronising git. I thought, then glanced down at myself with a whine. Human. That voice in my head had been distinctly human, yet definitely mine.
Focus, Carolyn. Barnabas has not noticed yet but you and I have. Do not let yourself loose focus. I cannot run with speed to reach you since the thing will notice me but its with you. I will reach you soon. Carolyn, listen. I know you're still in there. Protect yourself and Barnabas.
I whined again as another voice invaded my head.
Vicky's voice.
My human voice told me once again.
The flash of colour beside me distracted me again and this time even the vampire in front of me jerked his head up, his hold loosening on my muzzle. I took the chance to jerk it away from his hand and growl at him, backing away.
"Carolyn!" It reached for me again. "Come back here! I need to protect you!"
There was a slow, mocking laugh from behind him and he turning in shock at the flash of colour that had now stopped and was leaning against a tree behind him.
I growled, recognising the need to now protect the vampire (I mean, what the hell? Barnabas? I should just throw him to the thing and be done with it...).
I ignored my mental human voice and growled at the threat, jumping in front of him to protect him, facing off the enemy.
"No, Carolyn!" He reached for me again, this time in panic rather then protection.
"On the contrary, dear Barnabas. I think she thinks she needs to protect you. Wolves are like that, you know."
I suddenly got a good look at my enemy. And was almost sick. The flashes of red, the almost inbuilt sea salt smell, the laugh, the familiarity with the scent, it all made sense now. Horrible sense.
The shock caused my body to morph again, causing me to cough up blood and guts and fur balls onto the ground at my enemy's feet until I was fully transformed into a shaking human again, weak as a baby, barely able to stand up on my own, blood smeared around my mouth, clothes in tatters and rags. My eyes I could already feel were wide and disbelieving as I looked upon the red.
Barnabas leaned forward and yanked me from my position right in front of it to him, so I was clutched to the front of him, his arms wrapped around my waist to keep me upright, his face buried in my neck. I trembled and shook in his arms but opened my mouth to speak anyway. I spat at the things feet in disgust, my voice not wavering at all.
"Oh. Its you." I said flatly.
Ok, so, thats it? How was it? For everybody who reviews I'll throw in a sneak peak of the next chapter! (Thats, if you're interested. If you're not just tell me and I won't do it. I'll understand after these last two chapters. Ok, and once again sorry for taking so long!)