Sloan's eyes fluttered open and she found herself looking at the sleeping face of Michael Vampire. She blinked, unsure of how or when she managed to get into a bed with him, but there she was. She became very aware that his arm was wrapped tightly, protectively around her waist. She was trapped between him and the wall (not that she was complaining...much)and moving would only succeed in waking him. She was not sure she wanted to be the one who woke him up; She'd heard the stories.
Instead she gazed lovingly at his face, a soft smile spreading on her lips. She traced the word Immortal on his chest, admiring how they seemed to sway. And with enough blood, they did. For almost ten minutes, she lay there, silently admiring the man in front of her. The man she adored, desired, loved. All she had ever wanted was within grasp, and yet, she knew it was an impossibility. But he'd kissed her, hadn't he? So maybe there was something there, after all. She leaned forward, not sure if she dared kiss him, especially while he slept.
A soft mumble passed Michael's lips and she froze in her tracks. Aliya. She pulled away, not wanting the name to bother her, but it did. She knew he was dreaming of her and it killed her to know that. Grumbling, she slid his hand off her and carefully straddled his waist, trying her best not to put any weight on him. He mumbled again, but didn't stir, so she pushed open the curtain and slid out of the bunk, tripping as her feet landed. JJ was already awake, and gave her a sharp laugh.
"That takes some skill, doll. Slipping out of a single person bunk with Michael pinning you to him and not waking him up. Props."
"She didn't succeed in not waking me up. And I was having such a good dream." Michael's pissed off voice came from behind the curtain Sloan had just closed again. She paled, but then made a quick retort.
"I thought you couldn't dream anymore, Michael." Her tone came off much more standoffish than she had anticipated. Shit!
"And I didn't know it was any of your business, Sloan." He snapped glowering at her.
"It's my business when I'm in your bunk and you're whispering the name of the woman who tried to kill you as if it were your fondest memory in the world! Do they know you still dream of Aliya?"she replied, her voice rising to a yell, "Or is that another thing you've kept to yourself. Don't forget, Michael. I know everything about you."
Michael looked ready to snap. How was it that this man, gorgeous and kind, could act like a total prick. She wanted to blame it on his being woken up too soon, but she knew that wasn't true. Usually, only his nightmares held the seductress faery in them. Never his pleasant dreams. Unless he was thinking of the time before... When Aliya was still shook her head as tears swam in her eyes, blurring her vision. She didn't want to remember that. She knew that the person Aliya had been before she'd been manipulated into working against Michael was better than Sloan ever felt she could be, and she knew that part of Michael still loved that version of her.
Kuza slid onto the bus gracefully, and Michael's glare dissipated into an expression of exhaustion. He handed Sloan a plastic card with the VE logo on it, and the word staff in dripping letters. Her backstage pass. She wrapped it around her wrist four times before digging through her bag of clothes for something clean to wear. In the end, she found a fishnet shirt, a black tank top and a pair of shorts with one black leg and one red. She silently put them on and brushed her hair out, refusing to look at Michael, whose eyes were burning holes into the back of her neck. He wasn't glaring anymore, but he wasn't happy. Ignoring him, she began looking for her shoes. She spotted the toe of one...at the foot of the bunk, where Michael was sitting. WIthout a word, she grabbed them.
"Sloan..." Michael started, reaching out to rest his hand on her cheek. She jerked away instinctively and scowled.
"Don't touch me," She said, making her voice sound more snappish than hurt. He didn't need to know how deep his dreams cut her. She stepped around his hand, and walked off the bus, refusing to so much as look back to the expression on his face. She pulled on her boots as she walked, hopping up and down to keep balance as she zipped them up. The further she moved away from the bus, the louder the sounds of music became, until she could hear the unmistakable sounds of Motionless in White. She grinned, following the music to the stage where Chris was singing Devil's night. The rest of the band seemed to be in a better mood, Chris seemed to be pissed and scowling at the crowd.
They finished their set, and Chris smiled, waving his hands to her to have her come up and see him. The security guards saw her pass and nodded, letting her past the barriers. She put her arms on the stage and laid her chin on them. Ghost came and sat on the edge of the stage, and Chris crouched in front of her, his scowl a concerned look instead. He ruffled her bangs and smiled, his piercings catching the light as he did.
"What's wrong, Lonnie? Michael being a dick again?"
"Yeah." Her reply was soft, but her voice was obviously pained, and she cursed at herself internally.
"I thought you liked seeing them?" Ghost asked, his voice sounding confused, "And wasn't this the tour you made friends with us, Quinn, Toka and god knows who else. All because of them?"
"It's because of Aliya." Chris and Sloan said at exactly the same time. Sloan gave him a look, and he tapped his head, "We've already had this conversation, Lonnie. This is just the solid version. And didn't he kiss you last night?"
"I hate you sometimes, Chris. You may be a psychic, but it isn't fair when you see my memories before I do!"
"It's not like I asked to. Like JJ and his Telepathy. Or Annie and her Touch Empathy. It's part of being what we are."
"You're not a vampire, though. That makes it different." Ghost commented, "Michael, JJ, and Annie all are. You're just gifted human."
"Faery kissed. The term Obnoxious-Pixie A and Rude-Succubus B use is faery kissed." Chris said, a coy smile on his face. He was, of course, referring to the fae from Blood on the Dance Floor. A group that none of them really liked, especially not Sloan.
"Whatever. I am gonna go find Kellin. I need someone who is normal to spend time with. You guys make my head spin. I'll see you later. And Ghost? Eat something."
Ghost's face turned to a pout then a smile as he flipped her off. She blew him a kiss and walked down to the acoustic stage where Kellin was tuning his guitar, and otherwise getting ready for the set. He looked up and smiled, motioning to a high backed stool to his left. Sloan took it with a small smile and rested her head on the back. Kellin strummed a few notes, and started to sing. Sloan smiled, she knew the song well. She sang with him, her voice high and clear, his lower and softer. She felt, not for the first time, that the song fit her. She'd given everything for a guy who would never see her. She would drown in her feelings for him.
"You know, I love when you sing Don't Fall Asleep with me." Kellin commented when the song was done, "It's pretty."
"Thanks, Kell. So... Are the plans solid yet?"
"Yeah." he said, looking down with a smile on his face, "Hey... will you sing it with me today?"
"I can't draw more attention to myself, Kell.. I'm sorry. I wish I could."
"I understand."
Sloan hugged him, then wished him luck on his set before drifting off once again, this time with no destination in mind. All she wanted to do was go back to her apartment in Jersey and shut her mind to the outside world. Maybe she could live like a normal person, and just forget about Michael. It would take all of her strength and she'd never be able to do the things she loved, but she could try. But something in her heart said no. She didn't actually want to give up, she just wanted it to be easier. It wouldn't be love if she just gave up, not really. She would fight for him. And the first step, no matter how much she hated it was to confront him about Aliya.
Michael wasn't on the bus when Sloan got back, but JJ sat in the same place as he had been before, still engaged in his book, though now, it was almost completely finished. JJ didn't even look up from his book, but he was well aware of her presence, and she knew it. She sat patiently across from him until the last page of the book was done and he closed the novel with a contented sigh.
"You missed the acoustic show, and it made Michael angry so he went to find a bar at which to go destroy a few bottles of whiskey before the show. He'll be along soon enough."
Sloan sighed in exasperation and slid from her chair across from JJ and stole into the kitchen. Pop Tarts were sitting on the counter, and she picked them up cautiously. They were s'mores. Her favorite. She pulled a package out, realizing only then how hungry she actually was, and took them with her as she went back outside. As she walked past security guards, a small girl with white blond hair done up in braided pigtails that reached her waist. Her eyes were a startling violet and she wore a short Gypsy dress with detached sleeves, but her smile betrayed her. Small fangs poked from behind her lips, telling Sloan she was a Fertile.
"Hello, Sloan. Is Josh in?" The girl asked, her face warm and pleasant.
"Um," Sloan was surprised the girl knew her name, but didn't bother to ask, "Yeah, I think he's expecting you... Um. Annie?"
"Yeah, thats me!" She giggled, "And he's always expecting me. I show up unannounced more often than not."
She slid past Sloan, brushing her bare shoulder against Sloan's arm. Sloan felt warmth spread from the spot and cringed, not knowing what to make of it. Annie turned, eyeing her quietly, "Also... Michael hates Aliya, even now. You don't need to worry about her, but you really do need to talk to him. If not for his sake, for yours. Its carving a dark emptiness in your heart."
Without another word, Annie turned, and disappeared on to the bus with JJ. Sloan blinked, growling low in her throat. Did everyone know her issues? It seemed like either Michael was a loudmouth (highly unlikely) or almost every vampire that saw her just knew. She paused as it hit her. Hadn't Chris said something about Annie and Touch Empathy? She was sure he had, and that meant that Annie had seen her deepest fears and biggest worries. The sheer thought made her shudder and move to the Monster stage where Michael would be playing in the next half an hour.
A crowd was beginning to form, and to her surprise, Lunis was nowhere to be seen, but her cronies stood in a ring to the left, their heads pressed together quietly. Fang looked up, nodded to her, then went back to their conversation. Kuza was on the stage, leaning out over people, and looking otherwise creepy. His HeLLbound was around his neck, and he was duct taped. Backstage, Miranda was peering at Kuza with a look of sheer adoration, Vladimir squirming in her arms. That rabbit was adorable when it wasn't creepily staring at her while she slept, Sloan thought. After a rather short time in Sloan's mind, JJ sat at his drum kit, flipping his sticks while he waited for everyone else to tune their guitars.
She slid back stage, and there was Michael, not looking at her, even though he saw her come in. He was buckling his boots on, and otherwise disregarding the brit at his side. Finally he turned, and let out an exasperated sigh, "I'm sorry okay. Whatever the fuck I did to upset you, I'm sorry. I didn't... I don't like you being mad at me."
"Do you still love Aliya?"
"I dreamt that I was gutting that miserable little cunt, Sloan. No I do not love her. I don't even like her. Is that what it was?"
"It hurt, hearing you say her name with me in your arms..." She whispered.
"Oh, Sloan." Michael kissed her forehead, "I'm not that big of a dick. I mean I can be, but I'm not regularly."
"I'm sorry I jumped to conclusions. JJ said you were really upset by what I said this morning, and my avoiding you all day probably didn't help."
"I was. I am not now. You're going home soon... I just want to make a few more memories with you around before you do. I promised I'd let you go back to Jersey, you know? So, what do you say, shall we make the most of the time we have left?"
Sloan grinned wide, hugging him tightly, "Live for the now, leave the past behind, and always look for the future."
Michael returned the grin, "Spoken like a true Punk Rocker." And without another word, he kissed her and stepped on stage.
