CHAPTER 14
The elevator doors opened and something in the livingroom caught Helena's eye. She walked over and saw Barbara trying to read her papers while Gabby completely engulfed her body. Helena folded her arms over her chest and eyed Barbara suspiciously. Barbara returned the look with a slight blush on her face.
"And you have the nerve to give me shit?" she motioned to Barbara's cuddle-buddy.
Barbara looked down at Gabby, then looked Helena over, noticing the stains on her shirt and messy hair. "What happened to you?" she wondered.
Helena uncrossed her arms and stepped closer. "Don't change the subject, Barbara. You lecture me on my behavior and the moment I'm not around, you invite Gabby on top of you?"
"I did not invite her," Barbara acted in her own defense. "She did this on her own."
Helena crossed her arms again, and raised a brow. "And you were just the innocent victim, right?" she asked, and reminded Barbara of her own words spoken earlier. "Oh no, Gabby, please don't wrap your body around mine… as you sit there with arms open…"
"It wasn't like that Helena," the redhead blushed, knowing her own words were being tossed back in her face. Helena's expression mirrored her own when she had been teasing Helena earlier. Uh huh… sure Barbara, you're the innocent victim… "She fell asleep watching a movie and before I knew it, she was snuggling."
Helena uncrossed her arms yet again and leaned in closer to Barbara for emphasis. "Maybe you'll remember that the next time she does that to me," she smiled, smugly, tapping Barbara lightly on the nose.
"I'll remember… but that still won't change the fact that you're interested in her and I'm not."
The brunette smiled slyly, and moved her face dangerously close to Barbara's, almost caressing it with her own. "Don't worry, Barbara," she purred, moving to her ear. "I know you only have eyes for me," she whispered, and kissed her ear lightly before pulling back to look at Barbara's reaction.
It wasn't the one she was expecting. Barbara looked at her curiously and asked, "Why do you smell like spaghetti sauce?"
Annoyed, Helena stood up tall. "I don't want to talk about it," she grumbled, defeated, and turned around to go to her room to shower. The moment she turned her back, Barbara saw the huge stain that travelled from her hair down to her waist. She chose not to comment, knowing there would be time to tease her later on.
The slam of her bedroom door caused Gabby to stir. Barbara looked down as sleepy eyes opened slowly, trying to figure out where she was. It only took her a few moments to get her bearings and when she realized she was wrapped around Barbara and using her chest as a pillow, Gabby smiled. Any regular person would have blushed but instead, Gabby seemed almost impressed with herself how far she had travelled on the couch in her sleep. Deciding that an apology might be appropriate, she met her teacher's eyes. "Sorry," she mumbled, trying to stifle the smile that wanted to turn into a giggle.
Her smile was infectious, and Barbara returned it. "Yes, you look sorry," she raised a brow in disbelief. Gabby peeled herself off of her teacher and moved to a safe distance on the couch.
"How long was I sleeping for?"
Barbara checked her watch. "About two hours. I thought the rest would do you good so I let you sleep."
Gabby stretched her back but her breath hitched when she stretched her arm a little too roughly, causing a bolt of pain. Immediately she pulled it back down but indicated to Barbara that she was okay. "Think I can have that shower now?" she asked, hopeful.
Barbara transferred herself from the couch to her chair and gathered up the essays in a neat pile. "Helena is in the shower right now so I'll have her run the bath for you when she's done."
"Or I could join her in the shower," she spoke, unintentionally, and quickly put a hand over her mouth. "Sorry. I probably shouldn't have said that out loud," she giggled, unable to retract the statement.
The redhead wheeled away, shaking her head and rolling her eyes as she heard the comment. Thank God she's not meta, Barbara thought to herself. I couldn't handle another Helena, she laughed inwardly at the similarities between Gabby and Helena. "I think you need to wait until Helena's finished," she advised, and left the room but not before shouting, "I'll make sure it's a cold bath…"
***
As the clock neared 6:00pm, Barbara left to pick up Dinah, hoping Helena would keep Gabby's spongebath strictly professional. She had her doubts, but there wasn't much she could do. In truth, they were old enough to make their own decisions. The best Barbara could do was to advise them of her opinion and hope that they don't get into too much trouble.
The traffic was surprisingly light so Barbara arrived a little early. She parked the vehicle and entered the building where she was immediately greeted by the restaurant host. "May I get you a table?" he asked.
"No thank you, I'm here to pick up Dinah," she replied, pointing out the girl in the distance, talking to some customers. "I'll wait for her here." Barbara wheeled over to the waiting area until Dinah noticed her. She held up a finger that she would be right there. When she finished with her customers, she disappeared into the kitchen and returned moments later with her stuff in hand, ready to leave.
Before she made it to the exit, the manager approached. "Dinah?" he called out. She halted, waiting to see what he wanted. "Thank you for your help today. You've done a very good job and I look forward to seeing you tomorrow," he said, and nodded goodbye.
"See you tomorrow," she forced a smile. Something she had been doing all day long.
They climbed into the hummer and Barbara immediately asked, "How was your day?"
Dinah wanted to snap at her and tell her it sucked but Karla's influence started to work its magic. "It was going okay until Helena showed up to give me a hard time," she mumbled, feigning sadness.
Barbara was caught by surprise. "Helena was there?" she asked for clarification.
"Yeah," Dinah kept her head down, trying to look upset and hide her sly smile. "She was so rude and making complaints and she had one waitress so upset that she almost started crying. The waitress ended up accidently dropping a plate of food…"
"On Helena?" Barbara nodded. "I saw…"
"Helena started cursing her out and it wasn't even the waitress's fault! And then Helena started to harass me and make me look bad in front of the manager!" she faked a tear.
Barbara didn't understand what was going on. Why would Helena go there? She asked herself. It wasn't like Helena to go out of her way to cause problems for Dinah… she needed to talk to Helena. "I'm really sorry, Dinah," she apologized. "I don't know why Helena was there but I'll talk to her when we get home." She took a heavy breath and let it out slowly. Dinah knew what that meant… it meant Barbara was angry.
Dinah hid her smile, suddenly looking forward to the evening and what surprises it would bring… for Helena.
***
"You're bath is ready," Helena called out to Gabby who was waiting impatiently on her bed. Helena wore loose sweat pants and a tank top that clung to her damp skin.
"You should have let me join you in the shower," Gabby pouted, looking at the goddess in front of her.
Helena unwrapped the sling on Gabby's injured arm and then removed the bandage that surrounded the limb. "You were too busy molesting Barbara when I got home," Helena replied casually.
Gabby grinned innocently. A grin that Helena herself had used many times. The innocent one with the devilish intentions behind it. "Unfortunately I was too busy being asleep to enjoy it," she answered honestly. The brunette laughed, she couldn't help it.
"Cheating on me with Barbara, are you?" she joked as she escorted the girl to the washroom.
Gabby stopped short. "No, I wasn't," she said flatly, and then looked at Helena suspiciously. "How about you?"
"How about me what?
"What did you do this afternoon?" she continued to eye Helena with suspicion but held no anger.
Helena's shoulders straightened. Body language indicating she was trapped and preparing herself for what was about to come. "I went out."
"With a girl?"
"With a friend."
"With a friend who was a girl," Gabby stated, showing no sign of jealousy, but Helena asked anyway.
"Jealous?" she asked, trying to hold back her annoyance. Helena hated being questioned. She was a free spirit and didn't want to answer to anyone. Gabby read the expression and knew she had to clear it up before it got out of hand.
"No, Helena," she turned to face the older girl. "I'm not jealous."
The brunette stood stiffly, misreading Gabby's intentions. "Good," she replied harshly. "Because what I do is my business." She paused for a moment. "I'm going to get Dinah to help you," she said and in a flash, she took off, leaving Gabby standing there, kicking herself for her comments that Helena misunderstood.
***
"Dinah!" Helena pounded on the door several times. Dinah opened it with a fury.
"What!?" she snapped as it flung open.
"Go help your friend take a bath," is all she said before she flipped over the railing, not waiting for a response. Dinah glared at the spot where Huntress stood seconds earlier before heading to help Gabby.
Helena walked into the kitchen and grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge. Barbara sat at the table, talking casually with Alfred as he prepared supper. She turned to watch Helena as she plopped herself down on the chair next to her.
"I thought you were helping Gabby take a bath?" she asked.
"I wanted some space," she stated.
"Is Dinah with her?"
Helena sighed with annoyance. More questions… "Yes, Barbara, Dinah is with her. I'm not that irresponsible to leave her drown in the tub by herself."
"I was just asking," Barbara put up her hands defensively. "Speaking of Dinah, she told me you popped by the restaurant where she was working today…" Barbara left the sentence hanging, hoping Helena would respond. When she didn't, Barbara continued. "I thought you were going to keep your distance with her for a little while?"
Helena propped her foot up on her chair and turned slowly, dramatically, to face the redhead. "I was…" she spoke through gritted teeth.
"You think another restaurant might have been a better choice?" Barbara asked softly, knowing she was treading dangerous ground with Helena, but she still wanted to find out what had happened.
"Why does everyone care so much about what I did today???" Helena snapped, bolting up from her chair. Before she could storm out, Barbara caught her arm, forcing her to stop.
"I just want to know what happened, Hel. You told me you were going to keep your distance just this morning so I'm a little surprised that you decided to go to the restaurant where Dinah was working." Barbara remained calm, but inside, she felt frustration.
"I was keeping my distance! I had no idea that was the same restaurant where she was. I didn't pick it." She wanted to run, but Barbara kept a firm grip and pulled her back to the table, motioning for Helena to sit. She did.
"Dinah was pretty upset when she got in the car and told me her side of things. I was surprised that you had gone there… that's all," she said, trying to soothe Helena's anger.
"I told you. It wasn't my choice… my date took me there." She stood up from her chair again but backed up far enough so that Barbara couldn't catch her arm. "I went out for lunch, Barbara. That's all. I'm an adult, I shouldn't have to answer to anyone about this… fuck," she mumbled under her breath. "If Dinah has a problem, it's her problem. Pfft! Whatever. If you want to take her side, go ahead," she snapped, and stormed out of the kitchen.
"I'm not taking anyone's side," Barbara shouted, hoping Helena would come back. "Helena!" Barbara watched as the body faded in the distance. "Dammit," she mumbled.
"Miss Helena sure has a lot of fire today," Alfred commented, setting down the knife he had been using to chop vegetables. Barbara had almost forgotten that he had been there. She eyed him, but didn't speak. He handed her a bottle of water from the fridge even though she hadn't asked for one. She took it and wheeled out of the room.
***
Dinah helped Gabby wrap the towel around herself before she stepped out of the tub. "I think I screwed up with Helena earlier," Gabby commented, feeling guilty that Helena has misread her intentions.
"Helena's a jerk," Dinah sneered, still reeling over the restaurant appearance with Karla.
"No, it was my fault, D. I said something stupid and she got the wrong idea. And she left before I could apologize," Gabby felt bad.
"Get used to it, Gabby. Helena's like that all the time," Dinah explained harshly. "Now you know why I warned you to stay away from her. She destroys everything and hurts everyone around her."
Gabby didn't like her friend's tone, but despite feeling a little awkward, she tried to play the peacekeeper. "She didn't hurt me," she dried herself off as she spoke. "But I think I pissed her off."
Dinah knew it wasn't Gabby's fault. Helena twisted everything and everyone until she got what she wanted. Dinah hated how everyone fell at Helena's feet and gave her all the love and attention instead of giving it to Dinah. Twisted words played in her mind. Make them angry at Helena…
"Gabby," Dinah paused dramatically and took a heavy breath. "You need to stop worrying about Helena. She doesn't deserve it. Not after what she did behind your back… what she was saying…"
Gabby's face dropped. She had been having a great time with Helena and suddenly everything went to hell. It hurt her that Helena was upset with her and although she hadn't known Helena for long, she felt a connection with her… a connection she thought Helena had felt as well. She had hoped to walk out of this with a new friend but Dinah's words scared her. She almost didn't ask what Helena had said, but curiosity got the better of her. "What did she do?" she asked softly, upset in her eyes.
Dinah spoke sympathetically. "I'm really sorry that I'm the one that has to tell you this but I don't want to see anyone hurting you," she looked at her friend warmly. "She was just using you." Gabby's eyes widened, waiting to hear more. "She came in the restaurant I was at today and she was really rude. She was with some blonde and they were all over each other." Dinah paused, hating that she was hurting her friend but knowing she had to do it before Helena stole her away as well. Make them angry at Helena…
"I heard her laughing and telling the girl about you… about how she…" Dinah paused, trying to find the right words. "She said she 'did a teenager last night but needed a real woman, not some kid.' And they were being all disgusting… kissing, groping each other under the table… My manager wanted to throw them out because they were so loud and obnoxious."
Gabby was hurt, but played it off, pretending she was okay as her defenses kicked in. "She can do what she wants… we're not a couple," she said, shrugging.
"I know. She told that woman that she was just using you for a cheap thrill and she wasn't interested in a kid." Gabby walked out of the room, trying to escape the conversation but Dinah followed. "I'm really sorry, Gab," Dinah hugged her friend. She tried to use her telepathy but found she couldn't get a read from her friend. Gabby's defenses were always too strong for even Dinah to break through. When they pulled out of the embrace, Dinah continued. "I didn't want to tell you, Gabby, but I really thought you needed to know. Helena fools everyone and she doesn't deserve someone as great as you." She kissed her friend on the cheek.
"Thanks for letting me know," the blonde said quietly.
"Are you okay?"
"Yeah, I'm fine," Gabby lied. "It's not like I had something going with her anyway. Whatever, right?!" she acted casual, but felt her insides splitting. She had put some trust in Helena; allowed her to see a side that very few got to. She hated herself for allowing that. She never should have opened up. "Can you ask Barbara to come up here? I need the bandage replaced," she commented, as she continued to hold up her injured arm with her good one.
"Sure, Gab. I'll get her for you and then I'm going to go and shower." Dinah popped back into Helena's bathroom with a devious smirk and grabbed a bottle that rested in the shower. She walked out, looked over the railing and called to Barbara. When she was in sight, Dinah asked, "Can you wrap Gabby's arm?" Barbara agreed and made her way up the elevator as Dinah went to shower.
Gabby sat on the bed, holding back her emotions. The last thing she wanted to do was to break down in front of Barbara. Her teacher arrived within minutes with supplies resting on her lap. "How was your bath?" she asked. "Any dizzy spells?"
Although she tried to hide it, Gabby's emotions were written all over her face. She avoided looking Barbara in the eye… avoidance that didn't escape Barbara. "The bath was good. It's nice to feel clean again," she smiled meekly.
"And the dizzy spells? Your headache?" the redhead asked as she unraveled the long bandage wrap.
"I think the dizzy spells are gone. At least, the hot water didn't make me feel lightheaded. And my headache was almost gone," she explained, "But I think it's starting to come back…" she added quietly, thinking about Dinah's words.
"Well I guess that's an improvement," Barbara smiled, trying to sound encouraging. She allowed Gabby to avoid her eyes and Barbara concentrated on the arm as she weaved the cloth carefully around the limb. "What happened to make your headache come back?" she asked bluntly; albeit gently.
"Nothing," she mumbled. "It's just there."
"Are you sure?" Barbara pressed, now looking up to try and meet Gabby's eyes. Gabby refused to look up, opting to keep her head down instead.
"I'm sure," she lied again.
The teacher continued. "Because if there's something you want to talk about, I'm here," Barbara offered as she watched the younger girl trying to withdraw.
"Thanks," she half-smiled, glancing up for only a split second before looking down again.
Barbara secured the wrap with the sling and started to wheel out of Helena's room. When she got to the door, she turned and said, "Your injury and concussion are doing better but if it's okay with you, I'd like for you to stay in my room tonight so I can make sure everything is progressing." The moment she said that, Gabby's shoulders and back straightened and she looked up. Barbara got the impression that she was relieved.
"It's okay with me," she agreed. Barbara smiled as she left, and closed the door to allow Gabby a few minutes of privacy. As soon as the door closed, Gabby's face dropped, her shoulders slumped and the first of many tears flooded her eyes.
She had little, if any; expectations with Helena but Dinah's words had cut deep. She thought they had shared something special; that they had had a connection but when she heard that Helena was talking about it behind her back, it tore at her heart. She had turned to Helena for comfort and she opened up to her… she even let her see her cry… and now she was laughing behind her back. Laughing at the 'kid' who she had taken advantage of. Gabby wanted to be enraged, but sadness gripped her tight and punched her in the gut.
Stupid! Stupid! Stupid! She cursed at herself. They had had some intense conversations over the short time she had been there and Gabby allowed Helena to see a side that she rarely showed anyone. She barely even let Dinah see that side but there was something in Helena that just pulled it out. She thought Helena had cared; and she easily opened up to her. She was confused, she was hurt and if she didn't know any better, she thought she might be just a touch heart-broken.
Tears flowed steadily as she sat there, staring down at the floor; wondering why Helena would be so cruel and wishing she had listened to Dinah all along.
Barbara could hear Gabby through the door but she didn't enter. She didn't want to pry and hoped the girl would come to her when she was ready. Helena had been on a rampage and Barbara didn't understand what had sparked it. One moment she and Gabby were getting along too well and suddenly Gabby's in tears and Helena can't run out of the apartment fast enough. And then she's taunting Dinah at the restaurant when she specifically said she would try and steer clear of the younger meta. Barbara wanted to discuss it with Helena… but the brunette snapped at her as well and took off. It frustrated the redhead to no end that Helena would just take off and not give her the courtesy of an explanation. She knew Helena would come back later and they could talk about it but Barbara preferred to resolve things quickly. Unfortunately for her, Helena was the opposite.
***
Dinah let the warm water wash over her body; and hoped the soap would wash away the guilt she felt for hurting her classmate… her best friend. She didn't want to hurt Gabby but it was the only way she could think of to keep Helena away from her. If Gabby was angry at Helena, she wouldn't abandon Dinah. At least, that was the logic that played over and over in Dinah's mind. Make them angry at Helena… if they are angry at her, they will love you more. And Dinah wanted the love. She wanted to make up for all the years she went without… and if it meant destroying Helena in the process, so be it.
Dinah hadn't always been angry with Helena. It started soon after her own mother died; The Black Canary. Her mom never liked Helena and after she had died, Dinah started to wonder if Helena let her die on purpose. She was strong, she was fast, she was powerful yet she couldn't pull her mom out of the building before it blew up?
And then she lied to her about Hawke… Dinah wanted revenge but instead; Helena protected him. She wouldn't tell him where he was and for a short time, wouldn't even tell her who he was. She had a right to know and Helena wouldn't tell her. She hated her for that.
It went downhill from there. Helena told Harley all about the clocktower and about the people Dinah cared about. She always wondered if Helena told Harley about Wade so that she would kill him. Helena was always possessive over her friendship with Barbara and with Wade in the picture, especially with his recent trips to the clocktower, she knew how much it bothered the brunette. She was so selfish. She had to have all the attention and it didn't matter who she had to hurt in the process to get it.
Helena… she didn't deserve all the worship everyone gave her. She destroys everything she touches and Dinah had had enough. Now it was time for her to suffer.
Dinah rinsed the soap off her body and reached for the bottle of shampoo. The bottle that she had been stealing from Helena for weeks now. With a smug grin, she put a dollop of the cream on her hands and began to work it into a lather on her head. Dinah paid careful attention to her scalp; massaging it gently and trying to remove the restaurant residue that clung to the strands. After a couple of minutes, she tilted her head back and gathered the long strands of blonde behind her head and then worked the shampoo through the ponytail. The grease from the restaurant kitchen saturated her hair so Dinah poured another dollop of shampoo in her hands and continued to work on the ponytail.
Five minutes later, Dinah was satisfied that all the grease had been cleaned from her golden locks. She closed her eyes and dipped her head under the shower. Once it was fully rinsed, she turned off the tap and with eyes still closed, she opened the shower door and felt around for her towel. She found it easily and wrapped her hair up, turning the towel into a turban. She stepped out of the shower, and wrapped herself with her larger bath sheet until all the liquid had been absorbed.
She put on her clothes that she had waiting on her bed and then made her way back into the bathroom to brush her hair. She stood in front of the mirror and with a cloth, wiped off the condensation from the glass. When it was clear enough to see her reflection, she pulled the towel off her head… and screamed.
***
Helena had wandered without a destination in mind but found herself at No Man's Land for the second time that day. She didn't want to admit it to herself but she was hoping Karla would be there. Karla; plus a whole lot of alcohol.
She opened the doors and as she made her way to her favorite chair, she found that someone was already sitting there. Helena sauntered over and was welcomed by a warm greeting.
"It's nice to see you again, sexy," the blonde said, turning her attention to the stoic brunette to the side of the chair.
Helena took off her leather duster and flipped it over her arm. "Yeah well, I was in the neighborhood…" she smiled.
"Or perhaps you missed me?" Karla raised a brow curiously, looking the brunette from head to toe. "Mmm, nice outfit," she added.
"Thanks," Helena replied, pausing to look at what she had been wearing, and admiring her own style. "I picked it out myself."
Karla smiled. "It was an excellent choice. Although…" she reached her arm out and ran it from the middle of Helena's back, slowly over her ass and stopping at the upper part of her leg. "It would look much better crumpled on your bedroom floor."
Helena rolled her eyes. "You didn't just seriously use that line, did you?"
"I did," Karla shrugged, "But it was the only truthful statement that came to mind just now. Why? Do you have objections to me wanting to see your clothes on the floor instead of on your delicious body?" Karla rose from the chair and swung around Helena, pushing her lightly so she would sit on the armrest of the chair. Karla towered over Helena, stepping so close that the brunette's face was nearly pressed into her chest. Helena enjoyed the view for a moment and looked upwards to see the blonde's face looking down at her own.
Helena reached her arms out and circled them around Karla's lower back. She tried to pull her even closer but Karla stood firm, unmoving. Helena was about to use her meta strength but Karla suddenly shifted her long leg, using it to part Helena's. She then slipped her limb between Helena's and pressed it firmly against her hot center, causing a slight moan to escape the Huntress's throat.
"Mmm," Karla whispered. "You like that, don't you, Huntress." She pressed harder and lifted her leg up and down slightly for extra stimulation. Feral eyes gave Huntress away. Karla enjoyed the reaction. "Mmm, you feel so hot, Huntress… I wish I could tear your clothes off right now."
"So what's stopping you?" Helena growled hungrily. "Let's go to my place right now." Immediately after she spoke, Karla broke the contact and pulled away, leaving Helena wanting more.
"I can't," she said flatly. "I have plans tonight."
"Change them," Helena argued as she stood tall once again; annoyed by the brush-off.
"No, Huntress," Karla spoke softly, almost patronizing. "I can't change these plans. But I do have a little free time right now," she offered. Why don't you sit with me? She mentally sent the message to Helena.
"I don't think so," Helena sneered in response, and then left Karla standing there as she walked over to the pool tables, picking up a cue and glaring at the patrons who had been occupying the table. They took one look at the Huntress who flashed feral eyes and immediately conceded. They let her have the table.
Karla stood stiffly. Huntress was proving to be a very difficult challenge. She turned to face the guy who had been sitting on the couch, opposite the chair. Helena hadn't even noticed him. "I knew she was going to be difficult but I had no idea she was going to be this much work."
Michael nodded his head in agreement. "Why not try a double-dose?"
Karla tilted her head, contemplating if that would work. "It looks like I'm going to have to." She sat back down in the chair and took a long sip of her drink.
"How are things with the blonde?"
"Surprisingly, she's got a whole lot of anger that I can work with. It's always so much easier when they have issues," she laughed lightly. "Poor girl is so desperate for love that she's eager to destroy those who get in her way. It didn't take much prodding to focus that anger on Huntress."
A look of concern fell over Michael. He sat up tall and asked, "I thought the plan was to have them work together to take down the redhead?"
Karla puckered her mouth in annoyance. "It was… but Helena's proven to be too difficult to fully control. And with the anger the blonde; Dinah, is carrying for Helena, I don't see how else it will work. But that's okay," she said, stretching out her long legs, catching the heel of the boot on the table in front of her. "Every plan has a backup and I think this will work," she reassured her friend.
Michael looked skeptical. "It has to work Karla. We've only got one shot at this and if they aren't ready in time…"
"Look," she got firm. "Your job is to do what I say. You let me worry about the details with my girls. If I can't get them to work as a team, then I'll get them to destroy each other. That'll leave the redhead vulnerable. She'll be so busy picking up the pieces of her family that she won't be paying much attention to what we are doing. Trust me, Michael, it's going to work."
I think it would work much better if you weren't sleeping with one of them… he mumbled in his head.
"Jealousy doesn't become you, sweetie," she patronized, looking him as his eyes opened wider in surprise. "I'll sleep with whomever I want."
He stood up in a huff. "STOP reading my mind, Karla! You know I hate it when you do that."
Karla shrugged. His ego was of little concern to him. She had a bigger picture to look at. And sex with Huntress became an important part of her plan. Or, at least, it was a fun part. Helena was the sexiest woman she'd ever seen and just because she had to destroy her, it didn't mean she couldn't have a little extra pleasure in doing so.
She reached in her pocket and pulled out a small, clear vial. Michael watched as she brought her fingertip to her bottom lip. She ran the sharp nail of her pinky finger firmly across the inner flesh of her lip and with seconds, red droplets of blood coated her finger. She wiped the digit across the liquid, capturing it and passing it over the opening of the vial, encasing it in the cylinder.
Karla studied it for a moment, and then repeated the process; allowing some of her saliva to mix with the blood as she let it fill the vial. Once satisfied, she capped the container and handed it to Michael. Without being told, he knew what to do. He headed over to the bar and Karla sat in her chair, running her tongue over the fresh wound, tasting the blood and watching Helena in the distance, wanting to taste her as well.
She eased herself out of the chair and headed for her prey.
Michael took the two bottles from Gibson at the bar and as he made his way to Karla, he opened the vial and allowed all the droplets fall into the cranberry cooler. It was Karla's drink of choice. Not because she enjoyed the taste but because it was the perfect color to disguise the life essence that she added to the drink. It became undetectable. He swirled the bottle lightly and prepared to hand it off to Karla.
Helena played pool alone… no one dared to interrupt her. One glance of feral eyes told them all they needed to know… that if they bothered her, they would probably leave No Man's Land in an ambulance. They all feared her; with good reason. Everyone except Karla. She had a plan to fulfill and she didn't have time to stop and wonder if she should be afraid of the Huntress killing her. She knew Helena didn't kill. And that had been her downfall. Because eventually the criminals you put away get free… and the only thing on their mind is revenge.
Karla leaned against the pool table with her butt and stretched her arms out, holding the sides of the table. Helena played a few more turns and stopped when Karla got in the way of her next shot. She circled the table and stared at the blonde. Several moments of silence passed.
"You going to move?" Huntress half-snarled, half-demanded. Karla didn't budge. She stood in place, resting comfortably against the table. Helena stepped closer. "I suggest you move or I'm going to hurt you," she attempted to threaten the blonde, tired of her games and dismissals.
The right side of Karla's lips curled up into the slightest of smiles. "I'm okay with that."
Helena slammed the cue down on the table and approached aggressively. Feral eyes reflected anger, but Karla still didn't budge. She didn't even flinch as Huntress readied a fist, holding it up, about to strike. Karla stared at Helena through inviting eyes, and a slight smile. She wasn't afraid.
Huntress saw no fear in the eyes, and it upset her even more. With her left hand, she gripped the neckline of Karla's shirt, scrunching it into a ball as her fist closed tight. Karla stood motionless, arms still spread and resting on the table at her sides. With one fist holding her in place and another fist readying to strike, she held her ground.
Michael stood in the near distance with drinks in hand, unsure of what to do. He didn't want to interfere in Karla's plan but at the same token, he didn't want Huntress to beat her to a bloody pulp. Not that he could stop her anyway… he was no match for her.
Huntress stared at Karla with feral eyes. She wanted to strike. She wanted to attack. She wanted to hurt Karla for dismissing her. She wanted Karla to be afraid of her.
But she wasn't. Huntress's eyes returned to normal and she let her fist drop; the one that was preparing to strike. Karla's slight smile grew a little bigger. "You can hurt me if you want to, Huntress," she whispered tenderly.
Helena balled her fist a little tighter, pulling at Karla's shirt. A second later, she used the fist to slightly shove Karla, before letting go, and letting her hands drop to her sides. "What the hell is wrong with you?" she growled, face to face with the tall blonde. Karla reached up, placing her hand on the back of Helena's neck while letting her thumb stroke her jawline.
Karla pulled with minimal force, bringing the dangerous fighter closer. "Nothing is wrong with me," she spoke confidently.
"I was going to hit you," Helena tried to verbally knock some sense into the sexy woman before her.
Karla pulled even harder at her neck until their bodies pressed together tightly. The blonde let the hand slide from Helena's neck down over her shoulder and wrapped itself around the middle of Helena's back. She tilted her head to the side and brought her lips to the brunette's neck, and kissed her jugular softly, running her tongue over the warm flesh. Her vein throbbed under Karla's mouth… clear indication that Helena's heart was beating fast. No doubt from a mixture of anger and desire.
Helena tried to pull away but Karla slipped both arms around her, trying to keep her in place. "Don't move, Huntress," she whispered between kisses. Helena struggled again, but with little force. Karla clenched her hands on Helena's back and with her long fingernails, dragged them over the thin fabric of her shirt and causing chills to run up her spine. Just as Helena shivered from the action, Karla hungrily bit into Helena's neck, allowing her teeth to easily break through the skin. Droplets of Helena's blood escaped the small bite and as Karla hungrily kissed and licked the area, the blood from her own bottom lip mingled with Helena's, finding its way back into Helena's bloodstream.
Within moments, Huntress lost her power. She started to feel dizzy, to feel drunk. Karla reached out her hand to Michael and he placed the bottle in her grip. She then handed it to Helena after breaking contact with her neck. "Have a drink, Huntress," she spoke. Helena took it and only had a sip. Karla then tilted the bottle up to the brunette's lips, insisting she drink it all.
Helena did... and the world around her went black.