Author note: Hi all! That is all. Oh and look, new characters!
Marissa- 16
Looks: Pixie black hair, sea green eyes, not very curvy but she holds herself a certain way.
Back-story: she and Celia have known each other since Celia moved in with the Emerson's. She has always been more dominant then Celia and has been more of a fair weather kind of friend..
Anna- age 16
Looks: very curvy, big baby blue eyes, corn silk colored hair in clustered curls
Back-story: She and Celia have known each other since Celia moved in with the Emerson's. She is a very simple, uncomplicated person. It is rare she feels down. However, that may change soon.
Kyle- age 18
Looks: Sun-golden hair, emerald eyes, tall, muscular from sports.
Back-story: he is a popular person and knows it. In his own way, he does care for Celia but he just was not ready for a serious relationship. It became even more complicated when her family moved.
Disclaimer: I own Celia… and… the story and…. Well, not much else.
Chapter start
It was all a dreamlike quality, the life she was living now, with Kyle by her side. Currently he was holding her, cradling her head against his shoulder while they sat on the couch by the fire. It was amazing how well he fit here with them. Amazing how he fit with the house too. Perhaps more amazing was how he didn't seem to fit with her anymore.
The night Marko had left her she had been at first startled and elated to find the person she thought so good for her in the kitchen. She had laughed off his concern when he took in her attire, the tears in the dress, the filthy salt water that had matted her uncombed hair. She had looked like a beggar but had dodged all points on the scale.
The elation had faded. Practically the first night. Lucy, despite her mothering instinct had given Kyle the guest bedroom, knowing he would sneak in Celia's room. Maybe deep down she thought Celia needed him around, perhaps she had an inkling of something dark working in the teenagers of her family.
Celia had indeed snuck him in, the two giggling under their breaths and taking quick kisses from each other that were innocent and brief. Kyle had glanced briefly around the room lit up only by the moon outside, taking in the rustic heavy furniture, dismissing it as something not really Celia's tastes.
She had just showered, hadn't been inside the room yet, and was wearing nothing but a robe tied loosely in the front. It showed off creamy skin rarely seen and whetted his appetite, an appetite he had never been able to rouse in his companion enough to sate his. That night had seemed to be different. She was all over him with true need, lips open and seeking, her body pushing against his hardness. Her fingers were talons that gripped him desperately.
He wasn't to know that Celia was seeking the way she felt when Marko did small things like brush her hair, or kiss her pulse. Even when he threatened her there was a thrill of something she had never felt with Kyle, a stirring she recognized as sexual. But with Kyle, it wasn't there, only with the monster named death.
She was on the verge of pushing herself further, letting him tumble them both to the bed, eyes seeking over his shoulder as she decided to just go through with it all out of twisted logic when her brain registered something foreign in her room. A small scream escaped her throat and she twisted her body away, dislodging Kyle from between her parted legs, mind compounding the outstretched claws she had seen, the cold golden eyes, the dark wings that cast shadows.
Kyle had followed her line of sight and turned on the light on the table. A stuffed owl attached to a carved pole by its back, positioned as though it were going to drop down on some unsuspecting squirrel, was sitting on her desk.
Another gift from her grandfather. Celia ignored the clumsy words Kyle was saying to sooth her as she swallowed bubbles of hysteria. She couldn't even cry but she covered her face with her hands as if she would and Kyle eventually gave up, leaving the room frustrated but even then, she didn't care.
Because she was horrible. She was broken. Because when she had first saw those golden eyes, she had remembered Marko's vampiric face and thought it was him coming to kill her or Kyle. And it was then she felt the quickening of her blood, the stirring that eluded her with Kyle, there just because Marko was near her. And when she realized the truth of the thing, it had faded back. And she knew the reality of her fate.
Because it would never be a human for her now. No, it was the monster she would go to, the monster she would seek out. It was the monster she was made for and it was he who would be the possessor of her. Thus, all she could do was swallow her hysteria.
That had been five days ago. Kyle had made light of it and it seemed to her in the light of day her thoughts were silly, easily dismissed. They didn't try again. Instead, they fell into the roles of devoted coupledom but kept the affection to light kisses and simple cuddling. It was nice to be held even if it wouldn't lead to anything after all.
It all settled when she found out her dear friends Anna and Marissa were there as well. Anna was like a bright beam of light, making Celia relax and laugh. Marissa was for some reason sullen, but she had always been harder. No matter, talking with Anna had reaffirmed in her all she loved about Kyle, how easy he was, and how content he really made her feel. Vampires or not she was with him and always would be, Marko was an infatuation, nothing more.
She told Anna about him of course, not the vampire business. She didn't want to be committed or anything. Anna had nodded her head and been very sympathetic. Anna always was. She was one of those happy people that life never seemed to damage noticeably.
"Listen it's understandable. I mean long distance is rough enough without being hit on by some hot guy. And anyway," she winked and pouted her lips, "summer romances are a dime a dozen. They don't last, and neither does the attraction." Celia laughed at the comparison and took heart from the easy truth in the words. Anna believed what she said. That was enough.
Marissa was a different case. Something had altered between them in the long months of silence, their friendship, the bond of it, decayed and maybe even not there anymore.
Celia was now walking down the crowded boardwalk with her arm linked through Anna's. Michael was on her other side. He didn't laugh with them but he was there. It made Celia hopeful that whatever weird thing had turned him into an unsocial little creep the past week was over. Of course, she also knew that there was a very good chance he was only going because he knew she was meeting Kyle and Marissa.
She glanced around and searched for the boys. She could not help herself really.
With Kyle close again she had been able to push aside the musings she had been having around Marko, but they were always there lingering.
They were nearing the edge of town where they had all agreed to meet up when Anna stopped. She jerked Celia's arm hard.
"What is it," Celia asked and stopped beside her friend. Michael was looking at them too.
Anna had a wide, shocked look on her face neither of them had ever seen before. Celia shook her a little. When Anna looked at her, she seemed unable to hold Celia's concerned eyes.
"Uh, it's nothing, really."
"Are you feeling sick?" Celia turned to her friend fully and took her hands in hers. Anna was shaking a little.
Anna was about to deny it but then she gasped. "Uh, yeah I am! Uh, let's… let's go sit for a bit, o-over there…"
Celia tilted her head and nodded. "Sure."
They had started to leave when she happened to glance to the side, thinking she might see Kyle, Marissa, and they could explain what was going on. Maybe they should cancel the meet up for the night. Anna really did not look good.
The crowd shifted before her eyes. And she found herself stiffening, her hands dropping from Anna's shoulders. A gasp fell from her lips as she felt her eyes go wide. Her heart stumbled and then started an unpleasant thump. It was painful.
"No Celia-" Anna plead with her, grasping her head to try to make her look away. However, it was much too late.
Michael glanced over to see what was up. He noted Kyle with the usual sense of dislike and irritation. When he registered the whole scene, he saw red. Before he even knew it, he was shoving people out of the way until he reached the entwined couple.
"What do you think you're doing, huh?"
Kyle broke away from Marissa when he heard Michael's voice. He was too slow to dodge the punch that landed on his jaw. Marissa started shrieking abuse at once when Michael shoved her out of the way to get at him. When she recognized him, her eyes went wide and she spun.
When their gazes locked a myriad of emotion flickered on Marissa's face. Surprise, shock, regret, guilt… triumph, joy and… relief.
Celia felt the tears welling up like a bubbling volcano but she didn't feel the first drops pouring down her cheeks. Before Anna could stop her, she wrenched her arm away at a painful angle and bolted. She ran right out of Santa Carla, wanting to be away from the voices, from the pressing bodies. She needed to be away from anyone who knew her.
The boys followed the commotion. When they saw Michael wailing on some guy their initial reaction was amusement. The demonic side of him was growing steadily, his aggression magnetizing. It meant he was almost ready to join the club, so to speak. One down and one to go… almost.
There were two girls arguing. The curly blond girl was yelling and gesturing widely, not caring at the attracted crowd as she shrieked. The other girl was just as animated but she was being drowned out.
One name caught and stuck with them in the tossed about words. David stilled when he heard it, they all did. David walked up to the scene until he was behind Michael. When he said the boy's name, it was initially ignored until he sent it through his mind as well as in the air.
Michael gave the guy one last punch before letting Paul and Dwayne tug him up and away. Marko got in front of him with a grin.
"What's going on?"
Michael was breathing heavily now. He glared at them all but mostly his victim. "Nothing," he muttered.
David cocked a brow as he spoke in a coldly mocking voice. "So for nothing you beat the hell out of a poor, innocent bystander? Come on Michael. You can do better than that."
His three boys laughed a little. They were all getting excited from the blood dripping from both Michael and the unidentified boy. It was a wonder Michael hadn't vamped out yet but David supposed they were lucky because of it. He was sure he and the boys wouldn't have minded gorging on all the near tourists but Max might have had something to say about it.
Michael jerked himself free of Paul and Dwayne's hold. He was getting stronger, too. It was good. "I said it's nothing!"
The girl with corn colored hair stepped forward to get Michael's attention. "Um, Celia ran off. I couldn't stop her."
David gave her his attention while Michael looked around like his cousin would pop out of a hole. "And which way did she go?" Marko asked. He had his hand splayed against Michael's chest to keep him from barreling over him, which Michael looked ready to do.
The girl pointed. It was the exit to Santa Carla and the way to the lighthouse. That way was not something a normal, fragile human should traverse at night alone. Not just because of them either. The cliffs around there were dangerous and steep and there were many drop offs where the ground was uneven.
"David," Marko said his name. David looked over to see Marko and Paul both looking at him with expectancy. Dwayne was focusing on the guy lying on the ground moaning, undoubtedly reading his mind.
He thought hard.
"Right," he muttered after a minute. "Marko, Paul, why don't you take Michael somewhere to cool off. And Dwayne, take this guy somewhere safe." He waited for the nods of acknowledgement.
"I'm going with Kyle," the girl with black hair spoke up. The other one huffed and rolled her eyes. "Say something not obvious why don't you?"
She looked offended. "Shut up, Anna!"
"Keep it in your pants, Marissa!" The blond fired right back.
"Cat fight," Paul sang.
"Meow," Marko imitated a hissing cat with a hint of playfulness.
David didn't comment on that. The two were often silly and stupid together. Michael just looked sullen.
"Enough," he said firmly when the two girls started to hit a swing. They both quieted. "Dwayne is going to take him alone. I don't care what you two do but you aren't going with him or me. Got it?"
He waited for them both to nod. The blond walked to Michael, ignoring Paul's interested and curious look. Marko looked at the black haired girl without any interest but his thought was clear in all their minds. Dinner was going to be served when he had the time.
David left them before he was dragged further into his brother's crazy insanities.
Celia was sore from all the stumbling. Her sandals weren't the best things for walking on such uneven ground but she couldn't seem to get her legs to stop. Tears kept leaking from her eyes at an alarming rate. It was a wonder how much water the human body really held.
"Why can't I stop?" her voice was just a breathy sigh, a whisper of pain on the wind.
She meant the tears. She would reach to dash them away only to feel more replacing them. She felt like such an idiot. She was just a great and big useless fool. Deep down she felt she should have known. Instead she had willingly pulled wool over her eyes, had let herself get wrapped up in something that was only in her head, had clung harder in order not to admit where her own heart had dragged her.
There were a million things she should have done instead of clinging to her naivety. She should have listened to Michael before. She should have ended it when she knew she was going to move. She should have paid more attention, maybe been more loving. Maybe she should have just let Paul make out with her that first night to see what happened, or gave in to Marko fully. At least she would have expected infidelity from them. Then at least she would be the one doing the hurting instead of being uselessly hurt.
Of all people, why did it have to be Marissa? She felt she could have handled it if it was someone she didn't know or someone she wasn't as close to. Why did it have to be someone she had thought of as a best friend, as a cherished sister? Everything Celia knew about boys came from her, all her confidence had been built by Marissa's words growing up.
It hadn't been just she who felt the closeness between them, right?
So… why Kyle and Marissa?
She halted for a moment along the edge of the cliff to brush even more tears off her cheeks. It was amazing. As Celia looked down into the churning waves and smelled the strong ocean air she realized it was amazing. She had been so happy yesterday and all of this day. Now here she was.
Had that happy girl hanging off her boyfriends arm and every word been her, had she been the one feeling such glorious sweetness from that reunion kiss? It didn't match with the person she was now.
It wasn't pretty and innocent, the things she felt or the things she was thinking.
"Celia."
She didn't register the voice itself, only the presence of someone near her. She wanted to be left alone. It would just be a bigger humiliation if anyone saw her crying.
He was walking closer to her when she noticed the ground was moving under her feet. She glanced down without interest and saw it breaking. She had stopped too close to the edge. When it fell from under her feet, she closed her burning eyes and let out a little cry as her body fell.
She slid close to the cliff before arms grabbed her around her waist, jarring her roughly when she stopped falling. With ease, David pulled her up and ignored the little voice saying to let her go. If he did and she fell to her death, from either the jagged rocks or the smashing waves below, then one of his problems would be solved.
David held her loosely as he looked down at her. Her cheeks were horribly tear-stained. She opened her eyes when she registered she wasn't falling and looked up at him with watery eyes that sent up alarm bells in his head.
"David." The way she said his name was broken and quaky.
Before he had even realized her intent he found his arms full of her shaking body, her head buried against his throat and her arms wrapped in a near strangle hold around his neck. Huge, body-racking sobs were wrenching from her lips. It had to be one of the most unattractive noises he had ever heard females emit.
He didn't even have to try to read her mind. She was projecting her feelings and thoughts so strongly they were like a batch of spread out pictures he could select from.
"Why are you crying?"
Celia heard his usual impassive tone and she struggled to rein in her tears. This was just the cherry on the melted vanilla. Here she was sobbing hysterically into the person least likely to give a damn about her feelings. Yet there was also a kind of relief from it. She had felt alone and adrift before David showed up. Her self-deprecating thoughts had been tearing into her.
It was ironic that with the world's most indifferent person she felt less alone. Nevertheless, she also felt almost safe as well.
"I don't know really," she managed to get out. "I just was so happy and relieved to have him here but then it… and before I could sort it out I… but now- I… I just can't help the way I feel."
David sighed and he felt the tears slide down his neck to stain his shirt. He had only a vague recollection of the desire to love and be loved from his human life. If he had remained a human, he had no doubt he would have been a slave to that irrational feeling too. However, as a vampire, they all learned to disbelieve in that and other things humans used to comfort themselves about dying.
David didn't believe in love, soul mates, none of that. Not by the human definition anyway. He believed in the art of seducing his victim, of filling whatever hole they had so he could own them. He had heard all sorts of declarations from his victims over the years and none of them had struck him as more than something to be laughed at and mocked.
But Celia was still human. As far as she was aware her life would be short and therefore her unconscious brain would drive her to seek someone out he supposed. Not every human got as involved in it as she did though. David smirked a little. Celia was one of those kinds of girls who believed love was everything.
David and the boys could never give her that. They could give her a family, they could give her eternity, and they could even give her something deeper than mere mortal emotions. Hell, one of them might have even been able to become her mate if things ran that way. It was a more than fair tradeoff in his eyes. She was torn up inside now like a jagged piece of rock, all broken edged and abused. He could change that.
The moment was perfect to bring about an even bigger shift to her feelings. Oh, he had been aware that both he and Marko had invaded her. It was in the way her eyes searched them out when she was at the boardwalk, the way she sought him out. She never said anything but her thoughts would always project to him with the small flicker of stubbornly pushed aside disappointment when he ignored her in favor of another woman.
His arms tightened around her slightly until it could be accused he was holding her. If she was aware of it, she didn't make a comment mentally or physically. David waited until the sobbing had died down. It took longer than he expected and even then she was pulsing with hurt and confusion.
He wasn't feeling as impatient as he expected. Rather it was a dull feeling of acceptance that possessed him and he didn't mind it. It wasn't as if he did not have eternity. And it wasn't a hardship having a sobbing girl in his arms. That was something he was used to actually.
In the beginning, Star had come to him crying a lot. The boys were being cruel with their games against her, she was starving, and she didn't want to be a monster, blah, blah, blah. David had felt the same calm about letting her stay in his arms then too. It was a residual feeling that resonated with a human memory of his little sister crying a lot and of him holding her. It was all the comfort his human self had been able to give and it was all he felt like giving now.
Celia felt exhausted but the hurt wasn't as sharp now after a good cry. Rather than the ocean, she could smell more of David, of the scent bathed on him and his clothes. It was musky in a way like all the boys but also was the scent of a smoker and something almost cool and silky.
When David prodded her she told him what she had seen and tried to sort the complicated mess she was inside. Even though David had gleaned it from her head already, he let her talk. It would make her grow more dependent on him if he played the role of the person she confided in. She made it a lot more jumbled than what was in her head, painting an unclear picture.
Celia picked at the edges of the leather jacket she wore. David got a distinct feeling of happiness wrapped in it that was now tarnished. He wasn't too shocked when she shifted as far as he would let her to wriggle out of it. She draped it over her knees and fell back against him.
"It doesn't exist anymore," she murmured. She swallowed. "No it… never did exist anyway."
She made a sweeping gesture and the jacket fluttered helplessly in the wind as it fell down the cliff.
She tilted her head back. Honesty was coming from her mouth unfiltered because she was barely aware of it, lost as she was. "If I had met you all first do you think this wouldn't have happened?"
It wasn't clear. Not at all. He didn't know if she meant if she'd met them before she had met Kyle or just in general. If David had been first in line on the boys end maybe he could have gotten her to be the cheater. They both knew it. David knew with a kind of amused tolerance. Celia had known it with horror and a need to escape it. Now there was just a sense of weighty expectation surrounding them both and mere acceptance of the fact. Both also knew that whatever was between them wasn't what she had with Marko; it was less demanding and more cemented. Like blood calling. It wouldn't erupt anytime soon into kisses and passion, if it ever did.
He took her back to the cave. First though he took her on a ride. He went fast and even pushed the bike harder than it really should have been going with a distraught sleepy girl behind him. At the very least, Celia wasn't as scared as she had been the first time she'd been on one of their bikes.
Her arms were tight around him as she leaned back to feel the air rushing by her. He heard her small laugh when he hit a spot that sent them airborne for a few good seconds. It went a long way in thawing him further.
He held the bike upright until she got off it with his help once they reached the cave. She waited patiently for him until he had it settled and squared away next to the other three. David returned to stand next to her and Celia let him pull her close when his hand came around her waist.
It was a testing moment for David. How far would the wounded bird let him go?
Celia let him run a gloved hand run across her cheeks as the wind kicked her hair back and forth. It was a tangled mess because she had neglected putting it up for the impromptu ride. With his vampiric sight, he could see the returned color to her cheeks and that there wasn't any fresh tear stains. Her eyes were still red but he thought that was more from her rubbing them than any actual chance of returning waterworks. He could vaguely recall that eyes got itchy after a long cry.
When Celia leaned into his palm, her eyelids drooping, he dropped his hand down. He kept his touch light as a spider dancing across skin. David found with a practiced and even instinctual ease the vein under her skin. It was that point he traced, feeling the strong pulse of all that delicious and forbidden nourishment.
Just one small tiny prick of his teeth would unleash it all for his hunger. It was protected by only the smallest layer of delicacy. She was fragile on the inside and out now. It was a heady combination for any vampire but he found it oddly one worth resisting.
Awareness of another kind was seeping into his body now. It would be so very easy to take this weakened girl to bed and slake the sudden craving. It would be even better if he could convince her to take a tiny sip of the wine. David would then know the feeling of savage triumph in accomplishing something she had been avoiding to all their frustrations as well as a teachable bed partner, something that could be molded to suit him and him alone. Still he didn't want to bed her, not really. Dirty her purity, yes. But do it himself? No.
David frowned. Celia still gazed at him with doe like eyes of trust, something so stupid. As it stood, he had no loyalty to her and therefore he was a danger to her. He would fight any feeling for her until she was as he was. He couldn't be like Marko and Paul, ready and waiting for their 'sister' to be one of them. He couldn't even be Dwayne with his pure indifference beyond the fact it was something that excited Laddie, the idea of having Celia to mother him the next ten or so years.
And yet…
David bent his head down and Celia for once didn't move away. His arm tightened around her to force her to arch her back and extend her body, making it easier to align his lips to hers. It was brief and innocent, something David had never really had happen. Celia dropped against him when it was done.
"I don't want any of you to be a replacement for him."
The words were spoken in a monotone voice. Davis smirked slightly. If only she knew that they could never be a replacement in any way to her little human lover. They were faster. They were stronger. Certainly more experienced, and definitely more honest in their desires and what they wanted and would do. Celia would probably run screaming back into that guy's arms if she knew just what had pegged her to be dragged into the darkness.
He took her to the cave. Star glanced up at her from where she had put Laddie to sleep. There was sympathy in her eyes as she stood. The boys all paused when they came in. Paul was the first to speak.
"C'mere, sweetie pie, sit here." He shoved some stuff off the couch he shared with Marko.
Celia glanced at David but he was ignoring her now, heading over to his wheelchair, lighting up. She stepped carefully over the junk littering the floor until she could plop down between the vampires.
Paul handed her his lit joint and she inhaled deeply to numb herself. She passed it to Marko.
"Hey I know!" Marko threw his arm over her and whispered in her ear. "We can go have hot sweaty fun to get back at him."
Celia giggled despite herself. She knew Marko didn't mean it. Marko was grinning over at David who had tilted his head to look at them. The look could only be called teasing on Marko's part. David looked slightly amused. If Marko got any more transparent trying to prove David cared for her then he'd lose all his innocent charm.
"How about instead you drink," David said loudly. "It's a lot safer."
"What about me isn't safe?" Marko sniffed in fake delicacy, grin never slipping.
"What is," David retorted. Paul and Dwayne laughed.
Stillness filled the cave. Star shot up. Celia sighed.
"No. I won't..." She waved a hand vaguely around. "Just not tonight, not tonight."
It was a tense moment. Once again, Celia had thwarted them giving her the blood. David and all the boys felt a small amount of anger at her for it but they all stamped it down. Eventually she would give up or they would force her turning. It was that simple.
Still normally, they pushed a little to see if she would change her mind. Instead, David closed his eyes.
"That's fine."
Star was relieved. A few hours later and the sun would be rising. Paul and Dwayne vanished. Marko and David lingered. Celia was half-asleep on the couch.
"You do realize you're staying the day here until you sleep a while, right?"
Celia looked up at him blearily. She nodded a little guiltily. She had never been the kind to stay out all night long. If she spent the day with them too Lucy would be frantic with worry. Especially if Michael had told her what had happened. She hadn't intended to stay out all night though. Time was moving in shaky bursts along with her awareness. The sad thing was Celia couldn't have really recalled anything from the night except for key moments.
Like the cheating. Or David's kiss. He was the third guy to ever kiss her without it being a dream. And it had happened like that, while she was so lost. He was anchoring her now, somehow. He and Marko, and it was Marko she gravitated to.
Celia sighed. "I should go before my aunt has the police department out for me."
David frowned, glaring at her a little. "I said you're staying. The boys and I are tired so we can't take you home now. And it's too difficult a trip to make on your own walking. You can sleep in Star's bed with her."
Celia glanced at the girl who smiled. She was too tired and raw to argue. She would explain it all to Lucy. "You don't mind?"
"No, not at all," Star hurried to say. She glanced at David. "It'll be fun."
Celia nodded. When they turned to leave she found herself grabbing Marko's coat. "No, wait."
"What?" He was getting impatient now.
The sun was going to rise within the next ten minutes and he was eager to be far away. Star was already swaying on her feet, the mark of a starved half vampire. Her ability to be awake during the day was fading fast. David felt the pull too but he was older and fed regularly, even gorging himself really, so he could resist the pull to sleep.
"I…" Celia licked her lips and backed down. "I need something else to sleep in."
Marko sighed. "Why?"
Celia blushed a shade of red. It wasn't as if she could explain she hadn't meant to ask that. She had been about to ask where he slept to see if she could wheedle in there but the ridiculousness of the action stopped her. Get cheated on and hop in a guys bed didn't sound sane even to her hurt heart.
"Let me guess. You can't help the way you feel?" David had a whip like venom to his voice now. Celia nodded despite it.
David shrugged his shoulders. There were rooms they all kept for when they brought females to screw. Marko shrugged too, not really minding so long as he got to sleep sooner rather than later.
The curly haired youth grabbed Celia's hand and dragged her to a different room than what he normally used. The one he had claimed was small since half of it had been torn away by the quake. The bed and dresser had survived. The curtain hanging off the shattered window was tattered and pale with age.
Celia shuddered, feeling claustrophobic. But she wouldn't back down. He went and dug around the dressers until he found an old Led Zeppelin shirt that he tossed to her.
When she looked at him dumbly, he growled. The sun had now risen and he felt the pull even harder now, making him animalistic. Luckily, no rays could touch him, buried as they were.
"You can use that as a nightgown. It belongs to David." Marko shrugged his shoulders slightly, tilting his head for her reaction.
Celia waited for him to turn away to fiddle with the bed before she stripped quickly and pulled it over her head. On David, she bet it would fit perfect. On her, it swam around her cutting board figure and swept her knees.
Marko looked her over once she had finished. The smirk that touched his lip was amused. She looked adorable, like a kid wearing their elder sibling's clothes.
"Come on, I'll take you back to Star."
Celia even followed as if she was a kid. The dark must have worried her because she clutched to his hand tightly until they were back in the main part of the cave. Star was still sitting up waiting patiently.
David drew Celia to a stop. He waited until she looked at him curiously. "I want you to sleep until me or one of the boys' wakes you up, understand?"
Celia nodded obediently. Marko scooted her over to the bed and then ordered Star to go to David. The gypsy offered Celia a small smile as she passed. Star paused next to David and tried to focus.
The sun was up now and it was a heavy pull for them both. David could handle it though because he fed regularly, gorged himself, if he was being honest. Star was a Halfling so she was already swaying on her feet.
"If you say anything more to her Star I'll rip your tongue out and you'll watch while I shred her."
"Are you so sure Marko will let you rip her up," she challenged softly. "Or that you're capable of it?"
David glared at her. Then he flicked his gaze to Celia who was plopped on the bed, letting Marko kiss along her cheeks. He smirked when he looked back at Star. "You know Marko wants me to lock you up with a human somewhere, to force you to feed," he said idly. "Take the risk Star."
The threat was clear. Star glared but she sullenly nodded, knowing she couldn't help Celia now. Not with her own humanity at stake. David laughed as he finally went to his resting place. Marko grinned mockingly at Star before he pushed Celia down onto the bed and covered her up before retreating.
Star wandered back to the bed, making a detour to check Laddie was covered up before she climbed on her bed. Celia looked like a lost little girl and Star's heart really did bleed for her.
One thing Star had never had was a boyfriend. Heck she hadn't even really had friends, not a real one, not one she could count on. She wanted love just as much as the next teenager did she guessed but looking at Celia it looked like something that would hurt.
"You can relax you know," she said softly but Celia still startled.
The redhead tried a small smile. "Sorry I was just thinking."
Star smiled. "It's okay."
She waited until Celia shifted before she crawled under the blankets herself. She didn't really need them anymore but they felt nice against her skin. They were facing each other.
"Does it hurt much," Star found herself asking, cursing herself even as she did. Celia didn't look like she minded. Her smile was rueful as David's command began to work on her now that he too was asleep.
"I'm numb," she murmured. "It'll hit me again tomorrow though probably."
Before any more could be uttered Celia was asleep.
End chapter
Author note: Long I know… I am sorry… there was just no way I could see to break it. I lost my thread with Kyle for the moment so I wanted to pass this moment quickly. Whether or not there will be more of him… who knows, mwahaha? Anyway, I hope the length wasn't too much issue for you all. Leave me some reviews okay? See you next time!