Harry saw Spike raise his head, the other vampires were aware of something too; they sniffed the air like hounds scenting the hunt. Mitchell's eyes widened and he looked to Spike for confirmation of something. Spike nodded the briefest of gestures. Harry turned to face him, green eyes scanning Spike's face as he spoke.
'What? What just happened? Did Edward do it? Did he... feed?' The last word came out as a horse whisper. Somewhere inside him a voice was saying, 'don't ask Harry, you don't want to know. Stop asking.' But he couldn't, he had to know. Spike looked embarrassed, like he would have blushed if his alabaster cheeks had been capable. He nodded, hiding something.
'Yeah...he's fed... he'll be back soon I think. You can ask him yourself.' He turned away, walking quickly to Mitchell's side, talking in a low whisper they walked a short way off and turned their backs. Harry didn't like it. He looked at the other vampires. Sir Francis was standing with the silent form of Harker, his hand hovering near the wizard's shoulder uncertain whether his touch would be welcome. Lady Elizabeth stood near the female Vikings, aloof and distant from the group her eyes swept over their faces, taking in every slight gesture, every nuance. She was one to watch the inner voice warned Harry soberly. Then his gaze fell onto Carmilla and he held back a gasp of shock at the expression on her face.
She had just swept her long dark hair back from her face with those delicate hands, her lips were parted slightly, wet and scarlet they stood out in her pallid face. Her eyes were open wide and there was no mistaking the arousal in her expression. she seemed to taste the air before her like a snake with its tongue, her hands clenching and opening at her side as she fought to gain control over herself. She wound her gown in one hand, pulling the fabric taut across her thighs and ran the other hand through her hair again, shaking her head as though to rid herself of the feeling, there was something...exposed about her posture, thought Harry as he watched her. He felt almost voyeuristic seeing her so...moved. But by what? He had no answer. His attention was quickly distracted as a noise behind him. The vampires swivelled their heads seconds before Harry could turn. Their intensity scared him.
The intruder was a tall man with red brown skin; even under his colouring his vampire pallor was evident, highlighting his chiselled features. His face was angular and his nose and cheekbones were pronounced above his full red mouth. His jet black hair was long and straight. It fell over his shoulders like a raven waterfall; it was even more beautiful than Carmilla's ebony tresses. Harry, who felt he should be used by now to vampire beauty, still felt a little awe at the physical attraction of the man. He stood with the easy grace of a hunter and, although he had obviously moved with some speed to the chamber – none of the other vampires had noted his coming until moments before he had appeared, he seemed to be statue still. A small smile played around his mouth as he took in the sight of the mismatched group. He laid a strong fist over his heart and bowed. It was then Harry noticed his clothes. Unlike the other vampires Harry had met, who seemed to wear either modern clothes of the clothes of their century, this vampire wore suede skins. His trousers were tight to his thighs and the powerful muscles were evident under the soft beige of the animal hide which covered them. He wore nothing to cover his chest but a wide strap of leather. The same type of strap held his long hair back from his face. Around his wrist and ankle was a bracelet of bright turquoise beads, a thin leather strand dangled a black feather from the beads at his wrist. His broad strong feet were bare. He spoke and his voice was deep and echoed in the cavern.
'Greetings, my name is Laughing Bear.' He looked at the group and Harry saw recognition in the eyes of Zillah and Spike. 'I believe you are here to escape the one who the breathing men call Dracula.' This was a statement not a question. Zillah nodded silently, the other vampires stayed quiet. Even Spike, Harry noted seemed to be in awe of this big man. The man nodded his head in reply, his hair falling over one shoulder revealing an intricate tribal tattoo covering one of his arms. It looked like some kind of bird but Harry couldn't be sure. 'I will come with you. I am tired of this place.' He folded his arms, an indication that he had finished speaking. No one said anything, the silence was uncomfortable and Harry felt the urge to say something, anything, to break the tension in the room from becoming unbearable. He didn't need to; behind him Edward cleared his throat politely.
Edward stood in the doorway, his clothes crumpled and stained. Harry didn't want to look at the marks on his clothes but he couldn't pull his eyes away from the black smear down the front of Edward's shirt, crusting in the buttonholes and ending where his jeans began. Edward's eyes were dark garnet red, they glinted dangerously and as Harry watched Edward run his hand through his messy hair, the gesture looked as though it was a familiar movement perpetrated on an alien, unfamiliar body. Harry realised he was looking at Edward's beast, barely under the surface, just contained enough to stand in front of him and not kill him where he stood. He took a breath and held it, unconsciously. The creature using Edward's body smiled a slow, lazy, suggestive smile and wiped its mouth with the back of its hand. The gesture seemed to be in slow motion and Harry watched with grotesque fascination as the lips dragged along the white skin and back into the smile. Edward leaned a hand on the entrance to the chamber, one leg crossed, relaxed and obviously sated but his eyes were bright and too quick in this confident and satisfied face. Harry knew he should look away, shouldn't give this creature an inch. He knew that Edward would be trying to control it, force it back inside him and that this eye contact was arousing the monster, feeding it with his fear and... attraction he realised with a gulp. It was seductive, this languid, smiling monster. This creature which lived for its appetites, its desire. So different from his Edward, Harry thought wildly, but then in the same body, with the same face, the same hands the same...body. Harry tried to pull his gaze from the creature's dangerously beautiful face. As if it read his mind it trailed a slow hand down its body stopping to rest over its crotch. Harry jumped at the gesture and he saw the creature open its mouth wide, exposing white, wicked teeth. It laughed, the sound was a dark mockery of Edward's laugh and Harry succeeded in looking away. The other vampires were motionless, not a breath or whisper stirred their faces as they assessed this new predator in their midst. Zillah broke the spell.
'Edward.' He stepped forward and grasped the arm, hanging lazily now at the monster's side. The creature looked down at Zillah's hand and Harry thought it would growl, then it shook itself like a dog.
'Zillah.' Edward's voice shook slightly and he dropped his gaze from Harry's blushing face. When he looked up again the face was Edward's. Only his eyes, garnet red, betrayed the beast within.
This one's for Rin (what up homegirl? Is that right? Grin). You internet stalker you!
Hey review me please!!! Pretty please!!