Alright, there are several different POV's here. The ** is Eric's, the ~~~
is Nada's, and the ~*~*~ is Jeshickah's. Yeah, I know! I think she is
somewhat out of character but you know, I'm not good at that kind of thing.
^^^ is Lucia, $$$$ is Jager, and !!!!!! is Adrian. OMG I know, so many
POV's, so little time! I almost ran out of symbols but I mean...yeah.
Enjoy! Thank you to the three reviewers. I really appreciate it! Warning
this is a much longer chapter than usual but it didn't make sense to make
several chapters on one simple event. Be proud of me and please tell me if
I seem a bit out of character, yes, even if I am out for Jager. But he IS
in love, or in lust. I'm not sure yet. Anyway, all the chars except for
Adrian, Flare, Nada, Lucia, Dieta, Tanata, and hmm I think that is it,
belong to my idol, Amelia Atwater-Rhodes. No, I don't own Jager yet either.
I know, damn.
*******
She had walked in on me. Nada had seen me in a towel. Only my experience with vampires prevented me from blushing. She had gotten skinnier over the past week. Not eating for a week could do that to some people. I wonder how many times Jager had fed from her...
Pulling my thoughts away from vampires, I grabbed my painting jeans and my holey t-shirt, and then put them on over a pair of crimson red silk boxers. Silk always comforts me. Smirking, I slid on a pair of worn in sneakers before running my fingers through my damp hair and glancing at my reflection in the mirror. I had changed drastically over the past 2 years. I had grown at least 4 inches taller, my body became more toned and my voice had deepened, but not like a bass singer or anything. My face had lost its baby fat and so I looked much more mature than I had.
Quickly remembering that I had a girl waiting for me outside the room, I pulled open the closet and pulled out two rollers, two paintbrushes, two cans of storm grey paint, and some paint containers. As I put it all into a large bag, I thought of asking Nada if she had any paint clothes. Then I remembered that she had no other clothes and so that was a negative.
"Sorry I made you wait," I apologized as I came out of my room, closing my door behind me. I must have caught her attention somehow because she actually looked as if she cared. I forced myself to hide a smile. I could not fall for someone else's property.
"That's ok," she replied as she picked up a paint can and swung back and forth gently. To my surprise I found her voice actually being nice to me. I WILL not fall for someone else's property. "To the den of shadows!" She shrieked playfully before grabbing the bag from me and running down the hallway. My heart sank. I wondered if she knew that was an actual place in New Mayhem. Jessica had told me as a desperate attempt for a civil conversation. She had gotten one from me.
Sighing, I picked up my paint can and followed at a walking pace behind her, I actually wondered if she knew where she was going. Wait, I scolded myself, she has only lived in that wing for the past two weeks. Two weeks. It seemed like an eternity.
"Stupid pest!" I heard someone scream, followed by a loud smack and a thunk. My mind went into overdrive. Dropping the paint can, I ran as fast as I could to the west wing, hoping that Nada was still able to walk.
~*~*~*~
"Stupid pest!" I screamed at the little bug as I smacked her against the wall. She was definitely NOT broken and she was too wild, even for my cat, Jaguar's, taste. I smiled like a kitten with a bowl of cream as I heard a crack echo in the empty hall. Hopefully I had broken something REALLY important.
Something sticky touched my boot and I looked down with pure disgust to see grey paint flooding the beautiful rug that I had hand picked out. Glaring at the girl, I kicked her again, and laughed as I heard a stifled scream pass her bloody lips.
Just as I was going to kick her again, I sensed something that I had missed when she had collided into me. A blood bond. Interesting. Wait a moment.....I slowly swept across the pet's aura and sensed it was only a partial bond. She must be the offspring of one of Midnight's humans. I was about to go into her thoughts when I felt an almost tangible wall blocking me from her thoughts. Damn her.
"Nada!" Turning, I saw Jaguar's spoiled puppy run down the hallway. Luckily for him, he saw me and stumbled onto one knee, his eyes cast down. But as he looked at the floor I saw the concern in his eyes. So this was a mate, aye? I wondered who she belonged to.
"You," I purred at the boy as I took several steps toward him, nearly turning back and kicking the other one again for ruining my boots. "Who does she belong to?" The boy HAD grown well over the past two years, although I had to leave on a little trip to deal with one of my fledglings in Lithuania. Seems as if he JUST realized that he lost one of his slaves, which he figured she had been missing for a good 350 years. Stupid pet. Good thing he had decided to stay in the states. If I remembered correctly, he had been in the same cell as Adrian.
"I, uh, don't honestly know milady." He doesn't HONESTLY know? How could he not know?!?
"Well, poodle, why don't you tell me the story and let me be the judge of who owns her?" Behind me, I heard the girl move, or at least try to. She moaned in pain at every inhale. She should. I broke at least two ribs.
"Milord Jaguar bought her from Master Adrian, and then Sir Jager took her under his care. I'm not sure if the care is permanent or not." Well, a New Mayhem vampire owning a Midnight bonded human? I think not.
~~~~~~
I lay on the sticky floor of the west wing, pain shooting up and down my chest with every breath. How was I supposed to see that bitch? She just popped out of that room without warning. And now I began to wonder who she was. She had nice boots. Or I had thought so until they broke something. Damn boots.
"Well, if she is under Jager's care, then I guess she belongs to him," I heard the vampire tell someone, but I couldn't make out the other voice. My mind was working a little bit like a computer that had downloaded a million things at once and it takes forever just to move the mouse a few centimeters on the screen.
"Yes Milady," the other person replied. Eric! It was Eric, oh god did the vampiress hurt him? If she did I would, wait, I can't do shit! I am lying in a pile of paint. Oh crap, the paint fumes were making my head ache.
"Now, go make Jager put her somewhere until she is at least obedient. And then clean up this mess." After a few minutes, I heard the sickening click of heels fade away down the other hall. Moments later I felt Eric next to me and I opened my eyes to see him kneeing in the paint next to me, his hands hovering above me as if he didn't want to hurt me further.
*****
"Nada," my voice was barely a whisper as I held myself back from touching her. I didn't want to further injure her. I didn't even notice that I was kneeing in paint until Nada slowly looked up at me and actually smiled. She couldn't be hurt that badly if she had the strength to smile.
"Isn't the paint supposed to go on the wall?" She asked me as she tried to sit up, but rather ungracefully fell back down.
"Yeah, but some girl spilled it all over the floor," I joked back and smiled as she laughed, but winced when I saw that she had hurt herself by doing so.
Eric, what the hell? Jaguar's voice asked me. I heard the commotion, what happened?
Jeshickah came back. Nada ran into her, come and help her. After a few seconds of no reply, I added NOW! He must have been shocked by my reaction because he was at my side within seconds.
"Where did she come from?" Jaguar's voice held no comfort for either of us and neither did his black eyes. I didn't care where Jeshickah had come from; I just wanted Jaguar to help Nada!
"How the Hell do I know?" I snapped, frustrated at my own concern. He gave me a look of anger and surprise before picking up Nada in one swift movement. A gasp exploded from Nada and I grimaced as I heard the pain there. Deep inside me, I knew that Nada should be lucky. Jeshickah could do much worse.
"Go and get Turquoise. I have to go and put her in the bathtub, AGAIN." I heard amusement in his voice but I want sure why it was there. Did he enjoy having a human running loose in his Midnight?
"Fine." Standing up, I took one more quick glance at Nada before turning and running as fast as I could to find Turquoise.
^^^^
I looked up from my book to see Eric running down the hallway as if a vampire was chasing him. Curiously, I placed down the Ash Night book and ran out into the hallway. "Eric!" I called to him, and the boy I saw couldn't have been Eric. Eric was a calm, composed, mature young man. Who had turned around had teary eyes, paint soaked pants, and panic so massive that I could sense it from halfway down the hallway.
"Where is Turquoise?" No, this WAS Eric. What had happened? Who died?
"She isn't in the building. She went to town. Why?" Eric ran towards me and gripped my hand fiercely. Wait a moment, Turquoise had sent Nada to help Eric paint. His pants were soaked with paint. My mind instantly went negative. Something had happened to Nada.
"Jeshickah came back." That was all I needed to know. The bitch had hurt my friend. I pulled away from him and began to walk briskly backwards down the hallway.
"Get Turquoise's kit from under her bed and then go to Jaguar's room." Only after he turned to go to Turquoise's room did I turn around so I could sprint down the hallway.
$$$
I had been sleeping perfectly fine until I heard a rather annoying voice shriek out in the hallway. I groaned and covered my head with a pillow. It was too early; no way was I getting up. Oh crap, I sat up groggily and looked over to the vacant bed a few feet away from me. Shit, Nada had woken up while I was sleeping. Damn it damn it damn it. Throwing my blankets off of me, I heard someone walk by, but there were two breathing patterns. And I knew without thinking that Nada had gotten in trouble again. Stupid girl.
Quickly I pulled on clothes, not really caring that my shirt was on backwards before pulling open the door and taking a step out. I heard a squish under my shoes and I looked down to see grey paint oozing there. Good thing I used my worst shoes.
Glancing around the hallway, I saw Jaguar's door close on my right and Lucia running down the hallway on my left. Putting two and two together I walked to Jaguar's door and opened it slowly.
~~~~~~
Cold water! Jaguar had put me in a tub of cold water and I realized that I was once again in Jaguar's bedroom. I bet Turquoise spent more time on his bed rather than in the tub... "Nada, look up at me." Almost annoyed, I looked up at Jaguar's clearly disappointed face.
"I'm sorry!" I mumbled as I began to shiver in the tub. My clothes were still on. I couldn't really see them because of the grayish red water, but I felt them clinging to my skin.
"You should be glad that you are still talking," Jaguar scolded me as I felt his hands course over my stomach where the vampiress had kicked me. My eyes went wide and I smacked him instinctively. That hurt! His one hand came out from the water and gripped both of my wrists, then pinned them to the corner of the tub. The movements made me want to kick him.
"She didn't kick so hard," I told him just as Lucia came in. She took one look at me and shook her head slowly. "Who was that anyway?" The two of them exchanged glances. Only then did I 1). Notice the family resemblance and 2.) Remember that they had drugged me. I glared at Lucia and concentrated on the water as if I could make it move with a single whim.
"That was Jeshickah," Jaguar informed me. Oops. Heh. Wrong vampire to collide to into a hallway huh?
"Where is she hurt?" I heard Lucia ask as she kneeled down beside Jaguar by the tub. I looked away from her. I was too angry to speak and felt too betrayed to look at her.
"Right on the ribs. Jeshickah might have broken something." I snorted. "Ok, she did break something."
"Is she going to be ok?" Oh no! I heard another voice that I didn't want to hear. Jager's. If I could not stand to be weak around one person, Jager would be that one person. Gritting my teeth, I forced myself to stand up in the tub.
"I'll be FINE," I snapped at him as I actually managed to step out of the bathtub. Three pairs of eyes were on me and I only wanted one on me. And he wasn't even here. Snap out of it girl!
"Nada you don't want to further injure yourself!" Lucia yelled at me as I continued to walk towards the door, fighting back tears of anger and pain.
"Like you CARE about what happens to me!" I growled at her, which seemed to silence her. Good.
"Nada, come back here now." Jaguar's voice seemed threatening enough, but I kept my back to him. Just as I passed Jager, my mind went black. But I was caught by a pair of strong arms before I hit the ground.
!!!!!
Nada. The girl that haunted my dreams was now in my arms. I am not really sure how she got there. How could she just appear out of nowhere? Not just anywhere, I corrected myself as I felt her dripping wet body go limp. For some reason I looked down at my once pet with curiosity. She had lost her longer maroon hair for a short brown hair cut. But she seemed much lighter than before. Interesting.
"Adrian." Arching a brow, I looked up to see Jaguar's surprised gaze, along with the shifters and Jager's. Angry at myself for actually catching the girl, I tossed her over to Jager before making my way down the hallway. I didn't really care if Jager caught her or not.
As I continued down the hallway, I let my mind drift onto what kind of human food would be interesting to eat for the dawn meal. A moment later I found myself shoved past by Jaguar's spoiled pet. That would just not do.
Grabbing the boy by the hair, I pulled him back to meet my eyes.
*****
My hands flew up to his, trying to pry his steel grip from my hair. The kit dropped loudly in the hallway. "Did you say excuse me, pest?" Adrian growled at me as he tightened his grip on my hair. The only real times I am beaten would be from him. I could never hide my feelings of disgust from him.
"Excuse me, MILORD." I growled the last word, I couldn't really help it. He was keeping me from doing something important. Bad idea. His right hand came and backhanded me right in the face.
"I'm sorry, I couldn't really hear you. Now, what did you say again?"
"Excuse me milord," I answered, this time more subdued. That seemed to satisfy him, because he tossed me aside and kept on walking. I fell to my knees, wiped the blood coming out of my nose on the back of my hand before picking up the kit and continuing down the hallway. If it was possible, I could feel my eye begin to bruise.
$$$
I saw the whole confrontation of the human boy and Adrian from where I was standing. Nada was now being redressed and washed, for about the 3rd time in the past month. I smirked to myself. I had been here a month.
Aubrey should be arriving any day now. Jessica had begun to grow impatient of this place and she tells me so every time possible. I tell her to shut up. I don't mind it here anymore, except for the blood. Too irony.
While Nada had been asleep, I spent my waking time either watching her sleep, laying next to her on the bed, or thinking about her. I feel totally not like myself. Why I kept thinking about her still is a mystery in my eyes.
The boy passed by me, with caution of course. Even nose bleeds can set a vampire off. And his blood was no doubt better tasting then the ones that do the blood letting around here. As he passed by me, I gripped his arm and stared right at him. Jaguar and Lucia had noticed our interaction and looked up at me.
His eyes met mine for a short second, slightly alarmed, but then fell down to the floor. Good. He knew what my gaze could do. "What do you think about Nada?" I asked him, plain as day, or as night, be as it may. His eyes widened before quickly glancing over at Nada.
I knew the moment that his eyes fell upon her half dressed body what she meant to him. She meant a lot to him. That would explain why he had snapped at Adrian. But he had only known her for a short time, how could he like her already? "She's tolerable." He stated simply in such a tone that would convince any human that he meant what he had said. It was easy to see from my perspective that he thought of her more than tolerable, because I look at her in just the same way.
Deep in my mind I knew that I might have to kill this boy one day. Maybe his infatuation would stop soon once I bring her to New Mayhem, but maybe it won't. And even worse, Nada might even fall for this poor excuse as a being and I would have to end his pitiful life. How sad. For Nada that is. I wouldn't mind killing him right on the dot, but Jaguar would most likely object and Nada would hate me. Why do I care about what a human thinks of me?
***
My gaze stayed on the marble floor, even though my mind was somewhere else. He had seen me look at Nada. He knows that I care for her. I also know that he is going to take her to New Mayhem once he leaves. Which I hope is not for a long time. If he took her away from me...
I jerked my arm out of his grip, which was only loosened because he had been thinking. The sudden movement made him snap back to reality. Before he could properly react, I picked up the kit, wiped off some more blood that had now flooded down my chin and onto my shirt, and then passed the kit to Lucia.
"What did Jeshickah break?" Neither the bloody handle nor my bloodied up face seemed to faze Jaguar or Lucia. Adrian had not been the only vampire to beat me, and I got away easily on this beating.
"A rib or two," Lucia replied casually as she wrapped Nada's chest tightly in bandages. Taking a quick glance at me, she smirked. "I'm a Shifter Eric, not a damned Smoke." I smiled in return. We had one or two Smoke witches on Midnight's payroll. We DID have a Vida but you know how THEY act around vampires....
"Is your nose alright?" Jaguar asked finally after about 2 minutes of pure silence, except for the four of us inhaling and exhaling. Jaguar still hasn't gotten rid of that habit. And Jager was standing right behind me. I could feel his aura brushing up against Nada's.
"It's not broken," I responded bluntly as I watched Jaguar place Nada into his bed. How I just wanted to lie down next to. . . .
"No." Turning around, I stared at Jager with a mix of surprise and fear. Had he heard what I said?
$$$
I read his mind. The one time I decide just to take a little peek, I found the one thing that made me want to rip his arms out of his sockets and make him suck on his own blood. He had thought about Nada is such a way that made me turn into predator mode.
"No." I repeated, now knowing that I had his full attention. My hands became fists repeatedly over and over, but I could not fight my anger. His eyes widened as his tiny little mortal mind absorbed the one single word I had said to him.
He looked so pathetic with his bruising eye and his bloody nose. Right then I grew a hatred for the boy; the untouchable boy at the moment. I could not even touch him unless Jaguar was out of the way, or he was on my territory. If I killed him outright, this instant, New Mayhem and Midnight would never be on god terms again. But if I waited until I somehow got Eric into Ramsa or even better, New Mayhem. . .
"No what Jager?" The boy asked me calmly as if I was a small human child repeating a word just because I knew HOW to say it.
"You know what you . . ." My mind snapped. I gripped his hair and pulled him towards me. Just as I was about to bite him, I thought for a moment and only licked the blood off of his chin all the way up to his lip. Yes, the blood was horrible, but I liked to leave the group a bit confused. I left to my room, only a few yards away, to think this whole thing over. Now all I need is Aubrey to get here . . .
^^^^^
My small plan with Jessica had been put into motion when she had asked Turquoise to tell Eric that Nada was coming to paint. The plan had worked out beautifully, or it had until earlier. Now Jager was all but stating that he hated Eric, and Eric and Nada looked like they really had fallen for each other. I had seen it in Eric's eyes when he came into the room, when he looked at Nada. Maybe he himself didn't know it, but to me it was as plain as day.
Now as for our little troublesome Nada, when I had come in, she remembered that I had drugged her. She snapped at me when I was only trying to get her not to further injure herself. But when she had commented on Jeshickah and we had all looked at her, I could see the longing in her gaze, almost feel it.
Sighing, I pulled the plug on the tub, and only after that did my mind register what had just happened a moment ago. Jager had licked Eric's blood off of his chin. Now, I am not a vampire specialist, but that all but screamed 'I HATE YOU!' Good thing Jager was smart enough to know no to hurt Eric right in front of Jaguar. There could have been some major fighting, even though it was kind of hard to see Jager and Jaguar fighting.
"Eric, I don't think it is a good idea to see Nada." I had spoken before I had thought. Seems as if my thoughts took a shortcut right to my mouth. "For awhile, that is."
"Bu-"
"Eric," Jaguar intervened and I was surprised that he sounded like he agreed with me, "Jager has . . ." He was obviously trying to lie this down easily, but I had a feeling that the tower of glass was going to come crashing down any minute.
"You sold her!?!" Eric's voice echoed through the room. There was obvious pain there and I winced. "You sold her to a Mayhem vampire??!"
"Eric," I pleaded. I had been there when Jager had offered a price for her the day before. It was definitely an offer that couldn't be refused.
"Don't you ERIC me!" He shouted at me and I was taken aback. He wasn't really one to shout at people in such a manner. But it was just as obvious as the sky was usually blue that Eric's heart had been ripped out. The one time he had allowed himself to fall for somebody and it smacked him in the face.
"Hmm Eric?" All of us looked over at Nada, who had awoken from her black out. Eric turned and stalked out of the room, but not fast enough as to hide the tears in his eyes. Nada seemed pretty upset too. How could humans form bonds so quickly? I was still upset at the thought. "Why did he leave?" For the first time, I actually heard Nada sound like a 15 year old teenage girl. Maybe that was because there were tears in her eyes.
"You aren't to see him anymore Nada," Jaguar's voice commanded quietly, although it was full of authority. I looked over at Nada, who was trying to get out of the bed and just seemed to remember that her ribs were broken and that her chest was tightly wrapped. That seemed to show her why it was hard for her to breath.
"And who died and made YOU the boss of me?" Nada growled as she glared at Jaguar. She was somewhat joking, but she obviously didn't seem to know that she was Jager's now.
"No one died, and I'm not the boss of you." The second statement confused Nada, I was positive of that. Her left eyebrow arched just slightly. "Jager bought you yesterday." And that was the first time ever that I actually heard a human's heart shatter.
*******
She had walked in on me. Nada had seen me in a towel. Only my experience with vampires prevented me from blushing. She had gotten skinnier over the past week. Not eating for a week could do that to some people. I wonder how many times Jager had fed from her...
Pulling my thoughts away from vampires, I grabbed my painting jeans and my holey t-shirt, and then put them on over a pair of crimson red silk boxers. Silk always comforts me. Smirking, I slid on a pair of worn in sneakers before running my fingers through my damp hair and glancing at my reflection in the mirror. I had changed drastically over the past 2 years. I had grown at least 4 inches taller, my body became more toned and my voice had deepened, but not like a bass singer or anything. My face had lost its baby fat and so I looked much more mature than I had.
Quickly remembering that I had a girl waiting for me outside the room, I pulled open the closet and pulled out two rollers, two paintbrushes, two cans of storm grey paint, and some paint containers. As I put it all into a large bag, I thought of asking Nada if she had any paint clothes. Then I remembered that she had no other clothes and so that was a negative.
"Sorry I made you wait," I apologized as I came out of my room, closing my door behind me. I must have caught her attention somehow because she actually looked as if she cared. I forced myself to hide a smile. I could not fall for someone else's property.
"That's ok," she replied as she picked up a paint can and swung back and forth gently. To my surprise I found her voice actually being nice to me. I WILL not fall for someone else's property. "To the den of shadows!" She shrieked playfully before grabbing the bag from me and running down the hallway. My heart sank. I wondered if she knew that was an actual place in New Mayhem. Jessica had told me as a desperate attempt for a civil conversation. She had gotten one from me.
Sighing, I picked up my paint can and followed at a walking pace behind her, I actually wondered if she knew where she was going. Wait, I scolded myself, she has only lived in that wing for the past two weeks. Two weeks. It seemed like an eternity.
"Stupid pest!" I heard someone scream, followed by a loud smack and a thunk. My mind went into overdrive. Dropping the paint can, I ran as fast as I could to the west wing, hoping that Nada was still able to walk.
~*~*~*~
"Stupid pest!" I screamed at the little bug as I smacked her against the wall. She was definitely NOT broken and she was too wild, even for my cat, Jaguar's, taste. I smiled like a kitten with a bowl of cream as I heard a crack echo in the empty hall. Hopefully I had broken something REALLY important.
Something sticky touched my boot and I looked down with pure disgust to see grey paint flooding the beautiful rug that I had hand picked out. Glaring at the girl, I kicked her again, and laughed as I heard a stifled scream pass her bloody lips.
Just as I was going to kick her again, I sensed something that I had missed when she had collided into me. A blood bond. Interesting. Wait a moment.....I slowly swept across the pet's aura and sensed it was only a partial bond. She must be the offspring of one of Midnight's humans. I was about to go into her thoughts when I felt an almost tangible wall blocking me from her thoughts. Damn her.
"Nada!" Turning, I saw Jaguar's spoiled puppy run down the hallway. Luckily for him, he saw me and stumbled onto one knee, his eyes cast down. But as he looked at the floor I saw the concern in his eyes. So this was a mate, aye? I wondered who she belonged to.
"You," I purred at the boy as I took several steps toward him, nearly turning back and kicking the other one again for ruining my boots. "Who does she belong to?" The boy HAD grown well over the past two years, although I had to leave on a little trip to deal with one of my fledglings in Lithuania. Seems as if he JUST realized that he lost one of his slaves, which he figured she had been missing for a good 350 years. Stupid pet. Good thing he had decided to stay in the states. If I remembered correctly, he had been in the same cell as Adrian.
"I, uh, don't honestly know milady." He doesn't HONESTLY know? How could he not know?!?
"Well, poodle, why don't you tell me the story and let me be the judge of who owns her?" Behind me, I heard the girl move, or at least try to. She moaned in pain at every inhale. She should. I broke at least two ribs.
"Milord Jaguar bought her from Master Adrian, and then Sir Jager took her under his care. I'm not sure if the care is permanent or not." Well, a New Mayhem vampire owning a Midnight bonded human? I think not.
~~~~~~
I lay on the sticky floor of the west wing, pain shooting up and down my chest with every breath. How was I supposed to see that bitch? She just popped out of that room without warning. And now I began to wonder who she was. She had nice boots. Or I had thought so until they broke something. Damn boots.
"Well, if she is under Jager's care, then I guess she belongs to him," I heard the vampire tell someone, but I couldn't make out the other voice. My mind was working a little bit like a computer that had downloaded a million things at once and it takes forever just to move the mouse a few centimeters on the screen.
"Yes Milady," the other person replied. Eric! It was Eric, oh god did the vampiress hurt him? If she did I would, wait, I can't do shit! I am lying in a pile of paint. Oh crap, the paint fumes were making my head ache.
"Now, go make Jager put her somewhere until she is at least obedient. And then clean up this mess." After a few minutes, I heard the sickening click of heels fade away down the other hall. Moments later I felt Eric next to me and I opened my eyes to see him kneeing in the paint next to me, his hands hovering above me as if he didn't want to hurt me further.
*****
"Nada," my voice was barely a whisper as I held myself back from touching her. I didn't want to further injure her. I didn't even notice that I was kneeing in paint until Nada slowly looked up at me and actually smiled. She couldn't be hurt that badly if she had the strength to smile.
"Isn't the paint supposed to go on the wall?" She asked me as she tried to sit up, but rather ungracefully fell back down.
"Yeah, but some girl spilled it all over the floor," I joked back and smiled as she laughed, but winced when I saw that she had hurt herself by doing so.
Eric, what the hell? Jaguar's voice asked me. I heard the commotion, what happened?
Jeshickah came back. Nada ran into her, come and help her. After a few seconds of no reply, I added NOW! He must have been shocked by my reaction because he was at my side within seconds.
"Where did she come from?" Jaguar's voice held no comfort for either of us and neither did his black eyes. I didn't care where Jeshickah had come from; I just wanted Jaguar to help Nada!
"How the Hell do I know?" I snapped, frustrated at my own concern. He gave me a look of anger and surprise before picking up Nada in one swift movement. A gasp exploded from Nada and I grimaced as I heard the pain there. Deep inside me, I knew that Nada should be lucky. Jeshickah could do much worse.
"Go and get Turquoise. I have to go and put her in the bathtub, AGAIN." I heard amusement in his voice but I want sure why it was there. Did he enjoy having a human running loose in his Midnight?
"Fine." Standing up, I took one more quick glance at Nada before turning and running as fast as I could to find Turquoise.
^^^^
I looked up from my book to see Eric running down the hallway as if a vampire was chasing him. Curiously, I placed down the Ash Night book and ran out into the hallway. "Eric!" I called to him, and the boy I saw couldn't have been Eric. Eric was a calm, composed, mature young man. Who had turned around had teary eyes, paint soaked pants, and panic so massive that I could sense it from halfway down the hallway.
"Where is Turquoise?" No, this WAS Eric. What had happened? Who died?
"She isn't in the building. She went to town. Why?" Eric ran towards me and gripped my hand fiercely. Wait a moment, Turquoise had sent Nada to help Eric paint. His pants were soaked with paint. My mind instantly went negative. Something had happened to Nada.
"Jeshickah came back." That was all I needed to know. The bitch had hurt my friend. I pulled away from him and began to walk briskly backwards down the hallway.
"Get Turquoise's kit from under her bed and then go to Jaguar's room." Only after he turned to go to Turquoise's room did I turn around so I could sprint down the hallway.
$$$
I had been sleeping perfectly fine until I heard a rather annoying voice shriek out in the hallway. I groaned and covered my head with a pillow. It was too early; no way was I getting up. Oh crap, I sat up groggily and looked over to the vacant bed a few feet away from me. Shit, Nada had woken up while I was sleeping. Damn it damn it damn it. Throwing my blankets off of me, I heard someone walk by, but there were two breathing patterns. And I knew without thinking that Nada had gotten in trouble again. Stupid girl.
Quickly I pulled on clothes, not really caring that my shirt was on backwards before pulling open the door and taking a step out. I heard a squish under my shoes and I looked down to see grey paint oozing there. Good thing I used my worst shoes.
Glancing around the hallway, I saw Jaguar's door close on my right and Lucia running down the hallway on my left. Putting two and two together I walked to Jaguar's door and opened it slowly.
~~~~~~
Cold water! Jaguar had put me in a tub of cold water and I realized that I was once again in Jaguar's bedroom. I bet Turquoise spent more time on his bed rather than in the tub... "Nada, look up at me." Almost annoyed, I looked up at Jaguar's clearly disappointed face.
"I'm sorry!" I mumbled as I began to shiver in the tub. My clothes were still on. I couldn't really see them because of the grayish red water, but I felt them clinging to my skin.
"You should be glad that you are still talking," Jaguar scolded me as I felt his hands course over my stomach where the vampiress had kicked me. My eyes went wide and I smacked him instinctively. That hurt! His one hand came out from the water and gripped both of my wrists, then pinned them to the corner of the tub. The movements made me want to kick him.
"She didn't kick so hard," I told him just as Lucia came in. She took one look at me and shook her head slowly. "Who was that anyway?" The two of them exchanged glances. Only then did I 1). Notice the family resemblance and 2.) Remember that they had drugged me. I glared at Lucia and concentrated on the water as if I could make it move with a single whim.
"That was Jeshickah," Jaguar informed me. Oops. Heh. Wrong vampire to collide to into a hallway huh?
"Where is she hurt?" I heard Lucia ask as she kneeled down beside Jaguar by the tub. I looked away from her. I was too angry to speak and felt too betrayed to look at her.
"Right on the ribs. Jeshickah might have broken something." I snorted. "Ok, she did break something."
"Is she going to be ok?" Oh no! I heard another voice that I didn't want to hear. Jager's. If I could not stand to be weak around one person, Jager would be that one person. Gritting my teeth, I forced myself to stand up in the tub.
"I'll be FINE," I snapped at him as I actually managed to step out of the bathtub. Three pairs of eyes were on me and I only wanted one on me. And he wasn't even here. Snap out of it girl!
"Nada you don't want to further injure yourself!" Lucia yelled at me as I continued to walk towards the door, fighting back tears of anger and pain.
"Like you CARE about what happens to me!" I growled at her, which seemed to silence her. Good.
"Nada, come back here now." Jaguar's voice seemed threatening enough, but I kept my back to him. Just as I passed Jager, my mind went black. But I was caught by a pair of strong arms before I hit the ground.
!!!!!
Nada. The girl that haunted my dreams was now in my arms. I am not really sure how she got there. How could she just appear out of nowhere? Not just anywhere, I corrected myself as I felt her dripping wet body go limp. For some reason I looked down at my once pet with curiosity. She had lost her longer maroon hair for a short brown hair cut. But she seemed much lighter than before. Interesting.
"Adrian." Arching a brow, I looked up to see Jaguar's surprised gaze, along with the shifters and Jager's. Angry at myself for actually catching the girl, I tossed her over to Jager before making my way down the hallway. I didn't really care if Jager caught her or not.
As I continued down the hallway, I let my mind drift onto what kind of human food would be interesting to eat for the dawn meal. A moment later I found myself shoved past by Jaguar's spoiled pet. That would just not do.
Grabbing the boy by the hair, I pulled him back to meet my eyes.
*****
My hands flew up to his, trying to pry his steel grip from my hair. The kit dropped loudly in the hallway. "Did you say excuse me, pest?" Adrian growled at me as he tightened his grip on my hair. The only real times I am beaten would be from him. I could never hide my feelings of disgust from him.
"Excuse me, MILORD." I growled the last word, I couldn't really help it. He was keeping me from doing something important. Bad idea. His right hand came and backhanded me right in the face.
"I'm sorry, I couldn't really hear you. Now, what did you say again?"
"Excuse me milord," I answered, this time more subdued. That seemed to satisfy him, because he tossed me aside and kept on walking. I fell to my knees, wiped the blood coming out of my nose on the back of my hand before picking up the kit and continuing down the hallway. If it was possible, I could feel my eye begin to bruise.
$$$
I saw the whole confrontation of the human boy and Adrian from where I was standing. Nada was now being redressed and washed, for about the 3rd time in the past month. I smirked to myself. I had been here a month.
Aubrey should be arriving any day now. Jessica had begun to grow impatient of this place and she tells me so every time possible. I tell her to shut up. I don't mind it here anymore, except for the blood. Too irony.
While Nada had been asleep, I spent my waking time either watching her sleep, laying next to her on the bed, or thinking about her. I feel totally not like myself. Why I kept thinking about her still is a mystery in my eyes.
The boy passed by me, with caution of course. Even nose bleeds can set a vampire off. And his blood was no doubt better tasting then the ones that do the blood letting around here. As he passed by me, I gripped his arm and stared right at him. Jaguar and Lucia had noticed our interaction and looked up at me.
His eyes met mine for a short second, slightly alarmed, but then fell down to the floor. Good. He knew what my gaze could do. "What do you think about Nada?" I asked him, plain as day, or as night, be as it may. His eyes widened before quickly glancing over at Nada.
I knew the moment that his eyes fell upon her half dressed body what she meant to him. She meant a lot to him. That would explain why he had snapped at Adrian. But he had only known her for a short time, how could he like her already? "She's tolerable." He stated simply in such a tone that would convince any human that he meant what he had said. It was easy to see from my perspective that he thought of her more than tolerable, because I look at her in just the same way.
Deep in my mind I knew that I might have to kill this boy one day. Maybe his infatuation would stop soon once I bring her to New Mayhem, but maybe it won't. And even worse, Nada might even fall for this poor excuse as a being and I would have to end his pitiful life. How sad. For Nada that is. I wouldn't mind killing him right on the dot, but Jaguar would most likely object and Nada would hate me. Why do I care about what a human thinks of me?
***
My gaze stayed on the marble floor, even though my mind was somewhere else. He had seen me look at Nada. He knows that I care for her. I also know that he is going to take her to New Mayhem once he leaves. Which I hope is not for a long time. If he took her away from me...
I jerked my arm out of his grip, which was only loosened because he had been thinking. The sudden movement made him snap back to reality. Before he could properly react, I picked up the kit, wiped off some more blood that had now flooded down my chin and onto my shirt, and then passed the kit to Lucia.
"What did Jeshickah break?" Neither the bloody handle nor my bloodied up face seemed to faze Jaguar or Lucia. Adrian had not been the only vampire to beat me, and I got away easily on this beating.
"A rib or two," Lucia replied casually as she wrapped Nada's chest tightly in bandages. Taking a quick glance at me, she smirked. "I'm a Shifter Eric, not a damned Smoke." I smiled in return. We had one or two Smoke witches on Midnight's payroll. We DID have a Vida but you know how THEY act around vampires....
"Is your nose alright?" Jaguar asked finally after about 2 minutes of pure silence, except for the four of us inhaling and exhaling. Jaguar still hasn't gotten rid of that habit. And Jager was standing right behind me. I could feel his aura brushing up against Nada's.
"It's not broken," I responded bluntly as I watched Jaguar place Nada into his bed. How I just wanted to lie down next to. . . .
"No." Turning around, I stared at Jager with a mix of surprise and fear. Had he heard what I said?
$$$
I read his mind. The one time I decide just to take a little peek, I found the one thing that made me want to rip his arms out of his sockets and make him suck on his own blood. He had thought about Nada is such a way that made me turn into predator mode.
"No." I repeated, now knowing that I had his full attention. My hands became fists repeatedly over and over, but I could not fight my anger. His eyes widened as his tiny little mortal mind absorbed the one single word I had said to him.
He looked so pathetic with his bruising eye and his bloody nose. Right then I grew a hatred for the boy; the untouchable boy at the moment. I could not even touch him unless Jaguar was out of the way, or he was on my territory. If I killed him outright, this instant, New Mayhem and Midnight would never be on god terms again. But if I waited until I somehow got Eric into Ramsa or even better, New Mayhem. . .
"No what Jager?" The boy asked me calmly as if I was a small human child repeating a word just because I knew HOW to say it.
"You know what you . . ." My mind snapped. I gripped his hair and pulled him towards me. Just as I was about to bite him, I thought for a moment and only licked the blood off of his chin all the way up to his lip. Yes, the blood was horrible, but I liked to leave the group a bit confused. I left to my room, only a few yards away, to think this whole thing over. Now all I need is Aubrey to get here . . .
^^^^^
My small plan with Jessica had been put into motion when she had asked Turquoise to tell Eric that Nada was coming to paint. The plan had worked out beautifully, or it had until earlier. Now Jager was all but stating that he hated Eric, and Eric and Nada looked like they really had fallen for each other. I had seen it in Eric's eyes when he came into the room, when he looked at Nada. Maybe he himself didn't know it, but to me it was as plain as day.
Now as for our little troublesome Nada, when I had come in, she remembered that I had drugged her. She snapped at me when I was only trying to get her not to further injure herself. But when she had commented on Jeshickah and we had all looked at her, I could see the longing in her gaze, almost feel it.
Sighing, I pulled the plug on the tub, and only after that did my mind register what had just happened a moment ago. Jager had licked Eric's blood off of his chin. Now, I am not a vampire specialist, but that all but screamed 'I HATE YOU!' Good thing Jager was smart enough to know no to hurt Eric right in front of Jaguar. There could have been some major fighting, even though it was kind of hard to see Jager and Jaguar fighting.
"Eric, I don't think it is a good idea to see Nada." I had spoken before I had thought. Seems as if my thoughts took a shortcut right to my mouth. "For awhile, that is."
"Bu-"
"Eric," Jaguar intervened and I was surprised that he sounded like he agreed with me, "Jager has . . ." He was obviously trying to lie this down easily, but I had a feeling that the tower of glass was going to come crashing down any minute.
"You sold her!?!" Eric's voice echoed through the room. There was obvious pain there and I winced. "You sold her to a Mayhem vampire??!"
"Eric," I pleaded. I had been there when Jager had offered a price for her the day before. It was definitely an offer that couldn't be refused.
"Don't you ERIC me!" He shouted at me and I was taken aback. He wasn't really one to shout at people in such a manner. But it was just as obvious as the sky was usually blue that Eric's heart had been ripped out. The one time he had allowed himself to fall for somebody and it smacked him in the face.
"Hmm Eric?" All of us looked over at Nada, who had awoken from her black out. Eric turned and stalked out of the room, but not fast enough as to hide the tears in his eyes. Nada seemed pretty upset too. How could humans form bonds so quickly? I was still upset at the thought. "Why did he leave?" For the first time, I actually heard Nada sound like a 15 year old teenage girl. Maybe that was because there were tears in her eyes.
"You aren't to see him anymore Nada," Jaguar's voice commanded quietly, although it was full of authority. I looked over at Nada, who was trying to get out of the bed and just seemed to remember that her ribs were broken and that her chest was tightly wrapped. That seemed to show her why it was hard for her to breath.
"And who died and made YOU the boss of me?" Nada growled as she glared at Jaguar. She was somewhat joking, but she obviously didn't seem to know that she was Jager's now.
"No one died, and I'm not the boss of you." The second statement confused Nada, I was positive of that. Her left eyebrow arched just slightly. "Jager bought you yesterday." And that was the first time ever that I actually heard a human's heart shatter.