A/N: Alright, I am reluctantly handing over chapter six. I wasn't going
to because not enough people were reviewing my story, but I decided to give
you another chance. I have to get five more reviews before you can have
chapter seven-seems fair to me. I'm tired of people telling me they've
read it and it's good and none of them wrote me a review. Oh, I've also
started putting everyone's thoughts in between ** because when I upload
chapters you can't tell who's thinking what. Ahem, now that that's off my
chest.read and enjoy! It only gets better from here!
WARNING: this story is R for a reason. Be prepared for some heavy angst in future chapters. I'm just letting you know now that there are some not- so-pretty parts coming (i.e. rape, abuse, language). Piper IS being held against her will, People. Otherwise, continue at your leisure!
Chapter 6
Piper inhaled the scent of Connor's pillow and gave a contented sigh. For the first time since her mother died, she was truly happy. She extended her awareness throughout the apartment. Connor was up early. Piper's senses told her he was in the kitchen. Although she didn't fully understand what had happened between them last night, she knew it was amazing. How had he been able to invade her mind like that? Even now the connection hummed between them like a living cord. It was more than telepathy. Adrian could communicate mentally with her, but he was never inside of her mind! Piper felt complete, whole in Connor's arms. Now she knew that the infatuation she'd had for Adrian so long ago was nothing compared to what she felt for Connor. Piper was in love. "Here's..how it goes..you and me...up and down, but baby this time we'll.get it right..worth the fight." Connor's voice drifted to the bedroom. Piper opened her eyes and smiled. She sat up and tried to find some kind of robe to cover herself. A pain inside made her gasp, but it went away after a moment. She was getting hungry. After digging through the disastrous bedroom, she pulled on a pair of mesh shorts and a wife-beater. Piper tip-toed out of the messy bedroom and over to the entryway of the small kitchen. The immortal could barely keep her laughter in check. Connor was trying to make them breakfast. His cooking wasn't the funniest part, although those pancakes looked a little over done. He had the radio on playing "Escape" by Enrique Iglesias and was currently using the pancake- flipper as a microphone. "If you feeeeeel liiiiike leeeaaavin'. I'm not gonna make you stay! But sooooooon you'll be fiiiiindin', you can run you can hide but you can't escape my looooove!!!" Connor was dancing around the kitchen in his boxers and trying his best to imitate Enrique Iglesias' voice. Piper bit her lip to keep from laughing. She didn't want to interrupt just yet; watching him was too much fun. She leaned against the door frame and waited for him to notice her. All of a sudden he went way up into his head voice to sing the bridge of the song. "You can ruuuuuuuuu-uh-uuuuun! You can ruuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu-uh- uuuuuuun!" Connor's hips were gyrating and his head was bobbing in time with the music. He twirled completely around and stopped face to face with his admiring audience. "I have to admit that on my Favorite Things to Wake Up to in the Morning List, this has got to be in the top three!" Piper gave Connor a smirk and he grinned. He looked so happy that she could have sworn he was glowing. Little did she know, Connor was looking back at her smiling face and thinking the exact same of her. "I was singing your praises." He explained simply. " 'Escape' ? That's comforting." Piper quirked an eyebrow. She abruptly turned to the burnt pancakes. "You're going to burn this building down." Shock flew across Connor's face and he rushed over to turn the stove off, while smoke started to billow up from the skillet. Connor rushed the blackened breakfast, skillet and all, over to the counter and dumped them in the sink. Piper stood by and watched his panic with a half-smile on her face. "It's possible that you could pass as an Enrique, but you're definitely no George Foreman." "I've chosen to take that as a compliment. Therefore, the correct response to that remark would be: 'thank you, sweetheart!'" Connor walked over to Piper and placed his hands on the mesh shorts covering her hips. His forehead dropped down close to hers and their noses were almost touching. "You know, I had this really strange dream last night. You're not going to believe how funny this is. I was inside your head, like looking at your thoughts, and you had the worst past. You were so unhappy. It makes me depressed just thinking about it." Connor frowned for a moment. "How is this funny?" Her veins were beginning to burn with bloodlust. Connor's neck was so strong and firm. "Let me finish. Then I saw in your head that you were - this is the funny part - a vampire! Is that weird or what? No more wine for me before bed." Connor was grinning and laughing, until he saw the look of distress on Piper's face. She was absolutely crestfallen. "What's the matter? You don't think it's funny?" Connor tried to look Piper in the eyes, but she pushed him away and averted her gaze from his face. **What was I doing? I actually considered feeding off of Connor!** Her mind shouted at her. **He's not safe around me, no human is.** Piper's thoughts were flying through her head in a frenzy. **I don't want to put him in danger! If Adrian found out about us he'd do worse than kill Connor. Should I tell him the truth about what I am? I don't want to lie. He's my soulmate.** The word sent a tingling sensation through her undead heart. "Hello? Are you feeling okay, Piper? Is it the smoke from the pancakes? I'll open a window." Connor crossed the small kitchen and pulled the small window pane up a few inches. Piper was torn between what to do or say next. The burning was increasing and so was her desperation. She wanted, no needed, to tell Connor the truth. "Is that better? I'm sorry about making such a mess with breakfast. I'm starved. Do you want to get dressed really quick and head out for something to eat? I know this great bakery down the street. Awesome bagels." Connor picked up the spatula-microphone off the counter and set it in the sink. In that instant Piper's mind was made up. Connor should love her for who and what she was, or not at all. Unfortunately, she knew he wouldn't want anything to do with her once he knew the truth. He was going to hate her. "No, I don't want to go to the bakery." Piper said slowly, staring at the chipped blue tile floor. "You're not hungry?" Piper swallowed the blockade in her throat. "I am hungry, but not for bagels. Not for any kind of human food." Her eyes slowly came up to meet Connor's. His face was nervously confused, as if he wasn't sure whether to laugh or be concerned. "What do you mean?" "Connor, the dream that you had last night wasn't a dream. You were inside my mind and I was inside of yours." "That's not possible." His face was a mask of gravity. "There's this connection between us. It's called the Soulmate Principle. I never paid much attention to it before, but now I know that it's true. We're soulmates, Connor." Connor gave her a tentative smile. "Well, that's a sweet way of putting it. I have to admit that I've never felt this strongly this quickly for any other person before." Piper shook her head and tears came to her eyes. "No, you don't understand. Here, touch me." Connor slowly stretched out his left hand and stroked the side of her face. Sparks exploded not only where their flesh met, but in their minds as well. **It wasn't a dream.** Connor's thoughts were a sort of stunned wonder. **We're meant to be together. No one else is right for me but you.** Piper sent the loving thought as a caress to his mind. Connor's thoughts were strong, solid colors of blue, green, red, and yellow. He had led such a peaceful, satisfying life. A loving family, a solid education, and a life full of experiences. Piper's mind was a haven of pain in comparison. Her mother's death, the hurt of her father's hasty remarriage, and a childhood of neglect from a cold stepmother haunted her memories. **There's so much sorrow and pain.** Connor's thoughts in her mind were sad and compassionate instead of pitying. He went through her bad memories one by one and kissed away the hurt. It was as though Connor were sharing not only her memories, but the pain of them as well. Piper was so caught up in the feelings of love and healing, that she forgot to keep her guard up against her most recent memories of unhappiness - Adrian. Connor looked at the face of her warden with curiosity at first. **Who is this?** He carefully dug deeper into her psyche until he found the night she'd met Adrian. The night she'd become the monster she was. **No! ** Piper's voice called out in desperation to his thoughts, but it was too late. Connor saw everything. The little boy that Piper had murdered in her frenzy to feed upon waking from death. Adrian locking her inside the mansion and mocking her despair. Adrian branding her right wrist with the symbol of her new race. Adrian forcing her to love him and be his willing concubine. Piper's hope dying, her final acceptance of the life she was compelled to live. Piper's visits into the city to escape her life and the gradual freedoms Adrian gave her. The park where she often went to watch an old woman beat the tourists at chess. The day she saw Connor sit down at Miss Emma's table. It was the day her life changed irrevocably forever. Back in the small apartment kitchen, Connor yanked his hand back from Piper's face. His breathing was labored and there was sweat on his brow. "You.you're.Adrian, is that his name? He turned you into---" Connor made a sweeping gesture with his hand. "--- a vampire, yes. Everything you saw is true. Your girlfriend is one of the undead. Congratulations!" Piper bit her lip to keep from bursting into tears. A few escaped anyway and made paths down her cheeks. She bit so hard that blood welled up from her bottom lip. Almost instantaneously her fangs lengthened in hunger. Connor's eyes were fixated on her canines. He was slowly backing away from her towards the counter. It was a subconscious effort to protect himself, one that Piper doubted he even knew he was doing. The prey trying to get away from the hunter. Her heart felt like sandpaper as it beat inside her chest. "I'll leave now." She spoke softly with her heart in her eyes. "Wait." Connor hesitantly stepped forward and reached out a hand to her. "Don't go. Whatever you are, you're still my soulmate now and forever. I love you, Piper, don't leave." That was all the encouragement she needed to throw herself into his awaiting embrace. The tears flowed freely onto his chest, with her head tucked under his chin. "I'm so sorry, Connor, I'm so sorry." Piper chanted softly into his warm chest. He stroked her glorious blonde hair and tried to control his raging emotions. Fear, shock, love, and worry warred in his mind. Piper's thoughts were flowing through him as well. She was exhausted, bursting with love for him, and...hungry. Connor sensed the growing emotion inside of her. Piper felt the need to feed consuming her thoughts. She had to get out of there while she still could. Her hands quickly pushed against Connor's chest and she stumbled back. "I have to leave. I'm sorry, Connor. I have to feed." "Off of some poor, unsuspecting person in the street?" Piper winced from the disdain laced in his voice. "What would you have me do?" Connor slowly walked right up to her and put her hands on his broad shoulders. "Find a willing victim." "Connor, I could never ---" "Shhh, I want you to. I want to help you. Please let me." Piper knew it was futile to resist him when she was so close to breakdown. She kissed the side of his neck and then quickly punctured his tan skin. Connor's indrawn breath didn't slow Piper down. She hastily sucked at his life to fulfill her own. She could breathe again. Piper stepped back and caught Connor before he slid to the floor. He had a dazed expression on his face. She carried him to his bedroom and laid him across the forest green sheets. The same sheets they'd both been naked under mere hours before. Piper sat down on the bed next to Connor and stroked his hair. "Thank you." He smiled wanly at her and squeezed the hand in her lap. "Tell me about your world." Piper hesitated, knowing that once Connor knew everything his life would be in grave danger. Would she go that far to let him know the truth? "It's called the Night World." Piper began slowly and continued to run her fingers through his curly hair.
WARNING: this story is R for a reason. Be prepared for some heavy angst in future chapters. I'm just letting you know now that there are some not- so-pretty parts coming (i.e. rape, abuse, language). Piper IS being held against her will, People. Otherwise, continue at your leisure!
Chapter 6
Piper inhaled the scent of Connor's pillow and gave a contented sigh. For the first time since her mother died, she was truly happy. She extended her awareness throughout the apartment. Connor was up early. Piper's senses told her he was in the kitchen. Although she didn't fully understand what had happened between them last night, she knew it was amazing. How had he been able to invade her mind like that? Even now the connection hummed between them like a living cord. It was more than telepathy. Adrian could communicate mentally with her, but he was never inside of her mind! Piper felt complete, whole in Connor's arms. Now she knew that the infatuation she'd had for Adrian so long ago was nothing compared to what she felt for Connor. Piper was in love. "Here's..how it goes..you and me...up and down, but baby this time we'll.get it right..worth the fight." Connor's voice drifted to the bedroom. Piper opened her eyes and smiled. She sat up and tried to find some kind of robe to cover herself. A pain inside made her gasp, but it went away after a moment. She was getting hungry. After digging through the disastrous bedroom, she pulled on a pair of mesh shorts and a wife-beater. Piper tip-toed out of the messy bedroom and over to the entryway of the small kitchen. The immortal could barely keep her laughter in check. Connor was trying to make them breakfast. His cooking wasn't the funniest part, although those pancakes looked a little over done. He had the radio on playing "Escape" by Enrique Iglesias and was currently using the pancake- flipper as a microphone. "If you feeeeeel liiiiike leeeaaavin'. I'm not gonna make you stay! But sooooooon you'll be fiiiiindin', you can run you can hide but you can't escape my looooove!!!" Connor was dancing around the kitchen in his boxers and trying his best to imitate Enrique Iglesias' voice. Piper bit her lip to keep from laughing. She didn't want to interrupt just yet; watching him was too much fun. She leaned against the door frame and waited for him to notice her. All of a sudden he went way up into his head voice to sing the bridge of the song. "You can ruuuuuuuuu-uh-uuuuun! You can ruuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu-uh- uuuuuuun!" Connor's hips were gyrating and his head was bobbing in time with the music. He twirled completely around and stopped face to face with his admiring audience. "I have to admit that on my Favorite Things to Wake Up to in the Morning List, this has got to be in the top three!" Piper gave Connor a smirk and he grinned. He looked so happy that she could have sworn he was glowing. Little did she know, Connor was looking back at her smiling face and thinking the exact same of her. "I was singing your praises." He explained simply. " 'Escape' ? That's comforting." Piper quirked an eyebrow. She abruptly turned to the burnt pancakes. "You're going to burn this building down." Shock flew across Connor's face and he rushed over to turn the stove off, while smoke started to billow up from the skillet. Connor rushed the blackened breakfast, skillet and all, over to the counter and dumped them in the sink. Piper stood by and watched his panic with a half-smile on her face. "It's possible that you could pass as an Enrique, but you're definitely no George Foreman." "I've chosen to take that as a compliment. Therefore, the correct response to that remark would be: 'thank you, sweetheart!'" Connor walked over to Piper and placed his hands on the mesh shorts covering her hips. His forehead dropped down close to hers and their noses were almost touching. "You know, I had this really strange dream last night. You're not going to believe how funny this is. I was inside your head, like looking at your thoughts, and you had the worst past. You were so unhappy. It makes me depressed just thinking about it." Connor frowned for a moment. "How is this funny?" Her veins were beginning to burn with bloodlust. Connor's neck was so strong and firm. "Let me finish. Then I saw in your head that you were - this is the funny part - a vampire! Is that weird or what? No more wine for me before bed." Connor was grinning and laughing, until he saw the look of distress on Piper's face. She was absolutely crestfallen. "What's the matter? You don't think it's funny?" Connor tried to look Piper in the eyes, but she pushed him away and averted her gaze from his face. **What was I doing? I actually considered feeding off of Connor!** Her mind shouted at her. **He's not safe around me, no human is.** Piper's thoughts were flying through her head in a frenzy. **I don't want to put him in danger! If Adrian found out about us he'd do worse than kill Connor. Should I tell him the truth about what I am? I don't want to lie. He's my soulmate.** The word sent a tingling sensation through her undead heart. "Hello? Are you feeling okay, Piper? Is it the smoke from the pancakes? I'll open a window." Connor crossed the small kitchen and pulled the small window pane up a few inches. Piper was torn between what to do or say next. The burning was increasing and so was her desperation. She wanted, no needed, to tell Connor the truth. "Is that better? I'm sorry about making such a mess with breakfast. I'm starved. Do you want to get dressed really quick and head out for something to eat? I know this great bakery down the street. Awesome bagels." Connor picked up the spatula-microphone off the counter and set it in the sink. In that instant Piper's mind was made up. Connor should love her for who and what she was, or not at all. Unfortunately, she knew he wouldn't want anything to do with her once he knew the truth. He was going to hate her. "No, I don't want to go to the bakery." Piper said slowly, staring at the chipped blue tile floor. "You're not hungry?" Piper swallowed the blockade in her throat. "I am hungry, but not for bagels. Not for any kind of human food." Her eyes slowly came up to meet Connor's. His face was nervously confused, as if he wasn't sure whether to laugh or be concerned. "What do you mean?" "Connor, the dream that you had last night wasn't a dream. You were inside my mind and I was inside of yours." "That's not possible." His face was a mask of gravity. "There's this connection between us. It's called the Soulmate Principle. I never paid much attention to it before, but now I know that it's true. We're soulmates, Connor." Connor gave her a tentative smile. "Well, that's a sweet way of putting it. I have to admit that I've never felt this strongly this quickly for any other person before." Piper shook her head and tears came to her eyes. "No, you don't understand. Here, touch me." Connor slowly stretched out his left hand and stroked the side of her face. Sparks exploded not only where their flesh met, but in their minds as well. **It wasn't a dream.** Connor's thoughts were a sort of stunned wonder. **We're meant to be together. No one else is right for me but you.** Piper sent the loving thought as a caress to his mind. Connor's thoughts were strong, solid colors of blue, green, red, and yellow. He had led such a peaceful, satisfying life. A loving family, a solid education, and a life full of experiences. Piper's mind was a haven of pain in comparison. Her mother's death, the hurt of her father's hasty remarriage, and a childhood of neglect from a cold stepmother haunted her memories. **There's so much sorrow and pain.** Connor's thoughts in her mind were sad and compassionate instead of pitying. He went through her bad memories one by one and kissed away the hurt. It was as though Connor were sharing not only her memories, but the pain of them as well. Piper was so caught up in the feelings of love and healing, that she forgot to keep her guard up against her most recent memories of unhappiness - Adrian. Connor looked at the face of her warden with curiosity at first. **Who is this?** He carefully dug deeper into her psyche until he found the night she'd met Adrian. The night she'd become the monster she was. **No! ** Piper's voice called out in desperation to his thoughts, but it was too late. Connor saw everything. The little boy that Piper had murdered in her frenzy to feed upon waking from death. Adrian locking her inside the mansion and mocking her despair. Adrian branding her right wrist with the symbol of her new race. Adrian forcing her to love him and be his willing concubine. Piper's hope dying, her final acceptance of the life she was compelled to live. Piper's visits into the city to escape her life and the gradual freedoms Adrian gave her. The park where she often went to watch an old woman beat the tourists at chess. The day she saw Connor sit down at Miss Emma's table. It was the day her life changed irrevocably forever. Back in the small apartment kitchen, Connor yanked his hand back from Piper's face. His breathing was labored and there was sweat on his brow. "You.you're.Adrian, is that his name? He turned you into---" Connor made a sweeping gesture with his hand. "--- a vampire, yes. Everything you saw is true. Your girlfriend is one of the undead. Congratulations!" Piper bit her lip to keep from bursting into tears. A few escaped anyway and made paths down her cheeks. She bit so hard that blood welled up from her bottom lip. Almost instantaneously her fangs lengthened in hunger. Connor's eyes were fixated on her canines. He was slowly backing away from her towards the counter. It was a subconscious effort to protect himself, one that Piper doubted he even knew he was doing. The prey trying to get away from the hunter. Her heart felt like sandpaper as it beat inside her chest. "I'll leave now." She spoke softly with her heart in her eyes. "Wait." Connor hesitantly stepped forward and reached out a hand to her. "Don't go. Whatever you are, you're still my soulmate now and forever. I love you, Piper, don't leave." That was all the encouragement she needed to throw herself into his awaiting embrace. The tears flowed freely onto his chest, with her head tucked under his chin. "I'm so sorry, Connor, I'm so sorry." Piper chanted softly into his warm chest. He stroked her glorious blonde hair and tried to control his raging emotions. Fear, shock, love, and worry warred in his mind. Piper's thoughts were flowing through him as well. She was exhausted, bursting with love for him, and...hungry. Connor sensed the growing emotion inside of her. Piper felt the need to feed consuming her thoughts. She had to get out of there while she still could. Her hands quickly pushed against Connor's chest and she stumbled back. "I have to leave. I'm sorry, Connor. I have to feed." "Off of some poor, unsuspecting person in the street?" Piper winced from the disdain laced in his voice. "What would you have me do?" Connor slowly walked right up to her and put her hands on his broad shoulders. "Find a willing victim." "Connor, I could never ---" "Shhh, I want you to. I want to help you. Please let me." Piper knew it was futile to resist him when she was so close to breakdown. She kissed the side of his neck and then quickly punctured his tan skin. Connor's indrawn breath didn't slow Piper down. She hastily sucked at his life to fulfill her own. She could breathe again. Piper stepped back and caught Connor before he slid to the floor. He had a dazed expression on his face. She carried him to his bedroom and laid him across the forest green sheets. The same sheets they'd both been naked under mere hours before. Piper sat down on the bed next to Connor and stroked his hair. "Thank you." He smiled wanly at her and squeezed the hand in her lap. "Tell me about your world." Piper hesitated, knowing that once Connor knew everything his life would be in grave danger. Would she go that far to let him know the truth? "It's called the Night World." Piper began slowly and continued to run her fingers through his curly hair.