Seventeen
Misprint jumped when the door opened and shifted around, eyes wide with terror, but relaxed slightly when she saw it was Gemini. The girl was panting slightly, she had just run up a few flights of stairs without stopping, and her curls were hanging limply. She brushed them from her face and tried a smile.
"Oh. Hey." Misprint breathed, pressing a hand to her chest. "You scared me."
"Sorry." Gemini apologised, shutting the door behind her. The pendant at her neck was still glowing, something that did not escape Misprint in the slightest. She furrowed her brows together.
"Nice necklace."
"It's a pendant. Shade gave it to me." She said. Misprint's eyes hardened at the sound of the girl she had just had a fight with, but bit her lip. She wasn't going to spoil Gemini's night, not if she could help it.
"It's nice." She repeated pointlessly.
"Why weren't you at the party?" Gemini said, sitting down next to her. Misprint sighed and turned her gaze back to the city. Gemini had a very acute, no-beating-around-the-bush way of getting at things, but she wished she had allowed a little insipid small talk for now. Misprint sighed and realised, with a grim smile, Gemini's night was going to be spoiled.
In truth of all truths, Misprint hated the sympathy she was getting. She wanted to be like the girl she was before she met Spot, but it felt as though that girl had died and was rotting inside of her. Nevertheless, she swiped at her eyes, and turned to Gemini with something that resembled a smile.
"Jus'…not ready. You know?"
"I know." Gemini said slowly.
"I don't think it's fair that the party is on the day of Stephen's funeral." Misprint suddenly burst out, her anger at Shade spilling over. "I mean, how are we mourning?"
"Misprint, we aint'…"
"Celebrating his death. I know, I know.." She said. "But we aren't exactly being respectful, either."
"No offence, Mis, but we didn't know him all that well." She said. "It was you that…well, I know you were in love with him…" Misprint turned and stared out at the horizon of the city. We didn't know him all that well. It was at that moment she realized. She wasn't one of them. No matter how much she tried, she was different now.
"Loved him." She corrected. "There's a difference."
"Loved him, then." Gemini said, not believing a word of it all the same. She had no doubts about the two crazy over each other, and she knew the whole school thought the same. "But sometimes things like this happen."
"No. No they don't. It's not natural!" Misprint burst out. "It's just not natural for a girl to go over to a guys dorm and find him on the floor with his throat torn out!"
"But it happened." Gemini stuck to her reasons. "And as much as…"
"You don't know what you're talking about." Misprint spat, standing and making for the door. Gemini stood too, and reached out to stop her friend.
"Mis!" She pleaded. "Just…lemme finish."
"It's like if Mondie died." Misprint turned around. "Pretend you came home and Mondie was lying on the floor with her throat torn out. Or Blink."
The last word hit Gemini, and she stopped, dead in her tracks, mouth agape. Misprint stood there, chin raised savagely. The witch tried to regain her wits.
"Then pretend." Misprint said slowly, her voice shaking with sobs. "That on the day of his funeral, your friends threw a party…"
"Misprint, don't be like that!" Gemini pleaded, going towards her. Misprint held up her hand.
"Don't you get it?" She yelled, her voice echoing across the courtyards. "Stephen is dead."
The minute she said the last word, Gemini could have fallen over backwards with surprise.
From all five of her fingers shot a stream of fire that pooled into the palm of her hand. Misprint wasn't even surprised, she just held her palm up, the fire burning brighter than any other flame the both of them had ever seen. Gemini stared at it, feeling her insides erupt in surprise.
It was obvious the fire was in her palm. But deep in her, she could sense fire as well. A fire much stronger, but caged. Begging to be released.
"Mis…" She whispered, eyes wide. "Mis…you're a…"
The door cracked open and a dark figure hurtled towards Misprint. Misprint spun around and her mouth dropped open in the effigy of surprise, as the figures own lips parted revealing to long, white fangs, cruelly pointed.
Gemini screamed and slapped two hands up against her mouth, her eyes widening painfully, but as the vampire reached Misprint, something extraordinary happened. The flames in her hand erupted into a single stream of bright red, ember hot fire that shot out and spiralled around the demon and held him there. Then, with a slight twitch of her fingers, the flames all simultaneously contracted and incinerated the vampire in a flash.
There was nothing left but a pile of dust on the top of the roof.
Misprint's eyes rolled up in her head and she fell into a dead faint.
The darkness of the night was impenetrable in the alley. Spot had left Jack there instead of out in the open street.
Jack's eyes shot open. The stars tilted and blurred above him. The only words he could hear in his mind were ones that Spot had whispered before he had grabbed his wrist and drank until he passed out.
Spot had just saved his life.
Or his unlife.
He swore and pushed the thought from his head. He could feel no blood in him, no inner warmth, yet he wasn't cold. He was just…neutral, even though the snow had soaked through his sweat shirt and jeans, and his eyes were almost frosted closed. Had there been tears?
He sincerely hoped not.
He groaned and pressed a hand to his temple, surprised to find no pulse, and suddenly, the pit of his stomach dropped.
I ain't a vampire, he thought, his brain pulsing with anger. It ain't possible. It ain't!
He brushed the hair back from his face and pulled the hood up, hoping against hope he wouldn't run into anyone he knew. Even though he doubted they'd be out at five in the morning. Usually, he would have wanted to have gone right to his bed and stayed there till midnight, but he found he didn't want to go to sleep.
Didn't need to go to sleep.
He took off running, even though he had just had his blood drained out of him and replaced with that of a vampire, and his head was still feeling as though it was slowly being turned inside out. But he ran faster than he had ever run in his entire life.
Dutchy and Bumlets were the first to leave, bar Chaos and Gemini. Dutchy glanced over at Shade and, with a wink, signified that they wouldn't be going back to their dorms. It was midnight, but the night was still fresh in their minds, and no doubt, the vampires. Shade nodded quickly, trying not to let too much on. Racetrack, even though he was rather sullen about the whole affair with Chaos, was as sharp as a knife, even if the knife had been used an excessive amount of times.
Chaos never returned. She spent a few more hours scouring the school, looking high and low, but there was no evidence of him anywhere. Her eyes were sharp for blood trails or bodies, ears perked for screams or cheap lines, but there was nothing. He must have split when he realised she was a slayer.
She had that effect on most vampires.
Mush and Mondie had opted for a late night stroll around the grounds, but Shade had hastily deterred them. She couldn't mention the obvious dangers in Racetrack's presence, so had tried to get around at the love sick couple in a vaguer way.
"No. There might be…er…dangerous people." She had said, her eyes going wide and her hands making nebulous circles. Mondie rolled her eyes.
"Yeah, yeah, yeah. A'right." She and Mush shared a last kiss before he left out the window to go back to his dorm, Blink following a little morosely. Gemini's ill timed departure had weighed down on him slightly, and to say that he was in as high spirits as Mush would be unfair.
Specs had been polishing his namesake for the past departures, but slid them on and adjusted the baseball cap he had worn to the party. He had then given a little salute to Shade, and was about to make somewhat of a clumsy exit out the window, when the door burst open.
Gemini was standing there, her curls out of their formation, finely lined eyes wide with terror.
"Gemini!" Shade exclaimed, stopping Specs in his tracks. He twisted his head around and quickly jumped down. "You look scared half to death!"
"It's Misprint!" She explained. Shade would have hardened at the words, but Gemini's tone clearly meant danger. Even though, they had just had an argument, Shade would never want Misprint harmed. "She's up on the roof, and she…"
"Fire?" Specs suddenly asked, his eyes blazing. Gemini choked back the words that were about to come out garbled, and nodded dumbly. "Where is she now?"
"Up on the roof! Like I said! An' she's all passed out…"
"Let's go." Shade said immediately, making her way towards the door.
When Misprint opened her eyes, she could only see the ceiling of the hallways, swaying and jarring back and forth as though she was one fucked up kid on a trampoline. Protruding at the top of her vision was the brim of a baseball cap and two wire frames…
"Specs!" She muttered thickly.
"Misprint! She's awake!" Specs hissed. Someone slapped a hand over her mouth to quiet her, and she obediently did so. She was too weak to try and resist anyways.
She realised, with a slight pit in her stomach, that they were carrying her. She was tipped onto her feet and had to reach out and grab Shade's arm to stop from pitching forwards onto the floor, which wouldn't make for silence.
She remembered everything in exact detail, and was having a hard time comprehending. The flames had come from her fingers, but how that was possible, she couldn't comprehend. But something about the steely set of Specs jaw line told her that he did, but it also told her that now was not the time for questions.
A quick glance around told her it was night time, the hallway was dark and empty looking. How long had she been out? She couldn't get the words passed Gemini's hand over her mouth, and had to be content with being rushed along to the dorm.
They finally managed to get to the dorm in complete silence. Gemini removed her hand from Misprints mouth and pushed it open. Misprint realised, with slight disgust in her stomach, that the floor was cleared off, and there were ribbons and brown paper strewn all over the floor. The party. She had forgotten. Shade didn't even glance her way, but kicked a path through the rest of the junk and pushed aside a few books on the bed. They deposited Misprint onto the mattress, but her energy had reappeared, and with a snap. She sat up immediately.
"What happened?" She demanded.
"That's what I want to know." Gemini said meaningfully, looking at Specs.
"All me books is back in me dorm!" He apologised. His eyes caught on the lap top that Shade and Misprint had stolen from the computer lab. "But could I use that?"
"By all means." Shade said, sweeping out her arm in a mock butler gesture. He nodded and opened it quickly. Gemini went over and leaned over his shoulder, her eyes flicking over the new windows he opened up.
Shade hesitated, then went over and sat next to Misprint, who avoided her gaze. A long, awkward silence passed, except for the clicking of the mouse and keys as Specs tried to find what he was looking for.
"I'm sorry we had a fight today." Shade finally said, allowing herself to bite it. Misprint raised her eyebrows. Shade was quite proud, as was herself, and both had a hard time apologising, especially to each other. But since she had done so, Misprint could take the plunge as well.
"I am too." She said softly. The two girls smiled, then jumped as Specs gave a cry of victory.
"Ahha." He grinned, stopping as a picture and a long paragraph loaded on the screen. Misprint and Shade looked up, and quickly stood, making their way over to the desk, where he and Gemini were already reading.
The picture was quite detailed. It was the kind that usually depicted busty, women warriors scantily clad in rough looking hides, weilding spears and sticking out their chests importantly. This one had long, dark swirling hair and bright red eyes. Her clothing was basically scraps of some silvery looking stuff, and body was slim and tightly muscled. Focused between her hands was a ball of fire that seemed to burn through the computer screen. Misprint whistled under her breath.
"If I looked like her, all my troubles would be over." She muttered. Shade elbowed her to shut her up, but couldn't help smiling a little. It sounded more like the old Misprint, instead of the new, scared one, who lived in constant fear and self pity.
"She's a fire mage." Specs said, and fell silent, as though this explained everything.
"And?" Gemini prompted.
"And she's one of the four elementals." He hurriedly confirmed. "Fire, water, earth, and air. Or wind."
"Elementals?" Misprint asked, furrowing her brows. "You mean…"
"I mean I think you're her." He said, traces of excitement detectable in his voice. She nodded, her brows still pulled together, but a few gleams of dawning in her eyes. Shade squinted as Specs proceeded to read the text out loud.
"A fire mage deals strictly in her own element, for trying to wield any other powers could exponentially damage her own. At first, her powers are akin to her emotions. As fire is the symbol of strength and anger, when the mage is extremely enraged, she can control an inexplicably great force."
"Don't!" She blurted, her hand shooting up and grabbing at his wrist. To both their surprise, she held fast, her fingers tightening until they throbbed. Spot jerked his hand backwards, but her fingers remained tight as ever, as persistent as ever. He glanced at her with a look that resembled perplexity, and tried to press his hand forwards towards her face, but she resisted, pressing back just as strongly.
"Whether it be towards a human or an object."
Misprint scowled at her so ferociously, she felt like she would do something spectacular, like set something on fire, or burn Shade to a crisp. A pile of ashes on the ground. With an angry growl, she turned, wrenched the door open, and then left, slamming it behind her.
Shade jumped as the knob crunched away from the door and flew across to the other side of the room.
"Only around Winter Solstice do they take the burden of fire on their shoulders, even if it is unknown to them at first. The strength they control is slowly replaced by the ability to shoot flame and ember."
From all five of her fingers shot a stream of fire that pooled into the palm of her hand. Misprint wasn't even surprised, she just held her palm up, the fire burning brighter than any other flame the both of them had ever seen. Gemini stared at it, feeling her insides erupt in surprise.
It was obvious the fire was in her palm. But deep in her, she could sense fire as well. A fire much stronger, but caged. Begging to be released.
"They're first attacks can leave them drained, sometimes with not even enough energy to stay conscious."
Misprint's eyes rolled up in her head and she fell into a dead faint
"Along with that, they develop a very small form of telepathy, but can only radiate emotion, most likely anger."
'Spot'. She thought suddenly, with a venom coursing through her veins that she had never felt before. S'tay away from me. I don't care where you are, or what you're planning. But stay the hell away from me.'
"Mages tend to be strong willed, unless they're family or friends are in danger."
"Hurt…hurt…" he repeated, rolling his eyes heavenwards "How's this for hurt? Shade lying on your dorm room floor with her throat ripped out." His tone was careless.
Misprint said nothing. He released her and stepped back. A silence passed between them, as she stared in the opposite direction. Her eyes flicked up to Shade, still sitting up with Racetrack, watching him flip a record onto the turn tables with ease. She seemed to be bantering him about something, grinning, eyes flashing. She looked so beautiful. Spot's whispers reached her ears, despite the pounding music.
"So. You comin' or not?" He asked softly. Terrified into submission, she followed him from the gym.
"They have no sympathy for those wallowing in self pity, however, can get obsessive over their own tragedies."
Misprint had lost that spark she had that allowed her to do those crazy things. She hadn't worn rainbow socks in what seemed like forever, and spiking her hair just didn't seem that big a deal any more. She didn't care what she looked like, didn't care what people thought, only wallowed in this pool of self pity and depression, a spiral that sucked her downwards.
Misprint blinked and brushed a strand of hair away from her face. Specs words came rushing back to her. The four slayers, the witch, the elemental, and the god incarnate.
"We just gotta find us our god incarnate." She whispered. She sat down on her bed, eyes turned inward with thought. Her face showed no evident traces of humour, only this blank surprise and even confusion. Shade frowned. Again, the dead Misprint was showing through. The old Misprint would have been jumping around the room and trying to set things on fire.
She shook the thought out of her head as Specs finished the explanations and, for lack of better things to do, cleaned his glasses again on his shirt tail. Shade sighed and exchanged glances with Gemini. Both were weary from the party, and both were weary from all the explanations and fitting things together.
"I'll walk you both back to your dorms." She offered, feeling that she didn't want to stay in the same room with Misprint until the girl had sorted out her feelings and until they had both thought up less embarrassing ways to go into their apologies.
"Sounds good." Gemini shrugged. "I guess Mondie's asleep by now."
"Won't you get caught?" Specs asked practically. Shade rolled her eyes at him, and he sighed. "Right. Okay, sounds cool."
"I'll be…here." Misprint said, even though she didn't have to. Where would she go?
Most preferred not to answer that question.
"A'right." Shade said, with a small smile. Misprint returned it, but again, she seemed hollow. For a few moments, they had glimpsed the wry humour she once possessed. Now she was like a corpse again.
They left in solemn silence.
"Did you hear what she said?" Gemini whispered. "It sounded like her old self."
"Perhaps," Specs began, and both fell silent. "With her new physical strength, emotional strength with follow."
"So the old Misprint will come back?" Shade asked hopefully.
"Time will tell." He replied grimly. The whole conversation was conducted in whispers, so as not to disturb the rest of the school.
Shade squinted as a small figure came into view at the end of the hallway. By the smooth, yet jerky movements and pointed hair, they recognised it as Chaos.
"That you, Shade?" She hissed.
"It's me. Back from slaying?" Shade asked, going forwards to meet her. Chaos nodded grimly, her eyes were set with determination, the trio could even see it in the dark.
"You could put it that way. Ran into two of them."
"Where?"
"Inside."
Gemini looked up, her eyes alert.
"One of 'um I dusted easily. He was a nervous looking guy. The other disappeared, but I don't know if he went back to the hell hole he came from, or if he's still here."
"He's dust." Gemini butted in. Chaos turned and gave her a suspicious look. "We'll explain later."
"Just so long as he ain't out and about. Or…in and about." Chaos contradicted herself confusingly. She shook her head. "A'right. But I want a full explanation in the morning. And so will Dutch and Bums, once they hear about it."
"And Jack." Shade added, almost silently. Specs nodded, but didn't look her way. She sighed and her shoulders slumped. In the excitement, she failed to notice that Jack hadn't been present. His absence from the party didn't ruin it, but it gave her an undercurrent of grief.
"I'm toining in." Chaos murmured, brushing the hair out of her eyes which, Gemini noticed sadly, were already etched with lines of age. "This night's been a long one."
"Amen to that." Specs confirmed as she sauntered past them, towards her dorm. Gemini turned and opened her own, pressing a finger to her lips when she saw the darkness that spilled from the insides.
"See you guys tomorrow. Tell Mis sweet dreams for me, a'right?"
"Sure thing." Shade said abruptly. Gemini smiled and shut the door softly behind her. In her exhaustion and haste to get to her bed, she didn't notice Mondie's fingertips glowing a soft, white blue.
Specs and Shade continued down the steps. The window would have been an easier route, but she wasn't too eager to suggest it to Specs, who might not have the best of footing. And with the snow and ice that coated the window sills, it was necessary to maintain balance. Otherwise you'd have all of hell to pay.
And a broken neck just in time for Christmas.
"This is weird." He murmured, his eye brows furrowed. She frowned.
"What's weird?"
"When the council sent the slayers to New York, they had no idea that their witch and elemental were there already."
"Or me." Shade said, remembering the way he had particularily reacted to her strength.
"Or you." To her dismay, she realised she was surrounded by all these supernatural beings with a purpose and a destiny, and she was just some kid with weird strength.
All except for Mondie, who was just a kid with weird ears.
But the questions had to stop when they reached the bottom floor. Mrs. Mayen's room was right off the main hallway, and even in her sleep, she could hear things from a mile away. They could hear soft snoring coming from her main bedroom and, taking this as a go-ahead signal, they rushed out the doors, into the cool night air.
Shade shivered. She was still dressed up in the Santa Claus getup, which worked for the man himself, because he wasn't wearing it as a miniskirt. Specs saw it and smirked.
"You shoulda put on something warmer."
"No, you just want me to put on something a little more decent." She replied. "You prig."
"Did I say that?" He said lightly. From him, it sounded like the sleaziest of pick up lines. She flushed and wrapped her arms tighter around herself.
The moon lit the snowy scene, and it looked as though with the flash of a camera, it could be the perfect Hallmark Christmas card. The dirty buildings of the city didn't ruin the view, and the bushes trimmed with white icing and the pale substance spread over the grass like a fresh sheet did warm her heart slightly, if it didn't chill her flesh.
"Can we hurry?" She moaned, teeth on edge and chattering. "I don't know how Mis was able to stand the weather up on the roof."
"She's a fire elemental." Specs reminded her.
"Oh yeah."
"Shh. I don't know if Kloppman's still awake." He cautioned. She obediently fell silent. Even though Kloppman could be lenient, he didn't enjoy being awoken in the middle of the night, and his suspicions would definitely be aroused by a girl in a short micro skirt gallivanting into the boys dorms.
They crept up to the floor on which it seemed all her friends resided. Mush and Blink near the end, Racetrack and Dutchy, even though he was out slaying, Bumlets and Specs, and Jack. She eyed his dorm room door with supposition. Imagine he didn't go to the party after slaying…was too worn out…was roughed up…imagine he just went right to his own dorm and fell asleep…
She faithfully walked Specs up to his own door and nodded a good night to him.
"You didn't have to walk me back." He said pointlessly.
"I figured Mis would want some time to herself." Shade said. He nodded. It was a good reason. He gave a little two fingered salute.
"Merry Christmas Shade." He offered. She smiled.
"Merry Christmas, Specs." The door was shut, and she found her eyesight was straying from it to the one next to it.
Stephen Carter.
She slowly moved towards it and placed her hand on the knob. She had never been here, but Misprint would have. Thousands of times. All the times she had those injuries, instead of simply waiting for Shade to get back, she had to climb out the window, brave the fire escape and window ledge climb, dash across the snow, up another fire escape, through Racetrack's dorm without waking him up, down the hall, and to this dorm where he would be waiting.
It boggled the mind.
She opened it a crack and shivered. The window had been left open, and the cold air had filled the room up with dangerous misgivings. She opened it a little wider and saw, with revolt, the blood wasn't coming out of the carpet.
She closed the door.
Misprint lay back on her bed, staring at the ceiling. She could feel her doubt about this new thing about her slowly ebb away, and she realised she might enjoy this new power. If she ever learned how to use it properly. The knowledge that she could have charred Gemini there and then still burned inside of her, and she felt guilty, even though it hadn't happened.
She knew, somehow, that Spot wouldn't visit her again. Not unless it was completely necessary. And she doubted anything would be necessary enough to show his face at St. Mary's again. She was that angry at him.
She stared at her hands and could almost see the fire radiating in the palms. She touched her fingers together, and smiled as they tingled with heat and anticipation. Remembering Gemini's wicca palooza over the school, she realised she had better not try anything. Burning down the girls dorm would definitely not be the equivalent of a Merry Christmas.
She remembered, suddenly, running into the living room and shouting with glee when she saw her stocking filled to the brim, saw the lights twinkling on the Christmas tree, saw her parents…
She firmly rolled over and shut her eyes. The Christmas complacency that might have luminated her spirits for a moment died, and she fell asleep.
Shade opened the door to Jacks dorm and hesitantly peered inside. He kept it so neat, it was a wonder he didn't go insane. School books and assignments were line up perfectly on the shelves, along with a little Post-it note, proclaiming if anything was due that day. There were no clothes on the floor, nor strewn over the bed, and the sheets were pulled flat and were bare of wrinkles.
She closed the door behind her and flicked on the light. No sign of Jack anywhere. In fact, the dorm looked almost uninhabited except for the few run of the mill teenage boy objects on the dresser and the homework.
She thought of the long climb or walk back up to her dorm, thought of Misprint sitting on the bed with that thoughtful frown, thought of Jack returning and finding her in his dorm…wearing a tight skirt…Merry Christmas?
She was so tired. The bed looked incredibly inviting, even if he wasn't in it, and it definitely beat falling into her own and finding last years assigments burried in the jungle of sheets she had unknowingly created.
With a yawn, she kicked off her wet, cold "Santa boots" and crawled into his bed, enjoying the feel of the warmth it gave off, even if no one had occupied it for a day. She curled up into a tight ball and tucked herself under the covers, feeling sleep envelope her completely and almost immediately.
"Merry Christmas Shade." She whispered to herself.
Spot barged into the lair, teeth chattering horribly, and eyes rampant. Rosie and Trip were seated near the doorway, cards dangling from their fingers, looking as apathetic as the devil himself.
"Where you been?" Rosie asked, mock housewife. "Dinner's gettin' cold."
"Shaddup!" He snapped, wrenching off his shirt which was drenched in snow and throwing it into the corner of the hallway. She looked up with an indignant glare.
"Merry Christmas to you too, you grinch!"
"Don't test me Rosie!" He yelled, stalking towards her and shoving a finger in her face. She didn't so much as blink, but glared at him. "Jus'…don't…"
"Whassa matter?" Trip asked, putting his cards down. In truth of all truths, he hadn't really been concentrating on the game, he was too busy ogling Rosie. But it bothered him to see his master all put out. "What happened out there?"
"Didn't get anyone?" Rose asked sympathetically.
He pressed two fingers to his temples, and his eyes flashed pain. Real pain. Human pain. Rosie's eyes widened and she jumped to her feet.
"You didn't."
"Too late."
"Who?"
"Jack."
"Kelly?"
"The ripper."
"Too bad. I liked his style."
"Of course Jack Kelly!" He snapped, turning and storming away. Trip and Rosie stared after him, dumbfounded, as he stalked through the main room and up the staircase towards his own room.
"You're kidding." Slade had the messenger by the throat, and was slowly digging his fingers into the vampires esophagus. Breathing wasn't mandatory to these creatures, but when one's throat is being slowly penetrated by your leaders fingers, it's easy to imagine that it does cause a great deal of pain.
"I ain't kiddin' you, Slade!" He promised, through choked vocal chords.
"You realise I do shoot the messenger?"
"Slade, lemme go!" He pleaded, his face turning paler than usual. Slade tilted his head to one side and studied the pathetic minion. Then, with a sneer of disgust, he let go, letting the demon fall to his feet.
"You can tell I'm upset when I let you get away with that." He muttered, feeling his fists curl upon themselves in anger. The boy frantically massaged at his neck, trying to get his throat back into shape, taking huge gulps of air, just for reassurance.
"Edge is dead. Along with Rex." He repeated, staggering up right as Slade glanced over his shoulder, he didn't want to appear weak, even though Slade knew it, beyond a doubt. "One staked. One burned."
"Burned?" Slade raised an eyebrow. The boy nodded.
"Burned."
"By whom?" Slade asked, turning back around and staring out the window. The boy gulped and tensed himself to run, in case Slade should find the news distressing.
"The girl."
Jack's hand rested heavily on the doorknob, and he paused, with faint glimmerings of a smirk about his lips. Shade was inside. He could tell that much by just touching the door, just being in the vicinity of his room.
He hated this new power. He wanted it out of him, wanted it gone for good. There was no way he'd be able to keep it a secret for long. How lengthy a time period would it be before they noticed that he had no heart beat? Didn't eat as much as he used to? Disappeared for long periods of time during slaying? Had fangs for crying out loud?
Granted, they weren't long when he wasn't in the mood to feed, and he was grateful for that. He found the idea of Shade sleeping in his dorm produced a strange longing inside of him, and it frightened him.
He didn't want to hurt anyone. But at the same time, he wanted to…
He cursed Spot viciously in his mind. He knew as well as anyone who knew Jack that he'd rather die than become what he hunted every night. How was he supposed to kill off his own kind now? Without anyone noticing him hesitate?
He slowly pushed open the door, the darkness of the room not bothering him in the slightest. He could see everything. Night vision. He closed the door behind him as softly as possible, and shucked off his sweat shirt, which was still soaked with snow and covered in blood. He hastily buried it in the "wash" bin, hoping his other clothing would muffle the scent of blood that Shade would easily be able to pick up on.
She stirred slightly in her sleep, and he jumped, knowing that if she woke up, stared at him with those big mahogany coloured eyes, she'd be impossible to resist. And he knew he wasn't one for will power.
He glanced out the window at the serene, snow coloured setting of the city. The dorms were set far away enough so that the traffic noises couldn't reach them, and it made him feel cut off.
From life.
He sat on the edge of the bed, feeling his skin crawl with the longing to peel back the covers and see her throat…even touch it. Just to touch it with one of his fingers…that pale, white skin the colour of ivory…he clenched his hands together and bit the inside of his lip.
He spent the rest of the night staring at the small form of his girlfriend curled peacefully under his sheets.
When she woke up, he had long since gone down to the chapel for the early morning services, and there was no sign he had been there at all.