Disclaimer: I don't own Selene, Michael, or Kraven. Everyone else is mine!
Chapter Four: An Old Game
Her lips tasted of blood. They always did, but this time it tasted better than any wine he had ever sampled.
Selene moaned against Michael's mouth as his hands slid up her back under her shirt. Her own hands returned the favor, running over the muscles in his back.
A loud knock sounded, making them jump apart by reflex. For the past several months, they had avoided showing any affection in front of Selene's vampire relatives. But now that they were married, Michael felt a surge or irritation at the interruption on their wedding night.
Selene went to answer it, her Death Dealer mask fully in place. She opened the door and Michael saw that René stood on the other side.
"Hello Selene," she said, raising a gun. A loud shot ran out through Selene's rooms. Selene fell silently, knees giving out as she collapsed to the ground. Blood formed a pool around her, staining her clothes and the floor.
"Selene!" Michael shouted. He ran to her and—
—he sat bolt upright in bed, breathing heavily. He looked over at Selene, lying peacefully beside him. she was smiling slightly in her sleep and had somehow managed to arrange the covers so that one long, white leg stuck out and her bare shoulders were visible. He gazed at her, taking in her beauty. He debated whether he should kiss her awake for another round of love- making, or watch her sleep. He had almost decided to let her sleep when her smile suddenly became a frown and tears began rolling down her cheeks.
"Selene, wake up," he said urgently, wanting to wake her from her nightmare. He reached out and touched her shoulder and she woke with a gasp.
"Michael," she whispered. She sat up and leaned against him, sobbing. He stroked her back, murmuring reassurances against her hair.
When she stopped crying, they lay back down, still in each other's embrace.
"What happened?" Michael asked gently.
"I was dreaming," she whispered. "It was our wedding night and we were kissing. And then I...I bit you." She stopped and Michael wondered what it was that she wasn't saying.
"What's so bad about that?" he asked. "You've bitten me before."
"Not like this. This time...I...killed you."
Chris walked up the stairs back to Ravyn's apartment. He wondered what she was going to do while he was gone, thought he had a sinking feeling that he already knew. He hoped she wouldn't have to do what he already knew she did.
When he opened the door to her apartment, he saw Ravyn sitting on the floor with Cody's head in her lap. He was dead.
Ravyn looked up as the door opened and Chris saw the tear streaks on her cheeks.
He crossed the room to her in three easy strides and knelt down beside her. Without a word, he put his arms around her and she sobbed into his chest. Carefully, he maneuvered her so that she was no longer stuck beneath Cody's body. With her held so close against him, he could feel each shuddering breath she drew and wished desperately that there was something he could do, something he could say, that would make her feel better.
But he knew that there was nothing he could do. She had to get through this on her own. It pained him that he couldn't help her. He wished he could protect her from the pain and the hurt he knew she must be feeling.
But all he could do was hold her as she cried, hoping that know he was there would comfort her.
Kraven sat at a bar, drinking beer. He disliked beer intensely, but he had yet to find a bar that served blood. And it was easier to discover secrets when the bloke was rip-roaring drunk.
He had escaped to the Windy City twenty years ago to get away from the vampires he knew to be chasing him. He had resorted to crime to stay alive, posing under the name of Viktor. Two years ago, he had seen a girl whose name he later learned was Ravyn. He was convinced that she was Selene's daughter and that he could use her against Selene. The trouble was that she had some sort of mind control powers and he would have to find some way to prevent her from controlling his mind. And so he had taken to using beer to get information out of magic specialists. So far though, he hadn't heard anything that might prove useful, and tonight's old man seemed to be particularly stupid.
"So you don't know anything?"
"Nothing that you can use," the old man said. He spoke surprisingly clearly for someone so drunk. He had had at least eight beers and Kraven would be willing to bet that if he got off his bar stool he would collapse into a heap.
"What do you mean by that?" Kraven demanded, insulted.
"People with magic learn to control it on their own. They don't need your help."
"I don't think you understand me very well, old man," Kraven said threateningly. He opened his mouth to say more when a voice on the other side of him spoke.
"If you're looking for a way to prevent people working magic on you, I may have a proposition for you."
"I'm listening," Kraven said, the old man forgotten.
"Let me tell you about cold iron..."
"It's happened before too. I used to have dreams like this when I was pregnant with Ravyn. I thought they had gone but I guess not."
Michael sat up and looked steadily at her.
"You're angry aren't you?" Selene asked, sitting up as well.
"I'm surprised, not angry," he told her. "It was only a dream."
"But I—"
"Selene," Michael said firmly, placing his fingers on her lips. "I'm not mad at all." He took his fingers away and replaced them with his lips. He could feel her trembling against him and he caressed her back lovingly, trying to reassure her. She relaxed against him and opened her mouth under his. He obeyed her silent command, sliding his tongue into her mouth, brushing it against hers.
The kiss quickly erupted from a comforting one after a nightmare into a passionate prelude to love-making.
A/N: well well well. That was shorter than all my other chapters on this story, except for the first one I think. I hope it wasn't too disappointing. I've been at camp, as I said in my last chapter, and I met a boy there, and we're sort of in a long distance relationship now. We haven't made anything official, but still. So, as you can imagine, I've been a tad bit distracted.
Moose: 1. I do not like Seth. We've been through this many, many times. I killed him off, didn't I? 2. You told me when you edited that you didn't like the Other Worlds thing. You are allowed to change your mind, but if you want me to know that you have to TELL ME!!
Khayla: If Chris reminds you of another Chris, that's not my fault. Rachel said the same thing though. But still, I came up with the idea of Chris long before I met the other Chris. So he isn't based on anyone. Are you sure the Canadians haven't done anything to you?
Alexa.G: I'm glad you enjoyed it. It was sad, wasn't it? That was the intention, but I think you're the first to comment on it.
Lady K: As always, thanks for your review. I always look forward to them. I'm glad Ravyn's personality is coming out okay. I always worry about that. Let me know of your decision on Chris. Always nice to know what you (and other reviewers, hint hint) think about the intercharacteral (is that a word?) relationships. A lot of people (actually, just Moose and Rachel) have asked me if Chris has any powers. The answer is no. He is just a normal human being. As far as the Guild goes, they found her and offered her a job and she took it. Just out of an extreme burning curiosity, when do we get more on My Immortal?
Bladea: Not everyone knows about it. In fact, the majority of people don't. However, most of the characters in the story do know, because of Ravyn. Chris knows because they were partners. Jack knows about it, sorta, because its necessary to her work. Obviously, her parents know. Endainme En'Dae and Kestral know because of their friendship with Evelyn. Kraven knows because he's a sneaky little lying bad word.
Samara Morgan-Ring: kicks babbon face? That's an interesting expression. Here's an update, so don't sic Bob on me. (thanks for clearing up the bit about todoshi, I was really confused.)