Uh yeah, here's chapter 11 hope you enjoy.


Chapter 11. Solace in Strangers

Spencer.

Fate has it in for me, now I've got to stay at Jurgen Castle!

Kai just phoned me at Alden's shop and told me about the leaks, Ian wailing in the background.

So now I have to walk to Robert's castle, brilliant! -note the sarcasm. Things are awkward between us as it is. From me nearly screwing him to me falling asleep on his shoulder after blubbing my heart out into his shirt oh, not to mention the nude model bit that started this whole disaster off!

Will I ever be truly happy?

"Spence, you're doing it again." Alden snapped me out of my thoughts, again.

"Sorry Alden, it's my twenty-first day after tomorrow, I'm in love with a guy that is most likely straight and make a prat of myself in front of him on numerous occasions. And now I have to stay at his place until the burst pipes in my home are fixed and everything redecorated and that can take weeks."

"Well if he likes you back, you'll have that time to find out. Spen, life's a bitch and everyone gets a tough ride, ok, you and some of your friends more than most, but things will get better. I assure you." I wish I had his way of thinking. "I thinking of closing up in a minute, it's pretty much dead around here now."

I checked the clock, it's approaching seven, and it'll take me half an hour just to get to Robert's if I walk, yippee.

"Yeah, if I get walking now I might make it before it gets to dark."

"He lives in that castle right?"

"Yeah." I sighed, another reason he'll never want me, he's rich and got a fancy title to uphold.

"Come on, I'll give you a lift."

"Are you sure Alden, it's not out of your way is it?" I asked as I reached up at the front and pulled the shutter down.

"Not at all my friend." This guy is a total gem. "Remember the day we met?" Random question.

"Do I ever." I laugh. Ian had thrown a tantrum because Kai wouldn't let him have a CD he wanted from this shop and I was the one that had to calm him down. Alden had come along and gave him some sweets and introduced himself to us, I had profusely apologised for disrupting his shop. 'He's not the first.' he had said, and temporarily closed the shop, it's because of Alden I have the guitar.

"Have you still got that electric guitar I gave you?"

See?

"Yeah, I've actually managed to learn a couple of songs as well."

"Well done, you and I should do a duet sometime." I've heard this guy play, he's totally awesome.

"Really, that would be so cool." he grinned at my reply as we headed to his car. Whoa! A green 1966 Mustang convertible. Tala's been busting blood vessels trying to find one these, but in metallic blue.

"You ok Spen?" huh? Oh get in the car.

"Yeah, sorry." I got in, bloody hell it's like lying down!

We spent the journey talking about which song we were going to do should we ever do the duet. Alden said he'd get back to me with the final decision, The Goo Goo Doll's 'sympathy' sounds like a likely one.

"Pull up here Alden, I'll walk up." I said as we pulled up to the front gate.

"You sure?" Alden, you worry too much.

"Yes I am." I got out of the car. The walk will do me good. I waved goodbye to Alden and stepped through the gate.

I had got two thirds of the way up when I heard a loud scream.

Johnny better not be tickling Nicky again. I'm getting protective of her like Robert is.

Nice to know we have something in common.

Gustav let me in and directed me to one of the bedrooms. I walked in to see everyone had congregated there and assumed it was Nicky's.

Robert, Bryan and about every other male blader was glaring at what looked like four teens too early for Halloween. A Vampire, Mummy, Werewolf and what looks like Frankenstein's grandson. Then I heard a shaky sigh, Nicky was huddled up on the bed, holding onto Fudge and stroking her fur.

"What the bloody hell is going on?" I demanded, everyone jumped and turned to me.

"Hi Spencer. We had a quartet of uninvited guests and they scared the daylights out of Nicky." Thanks Ray that explains the scream.

"We said we were sorry." Dracky boy's even got the fangs.

"Can it Sanguinex!" Wow, I've never seen Robert so mad.

"Spence, these are the Dark Bladers, Sanguinex, Centopath, Lupinex and Zomb. We first met them in the Channel Tunnel." I remember you mentioning them before Kai.

"Charmed I'm sure." The werewolf's an Aussie, a sarcastic one at that, he just bowed to me.

"That didn't give you permission to move werewolf!" Johnny's really mad, I'm not surprised, they did frighten his girlfriend.

"What are you doing here anyway?" Enrique, put the blade down. Beyblade, not sword for clarification.

"Can't we visit from time to time?" Sanguinex, stop looking at my Robert like that before you lose your fangs. Great, now I'm getting possessive.

"Not when you appear in a girl's bedroom in a state of undress!" Johnny, I don't think Nicky wanted that broadcasted. She's wrapped in a blanket for gods sakes! I walked over to her and gave her my jacket. Wary of Dracky boy the whole time.

"Thanks Spencer." she could wear my jacket as a dress, it's swamps her. I nodded and stood beside Robert, ready to break that vampire's face in if he tries anything.

"Johnny, see to your girlfriend." Don't argue with him Johnny, he's mad enough.

"Robert I'm fine." She's sounds ok, maybe the initial shock has worn off, she sure she wasn't in the abbey?

"Nick, they've just frightened the heck out of you." no shit Tyson.

"I bounce back quickly." Tell me about it. "Just leave it, the apology was sincere and I'm fine, now get out so I can get something on!" Yep, she's fine.

The minute we all bailed out Johnny pounced on Lupinex.

"Stupid fuckin wolf!" Contrary to belief, I don't like violence, just explosions. With a growl I lifted Johnny off him.

"He's not worth the energy McGregor."

"I said I was sorry, we didn't mean to frighten the little Sheila." Who ever thought of a werewolf being sorry? I didn't.

"I can't be doing with the hostility. Sanguinex, if you can keep wolfie here under control then I have no qualms about you being here, how long for anyway?" Robert, you were geared up to rip his fangs out a minute ago.

"Just a few days if you don't mind."

"Ok, fine, just don't try anything or I might just take great pleasure in setting Griffolyon on you, again."

"That's if I don't get to him first." Nicky, if I knew better I'd say you were related to Bryan or Kai.

"Understood." Good.

"You guys will have to use the room you stayed in before, it's probably dusty as you like it now anyway." Wait, they've stayed here before?

Robert, you and I are going to have a serious talk. Gah, I make it sound like we're married.

I'm definitely taking that vacation, just got to decide where now.

0o0o0o0o

I'm now on the balcony in my pyjamas, letting Seaborg spin on the floor, he usually acts as a fancy metronome nowadays, he must be ashamed of being my partner now.

"Penny for your thoughts?" Huh? Oh hi Zomb. His blade joining mine.

"Love's a confusing emotion." I can't be bothered to guard my feelings right now, I'm on an emotional low. Robert's not talking to me, I think he needs to cool down.

"There's various degrees of love, it helps to be specific." eh? "Love for a friend or pet, love for a family member, or love for someone as a potential life partner." this coming from a Zombie.

"The first two I'm ok with, it's the life partner one that's doing my bloody head in." I looked at my slippers, I hadn't notice they were embroidered, Kenny got them for me last Christmas.

"I had noticed."

"Huh?" I looked at Zomb, OW! Whiplash.

"You looked like you were going to drive a stake through my leader's heart when he looked at your dear Lord Jurgen."

"Don't put words in my mouth, he's not mine." That twisted the heart. I'm talking to a Zombie about my problems, I meet some of the world's strangest people.

"Heart wrenching isn't it?" Is this guy reading my thoughts or feelings or something? "Relax, I'm not psychic, I can read it in your face and I've been there myself."

"You have?"

"I didn't always look like this. When I was cursed I had to leave everything behind, everything, and that broke my heart."

I never thought about these guys being normal people.

"Spencer, do me and yourself, a favour and get the man of your dreams." He's right I guess, he's lucked out but that doesn't mean I should.

"I'll do my best." And that's a promise.

"Good." Have you ever seen a Zombie smile? I just did.

I need to see Tala.

Robert POV.

I think everyone's gone to bed, save Sanguinex. He's just sitting there on the sofa in front of me. I wish he would turn into a bat and take off to his room or something.

"You seem troubled my lord."

"I'm not a lord, that's my father. And yes, I've been troubled these past few weeks." Great, I'm beginning to poor my heart out to someone I
was telling to shut up two hours ago.

"And I know who by." I hate the smug fanged smile.

"Do tell." If I let him have this he might leave me alone.

"That beefcake Russian."

That's MY beefcake Russian!

"If you don't get your fangs into him soon, I might give it a try myself." I stare at him, he looks like a demented cat. I bubbled over at that comment.

"Listen to me now Sanguinex, you lay a finger - or fang - on Spencer, and I will personally ram a stake through that heart of yours." Ouch, that was harsh, even for me.

But I think fang-features got the point, gah! Bad pun!

"Point taken, sheesh, you think you were actually with him." cranky vampire.

"Don't you have some rafter to hang upside down on?" cranky me.

"I see I hit a nerve."

"Sanguinex..." I will not punch him, I will not punch him.

"Sang, you being a nocturnal pain in the arse again?" Lupinex, and Nicky?

"Does Johnny know you're with him?" I asked.

"Yes Robert he does, he was with us a second ago, these two have buried the hatchet." makes you wonder where though.

"They've been rivals for six years!"

"They're both hotheads, simple. I made them calm down with Hilary's help and now they're ok. Lupi's alright when he's not miffed." Lupi?

Oh my lord she's scratching his head like he's a dog, this girl is not of this world.

And he's enjoying it!

"You two look oddly alike when you gawk like that." I do not look like Sanguinex! Stupid werewolf.

"He's right you know." Johnny! And you're eating a sandwich without a plate!

That's it, I'm off to bed.

"I'm off to bed." I stood up, glaring at the four of them. "Don't bite anyone." I pointed to Sanguinex, idiot.

"Don't claw the furniture." Lupinex, fur ball.

"Don't make too much mess with that." stupid mucky Scot and his stupid sandwich.

"And..." I faltered for something to say to Nicky, who's trying not to laugh. "Goodnight, just don't beam down any aliens." I just want to sleep!

"Night Rob." she hugged me around the middle. She's trying not to crack up. I'm the idiot. "Calm down, you'll bust a blood vessel." I think I have already. And I'm off to bed.

Normal POV.

"This thing's driving him crazy, he'll confess or burst." Johnny smirked.

"Don't talk with your mouth full." Nicky sighed. "Come on Lupi, let's comb your fur and find you lot masks, party's in two days!" And she ran out of the room, dragging Lupinex with her.

"I don't know who to be more worried about, you lot or her." Johnny said to Sanguinex.

"She's right, don't talk with your mouth full, it's disgusting to watch."

Robert POV again

"All the women tripping over themselves be become your girlfriend and you're still single." Gah! I turned to see Tala leaning against the doorframe to his room.

"What do you want Tala?"

"Nothing, apart from an answer as to why."

"I have no interest in girls in that way. As friends, yes, sister figures... yes." I've got Nicky haven't I? "As a girlfriend or wife? Not a chance."

"Ok fine, that's all I wanted to know." What's he up to? Oh to hell with it.

"Night Tala." and I proceeded to my room.

Spencer POV.

After my talk with Zomb I came to see Tala in his room, I told him what I had told Kai and that I was deluding myself because Robert was straight.

Then the bastard went and asked him as he was heading to bed!

At least Hilary was a bit more sympathetic with the 'you never know' speech. It's alright for her, she confided in Tyson of all people, Tala in Kai, Tyson and Kai talk, shoved them in a cupboard and they're making out ten minutes later.

"I have no interest in girls in that way. As friends, yes, sister figures... yes. As a girlfriend or wife? Not a chance." Robert's voice echoed into the room.

He doesn't like girls, that means he's gay, that means my bumbling around wasn't totally for nothing!

I need to sleep and rethink my options.

Ah bugger I've got work all day tomorrow and on my birthday! Damn Alden.

Thanking Tala and threatening that I'd kill him if he did that again. I headed to my room. Next to Nicky's funnily enough.

I popped my head in and was surprised to see Nicky combing Lupinex's fur... and Johnny's helping! What happened to wanting to kill each other, Nicky probably.

"Did you want something Spencer?" she's really beginning to spook me now.

"Yeah, I just came to say goodnight to you. So, uh, goodnight."

"Night." was the simultaneous reply and Johnny's addition of "What do you do all day, sleep in a bush?" to Lupinex. Probably does but I didn't stick around to find out.

I think Nicky and Johnny have just gained a new pet.

And I've gained a new sense of hope.


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