Author Note:

A brief pause from hibernation~

I apologize for the sudden lapse in updates; with school work and plans for the ever-evanescent "future" I had little time to write (T.T) let alone sleep...

Hopefully, the next chapter will come shortly! Until then, I thank everyone who has constantly supported me with reviews! You guys are absolutely wonderful!!

Chapter 24: Friction

"Don't touch me!" Meliah hissed as Cecilia made a blatant attempt to attack her. Cecilia felt the fluttery fabric of Meliah's nightshift rustle against her poised fingers. She clenched her fist angrily and coiled her body.

"You will have other things to worry about when I'm through with you! You filthy-"

Without a second's hesitation, Meliah sidestepped Cecilia's second lunge and struck her ferociously. Cecilia felt a cold slice of air rip bottom of her corset.

"I told you not to touch me," Meliah whispered venomously. Cecilia let out a growl of frustration. Meliah was quick, cold, and calculating. Cecilia could not imagine a more cumbersome combination.

"If you have some silly notion in that vapid head of yours – if you think you can use Beaux like a convenient little canteen – think again!" Cecilia said shrilly. She could feel her inner fluids almost boiling with her ire.

"If Beaux offers," Meliah sang with a coy smile, "I shan't refuse him." With a soft subtle movement, Meliah hopped across Beaux's inanimate form casually.

Cecilia took this opportunity to grab Meliah's thin neck between her eager hands. Meliah cried out in surprise as Cecilia's grip constricted uncomfortably, choking off the oxygen.

"I can't think of too many things you can do in this position," Cecilia gloated, "But why don't we start with an apology?"

Meliah's eyes, for a moment, had lost their malicious gleam. A dim, underlying current of fear swam around the rims of her brilliant irises before a new expression of amusement appeared triumphantly. She tried to laugh, but Cecilia brought her fingers tighter across her neck, reminding her that death resided but a snap ahead.

Cecilia watched satisfactorily as Meliah spluttered through giggles and disjointed sentences.

"Do what you want!" Meliah spat smugly.

"I will-"

"But if you hurt me, you'll only be hurting your precious Beaux," Meliah finished happily. She felt Cecilia's icy hands loosen rapidly. "So hurt me!"

Cecilia knew Meliah was right. She felt her stomach squirm uncomfortably when she saw Beaux, still mangled on the stone. As much as she hated Meliah, she could not bring herself to hate her cousin. He was still so young and naive. It was not his fault entirely…

"Have it your own damn way!" Cecilia retorted but not without giving her opponent a smack across the right cheek.

Meliah chuckled and got unsteadily to her feet. "See! I knew-"

Cecilia couldn't hear about what Meliah really knew because next minute, the poor girl had collapsed – her words a zephyr of whispers.

The warm sunlight was scrambling from behind the grey clouds, and the rays stroked the back of Cecilia's neck with a foreign gentleness. Morning already? Cecilia wondered. She did not like the idea of having to move around in broad daylight, let alone with the bodies of two unconscious individuals. Yet how she got them safely to the mansion was still a vague mystery.

"Wake up!" Cecilia hissed as she poked Beaux's rib cages mercilessly.

His eyes snapped open, but they were red around the rims and permeated with exhaustion. "Sisi!" Beaux exclaimed. "Ow!" – his arm jumped to his knee – "My legs would appreciate some circulation. Thank you."

"Right," Cecilia murmured sheepishly as she stood up. "I already called the carriage. I also took the liberty of packing your clothes. We need to leave immediately!" She shot Meliah's sleeping form a malicious glare. "The faster we can figure out what's wrong with that – that thing – the faster we can go back to living our lives."

Beaux could barely make out Cecilia's words. His body was sore at every angle, and she was talking as though she was trying to squeeze all her sentences through a very small hole. Her lips were nearly immobile as she continued to speak. "Here, put these on. And these, too. It will get colder from here."

"Are we going to the House?" Beaux managed to ask quickly. "Do they know we're coming? When do we arrive? Who are we staying with?"

Cecilia's answers were concise as they were nebulous. "Yes. Maybe. Three days – more or less. Louis." She never looked up from the piles of clothes she was stuffing into a shabby trunk.

Beaux eyed the condition of the trunk with something short of disdain. "I have other ones you know – wait - who's Louis?"

"Save your breath Beaux. We can get those answered in good time. Make yourself useful and wake up Little Miss Sunshine yonder bedside table."

The bitter sarcasm was unmistakable. Beaux could only apply guesswork as to what happened the night before, but he knew Cecilia was in a dangerous mood. He would rather walk into a lion's den barehanded than unleashing her ire. Without a protest, he carefully came to Meliah's side and breathed her name.

Meliah woke up as disoriented and tired as Beaux. Beaux tried to relish the look that first passed her face. The moment she saw his face, she was relieved and satisfied. Yet as though the memories of the nights before were flooding back, Meliah's expression became solemn and inanimate. The shade of smile that tugged at the corners of her lips disappeared and she pulled her hand out of his. She never changed. Even when they sat next to each other on the carriage… Even as they passed by the gorgeous countryside…

The following three days were filled with silence. Cecilia had given up trying to lighten the mood after the first hour. It was as though her cheery nature had evaporated with Meliah's gloomy disposition.

Beaux dreaded nightfall when the somber Meliah would suddenly swap characters with the devil's apprentice and become a nightmarish creature. The carriage was roomy enough for two full grown adults to lie down on either side, but it seemed like the size of a cigarette box when the other Meliah awakened. She insisted on Beaux's blood. And he acquiesced. Cecilia cried as he fainted.

Despite his better intentions, Beaux quickly found himself moving away from Meliah even when it was during the daytime. Beaux was literally drained, and even his own body was begging him to stop. He pulled his arms around his torso and pressed his body against the wooden walls of the carriage with unnecessary force. Meliah watched him sadly from beneath her lashes and followed suit.

He could not understand her. She coiled against the opposite side of the carriage, unwilling to be near him. Yet she was always stealing glances in his direction – quickly turning toward the curtained window when her gaze was returned.

Nevertheless, Beaux was never happier to see such an inhospitable palace. The Gothic architecture with the high, intimidating vaulting as well as the intricate buttresses could not dampen his spirits. He could not help hoping that the prolonged wait was finally over – Meliah could be cured.

Yet upon stepping into the Assembly Hall, Beaux knew he had been gravely mistaken.