Heartlessly Humane
By wired2damoon
Chapter 6: Great Gasps And Ghostly Guests
A/N: I WOULD JUST LIKE TO GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO ALL MY READERS FROM LIVEJOURNAL, I'VE BEEN READING YOUR COMMENTS AND AM VERY FLATTERED, THANK YOU SO MUCH!
THIS CHAPTER IS DEDICATED TO GRIFFINCLAW (GRYFINCLAW) FOR HER WONDERFUL SUPPORT, KINDNESS AND POSTING THE LINK TO MY STORY ON LIVEJOURNAL!
Thanks again, to all my reviewers, you guys are amazing!! :D ~wired2damoon~ x
- Mitchell's POV -
"Annie, ANNIE!" I shouted, practically burstin' through the front door and boltin' up the stairs. Out of my peripheral vision I could see George leap off the couch and follow me, but I ignored him and continued my frantic race towards Annie's bedroom.
"Ann-" I flung through the door but stopped dead (excuse the pun) in my tracks, being rendered speechless at the sight within.
"What the hell is-oomph!" George exclaimed loudly as he collided straight with my back causing both of us to stumble awkwardly, make me lose my balance, go tumblin' to the floor and in turn pull George down on top of me.
As if that wasn't potentially embarrassin' enough for a one-hundred-and-eighteen year old vampire (who should know better and has tried to, over the last ten decades to somehow not make a complete eejit out of himself, and partially succeeded) to endure, the soft, muffled giggle omittin' from behind Annie's hand which was covering her mouth - was just enough to send me over the edge of mild embarrassment, to complete, full blown, 'might as well have me boxers down around me ankles whilst standing in the middle of a packed stadium' type of embarrassed.
Fan-fuckin'-tastic.
"Have a nice trip, boys?"
I have to say she delivered the cliché and cheesy line to perfection as she watched us, (a smug smile still on her lips) scramble vigorously off the floor and back onto our feet.
When my extremely clumsy, furry friend and I were vertical again, it further drew my attention to what shocked me into stoppin' in my tracks so abruptly in the first place. Once Annie followed my gaze, she started to talk quite feverishly.
"Oh! George, Mitchell, this is Violet…" she introduced the small, quite young (say only seventeen, eighteen if I were to guess) girl who was sitting on the arm of her large chair, smilin' shyly at us. (Although I think I could detect a little mischievous glint in her emerald-green eyes…)
"Uh…hi, Violet," George spoke first, edging around me cautiously, as if he were afraid that we would spontaneously end up on the floor again, "it's nice to meet you," he continued, extending his hand for her to shake.
"You too, George, Annie has been telling me about you…" she replied and I could detect a slight accent, Austrilian maybe.
"Has she now?" George asked, lookin' towards Annie with a 'what-the-hell-have-you-been-tellin'-this-ghostly-stranger-about-us' look. Annie had the decency to look sheepish.
"Don't worry George, they're all good things," she reassured him before castin' her chocolate-brown gaze over to me, where I was still standing by the doorway, rubbing my neck awkwardly.
"And this…is Mitchell, whom seems to have forgotten his manners today," she announced, soundin' a little peeved that I'd yet to join their seemingly warm conversation.
"Uh…how's it goin'?" I asked, flashing her grin and a small wave, still not walkin' any closer.
She smiled back, "ooh, an Irish guy…nice. I dated an Irish guy once, got as drunk as a monkey and swore like a sailor but God, could he-"
She seemed to catch herself before goin' any further, lookin' as though if she could blush, she would be as bright as a tomato right now. Annie grinned wider, biting her lip with excitement. I think she liked the idea of another girl around the house.
The only problem is, I'm not entirely sure how I feel about it…
- Mitchell's POV -
A hearty laugh that came deep from my chest, a glint in my eye which sprinkled with mischief, a tender kiss from a stranger at an evening ball, a fresh, weepin' wound from a night's tomfoolery, a streak of sunlight flashin' across my cheek, a dash from the bed at six a.m, a night filled with passionate, tantalisin', raw, adulterated sex with a beautiful woman…
All these things I have encountered over my long, aberrant life, and yet, even after such a time, I find that I can still experience new things.
Like right now, for example.
Never, have I ever, sat in a room with two women, remainin' utterly silent as they gaggle on to each other about their lives when they were…well, alive (ghosts tend to make things a little more interesting).
Granted, don't get me wrong, I do enjoy the company of women, it's just that I, have not properly befriended someone of the female gender in this decade (as guys like me tend to keep to themselves and avoid gettin' involved, I learnt my lesson the hard way), until I met Annie, and find, that indeed, there is a lot to be learned by being involved in such an activity, that even I as…ancient as I am, can be enlightened and pleasantly surprised at the evolution of women since when I was human right up until this very moment.
I know it may sound stupid, but I'm always fascinated by these things. I guess, it's true what they say, you can take the man out of the very early twentieth century, but you can't take the very early twentieth century out of the man.
Not that I'd ever admit such a thing out loud. I'm not riskin' getting myself laughed at by an overly-zealous, squeaky dog and a hyperactive, cheeky ghost, no matter how loveable, or how fond I am of the eejits.
I am an adapter, through and through. I've always kept up with the times, acted appropriately, but, let's just say, it brings a smile to my face when I see a woman like Annie interacting with others…she is such a twenty-first century girl…and, if I were to admit, as…tainted these modern times are, I enjoy witnessin' somethin' as simple as twenty-first century girls havin' a laugh.
Most fellas switch off or talk about football to the other lads (I admit, with some girls in the past I have done that too), but with someone like Annie, talkin' with someone like this mysterious, teenage girl - Violet, it does make me want to tune in.
But, there's a problem. I guess, right now, it's fallin' on deaf ears, as I'm too fuckin' confused about what exactly the story is with this girl suddenly appearing in our modest home, that I can't seem to focus on anythin' but my impendin' hopelessness at tryin' to find out and the hilarity that is George tryin' to monopolise the entire conversation and interrogate the girl sittin' at our kitchen table.
Jesus I love when that guy gets wound up! I may just have wind him up some more when the opportunity arises…
"Oh wow, I played basketball too! I was rubbish at it, mind you, but it was always a great way to skive off school for the day when we had away matches, plus, the fit boys from the other school weren't bad either," Annie laughed as Violet giggled along with her.
It had been like this for the half an hour or so, Annie and Violet (occasionally a piping up from George - tryin' desperately to interrupt but not gettin' a word in edgeways) chattin' away till the cows feckin' do the conga, whilst I sat there, inwardly askin' myself all the questions I desperately wanted to unleash on our new, exotic guest.
"Yeah, I was never really the sporty type either, although, I wasn't that into academics either…gave my mum a right headache! No, I'm more of the artsy, creative type," Violet cooed, staring at an invisible spot on the kitchen table.
I looked up from my lap and was surprised to see Annie's familiar eyes set starin' right into mine.
What's wrong with you? I could hear her silently ask me, simply by knowin' her expression.
I stared right back into her shimmerin' gaze and shrugged my shoulders, anglin' my head a bit and raisin' my eyebrows, silently hoping she'd get my message.
"So…Violet, what-what exactly do you think it is that sent you here?" she asked my precise question nervously, picking at the end of her white T-shirt, avoidin' everyone's eyes.
My attention snapped from Annie to Violet and back again as silence filled the room.
The young girl looked completive, which made her seem much older than she seemed physically. She had the strangest glint in her eyes, as if she were tryin' to remember somethin' but just couldn't quite reach it. I could see the frustration fill her young, pretty face.
"I-I'm not sure really, what it was that brought me here. I-I've sort of just…floated around these last few years and well…I've heard it through the grapevine that a mysterious woman by the name of Annie Sawyer had actually turned down death and lives with a vampire who's given up blood and a werewolf who ordinarily wouldn't hurt a fly, and well, that peaked my curiosity…so…I-I may have found out where you lived and transported myself here from an apartment in London…" she trailed off, lookin' at each of us in turn.
I didn't need to glance about myself to know that I wasn't the only one who was absolutely gob-smacked by what the young girl had said. The silence that followed spoke for itself. It seemed to prompt Violet to continue.
"Please know that I haven't been stalking you or anything…I swear," she almost cried desperately continuing to alternate her glances between me, George and Annie.
"How-How do you know all about us? How did you find us? Are-Are you sure you weren't-weren't stalking us?" George stuttered, (finally crackin' under the strain of tryin' to be quiet the last thirty minutes and let Annie have her fun), standing up from the table and beginnin' to pace. I suddenly was reminded of Nina…
"I-I…" the young blonde girl was struggling to make us understand what she meant.
"Don't worry Violet, we're not angry or anything-" Annie interjected.
"-Too right we're angry! You-you know stuff about us! Stuff that should be private! And are refusing to-"
"-George, shut up and let the girl explain!" Annie snapped, whippin' around in her seat and glarin' at him. I sat forward and clasped my gloved hands together, elbows on the table, waiting silently in anticipation.
This should be good.
"Like I said, I wasn't stalking you, I was just curious when I heard about you and thought that maybe…just maybe we might be able to help each other…" she trailed off and I found my attention well and truly peaked.
"What do you mean we can help each other?" Annie asked the very question I was thinkin'. Wow, she's just a feckin' mind-reader tonight…
She took another glance from Annie, to George (who remained standing) and lastly to me. I couldn't help but notice that her gaze lingered slightly longer on me than the others. That made me curious…
"It's…sort of hard to explain everything right now, but, just know that, I'm not here to upset your lives or anything, I just, I think you can help me, and I think I could…well, try and help you three in return…" she trailed off, lookin' down at her lap, soundin' like she felt foolish.
I frowned, and again I knew without havin' to look, that my friends conveyed the same thing.
How on earth could this girl help us? Actually, more importantly, what exactly do we need help with?
"What do you mean help? Why-why would we need your help?" George asked, takin' a leaf out of Annie's book and read my mind perfectly.
Violet looked a little sheepish now, as if she knew somethin' that she definitely shouldn't.
"Well, well I sort of…am aware of what-what exactly you three have been through these last couple of months…you know, with Herrick and all the other vampires?" she practically whispered, still avoidin' all of our gazes.
There was a beat of silence that flooded the room like a drippin' monsoon.
How the hell does she know all this? This was a question I decided to ask her myself.
"Violet, how is it that you know all about us and what has been happenin' up to us these last few months?" I asked gently, not wantin' to startle her as I knew it would further complicate me gettin' a proper answer.
She lifted her head up slowly, her emerald eyes meeting my hazel ones, lookin' a little shocked upon finally hearing me string a full sentence together, and smiled very faintly.
"I…I have my recourses," she mumbled.
That was the answer I neither wanted nor expected. George seemed to agree with me.
"Okay, you-you-you tell us right now how you came to learn about us or I'll-we'll-throw you out!" he snapped, pointin' a threatening finger at her, whilst not lookin' more threatenin' than a pit-bull puppy.
She laughed then, softly, but still audible, "and how exactly are you going to 'throw me out?' I'm a ghost, mate, not a cat who pissed on the sofa…"
I snorted. I couldn't help it. The girl has sass. I like that.
George glared at me and I put on my best innocent face and shrugged my shoulders. It was then that my attention was caught by Annie, who had reached over to Violet and put her hand on top of hers, mumbling lowly, "please, Violet, we would like to know how you managed to find out about us…"
She smiled at Annie warmly, putting her other hand over hers, squeezing it tightly, before glancin' at me, prudence in her eyes.
"A vampire told me," she mumbled, snappin' her gaze back to Annie.
"A vampire?" Annie asked, confusion in her tone.
"Yes. He-he was with the Bristol guys, under Herrick's rule and they…well…they know all about you three…" she muttered, looking deeply uncomfortable.
"Was?" I asked, curious as to how she was in cahoots with a vampire in the first place, somehow I don't think many are in the situation of me and Annie.
"Yes. Was. He-he was sort of kidnapped a few weeks ago and he-he could be dead for all I know…" she whispered and I was shocked to see tears streamin' down her pale cheeks.
Annie too, seemed to be both shocked and empathetic, "oh, I'm so sorry Violet, were...are you two close friends?" she asked quietly.
The young girl shook her head, "we weren't just close…he-he was my boyfriend…"
My mouth dropped open. What did she just say?
- Mitchell's POV -
"Well, that was…weird…" George mumbled as he and I sat down on the couch heavily.
I nodded, yep, it was definitely weird.
After Violet's confession of being uh…romantically involved with a vampire, I may have gotten a little, let's say…over curious about the whole thing and well, maybe asked a few too many questions, which sort of caused her to get a little upset about and vanish upstairs, Annie hot on her heels - not before throwin' me death glares first though.
So now, not only did I feel a little weirded out, confused, curious and frustrated, but also guilty at this point. But I was just so…damn intrigued by the whole dynamic…
I mean, a vampire and a ghost being lovers?
It's virtually unheard of.
And maybe I was a little, enthusiastic about knowin' exactly how a relationship like that would work…because I certainly have no fuckin' clue.
It still didn't rectify my behaviour though and I made a mental note to apologize to the poor girl later…that is if Annie doesn't stake me first, that is.
"WHAT THE HELL IS THE MATTER WITH YOU!?"
Oh, speak of the devil and she shall appear.
"Jesus!" George yelled loudly, hand on his heart, utterly startled.
"What?" I asked innocently, after gettin' over the initial shock of my ghostly friend appearing two feet in front of me, hands on her hips, starin' down at me with a livid expression on her face.
"What do you mean what? Don't you dare even try and look innocent with me..." she hissed, obviously lowering her voice so the girl upstairs wouldn't hear. "What did you think you were playing at, asking her all those personal questions about her boyfriend who could be dead? I mean seriously Mitchell!" she growled, sounding more angry than I've ever her.
I stood up off the couch and gaped at her, "Annie, maybe you weren't listenin' to the same girl I was, but Jesus, she said her boyfriend is a vampire he's very, irrifutably, already dead for Christ's sake! But come on, her boyfriend? Don't you think that's a little weird? You know, a ghost and a vampire…hookin' up?"
I don't know why, but as soon as the words were out of my mouth, I instantly regretted them.
Annie suddenly stopped glarin' at me, a frown formin' on her face and turned away from me, foldin' her arms across her chest.
I frowned, feelin' the atmosphere in the room shift. George must of felt it too because he suddenly piped up, "uh…I'm just going to go make some tea," before practically runnin' out of the room.
"I admit," the woman on front of me began, "that it is not the most typical relationship to be in, but, if you must know Mitchell, she was dating her boyfriend back when both of them were still alive and human. They were attacked by vampires one night, two years ago, and she died but he…he was recruited. After-after she came back, she found that she was partly bound to him, as well as the apartment in London he was also what was keeping her on this earth...but he-he rejected her, he told her he didn't want to see her anymore, that he was done with her. They were never actually a couple as a vampire and a ghost so there's no need to be so freaked out..." she trailed off, soundin' a little bitter.
For some reason, my stomach twisted unpleasantly as I heard her say that.
"I-I wasn't freaked out, I was just a little...shocked that's all, I mean-"
"-She lied," Annie interrupted, holdin' out her hand to silence me.
"He wasn't kidnapped, he walked out on her, washed his hands of her and went off with Herrick's gang, she was just too upset to admit it to all of us. The only and I mean only, reason I am telling you is because, she thinks we...mainly you, might be able to help get him back, make him not so against her for what she is now. What they had...it wasn't perfect, but it was there's. And now, the poor girl, for some reason, is still stuck here and she needs our help. She sees you and I getting on so well and just, just wants her ex to hear her out. She's know that maybe they can't be a couple anymore but she just...wants some closure, then, maybe then she might be able to move on. In return, she wants to help us with our safety problem, I'm not sure how, she didn't elaborate but we can see..." she trailed off again, takin' an unnecessary break from speech and shakin' her head as if to clear her thoughts.
"So, what do you say? Are you going to help us track down her boyfriend and stop being a total prat, or are you just going to ask her more inappropriate questions about her non typical, abnormal love-life?"
"What am I? A supernatural match-maker?" I asked quietly, soundin' almost desperate as I shrugged my shoulders and went to turn away.
Her arm flung out to stop me, her hand grippin' my shoulder and pullin' me back. She sighed, and looked up straight into my eyes.
"And-and why would she want to bother wit' the bloke in the first place? He abandoned her, left her, he obviously doesn't want to be wit' her. So, why waste her time?" I asked, knowin' I was bein' deliberately pessimistic.
She pursed her lips, "she wants to try, Mitchell. She can't just leave things they way they are between them. She needs closure. Plain and simple. Even if it is just to call him an arse. But you never know, he might surprise her...he might want to be with her, even if she is...a ghost..."
Her eyes met mine again and it was as if everythin' in the entire world had fallen away and all that was left was me and this…remarkable woman before me. Hearin' that story, I knew, I just knew, that I had to do the right thing.
"After all, it's like they say isn't it? You can't help who you fall in love with, can you Mitchell?" she croaked, bitin' her lip and turning her head to the side.
I stared down, deeply into almond-shaped eyes, taking a large, unnecessary breath as I fought the urge to trace my thumb across her cheek.
"Sure, Annie, I'll do my best to help you, help her…"
No, you most definitely can't help who you fall in love with.
Whether you're a vampire, or a ghost.
But I'm referrin' to Violet and her boyfriend of course…
A/N: It would seem that 'denial' isn't just a river in Egypt, my dear Mitchell. Okay, so I'm not really sure about this chapter, to be honest. I had a lot of trouble writing it, I keep having troubled thoughts but I won't bother boring you with them.
One thing I would like to stress though. Violet's purpose will be made a lot clearer in the chapters to come, she may seem a little random now, but trust me, she will be of great importance in all the character's lives - including Nina's. And, don't worry, I haven't forgotten George and Nina, they will have loads of lovey dovey scenes once Nina gets back from "her mums."
WHAT'S TO COME:
1. Mitchell does some research
2. Annie and Violet have some more meaningful talks and teach each other some ghostly tricks
3. George and Nina have a talk
And much more!
I'd love a review to let me know what you think …
Again, thanks to all the lovely reviewers, on this website and live journal! ~wired2damoon~