Again, not entirely happy with this one but after the positive response to the previous one, I'm feeling a little more comfortable posting this.
The song mentioned is Teeth by Lady Gaga and is actually a rather catchy song if, like me, you listened to it on repeat for the better part of writing this story...
Thank you to all those reviewing, it really makes me smile to know people care enough to review :)
xx
Nikola, who had been stalking through the corridors stopped and threw open the heavy door dramatically. Rosie, ignoring him completely strode through the door while each of the others did so in a far more timid manner. Helen was the last to go through so turned to thank Nikola but was surprise (though she really shouldn't have been) when he appeared right next to her, an arm wrapped around her waist. She shook him off and walked forwards.
"I will not be a part of your games, Nikola," she said sternly as she made her way over to the rest of her team who seemed to have taken refuge against one of the walls as Rosie stood in the centre of the cavernous room, muscles tensed.
"Come on, Nikki, stop making excuses," she taunted, rolling her shoulders. Her hands were balled in anticipation of the fight, lean muscle rippling as she flexed and stretched discreetly.
Nikola let out a growl and threw off his suit jacket, tossing it over to Will, who only just managed to catch it.
"Children," he grumbled before undoing the buttons of his waistcoat and taking off his cravat.
"Be nice Nikki, or you'll be punished," Rosie chastised, an evil grin coming to light on the last word.
"I'd love to see you try," he threw out, stretching his neck. The two began to circle each other, arms wide, eyes locked on each other with frightening intensity.
"Henry," Rosie called out, her voice as calm and cultured as ever. "Could we have some music?" Henry snapped into action.
"What kind?" he called back.
"Oh, I don't know. Something with a bit of bass." Helen shook her head, this was not how she expected this visit to start off, generally being visited by a long lost friend was far more enjoyable than watching said long lost friend attempt to decapitate another close friend. Especially when she knew what the real motive was.
"Lighten up, Helen," Rosie called out, finally breaking eye contact with Nikola to look over at her, "I promise I won't kill him."
"No promises here," Nikola growled, drawing Rosie's attention back to him. Suddenly music filled the space, soaring up into the night sky through the highly damaged roof. Rosie grinned, her smile was cold and calculating, showing off every one of her pearly white teeth.
"You remembered," she said with a fond glance at Henry. "Come on Nikki, show me you're fangs. The song demands it," she taunted, her voice soft as she turned back to him.
"You first," Nikola snarled back.
"Being re-vamped has done nothing for your sense of humour," she chastised, tutting at him as her brow furrowed in mock scorn. Nikola let out another snarl and opened his mouth to respond but, just as the music reached a crescendo, Rosie launched herself at him, grinning as she did so.
Her hands connected with his shoulders, forcing him back and they slid until they hit a wall with enough force to resonate through the empty room.
"What happened to those super human senses of yours?" Rosie asked, her voice barely audible over the pumping music. Nikola struggled against her grip, but she held him back without breaking a sweat. With a sweet smile, Rose sprang back gracefully and Nikola straightened himself out, his face darkening.
"Show me your monster, darling," Rose purred with a soft smile. Nikola said nothing, starting to stalk forwards. Rosie stopped moving, allowing Nikola to come to her. Quicker than anyone was expecting, Nikola raised a fist and swung at Rosie but she was quicker, capturing his hand in hers, holding him there for a moment before snarling at him. In a second, she'd used her grip to flick Nikola over her shoulder, sending him crashing into the wall barely a metre away from the group of on lookers.
"Come on, this is almost too easy," she said gleefully as she turned to face Nikola's crumpled frame. With a growl, he stood up, dusting himself off and straightening his top.
"If you ruin this suit I will kill you," he said menacingly. Rosie scoffed before running directly towards him, arms and claws outstretched, taunting smile in place. Nikola made the same move and their bodies connected with an almighty crunch, Nikola finally finding his upper hand, shoving her to the floor.
"Now we're getting somewhere," she said grinning from where she lay on her back.
Nikola launched himself at her again but Rose rolled out of the way, springing to her feet as she moved. Without so much as a second thought, Rosie swung her leg out, catching Nikola in the gut, forcing the breath from him as he doubled over.
From the sidelines, Helen stood mesmerized. She'd seen them do this dance countless times but they were both extremely skilled when it came to these kinds of fights and it never failed to impress her a little. Rosie's dress spun around her small frame as she landed blow after blow on Nikola, making the fight seem almost choreographed in its fluidity. Helen had to stifle a laugh, only Rosie would try and fight a vampire in such an impractical item of clothing.
A sickening crack bought Helen back to reality as she watched Nikola fall from the beam he had been thrown into on the roof, landing on the cold stone floor in a tangle of inappropriately bent limbs. She knew he was O.K but her heart still somehow ended up in her throat. Slowly, Nikola stood up, his face morphing as his nails grew longer while he reset the bones that had been broken.
"Finally," Rosie said, her delight clear at the newly angular planes of his face.
"Now it's your turn," Nikola growled, his voice as deep and as black as his eyes.
"All in good time," Rosie said serenely before again running straight at Nikola.
"Does she have a suicide wish or something?" Kate muttered quietly from beside Helen as they again collided. Nikola fought to free one of his hands from her grip and slashed downwards, a metallic screech filling the room.
Rosie sprung back with a hiss, her eyes darkening with anger.
"I love this dress," she spat angrily, looking up from the large gashes Nikola had left down the side of her dress. "How is she not bleeding?" Will breathed, his eyes glued to the feuding pair.
"Now is the time to take notes," Rosie advised, flicking her gaze quickly to their audience with a smile for Will. With a shudder, she began to change. Her eyes went white and her teeth grew, not to the length of Nikola's but much, much sharper. With an angry screech, she again threw herself at Nikola and they flew backwards, hitting the wall with such a force that dust fell from the half demolished ceiling. Rosie had a hand wrapped around Nikola's throat, holding him several feet above the ground with his back pinned to the wall. Nikola lashed out, forcing Rosie to drop him the ground.
She took a few steps back, slightly off balance and Nikola darted forwards, wrapping one of his hands around her throat. He held her up in the air with a snarl and jerked his arm, trying to throw her against the wall but Rosie had grabbed his arm and was holding on. With one hand on his wrist and the other against the hand he was holding her with, Rose slowly began to pry away his fingers.
"You're losing your touch, Nikki," she said with a smirk. Realising it was a lost battle, Nikola release his grip but before she landed on the ground, he stretched out, slicing more of her dress apart.
With another hiss, she launched herself at him. Nikola grabbed her arms and rolled her, forcing her to the ground. Lying across her back, Nikola pinned her hands above her head.
"Check mate, dear," he growled in her ear, his voice still vampiric as he grinned triumphantly, glancing over to Helen as if she were his proud mother on the sidelines.
Rosie chuckled.
"1, 2," she counted sweetly. Nikola felt a ripple flow through her body but before he could react, "3," her body spasmed under his. In less than a second, Nikola was thrown up into the air, nothing but a blur of white as an explanation.
Will and Kate both gasped at what had occurred. Rosie was now standing up stretching out her shoulders only now she had two highly muscular wings coming from her back.
"Holy shit," Kate breathed as her eyes widened. The wings were huge, covered in white feathers, coming far above her head and only just avoiding hitting the floor.
"Pegasus," Will whispered in understanding. Helen rolled her eyes.
"Am not," Rose retorted hotly, answering some unsaid phrase, hands on hips. Both Will and Kate looked at Helen for answers.
"I called her a show off," Helen said, answering the unknown question. Kate smirked, turning back to watch the show in front of her.
Nikola had fallen back down to the ground and was hardly moving.
"If you keep this up, Nikki, I'll have to fight you with one hand behind my back," Rosie taunted, straining her shoulders and neck, forcing the wings back into her. As the disappeared into her back, Will understood the scars on her back, now slightly red from the activity. Finally pulling himself up, Nikola growled.
"That was cheating," he said, sounding breathless. With a snort of laughter, Rosie again headed for him, the grin on her face widening as he raised his hands to fight.
True to her word, Rosie fought him with only one hand, throwing punches only slightly quicker than he could block them. Finally picking up some speed, Nikola began to fight back, wrapping his hand around her throat again. With a growl, Rosie grabbed his hair, pulling sharply. With a turn, Nikola slammed their bodies against the wall, pressing himself against her as she growled and squirmed to get away from him.
Helen let out a groan, of course, she thought, knowing Rosie was now too engrossed to be listening in. Where else would this end up?
Nikola grabbed her hands which were trying desperately to claw his eyes out and pinned them above her head against the wall. With her hands out of action, Rosie started to kick out with her legs which were dangling above the floor.
Helen was having trouble looking away.
Nikola leaned further into her, their faces level, only centimetres apart as they continued to growl and snarl at each other.
She knew what was coming and, from experience, Helen knew to look away.
"Come on, we should leave," she said to her team who were avidly watching the scene unfold.
Trying for leverage, Rosie wrapped one leg around Nikola's waist, effectively pulling them closer together.
"Come on," Helen said, hiding her impatience well as her team stood rooted to the spot.
The snarling faded away, replaced by heavy breathing and finally the others began to follow her.
By the time she reached the door, Helen knew without looking back exactly what was going on. As she walked down the corridor, ignoring the questions of her team, a sinking feeling grew in her stomach. She knew it was coming, from the second Nikola found their welcoming party but something about seeing it firsthand gave her the queerest of feelings despite having seen this occur many times. She could faintly hear their occasional snarls floating down the corridor and, as they faded away completely, she knew that the inevitable had occurred.
As the doors swung shut, Nikola moved further into Rosie, their lips a hair's breadth apart, her hand, now fisted in his hair, pulled him closer. With one final growl, Rosie closed the distance between them, kissing him with passion. Nikola's hands moved greedily over her body, still using his nails to slash through her dress. With a grunt, Rosie shoved him back, allowing herself some space which he quickly took back. Their mouths fought for control, tongues duelling. Raw lust threaded through their bodies and, as fire raced through their veins, they fell to the ground, hands searching for bare skin.
*ducks to avoid Teslen shippers throwing shoes and other sharp objects*