(Charlotte's POV)
She had been on her way to the downtown Chicago Library when her phone rang, it had AJ babbling about how apparently Amelia had been kidnapped by the Dandies. Before Charlotte had one chance to really find out what had happened, AJ had been cut off and she had been hung up on.
When Charlotte finally reached Amelia and AJ's apartment, she found the door open and everything was quite. The one thing that slightly disturbed her was the note left on the coffee table.
'To whomever finds this -
The girl isn't dead, I know my limits. She's just a little shocked after she found out her other friend has gone missing. If you've come looking for her, she's right where you'd expect her to be, and rightly so, passed out in her room. There was something she said to me the day were first met, something about how my blood drove her crazy and she wanted more. Well, it's apparently working both ways. Perhaps it's that I know she is part lycan, or maybe that's not it. Either way, it won't be long before she wishes to see me again. And tell her when she wakes, that I think it's time we moved passed this cat and mouse stage. Time is a wondrous thing, but for us, it's nonexistent. Just like my almost human feelings prior to playing this game.
- William Beckett.
Charlotte smirks, reading the letter.
"You're right, Beckett. Time isn't my friend." Charlotte straightens, closing her eyes and evening her breathing, "It's my bitch, and it's certainly existent to me."
Suddenly, time replays itself for Charlotte.
William entering the apartment with the rest of the Dandies, waiting for Amelia to come home, and the moment she does, everyone's in action. She fights, but not hard enough, and is knocked unconscious as one of the boys smashes her phone to prevent further communication. Most of the Dandies then leave, back to who knows where, taking the girl with. William remains behind, looking for something. A few minutes later he walks out of AJ's room, a derby hat atop his head, then waits in the shadows for her to see what's happened.
Charlotte waves her hand and time begins playing again. She makes her way to AJ's bedroom, finding the hybrid indeed passed out on her bed, although she was tucked in.
Turning on the lamp on the beside table, Lottie glances at AJ's neck, not surprised by the set of puncture marks that were still visible, dried blood on the deepest part. She shakes her head, "You're so lucky you're not dead yet."
And with that, Charlotte turns, shutting the door to AJ's room, leaving her to recover, figuring she' return to check on her in the morning.
When she returns home, she heads into her bedroom, intending to work on fanfiction until the morning. Until a soft voice startles her, that is.
"My cell phone? Really, Lottie? Do you know how important my cell phone is to me?"
Charlotte jumps, falling back into her, now closed, door.
"Jesus hanging off the cross, what the hell?" Lottie shouts, her hand over where her beating heart should've been.
"¿Qué es eso, muñeca? No esperaba a alguien tan guapo?" he asks, lying across her bed in such a way that made it almost provocative.
Lottie points her finger at him, "Sólo cállate. Estoy tan harta de sorpresas hoy. Si me encuentro con una sorpresa esta noche más de mierda, voy a matar a alguien."
Gabe places a hand on his chest, a sly smirk flitting across his features as he rolls off of her bed.
"Señora atractiva, ya sabes que me quieres," He cooes, wrapping his arms around her waist. "And all you have to do is ask."
Charlotte's lips brush against Gabe's chest.
"Want to know something?" Charlotte asks, whispering.
"Tell me, anything." Gabe's voice is low, husky.
"I'm sick of vampires today." She pushes him away and he flies back into the wall, stunned slightly.
"Feisty. I like-y."
"Dumbass." Charlotte mutters, finding a pair of pajamas when she notices something... out of place.
"Where's my picture?" Charlotte asks, "There was a picture of myself and a man in that photo and I want it back, Gabe. I don't care if you took it for the game, but that photo has more value than any of my coven members lives put together."
Gabe's eyebrows spike in interest.
"Really? Who is he then? Some ex-lover?" He asks, obviously jealous.
Charlotte shakes her head. "That man was the closest thing to a father figure I've ever had. Andrew Dalton died for this country. Give. Back. The. Photo. Now."
Her palm is outstretched towards him and he sighs, pulling the picture from his back pocket.
Charlotte took it, smoothing it out and putting it back into it's frame, with deft fingers.
"I appreciate it, Gabe."
"I think it deserves something special." He says offhandedly and Charlotte turns with a smile.
"You're right." She stands on her tip toes, kissing Gabe's cheek.
"You missed," He whispers, turning his head, pressing his lips to hers. He takes her face in his hands, leaning down so she doesn't have to stand on her toes.
Her arms wind around his neck and his around her waist.
Charlotte smiled. So much for cat and mouse. Looks like I've gotta get to know him better.
(AJ's POV)
Waking up, she turns her head, wincing at the slight pain. Then, everything comes back. Amelia being kidnapped by the Dandies, William biting her.
"I had to be stupid enough to play with a Dandie. I to be stup-"
"You're not stupid. Far from it, I'd say you're more...headstrong." Liquid velvet, AJ thinks.
And there's only one person that voice belongs to.
"You didn't have to hang around you know," she says, inviting him into the room with a single sweep of her hand. "That's not how the game goes."
"I'm done playing this game by its rules. I've realized I've been nothing but cold towards you, and I'd like to change that."
"William, what do you ev-" Two seconds, and his lips are against hers.
Automatically she reaches for him, tugging the suit jacket off him before starting to unbutton the vest.
He smiles, pulling away and looking over her, surprised at the strength she still has, even after having passed out into his arms the night before.
"I'm sorry. I guess what I'm trying to say is-"
AJ smiles, taking on of his hands and holding it, "Get to know me better?"
He nodded, and not two minutes later found himself in the serene darkness of her bedroom, lying with her beneath the covers.
She giggled.
"What's so funny, Adeline?"
"You'd think you'd made up your mind with the way you're laying with me. I'm getting used to the way you say my name, too...it's...oddly sexy sounding, the way you say it."
"I could say the same for you, but the one thing I can't quite figure out lingers in your voice, there's a slight accent I can't pinpoint an area on…"
She smiled, "I was born in France if that helps any. I was raised in England, but came over to the US shortly before prohibition was put into effect. And I mean, je suis un étudiant rapide. Langue étrangère était facile pour moi. Et ça sonne juste ... romantique. "
William looked at her, surprised she'd been able to switch between the two as almost flawless as she had.
"So you speak French, then? And you're right, it's got a certain ring to it," he agreed.
The smile hadn't left her face, and she blinked, hazel eyes intent on remembering this entire night.
"N'est-ce pas, celle qui a mon coeur? "
He had no clue what she had just said, but the way she said it and the added eyelash batting only made him realize it had probably been something seductive.
And then he realized she was looking at his lips, much like how she'd done at the club, and he understood. Forget playing this game, it's pointless. Her mind's already made up; all we've got to do is play this out until
it ends.
She wasn't rambling, but nonetheless it was a moment he wanted her to remember.
She nodded, and he kissed her, already feeling her heartbeat pick up as she grabbed the derby and threw it across the room, her hands tangling in his hair as he moved, turning so he straddled her.
By the time she'd finished unbuttoning his vest and he her top, he knew there would be no more games for him, she would be the one to keep his heart.
And then, it registered there was another sound in the room. It was a tinny, cell phone speaker ringtone, playing half of some pop-punk song from years ago.
"So wear me like a locket (keep quiet) around your throat.
I'll weigh you down. (Nothing comes as easy as you)
I'll watch you choke. (Can I lay in your bed all day?)
You look so good in blue. You look so good in blue.
Keep quiet, Nothing comes as easy as you. Can I lay in your bed all day?
I'll be your best kept secret And your biggest mistake.
The hand behind this pen relives a failure every day.."
"You've got to be fucking kidding me…" AJ panted, tugging her tank top sleeves back up to cover her shoulders.
"Just let it ring. They'll leave a voicemail," William pointed up, and she nodded.
"So…you know a little more about me, now let's hear about you," she stated, adding with a sly grin, "And I'm already guessing you've had a few failed games if you kiss like that."
He shook his head, "Believe or not, you're the first. No-one's ever been brave enough to go after me before."
"Well, I never have fit in with the-" At the sound of someone knocking on the outside door, AJ paused.
"It's open!" AJ yelled, not wanting to leave the comfort of her bed.
When the knocking became pounding, AJ reluctantly got up. She opened the door and there stood Sebastien and his friends.
"Hey Seb, how's it going?" she asked as she let them in.
"It's fine, AJ. I just called, you weren't answering so I decided to come over to check things out. Where's Amelia?" he asked.
AJ's eyes looked down at the floor and she said nothing.
"AJ, where is Amelia?" Seb asked again.
"She's gone," she said quietly, but Sebastien's sharp ears picked it up.
"WHAT?! What do you mean, she's gone?" he asked, wrenching AJ's head up to look her in the eyes.
"Obviously, it means that she isn't here. I know you guys are from Canada, but sheesh, I'd have hoped you'd be smarter than that," replied a voice.
Sebastien looked up to see a vampire with brown hair and a derby hat. He recognized the scent immediately.
"I'm sorry, Dandie, but can't you see this is an A and B conversation? So kindly please, "C" your way out of it!" Sebastien said, his lips curling into a snarl.
"And can't you see that you are obviously disrupting us? Now Adeline, let's go back to bed, dear," the vampire said, beckoning Adeline with his finger.
"Wait a minute, let me get this straight: She's sleeping with YOU? Adeline, didn't Remus ever tell you not to let strange, undead creatures into your bed?" Sebastien questioned.
"Coming. And first off, Seb, I'm not sleeping with him. We were talking. And it's that way because of the game vampires play, something you'd know nothing about in the first place." she went to turn around, intending to walk back into her room and slam the door, but the older lycan stopped her.
"You're not one of them! If Remus knew half of the things you were doing, he'd- I don't even want to think of your punishment! And besides, Amelia's told me about these stupid little games, and I'll be damned if you're the reason she's not here!"
"I'm sorry, but who are you to be lecturing her? A minute ago, you were so worried about her friend. Now, run along, pup, before I do something I'll regret."
"The only thing you'll regret, Dandie, is calling me a pup," Sebastien replied, his voice deadly.
William raised his hand in a "bring-it-on" sort of gesture. Seb's friends stood there, unsure of what to do.
As Sebastien and William stepped forward, AJ stepped in between them.
"Stop it now, both of you!" she implored, but neither paid her any mind.
"Adeline, dear, get out of the way," William said as he took her arm and placed her behind him.
As he did this, Sebastien laughed.
"What's so funny?" William wondered.
"Oh, it's nothing. I just can't believe that she chose to ally herself with the likes of you. Honestly, AJ, I bet Remus would roll over in his grave right now if he could see what you've become."
"WHAT?!" she shrieked. "How DARE you talk about Remus as if you knew him!"
Sebastien smirked. "Actually princess, I knew him. Not very well, but enough to know that he would never want the one whom he raised as his own to be cavorting with a vampire."
"I'd rather be a full vampire than half of what I have misfortune of being. And on that note, that's it, you're going down!" she declared.
Before she could do anything, William held out his hand. "Please, dear, allow me."
He took off the hat that was atop his head and threw it to the ground. He raised his fists, clearly ready to fight. Sebastien did the same.
William struck first. Sebastien easily grabbed his fist and threw him backwards. Using telekinesis, William threw a chair at Sebastien. Before he could dodge it, it was blocked by a shield of air. Seb looked behind him and smiled. He had almost forgotten that his friends were there.
With his friends defending him, Sebastien was free to go after William. He clawed and bit at the vampire leader, who used everything he had to evade him. Eventually, his feet were dragged out from under him by a stream of water from Chuck. As William fell, Sebastien managed to rake his claws across the vampire's eyes, temporarily blinding him. Blood dripped down his face and Adeline dropped to her knees to see if he was okay.
"I'll be okay, love. Just get out of here, okay?"
"No, I refuse," she replied, quietly.
She stood up and immediately phased into her wolf form. Sebastien laughed because it was almost pitiful. He was almost 150 years her elder. Even if she was a hybrid, there was no way that she could hope to beat him. He dodged every swipe and bite that the female wolf threw at him.
As she swiped at him with her claws, he grabbed her arm and flipped her onto her back. She let out a small whimper. Sebastien looked at David and smiled. David understood immediately. He summoned a small vortex of air and used it to lift AJ in the air and throw her across the room. To add insult to injury, Pierre used Earthbending to cause some of the concrete in the walls to crumble, burying her in a pile of rubble. Just as Sebastien went to close in on the vampire leader, a bolt of electricity went flying past his head.
He and his friends turned around and there stood five vampires, obviously friends of William's.
"Sorry we're late. Hope we didn't keep you shelias waiting," said a vampire with blond hair.
"Oh don't worry, the party is just getting started," Sebastien declared.
The fight was on! One of the vampires immediately went to William and Adeline's aid. The others went after Seb and his friends. With so many people in the crowded apartment, it was hard to dodge anything. One of the vampires had a nice left hook that caught Sebastien in the jaw. He spit the blood out onto the floor and wiped his mouth on his sleeve.
Meanwhile, one of the vampires had grabbed Chuck and thrown him into the wall. Chuck grunted in pain and threw his hands out to steady himself. His hand brushed the wall, and he smiled to himself. He stood up and concentrated. With a flourish of his hands, he burst several of the water pipes that ran behind the walls and formed the water into a stream. He used it to encase one of the vampires completely in ice.
David and Pierre worked together to fight off one vampire and Jeff fought another.
It was clear though, that they were outmatched. William had managed to get back up and had joined the fray again. One of the vampires managed to slice one of Chuck's arms with a knife from the kitchen, rendering him temporarily useless. They also managed to overpower David and Pierre.
As the vampires closed in on the five friends, Sebastien knew that their only hope was to escape. He pushed himself back to his feet and was ready to drag his friends to safety when a deafening bang filled the room. Everyone stopped what they were doing and looked to where the sound had come from.
In the doorway stood a man with blond hair and blue eyes. He held a wand in his hand, the end of which was smoking.