Disclaimer: the songs are "That song in my head" by Juliana Hough and "Be strong" by Delta Goodrem.

Hope you enjoy 8)

Chapter Nine: Karaoke

'Stupid, stupid,' I chant at myself. It had been two nights since Zacarias had 'attacked' me though the bite wound wasn't nearly as bad as everyone had first thought it was. And in those two nights I couldn't help but think of those dark eyes and seductive voice of his.

*Knock, knock* "Hey Lynnie-poo," I hear my best friend call from behind my closed door. Ever since the berating I got from the others about Zacarias and trying to defend him, I have locked myself up in my room, refusing to see anyone.

"What Sky," I huffed as I walked back in from the balcony, "coming to fuss at me too."

"Actually, I was wondering if you would like to join me, Josef, Paul, and Ginny at the Dark Troubadour's house to do some karaoke. Barack said that he has a new system for us to try out," explained my best friend as she came through the door. "Besides, no one is mad at you. Yes you took a risk, but you're safe and everyone just cares."

"Yeah, but I mean if he had turned wouldn't he had killed me? Gone after Colby and MaryAnn? Yes I took a risk, but he's still worth saving and he didn't really hurt me. Just scared me." I huffed.

"You're right. If he did turn then it would have been worse, and since the De La Cruz ladies keep coming and Nicolas wanting to talk to you about him, I'd say everyone agrees with you about him being worth saving. They are his family." Skyler nodded, joining me on the bed. "Now how about some karaoke to cheer you up? This is supposed to be good times and I don't want to go alone. Dimitri's going to be there."

"I thought Paul, Josef, and Ginny are going."

"Duh, but they're not my bestest friend, now are they?" she smiled.

"Fine. I'll go but the first time someone mentions you-know-who, I'm leaving." I grumbled, though inside I was joyous. I absolutely love karaoke.

"Without a chaperon?" she asked with her eyebrow raised.

"Ya know I ain't that stupid," I laughed as I playfully shoved her. "When are we leaving?"
"As soon as you're ready." She responded and I jumped up and grabbed a pair of random jeans and shirt and flitted to the bathroom to get dressed. I threw my long dark hair up in a messy bun, put a little eye shadow on and painted my lips with my cherry chapstick and was ready to go.

"Let's go," I boomed as I left the bathroom, excitement already replacing the nerves that had been building the past two days.

Skyler laughed out, "let's go." And we were off downstairs to grab our shoes and jackets. Gabriel and Francesca greeted us at the door with loving smiles.

"We'll be coming with you," Gabriel announced.

"Just don't slow us down ol' man," I laughed and raced out the door following Skyler. Two owls flew above us hooted out. Francesca's laughter filled the night with grumblings from Gabriel.

'Nice ol' man joke Keelyn,' Lucian's voice melted in my head along with Jaxon's laughter.

"Yeah, well you're the older twin so what's that make you," I grinned up at the owls only to have the larger one swoop down at me. I shrieked and dove at Skyler, only to miss and nose dive into the deep snow. "Good job Lucien. Now I'm covered in icky snow," I huffed jokingly.

Fifteen minutes later, we arrived at the large house that the Dark Troubadour's were staying at. To my delight, Dayan and Corrine welcomed us with baby Jennifer and many of the other Carpathians had already arrived. It seemed like hours had passed with smiles and fun when Nicolas approached me. "Keelyn, do you have a minute?" he asked with concern.

"Yeah," I replied as I followed him through the crowd to a table that sat three of his brothers and their lifemates.

Colby greeted me with a hug and asked, "How are you feeling?"
"Fine," I smiled at her. "Zacarias didn't hurt me as much as he did scare me."

Sad eyes nodded at me and Nicolas then turned to me, "I need you to be honest with me. Did you do anything to my brother?"

Shock hit me. 'Did you do anything to my brother' seemed to echo through my head. "No, is Zacarias okay?" I gasped. "All I did was drag him to the cave and covered him with soil. Please tell me he's okay." Panic began to creep in as different scenarios that ended with him hurt came into my head. My lungs started to burn and my chest began to feel as though it was being squeezed.

"Please calm down. Zacarias is well," Rafael said gently as he sat me down. "Just breathe. In and out." I listened and found myself following his orders and breathing in rhythm with him.

"We didn't mean that you did do something. He just has been acting a little more off than usual and has blamed you for some kind of witchcraft. We didn't believe it, of course, but we just wanted to make sure." Nicolas explained.

"What do you mean witchcraft? I don't do that kind of stuff." I said shaking my head.

"Can you tell us what happened in your books?" MaryAnn asked calmly. "Especially in the one you said was Zacarias'?"

"Umm sure. In his book he blamed Margurita for working with the enemy and that she had put a spell on him because he couldn't get her out of his head and when he merged with her he was able to feel and see in color though he did not realize he had feelings. The only way he could was when he stayed merged with her. In the book it said that he was the same way his father was and that if she had died then he would turn immediately." I replied. "What does it have to do with Zacarias?"
"We have caught him several times near your home." Manolito said strangely, as if he was wrapped in his thoughts.

Suddenly feeling wary, I cleared my throat. "I, umm, I should go find Skyler." I said, getting up.
"We didn't mean to startle you or make you uncomfortable," smiled Juliette. I nodded and went to look for my friend.

"There you are," I heard as I turned around and saw Skyler being trailed by Paul and who I assumed was Josef.

"Here I am," I smiled. She introduced me to the tall, dark haired boy with blue spikes, as Josef. His outgoing, boyish smile caused my cheeks to heat up. "Hi."

"Nice to finally meet the beautiful Keelyn that Skyler's been hiding away," he winked. My cheeks grew hotter. "So I heard you like karaoke."

"Yeah." I said simply.

"Well Dayan and Barack just finished setting it up. You wanna go try it out?" he flirted.

"Not first," I laughed. "Sky can go first, and I pick the song."

"Fine. How bad can it be?" she shrugged and we followed her to the makeshift stage.

"You'll have to find out," I grinned evilly at her as she took the stage.

"Apparently, I get to go first," she told Desari who got the crowd's attention.

"What song?" Darius asked her.

"Can I put it on?" I giggled with mischief.

"Knock yourself out," he smiled kindly at me.

I sneaked the song on and shouted, "Sky this one's for you and Dimitri!" I laughed as her eyes got big and the song started.

'You're so mean' she mouthed and then began to sing, "You were hanging your feet off, The tailgate of Billy Don's Ford, I grew up in this little bitty town, Never seen you before, You were swaying in the moonlight, While the radio played, And I've, I've had that song in my head all day, yeah…"

By the end of the song, Skyler's cheeks were flushed and she raced to me. "You sounded beautiful," I smiled innocently.

"Really, you had to pick THAT song? Really? And to beat it all Dimitri was standing like RIGHT THERE!?" she huffed as her cheeks were bright red.

"Yeah, that was the plan," I grinned back at her while she rolled her eyes. "You love me."
"Yeah, don't know why," she joked as she pushed me onto the stage. "Your turn babydoll." She blew me a kiss as I looked out into the crowd. I took a deep breath waiting for my song to come on when I met the piercing steel eyes I couldn't get out of my head.
The piano cords started and I began to sing,

"Are you swimming upstream in oceans of blue?
Do you feel like your sinking?
Are you sick of the rain after all you've been through?
Well I know what you're thinking
When you can't take it
You can make it
Sometime soon I know you'll see
'cause when you're in your darkest hour
And all of the light just fades away
When you're like a single flower whose colours have turned to shades of gray
Well hang on and be strong
Where taking each step one day at a time
You can't lose your spirit
Let live and let live forget and forgive
It's all how you see it
And just remember keep it together
Don't you know you're never alone
'cause when you're in your darkest hour
And all of the light just fades away
When you're like a single flower whose colours have turned to shades of gray
Well hang on, and be strong
No you're not defeated
And soon you'll be smiling once again
Then you won't have to feel it
Let it go with the wind
Time passes us by
And know that you're allowed to cry
'cause when you're in your darkest hour
And all of the light just fades away
When you're like a single flower whose colours have turned to shades of gray
Well hang on and be strong"

As the song faded out, I felt as though I was drained but smiled as the room erupted in applause. I made my way off the stage to meet Skyler, Josef, Paul, and Ginny. "Wow," Josef said as he rubbed his arms. "I have goose bumps."

"That was amazing," Ginny cheered and Skyler hugged me.

"Thanks," I said shyly.

We talked for a few more minutes when I told them I was going to get something to drink. "Be back," I called through the crowd while Skyler was being drug out onto the dance floor by Dimitri. I chuckled softly as I made my way to snack table. When I reached the table a strong hand wrapped around my arm and spun me around. I gasped as I saw Zacarias.

"What have you done to me?" he hissed. "What kind of magic have you done on me?"
"I don't know what you are talking about. You were the one who attacked me. If you were aiming for me to be scared of you, you succeeded. Now please let me go." I replied calmly without wanting to cause a scene.

"You have done something to me." He growled.

"The please tell me what it is? Because honestly, I have no idea what I did to you besides drag your big butt into a cave and covered you with soil. Besides you really want to be doing the growly, attacking thing and cause a scene?" I huffed as he released my arm.

"Why did you save me?" he asked coldly. "I could have turned."

"As to why? I already told you. I saw you ending your life and didn't want you to be alone. Then when I saw you, I couldn't let you die. I was compelled to save you. And if you had turned, you would have killed me and not worry about whether or not you turned.

"I don't feel."

"Yet worry is what I'm getting." I crossed my arms.

"Explain how you saw me ending my life." He asked.

"I see things okay. Past or future doesn't matter." I shrugged. "Sometimes it's a curse others a blessing."

"How did you know it wasn't the past?" he asked.

"Simple. I see the past on artifacts or places. Not people. Future is for people," I explained as I snatched a couple of fudge squares.

"And you were compelled to save me? By who?"

"Yes and don't know. God perhaps. It was in my heart that I couldn't let you die. Happy now? I went against pure logic and saved someone who didn't want saving."

"I can't get you out of my head. Your scent. Your taste." He growled coming closer to me. I stiffened as I caught the wild gleam in his eyes. "You called me good."

"You are. You put your brothers' needs first and kept them from turning. That's the feat of a good person." I smiled at him.

"What is happening to me?" he asked as he bent his head down. Offering comfort, I wrapped my arms around his neck.
"It'll be okay. If it makes you feel any better, I can't get you out of my head either." I pulled him closer. His masculine scent filled my nose and I bit back a moan as his strong arms wrapped around me. "If you want, we'll find out together."

He nodded against my shoulder. I felt his lips trace where he had bitten me before. I stiffen briefly as I felt his teeth scrap against my skin, but as his fangs pierced my skin pleasure washed over me, causing my knees to weaken. After a couple of gentle pulls, he sealed the wound and nicked his neck. "Drink, csitri. I took too much before." He muttered as he led my head to the small bead of blood. As the bead hit my tongue, I expected the high coppery taste as before, but I found myself moaning softly at the masculine taste that I could tell was sole him. He pulled me back a second later. "I must leave." He said with regret, and then left out into the night. I felt split as I yearned to follow him and needed to give him space.