Chapter Thirty Two

The smell of food cooking and the sounds of grown men playing a game of volleyball in the back yard almost made everything seem normal but it was definitely far from it. John sat across the yard away from everyone, as if in his own little world. Natalie found herself in conversation with Cris who was going on and on about some new computer technology that he was sure would be the next be thing but she couldnt even concentrate on him, her eyes kept darting to John who sat alone, drinking..

"im telling you Nat, once I get all of this underway its going to be amazing, I mean imagine being able to gps all those monsters out there, it will be like when they track sharks in the ocean"

"Sure" she said without really listening to him..

Cris swallowed hard, fully aware that she was ignoring him.."You know I have been meaning to ask you" he began as she looked at him now, her mind completely jumbled with thoughts..

"Hey cris im sorry, I just...give me a minute" she said quickly as she stood and he watched as she began walking over to John.

She hated how uncomfortable she felt at the moment, I mean if they were really in this together than they better form some kind of truce or something.. John glanced up from his beer as she neared him..He had a million thins on his mind, a lot of them were about his recent conversation with Rex.. As she got closer he spoke before she did.."how come you made it seem like you and vamp boy were an item" he said quickly as she froze in her spot, completely surprised by his words.."You werent together, were you?"

"Um, what?" she said nervously, wondering how he had come to this conclusion, she hadnt been ready to explain herself. He stood now as she swallowed hard.."i dont know what your" she began quickly, her heart racing..

"Im trying to understand why you say the things you do" he said seriously..

She breathed hard as she stood there.."does it really matter" she finally said as he stood there..

"actually yeah it does" he said honestly..

Natalie walked a few steps past him.."well you never asked, not that I thought you would care" she began as she kept her back turned to him.."i may of hated Victor for a lot of reasons but" she turned and faced him now.."he proved himself to me"

"why did you come all the way across the country to find me" he asked as she swallowed hard..

"i already told you, I wanted to see if the rumors were true" she said as she walked some more but he followed her now..

"tell me the kind of person I was" he said as she stopped now and turned, he was literally just a foot from her..

"i really dont know" she said honestly..

"I suppose that makes sense" he nodded his head..

"we didnt spend much time talking; arguing well now we did that alot" she said honestly.."you had issues but then we all do" she shook her head..

"But you still kept coming around" he asked as she rolled her eyes..

"yeah well its not like I had a choice in the matter" she said as she walked past him once more.. She couldnt believe how nervous she felt right now.."we were working on a case together" she finally said.."Mitch had something you wanted and something I wanted.."

"the ring" he said as he nodded, he still couldnt put the pieces together..

"Yeah well that is long gone now, lord knows what she did to it" Natalie sighed heavily..

"I told you that there are other ways, Zach hasnt let me down yet" he said quickly and she looked at him..

"yeah well lets hope he doesnt" she said honestly..

Meanwhile across the country in a large basement of a Los Angeles home, Miles stood before a huge pot boiling with rare ingredients. He glanced at the ring on the table and smiled. Everything was falling into place, just one small ingredient left to add to the pot and then everything he wanted, everything he rightfully deserved would be his.

Natalie sat across from John in the backyard. No one had come over to say a word to him and she supposed it was better this way, atleast no one was fighting with him..She had offered John some food and he accepted as they ate in silence as the others watched them closely..

Natalie felt some comfort in believing that Michael took Victoria to protect her. It was something that had been going through her head since John had said it. I mean no one really knew what John was capable of and Victoria's life could have been in danger though she felt it no longer was, atleast from John.. She stared aimlessly up at the sky as the sun began to set, she prayed silently for Michael to hear her, for him to keep Victoria safe and protected..

"why do you still pray to them, after everything" John couldnt help but ask as she looked at him now..

She shrugged her shoulders.."bad habit to break"

"yeah well those sons of bitches are why we are in the mess we are" he snapped abruptly as he got up and she swallowed hard..

"John, wait" she called out but he was already storming back into the house as she sighed..

"this is a lot for him to digest" the sound of Gigi's voice snapped her out of her staring as she looked at her friend..

"yeah well everyone is going through something, I just wish he would talk to me" she sighed once more.."sometimes im thankful that Michael took her"

Gigi's eyes got wide as she looked at Natalie.."You dont really mean that natalie"

"actually I do, I mean none of us know what he will do next and if something happened to Victoria" Natalie shook her head..

"he may seem a bit unstable but I dont think he would ever hurt a child and especially not his own" Gigi said softly..

"i dont even know what to think anymore" Natalie huffed as she walked past her friend and headed inside, she needed to have a talk with John cause if they were in this together than they had to somehow stop this bickering..

The sound of shouting was heard almost immediately and then she heard an enormous crashing sound as she ran towards it.. As she got to the hallways she saw what was causing all the noise because John and Cris were literally head to head, punching and yelling slurs at one another. It took her a second to regain herself..

"Victoria is better off without you, everyone is" Cris yelled as John took one final blow and Cris went flying into the wall, cracking it upon impact..

"John! Stop!" Natalie yelled out in horror as he rushed over to Cris and grabbed him by his neck, he was squeezing hard and Cris's face was turning blue.."STOP!" she yelled once more as John glanced over at her, seeing the absolute fear in her eyes, it took him off guard for a second.."Your gonna kill him" she yelled as others came rushing into the room and ran towards John. He immediately let go of Cris who began huffing and gasping for air, Natalie ran in front of John..

"Out of my way natalie, im gonna beat that mother" Steele began to yell angrily as he looked at John and then Cris..

"John just go upstairs" she pleaded with him as he just looked at her and then everyone around him..Please just go!" she snapped now as he spun and began heading up, Natalie blocked the entrance to the stairs with her body..

"He almost killed Cris" Steele continued to yell as Bo quickly ran into the hall..

"what the hell is going on here" Bo looked at them all and then at Cris.."what the hell happened.."

"that son of a bitch happened" Cris finally got his voice back as others helped him to stand.."we should of never let him stay here"

"were you instigating him" natalie shouted at Cris, she was beyond pissed. It wasnt like John just to lose his shit, or was it? Did she even know him like that anymore?

"Oh so now its my fault, cant you see that he has manipulated you" Cris continued to rub his throat..

"he cant stay here Bo, he is a risk" Steele began to say..

"were not going to act like damn savages here, Natalie...Cris, in my office" Bo spun from them all.."and the rest of you go to bed, its been a long enough day as it is" he added..

"this is bullshit" Cris huffed loudly..

"You heard him, get your asses to bed ok" Rex finally said as everyone looked at him and then he gave Natalie a reassuring look but honestly she had no idea what to think now.. Everyone began to disapate with groans and grumbles.. Natalie stormed past Cris as she headed to Bo's office, he was hot on her heel..

"Nat I didnt do anything" Cris began to say as he followed after her but she ignored him as she rushed into Bo's office..

"what the hell is going on Nat" Bo said with annoyance and before she could talk, Cris did..

"that son of a bitch attacked me" Cris snapped as Natalie looked at him angrily..

"from where I was standing it looked like you were instigating" she snapped at him..

"Instigating? My god Natalie the guy is like a damn volcano about to erupt or are you just too blind to see that" he yelled back at her..

"Dont talk to me about what I do and dont see, I know what I heard and you were starting with him" she yelled and then she looked at Bo who was just shaking his head in disapproval.."Bo I know what I heard"

"you know this is exactly why we should of never let him stay here" Cris yelled..

"thats enough ok, both of you!" Bo barked out as they looked at him, Cris went to say something as Natalie grumbled under her breath.."Im not kidding, were not a bunch of animals here and what I saw back then" Bo sighed.."You should both be ashamed of yourselves"

"ashamed? Bo but i" Natalie began as he looked at her hard and she quickly shut up, she knew that arguing with him would get her no where..

"Listen this is tense for all of us ok and the last thing we need is fighting to erupt in the house, this is a place of damn sanctuary!" he snapped as he looked at them..

"how can we just keep him in the house" Cris began as Bo looked at him..

"I didnt ask your opinion" Bo snapped as Natalie smiled sarcastically at Cris.."and you" he quickly looked to Natalie.."i said he could stay here but im not gonna have him blowing up everytime someone says something to him" he said quickly..

"Yeah well if people would stop instigating" she glared at Cris..

"I will deal with Cris, you get your situation under control" Bo said to her seriously as she huffed.."and dont make me regret this Natalie"

"fine" natalie shook her head with annoyance as she walked past Cris and he mumbled something under his breath about her sleeping with demons, she immediately spun and went to hit him but Bo was between them before she could have a chance..

"Now thats enough Cris" Bo snapped angrily.."natalie go"

Natalie glared at Cris as Bo blocked her and then she was storming out of the room, Gigi was in the hall and immediately walked up to Natalie.."not now Gigi" natalie said before gigi could have a chance to say anything and she quickly ran up the stairs and to her bedroom..

Rex was standing at her door as she neared it.."I made sure no one started anything with him" he said as she breathed a sigh of relief, she had been wondering if Steele had took matters into his own hands..

"thanks rex" she said as she leaned against the wall.."do you think im making a mistake by letting him stay here" she said quietly..

Rex didnt speak for a second as he looked at her.."i think that your doing what you think is right" he finally spoke..

"But you think its wrong?" Natalie sighed..

"Im not saying that" Rex breathed heavy.."Listen Cris can be an asshole and you know that, I mean come on Nat he has been trying to get with you for as long as Ive known him" he said honestly..

"yeah well its not like I have been giving him mixed signals" she said sarcastically.."all I want is for Victoria to be home" she added..

"I know, me too and we will bring her home" Rex began with a nod of his head.."Let me talk to Cris ok, I will get him to stand down" he said as he turned from her..

"thanks rex" she said as he turned and slowly smiled at her..

"anytime sis" he said and then he left the hallway as she inhaled deep, she was actually nervous to go into her bedroom, nervous as what to say to John but she mustered up all the courage she could as she opened the door..

John stood across the room, staring out the window, he spoke before she could.."coming in to tell me how wrong I am" he said sarcastically as she shut the door..

"No" she said quietly and he turned and faced her.."i mean it would be nice if you could keep your anger in check" she said quickly as she walked across the room and began moving stuff on her dresser..

"Listen im not the only one with anger issues, its like this whole place is packed full of nearly combustable people" he said dryly as he looked back out the window..The sun was completely down now and she sighed..

"Yeah well its been a stressful time" she said as an explanation..

He shook his head as he stood there.."i dont know how you all havent torn each other apart by now, and you think demons have issues"

"we make it work and Cris, well he just" she began as John turned and looked at her..

"he wants to get in your pants, thats what he wants" he said abruptly and she laughed now..

"Yeah ok" she laughed nervously...

"trust me his thoughts were so loud that they were practically screaming at me" he said seriously..

Natalie swallowed hard once more, she had forgotten he could read minds and hers immediately went back to that kiss they had shared and she felt her heart race as he looked at her with his head cocked. She quickly tried to think of something else as she walked across the room, damn it why did her mind have to keep going there, now definitely wasnt the time..

"you know we really need to come up with a game plan" she said quickly as she opened her closet door..He didnt respond and when she turned to say it again, he was right there.."You know its rude to sneak up on people" she said with a bit of shock..

"i think about it too" he said somewhat seriously as she laughed a bit nervously..

"Yeah well you should, I mean we have to have some sort of plan" she began to say even though his face was telling her that he meant something entirely different..She went to walk past him..

"thats not what I am talking about and I think you know that" he said as he blocked her way.."You cant stop thinking about that kiss" his words completely caught her off guard as she stared at him..

"what? Thats crazy, I dont even know what your" she began to laugh somewhat nervously as she went to walk past him again but he blocked her once more.."we really need to have a plan ready"

"plans are for the weak minded and right now I have something else on my mind" he said as he stared at her, his eyes hazing over with lust..

She swallowed hard.."plans are important, necessary actually" she tried to ignore the overwhelming thick lust filling the air as she pushed past him and he reached out and grabbed her arm, stopping her..

"why do you keep running from me" he asked as she closed her eyes for a second and tried to think of something, anything to say but then he was slowly moving around her.."you can try and deny it all you like natalie but I know what you want cause I want it too" he rasped as he licked his lips and stared at her..

"You know its also rude to look into someones mind" she said quickly as she tried to pull back from his hand but he wouldnt let go..

"Your mind is practically screaming it" he said matter of factly.."I cant help it if" he began..

"Listen so I have some lingering...lingering...i dont know what it is actually ok, but I dont" she began to ramble as he stepped even closer to her and she immediately stopped talking for a second..

"its not like it hasnt happened before" he raised an eyebrow...

"yeah well last time it was different" she said quickly, she could barely breath with him so close..

"but it doesnt stop you from wanting me, does it?" he searched her face..

"i didnt say that I wanted anything, so you look like him ok, I get that, its not really my fault if my mind starts to wander" she tried to keep this professional as she went to move but he stepped closer as she backed up some, her back finally hitting the wall as she sucked in a deep breath.."i cant do this" she whispered..

"why? Because I have no soul, atleast im more honest then he ever was" he said seriously.."actually the way I see it, I may just be better then him, he played games and I dont. I see what I want and I go for it and by what I see, the feeling is definitely mutual"

"John, dont" she whispered but it was too late, his lips were already crashing down onto hers as he pressed his hard length into her body causing her to gasp under his strength..