Chapter 6 A Game of 20 Questions

Scarlet learns a bit more about her new friend Damon

It felt like hours had passed as the two sat in silence. Scarlet sat against Damon's chest the warmth radiating off his body soon comfort her chills and a bit of her nerves, she still couldn't believe that this was happening, that the guy she got to know so well in the past week was some sort of monster demon thing.

        All that was going through her mind was 'Why doesn't he just kill me, then he wouldn't have to deal with someone who knows his secret' the thought of Damon doing such a thing sent shivers down her spine. She tried to focus on something else but the only other thing that she could focus on was the movement of Damon's chest as he breathed, it was kind of awkward so she decided to try and break the silence.                              

“D-Damon...um...uh...” she tried to find something in her head to say, her stammering just made him chuckle.

“I take it your mind finally overflowed with questions huh?” he said as he adjusted himself. Scarlet could only nod.

“Well I think you deserve some answers, but first how about we get out of the cold?” he smiled as he lifted his arms up allowing Scarlet to stand and stretch, he stood to his feet and stretched as well.

 

Scarlet felt a bit better knowing she was going to get some answers but where were they going to go to 'get out of the cold'.

“W-where are we going to go?” she asked.

Damon smiled and knelt down again “My place” he said with a smirk that soon faded “Sadly there is only one way to get there without being seen” Damon said unfolding his wings “But first maybe you should call the others so they’re not worried”.  After Scarlet made up some excuse for ditching them at the mall, she flipped off her phone and stuck it back in her bag, then turned to Damon

“So how is this going to work?” she asked.

With a smirk on his face Damon replied “I guess I'm going to have to carry you” he opened his arms “this is another one of those 'you just have to trust me' moments”.

Scarlet sighed. This was going to happen one way or another might as well just get it over with. She slowly walked over to him, he scooped her up bridal style, and she quickly wrapped her arms around his neck which only made him smile.

“I won’t let you fall, I promise. Now on the count of three” she held on tight “One…” closed her eyes “Two…” and tried to imagine she was on a roller-coaster “Three!” as soon as she heard him say three a rush of air hit her face and a feeling that she left her stomach back on the ground soon followed. Slowly she opened one eye than the other, a gasp escaped her lips as she gazed at the starry night that passed by her.

“This is amazing!” she exclaimed as her stomach caught up with her.

“Just don't look down” laughed Damon.

“Oh don't think I'm going to fall for that one!” she said with a glare, but that only made him laugh. Damon had a pleasant laugh, it was low but sweet.

“I had a feeling you were too smart to walk into that one” he was right she was too smart to fall for that, Scarlet had seen this scene in to many movies. Whenever someone tells someone else 'don't look down' they automatically do and then proceed to freak out.

        After about 30 minutes of flying with nothing but trees around Scarlet saw something she thought she never would see. A really huge, really cool looking stone mansion. Her eyes widened and the only thing that could escape her mouth was a faint “Whoa...” Damien smiled “Beautiful isn't it?”

“Beautiful is an understatement” she said looking over the great structure.

        Damon slowly landed and let Scarlet down with a confused look on her face “Wait. This is your place!?” she said as Damon nodded.

“Yeah, this is my home. Now let’s get inside before both of us catch our death of cold” he gestured over to the large double doors that easily towered over them. Scarlet walked over to doors and went to grab the handle but to her surprise it was about a foot above her head, she looked over to Damon with a puzzled look only to find him smiling a goofy smile. He walked over to the door and grabbed a hold of the handle that was in the right spot for him and pushed the doors open.

 

When Scarlet walked into the massive structure she couldn't believe her eyes, everything was so much bigger! She scanned the room taking every little detail in. Scarlet felt like a doll in a doll house. “Damon why is everything so much-!”

“Bigger?”

“Yeah...”

        A smile grew on his face as the two made their way down a long hall “Well, imagine yourself in a kindergarten class, everything is so much smaller, you can't even fit your legs under the table. That is how I feel when I'm around human stuff” he paused for a second to collect his thoughts “You see Scarlet, this is what I look like. When I go out in public I have to revert back into my human form.” he stopped “You saw my tattoo's glow right?” She nodded. “When they glow it means I’ve exhausted too much energy trying to maintain my human form” he started walking again.

 “So do you live her by yourself?” she asked as they stopped at the bottom of a long twisting staircase.

“I think I would go crazy if I did” laughed Damon. “I live here with my older brother and our butler” Damon started heading up the staircase gesturing scarlet to follow.

Soon they were at the top of the stairs staring at another huge door, but this one had skulls, band stickers, some caution tape, and a keep out sign on it.

“I take it this is your room?” Scarlet said with a chuckle

“What gave it away?” he said with a laugh.

“It reminds me of my bedroom door” the two shared a laugh as Damon opened his door. Too Scarlets surprise it looked like a typical teenage boy's room, the floor was scattered with dirty laundry that he shuffled to the corner of the room with his foot. A big bed with a nightstand on each side took up the center of the room, on the left side of the room there was a bookshelf, a desk with computer, a sound system, and what looked to be closet doors. On the right side of the room was a vanity dresser with a mirror, another set of closet doors, and a door that could go to a bathroom. The walls were scattered with posters.

Damon walked over and flopped down on his bed turning over on his side. Scarlet followed, taking in her surroundings. Damon offered her a spot on his bed, sitting up to make more room for her. She sat on the edge of the bed, it was very soft and had a nice bounce to it. The two talked for hours. He showed her some of his painting and drawings like he promised and Scarlet pulled out her sketch book and allowed him to look through the pages, when he stopped on the newest drawing in her sketch book. Scarlet gasped “You…you were the one who saved me that night…” Damon nodded, her eyes welled up a bit “Thank you…” she said hugging him tight.

 

Scarlet was really enjoying Damon's company. It’s as if they knew each other their entire lives. Everything was going fine until a knock at the door caught their attention.

“Hey bro you home? I heard you talking to yourself in here, you haven't gone crazy on me have you?” the door opened and in stepped Damon's older brother. He looked just like Damon except older and taller. His skin was red and the scales on his legs, arms, and stomach were black, his claws had to be a half an inch longer then Damon's, his wings were unfolded and a bit larger than his brothers his tail swishing about, his eyes were pitch black like Damon's and his hair was short, red, and in a Mohawk.

        As he walked in he froze dead in his tracks locking eyes with Scarlet.  Scarlet froze as well feeling she outstayed her welcome. Damon stood walking over to his brother “Uh…Coal this isn’t what it looks like” he said standing between Scarlet and his brother.

“It’s not what it looks like, Damon? It is EXACTLY what it looks like! You brought a HUMAN home!?” Coal proclaimed.

“OK this is what it looks like…But it’s OK! She's a friend from school and promised she wouldn't tell anyone” Damon said in a stern tone “I trust her Coal.”  Coal locked eyes with Damon

“You realize we could get in a lot of trouble for this. I’ve never seen you this serious, I can tell you really trust this human and what kind of brother would I be if I didn’t trust you” Coal said with a big toothy smile. Damon walked back over and sat next to Scarlet on the bed, Coal pulled up a chair and sat across from the two.

Coal looked over Scarlet, then Damon, until his gaze fell back on Scarlet “So, what's your name” Coal asked.

“M-my name is Scarlet, Scarlet Caster” she said feeling a bit intimidated.

“Scarlet? So you’re the one Damon talks about” he said turning to his brother “Your right she is a cutie” Coal whispered.

“Dude!” Damon said elbowing his brother, Coal laughed turning back “Well Scarlet I'm Coal Rue, Damon's older and better looking brother, I'm sure he told you all about me” he said as he flexed his muscles.

“No, not really” Scarlet laughed as she watched Coal’s ego shrink.

        After the three of them chatted for a bit Scarlet realized how late it had gotten and started to freak out, Damon told her not to worry and that he would take care of everything. Scarlet nodded and sent a text home telling her mom she was staying with Rose tonight.

“I guess if you’re staying the night there’s someone who should meet, Coal have you seen Nova?” Damon asked.

“I last saw him in the den.” Damon gestured Scarlet to follow. The three were soon downstairs “Damon who’s Nova?” Scarlet asked. “I guess I forgot to mention him. He’s our pet” Damon said with a smile.