Chapter Three

 

 

"Alright everyone, listen up!" Tess called from the top of the stairs. It went silent in the room and Tess walked back down the stairs to sit in the circle with everyone else.

"Alright, so there are some things that Mia and I have been keeping from you, more out of personal reasons, than anything else. I have an older brother, named Damon. He used to be the leader of the San Diego group," Dimitri started.

"It wasn't long before they added me into it, after they found me trying to take on a vampire by myself. I was only fifteen at the time and too reckless for my own good. They saved me of course and I demanded that I told me what was going on," I said with a tone so soft I couldn’t believe it was mine.

"Mia took to being in the group perfectly. We normally go looking for people that we're told too, but she. Well she found us. She hadn't found her element yet, but everything else was the way it was supposed to be. About two months later, she found her element," He looked over at me for reassurance that he could go on and I nodded giving him the approval he was looking for.

"Well, the night her mom died she was out hunting with me and it was the first time she saw an innocent die. It happened to be at the exact same time as her mom died. We know this because her mom appeared to her, and that's when she knew that her element was spirit. One of the rarest. She also found out that she comes from a long line of Protectors which is why she fit so perfectly. Mia trained really hard and caught up super fast. Becoming one of the best. Eric is the only member of that group besides myself and Mia that that are still part of the Protectors today."

"It took me about six months to be completely caught up with Dimitri and Damon. At first Damon was proud of me. He had taken me under his wing and helped me through losing my mom in a way that no one else was able too. He let me beat the crap out of him until I felt better," I paused for a moment laughing at the memory, before I continued, "He acted as a big brother to me. And he was a great brother to Dimitri. Then after about a year with them things started to change. The Leaders started to notice how well Dimitri and myself were doing and there was talk of putting him in charge and making me his second in command. Damon didn't like that in the least bit. You see, being a group leader was all Damon thought he needed, all he thought he had. Damon has never found his element. No one is really sure why he hasn't but there it is. It made him angry, and I think that he started to resent his brother and me. So six more months pass and the next thing we know Damon is gone. The Leaders called a meeting to see the two of us. They told us that Dimitri was becoming the leader  of the San Diego group and that I was being move to form the LA Group. We didn't understand what was happening, so I asked them why they were doing this. They told us that when you’re in a group and becoming a leader that personal relationships weren't allowed. I couldn't understand how they knew about Dimitri and I. We hadn't been seeing each other, it stopped before it started. So it was a total shock that we we're being split up," I wasn't looking at anyone but Dimitri at this point, and he was looking softly back into my eyes.

"It turns out that when Damon was told he was being, demoted, I guess is a good word for it. So they told him that I was taking his place and Mia was taking mine. He was completely outraged that this was happening, so he told them that I was in love with Mia, and she with me. He was trying to save his position but all it did was separate the two of us. So he told the Leaders what they could do with their plan and walked out on them. He went off and form what is now called the Rouges. "

"So wait, let me get this straight. You and Mia have a thing for each other?!" Annie squealed out. Everyone started oohing and awing.

"Any ways," I said ignoring everyone, "the attack last night was the Rouges and I think that there are going to be a lot more problems to come with them. So we need to start training harder, in every single way we can. He wants something, I don’t know if its revenge or just to cause pain, but he's determind. There's something else you need to know. Rouges don’t follow any rules. Because of that they use there element in a dark, abusive way. It makes them stronger than us, almost as strong as demons, but not quite. We have to be prepared and we have to be careful."

"Is there more you kept from us or is this it?" Kris asked sounding hurt and pissed at the same time.

"This is what we know. But even the two of us are still learning things about this life and ourselves," I told her felling bad having kept everything from all of them. I suppose I'm still hiding things from them since I so clearly am totally in love with Dimitri, but God knows its dangerous to care for someone like that in this life. Dimitri called out for everyone to do some cardio and exercises to start trying to get into even better shape. He said they didn’t have to stick around to do them but were welcome to if they wanted.

Most everyone took off, except Tess, Annie and Eric. The three of them walked over to where Dimitri and I were standing.

"Alright lovebirds, you guys clearly are attracted to each other so are you guys going to be something or not?" Annie asked. I just looked at Dimitri and stayed quiet. I had absolutely no idea what to say. So I decided to leave it up to him.

"Guys, this really isn't.."

"Look we wont say anything, and you aren't in the same group anymore so it's not like you're breaking the rules. Well at least not technically, anyways. My point is, if you guys want to be together, then you should be together. You have our support," Eric said before sauntering off and leaving. Tess and Annie nodded in agreement before they left too, leaving me standing alone with Dimitri. 

I stood there fumbling with my hands since I didn’t know what else to do. I felt his hands wrap around mine and I looked up at him, right into his gorgeous milky brown eyes, and I felt my insides melting. I loved the way he looked at me, just one look and I felt safe. I wanted so badly to be with him. To go out together, to date. I wanted to have some sense of normality and I wanted it with him.

"They're right. That we should do what we want," He said finally. I knew that he wanted it too but there was something in his voice that said otherwise.

"But just because we want something doesn't mean its right, or that we should. Is that what you're getting at?"

"Angel…"

"Don’t," I whispered, pulling my hands away from him. I walked away from him before the tears spilled out and before my heart could break anymore.

 

 

I get back home and realize that I'm late. "s**t" I mutter. I get out of my car and head inside prepared to face the wrath of my dad for being late. But instead I can hear him and Valerie fighting from the kitchen so I sneak into the house unnoticed. I head up to my room when I flop onto my bed and close my eyes trying to block the world out. After some time they finally stop arguing and I hear Valerie coming up the stairs. My light was still of so she didn't notice I was home. She stopped into the hallway and I heard her whispering to someone who wasn't there. It was so hushed though that I couldn't understand what she was saying, so I figured I'd get closer to be able to hear better. 

"no you idiot. The girl doesn't know yet. Her dad has no idea who I am and neither does she. She doesn't even know who her father really is. We still have plenty of time Malakai. " she hung up at that point and headed to her room.

I sat there for a moment in stunned disbelief, then after I regained the ability to think I reached for my cell phone and called Tess to tell her what I just over heard. She picked up almost instantly and said she'd be over as fast as possible to talk about what I'd just over heard. She got off the phone almost as fast as she'd answered and I ran down the stairs to tell my dad that she was coming over.

I found him sitting in the kitchen drinking a beer and sitting in front of his computer. It looked like he was going over some documents for work, which meant that he was still going on his business trip.

"Hey, dad." I walked over to the fridge and grabbed out a water bottle to hold onto since I wasn't sure if I should say anything to him or not. I didn't know whether or not he'd believe me. He knows that I don't like anything to do with Val other than my little brother.

"I didn’t hear you come home," He said with a questioning tone.

"You and Val were fighting so I just headed up stairs to put my school stuff away."

"And how is summer school going? I haven't seen any grades from it yet."

"It’s going good, and its more extra curricular than anything else," I said getting a little nervous that he was asking so many questions.

"Ah. I see. Well as long as you're enjoying it," He yawned leaning back from his computer and stretching. I was stunned to see how old he looked right now. So warn out, so tired. It seems like all he does is work now. He never used to work this much when mom was alive. I sighed and he looked up and me with and I just shook my head.

"So when do you leave for your business meeting?"

"Two days from now."

"For how long?"

"Just a week, so not too long." Just then I heard a knock on the door and assuming it was Tess I ran over to answer it before Val could. Tess was already walking in when I got there, she had let herself in, like she's been doing for years. My dad yelled hello from the kitchen and tess called back, then we ran up to my room to talk.

She asked for the run down of what happened again, and even she was speechless, which doesn't happen often for her.

"That’s…odd?"

"I know right? I have no idea what she could be talking about though. I mean it could be anything, really."

"Well, you do always say she is evil…" Tess suggested and I was about to protest except, I couldn't help but think, what if?

"You don’t think?" I asked. We both sat in silence and the realization that this could be true caused us to start laughing and breaking into a little bit of hysteria. It was crazy to think, but it could so easily be possible. The way she was always out, and so secretive. How fast she wormed her way into our lives after my mom died, how angry she was when she found out she was pregnant, saying it wasn't part of her plan.

"Oh. My. God." Tess and I said at the say time. There was no doubt that she was evil, the question was, what the hell was she?

 

After the discovery we made, we started to do research on things that could change into a human form, and witches. Anything that Val could possibly be. We had to be ready for when it came out. It had been a few hours and my dad had come in to check on us and say it was getting late, and so said that either Tess needed to go home or she could stay the night, so of course she said she'd call her grandmother and ask to stay.

Another hour had passed when I noticed Tess staring at me.

"Ask whatever it is you want to ask already. The staring is starting to get creepy," I said while still leafing through the old book I was long at.

"Well, are you and, well did you and Dimitri, like are you a couple now?" She asked sheepishly.

"No."

"Why the hell not?!" She shouted, and then covered her mouth when I shot her an angry look. It was well after two am and everyone in the house was sleeping.  

"Because we aren’t its not smart, let alone safe for anyone. HE made that abundantly clear tonight when I was ready to leap and he wasn't. I have to be responsible for you guys though and I don't want to risk myself or you guys any more than we already do everyday. So maybe he's right and maybe he isn't but either way it isn't happening. Though I do appreciate you guys saying what you said. And who knew Eric was so passionate," I laughed at the though of him being passionate and anything but the big brawny oaf I've always known him to be.

"Yeah who knew," She sighed and started to blush. I just yelled, "Aha!", she looked at me like I was a basket case, which just made me laugh.

"You have a thing for him don’t you? I know he has a thing for you, he has since the first second he saw you."

"Honestly, I have no idea. I saw a different side of him, but I don’t know. I know that he's easy on the eyes, but if I'm going to have a relationship I want it to be substantial and take my breath away. I want to fall head over heels for someone. I want the stuff from the movies, I just don't know if that's going to happen with him, let alone at all," She sighed sadly, before going back to reading the book in front of her. I left it alone since she was definitely in her own world now. It got me thinking about what I want. Did I want the same thing as she did? I suppose in a way I did.

"I think that all you can really ask for is someone who loves with all of them, and you love them in return with all of yourself, but you don’t lose who you are, you make each other more. That's what I want. That's what I'll be waiting for," With that I cleared away the books, crawled into bed, and fell asleep with my mind on Dimitri.

 

It took me a while to fully wake up, my ribs were still killing me and my body felt like death. I was finally able to drag myself out of bed and into my bathroom (I got lucky after the marriage, bathroom all to myself) and stripped down for a shower. Before I got in I looked myself over again and saw that the bruise was getting worse on my ribs and there were a few more on my side and on my hip. Those weren't as bad as the ribs were though, which I guess is good. I stood in the shower for a long time just letting the hot water wash over me. These last few days have been a struggle and things were only going to get worse. I didn't know how to deal with the demons, and creatures we fight everyday but now Rouges, and my step-mother? I knew this wasn't going to be easy, we risk our lives everyday, but how am I supposed to lead my people against humans? How can we fight them to the death when its taking another persons life? How can I take down my dad's wife and explain that too him, let alone my baby brother? This wasn't something I could do, or deal with from the shower so I reluctantly got out.

I wrapped myself up in a towel and sat down on the floor. I wasn't ready to leave the steamy bathroom. I don't know how long it had been before I heard a knock on the door and Tess popped her head in to see if I was okay, after I told her yes she asked if there was still hot water for her. I laughed and got up heading out of the bathroom to get dressed.

I decided that today would probably not be an a*s kicking day so I went with a cute summer dress with pastel colors and little flowers. It hid all my bruises very nicely but also showed enough skin to not be suspicious since it was summer and hot out. I'm not much for sandals, though I have a few pairs, and only one pair of flip flops, so I pair it with knee high socks and cute little tan ankle boots. I give my hair a quick brush through and then pull it back into a braid.

I head down the stairs to the kitchen, there's a note on the counter from my dad;

 

Mia and Tess,

Here's some money for the mall, and movies.

Treat yourselves to a nice day, keep the change or

Spend it all,

Love

Dad

 

I picked up the money he left and counted it, holy s**t he wasn't kidding about treating ourselves with the wad of hundreds that total 500.00. I set it back on the counter and remind myself to grab it before we leave today. I make breakfast and just as I'm finishing up Tess comes bouncing down the stairs wearing my clothes. I'd have to admit though, she looked great in them. She found one of my black crop tops, maroon ripped high wasted shorts, black combat boots and  a sheer black silky cardigan type cover. Sometimes, I swear she looks better in my clothes than I do.

"Something smells like pure heaven!" She squeals as she hops onto one of the bar stools. I set a plate down in front of her with a nice big breakfast burrito on it. She slathered some salsa on it and dug right in before I had the chance to even sit down.

"Mia, have I told you that you are the best human being on this planet and you treat me so well, and damn you can cook," She said between bites, which only made me laugh.

After we were done eating I ran upstairs, grabbed my purse, ready to hit the road. I quickly grabbed the money from the counter before we left. Once we were outside, I could feel the heat of the day and wished we could go swimming but my bruises would be noticed and that would be bad. The air conditioned mall would have to suffice for the day.

We managed to find ourselves quiet a bit, and put a good dent into the money. It was definitely time for lunch and coffee. We went to our favorite little café with the best coffee in town. Also the best food. It wasn't long after we sat down that we saw Annie coming over to us.

"Hey guys!" She called over to us. She made herself cozy at our table, but couldn’t seem to sit still.

"Why are you so bouncy today?" I mused over my coffee cup. She had this ridiculous smile on her face.

"I just had the best date of my life!" She made a sound somewhere between a squeak and a shriek.

"Well tell us about it already. You know that you're dying too," Tess ;said clearly annoyed. She didn't hate Annie or anything, she just didn't really like or trust her much. It has always been that way though, for as long as the three of us have been friends. Somehow we all possessed the powers needed to be a part of this world, it worked out for us, but Annie never really wanted this. Less than the rest of us. She likes shopping, gossiping and boys. Not killing vampires and breaking nails.

"Okay! Well he's super dreamy. Handsome, tall, strong. Everything I look for. And, he's older. Older boys are so much more mature than high school boys. Anyways, we talked for hours and he was just so sweet. So charming, yet devilish. I caught me a fine one this time ladies," She said mater-of-factly. She was almost glowing and so giddy, it was cute yet sickening. Dating was a game to her, nothing more than who she could prove she could get. Who knows if this was just another game to her or the real thing. I felt bad for all the hearts of unsuspecting boys she's broken. I could tell Tess was thinking the same thing by the look on her face. We shared a glance and I had to suppress a giggle.

"That's great Annie, really," I said not really sure of what else to say. We all talked for a little about pointless stuff, but she couldn’t seem to stop talking about his boy so we made an excuse to leave.

"We've got a movie date, so we should get going. We'll see you tomorrow for the meeting. Let everyone know it's going to be mid day. Training only, no patrols."  We got up and started to head to my car.

"Okay, will do, enjoy your movie!" She called after us waving. We waved back and then hopped into my car. I started to drive, though I wasn't really sure where I was going.

"Well Tess, what do you want to do?"

"Hmm, let's go to the book store! We haven't just had a day to geek out in so long. I think it be nice, and then we can go home and read on your porch swing. It will be like old times, except we look better doing it," She babbled on happily.

"Sounds like the perfect plan to me, let’s go."

We spent hours at the book store, walked out with more books than we could carry then set off. When we got back to the house no one was home, which is odd since its well after five. There was no note, and no messages on the answering machine. So I figured they were working late. I told Tess to get some tea or cocoa ready and that I'd grab some blankets for the swing and meet her outside.

We talked, and read for hours. Waved to the neighbors walking by, said hello. Got lost in our books. It was the most normal thing we'd done in a while, aside from running errands for Val. But even that didn't happen much since my fake summer school classes started. It was just part of the job. A job that was never ending it seems.

Tess eventually went home, my dad came home first than Val with Kyle. They were already arguing so I took Ky to get dinner and then took him up to take a bath.

"Sissy?" He asked in his oh so small voice.

"Yeah bud?" I replied as I washed his hair.

"Why do mommy and daddy fight so much?"

"Well, sometimes grownups fight. Doesn't meant that they don't love each other."

"I think that if you love someone you shouldn't fight with them. It's not nice," He said as he splashed his arms down in the water.

"If only more people thought like you buddy," I said with a sigh. I finished up giving him his bath and then took him to bed. Once he was all cozy in his bed I started to head out of his room, but before I could leave he asked, "Will you sing to me sissy?"

"Of course I will," I smiled crawling beside him in bed. He snuggled up to me as I began to sing,

"Wont you play the music so the cradle can rock, to a lullaby in ragtime. Sleepy hands are creeping to the end of the clock, play a lullaby in ragtime. You can tell the sandman is on his way, by the way, that they play, as still, as the trill, of a thrush, in a twilight high. So you can hear the rhythm of the ripples on the side of the boat, as you sail away to dreamland. High above the moon you hear a silvery note, as the sandman takes your hand. So rock-a-bye my baby, don’t you cry my baby, sleepy time is nigh. Wont you rock me to a ragtime lullaby, so rock-a-bye my baby. Don’t you cry my baby, sleepy time is nigh, wont you rock me to a ragtime lullaby."

My brother's soft snores tell me that he is sound asleep. I stifle a yawn before kissing his forehead.

"Goodnight sweet boy," I said before shutting his door. I could hear them still fighting downstairs, so I decided that I didn't feel much like sticking around to  listen. I got to my room, shut the door and was about to hop out my window when I heard someone coming up the stairs. I almost slammed the window shut while trying to get back into my room. I propped myself against it and pulled out a book. My door opened and Val was standing there with one ahnd on her hip and the other on my door.

"Can I help you Val?" I asked with a little bit of poison in my voice. She glared back at me but didn’t day anything, at least not until she heard my dad walking up the stairs.

"Just wanted to say thank you. I so appreciate you putting you brother to bed and making sure he was fed. I know your father and I have been fighting so much lately. We're starting counseling soon, we're going to make everything all better."

My dad just walked past, and straight into his room. Apparently, he didn't care what she had to say right now. I waited for his door to shut before I replied to her.

"How easy is it for you to lie through your teeth?" I challenged. I clearly took her by surprise by the look on her face, but she quickly composed herself.

"You think I'm lying? Hmm, well isn't that interesting. Girl's got a brain after all."

"Whatever that means," I snipped, trying to play dumb so that she doesn't know that I'm on to her, but get s just paranoid enough to slip up.

"What do you think I'm lying about? Please, enlighten me dear," She mused.

"That you give a damn. You don't. You know it, I know it and now apparently my dad knows it too. You're just a gold digging tramp. Now get out of my room!"

"Why I never…Mia how dare you say such a thing to your step-mother!" My dad yelled appearing suddenly from no where. Oh s**t was I in trouble now.

"I didn't ask for her to be my step-mother, and she didn't ask either. You replaced mom so quickly you didn't give me a chance to greive her, you didn't give yourself a chance! You just brought her home and was like 'Here have a new mommy, love her and all your problems will go away' well sorry to disapoint you dad, it doesn’t work that way." I was breathing heavy now as well as on the verge of tears. I just wanted them both to leave me alone. My dad was speechless, as a matter of fact so was Valerie which absolutely never happens. I pushed past them, running down the stairs. I had left my purse my the door, so I snatched it up on my way out of the house. I only vaguely heard my father calling after me, but I was already gone. I was in my car crying, driving to the only place that I could think of.

 

I arrived at the small river faster than I ever have before, but when I got there I saw it was already currently occupied. A dark figure was standing near the edge of the water, their back turned to me. By the shape I could tell it was a man, but it was too dark to make out much more. T tired quietly closing in on them, however my bare feet stepping on a rock making cry out kind of gave me away.

When they turned around I saw that it was Dimitri. He looked shocked to see me to say the least. I was about to turn around and leave, until I realized this was my place, I shouldn’t be the one to leave.

"Mia?" I heard him call out. Saying nothing, I just continued to walk to the rocks I love to sit on. Making myself comfortable, I started throwing rocks into the river.

"Are you okay?"

I still stayed silent.

"Are you ignoring me now?"

More silence.

"D****t Mia what's wrong?" He pleas with me to answer. All I could do was look at him while the tears streamed down my face, damn eyes always betraying me. In two steps he was standing before me, reaching out.

"Amelia…" It came out as just a whisper.

"Don't. Please, I can’t handle this right now. I just want to be alone, Dimitri."

"That's why I came out here. I just wanted to be alone. Funny how that works out isn't it? So how about we be alone together?" The boyish grin that I love so much was spread across his face. More tears spilled down my cheeks landing on my bare knees. The next thing I know hes sitting next to me with his big strong arms wrapped tightly around me.

I don’t know how long I cried, but there were no more tears now. Just silent rocking back and forth.

"Why did you come out here to be alone?" He inquires while he moves hair out of my face.

"Fight with my dad. My step-mother is evil. I was a brat."

"I'm sorry, Mia. Wait, Valerie is evil? Like evil, evil?"

"Yep."

"Wow."

Yep, wow.

"Why did you come out here to be alone?"

"Damon." How one single word could be filled with so much longing, sadness and hatred I didn’t know. The sadness was overwhelming and oh how I felt for him. All I wanted was to take away that pain for him, but there was no way too. I tried so hard to find the words to make him feel better, but there was nothing. So I leaned over and rested my head on his shoulder. The simple gesture was enough for him. We stayed there for a long time, saying nothing, just breathing together in peaceful silence.

"I love you," He whispered. My heart broke into a million little pieces at those words. Oh how I longed to hear them, and now, it just hurt to know.

"Why. Don't you know you're only hurting me more?" Why couldn't he just make up his damn mind and stop hurting my heart…

"I don't know what else to do. It's unsafe for us to be together, but oh how I want too," His voice cracked ever so slightly.

"You said okay. You said okay, you said," I cried out, hitting my fits against his chest over and over again.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said it if I wasn’t, if I didn't, d****t. Mia, I love you. I am so beyond in love with you that I'm not myself. I want this to work, I want to be with you, but this life we have, our lives our on the line every single day. I don't know what I would do if I lost you! Don't you see that you're the most important person in the world to me? Don't you see what you mean to me? Mia, it being together engagers you how could I do that? How could I risk your life like that?" He's staring at me now, breathing heavy, fire burning in his beautiful eyes. Yet all it did was enrage me.

"Oh come the f**k on."

"Excuse me??"

"I put my a*s on the line every single day. THAT is MY choice. I could walk away if I wanted too, I could ask to relinquish my rights if I didn’t want too rick my life everyday. You do the same. Every single day we are in danger, the least we owe ourselves is so peace of mind. Love and happiness where it is so that we aren't bitter. I don't want to be hard and cold. I want something to live for! I make sure I come out every single battle to go home to my father, to my brother, to you, to Tessa and everyone else I feel I need to protect. Don't YOU see? You're being foolish. You're running away from the things that make life worth living. You're running away from me, and all I want is to be there for you. I just want to be with you. I just need you, because you make me feel invincible. You make it seem as though I can fly. I am so helplessly in love with you, an you, you are what my dreams are made of, d****t! I love you and I'm tired of not being with you!"

I reached across the empty space between us and kissed him like I had never kissed him before. There were fireworks going off in my head, the world disappeared and there was only us. Time no longer existed, nothing mattered other than the love between us. By the time the kiss was over we were both breathless and hungry for more.

"You have quite the way with words," He laughed then sighed, "What if it doesn't work? Or what if something happens to you? Or--" I cut him off before he could finish.

"We could play the what if game forever, how about instead we start living?" I proposed with more confidence than I actually felt. He took me in his arms and kissed me softly on the lips, then on my forehead.

"Alright Angel. Let's start living."

"You better mean it this time, my heart can't take another round with you."

"I swear I do, I really do."