see you in the dark

Aria blinked, shaking her head at the blonde and smiling slightly. “Everything is fine... look at me.” She laughed gently. “It is really warm... we’re lucky to have such a warm spring. It’s nice to see you... uh...” 

Beth was enjoying the sun… and grateful that she could. The warm rays against her skin was a reminder of how lucky she was. She glanced down at her ring, a sad smile on her lips. Though a familiar voice… and scent broke her from her thoughts. “Aria.” She raised a brow, glancing towards the store the girl had just left. “Usually what one does in a grocery store, huh? Everything okay there… you look… confused?” 

There was something about the blonde. She couldn’t tell if it was familiar, or if it was her instincts telling her to get away as quickly as she could. “Confused?” She did her best to put on a painted smile. “No... no i’m okay. Just... getting my milk.” She laughed gently. “And you... are... probably doing the same...”

Brad headed towards the small store, nothing had changed in the 11 years he’d been gone. The male raised a brow at the girl, as much as he hated to admit it… his magic was strong and he could feel magic radiating from her… not in her… on her. “I can see that, usually what one does in a grocery store. You okay there?”

“Sorry.” Aria laughed gently, she was guessing from his reaction that perhaps she had been barking up the wrong tree. She rubbed her lips together, glancing back at the store. “Sorry, yes. I think i mistook you for somebody else... i had a rough night, if you get my drift.” 

She headed towards the check out, putting both of the boxes on the counter and pulling out her dollars before exiting. It was a warm day and the sun on her face was nice. But she felt a sharp pang in her chest when a pair of eyes fell on her. “I was just grocery shopping.” She smiled politely, not wanting to give away her vulnerability until she could ascertain who the person was. 

Cailan bit his lip, he’d had no idea how far back her memory loss would go… and it was worse than he’d thought. He let out a breath, moving his arm from around her when she moved. “Nevermind. I guess… I was thinking about something else.” He stood, moving the shirt, though he was also covered in her blood. “Yeah… stupid accident. How are you feeling?”

Aria’s eyes looked at the man, trying to figure it out where she’d seen him before. “I feel... fine. It hurts a little but i’m okay.” She glanced down at the wound on her arm that had stopped burning. Her hands went instinctively to her neck. “Was i... have i worn this before? I don’t recognise it. Shouldn’t i go to... a hospital or something?” 

Aria blinked, her hand moving to cover her arm. For some reason it was burning. The man seemed familiar, but she couldn’t recall them ever meeting. Her brows furrowed as she sat up. “A book.... no sorry. i don’t remember that. I...” She looked around, her eyes widening at the bloody shirt on the floor. “Has... sorry has something awful happened?”

Cailan could feel his head pounding, a mixture of emotions and exhaustion from the magic. He squeezed onto her hand, using his free one to control her pain. He focused his energy on her skin, her blood. “Hey. Yes, you’re Aria. I’m Cailan. I’ve got you. We’re here in the vamp bar.”

Aria’s eyes blinked and furrowed, there was something empty behind her eyes. Her hand was still holding his tightly and she could feel the burning. “Have... we met before?” 

She leant on the wall, letting him wrap her arm. But only because the pain wouldn’t let her move much further. “I am okay. I’m bitten. I...” She softened slightly, but she knew now wasn’t the time for an argument. “It really burns.” 

arinthedark‌:

Cailan let out a shaky breath, getting on the booth beside her. He was so aware of the magic but he tried his best to focus on her. He was covered in her blood now, though he had barely realised. He held onto her hand, wrapping his arm around her. “I’m not going anywhere. I’ll… help with the pain.” He took his free hand, sending energy into the wound.”

Aria held his hand tight, closing her eyes again and focussing on his voice. Whatever he was doing... it made it feel better. She smiled slightly, feeling a little delirious. “Mmm my name is Aria.”

She could feel her breaths getting deeper and she was getting more scared. She held his hand tight.  “Just... just hold me then. Don’t let me be alone. It hurts.” 

She shook again, pushing him off. She held her arm tight to her side. “You’re scared? You’re fucking scared?” She yelled at him. “Look at my arm. And you tell me i’m going to die. You expect me to even care about who fucked up? Look at me. Do what you want. Cover it up. I’ll go die in a ditch. You’ve made your priorities clear.” 

Cailan’s own thoughts were rambling, he was trying to figure things out… though all he could do was make his own assumptions. “Okay, okay sorry.” He let out a breath, turning over his hand. His magic was tingling. “I… thing the necklace may be… absorbing the magic from the bite.”

She took a deep breath, shaking her head. Her breaths were getting shallower. “If you take it off... i’ll lose everything. Cay... I don’t want to go back to how it was.” 

Walking was painful and she could feel her vision starting to blur. But the emotional pain was the worst of it. “Get off me.” She shook him off stubbornly. “Fucking Gerry. You’ll take everybody else in. It’s okay when i’m harmless and don’t know my middle name. But the minute a wolf might’ve done something wrong... you’re blaming me. I got bitten. I was out for air. Just get off me.” 

Cailan was panicking, though he tried his best to keep his cool for the brunette. This situation wasn’t good and they both knew it. “Stay with me,” he breathed as her eyes closed. He knelt down beside her, he could feel the magic radiating from the necklace… and his own magic felt strong, burning in his fingertips. “I… I am not going to take it… but I… there’s so much magic.” He paused. “I… my magic… is in control of the spell in your body… the memory spell… I think… maybe… and I’m speculating… but a wolf bite is foreign magic in your body too.”

Aria let out a cry of pain. His words meant very little to her in her current state, although she was certain they would make no sense anyway. She was no witch. “Tell me in english Cay... what do i do?” Her green eyes looked up at the witch, pleading for a way to fix this. 

Cailan rambled to her all the way to the bar, he wanted to keep her awake. He own heart was racing and using his magic so intensly felt draining but he couldn’t think about himself. Aria needed him. 

He placed her down onto a booth, quickly heading to the back of the bar. “Stay with me, Ar,” he said, kneeling down to the safe. He put in the code and let out a breath. A bag of blood still there. “No, I’m not going to let that happen, okay?” he said, returning to her side. “What?” His eyes fell to the necklace, he touched it and pulled his hand back. “Fuck, it’s hot.” He bit his lip. “It’s… there’s magic in it… a lot of magic in that necklace, Aria… the bite… is magic.”

Her heart was racing and her tears were falling and she just wanted it to end. She tried to hold onto his voice, her eyes closing as she felt him leave her side. She felt his warmth... or perhaps it that was the magic. As he touched the necklace she let out a cry. She could feel the energy building... she had for days. She kept her hand on the necklace, even as it burned. “You can’t... you can’t take it off. I’ll lose everything... who i am.”

Cailan easily took her weight, lifting the girl up into his arms. “Shit… Ari… where the fuck were you walking? Why were you… nevermind. Let me just… get you to… there should still be some blood bags in the vamp bar.” He started to move as fast as he could carrying her. “I’ve got you, don’t worry.” He held his hand over her wound… heat radiated from his palm to her skin. “I… shouldn’t be doing this kind of magic… I’m just… I’m slowing it.”

Aria was just glad someone was holding her, she closed her eyes. Relieved when he stopped asking questions, she’d be able to answer any of them when she made it through this. If, she made it through this. She nodded, closing her eyes as he placed her down. She had no idea where she was. Only that Cailan was with her. 

His magic felt good on her skin and she let out a breath... perhaps she had been wrong about it all. “Thank you... Fuck... Cailan am i going to die?” She started to sob. She’d had a lot of close calls... she’d made it through them all. She couldn’t help but feel like she’d started to run out of luck. “Cailan your spell...” She could feel her breaths shallowing, reaching up and touching the amulet. It felt hot. 

Aria felt relief to finally have someone holding her. She was exhausted and it was more likely the loss of blood would harm her now. “I was walking and i got bitten...then i... i tried to go to the bar. But he turned me away. I... i didn’t know where else to go. Please... help me.”