#partseven

Co-Written with @LilWarriorGal

Payne: The sound of a fist hitting a heavy bag could be heard outside the gym.  Payne like to workout when the others were sleeping.  It was peaceful to be the only one in the gym and no one there to try to make small talk with.  Small talk wasn’t Payne’s thing and she couldn’t figure out why so many wanted to make it.  She preferred discussing things in depth unless it had to do with her love life and it was her twin asking her.  

She hit the bag again, as she tried to figure out how she would one day tell Vishous that she was attracted to Rehvenge.  It would surely fall like a lead balloon and her twin would list off why she should stay away from him.  A smirk came to her lips as she realized that he would be against anyone, even if it was his best friend.  Maybe she should get Butch to help her pull a prank on Vishous and let him think she liked Butch.  The look on her twin’s face would be priceless.   Then she heard the doors shut and she stopped hitting the bag.  As she turned around, she saw Bella had entered the gym.  That was unusual, the shellans rarely came down to the training center.  Payne smiled and she could tell Bella had something on her mind, so she picked up the towel she had on the bench and wiped her face off.  “You look as if you wish to ask me something.”  She moved closer to Bella. “Please ask.”  She motioned to the bench for Bella to take a seat and then Payne sat on the floor.  Her attention was completely on the female sitting in front of her. @BellaRAhgony 

Bella: *I went to search for Payne or Xhex on my way towards the underground gym. Surely I would run into one or the other. They could be found regularly working out or sparring with that trainees.

Opening the door to the gym, I can across Payne first working out with a punching bag. Taking her suggestion, I sat on the bench contemplating how to ask her for help. I just decided to just come out with it.*

I wanted to see if you had some time to train me in self defense? I’ve been having these nightmares this last year and Mary thought perhaps if I could defend myself against lessers that I would have more control over my dreams.

*I blurted out my problem and hoped Payne would understand and would even consider training me. I wasn’t sure what her schedule was like and what her time commitments were. I knew she was still getting used to being on this side away from the Sanctuary.*

Payne: Quietly she listened to Bella, she understood her issue.  Payne feared little, but she had two fears - losing her twin and her mahmen locking her away again.  The Other Side was not somewhere she was comfortable with and at times she had nightmares, but that was her secret for now.  

"I will make time. We are a family here and you are mine sister by choice. I can start showing you some things you can do today if you'd like."  

Payne stood up, tossed the towel on the floor by her bottle of water.  "Are you only wanting to learn hand to hand or weapons too?"  Weapons would take some time, but if she wanted to learn those Payne would ask V to make Bella a dagger weighed for her and her alone. 

Bella: *Payne agreed quite easily to my surprise and I was quite relieved that I ran into Payne first since she was readily eager to teach me.*

Thank you for agreeing, I really appreciate it. Perhaps we can revisit the decision of weapons. I’ve only ever fired a gun and used a dagger once. [I shivered a bit as I remembered when that happened.]

Um … I’m also not dressed, but I’m sure Fritz can find me something and we can meet back in a few?

*As I got dressed into some yoga pants and a tank top that Fritz magically reappeared with when I asked for them. He really was a magician. My heart was beating my chest in nervousness for no reason that I could think of … I laughed to myself. It was Payne … not a lesser. I shook my head at the ridiculousness. I walked back to the gym to meet Payne.

Payne: Payne felt that Bella was nervous, so she decided to take a more gentle approach then she would with a trainee until Bella was comfortable.  “Let’s start off with just some stretches and then hit the bag so I can see how you punch.  From there we can move to the mats and see how would come against me.”  As they stretched Payne watched her, she understood Bella’s fear.  She hadn’t been through what Bella had, but she knew what it was like to fear someone or something. Payne dealt every day with the fear of her mahmen locking her up again.  With the knowledge that her mahmen thought she shouldn’t be around others.  That she was too dangerous.   When they were done, Payne moved to the bag and held it.  “Bella hit it as hard as you want.  You won’t hurt me.”  She smiled. “Give it all you got.  Don’t hold back.  Think of as the face of whomever you fear.” 

Bella: *We started stretching in ways I hadn’t done in quite a while since being pregnant with Nalla and since she’s still a toddler, there is never enough time. Mary was watching Nalla right now so it was one of the few times that I had to myself.

My body felt loose and relaxed after stretching and I felt less nervous now. I hit the bag and probably not in the correct format. It felt strange to hit it. I have never hit anything or anyone before. I lived a pretty sheltered life because of my brother. I was always protected and looked after and never wanted for anything before my transition.

I tried to concentrate as I hit the bag a few more times.*

Payne:  Bella 's form wasn't great, but neither was Payne's when she started. However, Bella could pack a punch. This part was more for building up muscle in her arms, so she could hit harder.  

"You're doing fine. You hit harder than I thought you would." Bella hit it again. "In self-defense, are just trying to buy yourself time to getaway. That is what we are going to focus on. If you want to learn more, that will after you can stun me enough to get loose and away."

When they started some hand to hand in a bit, she didn't want Bella to hold back.  "Let's move to the mats and see how you would fight me if I grab you from behind."

Bella: *My heart is pumping as I finish punching the bag and we move towards the floor mats. I wondered how this would work. I never had to go up against anyone before. 

I took my stance on the floor mats and tried to concentrate on Payne’s movements. We dance around in a circle for a bit. When she was able to come up from behind me. The feel of an arm around my neck and shoulders quickly push me back in time to when David had caught me inside my house. Then the memories started to bombard me of the underground pipe, the cold, the pain when he struck me.

Before I even realized it, Payne was shaking me at my shoulders in front of me.*

Hey Bella. Bella. Bella!!! You froze, what’s going on?

Payne: When the female froze and gave her no resistance, Payne had released her hold and moved in front of Bella. Bella snapped out of it, but her eyes still showed the panic that had taken over. Payne smiled softly.  

"Let's sit. I can tell that something surfaced in your mind. Tell me about it. The more you face that what caused you to panic the more you can use it to fuel your ability to protect yourself." 

Payne let her anger and fear drive her in her fighting. She channeled all her rage against her mahmen to heighten her skills. Not to mention sometimes when she hit the bag she imagined getting even with her mahmen.

Bella: *I shake my head of my memories and realized that I would need to tell her what happened to me. Though it has been a few years … lately, it seems like it was yesterday.

We sat down on the mats and I took a few deep breaths and took courage from thinking of my Zsadist and told her my story from the night David had abducted me and the nights that followed. I avoided too many details about the odd showers but I did explain his weird affection for me … or for his late wife which I figured he must have killed in his rage and when he apologizes when he tends the wounds he inflicted on me.

It felt so weird to replay the whole story … I almost felt detached in a way but I could still feel his hands on me especially after a nightmare.

I told her that it was Mary’s idea that perhaps self-defense would feed into my self-preservation and help my dreams.* 

Payne: Quietly Payne listened to Bella. She could tell it was taking a lot of courage and strength to speak of this. It amazed her how cruel others could be and claim it was because they cared.  From the story, Payne realized that this David had been cruel before he was turned into a lesser. 

Gently she touched Bella's arm before speaking. "Mary is correct. Learning to defend yourself is good.  It will build your confidence in this world and your dreams." She stood up. "When you hit the bag this time, think of it as David's head or body. Hit him with all the rage you have toward him. Hit him for taking away your peace, for causing you to fear things and for just for being the vile man he was." 

Later, Payne would explain that self-defense was for herself to fight back and then buying her time to get away. The last thing Payne was trying to do was turn Bella into a warrior.  What she wanted to do was ease the female's mind and return her some balance into her life. 

Bella: *As we continued to practice, I thought about David and the fact he kidnapped me because I reminded him of his deceased female then he took #Wellsie’s life, took her away from @TohrSASRP and #JohnMatthew. My anger continued to fuel my energy as I pounded the sandbag, sweat dripping down my face and neck as the frustration, pain, and fear kept my adrenaline going. 

I didn’t realize until much later the sores I created in my hands and feet. As vampires, we are always in our prime so unlike the Brothers we don’t typically work out. But I didn’t feel anything now as I kept the pace and pounded my frustration on the sandbag.* 

Payne: When Bella was hitting the bag, Payne released and walked over to her. "You may not realize it yet, you've changed in the few hours we have been in here. That defeated look you had on your face when you came in is gone."  

Payne walked to the bench and grabbed two towels and tossed one to Bella. ' Anytime you want to learn more, just let me know."  She touched Bella's shoulder. "Will always have some fear, but that is a good thing. It keeps you alert and vigilant. What you won't have is a paralyzing fear.  Bella, from now on you are the one in control, not the ghosts that have tried to haunt you."  

hey what the fuck does this post mean

Look at me,

I couldn’t stop looking into your eyes at first.

I couldn’t stop looking away from your eyes later.

You apologized and I listened.

i went for beachy/autumny colors for her… preddy

[pixel credit]

<I re-packed my go bag for what feels like the hundredth time and it was ready by the front door of my condo and now I was on top of the #shAdoWs, another known club where vampires frequent, hoping to find out more about Sin @DeathsRenegade and his wolf colleague Declan @RenegadeMactire to see if they were in league with #Cyrehn. Perhaps he picked some unique paranormals to hunt me down. I definitely wouldn’t put it past him … he was desperate to find me or rather my blood. 

I sighed and could feel the exhaustion that lay heavy on my shoulders. I was seriously tired of running and the anxious feelings of always having to be on alert 24/7. #Lassiter said he would continue to teach me but I was running out of time, especially if #Cyrehn was in #Caldwell. I need to stay on my game and keep feeding from vampires to increase my strength. I knew now the difference between feeding from a man vs. a male and it was liberating to feel the power of the Scribe Virgin’s engineering. 

The roof beneath my boots was vibrating from the deep bass of the music playing inside the club. I calculated my drop from the roof down the alley next to the street to make my way into the busy establishment writhing with humans and vampires mingling their sweat and pheromones much like #ZeroSum and #Mask. As I remember the male I picked up there, his face was quickly replaced by Sin’s @DeathsRenegade visage. 

Feelings that I was not used to experiencing mysteriously bubbled at the surface. That damn dream had me all mixed up. It felt so real … but these emotions and the past I witnessed felt  … like a memory, yet not. It was centuries ago … it seems like ancient times. I shook my head trying to clear my thoughts so I could focus on my agenda of finding out if I needed to leave #Caldwell.

Just as I was about to turn the corner onto the sidewalk of the club, a familiar blacked-out Range Rover pulled up to the door.>

Fucking hell. <I watched as two of #Cyrehn’s henchmen exited the vehicle and headed towards the bouncer. My time was up. As I dematerialized back to my condo, I felt an unfamiliar pang of pain knowing what or whom I would be leaving behind. I was so close to finding my father, learning more about my background … and getting to know if Sin @DeathsRenegade was supposed to mean something to me. 

It didn’t matter, I planned to leave tonight and hoped #Lassiter would be able to keep in touch and visit me wherever I decided to go and keep teaching me and helping me find my answers.>

Written by @Lassiter_SASBDB.

https://www.twitlonger.com/show/n_1srkf71

Written with @ChosenTalia and @Lassiter_SASBDB.

Sloahne: <I was still running on adrenaline when I heard the human bust out of his office like a bat out of hell. I wonder what happened. I didn’t have to wait long. Less than an hour later I hear a gurney being wheeled down the hall and into the room next to mine. I heard lots of anxious and angry male voices out in the hall. I tried to catch what they were saying …>

“She’s getting out of control …”

“She’s stable for now but it was touch and go …”

“What the hell was she doing in the alley ...?”

“All the Chosen need to go back to the Sanctuary, for their own good …”

<Well fuck me … another damn reason to keep my secret hidden and another reason to escape this place. What the hell has Xhex and Trez got me into? Trust them? I’m on the verge of being committed to a damn nunnery of the Sanctuary.> @ChosenTalia

Talia: Beep, beep, beep.

Fuck I was alive and in a hospital. My eyes were too heavy to open, but when I heard the words and who they were from I felt broken all over again. I was going to be sent away. I wasn’t wanted here, just as I have thought the entire time. Everything hurt. 

I tried to remember what happened. I remembered a lot of pain and a lot of blood. My feet hurt bad. I was hoping I would die in the alley. I struggled against the sedation and opened my eyes. 

I was met with anxious looks from the doctor and Brothers alike. I didn’t speak. I couldn’t. What would I say? Hi? Yeah, not going to work well.

When they tried to get me to speak I just couldn’t respond. If I opened my mouth I would either cry or rage. Select mutism was the best option. I tried to roll to my side, but the pain and the tubes and drains held me mostly still. 

Then I heard the doctor say something, catatonic. 

Sloahne: <I tried to listen intently to their conversion but between the doors and the machines beeping I was able to catch a few words here and there and they seem to be acting considerate by lowering their voices all of a sudden. Ugh … I need to get the hell out of here. 

I waited a while when I finally could hear heavy boots down the hall sounding farther and farther away. I wondered if the doctor forgot about me or just had better things to do. It was a break so I slipped off the hospital bed and quietly stepped up to the door of the room and looked out the window and saw no one in the hallway. 

Good time as any to escape this new prison of mine. Ugh, why did Symphaths and Shadows try to convince me otherwise? Clearing I heard the males talk about sending the Chosen to the Sanctuary “for their own good”. Fuck them. They have no idea what is good for me. I didn’t want to be a damn blood slave to the Brotherhood. Blood and sex. Fuck that. 

I quietly opened the door.>

Talia: When they finally left me alone I came undone. Sobbing. Nothing could make it better. Yes I had problems, and yes I brought all of this on myself, but why couldn’t they see I was in pain constantly? I didn’t even want to see any of them, yet I needed them. It made no sense to me. 

I rolled to look at the white wall. I better get used to it. I was going to be sent back to the Sanctuary. Maybe I deserved it. Maybe I needed to go. It would be for the best. It was that or become a fallen chosen and truly free them from my presence and their responsibility. 

With any luck, something would go wrong in my transition and I would just die. As I laid there I wondered if it would hurt, or if the light would claim me first. I don’t even notice the doors opening and closing nearby. 

Sloahne: <There was no one down the long hallway and as I passed the door next to me, I heard sobbing. I kept going, but my heartstrings tugged as the sobbing continued.> Shit. <Maybe they needed to escape too. From what I could eavesdrop on earlier, the males of the household were concerned about her. From my experience, they never understood … our society is patriarchal, where the male rules the household. I remember a few years ago, during the lesser raids the Glymera tried to resurrect the practice of mandatory sehclusion for all unmated females of the aristocracy such that the bloodlines of the race may be preserved and they had the audacity to have this sehclusion practice extended to all unmated females regardless of class levels. INSANE. Surprisingly, the motion didn’t pass. Apparently the vote has to unanimous. I remember the night Rehv came into the club smiling about how it happened. 

Regardless, I grew up with glymera before I came over from the Old Country to know that the males did NOT know what’s best. Perhaps that was the case here, maybe she needed help. I leaned against the wall for a moment as I quickly weighed the pros and cons of helping this female. I remember all those months in my gilded cage and would not wish that on anyone. Decision made, I backtracked to the door and lightly knocked and peeked my head inside.

Talia: I jumped when the knock came to the door. Despite the pain in my throat, “come in” I look down at my hands. I’m not sure how much damage is still visible. 

I see it’s not anyone I’ve met. The brunette was stunning. I frowned, never would I be that elegant. Maybe I would never be.

I hated myself and the state I was in. There was a look in her eyes. I had never seen her before but I knew what she was doing. “You’re leaving,” I whispered. Did she know the way out? 

“I’m Talia. Can I leave with you? I can’t go back there.” My voice broke at the last, knowing I welcome death over the thought of being sent back to the Sanctuary. I didn’t belong. 

Sloahne: <When I peeked in, I see a beautiful female with light cafe skin sniffling and wanting to leave and not going back to the Sanctuary.> Fuck yes, let’s go girl.

<I came over and gingerly helped her up, I knew she would slow me down with her healing from her injury. Looks like we both needed to feed soon to recover from our injuries. I could still smell fresh blood. I hope this was a good idea … I didn’t know how extensive her injury was and if she still needed medical attention.>

Do you know the way out? <I asked to pass the time as we tried to get out of medical place, we were down a hallway with multiple doors.> So what happened to you?

Talia: Damn me being a pretrans and damn me even more for having been injured. I had nothing I could hide from the other female as we went down the halls. Passing offices and training rooms as we went. “I do know the way … I think we need a car. I can’t walk that far.” I could feel the blood leaking from a wound I opened while getting up it colored the bandages red. I sighed as we moved closer to freedom. 

“I uhmmm. I got addicted to drugs thanks to my own actions and an ex trainee. He hurt me. Phury kicked him out though. I have a lot of issues so I went back to Rhett and he traded me to a drug dealer. They injected me with a lot of heroin and tried to turn me out and sell my virginity. There was a fight I got stabbed,” lifting my shirt to show all the wounds, “I ran and stepped on glass. Sadly they found me and brought me back.” 

I give a deep sigh as we reach the exit. I open the door and peek around. “All the cars are tracked. Can you drive? I can’t. We have to ditch the car as soon as we can.” 

Sloahne: <We walked slowly as I help transfer most of her weight to me. I still felt weak myself so the whole endeavor may get us caught if we’re not fast enough before someone caught us. Listening to her story, she sounded like any typical teenager. I wondered how a Chosen was able to get a hold of drugs? She was able to leave and go outside into the world and get heroin? Odd.

They must have totally flushed her system since she seems pretty lucid but perhaps it was the adrenaline. The same adrenaline that I’m surviving on right now. We eventually came up to some double doors and when I carefully opened them to see if any alarm will go off. Nothing happened. Looking out it was an underground garage, it had a type pf school bus with blackout windows, a few SUVs … I may be able to hotwire one of those.> 

You sound like you have been through the wringer. Let’s get to one of those SUVs and see if we can get out of here. @Lassiter_SASBDB

Lassiter: It’d been too long since I pranked anybody in this place. All this deity crap was fucking with my head. I couldn’t help but think this job oughta’ come with some perks. Like being able fucking FIND somebody when they were lost. Seems to me if the Creator was gonna’ dump this kind of crap on an underqualified, overly snarky asshole like me it ought to come with enough perks that I could actually HELP. But, as it had been so patiently explained to me, free fucking will was a thing and I couldn’t just pop my wings out and swoop in. Whateves. This place needed a little lightening up and I was slipping. Or maybe they were just getting used to Kardashian marathons. But this latest oughta’ up my game.  I’d gotten inspired from a combination of CMT and Children’s PBS and I knew just where to poke the beast with it. Literally in at least one case, although I was gonna make sure I was invisible when Rhage started his car.

Programming the stereo system in V’s SUV sounds easy, and if all I was gonna do was blast Katy Perry at him when he turned on the car it would have been. But fixing it so all it would play was Taylor Swift’s early days was inspired. Snickering to myself, I had to wonder just how often he could listen to “Love Story” before he ripped the stereo out of the dash.

But the REAL challenge had been rigging a glitter bomb in Rhage’s GTO. Ever try to wedge a 6’8” angel built like a tank under the dash of a car built for a midget? How the Hell did Rhage even fit in that thing? But I’d managed and the next time he started that toy his driver-side airbag was gonna pop and explode in enough glitter to coat the Eiffel Tower.  I had to snicker at the image. I wasn’t gonna be the only thing that sparkled around here.

As I shut the door on the GTO, I heard another one shove open. Free-will may be a thing, but so is self-preservation and immediately I go ghost. No need for a brother to see me in the garage and later put two and two together. Even though they couldn’t do me any real damage these days, they didn’t need to find that out. But the frantic female whispers set my mind to rest on one score and set off an entire symphony of panic on another. WTF? V had managed to get Sloahne here but she was making a break for it and she wasn’t alone. Although I didn’t have much to do with Phury’s Chosen, I recognized the pre-trans he thought of as a daughter sneaking out with Sloahne. The brothers had been looking for her for days. They must have found her but she looked like she was about to fall on her face. In fact, they both looked shaky as hell. When I hear the words “hot-wire an SUV” the ‘lighthearted asshole’ in me totally got trampled by the emerging ‘worried male godling’ and I materialize in a white blaze of light, leaning against a pillar with my arms crossed…

“Evening ladies. Going somewhere?”

Talia: Just as we reach one of the cars. The sudden appearance of Lass causes me to scream and punch him in the chest. It was weak, even for my standards. 

“Wh.what are you doing here?” I ask shakily after realizing who I just punched.

Shit, shit, shit. It was Lassiter. Looking up for just a brief moment before looking back down, feeling shame that we were caught. 

“I can’t go back to the Sanctuary,” I whispered broken-hearted. 

Sloahne: <Hearing Lassiter’s voice and then Talia’s scream ricocheted my nerves higher. Fuck me. My adrenaline was waning and I didn’t know if I even had the energy to drive but imagining being discovered and then trapped at the Sanctuary was not something I could easily ignore and I knew I had enough conviction to get us both out of here.> Angel! What the hell are you doing here?

<I did not expect Lass to appear but then again I forgot he was buddy buddy with the Brotherhood. I’d forgotten that fact after spending so much time with him before my abduction. Damn it. Even after working out together, watching movies and even cooking for him … I’m not sure if his loyalties would lie with me or the Brotherhood. He stayed some nights with me and I could only assume the rest of the time he was with the Brotherhood … though we didn’t talk about his time with them much … which was fine with me. He didn’t know my secret but he knew I had one.>

Look, we both need to get out of here before we’re sent to new prisons and I for one … don’t need another one, thank you very much. I’m about to hotwire this SUV and hightail it out of this place. Wherever we are. You helping us out or going to rat us out?

<I didn’t want to look him in the eyes and fall under his charms so I kept up with finding the correct wires to get this damn car started.>

Lassiter: As I catch Talia’s fist in one hand, I capture Sloahne’s questing hands in the other and pull them away from the wiring. Pulling both of them with me away from the car, I let go of their hands and stand between them and the vehicles.

“What makes you two think you’re going to a “prison”? Nobody wants that and I’m not going to let it happen even if they did. And fuck me Sloahne, but you should KNOW that by now. I’ve never been anything but on your side and I’ve been going nuts trying to find you for the past month. And you wanna’ go back out there? Where HE can find you? Because this Drake guy will. A psycho that would kidnap you and keep you for his personal BDSM toy isn’t gonna give up easy. He fed from you so he’ll find you anywhere in the world. Except here. V’s security is impenetrable and once you’re inside, no one can sense you, let alone get to you.”

Something niggles at my brain when I mention V. As I look at Sloahne I can see her soul white at its core with a soft gold radiating out but it’s smudged with the grays of despair, the dark blues of fear and I know if I let this moment pass the gray and blue will overwhelm the rest and darken her soul permanently. As I mention V I can see his soul as blindingly silver at its core as his soul merges with hers, cleansing away the dark colors and blending with hers. It’s a foreseeing, a prompting. Well ain’t that peachy. The Creator might not have given me the tools to FIND her but now he’s giving me one to be able to help fix the damage. She needs to stay here. They need each other. And I kind of owe the silver-eyed fucker anyway. With a heavy sigh, I look at Talia.

“Talia, the whole reason Phury is letting the Chosen come to this side and live at Rhev’s camp is to let them find themselves, figure out what they want to do, find mates or careers or whatever. YOU have restrictions because you’re acting out like a rebellious 15-year-old. Don’t give me that look,” eyes narrowing as she sputters, “ I know you’re human legal, but you’re pre-trans and you’re acting like a kid so I call ’em as I see ‘em. Phury and Cormia love you like you’re their own young which means they want you protected. If you want freedom, fine, you and every other teenage girl, but do it right. Talk to them about it and let them help you find it safely. Because sister, from the look of you, you haven’t been doing it safely and I can smell the onset of withdrawal on you. Right now you’re right where you need to be, where a doctor can help you through it. If you think you feel bad now, you ain’t seen nothing yet. You can die in withdrawal. After it’s over you can figure out your next steps. And by that I mean figure out what the fuck you want out of life, not what you DON’T. Do that and Phury will bend over backward to help you make it happen.”

In exasperation I run my hands through my hair, pushing it back.

“Look, I PROMISE, I’ll be your personal protectors while you’re here. Nothing will happen to you that you don’t approve of first. And yeah,” catching their skeptical looks” I’ve got the cojones to pull that off even if I have to go against the brotherhood. They just don’t know that and they don’t need to. You need to believe in me.” Because I’m your fucking deity now even if I can’t let you know that. “I got you both on this.” Holding my right hand up. “My word. Now can we get you two back into your beds before you hit the floor?” 

Talia: His words for the female companion stop my attempts at escaping. Her life had been so rough and she was now being hunted by a psychotic asshole. Instinctively I reached for her hand. I didn’t have many friends but I wanted Sloahne to be my friend. I wanted to show her I had her back in this now failed endeavor. 

When Lass paused he was contemplative. It gave me a moment to observe him. He was a beautiful specimen and his energy was usually fun, at least when I was sober and not bleeding from an open wound I enjoyed his company and the fact that he could role the Brothers up with a swish of his wrist. 

Finally speaking again. “Phury said he is sending me back to the Sanctuary. He doesn’t want me here. Does that sound like a father to you?” The pain from his comments obviously stung hard and deep. 

Withdrawal huh? That would explain the itch, the uncomfortable feeling in my own skin but for now, I had to ignore it. I ended up in a bad way but didn’t one have to make mistakes to find themselves. Yes, but not these severe of one’s dumbass. Fuck my self-talk was ornery today. 

I wanted to rage about doing things on my own to find myself, but part of me believed he was right. I looked at the ground to collect my thoughts. I had his word to protect me, us, from the fury that laid ahead of us. I closed my eyes and nodded. When I opened them back up I caught sight of the red bandage, shit I was going to feel that later. The doctor was going to be pissed I tore it open. 

“Lassiter. Please don’t let them think Sloahne caused this attempt at sneaking out. Blame me.” Not sure he would tell them of the failed attempt. I just knew I didn’t want her to be in trouble, and if I was grounded for the next century, what’s another couple years? I looked him dead in the eyes hoping he takes pity on me and agrees, the bruises may soften him a little toward my plight.

Sloahne: <Smelling more blood, I knew Talia broke her stitches with our romp down the hallway into the garage. I didn’t have enough medical knowledge to help her and it could lead to her death since I had no idea what kind of wound she had and from what the Angel was saying she was in withdrawals so it would only get worse and I wouldn’t be able to control her while driving. 

We were at a crossroads. Leave her to the Angel and take my chances out into the world knowing what Lass said was true. Drake could still sense me practically anywhere in the world right now. Or I can take his advice and stay put here where apparently the Brother V has some high tech security system. We were underground for sure so maybe this whole building was encased in steel. 

Anyways, the female needed medical attention asap and I wasn’t feeling too great either, I was getting really tired. My back felt like fire so I knew I needed to rest and maybe even try to feed properly to get healthier to plan my next move.

Ugh, the Angel was right.> FINE.

Lassiter: Well if we don’t get caught in the hallway nobody needs to know that either one of you tried to make a break for it. I won’t tell if you won’t. *Putting my hand out to steady Sloahne, because she’s lookin’ pretty wobbly now, and offering my other one to Talia. I could smell the blood and I needed her off her feet PDQ as well.* And hell’s yes that sounds like any father who ever loved a young. He’s not pissed at you so much as scared to death for you because you’re being a wild child. Right now all he can think about is protecting you, which is what fathers DO. But he’s never been a dad before so he’s learning as he goes and acting on instinct. You gotta meet him halfway. And running away again? Hells no, it only confirms that you’re a kid who needs looking out for. TALK to him, ok? Do a little thinking about what you want, not what you don’t want and then put it to him. If you need a mediator, I’m your guy, but I honestly think if you just sit down and talk to the guy you’ll both feel better. He’s actually the most reasonable Brother around here. Probably why he can deal with females all day. Now let’s go.

Talia: I hissed ar the pain in my stomach. Don’t fall don’t fall don’t fall. I tried to motivate myself. Talk to Phury? Yeah right… he was planning to ship me off as soon as the damn stitches healed. 

“I’ll try.” I whisper to the Angel. 

I limped along looking at Sloahne, she was getting more and more pale each step we took. I was fucked, but she looked worse. What had she been through out there?

Maybe it was as dangerous as it seemed. Should I cut Phury more slack? The thought plagued me until something else caught my attention, I looked at her.

“Sloahne!” I yelled just a moment too late. 

Lassiter: *Swearing silently to myself … ok, not so silently … as Sloahne starts to take a nosedive for the floor.*

 Fucking hells …

*If I let go of Talia she’s gonna run and probably bleed out if the withdrawal doesn’t kill her, and if I don’t catch Sloahne she’s gonna break something else when she hits the floor and she’s already beaten up enough it might push her over the edge ... looking up briefly I make an executive decision and my version of prayer slips out.* 

DON’T motherfucking slap me down for this …

*Instead of letting go of Talia to catch Sloahne, I grab a girl in each arm and pull them each against aside. Holding them tightly, I let my wings manifest in all their sparkly glory and wrap them around the girls as I go invisi and sweep them through the door and down the hall. The doors to their rooms don’t pose a problem when I’m running on angel power. Hell, steel walls don’t pose a problem. And this is happening so fast that Talia won’t get what’s happening, and Sloahne is unconscious, so just maybe some of my secrets are safe. Reaching Talia’s room, I shimmer in and unwrap my wing from her to deposit her on the edge of the bed.* 

Get back on that bed. Somebody will be here to change those bandages in a couple of minutes, and …*Looking at her sternly, well as sternly as pincushion can look.* DON’T run. I meant it when I said I’d be your mouthpiece with Phury if you want me to but you gotta get well first.

*I unwrap my wing from Sloahne far enough to lift her into my arms then fold both wings over her again and shimmer out and down the hall to her room. Doc must have thought she was stable enough not to be hooked up to all the damned monitors but I beg to differ. Unwrapping my wings, I gently lay her down. Pausing for a moment, I brush her hair back from her face, murmuring.*

Girl, what is it with you? What are you so afraid of here?

*With a sigh, I fold my wings back up and demat them. If I’m going to keep their escape attempt a secret I’ve gotta find a way to get some attention at this end of the hall without letting anyone know I was here. Hmmm … time to do what I do best. Looking up at the sprinklers system I set them off, sort of. The fire alarms go off, but glitter spews from the sprinkler heads instead of water. They’ll figure it was me because even V couldn’t put glitter in the water lines, but they’ll never prove it. With a satisfied smile, I go ghost to watch over the hallway until help arrives but then a thought hits me.*

*I walked up to the nondescript building where the two guards and just expected to be let in. I mean I figured it was just a club or underground casino or something but I was surprised when I heard next.*

“Key.”

*Key? Why would I need a key if you’re standing right there? I just pretended to reach into my pockets for such a key.* 

Crap, I must have left it at home. I’m sorry. Could you guys let me pass this one time? *I gave the best puppy looking face as I could as I got closer to the speaker and brushed my chest against his, convinced that this human male should let me pass. I’ve always been able to get past doors pretty much every time.*

“Sorry, darling. You should know the rules.” *He gently pressed his hands on my arms and nudge me away gently. 

I was about to just go about to go into his mind to change his mind when the blackout Bentley returned back into the alley. Strange. I didn’t want my target to see me so I just nodded and walked quickly away so I could get to a higher advantage point to see what was going on.

After a few moments, I looked around and saw no one and dematerialized to the top of the building I occupied earlier tonight just in time to see my target leave the building back into his vehicle. What the fuck? That was barely ten minutes. I wonder who he was meeting? I watched from my phone and tracked the vehicle back to his home. Glad that I put a tracker on the car when I did.

Well since he went back home, that was the end of my surveillance for the night. I decided to go #ZeroSum and just relax. I scattered my molecules into the air into a small alley next to the club and walked around to the front where Silent Tom let me in past the line of humans. Since working at #IronMask, most of the employees had shifts at both clubs so we all had a chance to meet one another just in case we need shifts covered as well. It was convenient.

I was walking towards the bar getting through the heap of people dancing on the dance floor to Jay-Z’s “Dirt Off Your Shoulder”. I finally got to the liquor and ordered a Goose on the rocks to start. I listen to the conversation around me. Over the years I found it helpful to glean information off those who thought their conversation could not be heard over loud music.

Humans didn’t know vampires existed much less that we had a keen sense of hearing. And for the race? Most didn’t care if their conversation was overheard anyway. Some human men a few seats down from me were talking getting a score and one of them talked about something new that just popped on the scene. It gave a person a wicked euphoria at first, a super dose of energy, and sometimes hallucinations. They had been warned to only take small doses to start and he was itching to get a hold of some but needed to find the dealer.

I tuned him out after all after they started talking about hooking up to some women tonight as well. Much of the rest of the night was the same. After a few drinks, I closed out my tab and made my way out the back of the club. I checked my phone just to confirm if the target was still at home, and he was. Turns out the night was a bust. 

Though I needed to figure out that place he visited for only a moment and the corresponding “key” in order to enter. Must be a really inclusive underground casino or something. Maybe I should just get into those human males’ cerebral cortexes and let myself in to see what’s up. Another night perhaps …