Bloody Nightmare

~cabin
Annie stood quietly for a moment, not sure how to approach the subject. It was something she had been considering for almost a yeat. "do you think it would be possible to be born human in a family full of werwwolves? There's rymora that every five generations or so child is born completely human in our family. The last that I know about to have been was our great grandmother. Apparently they don't last long though because a family member bites thwm to chanfe them, or accidently kills them. It's why we haven't told vickie anything. Or allowed her to go to school. We're afraid someone might find her and use her to get to us. She's just a child. Easy to overpower. She's already lost her parents. We're all that she has left." annie collapsed in the hallway, leaning her head against the wall.

~orphanage: stairwell
Ceril hadn't really noticed that valentine stopped listening. She just kept talking. These last twenty-four hours were the most contact she's had with others in years. It felt nice to speak with someone other than herself. "oh yeah? It's quite retched. I wouldn't go if it weren't an obligation. I just stand icu n the back drinking that synthesized blood he places in wine glasses. I've successfully been without human blood for five years. Animals don't compare, but i'm tited of destroying lives. No one should have to suffer because of my hand...or mouth. I just live in solitude up in a tree umtil the anmual parties. It's my only time for interaction with others."

 

Road to the Church

Seth grinned, lightly biting her lip.

Cabin

Nick followed Annie to the floor and brushed hair out of her face, "Hey now...take it easy. Whether Vickie is a wolf or not, depends on if she changes."

Orphanage - Basement

Valentine listened to her speak and clung to what remained of her dress.

 

Luin Road to the Church

Rin was truly and honestly happy. She kissed him back roughly, with her arms tighly around his neck. Rin prayed that the sun would never rise again, and she could live in this kind of peace forever.

 

Hotel~

"Guess you've already gotten into a fight with one before." Keel said before he felt his phone vibrate. He took it out of his pocket and read the message. "Good news, I've found a payphone."

 

~cabin
Annie shook her head, making bangs fall back in her face. "mo. You don't understand. The signs are already there. She hates being outside. She isn't very fast. Serena and I were like speed demons at her age. Biggest of all is that she doesn't heal rapidly. We've actually had to take her to the hospital a few times. Even if she hasn't changed yet, those were all things we had already experienced or enjoyed by the time we were her age. She's not going to change. And with so many vampires in this town, letting her go to school would be reckless. Any vampire or hunter could rfun into her in town, smell us on her, assume she was also a werewolf, and kill her or use her to kill us. She's the only family we have left." annie stared into nick's eyes, searching for the answers that don't really exist. She knew the truth of her little sisyer, it was just hard to believe. Tomorrow night she wouldn't change and that woyld be the same for any of the following months to come. She was completely human.

~orphanage: stairwell
Ceril stopped talking and held valentine closely to her. "ya' know, you remind me a lot of my younger brother. Well I guess in a way he'd be my older brother now. He's about forty-five. With a wife and three kids. They look like him. I used to watch my family for a long time after I changed. It hurt seeing them grieve over my disappearance. I widhed I could somehow give them closure. I thought about being a dead body, waiting til I was buried and then digging my way out. It probably would have worked too, except for the whole autopsy thing. Instead, I was hit by a car and then bit by the driver. I wasn't given the mercy of dying, instead I was left there on the street bleeding and changing, alone and confused. It was terrible." she sighed and combed her fingers through his hair.

 

Cabin

Nick gathered Annie into the circle of his arms, "Don't worry so much. One thing I know about Hunters of our kind, is they don't have a keen sense of smell and they won't lay a finger on a human."

Orphanage - Stairwell

Valentine made a purring sound in his throat. "You were human... I wish...I could've been human. Born a vampire...it's a nightmare. The pain you see every second from your parents as they feed you blood hour after hour, hoping you stay alive. I hated seeing mom like that....but Father....showed no remorse...even if we died. He already had Seth...and before that he said he had another child...but I never saw him and neither did Seth. Being warm....having a heartbeat...crying....I can't do any of that...because I'm already dead...and have been for my entire life."

Road to the Church

Seth lifted his head and sniffed. "Do you...no... I know that smell...it's familiar." He stood, adjusting his shirt and sniffed again. Hearing the rapid heartbeat and frantic footsteps.

Hotel

Nina nodded silently, "Then let us go."

 

Road to the Church~~

Rin stayed silent for a moment. She did her best to listen in, but all she could hear was the wind. "God dammit," Rin blurted out loud. She knew not to doubt Seth's hearing. Whatever mood was going on between them was going to quickly die out once Seth faces what is to come.

 

~cabin
Annie pulled away from nick. His arms were warm and inviting, which only made her mad. Her face flushed. She hated being treated like a baby or someone that needed protection. She was stronger than that. "don't. Don't cradle me. I don't need your pity. I need a way to make sure my baby sister won't be bothered by those psycho vamps anymore. Today was already too close." annie was glaring at him as she broke free of his arms.

~orphanage: stairwell
Valentine made ceril's heart want to break. "it's wonderful. I didn't ask for this life. I wasn't even given a choice. If I could still be human I would. I'd be turning fifty this year. It would have been a full abd fulfilling life. Married, children, most likely grandchildren. Growing old, eventually dying, they were all things I looked fofward to. Most people fear death, but I always said embrace it. And then this happened. Stuck looking like a frivulous ninetenn-year-old forever. You may have been born dead lord balmore, but at least you can age. And if you really wanted, die a natural death. My only way of dying is suicide or murder. Step out into the sunlight, or let the hunters and wolves have their way with me." ceril sighed. She was actually enjoying this version of valentine. He was pleasant to be around good company. As long as he doesn't get set off. By now, lurim would have to be to safety. Unless she was foolish enough to stick around.

 

Cabin

Nick stood silently, his face drawn in a closed expression. He didn't know what to say. Anything he said now to Annie would be lies. A part of him wished his Alpha were here to put the girl's fears at ease. But he wanted to deal with the vampires himself. Getting a chance to talk to Seth Balmore was proving to be more trouble than it was worth.

Road to the Church

Seth waited until he saw the familiar bobbing of black hair and a pale complexion. "Lirum?" he breathed and the girl turned her attention to him and froze. He could practically hear her thoughts screaming out at him to stay away from her. But if Lirum returned, wouldn't she be happy to see him? Even a little bit? Her scent flowed to him on the wind and he frowned. Not Lirum's scent...but one similar to it. This girl was not Lirum.

Orphanage - Basement

Valentine clutched his arms and stood slowly. Self-loathing tore at his insides and burned in his blue eyes.

 

~cabin
Annie sighed and buried her face in her knees. "serena's room is behind you. Sleep well." she kept sitting in the hallway angrily. She didn't want to go to bed or talk anymore. Talking only made her mad. Annie was sure serena had been wrong when she commented on her feelings. How could you like someone that only made you mad? It didn't seem right. She got up and headed back to the kitchen.

~orphanage: stairwell
Ceril noted valentine getting up. "are you feeling better?" she stood up and smoothed out her now incredibly short dress.

 

cabin

Nick followed Annie instead of heading to Serena's room. Leaning on the sink, Nick glared at her, contemplating Annie. "Is something else bothering you? You seem very edgy and I don't think it's just your sister. Even if she is human, she'll do well in the world. She has options. The chance to live a normal life."

Orphanage - stairwell

Valentine ran his hands through his hair, "Yes....I...have to get out of here. This place smells like that girl. Her name...she kept saying her name was Lucille... Have I made a mistake? But she...she smelt just like her..."

 

Luin Road to the Church~~

Rin didn't smile when she saw the stranger approach them. Feeling exposed in many different ways, Rin did her best to cover herself up while hiding behind Seth. She knew that something bad was going to happen, so she was ready to run at his command. "What's going on, Seth," Rin asked quietly

 

~cabin
Annie glanced up at nick, brooding. She didn't want to talk to him anymore, and yet here he was. Standing next to her by the sink. "i'm not edgy!" she snapped at him and was seething. "that's the only the only thing bothering. It's the only thing ever bothering me. What else would there be?" she slammed her fist on the counter, leaving a small dent. Serena would not be happy when she notices it. The kitchen was her sanctuary.

~orphanage: stairwell
Ceril stood there frozen on the step. Her mind flashed to the image of the necklace and she pictured the girl without being bloody and beaten. The face was that of a girl, not a woman. A seventeen-year-old girl that lived in time. There was a reason she looked like her, because it was her. Her eyes were wide and she spoke ib horse choppy sentences. The thought of what kust happened was horrifying, especially to a child. "that's...that's because it was lucille...lord balmore that wasn't lurim. She left...she left master balmore years ago...like he told you. That was a child...that lives in town. I think she's her daughter...nobody knows for sure...she just showed up here in town. Like seven years ago. Alone and covered in blood. Nobody's come looking for her." she broke her trance and grabbed valentine's sgoulders, shaking him. "do you realize what you've done? You've just destroyed a child's life. Even if she doesn't die or change, she'll be destroyed forever. No amount of therapy could help her psych after this." her eyes were pleading, begging for him to understand what he's done.

 

Cabin

Nick sighed, "Seems to me it's a lot more than just the werewolf thing. Well?" He didn't like the girl lying to him and neither did his inner wolf. "Is it me? It's because I told Vickie all that about our kind, isn't it. If you didn't want me to say anything, you should've said so earlier! I'm not a mind-reader Annie....my actions don't hurt or benefit me here, but they do to you."

Orphanage - basement

Valentine shrugged her off, his blue eyes calm and calculating. "A daughter....but that would mean... Lirum would be dead. Lirum was never able to carry children. We all knew that by the look of her slim waist. She wasn't built to carry children.... Having a baby would've killed her. Then who....Seth...? No....he wouldn't! He promised me!"

Road to the Church

Seth stared at the black haired girl in awe. "And you are?" The girl flinched slightly, "Lucy....I live with the mayor.... Do you...live up here?" Nodding slowly, Seth patted Rin's shoulders and moved towards the girl. "I do...with Rin, of course and three maids. Lucy....do you...have a place to stay? Would you like to come inside? It's rather cold out here." She hesitated, casting a nervous glance to Rin and nodded.

 

Road to the Church~~

Rin caught gazes with the woman named Lucy. In an instant, she flew behind Seth, hiding herself completely. She wasn't quite sure about Seth inviting the woman inside of the house, but at least she would be able to get into something that was more comfortable. Rin closely followed behind Seth, making sure that she was a good distance from the strange vampire.

 

~cabin
Annie shook her head and held onto the counter as she rocketed back. "no. I don't mind that you told vickie. I had know clue what you were talking to her about, but it doesn't matter now. There was no way we were going to tell her. It was hard enough telling her the truth about what happened to our parents this afternoon. It was bad enough..." she trailed off thinking about that day. Remembering how horrifying it was. holding her twin as they both cried. It took her a few minutes to pull herself back to the present. "it's just something serena said to me. But it's mot important."

~orphanage
Ceril had grown tired of this back and forth thing valentine was doing. she snapped. "valentine!" she usually had enough respect to not use a pureblood's first name, but now she was angry and vouldn't put up with it anymore. "listen to me! I don't think she's master balmore's daughter. If you do th he math it doesn't add up. They age of the girl and how many years ago lurim left him. They don't match. You need to pull yourself yogether. You can't see your brother in this state. So come with me until you'be completely calmed down." she grabbed his wrist and started pulling him up the stairs. She had never taken anyone home with her, but she needed to chanbe and he needed to redt.

 

Cabin

Nick scratched his head, "Apparently it is if it's bothering you this much." Rolling his shoulders, Nick looked around and back at her, assessing the girl. He thought she was nothing like her sisters and yet frighteningly similar.

Orphanage

Valentine went with her willingly. The shock of someone using his first name besides his brother came at the impact of a train. "You....you...called me...by my name..."

Church

Seth led Lucy and Rin back into the church and waited a moment before opening the door and escorting the girls inside. Sniffing at Lucy as she passed he grabbed her arm, stopping her, "You're hurt... Your scent...is changing." Lucy flinched at his close inspection of her. As he brushed hair away from her neck, uncovering the bite mark. Snarling oddly, Seth bared his teeth to the image. "Someone bit you. Tell me who did this!"

 

Hotel ~

"Alright then." Keel said as he lead Nina to phone booth Allen had found. Once there,he found Allen was there waiting for him. There you are. he said.

 

~cabin
Annie leaned over the counter, resting her forearms on the smooth wood. She wasn't about to tell nick about the conversation she had with her sister. It was fae to personal, not to mention embarassing. The very thought that she could like anyone at all was absurd. She took a deep breath before looking up at the older werewolf. His eyes felt like they were piercing her skin. It made her shudder a little. "really, it's nothing. I'm sorry for overreacting. My family has always given me a hard time about my temper, but it helps us stay alive. Someone has to be prepared to rip someone's head off at a moments notice, which is me. Serena is a lot more girly then i'll ever be. She does all the cooking and cleaning, not to mention she actually cares about her appearance. I figure as long as you're not naked it's good. We're like two completely different people. And vickie...vickie's definitely a little princess. Don't know where she got it from at all." a small smile crept across her face. She really did love her sisters, but was truly nothing like them.

~orphanage
Ceril sighed, turning to valentine from the top of the stairs. She was tubbing her temples. She used to get migraines when she was human and could only imagine the size of one she'd have right now if she wasn't a vampire. "i'm sorry lord balmore. But you were irritating me, plus you kept wavering between crazed man and lost boy. I needed you to focus. My apologies. It won't happen again." she turned back towards the hallway, wanting to leave the orphanage as soon as possible.

 

Luin - Payphone

"Your accomplice?" Nina questioned about the other boy before picking up the payphone and dropping a quarter into the slot with a pained expression on her face. "Money worked for so hard....now gone..." Dialing the numbers, she closed her eyes as she punched in the last four digits, "Nina Tepes..." she growled into the phone, "Suzaku Kururigi's partner? Yes... Luin. Werewolves, sir...why else would I call? I'm not sure, I haven't seen them... Their scent is fresh. Good...wait... Ichiru? But...isn't he ...understood, sir." She hung up the phone and disconnected it with an even more disatisfied expression.

cabin

Nick exhaled in relief and patted her shoulder, "There it is. The smile I've been waiting for."

Orphanage

"No....I...I didn't mind it at all. It's...kind of nice...being called Valentine by a woman...who isn't shouting at me in anger."