Lay It Down

[Alton (DELETED 7665)]

Alton: “Thanks Triste. You’re a doll.” He tapped his pen against the notebook and nodded. “Yeah, really. I got it this time. Just had a really bad feeling about the address. I guess I was just hoping I had it wrong. Thanks again. Tell Celeste I said hi.” He heard the sarcastic snort at the other end of the line before it went dead, a long, low buzzing in his ear as he tapped the sleep button and tucked it into the pocket of his jeans, along with the thin pad and pen.

So this really was the place. He grimaced at the very sight of it. The building was all but crumbling into the street, the bricks so old and abused that he could scrape a nail across the red material and it would crumble away beneath the gentle scratch. It was like a building built of chalk. He marveled at how a light rain hadn’t washed the dump away years ago.

Shoving through the front door quietly, he moved through the public part of the complex, checking the doors that were in good enough shape to still have numbers. Some of the doorways didn’t even have doors anymore. Finding the one he was looking for, he took a deep breath and lifted a hand, banging lightly on the thin wood-panel door.


<Charisma> Tossing her pen against the desk, she fell back into her chair and groaned. The material beneath her was barely held together, and every slight movement she made threatened to send her sprawling into the floor. This didn’t deter the small bundle of white, however, as the second there was space between her abdomen and the run down desk, the puppy wiggled her way into her lap. “Fleur, we have spoken of this. You cannot jump on whoever you please,” she chastised, before chuckling quietly when the Borzoi’s head snapped towards the rolling pen. Before she had a chance to utter a single word, she had dashed off in a flurry of claws and barking, sharp teeth clamping on writing utensil with a savage growl.

“Merde.” It was the only word that benefited the situation, and as her prized possession ran off with one of the last remaining pens, she rubbed at her brow. Her assignment was becoming more difficult with each passing second. The numbers had blurred together, and the thought of finishing the research by dawn was exhausting. Dropping the chair back into its normal position, she cringed at the squeak that all but shot a dagger of pain through her brain and began to gather up her papers. Each was smudged with ink, the words nearly illegible, and yet, it was all that she had. Dumping them into her binder, she moved to stand when the sudden sound of footsteps and soft tap against her door caused it to tremble on its hinges. Instantly, Fleur was on alert, her bark shrill and laced with warning as she narrowed her odd colored blue eyes on the door. “Sh, it is okay, amour. I am sure I am far more frightening than what is on the other side,” she whispered.

I hope.

Dusting off her loose black tank, she twisted a pen into her messy blonde locks and headed for the door, her fingers quickly fumbling with the broken lock before opening it a crack. When she saw the silhouette in the hallway, she pulled it open the rest of the way and raised a brow in surprise. “What are you doing here?”


Alton: Shrugging his shoulders, he remained in the hall as he gave her a wide smile. Finally, the one beautiful thing in this heap. He could hardly believe that this was the right place. He had already been prepared to leave and everything, half expecting some cracked out addict to answer the knock on the door. He lifted a hand, pushing it through his hair as he glanced past her into the apartment.

“Aren’t you going to invite me in?” he said with a playful grin, letting his eyes fall to her again. “I just thought I would drop by and surprise you.” He pulled an arm from behind his back, holding out a pair of roses to the woman as she stood in the doorway, the thin slab of fake wood all that protected her from the other denizens of this little hole. “I’d say you look sufficiently taken aback.” He chuckled as he glanced about the room over her shoulder again. It was surprisingly… unorganized. “Though, the surprise is on me. I thought I heard a dog. I didn’t know you had a dog.”


<Charisma> For the first time, she couldn’t form words. They seemed to lay heavy on her tongue, and it took her a second to collect her thoughts. In that single second, Fleur had shimmied her way between her legs, her long nose all but pushed against his thigh. It was the thought of her slobbering on his jeans that had the blonde snapping to reality, and she hooked her fingers into her blue diamond collar, pulling her back. “Non, bad. Go inside, Fleur.” Her tone was sharp, and the puppy instantly dropped her ears and ducked back inside, looking for all the world as if she had been beaten. “I do not mean to be rude, but there is a reason no one knows my address.”

The words were soft spoken, but there was no dulling the blow of them. Her wretched curse forbade her from easing them into the transition, and yet, she couldn’t help the twist of warmth she felt at seeing him. It had been a few days, and she had found herself missing him. Dropping her shoulders with defeat, she stepped back and motioned for him to come in, her free hand curling around the roses with an odd look about her features. “Merci, amour. They are quite lovely and unexpected. How did you find me?” Shutting the door behind him, she slid the broken lock back into place before stepping around him to head for the couch, quickly brushing magazines, clothes and books to the side for him to have a place to sit.


Alton: At her apparently unintentional, intentional rudeness, he laughed. He lifted a hand, waving it aside dismissively as she invited him inside with the turn of her body. He smiled, and stepped inside as he shrugged his shoulders at her question, letting her lock the door before moving to the couch she was clearing away for them to sit.

“A friend of a friend of mine happened to be in this very building one night, when you came home after school. When I told them why I wanted to know, getting the address was quite the easy task.” He chuckled, and finally took a seat once she’d made room for him. He didn’t comment on the disarray of her apartment, though he found it extremely unusual. In her, he had quite expected something else entirely. A neat freak, even.

“That puppy, what kind of breed is she? Beautiful girl. Just like her owner, though not quite so cute.”


<Charisma> One upside about her curse, was that she had trained herself to be able to pick apart deceit. She could hear the tremor in his voice, one that he thought he had hid so well, and she shook her head with a sigh. “It would be easier if you admit that you had me followed, Alton.” Her voice was quiet as she finished picking up the materials and tossed them haphazardly across the room. They landed with a thud in the corner, the books sliding and falling into the floor near Fleur’s water dish. “She is a borzoi. I found myself lonely, and she was better than a roommate.” With a quiet smile, she seated herself on the couch - the one good thing about the apartment - and rested back, her legs tucked safely beneath her form.


Alton: “Borzoi you say? Never seen one. Cute thing. Is she smart?” He gingerly avoided the subject of his knowledge of her address. In honesty, he actually hadn’t had her followed. Triste had taken it upon herself to find her for him; likely in the hopes of pleasing him. She was doing things like that lately. It was actually really nice, considering she didn’t want anything but his thanks in return, and he was always quite ready with that.

He watched as she all but tossed her books right into the poor puppy’s water, and smiled as he looked back to her. “Your place is really cozy. It must stay pretty warm in here. I kind of like it.” He glanced around the cramped apartment, and he actually found himself meaning it. It was disheveled, unorganized, wrecked, but it was comfortable and close. Intimate. “How long have you been staying here?”


<Charisma> No sooner had she found herself seated, she was up again, her feet slipping on a stray magazine. Catching herself by grabbing the back of her computer chair, she quickly brushed off her pants - the thin cotton clinging to her curves - and headed for the small kitchen. “She is. They are very intelligent. It is why I chose her. She was expensive - three thousand - but she is worth it. I love her.” Her voice was quiet as she opened the fridge, the door nearly falling off the hinges as she bent down to scan what she had inside. She hadn’t stocked since she was killed, having found no need for the soda or the cheesecake - most of which were molded. “I have been here since I found my way to Harper Rock University. It has been a few years. It is not cozy, but it is a place to live. Are you thirsty? I have Dr. Pepper.”


Alton: “That sounds great, actually, thanks.” He said over his shoulder, watching her walk into the kitchen. As she rummaged through the fridge, he watched as she leaned over, digging through the few items he could see in the mostly empty box before he turned away as she was rising with his drink in her hand. He couldn’t help but laugh at what she said she’d paid for the dog, and let his head rest back against the back of the couch.

“Three thousand dollars for a puppy? That has to be… what? Thirty months’ rent in this place?” he gave her a warm smile, thanking her for the drink as he took it. “Still, I can see why you would pay it. Sometimes, the right companions are priceless. Though, I have to ask, curiosity and all that, but why do you stay here? You can obviously afford someplace nicer, or even closer to campus. What is it about this place that keeps you here?”


<Charisma> As she dropped the nearly frozen can into his hand, she turned her attention to the television. It was a flat screen, and a thin layer of dust covered the black plastic. Before she took a seat, she moved towards it and dusted it off with a random t-shirt she found on the floor and grabbed the remote that was nearly hidden beneath another stack of books. It was clear she hardly used to the device, and yet, she headed back towards him with the remote in hand. “I have simply not cared to look for anything else. It is just me. Why would I spend money on something that I would be in alone?” Her voice was quiet as she slid back into her spot at his side, her slender finger pressing the power button. The television flared to life, the option to continue watching Grey’s Anatomy filling the screen. Leaning over him, she reached for the roku remote and pressed the center button, the menu disappearing as the opening credits began to play.


Alton: Shaking his head, he dropped his arm around her as she fell into his side. He looked over the clearly neglected television and smiled. At least, he could tell, she was an avid reader, rather than wasting so much time on the television, like so many other people might have. She was intelligent, a thinker, a visionary.

She deserved better.

“You said yourself that it isn’t cozy. If you don’t like it, why don’t you find something more to your taste? What good is money at all, if you aren’t going to use it?” He shrugged, and turned to push a kiss to the tangle of golden curls tied atop her head with the pen. “Just a thought, babe. If you like it well enough, then maybe it’s just the place for you.”


<Charisma> It was strange, to sit on the couch and feel his arm around her, as if it were the most natural thing to do. She had never been in a situation like this, and she hadn’t a clue how to handle it. He was breaking through walls she had in place since she was a child, and he seemed to have no care in the world with how he was wrecking her world. In fact, he seemed to be enjoying every single moment of it. Sighing quietly, she adjusted the volume so it was low enough to not go through the paper-thin walls, but high enough that it kept Fleur occupied as she rolled around on the floor. “It is evident that I have the money, but I do not like to spend it. It is not mine. I did not earn it. It was simply left to me when my mother died.” The words, though painful, came easily as she rested her head to his shoulder. It seemed the right thing to do.


Alton: Sighing lightly, he gave her shoulders a tender squeeze. His heavy, strong arm wrapped protectively around her as he kept her close to his side. “I didn’t know your mother was dead. Or that your money was an inheritance.” He kissed her cheek, then. “Sorry about your mother. But, wouldn’t you think she would rather you had this money, and used it to make yourself happy, than to just let it sit, and go to waste?”

He lifted a shoulder and gave her a muted smile. “I’d want that, if it were my money, my kid. I didn’t know the woman, but I’m sure that she loved you. “ He moved his fingers through her curls, patting at her tenderly as he sank into the couch.


<Charisma> She could feel the pain twist in her stomach, the need to swallow back the words that were clawing their way from her throat painfully strong. She hated that she couldn’t refuse him - that she couldn’t stir the conversation into less dangerous waters. After fighting it for as long as she could, she knew that she wouldn’t be able to continue the evening in the state she was in. “Oui, any mother would have preferred that, but my mother thought very little of me during her death. I am sure that she was concerned about the inheritance and what I would do with it while she was driving us off of the Ponte De Léna.” Once the words had been spoken, the discomfort eased, and she shrugged her shoulders half-heartedly. “There is no doubt that Kristiana loved me, but she loved her alcohol and my father more. Both of which killed her in the end.”


Alton: Shaking his head again, he squeezed her tighter still, and taking a steady breath. “Well, this conversation went from zero to a hundred faster than Rosa. And that’s impressive. Ask any of the guys and gals at the garage.” He turned and pushed another kiss, this time to her forehead. His fingers pushed blonde curls from her face as he sighed.

“I shouldn’t have brought it up. Still, though. You should at least try some creature comforts. You might blow your own mind. Besides, the pursuit of happiness is one of those things that we’re all supposed to be entitled to, you know?” He let his hand fall to her shoulder, giving it a warm, reassuring squeeze. “And sometimes, it just takes someone else to set us on the path to that happiness. Who knows? I might be the one destined to set you on that track.” He grinned, big and cheesy, as he pulled her close, resting her head in the crook of his shoulder.


<Charisma> Guilt twisted in her chest, and she released a quiet breath at the same moment that he did. “I apologize. I cannot help it, as you have come to find out.” Her words were quiet as she pressed a kiss to his cheek, her lips smooth against his skin. Turning in her seat, she rested her back against his side and dropped her head to his shoulder, her gaze turning to the television. She could hardly make out what was happening, and yet she found herself uncaring. It was strange. “Perhaps you are correct, but I do not have options at this time. It is not so bad here, is it?” As soon as the words left her lips, a loud crack echoed through the hallway, followed by a series of shouts and screams that sent Fleur tumbling beneath her legs. “Oh, and there is that,” she said sheepishly, as yet another crack bounced off the walls.


Alton: Lifting a brow as his arm rested over her midsection, his hand splayed across her abdomen, he glanced down at her and cant his head to the side. “So. Two things. First, why do you feel like you don’t have options? There are literally hundreds of options available to you, you just have to take one. And two; what the actual **** was that?”

He turned his head to where the sound was coming from the wall. He half felt a need to reach for the knife in his coat, but was able to refrain. He could, at least in courtesy, wait until he knew what he was hearing, before he tried to dig through her walls for some monster that might or might not even exist.


<Charisma> Tracing her tongue over her lower lip, she tried to ignore the sounds coming from outside her door. The pounding of footsteps followed by shouts and chaos were somewhat familiar to her, but something told her that he would not appreciate her answer. “What options do I have? I am not very… progressed… with the search for real estate. I do not know where I would prefer to live, or what is the best district for me. I am comfortable.” It was another curse for her, the act of comfort. She feared change almost as much as she feared the woman who had turned her. Biting into her lower lip, finally, she gave a quiet sigh as the sound of a bullet embedding into a wall filled the room. “Those are gunshots. My apartment is near gangland territory. It tends to happen every once in awhile. I think twice a week?”

Alton: Both brows rose at that, and he shook his head, lifting his hands. “There are lots of places here, some of them pretty damn cheap, and almost all of them better than getting shot while you sleep.” He shook his head again, just trying to fathom what had possessed her to take the apartment in the first place. Coming up empty, he had to pose the question, because, truly, he couldn’t imagine why anyone in their right mind would willingly move in here.

“So, with all of this going on… what in the hell made you think that this was a good idea, moving into a place like this?”


<Charisma> She could hear the underlying anger in his voice, and she couldn’t piece together exactly what would have brought it on. She was safe - and he hadn’t a clue that she had been living there before being turned. As soon as the thought entered her mind, it fell from her lips, and she cringed. “It is not as if I am human still, amour. I survived here while I was.” Shaking her head, she turned and pressed her lips to his jaw again, before she sighed once again. “I was new to Canada. I was new to here. I had very little money to my name at the time. My father hadn’t a clue that I had left him, that I had left France. I did not want him to know until I was settled and he could turn my grandparents on me. So, I bought the first place that was offered.” She knew it wasn’t much of an argument in favor of the rundown building, but it was all that she had. She had gotten comfortable, and the thought of leaving panicked her - but something told her that he wasn’t going to give her much of an option after this point.


Alton: A long, heavy sigh left him as he shook his head again. Just what the hell. He pushed his hand through his hair, closing his eyes as he took a moment to collect himself. This was absolutely crazy. She was smart, she should know how insane this was. He rubbed the heel of his palm against his eye and sighed again.

“Listen. I don’t know how the hell you weren’t riddled with bullets before you were turned, staying here. I don’t understand how you made it long enough to be turned at all, honestly, living in this place, but bullets can still hurt. Don’t tell me they can’t, I know. You need to find someplace a little less target practice, a little more bulletproof.”


<Charisma> Moving to her feet, she nudged Fleur out from beneath the couch and shook her head. “It is not that bad. See, it is already quiet.” With a smile in his direction, she headed for the front door and pulled it open just a crack - before instantly regretting it. The scent of blood filled her senses, the hunger turning her blue eyes a dark navy as she slammed the door shut and bowed her head. Gritting her teeth, she rested her head against the frame and closed her eyes. “Not bad at all,” she all but hissed, a second before another crack filled the air. Turning from the door, she headed for the kitchen and opened a mini-fridge, her hunger having her all but ripping the packages apart before they left their confines. Pouring one into a glass, she brought the rich crimson liquid to her lips and drank it heavily before turning her slightly maddened gaze to his. Control, Melody. “What do you suggest, amour? I cannot very well move in with you, can I? The ink isn’t even dried on your divorce papers.”


Alton: Laughing at that, he shook his head, waving his hand in a dismissive manner. “Not bad at all. Just with the stink of blood all around you, taunting you and the beast inside you to break into an unstoppable killing spree, sure to expose yourself and all the rest of us, while your sire is the one woman that would likely kill you first for just that.” He shook his head and watched her move into the kitchen. He chuckled at her words and shrugged.

“That has nothing to do with us. Though, it is a little soon, but we can at least find you someplace different. Maybe close to where I stay? Unless, that is, you want to move in?” He tried to keep the hopefulness out of his voice, though he couldn’t hide the smile. Honestly, it was quick, but his marriage had been very one-sided for a long time now. It was all but dead in name for more than a year.


<Charisma> Gripping the glass in her hand, she turned from him as she finished downing it, only to refill it a second time. It had dulled the ache the scent had caused, but not enough to control her need to rip into the warm flesh outside the walls. With a quiet sound of discomfort, she swept her gaze to Fleur, watching as she all but cowered in the corner, her head down and her paws over her eyes. She hated this for her, and she had never thought twice about it before he had shown up at her door. Sighing quietly, she took a slower sip of her blood before raising a brow. “I was being sarcastic, amour. I did not think you would actually prefer us to live together.” She had heard the tone of his voice, arguing the words that he was saying, and slowly shook her head. What other option, logically, did she have? She would not be able to find a new residence quick enough. “Your apartment does, however, possess two bedrooms. Since you are adamant that I do not live here any longer than necessary, I could take one of them, oui? Until I find a place that I prefer.” She wasn’t positive that he would go for the plan, and something told her that he would have her in his bed by dawn if it were his option.

Alton: Nodding, he stood, and moved into the kitchen where she stood. He smiled, and rubbed his hands together. “Of course there’s two bedrooms. Small problem, however. One of them is being used as a home gym. I don’t think there’s enough room in there for a bed.” He shrugged, and reached out to put his arm around her. “You’re welcome to my bed, though, of course. I wouldn’t offer up my place and put the lady out on the floor.” He grinned, and leaned down to kiss her temple.

“So maybe we should look into maybe… organizing some of these things, oui?” he glanced about the haphazard apartment, magazines, books, notebooks, pens, and pencils scattered all around. Clothes dotting the landscape with the random, out of place object here or there. “Anything you might want to take with you. The rest can stay here… I’ll help pay the rent, for storage.” He smiled down at her, then, and pushed golden curls from her face. “What do you think? Honestly?”


<Charisma> Tipping her head back, she finished the second glass and set it in the sink just as his arm came around her. Crinkling her nose, she found herself shaking her head with another of those resigned sighs. “You are the one that pointed out the illogical idea of us living together. You claimed it was far too soon,” she reminded him, before her gaze grew distant and she smiled. “I am sure that I have another option. I can contact Fable. He would have a place for me.” Shrugging a shoulder, she ducked from his arm and moved to search for her phone under her stack of research papers, before chuckling. “I will just need to grab a few articles of clothing and my college supplies. Oh, and Fleur, of course.”


Alton: He shook his head and flexed his arms as she moved around the kitchen. “I said it might have been a little soon, sure, but I never said it was a bad idea. Sometimes, things are just meant to move fast. I think what would be a bad idea, is putting an unnecessary strain on our relationship, by moving in with someone else.” He shrugged and lightly ran his knuckles across the heel of his opposing palm.

He smiled, though, at her words and nodded. “Any of your school things, make sure you get what we can carry. The rest I can get later, with a truck. And Fleur, of course. She’s more than welcome in my place.”


<Charisma> Drawing her brows together, she turned to face him, her phone resting in her palm and her best friend’s name on the screen. “I do not understand how it would cause strain. Do you not like Fable?” There was an odd tone to her voice, a low threat that warned him to tread lightly with how he spoke of her sibling. She found herself caring for the large man in front of her, and yet, the thought of him speaking ill of her best friend settled wrong in her chest. Running her fingers through her hair, she carefully put the phone aside as she waited for his answer, before she moved her gaze to her puppy. It seemed as if she knew change was coming. The second she looked at her, she ran towards her with her leash in her mouth and tail wagging quickly. “I told you that she was intelligent. I will need a few minutes to gather my clothing that I would like to wear.” With that, she headed for the small bedroom to the left of the kitchen and began to settle her clothing rather neatly into a bag.

Alton: Shrugging, he ran his hands through his hair again. “I can’t say that I don’t like him. I haven’t met the man, but he seems alright. It’s just that this is still a new thing, even as serious as it really seems to be.” He moved his hand between them, indicating their relationship. He smiled, then, and shook his head. “Just you moving in with another guy seems an unnecessary stress, when I’ve got room for you guys.” He waved his hand to the puppy as she trotted into the room, head held high with that smug, pleased look on her face as she carried her leash around.

He laughed, and nodded when she said she needed to collect a few things. He watched her pack, brows rising as she set about neatly stacking things. Neatly. That much surprised him, after seeing the state of her apartment. “I just think I really like the idea of having you with me.”


<Charisma> His answer seemed to please her, and she gave a small smile as she jumped up to grab a few items from the top shelf. Carefully, she placed them in the bag before turning to peek her head out of the door. “I will introduce you soon. He is a withdrawn, old soul. I want to make sure that this is… real... before I put you in his path.” She didn’t think twice about her words as she ducked back into the room and zipped up her bag, before throwing it over her shoulder. Grabbing Fleur’s bed off the floor and two pillows from her bed, she headed back into the living room and hooked the leash around the puppy’s neck. With a quiet sigh, she glanced to her desk and quickly pulled all her books and papers into one pile before unzipping her bag and dropping them in. Instantly, the weight strained against her shoulder, and she frowned. What was she doing? Was she really considering this? Pausing, she swallowed thickly before glancing down to the dog at her feet, her tail wagging and her eyes brighter than usual. It is better, Melody. “Do you have a television?”

Alton: Laughing, he leaned against the counter as he waited, while she dashed about the tiny apartment, collecting her things. “Real, you say? And what exactly do you think would make this real?” He chuckled, and pat his hand against the counter. “I was quite under the impression that it was pretty real.” He grinned, and lifted himself onto the counter.

He watched as she moved to the desk, collecting her school things and finally snapping the leash to her dog’s collar. He smirked, and hopped down off the desk. He laughed at her question, the sound genuine, loud, amused. “’Do you have a television’ you ask. You’ll see. I can bring yours, if you want it with you.”


<Charisma> Spinning in a slow circle, she made sure that she gathered everything she could possibly need. She was still uncertain, the rush of moving in with him seeming to have set her out of her comfort zone. What was she thinking? Biting into her lower lip, she forced herself to remain calm as she tipped her head to the television set and the small roku beneath it. “Couer purchased those for me. I doubt she would be pleased to know I left it behind to get it stolen.” Laughing quietly, she nearly stumbled when Fleur shot forward to attempt to run out the door. “Actually… I do not think I should go out there. It… it is dangerous, non? The blood? If you wouldn’t mind taking these things to your car, I could… I could meet you there.”

[Charisma]

Alton: Taking her bag from her, he swiped the leash from her hand as well and smiled. “You’re right. Go out the safe way, and I’ll meet you at the car. I’m parked a block away, side of the street. You know the car, can’t miss it.”

He leaned down, pushing a gentle kiss to her lips. “Be safe. Be quick. I’ll see you in a minute.” He shouldered her bag, and led the puppy out the door, shutting it quickly behind him. They rushed down the stairs, letting Fleur set the pace as she dashed down the steps two at a time, before he guided her into the street, walking toward the huge black muscle car.

<Charisma> Shaking her head, she watched as he disappeared out the door before grabbing her phone from the counter. She had meant to meet him at the garage, but as she stepped towards the door to lock it, she remembered that she hadn’t a clue where he actually lived. Frowning, she brought the image of the block to her mind, and as the world shifted around her, she braced herself for the landing. It only took her a second to make it to the car, and as she waited for him, she lounged easily against the heavy frame. “It took you long enough, amour. Where, exactly, do you live?”

Alton: Smirking, he opened the driver’s door, tossing her bag into the back seat, sliding into the car and perching Fleur in his lap as he started the car. He shrugged at her question, and nudged the shift into gear. “I have a place near the river. House I bought with some of my winnings.”

He ran a hand along the puppy’s head, stroking her ears as he waited for her to get in before he let the car ease into the road. “It wasn’t very expensive, to be honest. I was a little surprised. Though it makes getting to the garage a lot easier.”

<Charisma> Running her tongue over her canine, she raised a brow as the car roared to life. “I remember when you let me drive her,” she laughed, her amusement clear as she reached over and pulled Fleur into her lap. With one hand, she held her still, the other rolling the window down so she could stick her head out. “I thought you would have killed me that night.” Her voice was a light tease as she rested back and closed her eyes, enjoying the feel of the wind against her skin. “I thought you lived in the garage with some of the others. I did not know you had your own home. Did Mouse not ask for it in the divorce?”

Alton: “I did live in the garage, only temporarily though. Cherise took the house in Quebec, a lot of good it will do her here. I bought this place just recently. I needed space, after…” he shook his head and sighed. “Well, after Triste. I don’t want something like that happening again.” He shrugged, and pulled onto the river road, following the shore of the rushing water.

“It’s a nice little place. There’s plenty of room, even with you moving in of course. Lots of yard space. Short walk right down to the river. Quick drive right to the garage. It’s just the right spot for me, and what’s best, I don’t have to deal with Cherise and Lucille half as often as before.” He gave her a smile, and took her hand, kissing skin tenderly as he gave it a squeeze. “I think you’ll enjoy it there.”

<Charisma> Tipping her head back against the headrest, she kept her eyes closed as Fleur shifted in her lap. She could feel the excitement thrumming through her small form, and for a moment, she began to wonder if the dog knew something that she didn’t. Moving her hand along her silken fur, she listened as he spoke, and her brows drew together in confusion. “Does it bother you to see them together?” The question was a simple one, and yet, it held a rather heavy consequence to it depending on the answer she received. It wasn’t until she felt the touch of his lips to her skin that she opened her eyes, and she offered him a smile. “I do not think you have much to worry about when it comes to ensnaring another like Triste. Though you clearly have the ability to manipulate situations to your will, I do not think you can possess more than one. At least, I have not seen it happen yet.”

Alton: Shaking his head, he gave a laugh. “No, no it isn’t that. I’m actually glad to see her happy again. What bothers me is the way that the new love of her life is just such a *****.” He chuckled, and squeezed her hand. “She likes to try to start trouble, thinking she’s a bigshot. She’s tried to push me on the strip with her at least twice a night. She’s just throwing money at me, at this point. I never turn down a race, but it’s starting to feel ridiculous.”

He smiled, then, and ran his thumb across the back of her hand. “She’ll get it through her skull eventually. As for the others… I know that I cannot bring another under the same influence as Triste, but it has been known for us to bring large groups under our influence for a short time. I just… don’t want to risk that as often as I would by living in the garage. It feels wrong, controlling my friends that way.”

<Charisma> “Of course it does. It is why my family is not as fond of your kind as most are. I, of course, do not have an issue with them.” Her smile was small as she leaned over and kissed his cheek, before the soft, discomforting squeal from Fleur had her back in her own seat. Sighing quietly, she sank down into the chair and pulled the puppy closer to her chest as she watched the city pass them by. “She is just unhappy with you, amour. She has no interest in Cherise. It was the challenge, the thrill of making someone miserable. The fact that she could not, because I appeared, wrecked her little plan. Now, she is merely stuck and is trying to find a way to fix things.” Shrugging a shoulder, she gave another slow smile as she turned to look at him once again. “I am not sure if your cousin has mentioned it, but Lucille has threatened my life twice now. It is rather amusing, and saddening, to see someone so desperately unhappy.”

Alton: Sighing, he slowed the car to turn into the driveway of a small, one-floor house on the riverfront. White siding was new, the driveway freshly repaved. It was a nice house; not extravagant, but nice. He cut the engine, the quiet rumble of the tremendous beast falling to silence. He pressed his palm to his brow as he shook his head.

“I’ll have words with her. If that doesn’t stop it, let me know, and I’ll go to my cousin. She’ll set her straight, she’s done it enough times. I just wish she would let it go, and see what she’s got in Cherise. Just let them be happy, and let us be happy. There’s no reason that couldn’t happen, is there?” he sighed, and opened the door, stepping out of the car as he reached into the back seat to grab her bag, bringing it with him. “Anyway, this is home, now.”

<Charisma> As they pulled into the drive, she carefully opened the door and allowed Fleur to hop out. The moment she was free, she took off in a blur of white around the yard, her tail wagging and her barking echoing off the building. When she stepped out, however, she moved around the car and wrapped her arms around him, her lips pressing once to his shoulder blade. It felt natural, as if it were the right thing to do, and she shook her head. “I did not tell you because it bothered me. It does not. She is of no concern, and I will handle her if it ever comes to it. She is bitter, and to be frank, there is not much in your ex-wife to be happy with.” Despite how everything had turned out - and in spite of the fact that it worked out in her favor - it was clear she still harbored ill feelings for the small, rather unattractive, brunette. Stepping back, she snatched the leash as Fleur darted past her, nearly knocking the poor creature off her paws. “Non. It is time to sleep. Behave, Fleur.” Chuckling quietly, she lead her to the front door, before turning to wait for him to come with the key.

Alton: Chuckling softly, he shook his head and flipped the keys into his palm. He stepped into the awning over the front door, and slipped the key into the lock. “It’ll be alright. Nobody will bother you here. My cousin and Triste are the only ones that know to find me here.” He smiled, and pushed the door open for her, then. “And neither of them know that you are here.”

He let her enter first, stepping in behind her and locking the door. The house was small, cozy, intimate, as her apartment had first appeared. The appearance here, however, was genuine. The home was old, with history, but quaint, and comfortable. “I really think you’re going to like it here. Here, I’ll show you the bedroom.”

<Charisma> Crouching down, she tugged Fleur back towards her before unsnapping the thick clasp to her collar. The instant the dog was freed from her restraints she took off, her claws scratching across the hardwood. The sound caused her to wince, and she instantly lunged forward the grab her, only to have her duck between her legs and careen into the living room and out of reach. “I am sorry, amour. I did not think of her claws. I will pay to have the floor fixed.” Her voice was quiet as she listened for the dog, only to hear a loud crash echo from the kitchen. With a resigned sigh, she turned to face him, her shoulder lifting in a shameless shrug. He had asked for her appearance in his home, he should have expected the consequences. Of course, that is what she told herself as she hoisted a bag over her shoulder and smiled. “Oui, the bedroom. I need to put my things up and bring the pillows to the couch. You do have a couch for me to sleep?”

Alton: Shaking his head, he laughed as the dog lurched off into the house. He smiled, and gently pat at Charisma’s shoulder. “Non, do not worry about it. This floor is good wood. It’ll take more than a little puppy to scuff it up. If she does, it won’t be anything a little polish won’t buff out. You don’t need to worry so much.” He listened as the dog clattered through the house, wreaking havoc in the kitchen. It sounded like she had a collision with the island, the pans hanging from the standalone counter clanging together to make a racket throughout the house.

“I think she’s going to like it here. I know you will. And you aren’t sleeping on the couch.” He lifted his brow and turned to look at her. “I already told you that you can have the bed. I barely use it as it is, if that’s what’s driving you to the couch so strongly.” He grinned, and tipped his head to the back of the house. “Back this way.”

<Charisma> “Oui, it is, but I doubt that you will find a problem with the bed once I am in it.” She flashed him one of her reserved smiles before following him down the hall, her gaze snapping to Fleur as she rounded the corner to wind between his legs. “Traitor,” she laughed, the sound more relaxed than it had been. She was finding it increasingly difficult to stay numb in his presence. She wasn’t sure if it had something to do with his personality - or the powers that he possessed. You love him, Melody. At the familiar sound of that apparition, she quickly shook her head and dropped her gaze. Non, you cannot be here. This is not the place for you. Leave. Biting into her lower lip, she dropped her bag onto the floor outside the bedroom door and forced herself to focus on his back.

Alton: Laughing as the dog wove its way between his legs, he leaned down to scratch behind her ear as he walked, not missing a beat as she tumbled back and forth over his feet, sometimes latching onto a boot to be lifted and carried a step before dashing between his legs again. “Well, I won’t deny that having a woman warm my bed wouldn’t be unwelcomed. I’d likely find it much more to my liking that way.” He chuckled, and pushed the door to the bedroom open as she dropped her bag.

“It’s plenty big enough, you can put your things anywhere you like, plenty of empty drawers for them in the dresser. Lots of extra space in the closet, too. Most of my things are in the hall closet. Master bathroom is at the back of the room, so you can use that to your liking as well. Kitchen is just around the corner, living room you just walked past. Make yourself comfortable, and if you need anything at all…” He turned, and took her hand, kissing it tenderly as he gave her a warm smile. “Just ask, and you’ll have it.”

<Charisma> Stepping past him, she made her way into the bedroom and frowned. It was a brief twist of her lips, before she managed to smooth her expression out into something softer. “Why would you get something so big if it was just for you?” The question slipped unbidden from her lips, and she mentally cursed herself as she headed for the dresser, her slender fingers opening the first drawer. Finding it as empty as he claimed it to be, she headed back for him and leaned around his massive form to hook her bags over her wrist. It was almost weightless to her, and even with Fleur twisting around her legs, she was able to carry the bulk back to the drawers. “Did you expect someone else to live here? It is not that I do not appreciate the house. It is lovely, but it is… you are a bachelor, non? I do not think many have such extravagant abodes.” Closing her eyes, she groaned quietly to herself as she continued to speak, the need to blurt the first thing that came to mind overwhelming her to the point of pain.

Alton: Shaking his head, he gave her a smile and shrugged a shoulder. “I wouldn’t exactly call the place extravagant. It’s still rather small, though I sprung for the extra room for a gym slash guest room. The only company I’ve been expecting is from the garage. Had my cousin over a few nights, when she needed space. L’Ouragan, too, when he needed a place to crash a few times. Nothing serious. Not ‘til now.”

He gave her a bright, wide smile. “The place isn’t all that big. Just one floor, no basement, half attic. Two bedrooms, one bath and one master bath. You saw the kitchen and living room. It’s all the space I really need, and just a little extra, for the rare visitor or crashing friend.” He folded his arms over his chest, leaning in the doorway as she started to put away her things. “Need a hand?”

<Charisma> The second he jumped into his defense of the home he had chosen, she felt the guilt warm her chest. Her inquiries were the very reason that she strayed from large groups - or anyone, for that matter. She could never keep her comments to herself, and the truth always lead to hatred or discontent. Biting into her lower lip, she began to rummage through the few pieces of lingerie she had brought, her fingers quickly placing them in the top drawer before she dropped a few t-shirts on top. “Non, amour. It is an easy task.” She didn’t look over her shoulder as she spoke, and instead, she tucked a curl behind her ear and moved on to the next drawer. “I mentioned it because it just all seems so strange. You were a married man, and you chose a home that is fit for a married man. Most single men I have known hold apartments that are far worse than mine.” The words continued to fall from her, and she shook her head as she dropped to her knees in front of the dresser to put her jeans in place. “I worry if you are still in the mindset of a committed man.”

Alton: Laughing, he pushed a hand through his hair and shifted in the doorway to the bedroom. He shrugged his shoulders, and ran his fingers down the pane of the doorway. “Well, I grew accustomed to certain creature comforts living in a house. A garage, for one, and being able to do whatever I pleased, whenever I pleased. I can’t do that in an apartment. And don’t get me started on the neighbors. I’ve done the apartment thing. I like my house, thanks.”

He chuckled, and pushed his knuckles against the door frame. “Even more, now. I have freedom, without having to worry about bothering anyone. I can have whoever I want over, whenever I want them over, for as long as I want. Right now, that’s you, by the way, and for as long as you like.” He laughed then, and gave her a wide smile. “I’m sorry the place is still a little… bland. I haven’t been living here but for about a week. I need to spice the place up. Give it a little more personal flare.”

<Charisma> “It is still quite strange,” she argued as she finished putting the final article of clothing up. Moving steadily to her feet, she dusted off her yoga pants before turning to face him, her arms crossing lazily across her chest. “I cannot begin to understand how your brain works, nor will I try. I find it all fascinating - and utterly frustrating at the same time.” Her voice held a bored tone to it as she bent to pick up the bags, her hands deftly folding them up so they would be small enough to fit anywhere she deemed worthy. In this case, it was under the bed. Before she had a chance to straighten, Fleur dived beneath the mattress and began to growl. “At least she does not seem to have a problem with it.” Offering a rather bland laugh, she ran her fingers through her hair, the motion sending the tousled curls in every direction as she eyed her books warily. Before she opted to dive into the situation at hand, she focused on the last of his words, her head canting. “I could perhaps add some personal flare to it. I am by no means a homemaker, but I used to help my mother before she died. After that, if I wished to have color in our house, it was up to me. My father preferred to live in a drunken stupor.” Shrugging a shoulder, then, she turned her gaze to his and motioned to her books, the tennis bracelet on her wrist shimmering in the dim light.

“Do have you a place I can get comfortable? I suppose I could use the bed, but I have things that I need to do tonight.”

Alton: Nodding, he tipped his head back to the living room. “There’s a desk in the living room, by the window. Should be plenty big enough for a couple of those books, and a laptop if you need one. Or you can use my computer. Whichever.” He flicked his wrist, beckoning her to follow as he turned to slip into the living room. He lifted his hand and pointed to the desk, a huge, wide affair with drawers the size of school desktops, a set of four on either side. The huge piece of furniture dominated the wall it sat against, the expensive mahogany polished to a shine.

The desktop was hidden someplace inside the monster desk, the monitor and keyboard evidence to the hidden tech was tucked into one corner of the desk, a tremendous workspace was covered by a pegboard calendar. The office chair tucked beneath it was lavishly upholstered, a top of the line chair more comfortable than most. He smiled with pride as he indicated it to her. “You can work there all you need. If I’m working, just let me know you need the space. I can move to my laptop. It doesn’t need half the space of that beast.” He flicked a hand at the monitor, meaning the computer before he turned to watch for the following dog that was sure to accompany her. “Do you need a place for her to stay, or is she going to be with you?”

<Charisma> Frowning at the change in his demeanor, she tilted her head as he turned from her without a word. This is why I stay by myself, she thought as she crouched to gather a few books into her arms. The notebooks threatened to spill from her arms, and she used one hand to straighten them out as she stood and followed after him, her barefeet moving silently across the floor. “I do not need nearly that much space. I am doing research for a paper on the Mariana Trench. I am not attempting to program a rocketship.” Her tone was dry as she scanned the beast he had called a computer, and as she bent to press a few buttons on the keyboard, she shook her head. She was intelligent - but even this was beyond her standards.

“I did not think you were this type of man. Whatever do you need this for?” Turning to face him, she dropped a few books on the desk before falling into the chair, chuckling as it spun with her weight. “Did my words upset you? I did not mean to. I cannot help it that I speak my mind, I thought you understood that. If not, I will just remain silent.” She frowned as she scooted back to the desk and opened her first book, the words blurring as hunger stabbed at her.

Alton: Laughing, he ruffled her hair as she fell into the seat. “Upset? Me? Not at all. I’m not sure where you’d even get that from.” He shrugged, and moved to tap his knuckle against the screen on the computer. “I run the diagnostics on Rosa on this PC. It takes a lot of computing power, and when I’m finished, I typically use the connection to shop for parts. Better tuning. Upgrades. That sort of thing.” He smiled, and moved to lean against an unused portion of the desk, folding his arms over his chest.

“As for your adding a little bit of life to the place, feel free to fire at will. Your taste seems to be far better than my own anyhow. There’s little it could hurt for letting you pull the place together.” He pat the edge of the desk and looked down at her work, knitting his brows at what he was seeing. “Completely different sort of science, that. I was an engineering grad, years ago. That’s what got me started into all of this.” He lifted his hand and waved it to the garage outside, where his car was parked. “More numbers, less mystery.”

<Charisma> She relaxed when she felt his hand to her hair, though the touch was unexpected. She hadn’t a clue how she was to react to it, and instead, she merely flipped a page in her book and smiled. “That is good, amour. I do not mean harm with my words, I just cannot help by speak my mind. It is a curse.” As she found the page she was looking for, she began to rummage around for a pen, somehow finding one buried beneath some of his stray papers. Uncapping it with her teeth, she chewed on the lid as she opened her notebook, her attention already diverted. “Hm? Oh, oui. I have always loved the ocean. My family thought I should fear it after what happened to me, but I found comfort in the water. My grandmother worried I was crazed. She does not understand the call it has to me.” Her voice was distant as she began to write, her script beautiful, despite the haste of her hand. “I have begun to wonder, now that I am deceased with no need to breathe, how far could I swim? How deep could I go? Could you imagine what I could explore, Le Mur?” Laughing huskily, she bit into her lower lip as she dropped her chin in her hand, her fingers curling into her curls.

Alton: Smiling as she fell into her own little sense of wonder, he let his hand move gently along her shoulder, his fingers deftly squeezing the column of her neck as he rested into the desk at her side. He shook his head at her questioning, and ran his thumb along her upper vertebrae. “Unfortunately, I don’t think that your new body would withstand the pressure that far down. Though, I’m far from any kind of expert, I just don’t see how anything could withstand that kind of crushing force, and have no problems adapting to the normal atmospheric pressure. Though again, I’m not the expert on all things vampire. I’m still learning quite a bit myself. There’s a strong likelihood that I’m entirely wrong in that assumption.”

He lightly tapped the back of her neck as he thought. “Maybe we should research? When you don’t have such a huge assignment in front of you, that is. See if maybe we can find out if anyone has ever attempted something of that nature, or try it ourselves, if there aren’t any records. It’ll be quite the task, learning something about ourselves that no one else really knows.”

<Charisma> The touch to her neck had her relaxing, and she moved her nails across her scalp absently. “I suppose you are right. It is something I can look into and question Velveteen about.” Her words were distracted as she squinted at the text, fingers gripping the pen tighter. She had already thought of the pressure of the ocean - it was something she had first hand experience in - but she had hoped that her body could overcome it. It wasn’t the knowledge of the current that left her uncertain, but what her own new form could endure. If she could be ripped to pieces by a blade and come back to life, what was to stop her from surviving the crushing depths of the ocean? Finding her mind drifting off task, she straightened up and flipped the page, before beginning to dot down more words across her notebook. In a matter of minutes, she was engrossed in her assignment, though she was still aptly aware of his hand against her skin. It would be hours yet, before she managed to emerge from the world of Marine Biology.

[Alton (DELETED 7665)]

Smirking, he leaned down and encircled her neck with one powerful arm, hugging her carefully and pushing a kiss to the top of her head, brushing against the silky soft bed of her curls. He looked over her books again, briefly, and stood, letting his arm slide from around her. He looked over the expanse of the desk, only a small margin of the workspace actually used up by the books. He rubbed at his brow as he thought, before he turned and moved into the center of the living room, an idea suddenly striking him. Such a sweet, perfect idea he could not help but feel proud of it, even before it had fully formed.

Suddenly, he was staring from wall to wall, taking mental measurements as he nodded to himself, keeping track of estimated numbers before he turned to her and watched her immerse herself in her work. “That sounds like an excellent idea. Good material to bond over your sire with. I suppose, eventually, I am going to have to meet the woman am I not? That will be an interesting encounter, from the sound of it.” He laughed quietly to himself and turned to quickly slip from the room, opening a door in the kitchen that lead into the garage. The door hung open a long moment as the sound of tools rattling and banging together filled the house, and finally he returned, a tape measure in hand. He didn’t wait for her to look up from her work, or for her to question the noise.

“Home improvement project. Had an idea. It’ll keep me busy for quite a while. Could be months, if I want to get it right.” His words were distracted halfway through the thought, his eyes moving over the walls again before he set to making measurements. First, he took the height of the room at the corner of the living room, before the length of the wall, all the way down the hall and past both of the bedrooms along the left wall to the very end of the hall. It was a long stretch, and he made a low, whistling sound as he thought about the expense. It was going to be worth it.

He set to work measuring the doorways, then, collecting the height, width, and the space between each doorway and the wide open space between the living room and the kitchen. He pulled a small, flip notepad from his pocket and began to make notes on the measurements, before he set to measuring the molding around each of the edges, accounting for the space they took as he mulled over removing them entirely for the sake of the project. He nodded, deciding that it would look cleaner without them. He would have to rip them out before the install. He smiled, then, the expression wide and excited. This was going to be a huge project. It was going to be a spectacle that would really just tie everything together.

It was going to be wild.

How did I not think of this before?

[Alton (DELETED 7665)]

STARSET

<Charisma> She emerged from the world of Marine Biology a little over four hours later with a quiet, pained groan. Her back ached, her fingers throbbed, and her vision blurred. It was an awful feeling, but with it, came a rush of accomplishment. It had taken days - but she was finally free of the reports burden. Lifting her arms above her head, she laced her fingers together and arched her back with a moan as her spine popped like bubble wrap. “What time is it?” Her question came quietly, yet she knew that he would hear her over the sound of -- was that hammering?

Pushing from the desk, she scarcely avoided catching Fleur’s tail beneath the wheel of the chair. The small bundle of fur dashed out of the door, her tail wagging fervently as she waited for her in the hall. Her head cocked to the side with perked ears as another loud slam echoed through the house, and she raised a brow in curiosity. He hadn’t mentioned a thing about home improvement when he had brought her in, and yet, it seemed that was exactly what he was doing. Pushing her hand through her thick, messy curls, she made her way down the hall, her steps quiet as she slipped between him, the weight of her palm resting gently on his spine.

“What are you creating, amour? I hope it is not something to accommodate my stay here,” she smiled, though there was a flash of worry in her eyes. Fleur dashed between her legs, then, and jumped to place two paws on his side, her leash dangling from her mouth as her tail wagged, coming dangerously close to knocking over a bottle of beer. Before she had a chance to pull the pup back, she gave a swift turn, her butt connecting with the table and sending the bottle flying, the amber liquid coating the floor - and her shirt - before she managed to catch it. Setting it back on the table - now empty - she turned an amused glare towards the soaked Borzoi. “You are far too young to become an alcoholic, cherié,” she chuckled, tugging at her shirt with a quick glance to him.

“If you tell me where the towels are, I will clean this up before taking a shower. I do not find myself appealing, smelling like a brewery.”



<Alton> Shaking his head, he lifted his hand and dismissed her concern. “Don’t worry about it, don’t worry about it. Nothing I can’t get out later. It’s no big deal. Just get cleaned up and I’ll worry about the floor later. I’m thinking about putting in new carpet anyway. Something brand new. It’ll be fine.” He stopped his work and turned to smile up at her from his place in the floor. He had a chisel in one hand, the mallet in another. He was working the molding away from the doorway, prying it from the wall. It was delicate work, removing molding without damaging the sheet rock beneath. He was going to need to paint over the spaces where the molding had been before, as well, to make it all match again.

He smiled wider, then, and he shook his head. “Oh no, no, nothing of an accommodation. Just something I think we’ll both enjoy very much. Don’t worry yourself so much, you aren’t any kind of bother whatsoever. If most of our nights go by like tonight has, then I don’t think we’re going to have much problem at all. You’re quiet as a mouse when you’re working, and you’re so focused you didn’t even hear most of my clanging around. This’ll turn out just right, don’t you worry about a thing.” He smirked, and waved his mallet at her, before he tapped the chisel one last time to pry the molding from his bedroom doorway.

He turned, and tossed the long, elegant strip of wood down the hall, into the pile with the rest of the molding from the hall. He was going to need some space, and somewhere to do this work without her seeing it. At least tonight he had made sure that all the measurements were exact. He would have those to count on for his work. He just needed to get a severe amount of epoxy. And of course there were the other expenses, and the filters, and the pumps… this was going to be a massive undertaking. He would be at it for… weeks, at least. This was good, though. This was very good. It was a project, outside of his car, that gave him something to do with his hands, something to distract him while she worked. This way, he wouldn’t drive her mad in the next week.

He yawned, then, and looked at his watch, realizing he hadn’t answered her initial question. “It’s about five in the morning. Sun will be up soon. I guess it’s time to draw the curtains and start making our way to bed.” He chuckled, then, and stood. He placed the chisel and mallet on the hall table, righting the empty beer bottle again as it wobbled on the uneven table, another project he would need to invest time and focus into, and turned to her.

“Shower is in the bathroom on the right. Bedroom is… well… the other two doors. You can stay in mine if you want, or you can have your own. Your call.” He smirked, then, and pointed to the one closer to them. “That one’s mine.” He laughed, then, and turned to head down the hall, pushing open the bathroom door for her, making sure she knew where it was before he ducked into his room, right across the hall.

<Charisma> Her hands shook as she busied them in her shirt, the thin material wrapping around her fingers with ease. It was proving to be quite the challenge, being so close to someone that she was supposed to date. The word settled uneasily in her mind, weighing heavily against the very person she was. She found no use for romance, no logic in giving pieces of yourself to someone, only to be hurt. Of course, she had also never had someone able to stand her presence for more than a few minutes at a time. Her brutal, painful honesty sent most men running for the door the second she opened her mouth. It had caused her to lead a rather lonely, isolated existence, and she had come to accept it. Now, however, she found herself in a situation far out of her element, and there was no way to escape.

You can always go for the door, Charisma. He is not keeping you prisoner.

Forcing a breath from her clenched teeth, she gave him a tight smile as she stepped back into the hallway, Fleur tight at her ankles. The tension in the young puppy’s eyes showed her that she felt her discomfort, and like a true companion, she was hellbent on making sure she would make it. With a quiet chuckle, she pressed open the bathroom door and allowed her to run in, her claws clicking against the tile as she skidded to a stop against the wall before curling into a tight ball. Holding up a hand as a command to stay, she ducked out of the bathroom and followed him into the bedroom, making quick work of securing herself something to wear. Without casting him a glance, she made her way back out and into the shower, the steam rapidly fogging up the mirrors.

The thought of staying beneath the hot spray was was tempting, and as she bent her head to allow the water to pound out the stress in her muscles, she almost caved. If she had been in the comfort of her own apartment - she wouldn’t have thought twice about it, but being in his home - she wasn’t comfortable. She was far, far from comfortable. Sighing reluctantly, she gave the knobs a quick jerk, killing the water before stepping out and wrapping her towel around her damp frame. The scent of her Island Sunset body wash hung heavy in the air, causing the interior of the rather large bathroom to smell of coconut, palms, and soothing ocean air. Tipping her head back, she breathed in deep before running the towel through her hair, her effort only managing to tangle up her thick curls. “I cannot wait to take you to the ocean, Fleur. You will love the sand beneath your toes, no?”

The pup gave her an odd look as she stood and stretched, her tongue hanging from her mouth from the damp air. With a frown, she quickly reached over and opened the door, forgetting for a moment where she was as she let the towel drop. Gathering her thin blue camisole, she pulled it over her head as Fleur dashed past her, her steps frantic as she searched for a cooler place to sleep. Shaking her head, she watched her tail disappear around the corner as she slid her matching shorts into place and stepped out into the hall. She paused as she eyed his door, though her mind was quickly made up as she headed for the opposite bedroom. True to his word, nothing was set up for her to sleep on, and she crinkled her nose before tossing her towel into the corner.

“I will make due,” she nodded as she flicked the light off and slid onto the floor on her back, hands beneath her head. The sun would rise soon, and despite the hunger gnawing at her stomach, she couldn’t risk the heat. Instead, she forced herself to think of something - anything else - and closed her eyes.

<Alton> Silence settled over the house as he slipped from the shower of the master bath, cool air clinging to him like an icy embrace against the residual heat of the torrential waterfall of his shower. Steam still clung to the air, thick and soupy as he stepped through the misty air, the tendrils of steam still floating like wisps of wet smoke parted before him, the opening of the door causing them to recoil away from the blast of cool air.

He padded lightly through the bedroom, a pair of boxer briefs and a black undershirt all that adorned his body as he listened in silence to the water of the other shower finally shutting off, the rushing of water through the house falling into quiet. He reached into the closet, pulling spare pillows from the shelf and tossing them to the bed. When he turned back to look for cases, he heard her bare feet stepping quietly down the hall, into the empty room he hadn’t decided what to do with just yet. He shook his head, and tossed the pillow cases onto the pillows quickly, still listening to the silence of the house.

“Did she really just go in there and lie in the floor?” he asked himself quietly as he tossed the pillows back down, moving to open the door of the bedroom and leaning against the doorway. The door to the empty room was still open, the rest of the house settling into silence again. He shook his head and took a quiet breath, an amused smile on his lips as he stepped into the hall, and moved to the end of the hallway, looking in on the empty room to find her lying on her back, facing the ceiling in a sleepy silence, her eyes closed and her face placid. He sighed, and stepped into the room, giving the curve of her hip a gentle kick, rocking her soft, shapely figure against the soft carpet.

He folded his arms over his chest as he lifted one dark brow, staring down at her as he jerked his head back down the hall. “Come on, get your *** out of the floor. I’ve got space for you in the bed, and enough for the lovely lady Fleur, too. Surely you at least want to cuddle the dog? I can’t attest to the sunproofing of these blinds, so you’re likely unsafe in here anyway. Come on. Up we go.”

He didn’t wait for her answer, and bent down, scooping her into his arms and sweeping her off the floor with an effortless power, turning to carry her easily through the house, the heat of her shower still clinging to her skin. He laid her lightly on the comforter of his bed and moved to sit on his own side. He lifted a hand to pat the pillows he had laid out for her and smirked. “Fresh pillows, just bought them. Just replaced the sheets and the bedding, so everything’s good and pristine. The bed’s good and warm, and as you can see, lots of room in a King. You sleep with the pup or no?” He smiled, and poised to call the dog into the bed. “She’s welcome, if you want.”

<Charisma> The room was mercifully dark, the only stream of light coming from the pale bulb illuminating the hallway. She could handle the solitude that the darkness had to offer - it was the silence that etched its way into her bones, making her uncomfortable. In silence, there was no way to silence the thoughts that plagued the mind, or the ghosts that lingered in the shadows. Willing her eyes closed, she ignored the steady hum of the apparition as it lingered along the wall, the lullaby painfully familiar. Come now, Melody, you cannot resist me forever. Have you ever thought that I am here for a reason? The whisper was quiet, and yet, in the silence of the old house - it screamed. “I would be amiss if I were to say that I did not question your reasoning,” she heard herself say, her voice nothing more than a breath as it passed between her lips. And what have you come up with?

Shaking her head, she intertwined her fingers and rested her hands on her stomach, the silk of her camisole offering her comfort. Fleur shifted at her side, her ears perking up as she narrowed her eyes on the furthest corner of the room, fur standing at alert. It amazed her how easily animal's senses the supernatural, even at such a young age. With a soothing sound, she dropped one hand from its resting place and brushed it through her fur, nails scraping at the soft spot behind her ear. “You regret what you did and seek forgiveness to move on. If that is the case, I suppose I should grow comfortable with your presence.” Fleur rested her head down against her paws as she spoke into the silence, her eyes closing once again. It was better this way for her - it was hard enough to hear her voice in her mind, but to see the spectral shimmer was far too difficult to bear. Would she be beautiful or would she be ghastly?

She could still see her in her memory, her blonde hair wrapping around her face as her eyes stared at her in relief. She was drunk, but with the water rushing around them, the familiar, nauseating scent of alcohol wasn’t an issue. She remembered when she used to miss the mingling aromas of tequila and vodka, but now they only made her ill. Before the spirit had another chance to speak, a floorboard squeaked in the distance, and then another. She could hear his arrival, and despite her annoyance with being bothered, she felt nervous. Keeping herself still, she waited until he made his way to her, his foot nudging her soft frame. It was then that she opened her eyes, the soft blues finding his as she raised a brow. “You could have taken the time to nudge me with your hand. It is ungentlemanly to use your foot.”

The jab was innocent, and she softened it with a smile - before she felt his arms engulf her. He lifted her as if she were weightless, any protests she planned to make dying on her tongue. Pressing her hands to his shoulders, she tried to wiggle free of him grasp, knowing that she was far stronger than the newly turned vampire, but she couldn’t seem to escape. When she felt the mattress dip beneath her weight, she narrowed her eyes on him - only to have his question answered when Fleur leaped into the bed and curled at her feet. “Traitor,” she laughed, before motioning to the windows. “I would have been quite safe. I have the ability to withstand the sun to a certain degree. It is not mastered completely, but it would not have hurt me too awful had I been left there.” With that, she decided to cave, her body slipping across the streets until she was safely tucked into her side - which was on the edge, far enough away from him.


<Alton> Shaking his head, he helped her settle gently into the bed as he shrugged a single, bulky shoulder, his frame sliding into the bed in the same instant. “I didn’t think that nudging was a very gentlemanly thing to do in the first place, no matter the limb used.” He chuckled quietly, his weight sinking into the bed and tipping it back into balance. He shifted so that the comforter coated them evenly, providing as much warmth as one could imagine for them, though it mattered so very little. He turned to his back, his hands moving to pull his shirt away and drop it to the floor at the side of the bed before he leaned back, letting his head rest in the cradle of his hands, fingers laced behind the nape of his neck as he stared at the ceiling.

He moved carefully, to keep from disturbing little Fleur as he stretched his legs out along the length of the bed. He felt the limber blonde at his side curl against the edge of the mattress, putting as much distance between them as she could. He thought that honestly, she might be surprised at his strength. He knew that he had been. That he could likely pluck her from the edge of the bed and deposit her on his chest with little to no effort. However, he chose to instead let her come in her own time, if she so chose. In the meantime, he stared at the ceiling over his head, his eyes moving from one textured fleck of ceiling to another, creating patterns and pictures in his head as he let his mind work the remaining creativity from its reserves by passively finding objects in the random splatter of ceiling material.

He yawned quietly, and let one hand slip from behind his head to rest on her side, his heavy hand resting lightly against her hip, barely enough to be felt, his touch was so slight. His hand passed along her like a breath of air as he let his lips twist in a quiet, self satisfied smirk. “I think I’d rather you right here, Chari. Far away from anything that’s going to hurt you, even if it’s just a little. You’d sleep far better here, I think. You’re welcome to the bed, you know, and to anything else in the house. You’re at home here, as far as I am concerned, and you are welcome to any of it, for as long as it pleases you. I’ve got some interesting plans for the future here. I would like for you to be a part of them.”

He yawned again, this time dropping a clenched fist to his mouth to stifle the sound as he shook his head, muscled form trembling with the relaxation that the simple gesture brought him. He sighed, the sound peaceful against the silence of the house as he closed his eyes, focusing on the darkness that offered him. He could hear her breathing, easy and even, steady as a drum. It was hypnotic, the way she unconsciously moved her body with each breath, drawing him closer to his own sleep. He smiled, and shifted against the bed. “I’ll have more of it done tomorrow, so you can see what I mean.” He smiled, and all but melted into the bed as he let his entire body relax.

It had been a long time since he had felt so at peace with himself; with the world around him. He could sense that this was going to be one of the best nights of sleep he had had in a long time.

--------------------------------------------------------------

BREAK FREE

<Lora> [T] Where the hell are you?

<Charisma> [T] What do you mean?

<Lora> [T] You know exactly what I mean, Curves. Everyone is here, and you’re nowhere to be seen.

<Charisma> [T] I am in class. Where else was I supposed to be?

<Lora> [T] Oh, I don’t know, about the garage? The big show down? I know you didn’t forget, girl, don’t even try to play that game with me.

<Charisma> [T] I assure you I am not attempting to play any games. I did not feel it would be appropriate for me to be there.

<Lora> You’re chickening out and leaving an opening for Mouse to try and reclaim her throne. You should see her, she’s all over him.

<Charisma> Gripping her phone, she tried to ignore the words that flashed across her screen. It was not improbable, of course, that his ex-wife would try to slither her way back into his good graces. He had taken everything from her; pride, money, prestige. It sickened her, and yet, she knew that she had no right to feel that way. She had prepared herself for this moment, and yet, the hurt was unmistakable. In her mind, he was as good as gone to her.

<Lora> [T] Curves? I know you read my message. I’m just going to keep spamming you until you respond.

<Lora> [T] Oh, look. Now she’s kissing him.
[T] Sitting on his car.
[T] Is she taking off her shirt?!

<Charisma> “Miss St. Claire, this is a classroom, not a talk-a-thon. If you wish to continue learning, I suggest turning off your phone, or you can leave.” The professor’s voice broke through the incessant vibrations coming from her cell, and her cool glare snapped to his weathered face. She could see her own agitation mirrored in his dull browns, and she quickly grabbed her phone in her palm to silence the next batch of messages. “I am sorry, Professor Skern. It appears my friend is in dire need of my attention.” Before she had a chance to put the phone in her bag, a picture flicked across her screen, and her blood ran cold. She couldn’t seem to tear her gaze from the brunette that was draped against Alton’s lap, and though she had told herself she knew it was coming, the rage wouldn’t listen.

Snapping her teeth together with force, she slammed her books shut and hefted them to her chest before hurrying out of the room, ignoring the exasperate and surprised calls behind her. As the door slammed shut, she hurried down the walk towards the parking lot, her heels echoing off of the cobblestone path as she pressed reply.

[T] That is not going to help your case, Lora. If he wishes to have her, then he is welcome to her. I will have my things out of the house in an hour.

<Lora> “****, ****, ****.”

Reading - and re-reading - the message, the brunette shook her head rapidly. This was so not supposed to go down like this! With a quick whine, she scooted herself off of the hood of the supra and all but ran across the garage, her sneakers squeaking against the slick cement. The sound of purring engines and clattering tools filled her senses, but none of it mattered - she had one goal in mind, and he was currently trying to pry a scantily dressed brunette off of him. “Couer! Watch the **** out!” The warning came from somewhere to her left - and far too late. A large hook had come unlatched from the wall and was currently on a fast trajectory towards her skull. Before she had a chance to duck, a form slammed into hers and sent her flying into a toolbox at her side.

“Damn, girl, you’re going to get yourself killed one day.” Dusting off her daisy dukes, Tempest winked at her before slipping back to her car, leaving the curvy brunette to struggle to her feet. With a shy smile flashed towards Ratt, she weaved her way through the vehicles until she found herself at Le Mur’s side, where she leaned up and whispered quickly into his ear. “I screwed up. I was trying to get her here and instead she’s packing her things. I’ll fix it! I promise!” Before he had a chance to respond, she quickly ran off and into the apartment, the door swinging shut behind her, phone in hand.

[T] You’re taking things too far, girl. You just need to come and stake your claim.

<Charisma> The text came in just as she was pulling into the drive of their - his - house. She hadn’t even paused to think things through, and she had no intentions of stopping now. In her mind, it was over. She had very little patience - and practice - with relationships. In fact, she had absolutely none, and so she hadn’t the slightest clue how to handle what was happening. Acting on autopilot, she slammed the door to her camaro shut and headed up the steps two at a time. Already, she could see Fleur as she pressed her nose against the window, her small form trembling with excitement as she slid the key into the lock.

Bumping the door with her hip, she fought Fleur with one hand while using the other to reply to the array of messages she was receiving from the woman.

[T] I have no claims to him, Lora. He was married - is married - and I am not to stand in the way. That is not fair. If she wishes him back, I will not be the reason he refuses. I do not know what else to do.

Tucking the phone into her back pocket, she headed down the hall to the bedroom and pulled out her suitcases.




<Alton> “I already told you once, Cherise, get the **** off of me, before I have to get someone over here to pry you off. You won’t like that, I promise you.” He took the small, mousey woman’s wrists and pushed her back, again, all but shoving her away. He was careful with her before, a small, fragile woman by any standards. Now, he treated her like glass. He could break her so easily, it frightened him to be upset with her, but she was pushing every button he had, and it was starting to grate on his last nerve. “I told you, I’m done with you. I don’t want anything else to do with you. Get the **** off of me, and get the **** out of my life. Go back to your little whore and leave me out of this, whatever ******* ploy this is. I’m already past my limit for your ********.”

He fought the urge to punch her throat as she pushed into him again, small, delicate hands curling into his shirt. “Baby, please, just let me talk… I’m sorry for what I did. I miss you. I want you back. Isn’t there anything I can do to make you see that?” She ran her hands across his chest, the soft pads of her fingers brushing along his shirt as she moved to straddle his lap again. He put his hands on her hips and physically lifted her off of him, setting her on the ground one last time. “If I have to tell you to get your hands off of me one more time, Cherise, I’m going to call Triste over here. She’s not afraid to take care of you like I am, and I won’t feel sorry for you, either.”

The big woman was leaning into Celeste’s car, her head jutted through the driver’s window as the two muttered to each other about the small, lithe sprite of a woman’s impending race. She was wrapping up some pointers and pressed a quick kiss to the blonde’s lips before she pulled out of the car and turned to where Alton had parked, her smile evaporating faster than he had ever seen. The look that flared up in those dark, expressive brown eyes would have set fire to Cherise and solved his problem altogether. The look she gave him, though, wasn’t much better. He wasn’t doing enough to deter her, apparently, and it was looking like he wasn’t going to have to say a word to the curvy Puerto Rican to sic her on the tiny brunette when Lora was on him, her soft figure pressed against his side, shoving Cherise aside as she leaned up to whisper into his ear.

His expression changed in an instant and it took a lot of effort to keep from swinging at the short woman’s head. “You ******* did what? Lora, I could kill you!” The chubby woman was gone before he could so much as pick up a wrench to throw after her, the door to the garage apartment slamming shut behind her. She knew better than to hang around. Even if Alton was far from a violent man, he had his limits, just like everyone else. Cherise’s lips twisted into a coy smirk as she leaned back into his car. “Looks like lovergirl isn’t as tight with you as you thought. Maybe you should find someone more invested in you.” She took his hand, holding it in both of hers as she looked up at him. He ground his teeth and spat the words, “like you were invested in Lucille’s back seat? Get the **** off me. Tr-“

He didn’t finish her name, she’d already crossed the garage. The Puerto Rican’s tanned hands twisted into soft, mousey brown curls and yanked with all her strength, snapping Cherise’s head back with a terrible force, earning a shriek that was cut short as a fist found her taut gut, air expelled from the small woman’s lungs in a gush, sending her to her knees with a moan of pain, and capable of little else. The big woman’s tall heeled boot found her abs, connecting with a hard thump, causing the brunette to curl into a ball, trying her best to protect herself. Dark, rage filled eyes turned up to her master and she glowered. “Get the **** out of here, asshole. Go get your girl. I’ll handle this trash.” She turned, and spat in the downed woman’s face before she gave her another kick to the ribs, earning a whimpering whine, the woman putting up next to no fight to the much larger opponent domineering over her.

“Thanks, Triste.” He said quickly, and took his keys from the rack in his bay, sliding into the car with a quick hop, tossing his feet first through the open window and sliding into the driver’s seat, a practiced maneuver that had become as natural as taking a step to him. The engine roared to life as Triste lifted Cherise by a tight hold on her hair. “Alton, wait. Baby, please….” Triste’s fist connected with her nose, and blood erupted across her face and splashed across the heavy woman’s white pants and shirt, red flecking her face. “Shut the **** up, *****. Boy, you better get out of here or it’s your *** next.”

Somewhere in his mind, he was laughing at himself, laughing at her, but the dominant part of him, in that moment, looking at the heavy, curvy woman with his ex-wife’s hair wrapped around her wrist, the woman bleeding from her nose and busted lip like a fountain as she sobbed in pain… the crazed, hateful gleam in her eyes… it terrified him. He was truly frightened of his own thrall, a woman bound to his will. He dropped the Charger in drive and the tires squealed against the garage floor as the heavy muscle car tore out of the garage like a wild beast on the prowl. Triste tossed Cherise into the floor and continued working her over, the last thing Alton saw in his rear view mirror.

I really hope she doesn’t kill her. That’ll be some kind of crazy **** to take care of, and I’m not up to that right now…

…on the other hand, Triste… twist her scrawny neck. You’d be doing us all a favor.

He sighed, and slammed down the accelerator, the wide body of the Charger swinging wide through turns, his one car taking up four lanes of traffic. If he wasn’t careful, cops would take notice. He didn’t care. They wouldn’t catch him; couldn’t catch him. There wasn’t one on the force that was half the driver he’d been before he’d made Enver’s acquaintance. Now, he was nigh untouchable. His little house on the riverside wasn’t a long drive, and was shorter when he was driving like a bat out of hell, ripping through the city like it was his personal drag strip. He leaped through the door of the long black Charger and hit the ground running, shouldering the door open with a boom like thunder, the car still running in the drive as he shut the door behind him.

“Charisma, just wait a second. Let me at least talk to you before you start trying to leave…”

[Charisma]

<Charisma> If happy is her, I’m happy for you.

Gripping the edge of the dresser with a white-knuckled grasp, she snapped her teeth together as the music drifted from the stereo. She hadn’t opted for that song, but it was far too fitting for her current predicament. I am happy for him. I am. I… The thought never had a chance to finish as pain gripped her and sent her to her knees, the drawer she had been holding shattering into kindle at her side. “Merde.” Hissing out a breath between her teeth, she knew that she hadn’t a choice but to admit the truth to herself. She was far from pleased with how their story had unfolded. She had found herself trusting him - only to have him burn her in a way that she never thought possible. I hope you both burn in hell, she thought bitterly and unfolded herself from the floor, her legs shaking as she lifted herself to her feet. “There is no such thing as fairy tales, Fleur. Do not allow anyone to convince you otherwise.”

Without looking over her shoulder, she began to toss articles of clothing into her case, even as the dog fought against her. Each shirt that found its way inside was promptly tossed out to form a large pile on the middle of the bed, where the dog sat, tail wagging lamely. “He has brought this on himself. He wishes to return to someone that has mistr---” Her words were cut off as the explosion shook the foundation of the old house, and even as Fleur leaped off the bed to hide in the corner, she knew what it was. Gritting her teeth, she slammed the jeans in her hand down and turned to face him as he rounded the corner, her hands on her hips. Her eyes were pained, but her face was a mask of cool and collected control. Hair the color of the gold framed her face in wild curls, giving her the appearance of chaos waiting.

“We have nothing to discuss, Alton. I am not going to act under the delusion that this was something more than a fling for you,” she snapped, her accent thick as she pivoted on her heel and headed for the bed, hastily and angrily throwing articles of clothing into her case before shutting it. Wheeling on him once again, she tipped her head to meet his gaze evenly, the fire brimming just beneath the surface. She was usually so numb, that to feel the emotions brewing within her was creating a feeling of unease. “I wish I could wish you two the best, but I find I would rather watch as you die in a fire. Slowly.” The truth spilled easily from her lips as she brushed past him, her quick steps echoing off the walls as she headed for the bathroom, where she began to throw the essentials into a small case.


<Alton> Turning as she shoved past him, the tall, muscle-bound man grabbed her wrist and snatched the bag from her hand, tossing it down the hall and sending all of the things she had so hastily packed scattering across the floor. He stood there, holding her in a grip that was like a vice, his knuckles turning white around her slender wrist. He took a long moment to collect himself, letting the initial anger boil away. He knew that, at the core of it, most of his rage was more pointed at Lora, the big fat liar. He would call her that to her face, too. Wouldn’t care in the least if she started to cry. Not this time.

He shook his head and set his teeth together, grinding away the rage, working his jaw in the excess energy that found itself coiling through his entire body. He wanted to hit something, and he wasn’t going to let it be her. He took a sharp breath through his nose and exhaled before he spoke. “Charisma, listen to me. You’re incredibly mistaken, and Lora is a big, fat idiot, sticking her nose into places it didn’t belong, just like she always has, and she’s about to **** something up for me for the last time. I need you to hear this, okay? Really listen. I’ve gone through a lot the last few months. A lot. Not just with you, either, and you know that too well. The things I’ve done without you, well, they are all a part of what’s brought us here, aren’t they?

I’ve gone through hell and back for this. I’ve gone and killed myself for this, Charisma. Not just for you, but for the slightest chance to be with you, just to be able to see you on the level that you could see me. Why, Charisma? Why would I do that if I wanted to throw it all away to go back to that… that… worthless, two-timing skank-*** piece of ****? I wouldn’t let her lick my boots, much less crawl her way back into my bed. I won’t lie to you, Charisma. She tried. She tried hard. She was making a scene tonight, and instead of letting me handle it, ******* Lora put her nose in it and tried to get you involved. That blew up in her face and I’m about to kill her for it.”

He shook his head angrily and shoved his hand through his hair, fingers coiling around the dark chocolate strands as he slammed his head back against the door frame, hard, snapping the wooden molding around the frame and breaking the paint into strips of white and wood, large chips of the woodwork falling into the carpet. He grit his teeth and fought the urge to just tear into anything around him. He took another calming moment and breathed. He shook with a fury that was unlike anything he had ever felt. It was an inferno that he was trying to hold back with an ice cube. He was out of control inside of his own mind and he didn’t know what to do about it, he didn’t know what to do about himself. He was losing his grip on what he was; on what it meant to be Alton. He clenched his eyes shut and grit his teeth again, a sound like a hiss leaving him as he leaned forward, pressing his brow to the door frame above her head. “I’m so lost in all of this, Charisma. I can’t help what I am, who I am, but I can help what I do with myself. I can help what I surround myself with, and tonight, I made my choice.”

He turned his eyes down to her, then, his head pushing itself against the molding as he watched her face. “I didn’t stop her. I didn’t stop Triste, I mean. She’s probably beating the life out of Cherise right now, she’s probably going to kill her, going to jail for a murder I’m not even sure she really wanted to commit, for doing something I’m not entirely sure she even wanted to do at all, but she is, so that I could be here, because the women my cousin keeps around are a bunch of ******* idiots, trying to stir up more drama than there really needs to ******* be. I can’t… do you not see what I’m trying to say here? What’s going on here? In all of this, Charisma? Do you not get it? I know you do. I know you do. You’re too smart not to see it. You maybe don’t know you see it, but you see it.”

He pulled back from the door frame, a long red mark across his brow where he had pushed his head into the frame as he took both of her hands then, his grip much less hostile, his touch gentle as he all but cupped her hands in his fingers, his eyes finding hers. “Everything aside, all of this out the window… the house, the car, Cherise, the garage, the crew, everything. Just you and me, here, now. It’s all that matters to me, Charisma. I’d give up everything, I’d give up all that I have, all that I’ve ever had, all that I’d ever had, just for a chance for you to hear me out, for you to really listen to me when I told you that I loved you. Don’t you get it? There’s nothing without you. It’s all for you, every bit of it. No crazy strings pulling me, no absurd powers or whatever you have over other people, no pressure on me to do this for anyone but for myself. I love you, and I want nothing but to have you here with me. I’m done with her, and, for all I care, I hope she’s a corpse in the garage floor by now. The last thought I gave her was that Triste broke her stupid neck. Now that I’m here, now that I’m seeing this all for myself, I hope she heard me. I hope she did it.”

[/color]

<Charisma> Gritting her teeth, she watched as her items were strewn haphazardly through the hall, a few bottles of lotion cracking open as they collided with the hard surface of the floor. She hadn’t known what to expect from him - but this show of anger, this attack hadn’t made her list. He was was always so poised, so collected, that to see him fighting for control was a sight to behold. Slowly, she turned to face him, her movements cautious as her eyes frosted over. “Let me go.” The warning in her words was hard to misinterpret as she dropped her gaze to where his fingers embraced her wrist, the white-knuckle grasp giving her pause. She had never feared a man as much as she did in that moment, and it hadn’t a thing to do with his iron grip. He would throw himself to the mercy of the sun before he would hurt her, she hadn’t a doubt about that, but she couldn’t trust him.

She knew that the loss of humanity could twist the mind, and as his body trembled like a leaf in the wind, she knew that he was fighting a battle that he might not win. Running her tongue slowly over her lower lip, she caused the soft skin to glisten as she slowly lifted her eyes back to his, the monster within evident in her icy gaze. “I am not mistaken. You are twice her size and you are immortal. She is but a woman - there are plenty of things you could have done to diffuse the situation,” she snapped, her own anger turning her soul to ice. “I suggest you take careful consideration of how you speak of Lora next.” Her voice was cold enough to drop the temperature of the room, and she took a step towards him, her free hand curling into a fist at her side. She knew, logically, that she was stronger than him. It would be as easy as sliding a spoon through butter to remove herself from the situation, but she kept herself at his mercy, though her watchful gaze missed nothing as the inferno danced behind his eyes.

He has to overcome this himself, otherwise he will always wonder.

Snapping her teeth together, she ignored the apparition as it flickered just outside of her peripheral vision, and instead, focused her entire attention on the mountainous man before her. “She has proven nothing more than that she is a true friend. Her actions were solely based on furthering our relationship. The blame is not hers to shoulder, simply because you could not handle your pathetic excuse for an ex-wife.” Narrowing her eyes on him as he pushed her into the frame, she slid the back of her head across the wood so she could keep that air of defiance and power tipped in her favor. “I have never once spoke out of turn about your situations. One would have to be blind to not witness the hardships you have faced, but that is no excuse for you to disrespect me!” Her voice was sharp, and she finally tore her gaze away from his to watch as Fleur skittered past them, her claws sliding along the lotion slick floor until she found her way into the kitchen. It bothered her to know that they frightened the poor creature, but her anger allowed her only a brief moment of reprieve before turning back to him, her hand digging into her hip.

While his anger burned brighter and brighter, hers remained frozen, as if carved from ice. Whereas his was more volatile and unpredictable, hers was calculated and sure. He could break at any moment and rip the entire house apart board by board, but she was simply stand there and watch the destruction. She wanted to lash out. She wanted to scream and feel his body give beneath her hands, but she refused. Instead, she watched the emotions flicker like a movie behind his eyes, and she listened. She listened as he tried to explain everything away, as he reminded her of the one thing she tried to forget. He died for me. The words bounced around in her mind and echoed in her heart, though they didn’t hold the effect he wished them to. She saw no romance in what he had done. Instead, she felt nothing but guilt. It weighed heavily on her soul, and though she tried to see it from his point of view, she had yet to accomplish such a feat. How could she, when she was constantly reminded that he had felt so strongly for her, that his answer had been death? Dropping her gaze to the floor, then, she released a quiet breath.

They both knew that the air was no longer needed. Their hearts were silent, their lungs all but useless, and yet, they both refused to let go of that part of their humanity. Even in sleep, their chests would rise as if they needed the oxygen. She had stayed awake to watch as he breathed so many nights, she had lost count. It was if their bodies refused to give up that simple action, and the memory of those nights had her shaking her head, the anger slowly slipping away. “You will never get a chance to touch her, Alton, because I will stop you.” The words, though spoken with hostility, lacked the bite they had once held as she sunk back against the frame. How could she remain angry with him, when he spoke so surely of himself? His powers of manipulation were not missed on her, but could he have mastered them so quickly? She had heard of his path, of how they could morph anything to their side. Their craft was speech, and she knew that he would no doubt be a master before too long - but not this quickly. No, this weakening of her will was something else entirely. She wanted to hold onto her anger, to refuse to see the logic in the situation that they had been dealt, but she couldn’t deceive herself.

Lifting her clenched fist, she forced her fingers apart so she could press them to his chest, where his heart used to rest. She wished she could feel it beat against her palm as it used to, and the emptiness left her feeling bereft. She was lost, her mind battling with her heart, and she hadn’t a clue what to do in that moment. She had never been in a situation as confusing as this one. She had never allowed herself to feel, to love, to want - and yet, she craved him in ways that frightened her, and he knew it. He knew every thought, every doubt, every fear, every desire. She could no more lie to him than he could to her, and it was a frightening thing. Swallowing past the lump in her throat, she lifted her eyes back to his and sighed. “I know that this is complicated for you, amour, but you must embrace what you have become. I never wished this for you, you know this. I never wished for you to die for me. We could have found another way, but it is far too late now. The rage you feel, you will succumb to it again and again. There is no way around it, but you are still you. You are still Alton, the most gentle man I have ever met.”

Leaning up, she brushed her lips over his jaw, though her touch lacked the conviction it used to hold. Despite her best intentions, she couldn’t shake the feelings that had washed over her when she had read the messages. She couldn’t erase the image of them in her mind, and she found herself sinking her teeth into her lower lip until it bled. “If she does not kill her, amour, I will. I cannot do this. I cannot be there and have her there. She is not going to give up until she is, as Lora stated, put in her place and that is not something either of us can endure. I know that Tigress will not be satisfied with what is to come, but something must be done.” As he pulled away from her, she forced herself to straighten and kept the discomfort that his grip on her wrist had caused out of her eyes. It throbbed beneath his gentle touch, but she knew it would be gone within the hour. “I believe you. I have never had a doubt that you loved me, amour, but I have my doubts of how much. Non, that is not correct…” Trailing off, she tried to think of how to word what was on her mind, the stirrings of pain beginning in her stomach the longer it took her.

“You are a good man, Alton. You love me, but you made a vow to her long before you knew of my existence. She damaged you, but I could not help but to believe that you would do what you thought was right. You would allow yourself to hurt, simply to be the better man. As I said, something needs to be done, because I cannot allow her to continue to play on that instinct of yours any longer.” Her tone allowed no room for argument, and she knew that he would accept that it was a battle lost before he even tried. She would find a way to handle Cherise - even if it meant her death. That was the more extreme route, and she didn’t feel pleasure in knowing that she might have to take her life, but she refused to allow her around any longer. Slowly pulling completely from him, then, she ran her fingers along his wrist and relaxed her stance, her eyes closing for a moment.

“Je T’aime.”

<Alton> Pushing his palm against the doorway, he shook his head and took a long, slow breath as he kept himself calm. He loosened his hold on her wrist, his grip barely a brush as his thumb moved over the place he had grabbed her, knowing without looking that it would bruise. He wasn’t a fool, and he’d known he was holding her too hard, but he just couldn’t let her go. He was holding on to her with all he had. He ran his palm along the doorway before he pulled it back and ran it across the red mark in his flesh, the indention fading away quickly. He smirked at her last words, and shook his head. He sighed, and moved his hold on her wrist to her hand, both hands wrapped lightly around her soft, gentle hand.

“Je t’aime, mon amour. Tu es ma lune et les étoiles, mon univers partagé entre votre sagesse et votre beauté, et mon but pour vous et votre honneur défendre. Je ne serai jamais faiblir, je ne serai jamais de retour dans cette seule chose. Je vais marcher dans la lumière avant que je renonce à ce sujet; sur toi… Si rien d'autre, ne jamais oublier. S'il te plait mon amour. S'il te plaît…” His voice was a dark, velvety whisper in the silence of the house, the only sound anywhere was the skittering scratching of Fleur’s claws as she ran rampant through the kitchen, slipping along the floor on her slippery paws. The poor creature was surely a sight to see, both heart breaking and amusing at once. He hated that they had caused something so small, so pure hearted to fret so badly. He sighed, and ran his thumbs across her hand.

He lifted her hand to his lips, pressing a tender kiss to the back of her hand. His touch was gentle, careful, as he treated her now as if she were made of glass. He held her with a gentleness that one might handle a babe, his touch as soft and delicate as any man’s had ever been, his fingers working in tender traces almost too soft to feel against her skin. “Je suis désolé, amour.” His tongue rolled easily over his natural language, the thick, easy accent rolling into his words as he moved closer to her, embracing her as much with his body as he had with his voice, his strong, powerful arms enclosing around her as he finally released her hand, his grasp clutching her to his chest and holding her tight, though there was still a caution, a care that was being taken to keep from disturbing even a single nerve ending in the woman’s body, not a twinge of discomfort would pass through her at his touch again.

He turned his head, and pushed his lips against her soft, golden curls as his fingers pushed through the silky tresses. He took a breath to speak again, and didn’t. He shook his head and buried his face into her hair as he just held her, feeling her, listening to her body. The silence might have been deafening, had that been the kind of listening his body was tuned to. Instead, he felt every twitch of her, every move she made beneath his embrace as he held her close, his own frame wrapped protectively about her as he kept her safe from the world around him. What had stricken him now was that, while he could protect her from the world, what would protect her from him? If something like a misunderstanding could really draw this kind of line in the sand, could really draw him over an edge, no matter how small it might seem now, then what would happen when the real, heavy things began?

He sighed, and kissed her hair again, pushing any thought of ever harming her out of his mind. He couldn’t stomach the thought of her in pain, in so much as a minor discomfort. He clutched her desperately, and squeezed her shoulders in a tight embrace before he gently released her, and let her move freely as his touch grazed lightly along her arm, never really leaving her so long as she would have it. He lifted his other hand and tenderly cupped her cheek, holding her face in his grasp.

“I know, Amour, that you would never ask of me what I will give freely for you. What I cannot explain is how it came to be, that either of us can see me giving my life for you, when we both know that all that I am has clearly been yours from the moment we met, Charisma.” He gave a crooked smile and a half-laugh as he squeezed her face in a tender gesture. “Everything that I am, everything that I will ever be has been yours since before even then, girl. You have always been out there, waiting for me to find you, and I have been out there, searching for you, fighting through the toil of life to find you. Now I’ve found you, and this is what my life was for, what my life meant. You were my purpose. Are my purpose, Charisma, and nothing that anyone, least of all a two faced slut, can do will pull me away from you. I want nothing, no one, like I have wanted you. This is everything that I want; everything that I need.”

He squeezed her again, his hands both moving to her face, then, his thumbs tracing the shape of her cheeks as he stared into her startling blue eyes. “You are my everything, and I could not have picked a more beautiful everything than if I had built you from scratch. I would be less satisfied with a woman I built myself, than I would be with you, Amour. You are, literally, the better half of me, the best parts of everything that I am. You have to see that… you have to. Anyone that knows me, that has met you… they know. They can see it, plain as daylight.”

He smiled, and leaned down to kiss her lips, their embrace soft, wet, and perfect. He sighed against her, and pulled away, looking down at her. “I want nothing from her, and I never did. I’ve not looked back since the night we found one another. I don’t think you should, either. She can’t stop, and it’s destroyed her, and I find myself caring less and less than nothing.”