Character Roleplays discussion
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One on One's--Graveyard
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Carly + Penny(ZOEY NEVER DELETE THIS.)
Alec helped her take him along, surprised by how controling she was in the situation, but at the same time, not. He walked along for the long twenty minutes, Chatlotte dragging behind. No one spoke a word, no one dared. He was alert the entire time. He wouldn't allow anything like this to happen to anyone else. He blamed himself for being so careless, for not pushing Tabitha into that cab and making her go home, and running to the screams.Maybe Warren would still be himself, had he done something about it.
Charlotte, on the other hand, was silent as ever. It took her a moment to take in the apartment that she stood in. This was where he lived, this was where he'd stayed every night for the past few days. Before she'd allowed his life to slip right through her fingers because she didn't know how to save him, because she had no idea that werewolves even existed in a place like this.
"Stay.. With him?" she asked hoarsely, her gaze flickering slowly to Warren, her am looking around his waist as she helped carry him to the bed. Staying was the very least she could do. "Okay." she said softly, laying him down with Tabitha.
"Tabitha." Alec said firmly. "You should stay here with him, you know he'll want to see you when he wakes." he said uneasily. He hadn't seen anyone change into a werewolf before. Would he attack her? "And you need to have your back looked at. It might get infected. You should stay here." he replied. "I'll have the place cleaned up. You can trust me."
"Tabitha." he said firmly. He pushed away every word she'd said, tossed it out of his head and followed after her. He pressed his hands to the counter on either side of her and gave her a stern look. "You can't do it all on your own. Trust me. I've tried a million times. You can't save everyone."The words may have seen oddly foreign, but they were true. He'd tried hard to save his mother, his brother. But they'd been attacked, a bloody form of revenge that he would never live down. He hated himself for it, for everything he'd become and everything he'd have to live with for the rest of his life.
"I know he's probably going to hate it, that this.. This will probably be a life worse than death, but trust me." he said, looking away from her and dropping his hands. "He'll be happy he's alive."
He spoke from experience. He knew too well that dying was worse than being changed into something you hated, something that the devil himself had created.
"We should go." he agreed, saying nothing more on the matter, and glanced around, frowning. "We should bring bleach. To try to get the smell of blood out.
Charlotte knelt by the bed. The slightest movement of his hand gave her the smallest bit of hope. She took his hand in her own and pressed her lips to his fingers, trying to hold back the rush of emotions ready to flood through her. "I'm so sorry." she breathed.
Alec walked along with her out of the apartment and down the street. She didn't have to know about his life, how he'd become the monster he was. All that mattered was the fact that she'd felt atleast the smallest bit better. He listened to her footsteps and breaths as they headed up the hill toward the church. The smell of smoke filled his nose and he grimaced. What.. Was that?His eyes widened as they came upon the church, up in flames and the sky painted orange with the embers that filled the sky. He stared in horror, his jaw dropping slightly in surprise.
"Holy hell." he whispered under his breath and looked over to her, shaking his head. "I guess we don't have to worry about cleaning up.." he mused quietly and rowned, glancing over at Tabitha. "But who would do something like this?" he mused with furrowed brows. A sinking feeling in his stomach made his eyes widen.
"Tabitha." he said urgently. "We should get out of here." he said quickly, shaking his head. "We should go. Now. I don't like how this feels." he said uneasily.
Charlotte's hand went to his cheek, her face flushing as soon as his lips touched her knuckles. She couldn't feel anything but shy at the feeling. "I'm sorry." she murmured when he was back to sleep and sat beside the bed, her fingers entwined with his. She wouldn't let herself live this down anytime soon.
He shook his head, staring at the fire and walked along with her. "I know exactly what it was." he replied, his head craning back to look at the sky that was flickering with the flames behind them. "It's nothing you need to concern yourself with." he replied and walked along.There was another demon in the area. A powerful one, one that he couldn't trust himself to leave Tabitha or Charlotte alone with, now that Warren had been attacked. He had a good idea from the way Tabitha had walked in on them that Warren would be easily taking care of Charlotte, it was Tabitha he was going to have to watch out for. Not that he had a problem with that, he didn't mind her at all. Maybe there would be more sparring, more time for them to spend together could only lead to one thing. And he couldn't let that hing get in the way. He couldn't allow himself to do something stupid. Not this time around.
Soon enough they stood outside Warren's apartment. He studied her, the way her features were. She looked tired, and he knew that here was where he would be saying goodbye for the night.
"I'm glad that I could help you." he replied, making no move to follow her in. "I just wish I could've helped before it was too late." he said bitterly, shaking his head. "As much as I'd like to say it's been a wonderful night, I'm afraid that it ended on a sour note." he replied, shaking his head. "Take care of Warren. I think I should be heading back to my apartment, not to impose a moment longer on you three." he said with a wary smile.
(okay :3)
Alec's brows arched in obvious surprise. Never would he have thought that she would be asking for help, and the fact that it was his help she was asking for surprised him even more. "No, I get it." he assured.He moved slowly behind her, walking into the apartment and shutting the door behind them. "It's fine, really. You wouldn't want to have to put the pressure on either of them. Especially after what they've both been through in the past hour or so. It's not fair to them." he frowned and shook his head. It was a shame. "No, I'll take care of it for you. Come along." he replied, motioning fro her to lead the way.
"It's not like I have anywhere else to be." he smiled wryly. The idea that he would have to touch her slowly settled on her. He hadn't touched her since his hands had moved about her backside searching for her phone. He would've blushed at the thought of touching her in such a way, had he been able to. It'd been an emergency, that was all. He was sure he wouldn't be tempted for it to happen again.
"If you could just tell me where the antiseptic and bandages are, it would be a big help." he replied. "Of course, if you could wrap my arm for me, that'd be great." he said with a slight smile.
"Well I think I'd like it if you'd do me first." he grinned at her, letting out a soft laugh at the way their words were being played with. "That way I could easily fix you up and not waste any more of your time." he replied.He took a seat on the stood she patted and chuckled softly, unbuttoning the shirt he'd been waring that was now ripped and bloody. He slowly peeled off the fabric, exposing the top of his shoulder and arm where he'd had the claws sink fairly deep into his skin. It would probably leave a scar, but it didn't leave major damage. He smiled wryly at her.
"Just do me one favor, okay?" he asked, moving his gaze to lock onto hers. "Just, put the antiseptic on fast. Don't do the whole one two three thing. Just do it fast." he grimaced. "I hate the feeling. And I'll do the same for you."
He flashed her a grin and looked away from her quickly. He took a breath and squeezed his eyes shut.
Alec rolled his eyes at her, a smirk lashing across her lips. "You're such a jerk." he replied, rolling his eyes. "Picking on the injured cripple." he pouted. He glanced down at the wounds and grimaced, his nose wrinking in disgust. He didn't want to have to look at that. He grimaced and turned his head away, shaking his head. "You're the furthest thing from a time waster. Trust me." he chuckled softly. "The last thing I see tonight as is a waste of--"
He hissed in pain, his eyes pricking with tears at the stinging. He bit back the curses that pricked at his tongue and shivered at the soft breath of hers that blew softly over his wounds. Oddly enough, the pain left his arm quickly. "Time" he squeaked his pain and wrinkled his nose. He shook his head at her. "Well, perfect or not, I suppose I'll have to give you an A for effort." he replied. "It's better than I would've been able to do with one hand." he said with a simple shrug.
Feeling her foot touch his he smirked and got up, rolling his eyes. "As much as I hate to sound like a terrible perv." he said, looking at her with a quiet laugh. "Forgive me for the fact that I'll need to be lifting your shirt." he said, picking up the fabric and drawing it from her wounds. He frowned at the way her back was scarred and hated himself for it. He let her get hurt.
He swallowed hard when her shirt came off, and he was sure she could feel his discomfort. It all but evaporated the moment he saw the scars that went along her toned, tanned back. His fingers moved slowly along one, brushing her skin delecately before he pulled away."They'll scar, but I'm sure that's nothing new for you, is it?" he murmured softly. He got a fresh rag and slowly wiped all the blood away, staring in a startled way. There were so many gashes and scars. Some of them even his senses had to strain to see, but others were so easy that he couldn't believe other's didn't see them in broad daylight. He moved quickly, scrubbing her clean and shaking the can. He sprayed the stinging spray and put a hand on her waist, blowing in it as she'd done for him. "Relax." he soothed softly. "The worst is over."
After he was finished he went about cleaning her up rather simply. He dressed her wounds with the cream and slipped the bandages on her, applying some of the cream on the bandages as to keep it sanitary. He didn't want her getting infected. Once he finished he let go of her.
"There, all patched up." he said with a satisfied smile and looked to the clock, shaking his head. It was well past midnight. "I think I should be heading home now, if any of us want the chance to actually get to class in the morning." he said with a quiet laugh and looked back to her. "I hope you wouldn't mind if I stopped by tomorrow though? Something tells me someone will have to check up on you and your injuries."
Alec let out a quiet laugh, watching her as she pulled on the too large shirt and buttoned it up. He lost her slim frame in the large fabric, and smiled at the innocent look she had about her now. "It's not that I want to leave." he said carefully. "It's that I don't want to impose longer than should be allowed." he smiled wryly. "I just wouldn't want to fall asleep on the sofa or anything. It'd probably be best if I just left, so I wouldn't be staying past my welcome." he rubbed the back of his neck.
His eyes traveled over her as she retrieved the phone. He hit the zero for the operator and paused, looking up at her. She'd sounded almost sad before.
"If you want me to stay.." he trailed, looking over at her while the phone rang inaudibly in his hand. "I'm more than willing to stay the night with you. Just say the word."
He flashed her a tired smile and looked over her once more. Her hair fell around her face, her shirt too large for her now. She looked tired, beautiful either way. Vaguely he heard the operator in the background.
"I wouldn't want to leave you here, especially if it makes you more comfortable with me staying as well." he tried to make that sound less cocky than the phrase might've come off as.
"But if not, I'll be more than happy to leave."
In that moment, a million cocky comments flooded into his mind. He could've said anything at that moment, he could've mocked her, or laughed at her. He could've been cruel, but that was the last thing he wanted to be. He shivered at her touch, and swallowed when she took the phone from his hands."No." he said decidedly, moving closer to her and putting his hand on her waist. "No, it wouldn't be needy." he replied. He could tell she was trying her hardest to let him know he didn't have to stay, but there was something obvious in her eyes that told him she was hurt, somehow.
"Why don't you take the couch, and I'll take the floor." he said, glancing around. He hoped she wouldn't mind the close proximity of sleeping quarters.
Charlotte groaned softly. She'd fallen into a half-asleep state sitting beside him and grimaced when he tugged at her. She blinked at her name, suddenly understanding.
"Warren?" she whispered, moving slowly.
She crawled onto the bed beside him. Slowly she nuzzled herself into his side and shut her eyes. For a moment she pretended nothing had happened. Warren would be okay, she would wake up next to him happy and nothing bad would become of them.
As nice as the thought was, she knew it was untrue. "Is this okay?" she murmured, her fingers still curled into his. She was so tired. She let her eyes droop shut.
Alec helped her fluff out the sheets and tucked them under the mattress. He kicked off his shoes and gave an easy stretch. He sat down on the bed and glanced over at her. "I suppose this side is just as good as the other." he replied with a wry smile. He leaned back against the sofa and shut his eyes. He placed a sham beneath his head and glanced over at her through one, cracked-open eye.
"I'll see you in the morning." he murmured. His gaze flicked away from her and he shifted further away. He didn't want to make her uncomfortable, and wanted to be sure she had plenty of room.
"Goodnight, Tabitha."
Charlotte's entire body warmed with a blush when his arm looped around her. She shut her eyes and let her breathing slow. He smelled nice, his arms were warm around her thin frame. She couldn't have been happier.
She slowly fell to the clutches of sleep.
Alec groaned and sat up after the assault on the alarm clock beside him. He rubbed his eyes tiredly. His dream had been nice, a good sparring match ended just the way it had last night, with him flat on his back and her tumbling over on top of him. And so gently he'd reached up and kissed her soft, supple lips that were parted just slightly in surprise. And then that damned alarm had gone off.
He looked up at the hugging family, smiling wryly and running his hand through his hair. He knew too well they'd have to tell Warren sooner or later about his change.
Sooner would be better than later.
From the other room Charlotte emerged, sleepy and frazzled. Try hard as he might, Warren hadn't been the one to wake her. Tabitha's cries were enough to rouse her, and his missing body frightened her. She smiled tiredly at the hugging pair and moved to the foot of the bed.
She was truly shaken to her core. He was alive, but with that she found it hadn't been a dream. She'd nearly lost him, Tabitha would've lost her cousin. It also meant she'd actually shared that kiss with him. She almost blushed at the thought.
Alec chuckled from beside her. She was surprised he was still here. "Glad to see you alive, man." he said coolly.
Charlotte stood in their room, rifling through the closet. She stood up, her pink tank top smoothed over her small frame, a pair of dark-wash skinny jeans hugged her hips and slender legs. She bit down on her bottom lip and looked to Tabitha anxiously. She shook her head, silkey blonde waves brushing her reddening cheeks. "I can't decide." she mused, looking at a grey cardigan that hung off of her bed. "I was thinking maybe a black tank top with that over it.. It'll be chilly.. I don't know!" she frowned. "Help?"
Her phone buzzed and she picked it up, exhaling uneasily. Her nerves hadn't been this high when she was sitting in her design class, and even then her heart had been pounding with nerves. She smiled wryly at the message and sent a quick text back.
Half-an-hour should be fine! See you soon.
She bit her lip and looked to the light pink polish on her nails. She'd decided to wear open-toed wedges, but now she was digging for simple flip flops. "I haven't been this nervous since..." she trailed off. Since last night, when Warren was attacked. She swallowed back the words.
Alec had breezed through his courses with ease. Now and again he'd get a casual invitation to the Phi Alpha party that night, but he was quick to decline. He'd been more than happy to get from Psychology to Creative Writing. Being an undeclared major, he had a plethora of classes he'd decided to try first semester.
Now he sat in his apartment, kicked back on the cool black leather of the sofa. He shut his eyes and let out a thoughtful sound. His mind ventured to Tabitha and his fingers retrieved his phone from the table beside him. Without much thought he sent her a quick text.
Busy?
Hopefully she wouldn't be going to the party. Or if she was, it wasn't with another guy. He wanted to check up on her but hated to show up unannounced. He strolled out of his apartment toward his black Cadillac. It was one of the things he'd treasured. His father had left a large estate when death took him, and a small fortune was given to Alec, who spent a bit on the car, and a bit on college and his apartment. The rest he saved. He didn't live luxuriously like his father. He was happy like this.
Charlotte took the sweater and slipped it on, glaring at her when the blush comment came up. She was admittedly much more nervously than she'd hoped to be. She was already blushing and fumbling, biting her lip. She slipped the sweater on and sighed. "With his lack of memory, it's like nothing happened last night." she pressed her fingertips to her lips and sighed. She sat down and picked up his lip gloss. "I'm just anxious is all." she sighed softly.
Her gaze flickered to Tabitha and her brows arched. "Well well." she mused, smiling. "Who could've texted you to have you turn that shade of pink?"
Alec glanced at his phone and grinned. He let out a soft laugh at her response.
If you have no other plans, a house call is just the excuse I'll have to use. See you in about a half-hour.
Her flirtatious text made him smile like a fool. There was just something about her that drove him mad. He walked out to his car and decided to pick up a few things on his way. With the traffic he was sure he'd make it just in time.
Charlotte felt her face redden at the observation and smiled to herself. She couldn't hide the fact that she'd been obviously worried about it, the lack of knowledge of their kiss, but she supposed if it kept him in the dark for just a little while longer about what'd happened, then it was better than telling him altogether. And besides, she wasn't exactly up for explaining that they'd already have their first kiss. "I'm sorry you had to see that." she replied, biting her bottom lip. "But, thank you." she added quickly, brushing her hair out of her face and smiling warmly. "It's reassuring to know that.. Perhaps I'll be able to keep him some company. Though I'm not usually a party person either, so I'm not sure how well it'll go over." she said with a nervous laugh and smoothed her dress.
She heard the knock and her heart skipped a beat. She was quick the run the light pink strawberry lip gloss over her lips and quickly straighten herself, smoothing her shirt.
"I doubt it was no one." she replied and grabbed her phone and wallet, sliding them along with the lip gloss into her pockets. She gave Tabitha a glare and walked over, smiling shyly at Warren. "Hey." he said quickly, sounding more nervous and excited than she'd expected. "Um, ready?" she asked, stepping out into the hallway.
She looked up at him with a smile, her face already heating. His muscles were emphisized by the red shirt he wore. It was difficult for her to push the vivid memories of the night before out of her mind but she somehow managed. She tossed a grin at Tabitha.
"Have fun with whoever 'no one' is." she grinned devilishly at her friend. "But not too much fun!" she quipped.
Alec drove around the block to the corner store. He strolled inside and picked up some antiseptic and gauze, something to stash in the car in case she didn't have some. Plus, it didn't hurt to be prepared. Standing at the counter, his eyes glossed over the mints. He reddened at the idea, but if he were to end up in a position where he'd want to kiss her - and he was sure he'd have at least one - then wouldn't he want to have his breath fresh?
He groaned softly under his breath at the thought and dropped the three things on the counter, pulling out his beat up brown leather wallet and handing the man a twenty. He picked up the bag and gathered his change, heading out the door and back to the car.
Once inside he popped two of the circular mints in his mouth and looked at himself in the mirror. His black tee shirt hugged his arms and showed off faintly the contours of his chest. He was being much more laid back than usual tonight, and vaugely he wondered if she mind. He ran a hand through his dark waves of hair and turned his face from side to side. A very light stubble pricked at his jaw. Did she prefer cleanly shaven men?
He hoped not.
Ignoring his anxiety he started the car and pressed his foot to the gas. He just hoped to get to the dorms not too early as to leave her unprepared, but not to late as to upset her.
Charlotte tried to hide the blush that painted her cheeks when she looked over him. "So do you." she said sweetly and gave an anxious smile. She wanted nothing more than to have the night end at least a little better than it had last night. Though she had to admit, she didn't mind going to sleep next to him in the least. It made her feel so safe and secure that she almost forgot she'd was going to have to deal with a werewolf later on. His hand on the small of her back made her blush, so much that she really couldn't help it. She loved the feeling of his touch.As they made their way down to the car, she smiled to herself. He was the perfect gentleman, opening the door for her to get in. She boldly brushed by him and gave an almost timid smile. "Thank you." she said softly. His warmth sent shivers flying through her, which was an odd contradiction of sorts. She shut the door behind her and glanced past the dashboard curiously as a sleek black car with darkly tinted windows pulled into the space beside them. She grinned when Alec stepped out anc chuckled softly.
So that whas who 'nobody' was.
Alec soon pulled into the driveway and headed up to Tabitha's dorm. Glancing at his watch, he realized he was a little early and contemplated waiting a bit. He shook his head and got out of the car, giving a slight wave to Warren, but not stopping. He looked busy anyway, and he really didn't want to sit around and chat at the time being. He headed into the dorm building and up the stairs, weaving in and out of the groups of people that lingered. He moved through the halls and put his hands in his pockets, rummaging until he took a hold of the mints in his pockets. He slipped one into his mouth and stood outside her door for a long second. He wasn't sure how this was going to go over, but honestly, he was willing to try anything twice.
He knocked on the door hesitently.
A wary smile flickered across his lips. He flexed his arm as it moved up and raked through his messy curls, one of the few signs of his nervousness. Thinking back onto last night, he knew he'd have to touch her again, if only to dress the wounds that the massive beast had left when tearing her apart. He shuddered at the memory, cursed himself for being so irrisponsible. He should've protected her better.
Charlotte glanced up at him and gave a wry laugh. "Bored? Right." she replied. "I mean, Phi Alpha seems like they'd throw one hell of a party." she said. Her fingers turned anxiously around the necklace she always had on her. "I'm just glad you asked me to come." she added, her face warming slightly at the mere thought. She'd never really been good at the whole 'dating' thing. If this was a date. After last night, she'd like to think it was, but the fact that Warren didn't remember anything after the attack didn't give her much hope.At least Tabitha had reassured her about the fact that he was actually interested in her. As long as she didn't have to worry about him wandering off with someone else, she'd be a little relaxed. Her fingers curled around the seatbelt and quickly buckled herself in. She couldn't fight off the nerves about the party, but just hoped it'd be alright.
His hand dropped from his hair and he swallowed hard. Her hair framed her face in beautiful waves, and her legs were more exposed than he'd seen them in the last day with her cuffed khaki shorts. He smiled wryly at her, his mouth going dry.
"Hey." he greeted, stepping in side and watching her with a tired grin. "Hope you don't mind my being early. I would've gladly waited out front but I just saw Warren and Charlotte leaving.." he trailed off and rubbed the back of his neck.
He glanced around the dorm room, everything neat and tidy as it had been yesterday. There were traces of Charlotte's haste, a flip flop discarded partially under her bed, a blush brush left on her bed. Other than that there wasn't a thing out of place. Nothing that he could really complain about, not that he would even if he had a chance.
"So." he prompted, turning to look at her. "Time for a check up?" he asked laughably. He tried to keep his tone light, almost playful.
Charlotte smiled and glanced sideways at him. Her stomach knotted anxiously as she slipped out of the car. The party was raving, and she wasn't surprised that the music was audible from inside the house. She stepped out with him and brushed his hand gently, her slim fingers touching his own. She let the smallest flicker of a frown pass by her lips, but it was short lived."Don't worry." she promised, her fingers gently wrapping around his as she pulled him gently toward the house, where the party was taking place. "I won't leave your sight. I'm not very good with crowds either." she admitted. "I guess you could say I'm not a real people person." she let out a soft laugh.
Charlotte brushed her blonde waves over her shoulder and smiled. She led him slowly up toward the house. She was once again filled with those damned butterflies, the ones that'd filled her yesterday when he'd taken him to the church. She wouldn't let him out of her sight tonight, and she'd make sure that she was calm if anything happened. She wasn't willing to let him get hurt again, especially not while she had seen a full fledged werewolf attack the night before.
He watched her turn away and shivered to himself. He could hear her rustling the clothes against her slender frame and looked to the shadowy bathroom, the door open a crack allowing the light to seep through enough for him to identify the small space. "I'll get what we need." he said quietly.
Alec turned away from her and moved to the small bathrom. He figued if she were to keep any first aid supplies in her room, that antiseptic was probably going to be in the cabinate above the sink. He rifled through bottles and past make-up products that the girls kept in their dorm and soon enough retrieved ointment and the disinfectant. He took a moment to gather his thoughts. It wasn't like he hadn't done any form of first aid before, and the gashes on her back weren't something he'd never seen, but it wasn't just anyone he was taking care of today. It was her, it was Tabitha. The thought made him grimace. Her skin had been so soft and warm yesterday, he wondered if it would be the same tonight.
He returned to the room with the bandages and antibiotics in his hands. "Here we are." he said with a wary smile and moved over to where she sat. He brushed her shoulder with his hand, letting out a breath to help himself relax. Just pretend she's someone else, he told himself, but as soon as he was near enough he picked up on the lavender of the shampoo she used, the same smell that'd distracted him during their sparring the night before. "I'll be gentle, I promise." he said with a grin. "I won't tell you when I spray it, like last night." he said, popping the top off of the canister and shaking it, frowning to himself and waiting, just to make sure she was alright before going on.
Charlotte stared around in surprise. She never thought movies could be so accurate with scenes of college raves. People danced and drank, all of them having a good time, it would seem. The bass of the song that played was so loud it shook the floor beneath her feet and stole the breath from her throat. She gave a wry smile to Warren and moved slowly toward the dance floor with him."Sure!" she called over the music, nodding in case that her voice was lost in the crowd.
Everyone was so close. She blushed at the thought of moving so near him. She pulled him gently onto the floor, throwing whatever caution she had in her to the wind, and moved her body to the music, staying close.
Alec slowly began peeling away the bloody bandages. Though she was still scarred, her back was a thousand times better than yesterday. His brows arched suspiciously, but he didn't say much about the matter.
"Looks much better." he said, his fingers trailing over her soft, tanned skin. He couldn't resist, she sparked something inside of him that he simply wouldn't allow himself to look deeper into.
He sprayed her with antiseptic quickly, not wanting to make her wait. He blew gently on her wounds, his hands on her warm waist as he did so before applying the ointment. He unrolled the bandages and smiled wryly.
"The way you're healing, I won't have to make any more house calls." he sounded almost disappointed as he gently wound her in the bandages, pressing them to her skin. He was sure to let his fingers brush her skin often, not ready to let her go. He finished too soon for his liking.
"All done." he murmured quietly.
His arm was so warm around her waist, her heart pounded in her ears. She was lost in the music, moving her body closer to him than she would ever dare. Something about how the music sounded, how she could feel it thundering under her skin, it made her forget how shy she was around him, how much she wanted to do everything right.And then suddenly he was leaning in, and his lips pressed against her neck. She let out a gasp in surprise that she was positive was lost in the noise of the crowd. Heat flooded to her face at the feeling of his soft lips against her sensitive skin. She wasn't sure if she was the one making the soft sounds of utter pleasure that were only heard in her mind, but she didn't have time to think it over. Too soon his mouth was gone, leaving only throbbing warmth where it had been. He started speaking, stumbling over words and she couldn't help but smile a little, her hand pressing gently to his chest and the other taking his. She pulled him to the kitchen where the music was much less loud and the music didn't thunder as much.
"Warren." she let out a laugh at his reddening face, shaking her head. "It's okay, really." she put her hand gently on his arm, shaking her head. "It's fine, I promise." she said, her cheeks pinkening. "A drink sounds good."
She glanced around the kitchen, which was still fairly crowded and filled with what looked to be discarded cans of alcohol, but she didn't pay much attention. It was a college party, after all.
He watched her fingers move when she turned and looked away, frowning to himself. The hundreds of perfectly perverted thoughts that rose within him were something he wasn't used to. His gaze focused on his hands, covered with the ointment he'd had to smear over he wounds. He wrinkled his nose at the thought but smiled when she spoke, looking back at her. "Are you saying you want me here then?" he grinned after her when she made her way to the bathroom. He hoped she was.
His gaze moved deliberately after her, watching her gather her things. She picked up some clothes and .. a bra. He swallowed, the thoughts rushing back where he wished they wouldn't. He watched her disappear and smiled to himself when she returned. She looked radiant, and even lacking her exposed legs, he couldn't help but think about them, and her fragile looking arms.
"Me?" he grinned at her. "I'm always up for an adventure. Especially to a place like that." he replied. He went through his pockets and found his keys, holding them up. "And luckily I brought my car today." he grinned.
Charlotte absently raked her fingers through her blonde waves and smiled tiredly at him. She wasn't really feeling up for drinking. Especially when she figured that if she got drunk, he'd probably see a side of her she was very unwilling to share with him, or anyone else. "Water would be great." she decided. "I'm not one for drinking, especially.." she stopped herself. She was about to say especially on a first date, but she wasn't willing to be so bold. She didn't want to take any guesses. "Especially not around people I wouldn't want to make a fool out of myself in front of." she smiled. "I don't hold alcohol well."
Her gaze drifted to the keg where a rowdy bunch of guys stood around with half filled cups. She wrinkled her nose and gave a quick shake of her head. "And I don't think I'd trust their tapping skills." she looked up at him with a grin.
He followed after her, swallowing hard. Her skin was so soft when she touched his wrist. He was sure he'd be an embarrassing tomato red. The whole demon thing took away some of the intense human reaction, like flaming blush - or at least, that was what he figured it did, maybe it was just that he'd never had a reason to blush before - but he was never sure if it was gone entirely. He always felt warm around her.
"The way you go about taking care of me like this," he began as she wiped his hands clean. "I might think that you enjoy playing doctor yourself." he chuckled, drying his hands.
He strolled out of the bathroom and opened the door for her with a slight grin. "Ladies first. And don't worry, I'll have you home at a reasonable hour."
Charlotte nodded, understanding his point entirely. She wasn't against drinking at all. On the contrary, she was merely against making a fool out of herself. She thought back to his lips pressing against her neck and blushed. Something like that would probably happen again if she drank, and she had a feeling she wouldn't be apologizing as quickly as he had.Her gaze followed along to the French doors leading out back. She twisted the cap off of her water and smiled at him, giving a quick nod. It would be nice to get away from everyone.
"Yeah, come on." she decided, moving across the room and opening the doors, passing it along to him as the frigid air whipped her face when she stepped outside.
"Maybe." he said in an indecisive way, shrugging his shoulders. "Or maybe you just like seeing me in need of help." he teased and nudged her as she went by him, shutting the door behind him.
He walked down the hall with her, shrugging his shoulders. "We'll get you back eventually. I just wouldn't want Charlotte or Warren getting the wrong idea." he replied.
His mind wandered to the church atop the hill as the exited the building and headed for the black cadillac that sat across the lot. He wondered vaguely if he'd run into another demon, or if he should bother taking Tabitha to a place like this.
She nodded and sat down on the bench beside him, uncapping her bottle and taking a drink. It was chilly enough for him to make the exscuse for her closeness to him. She was nearly touching him, which made her redden significantly. "Maybe we're just not partying people." she laughed quietly. "But I must admit, I do prefer it out here than in there." she smiled. "It's a bit more relaxed."
Charlotte tilted her head back and shut her eyes. A faint smile flickered across her lips. When she opened her eyes she stared up at the dark sky, stars winking up at her.
Alec climbed in the car and started it up. He glanced her way and gave a wry smile. "I didn't mean it like that." he said with a shrug. "I just mean, you wouldn't want to get mocked for disappearing with me into the night and coming in at an unreasonable hour." he said with a shrug. "People might think that we've... Well." he cleared his throat.
Without another word he pulled out of the parking lot. He drove along in silence, his hands gripping the wheel. He didn't like making her feel awkward, or like he didn't want her around. On the contrary, when he thought of her she drove him mad.
Charlotte felt a blush rise slowly to her cheeks and gently mover her head to rest on his shoulder. She nodded shyly. "I'm much warmer now." she assured. The slow movements of his hand up and down her arm were soothing and comfortable. "The bonfire?" she raised her brows and looked up at him. "We could go if you want." she said with a smile. "It would be a bit warmer, and I wouldn't want you to freeze."
She placed her hand gently on his muscular arm. She slowly ran her fingers over his warm skin and fabric covered upper arm. She couldn't help but smile.
Alec glanced sideways at her and chuckled. "Well, I wouldn't want to get you into hot water. You can never be sure with women, some are sensitive.." he trailed. "Others aren't. And then.."
He turned a corner and headed up the street. He wasn't sure how to phrase his next thought. "And then there's you." he decided and flashed her a grin as they came closer to the church's burned remnants.
He glanced around. "I hope you don't mind if we walk a bit." he parked a bit off, but within an easy five minute walk of the place. "I don't want there to be anyone suspicious of our poking around here." he explained. Plus, he got more time with her.
Charlotte took his hand and glanced at the house. She threaded her fingers through his and stuck close by. It would be faster for them to go through the house and thus the raving party, but it still unsettled her. She gave his hand a small squeeze. "Alright." she agreed, looking up to him. "Let's go." she said with the smallest of smiles flickering across her shell pink lips.
She walked with him up across the porch. As they moved, she could feel the bass thundering under her skin and in her ears. She trembled as her hand opened the door and the roaring music made her wince.
Alec slid out of the car and locked it, the lights flashing once, a bight white cutting through the black of the night. He had to blink and let his eyes adjust to the darkness before he could make out her lovely face in the darkness. He reached blindly for her, his hand brushing her covered arm.
"Ah, there you are." he chuckled quietly. "Shall we head up?" he asked.
He didn't wait for an answer. His hand slid down her arm and clutched her wrist. He didn't dare go any lower with his grasp. What if she had a boyfriend? What if she didn't like him? She had seemed flirtatious earlier, so why was he holding back? He let his hand slip lower and tentatively took hers, giving her every chance to yank away.
Charlotte walked along with him, through the kitchen, out the door, over the lawn, and heading for the car. Hollers of drunken boys called after them, slurs about leaving a party but none of them anything of substance.Her thoughts flickered back to the couple at the door, and the kissing she's been happy to move by. She thought back to kissing Warren, his lips soft and warm, how desperate she'd been to hold him and pull him closer to her. She hadn't wanted to lose him.
That thought made her grip tighten on his hand. As they neared his car that stuck in her mind. She was lucky, he was alive and she was luck enough to still know him.
Alec felt her tighten her grip on him, but thought little of it. His mind was sidetracked by the shattering of glass. The irritated meow of whatever street cat that was getting itself into dangerous things was all he heard, though.
As they came upon the caution tape he sized it up. With a shrug he tugged it aside and opened the creaking door. Moonlight seeped into the burned remains of the once holy building. He gestured for her to go ahead of him.
"Ladies first." he said quietly, his hand slipping out of hers and gently pressing to the small of her back. He wanted to be sure he kept her in sight. He wouldn't allow her to get injured this time around.
Charlotte's cheeks reddened at his touch. She stared up at him, her heart thundering hopefully. Would he kiss her? She wanted to test if her memory served correctly, wished she could press an easy kiss to his lips and remind him of the night before.But his hand dropped away and she sighed inwardly. She wondered if everything he'd felt when he kissed her yesterday had only been an in the moment thing. She gave a wry smile and slid inside, shutting the door.
She drew her lip in between her teeth anxiously and sighed. She wished that she weren't so shy, and there weren't so many jerks around. Maybe then she would've done it herself.
Alec's head snapped up at the sirens. He urged her inside and shut the door behind them. His eyes slowly moved about the room and he let out a quiet cough.
"Ashes everywhere." he muttered and walked with her to the stairs. "I'll go up first." he said sternly, looking at her. "I don't want you getting hurt."
He took hold of the railing and slowly put weight on the steps. He moved slowly and steadily, only getting a creak here or there. He made it six steps up before his foot plummeted through the charred wood. He let out a hiss at the sharp pain and grimaced, pulling himself up.
Charlotte gave him a confused look but quickly registered what he meant. He'd been drinking, and of course she wouldn't want him driving or to get hurt."Oh, sure." she said quickly. "I nearly forgot about that." she mused.
She climbed from the passenger's seat and moved to the other side, leaving the door ajar. Driving his car would be something new, and she'd be more than sure to be careful with it.
Alec groaned and rolled off of her. It had all been a blur, and now he looked over her wildly. He prayed he hadn't hurt her any worse, and just wished he hadn't been so stupid.
"Are you okay?" he asked anxiously. "Are you--"
His gaze turned to the redhead. His eyes widened in realization. Her attire was all to familiar. "No, no!" he cried as his head spun. He tried fighting off whatever spell she was using. He saw Tabitha collapse beside him.
Seconds later everything went black.
Charlotte nodded, pressing her foot down on the clutch twice after putting the keys in the ignition. She hadn't driven standard since her ex boyfriend Toby taught her in their Junior year of highschool. She could remember the basics, but other than that he was going to have to help her out a bit.She managed to shift gears and get them on the road. She anxiously glanced at him out of the corner of her eye and gave a wary smile. "I'm not doing anything wrong, am I?" she asked as she drove along, heading through the streets and toward the beach where the bonfires were held. "I haven't driven this sort of car in a long time." she mused.
Alec grimaced and wrinkled his nose. He could feel himself throbbing all over, as if he'd just been picked up and slammed against the misty grass that was beneath his face. He winced and slowly sat up, joints popping and aching. Everything came back at him in a rush. He'd been here a hundred times in his life. Central park, 1920. His neck craned around and he caught sight of the well dressed men and women with their children, happy, smiling. They were back in the golden age of America, in a time where the ward had ended and prosperity flooded through all over.
He sat up and rubbed the back of his neck, his eyes adjusting to everything around him. He heard his name distantly and groaned, slowly moving himself up.
"Tabitha?" he called, looking around in confusion. Had she been pulled into this crazy time vortex with him?
A shudder ran through him as he took in everything around him. The trees, the grass, the happy people who were walking by him while he hid behind a thicket of bushes. He'd need to get them home and fast, but how to do it?
Charlotte winced at the grinding sound and nodded. His bit of encouragement was enough to make her feel at least a little bit better. She pulled in carefully, making sure they had room and it wasn't a squeeze."There." she sighed, a relived sound that slipped from her lips. She turned off the car and handed the keys to him. "I hope that I didn't give you a heart attack." she said with a wry smile when she saw the way he was clutching onto the door handel. "I didn't mean to make you nervous."
She stepped out of the car once she was sure no one was coming and walked to the sidewalk on his side. She straightened herself out, smoothing over her jeans and sweater.
Alec looked around in dazed confusion. He couldn't have been dropped far from her, could he have? He let out an achey groan and headed the opposite direction of where Tabitha had been venturing out into the street. He made his way to the park entrance and looked around. If they were in the past.. Did that mean he'd see himself around here somewhere? Judging from the light of the evening sun that was getting lower in the sky, he'd probably find himself at a pub on the opposite side of the park. He just hoped Tabitha wouldn't see him around here. The other him.
He made his way down the sidewalk and walked slowly, scanning through crowds of people for her. He stopped a man to ask him the date and was informed that it was the exact same date it had been when they'd gone to church, only decades in the past. He frowned to himself. Decades ago. He'd taken the life of a woman today, her name had been Claire Montag, and he'd taken her soul. But where..? He glanced around toward the pub at the other end of the park.
Charlotte slipped her hand into his own and felt herself warming inside and out. "Well, as long as I didn't scare you senseless." she smiled and started walking down the sidewalk with him, allowing him to have more of a say in the pace and which way they went. She - after all - hadn't been around this part of New York before."Have you been to the bonfires before?" she asked, moving herself closer to him with a small smile She'd seen them every summer in her childhood at her grandparent's house, but she never went with anyone her own age, or other than that old house on the beach.
While Alec was sprinting down the street to try to stop himself from killing Claire, the one woman he'd managed to care about during this dark time in his life, he picked up on a shout.
Her shout.
He saw her walking out from the alley behind the pub and his eyes went wide. "Tabitha.." he whispered, picking up speed and stumbling around the people as he made his way past the alley where his former self was sucking the soul out of the woman he'd once tried so hard to impress. He, however, had no idea that she'd seen them, or that they were there, for that matter. Instead he ran after her, his chest aching.
"Tabitha!" he called, striding quickly.
All of the while, in the darkened alleyway, his past self had finished sucking the life out of Claire. He dropped her empty body to the ground, filled with energy, and turned around. He'd seen Tabitha, he had the image of her in his mind, burned there for later. He couldn't put his finger on where he'd seen her, but he was almost positve they'd met before. Or maybe she was just another one of the ladies he was attempting to court when he fell so hard for Claire. Either way, he was going to find out.
She smiled warmly as they walked along, leaning into him as he put his arm around her and moved it to her waist as they made their way over the dunes. She let out an obviously irritated sigh and kicked off her wedges, picking them up with her fingers and smiling. "If walking over sand wasn't hard enough, wedges make it ten times harder." she explained.Charlotte looked up at him and smiled, shaking her head. "You know me far too well." she said, tangling her fingers in his. She walked slowly with him, keeping close for the warmth of his body and the tingles that his closeness sent through her body. His words were so sweet they would've made her ache inside.
As the bonfire grew closer she could feel the heat of the enormous fire growing more and more intense, but she couldn't help her closeness. It was a beautiful sight, the embers swirling in the air above her head and lighting up the ocean with an orange glow. And truthfully, she couldn't think of any person she'd want to be with other than Warren.
His eyes widened. What the hell did I do to her? He took off after her, shaking his head. He followed along.
"Tabitha." he groaned, his hand grabbing her by the shoulder. He came to a slow stop behind her. "Tabitha, you can be mad at me all you want, but help me out here, give me a hint." he implored. "What did I do?"
He stopped and looked up. The church stood in it's sparkling glory, a brand new structure with glass all over, the final light of day glistening off of the painted glass windows in the front of the building. It was magnificent, and it wasn't hard to understand why - even when it was a deserted and broken down structure - anyone would want to spend any time there. It was beautiful, something someone wouldn't see every day.
"Wow." he exhaled softly, his hand still clamped on her shoulder, but the grip loosened significantly.
Charlotte tossed her shoes next to his and smiled. "I suppose that's probably a good idea." she mused.Her eyes flickered up to him and then looked over to the dark haired girl who'd come over with the beer bottle. She smiled warmly and took her hand, giving an easy shake. "I didn't realize by going out with him I'd be taking him from his niche." she laughed and squeezed his hand lightly, obviously playing with him.
"It's nice to meet you, Kizzy." she laughed easily. "It's nice to know that Warren socializes with people other than Tabitha. In the last day or two that's the one person that I know he actually talks to." she smirked and looked up at him, her eyes glistening slightly, almost glinting with laughter.
He sighed heavily, his free hand moving back to his neck. "I'm just going to take a shot in the dark here, but I'm fairly sure she sent us back in time." he grimaced. "Judging from the way everything is around here, I'd say we're in the early 1900's. Maybe the 1920's. Which is always good, it's pretty calm era.. Wait." he cut off, his eyes narrowing suspiciously at her.
"You know about.. Witches?" he asked.
His heart began that uneven thumping in his chest. If she knew about witches, she might know about demons. And if she knew about demons, she might know about him. What if she did? Would she hate him? Would she be disgusted by him? Would she be scared? He tried his best to calm himself. He didn't know anything for sure yet, and he wouldn't for the time being. He just hoped whatever she said was a guess.
"I'll be sure to keep him entertained." Charlotte replied.She laughed softly. Kizzy seemed nice enough, even if poor Warren did get picked on. She blushed at his comment and smiled warmly up at him. The only really unsettling thing that might've bothered her was the saving of a dance, but she pushed thr thought away before she let it bother her. She didn't want to become that irritating jealous type, especially when she wasn't sure if they were even really seeing eachother. For all she knew they were just friends.
She gave Warren a nod and smiled, threading her fingers through his own. "I'd love to." she said, a bit of excitement bubbling inside her. The fact that he wasn't running off to see Kizzy and the rest of them made her a bit more relaxed. She wasn't exactly the best at being social either, not that she liked to confess to that.
He glanced down at her and shrugged her shoulders, acting as if he'd said the weather was nice. "It was the swinging twenties, wasn't it? I mean.." he trailed off. "That was what I read in the history book last year. It's a time of peace after world war one. Lots of jazz."
He glanced at her. She had to think he was human. He'd tried so hard to be normal around her. He'd tried his best, and yet, he was accidentally giving himself away. He almost never slipped up like this. Never.
"Well, I suppose I know what you mean." he mused. "Latin, yes.." he trailed off, trying to remember what exactly it was she said. "Do you remember the words?" he asked, his memory fuzzy. "I think Latin is pretty straightforward, a lot of words are derived from it." he murmured.
Charlotte walked along with him hand in hand, feeling her heart was about to burst. She hadn't been this happy in a very long time, but that was just her own personal experience, she couldn't be sure if he felt the same. But there was something about the way he looked at her that made her doubt he'd felt this way about every girl he met. An audible gasp escaped her lips when he picked her up. She wrapped her arms around his torso as she was carried down the sandy slope to the ocean, and she squeaked when the cool water touched her feet, but it was more of an entertained one than anything else. Her arms were slow to let go with him, hesitant.
"I'm glad you had me come with you." she admitted, her cheeks reddening as he adjusted her hat. "I wouldn't have thought a Phi Alpha party could end up being a good time." she admitted.
"Something about going back from where we came from, I think." Alec mused aloud, his arm gently looping around her shoulders after letting his grasp go entirely. "Other than that, I have no idea what she could've meant. And sending us here - well - this isn't where we came from." he replied.
What a lie. This wasn't where she came from. A flood of guilt hit him hard. What if she'd been trying to send him back here, and he'd dragged Tabitha with him? He pulled her gently closer to his body and frowned, noticing her shivers.
"Maybe we should find someone to help us out. Or at the very least, someplace to stay. They still take regular cash here, right?" he frowned to himself, trying to recall correctly.
Charlotte looked up at him. So suddenly she was being pulled into his chest, his warm, broad chest. He kissed her then, so sweetly and beautifully, she was so sure her heart would burst.Her hands slid up slowly over the planes of his chest and wrapped around his neck. He was so warm, and his kiss was so sweet, she had no idea how her mind could process the entire thing. She placed her hand on the back of his neck and couldn't believe how sweet it was.
This wasn't the kiss from last night. It was something so beautiful and perfect she couldn't process it at all. She was just so lucky, and she had no idea how to put it into words. So she just kissed him back.
The way she leaned on him, he was sure that she needed a moment of comfort. He wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her to him, his other hand gently stroking her hair.
"Listen, Tabitha." he murmured in a determined way. "We're getting back. I'm not going to let you get stuck in this messed up era. There has to be a way out of this place." he soothed, sighing quietly. "It'll be okay." he promised.
His gaze moved to the church and then up to the sky. Even if she had to go back without him, he'd get her back.
She felt an intense blush fly across her face, her chest heaving with uneaven breaths after their kiss. She'd never shared something more passionate yet innocent at the same time. She could hardly believe that it'd all been real, but it was true. And this was a kiss he would remember.She blinked in surprise when he crouched down and smiled. "O-Okay." she said timidly.
Charlotte slowly slid her arms around his neck and pressed her body gently against his back. She blushed as her legs looped around his waist and pressed her cheek to his shoulder, just beside his neck. Remembering what he'd done to her while dancing, she boldly pressed a kiss to his neck before he had the chance to stand, not wanting him to drop her if she caught her off gaurd.
"Here." he decided, letting out a soft breath. "Maybe some of the pubs around here still rent out rooms." he decided. "We can try there." he pointed to the bar he'd spent more than enough of his time at until the owner died in the 30's.
Honestly, the man knew him so well that as soon as they got there, he was sure the man would probably treat him like he would his son. He smiled slightly at the memory, his arms moving from around her and gently slipping to her free hand. He didn't want to let go of her, he wouldn't leave her alone in a place she hadn't been before.
"Come on." he said, starting to walk with her down the street. "I'll do the talking."
Charlotte held onto him as they made their way up. Though she missed his warmth once she was put down, his hand was on hers so quickly she didn't have any time to really notice how much she missed it. She followed him up the cliff and let out a soft sigh at the view. It was the most amazing thing.Within seconds she was pulled between his legs and pressed against his chest, his arms around her. She smiled and looped one of her arms through his and shut her eyes. She'd never seen anything more amazing.
"I think I hear it." she whispered softly, leaning her head back against his chest. "Yeah," she murmured, her fingers moving along with his. She tilted her head back and let a smile flicker easily across her lips. "I hear it." she murmured.
He sighed heavily and looked over at her, shaking his head. "Sorry." he gave a wry smile. "I know submissive isn't really your thing." he replied with a soft laugh. "But I guess that was what it is." he replied. "Or what it is." he mused.
He led her to the pub and frowned, looking over at the man inside behind the bar. "Stay here, okay?" he asked, pointing to the floor.
He moved slowly across the room and leaned on the bar. "Marcus." he nodded to the man who smiled and greeted him warmly. It was obvious the man knew him, that or he was a very happy man. "I need a room for me and my friend." he said, nodding to Tabitha. The man happily obliged and handed him the keys to a room, making a couple gestures at Tabitha and him, but giving in when Alec shushed him. He made his way back to Tabitha. "We're in."
Charlotte leaned back into his warm embrace and smiled. She doubted she could ever be cold again, with her blush and the way he held her, his arms were so warm and strong she hoped he'd never have to let go. His lips were an added bonus, the way they kissed her cheek so sweetly."I will, don't worry." she smiled and looked out over the edge of the cliff, watching the waves crash against the jagged rocks. She shut her eyes and inhaled his scent. Whatever he wore, weather it was some sort of cologne or after shave she couldn't tell, it was intoxicating.
She shut her eyes as his lips kissed gently over her knuckles. The blush that rose within her and filled her entirely was something she wasn't used to yet, but she was sure he'd have this effect on her for a long time. She moved her head and pressed her lips against his forearm, smiling to herself at just how warm he was, how easy it was for her to kiss his skin without being shy.
Alec rolled his eyes and slipped his arm around her waist, shaking her head. "Well, I wouldn't want to leave you alone in a place where you have no power, would I?" he asked with a raised brow. "Knowing you, you'd probably get yourself into some sort of trouble." he teased and nudged her, leading her up the stairs. He knew she wasn't fond of how things were going, but he was convinced that they'd be fine. "We just had to make sure we don't do anything to mess up time." he frowned. He was especially sure that he had to do the same, more than she would.
After they reached the landing he led her down the hallway with two or three rooms. One was for storage, the other was the man downstairs', and the final was a guest room. He'd spent more nights there than at his own estate. He'd spent more nights there with loose women than he had at his own estate. He grimaced at the thought and shook his head. At least the man down stairs new of it, and always had the washwoman cleaning up or taking things out.
"Here we are." he prompted, opening the door the the tidy room. Judging by his memories, he hadn't been here for about two months. In the months he'd dated Claire, or rather courted her, he'd hardly stopped by the pub. He was so enamored that he couldn't return to the room, not when he'd tried for the first time to become a changed man. It was small, a room with a queen sized bed and a lamp, a table and dresser. On the table there were a few things he'd provided in the past - an antique lamp, some candles - but nothing else was out of place. He just knew that he wouldn't be seeing himself here tonight, so they'd go unnoticed. "You have a side preference?"
After a long while of sitting there, the cold air nipping at her nose and and ears, she started feeling her skin redden with the freezing cold. She buried her face in his shoulder and nodded, a shiver wracking her body. Warm as he was, even he couldn't protect her from the cold."Alright." she smiled, slowly moving off of him, her toes pink from the cold. "We could get our shoes and grab a coffee? Warm up a bit?" she offered.
When she got to her feet she looked down at him. She held out her only partially freezing hands and smiled brightly, looping her fingers around his. She gently tugged on him, pulling him up.
He sighed heavily. "Again, Tabitha, I wasn't kissing a girl." he said. He wouldn't do that to her. "I swear. You probably just saw someone who looked like me. I wasn't." he frowned.
As he wracked his brain the memory dawned on him. The 1920's. September. The day Claire died. As Alec swallowed, his gaze moved away from her. What was he to do? How was he supposed to tell her that it was him but it wasn't him? He certainly wouldn't confess to kissing Claire, not when he felt this way.
Charlotte wrapped her arms around him. She held him tight, smiling as he carried her along. She pressed her lips to his cheek happily and smiled. Soon enough, her feet brushed the sand when she was set down and a smile graced her lips. It soon evaporated when Kizzy came stumbling over. Her brows arched at the girl and her slurred words. "I don't find him to be a buzz kill." she commented. "And you're a little more than buzzed." she observed, frowning.
Her gaze moved to Warren in an anxious way. Biting her lip, she brushed her hair behind her ear. "Maybe we should take her home." she murmured.
Alec looked over her. He was about to reply that he'd moved around a lot as a child, but it hit him hard. He smiled, grasping onto the excuse, and nodded his head quickly.
"Yes, I did!" Alec said, sounding a bit more relieved than he should have. "Maybe you saw my great great grandfather or uncle or something." he said quickly, nodding. "Yes, that must've been it." he mused aloud.
Charlotte laced her fingers through his and nodded, her lips curling an uneasy smile. Something about what Kizzy had said had put her off. She wondered if it'd just been the alcohol talking, or if she really thought that about him. Her gaze settled on the group of drunkards that were calling to his friend."Yeah, coffee sounds great." she said distantly, her gaze moving slowly back up to him. "I think coffee would bea good idea." she grinned warily.
She squeezed his hand and frowned at the beer she'd spilled on him. "Do you need me to drive again?" she asked, trying to remember how long it took for alcohol to remove itself from a person's system. "Or are you good?" she raised a brow as they walked across the sand. She picked up her shoes and looked at him questioningly.
Alec swallowed hard at her question and cleared her throat. He moved slowly over to the bed and sat down beside her. A hand ran absently through his dark waves of hair and his deep brown eyes looked over to her anxiously. He had to clear his throat again to try to find the words that were burning at his lips, desprate to escape.
"Tabitha.." he trailed quietly, his gaze darting one way then the other before finally coming to a rest on her. "I don't have a girlfriend. Or a friends with benefits or even someone I like." he frowned. "Well I mean.. Here. Or back at school, I mean." he sighed heavily and glanced down at her uneasily. "Look." he said, glancing at her. "All I'm saying is, you won't have to worry about me running off with another girl, okay?" he asked, scratching at the back of his neck. "Not while you're around." he muttered softly under his breath.
He leaned back against the pillows and averted his gaze. Though he moved his hand so that he brushed by her warm, bronze skin, he kept his gaze anywhere but her. He didn't like how this felt, the uncomfortable silence or emotions.
Charlotte managed to get her wedges on her feet, and stood up with him, wavering slightly. She chuckled softly at his sweet words and wrapped her arms tightly around her. "Well, if you feel good to drive.." she smiled slightly and glanced up.The people close by were hooting and hollering. She could hear the clanking of beer cans and further could see the couples wrapped up in each others arms, inhibitions forgotten, passion the only thing left. She grimaced slightly and looked up at him, shaking her head at the people around.
His lips felt lovely on her face, it warmed her up, a heat that spread from her cheek to her toes. His breath tickled her ear and she shivered, her arms wrapping around him tighter, a soft laugh escaping her lips. "Why don't I drive?" she whispered with a smile, her hand squeezing his gently as they made their way across the beach and back over the sand dunes to where they'd entered to begin with.
He watched her with curious eyes as she approached him. She was so close to him that he was tempted to reach out. Seconds later it was her who was touching him, her fingers entwining themselves in her shirt, her hand moving over his hair.
"Tabitha.." he murmured. His tone had gone from anxious to husky in a matter of seconds. He wanted her, everything about her. He wanted the chance to taste her watermelon lip gloss or feel her warm skin beneath his hands whenever she allowed him to, but more often than he was now.
And then she kissed him. Her lips were every bit as soft as he could've ever imagined, if not softer. She tasted like watermelon, and her hair smelled of lavender. In a second he was lost against her kiss, his eyes wide and his form rigid. How was this possible, how was she kissing him like this, in such a pay and a place, at such a time?
None of it mattered.
His hands grasped her hips and pulled her gently down to his lap, where she was already lowering herself. He shut his eyes and kissed her back, his lips moving against hers, and for a moment there was total bliss. He kissed her deeply, in a mind blowing way. His hands roamed over her curves, caressed her sides, moved over her slender figure. She was so beautiful, her lips so soft, her body so delicate and light. His mind was slowly melting away when it happened.
A tug of something too familiar, something he'd felt a million times over. His eyes snapped open in realization at what was happening. Her soul. Her soul was migrating toward him, he could feel it. He was going to take her soul.
With much regret, he pulled away from her too soon, sooner than he would've liked. He kept his arm possessively around her waist, his fingers moving up to brush her hair from her face. His breathing was fast and uneven, he'd never felt that before, that sort of pull during something like a kiss. Then again, he'd never had a kiss like that before.
Charlotte threaded her fingers through his as they walked away from the dunes and back toward the car. "Well, good." she decided with a playful grin. "I promise I'll be careful with your baby." she added with a quiet laugh. "And.. Ice cream sounds great." she smiled brightly.He face reddened slightly at the question that followed. A million different scenarios flooded through her mind, but she tried to focus less on the ones that made her anxious and more on the ones that made her stomach fill with butterflies. The ones of his soft kisses and warm embrace while they watched the movie. She was sure that Warren was the perfect gentleman, but he was a guy. He still thought about.. Well..
"Uhm," she stammered softly, her cheeks flared a fire engine red. "We could do either." she said with a small smile. "I'm not sure if Tabitha and Alec will be back at my place, though." she said with a frown. It wasn't that she didn't like Tabitha or Alec, on the contrary, she loved both of them and was thankful for them and all their help, it was just that she wasn't sure she wanted Tabitha walking in on her and Warren during the movie. Not that she had anything planned other than kissing him, but it would still be a little less easy to pass over than it had been the other night when he'd been dying on the floor. "We might want to go to your place." she said with a small smile. "If that's okay with you."
Alec studied the frown that flickered across her lips and wanted nothing more to bring her down onto the bed and kiss her again, show to her that what he was feeling was something he couldn't explain with words. The thought strayed across his mind that kissing her in such a way might lead to something else, which would've made him blush, but he managed to keep himself rather calm. He didn't want her to think that he didn't want her in any way.. But at the same time he'd like her to stay alive, rather than a soulless, lifeless corpse at his hands.
When she spoke, his lips curved into one of his usual smirks. "Luckily for you," he murmured, his left thumb gently moving in circles against her hip where it rested. "I prefer the left." he said, almost sounding coy.
His gaze focused on her lips once again. They moved so carefully, a slow and rhythmic motion, and were so soft, he wasn't sure if what he'd felt with her was entirely real. He moved his hand to tuck a stray piece of hair from her eyes and let his thumb brush over her lips gently. They were so soft and full, something he'd wished he could kiss again and again, for the rest of his life, however many centuries that might be.
Charlotte felt her face redden further at the cracking at his voice. She swallowed hard and tried repeatedly to assure herself that the last thing Warren would be thinking about was.. That. And yet, she couldn't help but wonder if he was, and then when she thought of that, she could almost picture him shirtless, his chest, abs, newly made scar that went over his shoulder. She wondered if he looked so perfect shirtless in reality the way he did in her mind. She had to pull herself out of her daze and force the image away. There would be none of that tonight.. Or at least, she didn't think there would be. Her heart rate promptly picked up and the sound thundered against her ribcage.She climbed into the driver's seat beside him and started the car. Casting a glance sideways, she couldn't help but swallow at the thoughts that once again dashed across her mind. She quickly averted her gaze and cursed herself for being so weak.
"W-What street am I looking for?" she asked as she pulled out of the space, furious that she'd managed to studder, no matter how much she tried to keep her voice calm.
Alec stared up at her in silent awe when his head hit the soft mattress. She was like a goddess, a beautiful woman who couldn't possibly be real. Her hands rested so perfectly against the planes of his chest, and he wondered if she had the same thoughts he did, how compromising this position was. He had to shut his eyes a moment to keep his breathing straight. She was intoxicating, from her touch to her scent.
"A total bad-ass, huh?" he asked, opening his eyes once again and grinning. The way she laughed was unbelievable, a soft, soprano sound that was so unlike her, he felt himself aching inside. She'd seemed to relax a little bit and he was quick in his movements. He easily pitched her to the right so she tumbled onto her side of the bed and rolled on top of her, suspending his weight on his hands that rested on either side of her. He grinned slightly, smug and satisfied. "You were saying?" he asked, leaning dangerously close to her, so close that his nose nearly brushed by hers.
He let out a low, rumbling laugh and pursed his lips thoughtfully. "Well," he decided, shrugging his shoulders - which didn't move much due to his suspension of weight on his arms and hands. "If you let me do all the talking, I'm sure I could persuade the kind bartender into giving us a bit of food." he replied smoothly.
Charlotte's breath caught in her throat at her touch. His hand was so warm, so soft as he ran it over her delicate, sensitive skin where earlier that night his lips had been. "Okay." she nodded, her gaze flickering over to the brightly lit strip mall.She drove them up the street, focusing on breathing and the road. She wondered if he could feel her thundering pulse in her neck, the way he made her heart pound against her rib cage, the blush that painted her cheeks whenever he was around. There was just something about him that got to her, got under her skin. She wasn't able to shake it.
Soon enough she pulled up in front of the small grocery store with the flickering, florecent lights hanging above. She handed the keys to him after stopping the car and unbuckled herself. She didn't move quickly from the car, too pleased by his touch, but quickly assured herself this certainly wouldn't be the last touch she felt. Reluctantly, she pulled away from him and stepped out of the driver's seat, walking around the front of the car.
Knowing her for the day and a half that he did, Alec wouldn't have guessed that Tabitha would've been this sort of woman. He wasn't surprised by the way that she took charge, set the pace for the way that this was obviously going to play out. It was her flirtatiousness that had surprised him the most.
Presently, it was something he was thankful for.
Her lips were soft against his. He'd ached to kiss her again, and she always seemed to know exactly what he wanted. His hands roamed over her body, but never anywhere he was sure she wouldn't want him to be going so early on. He felt her hand wandering, a shiver shooting up his spine when her warm hands touched his abs. He couldn't resist a woman like her, who seemed to know exactly what she wanted. He kissed her with some sort of passion, but nothing that would get him too caught up in everything that was happening, incase he needed to pull away quickly.
The tug of her soul stunned him, sent him pulling reluctantly away from her, his breathing labored once more.
He stared down at her and wondered if she felt it too, that unmistakeable pull toward him, the one that he knew had to be her soul. He'd felt it a million times when sucking it out of his victims, but never had he felt it so slowly, dramatically moving toward him. He didn't want to risk anything with her, the idea was something he couldn't live with. She couldn't be another Claire.
"Maybe we should go get that dinner.." he trailed off in his husky, raw voice. It was obvious he was reluctant to move away from her.
Charlotte held onto his hand as they ventured down the isle of freezers, the icecream names jumping out at her as she scanned the shelves. "Do you have a favorite?" she asked, looking up with a slight smile.She could picture him as maybe a classic chocolate guy, or a cool mint chip. Maybe even something she hadn't tried, like chocolate peanutbutter twist. A smile danced across her lips at the thought. Or maybe he just liked vanilla, plain and simple, and perfectly delicious.
"I don't really mind what we get." she offered, her fingers squeezing his a bit tighter, excited. Her eyes scanned the shelves and settled on a tub of Watermelon sherbert, something they seemed to have only on the East Coast. "Hm." she said, picking up the tub and scanning the back to see if it was the kind she'd grown up loving, or some terrible low fat substitute. Thin as she was, she wouldn't tolerate the horrible low-fat or no-sugar icecream they tended to draw people in with.
Alec studied her, how innocent and adorable she looked. Her hand positioned over her mouth in such a way, holding his kiss to her lips. It was something he hadn't seen in so long, something that made him want to kiss her even more than he had when laying on her.
He sat himself up and nodded. He had to give himself a little space. If kissing her made him worry about what he'd do to her soul, he couldn't risk doing anything else. And the way she kissed him now made him desire so much more from her, things he shouldn't want, not until he was sure she wanted them as well, and on top of that, that she was ready.
"Why don't I go." he said with a small smile. "It'll be quick, I promise." he assured, glancing over her with a wary smile. He leaned over and pressed a kiss to her cheek, not wanting her to think he regretted anything that had just happened between them. He rose from the bed and smoothed out his shirt, his hand combing through his wavy hair.
"Is there anything you want me to see if I can get you?" he asked.
Charlotte smiled warmly at him, handing over her tub of Watermelon sherbert. "I wouldn't laugh." she promised, taking his hand once again. "I actually think it's really sweet." she smiled softly at him.As they made their way down the isle she couldn't resist looking up at him. "Do your parents miss you?" she asked. "Living out on your own?" Charlotte vaguely wondered if she should've asked if they were still in his life first, but if they weren't she'd have to deal with the answer either way.
She glanced up at him, curious as to his answer and to know more about him.
Alec laughed and stumbled out of the room with a grin. He laughed and smiled, making his way slowly down the stairs and out into the pub. When he saw the man, he smiled warmly.
"What can I do ya for, Alec?" the older man behind the counter asked him.
He leaned against the bar and smiled. "My lady friend and I need a bit of food. Could I get some pasta and a few of your sandwiches?"
"And how're you going to pay?" the man asked pointedly.
"Come on." Alec grinned at him. "I have a tab for a reason, don't I?" he asked.
With a heavy sigh the man walked off. He returned with two plates of pasta and some bottled water, and a few wrapped up sandwiches that were put in a brown paper bag. "I better not hear you and your lady friend up all night." he shot him a dirty glare. "Don't care what you're doing, but I need to go and be up early, so I don't want to be up all night."
He let out an embarrassed laugh. "Alright, we'll be in bed soon enough. It's been a long day." he replied.
Alec walked upstairs, his hands full with the plates and bags. He managed to open up the door and push through. "Dinner is served." he announced, walking through the room to the table and setting them down. His eyes rested on the jeans over the chair and he swallowed hard, looking over to her covered lower half.
"I'm sorry." she said softly, realizing she'd overstepped a boundary and quickly retreating. She leaned into him and relaxed a bit. She didn't like seeing him look sad, it made her heart ache."Let's get these paid for." she in agreement, trying to pull his mind from the thing that had obviously hurt him to think about. She smiled, but it didn't quite last, faltering miserably on her face as she walked him to the registers and slipped her hand in her wallet to grab a bit of cash.
Her mind ventured once again to him. She learned something new about him every day, and it was usually thrilling or terrifying, but this time it was everything but. She could almost see how sad he was in his eyes. She dropped her gaze.
He laughed quietly, shaking his head. "Your attempts at not seducing me aren't working very well." he replied, picking up her plate and the bag of sandwiches and walking it over to her. "They seem to have the exact opposite effect on me." he winked at her playfully.
Alec placed the food in her waiting hands and gave a slight smile. "Just remember, if you sleep pantless, I sleep shirtless." he teased quietly, an easy, joking sound. He glanced at her picture and raised a brow.
"I wasn't aware you were an artist?" he said. He moved across the room and kicked his shoes off before grabbing his plate. He walked over and sat beside her, curious. "You're just full of surprises, aren't you?" he asked with a small grin. "But it really is a very nice drawing." he mused quietly, frowning as he tried to recall what it was exactly by the contour. "The church?" he asked, looking to her.
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Alec stared. It was too late. They had been too late, and now Warren would have to pay the price of their tardiness, the horrible, painful fate. He moved quickly to Tabitha's side and gave a sharp nod, moving behind his head.
"I'll come back and clean up once we get him to the apartment." he said, lifting th upper part of his torso up off of the floor. "Charlotte, maybe you should.." he trailed.
He was going to tell her to go home, but there was something horrifying about the way she was staring at his body. She looked so empty and broken. She probably thought he was dead. That or she was going through the just as painful process of blaming herself.
"Let's get him out of here." he said, easily moving his weight. "Take his feet. Come on Charlotte, we need you to get the doors." he said. She nodded robotically and started down the stairs to open the doors. When she was out of earshot and looked to Tabitha he shook his head. "I'm so sorry." he said quietly.