The Unmasking

Part 2

North POV

Putting a leash on my inner demons was becoming increasingly difficult these days. The crazy octopus girl that had whacked Sang over the head had narrowly missed getting a full serving of the terror I knew I could inflict on anyone with just a look. I grabbed the girl's arm before she could strike again, my fist trembling ever so slightly as I debated what to do. I caught Baby's cringing look as she stared at my enraged fist, and decided. I quickly shoved the offending limb back into the moving sea of bodies and wrapped my other arm around Baby's rigid waist in an attempt to calm her. She seemed to relax slightly into me and I pulled her tighter, bringing my nose to her hair and inhaling her scent. God she felt so good in my arms, and she smelled like heaven.

“Let us THROUGH you jerkasses!”

I lifted my head from the paradise that was Sang's hair and studied the back of my obviously enraged best friend. Silas seemed a little more tense than customary tonight, not his usual stoic and unflappable self. Sang had the back of his shirt clutched so tightly that you could see the twitching muscles that foretold the demise of anyone's face that got in his way. Sang twisted in my hold on her and peeked her tiny head around Silas' massive arm, even despite the way I reflexively pulled her tighter against me. I pulled myself around along with her so I could see what was going on, and recognized a few of our fellow football players blocking our way. I glared over them, challenging them to push us too far by refusing passage through the area. Testosterone hung pungent in the air and I wondered who would lose the original shape of their nose tonight over this. One of the football players, Jay I think, wisely pulled back a few of his companions and made room for us to get through. Silas seemed to loosen up at this, nodding quickly once at him and then darting through the gap, dragging Sang and I with him. I started to nod my thanks to him as we passed through, and noticed his satisfied gaze land on Sang, and then narrow down on the way my arm was wrapped intimately around her.

Shit.

School was already a bitch for her. The Intel on the rumors we were receiving back daily burned me up with each new piece of gossip we heard about. Not to mention those god damn notes that increased in number day by day. The fuckers were already all over her, and I had to go and make it worse by encircling her cherished body like the overprotective jackass I was. Mr. Blackbourne was waiting for us outside and I was not looking forward to having to spill about the mess I had just made of Sang's fragile reputation. The bodies around us let up a little as we made our way out and I sighed, reluctantly slipping my arm away and pulling up to walk next to her. I immediately felt the loss of her warmth and inwardly yearned to pull her back. Her timid hand fluttered up my arm and squeezed, and I sent her one of my rare smiles, promising we would be out of this crazy place soon. She dropped her hand as I looked up towards the exit and quickened my pace. Damn I hoped Mr. Blackbourne was feeling merciful tonight. Between the extra hours I was putting into the vehicles and the fact that my sleep had been anything but restful as of late, I was getting burned out. I turned to cast another yearnful glance her way. She would be heading out with the Doc and our fearless leader in a few moments and this would be the last time I saw her before tomorrow.

Except she wasn't there.

I spun around with my stomach dropping in full blown panic and made a grab for Silas, snagging his shirt and yanking him back towards the party with a ripping sound accentuating my actions. My eyes wildly searched the people around us, trying to find my heart and ignoring Silas' outraged yelp. Silas finally seemed to catch on to the terrifying fact that Sang was missing at the same moment that I spotted her, fucking heading back in toward the bouncing crowd.

“Baby!”

“Aggelle!”

We watched together in frozen horror for exactly an eighth of a second before we were both barreling towards her to scoop her up and save her from her own insanity. What the hell was she thinking heading back towards that crush of bodies anyway? I cursed as a group of dancers moved in front of us, slowing us down and pissing me off to the point that I was freely throwing punches to get to Sang before she was swallowed up by the pulsing crowd. Some fucker grabbed my shirt and hefted me back as I struck out blindly, completely engulfed by panic at this point. I got Silas good and hard on the chin before I realized it was him holding on to me. His eyes stared in disbelieving horror where I had last seen Sang, so of course naturally I threw my eyes in the direction he was looking.

Sang had stopped, eyes riveted on the back of some fucker dirty dancing with his girlfriend. I couldn't see who it was from here, but whoever it was definitely had Baby's attention. She appeared conflicted, half-turning her body back towards us and taking a tentative step in our direction. That's right Baby, you get your beautiful, pink Polk-a-dot clad ass back here so I can give it a well deserved spanking or two for worrying me and giving me a heart attack. She hesitated again, eyes still on the asshole grinding against his date. She put a trembling finger up to her mouth for an instant, and then made a fist as she jerked her hand back down to her skirt, grabbing the material at the hem tightly as if restraining herself.

What in the ever-loving fuck was she doing?

Resolve suddenly flashed in Baby's eyes, pulling her short stature up so that she fully looked the part of a regal queen about to give judgment.

And then she approached that bastard and artfully cut in on his date to dance with him.