Rosaline Wood (A Violet Eden Follow-on Reboot)

Chapter Eight: Stalkers, Sparing and Bleeding on the Doorstep

    "Rosaline," he whispered into her ear, "Let's take her inside." She followed his orders like he was a god. Rosaline took the feet and laid her friend on the table. The man set to work cleaning her various wounds and stitching them up. It was obvious to me that he was not working fast enough.

    "Griff?" she questioned, her eyes full of tears of concern. Why she cried over this mortal was beyond me but at the very least it proved to me her beauty in all states of emotion. Her magnificence in sorrow easily rivalled that in which she looked when overjoyed.

    "Call her mother," the Grigori ordered, "Tell her Cam's staying over for the night. She'll be alright, Rosie." How dare he pet name her! How dare he lie? Wait! Cam did he call her? Cameron? That was the girl whose memories I erased for Rosaline? This could not be good. I watched the scene play out from a distance. The girl was losing too much blood, too quickly. If someone did not act now she was not going to make it. I saw the look in Rosaline's eyes as she reached the same conclusion and it tore me to pieces. I knew I should not reveal myself in front of this man but a need to protect my Rosaline from harm was stronger than my father's teachings. Instinct always is. Slowly I took a deep breath and allowed myself to materialise.

Rose POV

    "Phoenix?" I heard Griffin call. I spun around. Oh. My. God. This was not happening all over again.

    "No, not Phoenix," he replied smoothly, "Alec." Griffin's eyes widened and he looked over at me. I nodded confirmation.

    "That explains the hair," Griff muttered. I noticed he had flicked out his Grigori blade. He must have done so when he'd first caught sight of the intruder.

    "I can help," explained Alec, ignoring Griffin, "I can heal her. If that is what you want?" He looked at me for authority.

    "Griff?" I asked, diverting the attention to him. I wasn't dumb enough to forget what Phoenix had done to my own mother when he'd 'healed' her.

    "I am not like my father," Alec soothed, seeming to understand my fear. My heart clenched. For crying out loud! Phoenix was this guy's Dad! The resemblance was uncanny. I had thought twins. Brothers, maybe. But his father?

    "I will help you for free," he tried again, "I can heal her. That is it. I promise." Griffin ran a blood soaked hand through his hair, dying the strands and stepped aside. Alec was at her side in an instant. Slowly he worked his hands across her body, healing her head, her stomach, arm, thigh, shin. And when he was done he stood back and I could see what he'd done. Cam was completely healed. Soft pink flesh covered the wounds but she wasn't bleeding anymore. Her breathing was steady and regular.

    "Thank-you, Alec," I whispered. He just nodded. And then the phone rang. Startled I turned around to locate the noise and by the time I turned back he was gone.

    "That was Linc," Griffin informed me, "I told him that Spence and Chloe are going to pick them up from the airport. That right with you? They'll be here in an hour or so."

    "That's cool with me," I smiled as relief flooded me, "As long as Cam's going to be alright." Griffin nodded, understanding.

    "She'll be fine," he soothed, "But we're going to have to talk to her. Firstly Phoenix turns up bloody at her doorstep and then she's at mine. Whose doorstep am I going to end up at?" Way to make a girl feel better, Griff. But I understood where he was coming from.

    "Speaking of Phoenix," Griffin mused, "Where's that Alec guy gone? And did he call Phoenix his father?" Soon the Grigori picked up Cam in his arms and carried her bridle-style to the spare bedroom the ex-exile had occupied earlier.

. . .

    "Rosie," Dad greeted enveloping me in a warm hug. He was looking a little better than last time but I still inwardly winced as I thought about how much weight he'd already lost. "Mum's had to rush off with Spence and Chloe to hunt a pack of exiles. She'll stop home later once they're done. How was your time with Griffin?" I was just about to prepare him for my recount of my bombshell of a fortnight when he happened to look over my shoulder.

    "Rose," Dad questioned, "Why is there blood on Griffin's table?" I sucked in a deep breath.

    "The last few days have been crazy," I started. Griffin snorted lightly and muttered something like 'master of the understatement' or the like.

    "Explain," my father demanded as the older Grigori brewed us all large mugs of steaming coffee. I plunged into a full explanation of the events of the past two weeks. I told him everything; Phoenix, passing out again, Cam's memory being wiped, my mysterious stalker who was actually Phoenix's son, Cam ending up bleeding on the doorstep. Well, everything except the dreams. 'They already have a lot of stuff on their minds' I reminded myself.

    "So Phoenix has a son?" Dad asked his face incredulous. I nodded.

    "Apparently." A puzzled expression fell over Dad's face.

    "Why didn't he tell anyone?" He was asking that question in all seriousness? Apparently I wasn't the only one thinking along those lines.

    "You really think a son of Phoenix would be warmly welcomed into the community with no suspicion or malice against him?" Griffin managed through gritted teeth, "Phoenix was a powerful exile in his time. A son could mean his talents were passed on, maybe even to a higher degree." A familiar voice entered the conversation from behind me.

    "So I'm not insane?" I closed my eyes and cursed a million different gods.

'Really?' my head screamed 'Could this get any worse? Well yes it can, Rosie, thanks for asking!'

    "Phoenix does have magic powers and a son?" Luckily we had my dad on side. Normally, Dad could throw anyone off guard. Today just obviously wasn't normal.

    "Cameron," Dad covered, "How long have you been standing there? Nasty fall you had on those steps outside. Are you feeling okay now?" My friend smiled pleasantly at him but it didn't take a genius to know she wasn't fooled or distracted. Stubborn red-head.

    "I'm feeling great thanks, Mr Wood," Cam replied, "You really need some lessons on 'inside' voices. Now if we're talking about Phoenix and his crazy powerful son who stole my memories I have some news you might like to hear."

...

Wow! So much just happened! My favourite part where Griffin falls asleep, we learn the contection between Phoenix and Alec, Cam gets attacked and then comes into the world of Grigori... What a terrible day for Rose. :( Interesting enough for you all? That was update 3 of 3 for today. I'll be updating again soon. Again: comments please!!!

~SpanishFox