MASON'S POV-
When I woke up there was sun streaming through the window. That had to be a good thing, right?
My mind was fuzzy, and I couldn't remember any exact details from yesterday, or last night, or whatever I wanted to call it. That could just be me being sleep deprived though. Or it could be me using too much spirit magic and having my blood drained. Or both.
I sat up and my fuzzy mind immediately protested, along with my muscles, but I ignored them both. There was a dresser opposite the bed with a mirror, where I saw that I looked like shit for the most part. There was blood smeared on my neck and I was full of dirt, and my eyes had bags around them.
I forced myself off the bed and into the living room where Prim was sleeping while sitting up on the couch, there was a bowl of popcorn next to here and the tv was on the menu for a movie she must've been watching.
I turned, looking into the kitchen that was connected to the small living room where Landon was.
"Hey, Mason. You have a lot of explaining to do. And don't worry, Blondie is fine. I don't think she meant to fall asleep but she seemed pretty exhausted." Landon said, his usual go with the flow attitude still intact.
"What happened when I was out?" I asked, wanted to cringe at how badly I sounded.
Landon got one of his goofy, I know something you don't, smiles on his face. "The warden from your boarding school stopped by. The hot one, with the raging green eyes and messy blonde hair. Don't worry I turned her away."
"The warden... From our boarding school?" I asked, and then it hit me that his description matched Zoey. "Zoey stopped by? What did she say!" I tried to keep the anger out of my voice, and was actually pretty successful which meant the spirit darkness wasn't getting to me yet.
"Just that she was looking for two teenage runaways. And that there might be a reward for anyone who turned them in, it sounds like your parents are loaded... Or at least that's the vibe I was getting. Did you get tired of your nice little soft life at your school, kid? Decide to runaway?" Landon said, taunting me. He obviously knew I'd lied about being older.
I ignored the taunts, another sign that the spirit darkness hadn't hit me yet. "We didn't run for it because we were bored, there's more reasoning behind it than that." I told him, looking back over to Prim who looked delicate while she slept. Except for the fact that she was basically as dirty as I was. We both needed to be cleaned up.
Looking back to Landon I asked. "Mind if I use your shower quick? I might as well do it now since she's asleep. And did you happen to see where she put her bag?" I added, hoping she might've thought to grab me some extra clothes as well. I had saw that she'd had a backpack when we'd ran for it.
"Yeah go ahead, and her bags next to the couch over there." Landon told me. I strode over, grabbing her bag off the floor and was pleasantry surprised to see that she grabbed me a jacket, a plain t-shirt, and a pair of jeans from my room. Someone must've helped her get in because I usually kept my dorm room locked up pretty tightly, being that I didn't have to share a room with anyone.
I pulled out my clothes, setting the bag back down, and heading into the bathroom and getting into the shower right away, not caring that the water hadn't warmed up yet.
It took me all of five minutes to shower, where I quickly got dressed and heading back out into the living room where Prim was now awake... And glaring at me.
I saw Landon casting glances between the two of us.
I decided to speak first. "The shower's open if you want a turn. You look kind of like crap."
Her glare deepened. "Aren't you a charmer, Mason Belikov? First you leave me here all alone while you pass out, with this older man I don't know, and then you go on to tell me I look like crap? All after I saved your sorry ass?" Prim was angry. She never liked petty arguments like this, and the fact that she was partaking in any form of witty banter with me was a bad sign on my end.
I wish I wasn't saving my spirit magic for saving Jill, or I would've taken a peak at her aura.
I saw Landon smiling, this was probably better than any tv show he ever watched. Live, right in his living room.
"Prim, my head is still fuzzy from... To be honest I can barely remember any details from yesterday, so if you want to go get in the shower and then refresh my memory afterwards that's probably the best place to start. Especially if you want to find Jill on time." I told her, surprisingly without saying anything too snippy. I was curious as to why the spirit darkness was still holding off.
Prim scowled at me, and I could've swore I heard a growl, before she grabbed her bag and stormed into the bathroom.
Landon looked at me. "It seems like your in some deep shit with that girl... What did she say your last name was again? You always told me it was Smith."
I just shook my head. "I also told you I was in my twenties."
"Yeah, I'm kind of upset about that. Especially now that I'm harboring teenage runaways in my apartment." Landon said, but didn't seem too mad. Landon wasn't a bad guy, just some chill dude I'd met on one of my secret trips out of the academy.
He might've dealt pot here and there, but at least he was cool with harboring teenage runaways and was over all a pretty decent guy
"You'll get over it. Besides, I've covered for you before. Especially with Bianca." I told him, mentioning his girlfriend of three of years. I'd met her before and she seemed nice, but had never seemed to like me which was fine on my part.
"Yeah. I do owe you something, because Bianca is pretty amazing and if it weren't for your advice she probably would've dumped my sorry ass by now." Landon admitted and we both laughed.
"So, maybe you'll be willing to tell me more than Blondie was. All she kept telling me was that you would tell me everything when you woke up." Landon said, looking towards the bathroom where we could both here the shower running.
"There really isn't much I can tell you, man. We ran away, it's important that we get to where we need to go, its also important no one knows that we were here or that we know you." I said, giving him a look letting him know to stop with the questions. He didn't of course.
"What was up with your guy's school pictures? You were wearing the same outfit as the warden chick, and Prim looked like she was dressed up for some ball or shit, with a tiara and everything." Landon told me, curiosity shining in his eyes.
"She seriously showed you those pictures? Those have to be from last year, we haven't even taken school pictures this year. And they must've been desperate to find us if they just grabbed the first pictures they could find."
"Blondie basically said the same thing, but neither of you answered the question." Landon said and I just ignored him, grabbing his remote and flicking on the tv.
Prim was out of the shower in 12 minutes, dressed and looking more like herself though the anger in her eyes told me she was still very angry.
It was odd, that she was the angry one and I wasn't... Especially since I'd used so much spirit...
Except, she'd taken the spirit from me. And honestly, I was feeling better than I had in days. There was no darkness in me at all that I could feel, it was like it was buried deeper than I could feel it. Or it was just gone.
My eyes snapped up to meet Prim's, and my aura vision came easily to me. Another sign that there was no spirit darkness holding me back. Her aura had no more trace of the gold that she had had yesterday after drinking my blood, but there was a foggy darkness to it.
It was how Queen Vasilisa's aura looked sometimes, and I assumed how mine looked a lot of the time even though I couldn't see it. Lissa had taken the darkness along with my blood.
I hadn't even thought about it, because when we'd tested my blood when I was younger Queen Vasilisa had been the one to drink it. And we'd examined her aura afterwards, and after the glow had died down there had been darkness. We'd all assumed it had just been from her, since she was also a spirit user.
But it was from me. When people drank my blood, the spirit dissipated for awhile. Darkness included.
I stood up, causing the remote to the floor and I could feel Landon staring at me like I was insane. My whole body was stiff, and my mind was screaming at me that this was wrong. Prim shouldn't have to experience the darkness, that was my burden. My life.
"Prim, I need to talk to you. Bedroom. Now." I told her and she just glared at me before saying. "I've thought about it, and I want to have some peace before we start arguing so lets talk later."
She moved to sit down next to Landon and I grabbed her arm. "Stop trying to piss me off, we're talking now." I said, through my teeth. I dragged her to the bedroom and she scowled at me again.
Once we were in the bedroom I grabbed her arm again, and she went to pull away but couldn't.
I'd never taken darkness from anyone before, but the concept seemed pretty simple. I used the spirit magic so I can see her aura again, and the darkness. Once I saw it I just thought of my hand on her arm, and of the spirit magic seeping back into me.
I watched, relief and horror flooding through me, as the darkness obeyed and went back into me. Relief that it was out of her, and horror that I would have to face the backlash now. No doubt I wasn't going to be pleasant to be around now.
"Prim, I want you to knock me out with something. Just grab something heavy and knock me out." I said, closing my eyes and trying to center myself as I let go of her arm.
"Mason... I feel, a lot better what did you do! What did you do!" She was half screaming at me now, and I opened my eyes and I saw her gasp a little.
I knew what she was seeing, she was seeing layer upon layer of anger rooted in my brown eyes. Anger that always came after a large use of spirit. It always showed through in my eyes, and at school when this happened everyone knew to leave me alone.
Everyone at school knew I had my bad days, and I knew there were rumors about it. I knew Prim had heard the rumors, hell she'd dealt with this when I was younger. But she'd obviously never seen it this bad and I could see the worry in her eyes.
"Prim, just do it. Knock me out and let me sleep it off." I told her, I could hear it now. My mind telling me this was her fault. And if she'd just stayed home like our parents told us to we wouldn't be in this situation. I could be with Illiana, having a good time.
I could be training with Tommy and Derick. I could be anywhere but here, feeling anything but this. And it was her fault.
I shook the thoughts away trying to concentrate. It wasn't her fault. It wasn't her fault I was doing this.
"Mason, I'm not knocking you out. Here," she said extending her hand. "Just take my hand and relax. We'll fight it off ok? I'm here, I'm not afraid. You can yell at me if you want. I know it isn't you. Remember, my mother goes through this same thing? I know how this goes. Ok? Everything is ok, I'm ok, and you're ok."
I was shaking now. Why should I take her hand? Why should I encourage her little obsession with me. She already thought I'd do anything for her, why should I encourage her more?
This was her fault.
I whipped around looking away from her, burying my face in my hands as I tried to ignore my thoughts that were manifesting from the darkness.
"Prim, I can't handle this." I said, as it got harder and harder for me to not be mad at her.
"No, you can't handle this alone. No one can, no one should have to. But don't worry, I'm here. I'm here, Mason, and you can't scare me off. Even if you think its for my own good. You can't make me leave. Go ahead and try." she sounded so sure of herself, sounded so sure of me.
So for the first time, I turned around and took her hand, and the weight that had always, always, rested down on my shoulders lightened.
Even if it was only a tiny bit lighter, I felt more free than I ever had.
PRIM'S POV-
We were both sitting on the couch, and Landon was sitting in one of his living room chairs looking at us every once in awhile, and at our clasped hands in between us.
Every time I looked into Mason's eyes I got more worried, but I tried my best not to show it. His thoughts seemed to be getting darker.
We should've thought ahead for this more. I should've known that after a restoration, and after killing that strigoi with his magic, that he'd be drained. My mother had had bouts of darkness from less than that.
I knew the signs of it, and I'd ignored them. And now Mason was paying the price for it.
I looked at the clock in the kitchen, were the time said 11:30. We'd be leaving in half an hour. The attack on the Strigoi would happen at 3:00pm and it would take us some time to drive there.
Also there was the issue of a vehicle. I doubted Landon was just going to hand his car over to two teenagers, and I definitely didn't want Mason using anymore spirit.
"Mason, can I talk to you in the bedroom?" I asked, pulling us both to our feet all while never letting go of his hand. It seemed to be keeping him grounded, at least as good as it could for right now.
Landon just raised his eyebrows but didn't say anything. He'd stopped with the annoying questions after we'd first come out of the bedroom and Mason had just about bitten his head off for asking if we were a thing now because we were holding hands.
I shut the bedroom door and turned to Mason who looked even darker than a moment ago, if that was possible.
"I think we should leave. Now." I told him, monitoring his emotions on his face.
"Ok. How do you think we get Landon's car then? He's not just gonna give it to us, and I don't think me using spirit right now is the best option." Mason's voice sounded dead, and I had to fight the cringe I had.
I debated telling Mason my plan, but decided he wouldn't let me. So I would just have to act then, and pray Mason didn't see it coming.
I walked forward slowly, wrapping my arms around Mason in a hug. He hugged me back, but I could feel that he wasn't really into and that he was confused.
"Prim, this is what you wanted. Why are you freaking out now?" he asked, he sounded slightly worried even if his voice still held no emotion.
I froze, only for a moment, before I pulled back slightly just so I could reach his neck, and then I bit him.
I held on tighter, and I felt him stiffen before he frantically began trying to push me off without hurting me.
"Prim, Prim get off you don't want this! Primrose, get the hell off of me now!" He said, all while trying to unwrap my arms from around him.
I held tighter, and tried to keep my focus even though his wonderful blood was pouring into my system fogging my thoughts.
Finally he forced me off of him, and he still seemed able to stand which was a good thing. I hadn't taken as much as last time.
I saw the bite mark on his neck heal, which was thankfully cleaner than it had been last time. I'd known what to expect this time.
"Don't you dare come towards me, Mason. We need to get out of here and you can't use your compulsion. It'll take awhile for the spirit magic in me now to turn to darkness. I can compel Landon for now, get the car, and you can drive this time since you have your license... Then if the darkness gets too bad later you can take it. Ok?" I asked, hoping he'd just go along with the plan.
He glared at me, but moved towards the bedroom door rather than me. At least he wasn't trying to take the spirit out of me yet.
"Let's just go." he said, and I got up off the floor, following him into the living room.
I immediately started toward Landon, but then there was a knock on the door. I froze, and Mason swiveled his gaze to Landon. "Who's that?"
"Bianca. If you two are going to tune me out, I decided to invite her over, you know being that this is my home." Landon said, actually sounding angry which was odd. I found it slightly funny that he was mad that we were ignoring him, but not mad that we were two teenage runaways in his apartment.
Landon walked over to the door and opened it, and Bianca walked in smiling, until her gaze landed on me. "Landon, why is this guy here again? And who's his friend, I thought we agreed you weren't going to talk to him anymore!"
"Bianca, babe, this is my place and Mason's my friend. Chill out a little, would you?" he asked and I saw Bianca was still staring at me.
I also saw Mason looking carefully at Bianca.
"What's your name?" she asked me, and I opened my mouth to answer but Mason beat me to it. "Hannah. Her name is Hannah. She's my friend."
Bianca glared at him. "Don't lie to me, Mason. Who is she? I know what you are, and I might be young and new to this field position but don't play me for stupid. It didn't take me long to figure out what you are, and she's even more familiar. You brought the Princess here? How do you have access to the Princess?"
Mason paled, and I looked at Bianca.
"How do you know this stuff?" I asked, glancing over at Landon who was looking at us carefully, his eyebrows crunched as if he was thinking.
Then suddenly Landon's eyes lit up and he skittered backwards several steps.
Bianca moved towards him, her hands in her purse. "It's ok, Landon. I'll handle this. If you would've just listened to me and not hung around that boy anymore!"
Landon looked at her. "You didn't tell me he wasn't human, Bi! If you had I would've listened!"
Mason took a step forward. "You're telling me you two know about vampires?" his eyes were full of rage and I wanted to step forward and protect them from him, but I was frozen in place.
Landon was shaking. "I don't, but Bianca works for some agency protecting humans from them. I never deal with it, and as far as I see it it's just Bianca's job but... I never thought I'd come face to face with it!"
"You're an Alchemist?" I asked Bianca, forcing myself to take a step towards Mason.
"Yes. And you're the Missing Princess. Everyone's looking for you, Primrose. And the missing Belikov..." Bianca froze and stopped talking, her eyes back on Mason.
"You're the Belikov Boy." She whispered. I noticed she had a phone in her hand.
I saw Mason look up, and I saw that there was a steely reserve in his eyes. I saw the phone fly out of her hand and into his. "Yes, I am." he said, and then with a hard note in his voice. "Neither of you will remember us. Bianca you came over here to see your boyfriend, and Landon we were never here."
I saw Mason shaking, and saw Bianca and Landon's eyes partially glaze over. The compulsion wasn't taking, and even if it was Mason shouldn't be using any. I stepped forward. "Listen to him, neither of you will remember us. Bianca you just came over here to see Landon, and Landon no one was ever here." I repeated.
They both repeated what we'd told them. "Landon give me your keys, you remember you lent your car out to a friend." I told him and he stiffly got up and left the room, returning with a set of keys.
"You two won't remember us." I said again, grabbing my backpack, Mason grabbed my arm, and we fled the apartment.
As we ran down the hallway I heard Mason muttering curse words. "What is it?" I panted as we took the stairs two at a time.
"Bianca, I can't believe she's an alchemist." he said, his voice coming out even, even though we were running. "The compulsion will probably wear off on her. Those tattoo's of theirs prevent it from taking as well. I can't believe I didn't notice the damn tattoo!" He said, and I could hear an edge of spirit darkness in his voice.
I wasn't feeling any of the darkness, but I knew it would come and I knew what it would feel like now. The whole time I'd been in the shower this morning I'd been so angry and mad at Mason, and I hadn't been able to pinpoint exactly why. It was just pure anger and rage, and darkness. And he had more darkness than I had felt.
I couldn't imagine how he, my mother, or anyone with spirit ever dealt with it. They all had to be so strong.
"Mason it isn't your fault, she probably had the tattoo covered with makeup." I said as we burst through the front doors of the building and into the sunlight. I saw him chuck the alchemists phone into some nearby bushes, and I heard as it hit the ground hopefully breaking.
"I'm nearly a Guardian! I should know how to detect these kinds of things! Maybe, if I hadn't been playing buddy buddy with Landon..." he said, muttering now to himself as we made a run for the parking lot.
"If you hadn't made buddy buddy with Landon we wouldn't have had a hiding spot." I reminded him.
Mason let out a cold laugh. "Of all the rotten luck, his girlfriend's an Alchemist."
I laughed slightly with him. "That just happens to be our luck, Mase. Good thing we can handle it." I said as we reached the car.
I got in the passenger side, as Mason got in the front. "Good thing we can handle, Prim, good thing." he said, almost like he was trying to convince himself as he started the car and drove out of the parking lot our speed growing and growing as we got onto the road.
He was definitely a much better driver than me.
I looked at behind us, as the parking and apartment building got smaller, as we committed grand theft auto for the second time in two days.
We were going to be in so much trouble when this was all over.