Layla.
"Why are you being so quiet?" Harry mumbled against my bare shoulder. We were currently lying naked on the bed in our hotel room, and he had just given me the bath he had teased me about. He had also told me why we would be leaving Las Vegas early, and I was mind boggled that he actually trusted my judgement enough to tell me.
I was finally going to meet the Council; a fact that I couldn't wrap my head around. They had summoned the Lords for a meeting, and despite that he didn't say it or show it, I knew that it had Harry nervous. And after hearing how much they love to bend the rules into their favor, I completely understood why. Which made me nervous too as to why they would want to see them. Harry hadn't really elaborated on that, though he probably didn't know either.
I turned my head toward him, and laid it on the pillow. My hair was still a little wet, but his was dry considering I was the one in the actual tub while he just washed my skin of the tension I felt, and apparently he also cleaned off the werewolf and shapeshifter scent.
"Thank you for telling me about the Council," I told him softly, and leaned in, gently kissing the tip of his nose. "You didn't have to. You could've kept it a secret until the last minute like you used to do, but you told me without being prompted."
Harry half smiled and stroked his hand along my bare back. I was lying on my stomach, and he was cuddled up to me on his side with his arm resting on my back; it was comforting being so close to him. "I'm trying to remember that you're not the same human you used to be when we met, and that you can handle more intense situations than I give you credit for."
My stomach warmed, and I couldn't help the grin on my face. "I guess we're both growing up. You're learning to trust me with things like that, and I'm learning how to keep my reactions in check," I commented.
He chuckled. "It was bound to happen." His fingers trailed down my spine, causing me to exhale a peaceful sigh. "Most vampires learn to keep a brave face, as some would say. They mask their emotions and keep a stone cold expression so no one knows what they're thinking."
"You used to do that, when we met, I mean," I said, softly, and gently touched the space between his eyebrows. This was usually the place his emotions came through the strongest, apart from his eyes of course. When he was stressed, or angry, they always knitted together to create a crease that I always wanted to kiss away. "I'm glad you haven't learned to mask them from me. I like knowing what you're thinking."
His lips pressed against my hand, before he nudged it away from his face to his cheek so he could rest against it like the pillow. He closed his eyes and slowly inhaled my scent. "I'd like to say I can hide my emotions from you, but it'd be a lie. You always do something to surprise me, and I know that won't change, so I doubt I'll ever learn how to keep bad things away from you."
"I'm a danger magnetic, remember? Anything within a thousand mile radius that could produce some kind of threat finds its way back to me," I said, meaning for it to be a joke, but it obviously wasn't taken that way, because when his eyes snapped open there was a hint of anger in them.
"And if I could, I'd shield you from it. You don't deserve for these things to happen, Layla. Emilia shouldn't be after you," he said, and sat up on the bed.
I sat up to, holding the blanket to my chest. "No one deserves it, Harry. No one deserves for Emilia to be after them either. But it's my destiny to end this."
He stared at the wall. "It's Khloe's destiny to end this, Layla. You're just supposed to help her."
"You'd rather a helpless four year old fight her than me?"
Harry looked at me, and frowned. "You know that's not what I meant."
"Then what did you mean?" I asked him, trying to hold the bitterness out of my tone.
He sighed. "Yes, Khloe is a helpless four year old, but if she was meant to do this, then there must be a way for us to protect her by giving her the tools to end this. But nothing can be done if Justin and Emma won't allow her to train."
"They're doing more harm to her than good by shielding her," I agreed.
"All of us will need to talk to them when we get back," he said, glancing over at me. "And when I say all, I mean all of us."
"We can't gang up on them," I protested. "I know where they're coming from, Harry. We just have to find a way to make them see reason."
"We've tried that, and we've tried everything short of teaching her in secret. There's not much else we can do besides tell them the hard truth; we're all going to die if Khloe can't do this. It's what she was born to do."
"They might leave with her in the middle of the night," I said, frowning at him as he got up from the bed. "What will we do then, huh? If they leave, we won't be able to find them before Emilia does. And she'll kill them. And then we'll be screwed. We can't gang up on them."
"It's the only thing left, Layla. I wish there was something else, but there isn't. They have to understand they can't shield her from the awfulness in the world. It'll find her no matter what."
"I know," I said, and sighed. "Fine, we'll do it. But if I think it's going too far, it stops, got it?"
Harry looked at me and without a word, he lifted me from the bed so that my torso was pressing against his. His lips touched my forehead and trailed down to my lips. "I will do whatever it takes to keep you safe, Layla. Even if it means having you hate me again."
I looked at him, and I could tell that he meant every word. His message was clear; he wouldn't stop yelling at Emma and Justin, not even if I told him to. He would convince them no matter the cost.
Damaris.
I slipped out of our room after Taylor fell asleep, and I did the most stupid and impulsive thing I could do short of sleeping with some random girl. Actually this was probably even stupider than that, and it cost me a huge chunk of money.
In Vegas, it was obvious that people threw money away in gambling, but apparently, my brain didn't tell my feet to take me to the casino. Nope, it took me somewhere else.
"Welcome to Courtesy Jewelers, what can I do for you, sir?" A woman asked as soon as I entered, and I blinked, coming out of my daze.
"I..I'm not sure," I confessed, walking over to the counter. I put my hands on it, and leaned forward slightly, looking down at all of the glimmering jewelry. I'd never seen a sight that was so sparkly. "I don't even know why I'm here."
She leaned down toward me, smiling sadly as if she understood my problems. "I'm going to guess that it's a problem with a girl."
I blinked again. "How did you know that?"
She laughed. "I didn't take you for the gay type, so it was a lucky guess, I suppose." Her nails tapped against the glass as she thrummed them absentmindedly. "Now, back in the days that humans ran things, there were three reasons anyone came to Vegas, and they haven't changed to this day. Reason one, to cheat on their spouse."
"I'm not cheating on anyone," I defended myself, my tone probably a bit harsher than it needed to be.
"Didn't say you were, darling." She paused for a moment. "Reason two, and the most obvious reason, they came to gamble. And you don't seem like the gambling type either."
"I'm not," I said, quietly and slowly looked at her. "What's the third reason?"
"They came to get hitched," she said, shrugging and laughed at my confused expression since I'd never heard that term before. "Elope. You know, get married? Jesus, I didn't take you for the dumb type either."
"Oh." I bit the inside of my cheek and looked down at the rings in the glass case again. "I've got a lot on my mind."
"And I think you didn't come here for any of those three. But you still ended up in here, so there's only one thing you would do that for."
"Huh?" How could she know why I was here when even I didn't? My head was beginning to hurt, and I began to wonder why I didn't just go to the bar. Alcohol was cheaper than anything in this place, and would probably get me into a lot less trouble.
"You must have had some fight with your girlfriend, and you want to buy her something special, and by the case you're looking at, I'd say something very special is needed."
I looked up at her and slowly moved my hands off of the counter. "And what's that?"
"Depends on what she likes," she responded and gestured around the store. "Ear rings? A ring? A bracelet? Or how about a necklace?" Her fingers instantly went for the most gaudiest necklace I'd ever seen.
"I don't know what she likes," I admitted. "I've never gotten her anything before."
Her eyes narrowed and her lips tensed and puckered. I knew now that she was just figuring out that I'd be a tough customer. She was probably used to clueless men stopping by, but my amount of cluelessness took the cake.
"Then I guess I only need to ask you one question; do you love her?"
I blinked, somehow confused. "What? What does that have to do with anything?"
She rolled her eyes. "Just answer the question. Do you love her? Can you imagine a day without her?"
I gulped. I really couldn't imagine a day without Taylor, and I knew that I loved her, but was it enough? As my mom would say, I'm young and immortal, so I have all the time in the world to meet someone else. I don't have to have Taylor forever, I could have her for a few years until we both figured out how fucked up and messed up we are together, and then I could find someone else. Someone like maybe Amy, if she was still around waiting for me.
But I couldn't tell the saleswomen all of that. If I did, I'd probably wind up with the whole store in my pocket by the time I left, and the amount of cash I had on me probably couldn't cover all of that. It was a decent amount; a few hundreds that I always carried for emergencies. But I doubt it would buy anything in this store.
"Yes, I love her, and no, I can't imagine spending a day without her, but-," I began, thinking up an excuse to leave the store, though I was cut off.
"No buts about it. You need something to seal the deal and make sure she doesn't find someone else," she said, flashing her white teeth at me, because she knew right there she had me.
I couldn't let Taylor end up with someone like Nick, the werewolf we met when we first arrived. She deserved better than that, better than me too, but I wouldn't admit that right now.
"And what seals the deal exactly?" I asked, vaguely wary at what her response was going to be.
"A big ol' diamond ring seals it quite nicely," she said, grinning again.
"But I don't even know what she'd like," I said, trying to make an excuse. If all else fails, I could make a run for it. She couldn't stop me, I wasn't stealing anything, I just didn't want to buy anything. Or did I? I don't know.
"What do you like? And clueless boy, please for the love of God do not say you don't know. Because you do. Whatever you pick from your heart I can guarantee your lady love will love it too." She tapped on the glass case, as if assuring me to look down.
So I did, and I was once again nearly blinded by bangles and bobbles, sparkly ones at that, but I still couldn't see one that looked like something I could see on Taylor's finger. I've never seen her wear a ring before. And she's never mentioned loving jewelry.
Suddenly, the saleswoman's hand appeared in my line of sight as she carefully plucked a ring from the case. "You can say all you want that you don't know, but your eyes never left this one. Even before you were looking at it. It's my job to watch out for little details like that."
I looked up and I was stunned by the beauty of the ring. It was square shaped, with a larger square diamond in the middle and was decorated by four smaller ones all around the edge. The band was silver, and it was even decorated by two blue gemstones on either side that matched the color of Taylor's eyes exactly. I was stunned.
"Wow," I breathed out, blinking a few times. How did my brain not process that ring when it was in the case? That color blue would've caught my eye easily, but I couldn't remember seeing it, so how would she know that I was staring at it? Did it even come from the case, or did she pull it out of thin air magically? It looked like it was made for Taylor's finger, and I could tell that the size would fit her perfectly; like a glove.
"Now, will that be cash, or gold coins?" she asked me, with an arrogant smirk on her lips because she knew she was making a sale. And I couldn't deny how much I knew Taylor would love it.
"Cash," I responded, and pulled all of the bills I had on my from my pocket, and put them onto the counter.
***
When I left the jewelry store, I left with a small sense of confidence that I didn't have when I got there. And a ring that cost more than the boat we arrived on. I obviously didn't have enough money to cover it, but once I said the room I was in, the saleswoman automatically knew that I came with the Lords and said it was charged to the room. So I'd have to talk to Harry before he saw the bill, and hope he understood my situation. After all, he had told me that he wanted me to marry Taylor. And it's not like he doesn't have the money to cover the cost.
A great thing about buying this ring is that I get to decide when and where it happens. It doesn't have to be now, or straight away, I can plan the perfect moment like people used to do in movies, and she'll say yes because I won't do it until I'm sure she will. And we'll be as happy as Liam and Leigha are.
Hopefully.
I smiled to myself as I paused in the hallway leading toward our rooms and opened the ring box slowly, taking in the ring for nearly the tenth time before I closed it and put it into my pocket. Ideally, I'll be able to hide it somewhere that Taylor wont find it, and good for me, she's not exactly a snoop. I'd obviously have to keep it on me, or find someone I trusted to keep it safe and hidden; maybe Layla would help me. Or Harry.
Or maybe I should just bury it somewhere so no one gets their hopes up that I'll get engaged in the future. Keeping it a secret from everyone might just make things easier in case this doesn't happen, because after all, it's me. I'm not exactly known for making things go smoothly. Not in the slightest.
"Did you buy her what I think you just bought her?"
I jumped and turned around, frowning at her. "What the fuck, Amy? Why are you sneaking up on me?"
She crossed her arms, and her jaw tensed. Her blue eyes, the brown contacts missing, looked sad. "Answer me, Damaris. Did you buy that bottle blonde bitch a ring?" she asked, through her teeth.
"Taylor isn't a bottle blonde, and it's none of your business-," I began, but she was already trying to dig the ring box out of my pocket. "Hey! Amy, stop it!"
"I followed you. I watched you go into the jewelry store and I listened to part of the conversation because I couldn't listen to the entire thing, and you walked out smiling. Ring box in hand," she said, and despite that I was trying to keep her from getting the ring out of my pocket, she was somehow winning. And she eventually did get it from me.
"Amy, I'm not fucking playing. Give me that damn box. It's none of your business," I snapped, reaching for it back.
She opened it, and she seemed almost defeated as she looked at the ring. I swore I saw a tear form in her right eye, but it was gone before I could say anything. "So this is it? You're just going to propose to her and marry her even though things aren't settled between us?"
I grabbed the box from her and snapped it shut before shoving it into my pocket. I gritted my teeth and tried to keep my expression even. "I never said I was going to propose to Taylor. And there isn't an us, Amy."
She stared at me for a moment before she moved in front of me, and grabbed my face, pressing her lips to mine greedily. And I couldn't stop her. I wasn't sure if it was because she was stronger and more determined than me, or if I just didn't want her to stop. I didn't kiss her back, but that was mostly because I was too stunned.
She pulled away, and her breathing was spiked, then again so was mine, but she looked hungry; lustful hungry. "You have to feel it too, the connection between us. I can't be the only that feels it." Her eyes darted around for a moment before she jerked me into a room with the door ajar. It looked like a supply closet.
"Amy...what are you doing? This isn't right," I said my panting softly.
She closed the door tightly behind us, leaving little light in the room, but I was still able to see her take off her top. And her bra. "It may not seem right to you, but to me, it's just equaling things out. You know what Taylor has to offer, but you have no idea about me." She smirked.
"Amy, it's wrong," I said, biting the inside of my cheek. "I can't do this to Taylor."
Amy walked closer to me, and kissed me again. "Do what? We're not doing anything wrong, Damaris. Just evening things out, and letting you know your options."
"I can't do this," I repeated.
Her eyes flared red for a moment, and she crossed her arms. "You can leave whenever you want, Damaris, I won't stop you. I'm not going to beg and grovel for your affection. But just know, this is your only chance to try things out with us. I can leave and never come back. I won't give you a do over if she fucks you over and leaves you all alone and heart broken."
I looked at the door, and looked back at her. I understood what she was saying, and a few weeks ago, I would've killed for this chance. I mean, seriously, Amy was standing in front of me topless and she was practically begging me to fuck her.
But how can I? I just bought Taylor a ring because I think we have a future together. I even told that saleswoman I couldn't imagine spending a day without her. And now I'm rethinking everything just because I'm being given this opportunity that I didn't think would've been thrown so hard at me.
However, what Amy said was true. What if Taylor decides I'm too complicated and she wants out? I'd have no one, and would probably end up fucking anything I could all over again. I didn't want that life. I wanted a life with someone special.
My mom would tell me that I was too young to settle for anyone, and that I needed to experiment with different girls until I found the right one. But my mom didn't know that my sex life was highly active, and that I knew what I wanted; I just didn't know who yet.
If I walked out of this janitor closet right now, as she said, Amy was done trying with me. She'd make some excuse with her dad and just leave, and I'd never see her again. And I'd be left wondering for the rest of my life if she was ever the one. I'd never be able to give myself completely to Taylor because I would always wonder if it was right for me to have her when I was constantly doing what ifs with another woman.
And I couldn't let myself live with that.
I tugged off my shirt, and walked over to her slowly as I dropped it to the floor. I touched her face and leaned in, kissing her lightly on the lips as she stood still. "I won't live my life wondering about you and what could've been if I'd just gave in. And I won't let my relationship with Taylor suffer because I always think about you. I'd rather-,"
"Damaris," Amy cut me off, her smile peaking through on her lips. "Just shut up, and fuck me. You talk too much."
I couldn't help but laugh and I kissed her with everything I had in me. I gave her everything I had, and I knew she gave me what she had too.
This was a moment we both needed, and we'd just have to deal with the consequences. Even if it meant I lost Taylor, at least I wouldn't spend the rest of my life wondering if Amy was the girl I wanted more than anything else in the world.
Third Person; Emilia.
The rain poured down on the roof as soon as Andrew disappeared from her sight, and Emilia gritted her teeth as she sat alone in her old bedroom.
"I am done pretending to be helpless when I know what could possibly help me," she nearly growled to herself and stood up slowly. She walked out into the hallway and began making her way down the stairs carefully.
She suddenly felt like she was walking back in time as she took in the old furniture and placements of everything. It looked almost exactly the same as the night she left. The entire house, except for the living room, was cleaned from Andrew using magic, and she knew exactly the reason why as she entered it.
Her father had died in this room, and he couldn't clean it because it was too tainted. Even cleaning it wouldn't make it clean, and they both knew that.
Emilia walked over to the exact spot that his body used to lay before they carried his body out and gave him an honorable funeral. Honorable being a loose word in her opinion.
She sneered slightly, her advanced sight allowing her to see his blood still on the wooden floor. She could smell him, and her stomach turned, and she almost felt like falling over into those pathetic memories again.
Without much thought, she spat onto the spot, and her spit sizzled like acid against the dried old blood.
"Rot in hell, you bastard," she said, through her teeth, and she dizzily made her way out of the room toward the front door. She took a deep breath of the fresh air, and she relaxed a bit, the memories fading behind her.
The town in front of her wasn't even a town anymore. The buildings were collapsed and chard, and no signs of life anywhere. It was abandoned, and also had a hint of an eerie feeling in the air. She smiled, remembering how she had ran through the town after her change and attacked everyone in it. They deserved it for burning her little sister like she was a demon.
Emilia walked down the porch steps and turned to the walk around the side of the house. She used the side of the house to prop herself up in order to conserve some of her energy and when she finally made it to the garden, she collapsed onto her knees.
She pulled up her tank top with a wince, and stared down at the stab wound in her abdomen. It still bled her dark blood, the darkness literally oozing out of it, and it appeared singed around the edges, as if it had been burnt. And it looked painful.
Without much thought, she grabbed at the healing herb leaves that her mother grew years ago, and she shoved them inside of the wound. "Ah!" she screamed through her teeth as she filled her insides up with the herb, and shakily pulled down her top to keep them inside.
Emilia took a deep breath and placed her hands flat on the ground, closing her eyes. "Beloved Mother Gia, please allow me to use your healing Earth to help replenish my strength and help to heal me," she breathed out.
Her mother had taught her the healing ways of her garden, and pray to Mother Gia when she needed help. The Earth seemed to crack beneath her, and green light shinned through to her, but it wouldn't enter her form, and she knew why as soon she heard a deep growling in the back of her mind.
My Queen...this magic isn't yours to use anymore. You left this life for a much more powerful one...
"I was a witch. And I still am. This magic isn't tainted by the dagger, my dear Darkness. I must use what I have to save up my strength," she responded, and focused harder, some of the green light pouring into her.
I must advise against you using magic that isn't what I've given you. This magic is part of the Light...
"Then so be it," she said, through her teeth. "I am done pretending I have nothing left and to continue acting as if I'm defeated and dependent on Andrew."
The rest of the green poured into her, and she gasped as if she was filled with pleasure. She enjoyed the sensation, it was something that she missed despite how much she buried it.
"I will be temporarily rejuvenated, and I will be able to kill off my enemies," she chanted, and smiled.
A/N:
I hope you enjoyed. Please leave your thoughts below. xx
I'm posting the next chapter later in the day, so please watch out for it. :)
Trailer is up top. ^^^^