Hey guys, I'm not going to make any promises on updates since I'm in a really difficult semester.
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Chapter Seventeen:
Something Sweeter
The smell made my stomach clenched, remembering the party that he had a couple nights ago. Boaz sat next to Lita with her legs draped over his as Ari gave out a snort with Dexter sitting in the love seat, reading a book. Aaron and Mira talked to one another in a corner of the room. John walked in with a water bottle in his hand and sweat dripping off his forehead as his shirt clung to his sculpted body.
"Hey, how are you two-" Ari cut in and broke the niceness with his question, "John, what do you want?"
"Not in a good mood, I see," John said as he sat on the sofa and pulled on my arm so I landed on his lap. My nose twitched at the smell of sweat and dirt as he looked at me. "But you shouldn't let this ass bring you down, Matty. You're sixteen today, right?"
"How do you know that?" I asked as John jerked his thumb at Aaron.
"He told me about it," John said, "so, what do you want to do birthday girl?" Maybe its because of the fact that I don't get a lot of male attention, but I wasn't comfortable or remotely aroused by him. I suddenly thought about that weird moment and the kiss on the forehead that Drake gave me.
And I'm sure, I really wanted him to kiss me.
"I'm going to spend the day with those precious to me," I stated with a smile, "that is if I can get out of here. What do you need us for?"
"Well," John grabbed my hand and noticed the new scratch marks that the werewolf gave me, "there's been rumors going around that they're werewolves have been attack you, sweetie."
My lips turned into a smile. Do not call me sweetie. "I'm working with Abe because I don't like the idea of a bunch of random vampires trying to eat my friends and family while I'm not here."
"What do you do for them?" He asked as his hand landed on my hip. I bit the inside of my cheek to not bonk him on the head. What the hell was going on with this guy? He'd never paid this much attention to me before so why now?
"I keep an eye on the werewolves, that's it. I tell them if there in town or near my school. They say it's helpful." I said with a shrug, hoping I looked innocent. "So, what do you want us here for?"
"I'm sure you've heard about the murders."
Everyone looked up at us then while Ari's body tensed.
"And?" I asked as I tried to ignore the image of the dead body in my head.
"We were thinking it was a rogue faerie." He said after moment. "Maybe even the little guardian because the murders only happen when you're back in town. Faeries are very violent and love blood. I'm sure you've heard them cackling about the last murder already."
Ari tilted his head slightly as his body relaxed. "That's an interesting theory."
"That's stupid." I told them as I felt John's hand tensed on my hip and felt Dexter's eye turned to me; did he hate me for contradicting his friend or something? And here I thought we were getting close. "First off, that doesn't make sense because if a faerie really wanted a human they could glamour them and convince them that sex was a great idea, so what would be the point of raping them? Second, faeries like their privacy. If their was some rogue faerie, I think the courts would've had them assassinated-"
"Oh please," Lita hissed.
"Have you been to a faerie court?" I asked her as she narrowed her eyes. "Thought so.Thirdly, I think a faerie would've done better at hiding the body."
"So, what do you think?" John asked Ari as he shifted his weight on his feet.
"I agree," Ari said, "only because that a faerie would be better. Even the vampires I know think it's a human with sight."
"WHAT!" Boaz got up, nearly throwing Lita off of him which made me grin. Take that bitch.
"Please, no human is that messed up."
"Uhm, does the term war mean anything to you?" I asked as John's grip tightened to the point that I winced. "John, let me go," I asked as I got off of him. "We are so that twisted. I can make a nice long lists if you want me to, but that's beside the point. Humans are just as twisted."
"John, you're not actually going to listen to her are you?" Boaz asked. "Because she's just a faerie whore."
"Who's been seriously hurt by the faerie in question," Dexter said as he shut his book closed. "Usually, the girl who gets dump will do anything to tear apart her exes. Not defend them."
They think...Drake and I were.... I tried not to blush.
"Still doesn't change the fact that she was humping a fucking faerie!" Boaz yelled as Ari walked over to him. "What do you want-" I nearly jumped out of my skin when I saw Ari slap Boaz hard on the face.
"As long as you're in my band, you will not talk to a lady like that." Ari explained as he took his beer and sipped it. "I expect better than that from you, especially you, Boaz. It doesn't matter that she may have been with the faerie or not, you don't talk to someone like that. I don't need my band to get the reputation of being trashy."
"What do you know?" Boaz asked as I saw his cheek starting to swell. I noticed that Aaron and Lita had gotten up, ready to tear the two apart if needed. "You're no better than she is! Going around and selling yourself to a bunch of vampires like a damn whore!"
Ari smirked at him before taking another long sip. "Those vampires have kept a roof over your head. They keep us fed and are kind to us. We shouldn't be picky where we get money from."
"You're so weak. The only reason you're around vampires is because of Antonio and your daddy issues." Boaz pushed as Ari rolled his eyes. I don't think I would've reacted the same way if someone had thrown my past in my face.
"Yes, I suppose, but I'm not the one who can't handle every day life without a joint, so I guess I'm doing well." Ari added as I winced. Boaz looked betrayed and beaten.
"Let's not argue about this right now." John said, "How about we discuss it at the party tonight? Everyone will be to drunk to notice us and I think we should have a party for Matty's birthday."
How about we not? I thought as I smiled. "Thanks, that's a good idea. I better head home now though."
Before anyone else decided to hit someone.
Ari nodded and walked toward the door with me before he stopped. "Don't forget to come home and clean your guitar," Ari told Boaz. "And if you're going to do weed. At least eat it so it doesn't fuck with your voice."
I realized that this was a symbol of love. Ari walked away and I followed as I sighed, glad that I didn't have to pull out my dagger. Ari pulled out a cigarette before sighing. "I wish he didn't get caught up in all this, but he's so desperate for a family, a place to belong, that I'm sure he'd sell his soul for it."
"You really love him, don't you?" I asked as he nodded.
"I've known him since I was sixteen and he was twelve. He's so important to me, but I can't seem to reach him now. He's filled with so much fear and anger now. It's like I'm being blocked off by an iron gate to an exclusive club. Hell, I'm so fucking scared for him. For the longest time I thought he was my chance into fame."
"But now?"
"Now, I'm just scared all the time. " Ari wouldn't look at me as he lit up the cigarette. I thought about grabbing his hand, but the far off look in his eyes told me not too than again, I wasn't a touchy feely person either. My cell decided to ring then.
I picked it up as I said, "Ruth, what the hell is going on with you? I thought-"
"Do you have any idea how bad traffic is? And I tried to call you! But you didn't pick up last night!"
"Oh yeah, sorry about that. I was sort of busy," I admitted to her.
"Why?"
"I had to go to Faerie to prove how much balls I got," I said with a smile as I heard her
make a disgusted noise. "And another girl died last night."
"I heard. A pretty blonde this time though." Her voice sounded less annoyed and more nervous about something.
"What's wrong?" I asked as Ari began walking and I followed him.
"Well, the first two women were African american females with thick curly hair. The next two were of olive tone skin girls with straight black hair. The last three have been completely random. None of this makes sense." Ruth explained. "You see, here's what happens. Murderers usually have a type, or something like that. It's a pattern that rarely changes, but this guy, this guy keeps changing. It's random, but organized. It's a messy murder, but the wings...they're beautiful."
"You've seen the pictures?"
"It's the internet, sweetie. It's not hard for someone for someone to take a picture of a crime scene. It wouldn't be surprising if one of the cops put a picture on the web." She explained. "But as I was saying, the artwork is incredibly detailed. I think I've seen these in the wings of faeries. So does this guy have sight, you think?"
"Yeah, but how about we meet up and talk."
"Good deal, You know where the Holly Hotel is?"
"Yup, see you in a few-EK!" I screamed as Drake popped in front of me out of nowhere. Ari just let go of his cigarette and stepped on it with his foot. "DRAKE! Ruth, see you in a few."
"Be good, sweetie."
She hung up as I glared Drake. "Drake, don't do that! Can you please just make a noise? And quit looking at me like that!"
Drake narrowed his eyes. "So, how did the meeting end?"
"Fine," Ari said, "we'll be seeing him against tonight."
"We have to see Ruth and the Holly Hotel," I told Drake as Ari nodded.
"Are you coming?"
"No, I have to go work on a song right now."
I nodded and watched him walk away and melt into the crowd as Drake grabbed my hand and looked at me. "What do you want?" I asked him as I narrowed my eyes on him.
"I had to hear from your mother that it is the day on which you were born," Drake told me stiffly. "For humans, that very important, correct?"
"It's not in Faerie?" I remembered how we went to go see Niap's birthday party.
"No, only for royalty." Drake explained, "Age happens gradually to us at one point or another, but we never keep track of it."
"So...you don't know how old you are?" I asked him as he nodded. "You look about twenty-five." He looked at me and smiled slightly. I suddenly thought about this morning and the kiss on the forehead as my face flushed and his hand reached out for mine with his fingers tangling with mine. I couldn't help, but smile at the contact as I realized how much I enjoyed the contact. I leaned in against him.
Drake cleared his throat before he said, "You're a woman now, you know."
"Sixteen? Nah, it usually means that people can drive, but with my blind eye that's not going to happen." I told him as Drake looked at me, starting with my toes and going up my legs before stopping at my hips. He then continued up until he met my face.
His smirked. "Oh trust me, you're a woman."
Huh? What is he talking about now?
"What does it mean to be woman?" I asked as I thought about of some iconic women in history. Cleopatra used her womanly body and I suspect her heart to protect her city from Rome, but she committed suicide, so maybe that's not a great example. Theadora, who started as a whore, became the queen and convinced her husband to stay and fight the rebels. Elizabeth I lure men into alliances, promising them marriage, but never really meaning it to help England.
Maybe I should stop watching the history channel so much.
I looked up, waiting for Drake to answer, but his face flushed slightly. "Uhm, I'm not sure how to word this right without you slapping me."
"Oh?" I asked as I narrowed my eyes.
"Uhm, yes...oh, what's that?" Drake changed the subject, pointing toward and ice cream cart.
"Ice cream," I told him, "do you want one?" He nodded as I went over to the old guy, who was a friend of my dad's, and he glared at Drake, deciding that Drake was probably too old to be hanging out with a sixteen year old and that he looked like a hoodlum. The only reason this I knew this was the fact that he pursed his lips as he gave me chocolate and vanilla ice cream cones. I gave one to Drake, who held it a little ways from him, and I gave mine a lick.
Drake watched me for a moment before mimicking my movements. His eyes lit up and looked at me before taking a large bite out of it.
"Uh, Drake, be careful." I warned him. "If you eat those too quickly you-"
He slammed his eyes shut and groaned, putting one hand on his forehead before he said, "It's like someone's stabbing me in the brain."
"Tried to warn you. It's called a brain freeze," I told him as I tried not to smile. A 6'4 guy was being brought down by the sugary deliciousness of ice cream, a very entertaining sight indeed. "But do you like it?" I asked him as he stopped walking toward the hotel and looked at me.
"Yes, it's very sweet," he admitted before leaning down and pressing his forehead against mine, "But there are times, when I can imagine something much sweeter."
I jerked my head back as a blush crept on my face. Huh?
We finished eating and threw away the ice cream cones as Drake grabbed my hand again, his grip tight.
I looked up to see that we were already at the hotel and there was a pool in the back that I could see. The only thing I don't understand about some hotels is why must they need to use a pool if they have a huge ocean a few feet away, but it wasn't hard to find Ruth sprawled out on a chair with her deep, dark red hair and tall athletic body that had a lot of guys gaping at her as we walked up the concrete steps and entered the pool; some of them threw dirty looks at Drake. She had on ripped jean shorts and a dark red bikini top with movie star sunglasses on as she looked up at us and smiled.
"Hey handsome," she said as she sat up and looked at Drake with a smile.
Drake's face turned into a nice flirty smile that made me want to stomp on his foot, but instead, I said, "Yo Ruth, what's up?"
"Hey pipsqueak, what's up?" She asked as I rolled my eyes and resisted the urge to kick her off her seat.
"Oh you know, the sky, taxes, and oh yeah, the fact that girls are getting raped, murdered and their bodies are getting mutilated." I said, hoping that get her away from her stupid flirting.
She took off her sun glasses. "Someone's a little bitchy. We really do need to talk about where all this frustration is coming from. I'm guessing it's probably sexual since you seem to get bitchier around other women who may attract-"
I did a face palm. "How about we talk about this after we catch the murderer?"
"Well, that's your first mistake," Ruth said as she got up and put on her flip flops, "how about we talk about this on the beach? Or better yet, how about we meet this Ari guy?" She clapped her hands together with a smile. "Maybe he's the cure for all that sexual frustration!"
Drake's lips twitched like he did before he ripped off someone's arm with his threads.
"You'll probably be seeing him tonight," I told her as we walked down the steps with Ruth refusing to take her eyes off of Drake even though he still had a good grip on my hand, "because we're going to a party at John's. I'm hoping to find something that might point to someone because I haven't met with anyone else who has sight except for this group."
Maybe if I set something on fire or kicked her in the shin she'd stop staring at Drake like he was some eye candy.
"So, what was her first mistake?" Drake asked.
"You're not going to catch the murderer," Ruth said, "how are you going to explain to the police how you knew it was him, or even how you suspected him? That, and it's really fucking stupid to go after a murderer by yourself."
"I'm here," Drake stated rather bluntly.
"True, but then how would she explain how she got to him safely when she's barely five foot and probably doesn't even weight-"
"I'm a hundred and ten, thank you very much." I stated. "I got a lot of muscle which weights more than fat."
"Anyway," she said, "that was your first mistake. You need to point to cops into the right direction."
"And how do you suppose we do that? And this scheme better not come out of some really bad action film." I warned her as she smiled which unnerved me a lot more. "So what was this mumbo jumbo stuff you were talking about with types and what not?"
"Every killer has a type, but he's jumping. He's a bit more...fractured, but this doesn't mean that he doesn't do any of the other typical stuff." Drake and I looked at one another. "Well, some serial killers like to take little tokens from their victims after the deed is done to remember it. It gets them off." She looked up. "Okay, fine, sometimes its for sexual release, but it's not always for that."
"Ruth, where did you learn all this?" I asked, trying to think of a class that might've taught us this. Nope, nothing.
"Tv, books, you know, the usual," she told me.
Oh great, our only resource was coming from books and TV shows. For some reason that didn't comfort me very much.
"That's very impressive Ruth," Drake said even though I was pretty sure he had no freaking clue what a TV was since I didn't really use mine. Now that I think about it, I don't think we sat still long enough to even watch TV.
"So what's the plan?" I asked.
"You'll see at the party."