I wake from my light slumber. I wasn't all that tired, sleeping for two days does that to you. I sit before I can't hold it any longer, I have to go to the washroom. Damien breathing lightly as he sleeps peacefully. He needed it, he looked exhausted. I look around us, he was wrapped tightly around me. I lightly grab onto his wrist and lift it off of my waist, but he wakes instantly. "What's wrong?" He says groggily. "How did you wake up so easily!? You were in such a deep sleep."
He chuckles, "I don't produce heat, remember? I can feel your warmth leave my body." He flops his head back down onto the pillow, pulling me in again. "I have to pee, Damien."
He yawns and stretches out, "Okay, let's go." I furrow my brows at him as I push him away. "Uh, no. You are not coming to pee with me." I laugh at him. "But it's down the hall?" he says like this means anything. "I'll walk you." He leans up, his eyes half open. "We're in a hospital, nothing is going to happen." I state flatly.
He sits for a minute, thinking. "Fine." He says, laying his head back down on the pillow.
I jump out of bed but apart of my hospital gown gets stuck underneath his knee, pulling it away from me and untying the last knot on the bottom of the gown at the back. He half opens his eyes at first but immediately shoots his eyes open as he sees my bare butt. I grab onto the gown and pull it in a panic, but he catches it with his hand once it's released from his body weight. A huge grin and a raised eyebrow replaces his tired look. Oh yeah, he was awake. I rip it out of his hands and turn my body so I was now facing him, tying it again. "Damien! you ass!" He chuckles, "Damn, I could use a wake up call like that, every morning." He bites his lip as he eyes me up and down. "You perv." I roll my eyes as I run out of the room.
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I make my way down the hall, dragging my feet. It must be like four in the morning, it was still dark. I open the door to the public bathroom and do my thing. I walk to the sink and wash my hands. I look up and adjust my hair. My eyes shift over my shoulder as I stare in the mirror.
Mikayla
I whip around, leaning against the sink
"What the hell are you doing here!?" my heart jumps out of my chest.
"Please, don't be afraid. I'm sorry I startled you." Her face filled with worry and urgency.
"We are in the bathroom at four in the morning, Mikayla." I state like it would be common knowledge that this was bizarre.
"I had to talk to you alone." She rubs her hands together nervously. "You couldn't have waited until tomorrow?" I shake my head confused. "No." she states flatly.
"Why didn't you come into my room?" I shrug. "Damien." One word answers. "Okay so you chose the bathroom...?" I ask confused. "I had to, I was going to stop you in the hallway but he's standing outside your room." "What? why is he standing outside my room?" she shrugs, "He is worried about you." She pauses.
"No where is safe."
"He's a little excessive." I sigh. "Okay, what is it that you had to stalk me in the bathroom at this time." Humouring her.
"I have to tell you, I have to get it off my chest. You and I grew up together." She sighs in relief.
"What!?" I lean back
"I wasn't lying when I said we were family, we're actually cousins, more like sisters. Our family lives Aryah. They're waiting for us."
"Waiting for us? Why haven't they come?"
She hesitates at my question, "Oh, because they weren't sure if it was safe." I shake my head. "Of course it's safe? Why wouldn't you tell them it's safe?"
"I know where they are, they asked me to bring you to them." She ignores my question completely. "Bring us back home."
Home, I think, this is my home now. We both stand in silence for a minute. "Mikayla..." I furrow my brows and look up to her. "How did you get here?" Something isn't right. I need to leave. I walk around her but she steps in my way, I take a step to the right but she blocks me again, every step, she follows. "Please Aryah, this is the truth!" "Move out of my way Mikayla!" I scream at her. She flinches as she looks towards the bathroom entrance. "Be quiet! Damien will hear you!" I shake my head confused, "Why does it matter if he hears!?"
"You have done your duty, Mikayla" I whip my body around to see Ria standing close behind me. I take a few steps back and look between them. "What the hell is going on here!?" Ria laughs, "Oh honey, you really are so oblivious." I turn around and shove Mikayla. "Move!" but she barely moves an inch, I know I could shove her, I'm not insanely strong but I'm not weak either. "I'm controlling her, you idiot." Ria rolls her eyes. I huff and turn around, shallow breathing. I have to put on a strong front even though I was terrified. "What do you want Ria?"
"Oh love, your soul of course." She says that nonchalantly. I whip my head around "DAMIEN!" I scream at the top of my lungs. "Too late baby!" Ria laughs. Suddenly my eyes shift just beyond Ria's shoulder to see Damien scowling behind her. "Is it?" He says so calmly. Before she has the chance to turn around, he whips a dagger into the air to change his grasp on it. He throws his left hand over her mouth, pulling her back to his chest and with the other, slices her neck open. This causes her blood to fly foreward, splattering all over me, Mikayla and the bathroom. I gasp as I flinch when the blood hits me. Ria falls onto all fours, she groans as blood begins to pool beneath her. Damien still behind her, still scowling, staring down at her. Her body begins to twitch, flashing between persona and reality. Ria and the strange man, in the brown hooded cape, from the bathroom that day in my home. It flashes back and forth between the two, quite a few times. Our eyes widen as we stare down in complete shock, we both jerk our head back in confusion. "This whole time!? Ria was... that man!? He was in our house!" I stand frozen. Everything starts to make sense. Mikayla falls to her knees as Ria falls to the floor lifelessly, lastly changing into her true form, the hooded man. We stand and stare for a few minutes. Damien eventually reaches out, grabbing his dagger. He takes one last look at him, his face has no expression, as if it were normal. Taking in the satisfaction of this kill. He wipes off the blade and puts it back in its place. He looks up to me. "Good thing I stood outside." He walks by me and picks up Mikayla as she lay unconscious in his arms. "Let's go." He says, walking towards the door. I stand in shock for a few moments, then turn around to see him staring at me from the doorway. "What about the body?"
"I'll have someone take care of it." He shrugs. "Should we tell the doctor that we're leaving?" I ask as I follow him out into the hall. The doctor was writing in a chart as we walk towards him. "We're leaving." Damien states as he stops in front of the doctor. The doctor glances up and jumps at the sight. "O-oh excuse me your grace, I didn't see you there." His eyes flick between the three of us. "Did you say you were leaving? I don't think that's wise-" "We'll call you if there is any issues." Damien states flatly, not giving the doctor an option. He continues walking down the hall. The doctor looks at me, "Is that girl alright!?" I nod, "She's fine, just tired. Thank you doctor." I give him a reassuring smile. "I will be sure to call you if I need anything." He nods lightly.
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We make it back to the house in no time. I knew he was royalty, but I never thought much of it. He always seemed more of an Authoratative figure rather than a fancy prince. Until people grovel to his feet and do as he asks. We had a ride home in a matter of minutes. We didn't wait long, if at all.
Damien carries Mikayla to her room and I follow. He places her down on the bed gently and pulls the covers over her. We both stand back and stare at her. "These past few days have been so bizarre." I say quietly. He nods in agreement. "Let her rest." He grabs my hand, intertwining our fingers, leading me out the door.
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We walk silently into our room. He lets go of my hand as he walks over to the dresser. I close the door and turn around. "Damien can I ask you something?" I tilt my head. He shuffles through the dresser, "Hm?" he responds. "How did you...'appear' in the bathroom?"
He turns around grinning. "A perk, we'll say?"
I furrow my brows still confused. I shrug it off. "H-how can you kill so... emotionlessly?" I bite my lip, nervous for his answer. He stops what he's doing and turns around, staring. "It seems so casual to you, so... normal. Like it's an everyday thing?" I glance up to him. He looks at me for a moment, thinking about his response. He pulls his shirt over his head and throws it in a basket in the corner. "What are you doing!?" I say flustered. He raises an eyebrow at me. "Changing?"
"I-I'm right here!?" I stumble over my feet. "Are you not, CHOOSING to stare?" He grins. I jump and turn to face the door. I hear a few shuffles and then silence.
"I'm done." He whispers in my ear from behind me. I close my eyes as his breath tickles my ear, raising the hair on the back of my neck. I turn around to see he's in comfortable pants. I blink a few times, he is so close, we are almost chest to chest. I look up to him as I back away. he looks into my eyes for a few moments before rounding back to my questions.
"It was an everyday thing Aryah." His beautiful smile quickly changes into a flat line. "My brother, much like my father, thought it was important that we were powerful, intimidating and heartless." He pauses. "Back fired on him, didn't it?" he scoffs. "I wouldn't doubt that you're powerful and intimidating." I chuckle and he grins.
I adjust my posture. "Is... is he just as strong?" Damien shrugs. "I was always quicker. Kai's heart is dark, merciless." I nod, satisfied with his answer.
He tilts his head. "Why aren't you changing?" He looks over to the pile of clothes he threw at me. I raise my eyebrows. "Um, are you oblivious to your own presence? I'm not changing while you're staring at me!" He bursts out laughing, it rang through my ears like honey, sweet. He takes a step closer, looking down at me as he glides his hands down from my shoulders to my lower back. "Like I haven't seen it before?" The blood rushes to my face. "You say it so casually!" He chuckles and steps back, placing his hands on his hips. "Were you not just staring at me?" I furrow my brows "You were not invited to see anything."
He raises an eyebrow, "Neither were you? ...Not that I'm complaining." He places his finger on his chin, thinking aloud. I shake my head. "You are unreal. You will not be invited to see anything, ever!" I raise an eyebrow at him. "Oh really?" he runs his thumb across his lower lip as he grins. "Is that a challenge?" he moves closer again, placing his hands around my head, his lips an inch from mine. I can feel his breath against my skin, he's staring at my lips. I close my eyes. No I cannot give in to him. I collect myself and open my eyes. Poker face. "Is your response to everything, intimidation?" I cross my arms. He brushes his lips against mine. "Is it working?" He whispers.
I go up onto the balls of my feet and puff out my chest, lifting my arms as if I had huge muscles. I put on the angriest face I could. "You tell me?"
He raises his eyebrows and smirks before bursting into laughter. He shakes his head and pushes off the wall. "You nerd, you got me." He laughs, walking towards the bed, laying down.
"It's 5:17am" I state. "I'm not really tired, honestly." He puts his hands behind his head. "Me either." I shrug, flopping down beside him, mimicking his position. We lay and stare at the ceiling for a minute or two. I turn my head to him. "Mikayla's my cousin."
He jerks his head towards me. "What!?"
I shrug. "I think anyways. Ria... or that guy, was controlling her but, I think she was telling the truth."
He stares at me for a moment. "Wow... She can answer some questions for you then." I nod. "I'm not sure I want her to, honestly. I'm happy with my life now." He smiles at me genuinely happy to hear that. "Take your time."
"Wanna try to get to know each other more?" I suggest. He chuckles, "I think I know you better than you know yourself. You should try to get to know you better." He laughs as I roll my eyes.
"Seriously!" I nudge him. "What's your favourite colour?" He looks over to me. "We're starting off basic huh?" I nod. "Red, you?" I smile, "Purple."
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We talk for hours, from small things like colours to big things like our futures, until it is late morning. We laugh hard at a childhood story about Cain. Poor guy had so many embarassing moments in his life.
Damien sits up and stretches. "Come let's go eat breakfast." I yawn and sit up as well. "Alright, lemme go change." I say as I stand up slowly. "Why?" he tilts his head. I look at him quizzically. "...Because they're pj's?" He shakes his head. "So what? this is your house. Don't you ever walk around in pj's?" I shrug "I guess... I... I don't know. People are downstairs!" I wave my hands around. He rolls his eyes. "Alright, I'll wait here."
I grab some clothes and change in the bathroom. When I come out I see Damien hasn't moved. "Aren't you going to put on a shirt?"
"Why?" He grins. "I like walking around in my pj's" he leans back on his hands onto the bed. "What pj's? you mean your nakedness?" I eye him up and down. He's wearing pants but he seemed so naked to me? sounds weird. I know. "Do I sense jealousy?" his grin growing. "Please." I scoff. "Alright." He jumps up. "Let's go."
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The kitchen, like the rest of the house was plastered in dark, detailed wood, which I adored; the appliances were all stainless steel and the tiles were a bright and always clean, white. I look up to the marbled counter to see Morgan leaning on the counter speaking to someone I didn't recognize. Damien and I walk into the kitchen and stop at the edge of the counter. Morgan gives us a soft smile. Things had been getting better between the four of us, by whom I mean, Damien, Morgan, Madilyn and I. We've slowly started speaking again as Damien and I have both profusely apologized, and I think the sisters, as unhappy as they are, understand the situation.
The young girl turns around to face us as Morgan cuts off their conversation. Morgan bows to Damien before eyeing him up and down with a raised eyebrow. "Damn D, lookin' good!" she giggles as the other young girl eyes him up and down as well, not so seductively but more like she's shocked by his presence in general.
He looks right at me with a huge grin. I look at him out of the corner of my eye and my lips twitch upwards slightly. He nudges his shoulder into mine and chuckles. "She's jealous." he turns to Morgan and shrugs. I roll my eyes and hit his arm. "I am not." Morgan shakes her head. "You two, I swear are like a married couple already." She pauses examining my face. "It's good to see you out of the hospital babe." I smile brightly at her, "Thank you. Hows Madilyn doing?" She rolls her eyes and shakes her head. "Oh she's fine. She's out back training, against doctors orders."
Damien turns to me. "Hm, that sounds familiar." I furrow my brows. "What do you mean?" he chuckles, "Maybe stubborness runs in the house." Morgan and I both roll our eyes at him. Damien shifts his gaze to the young girl. "And you are...?" He tilts his head as she flinches in response. "Oh, sorry, my name's-"
"Where's Cain?" he completely cuts her off, her mouth hangs open waiting to finish her sentence. "He's in the den." Morgan responds flatly, furrowing her brows at him. He walks through the kitchen and out back, into the den.
I clear my throat trying to erase the awkward aura in the room. "Well that was rude. Sorry about that. He's just... like that. Unfortunately." I shrug. Morgan widens her eyes as she walks around the corner, exiting the kitchen, "Watch out for these two." A small but humorless laugh escapes her lips. She chuckles. "No worries girl, I'm used to asshole shadows. My names Marina." She smiles brightly at me. "Oh, sorry. No offense." I chuckle, "I'm not a shadow, so none taken." She tilts her head in amusement. "No? then what's your story?" She leans her elbows onto the counter, cradling her head in her hands awaiting 'story time'. "I chuckle, "It's long and complicated." I sigh.
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"What are you doing?" Damien asks Cain as he strides into the den. Cain hunched over on the ground fidgeting with the control panel on the side of the hot tub. The room was wall to wall windows, surrounded by the dark evergreen. "The stupid hot tub is leaking." He wipes the sweat off of his forehead with the back of his hand and pushes on his knees to stand up, sighing.
"Since when are you a repairman?" Damien asks sarcastically, raising an eyebrow with a grin. Cain scowls at him, narrowing his eyes. "Are you here to be a smart ass or do you want something?" Damien throws his arms up surrendering. "Alright, you got me. I don't really care what you're doing." He pauses as Cain shakes his head before kneeling back down to continue fidgeting with the panel. "Who's the girl?" Damien sits on the side of the hot tub, looking down to Cain, who's hands stop moving when he asks the question. He glances up to Damien, "You've met her?" Damien nods as he pops a piece of mint gum into his mouth. "What do you think about her?" Cain leans to sit down, resting his arm on his knee as the other supports him. Damien chomps on his gum and grins, "Is that what we do now? Bring random girls home?" He chuckles. "Don't be an asshole. She's not staying here." Cain sighs as he glances back over to the control panel. They both think for a moment before Damien breaks the silence. "She has a strange energy. I can't seem to figure it out." Cain looks up to him, tilting his head. "I was thinking the same. Be nice to her please." Damien smirks at him as he pushes off the hot tub and begins walking towards the door. "Damien, I have to send you on an errand." Damien stops and turns around furrowing his brows as Cain stands up and throws the manual to the hot tub on the ground. "An errand?" Damien asks quizically. Cain sighs, he decides to get straight to the point. "You will be gone for a few weeks-"
"Gone!?"