~The Picture is Fang~
She stood in front of the window, watching the bloodstained sky as it began to darken. Tonight was the night. Tonight, she was going to leave this life and find her freedom. A flash in the window's reflection caught her eye; Caleb leaned against the doorway behind her, his eyes taking in her agile form. She returned her gaze to the jungle outside, not deeming him worth her time right now.
"Fang?"
She didn't turn as he came to stand by her side.
"Caleb," Her voice was smooth as silk yet as cold as ice. Hurt flashed in his eyes. He tried to take her chin gently in his hands and turn her face to his, but she denied him.
Instinctively, he started to reach out for her again... but stopped himself. He waited a moment, watching her, before reaching for her slender hand. She looked irritated but didn't pull away. "Is everything ok?" His voice was tender, loving. She remained silent, shifting her weight so that she leaned away from him slightly. It was subtle, but he knew what she wanted. Privacy.
A soft breeze came in through the open window, sending her long, light blond hair dancing around her pale face. His heart skipped a beat, the wind cool against his cheek. Caleb sighed. "Fang, please, won't you talk to me?" He lowered his head, trying to peer into baby blue eyes. She met his gaze, and for a moment a hint of uncertainty flashed deep in their depths. His heart ached at the vulnerability she so rarely displayed. But in an instant, her eyes once again returned to the distant, cold glint she'd carried for months.
She was tiring of their protection. "There's nothing to talk about." Her voice was steady as she turned away from him, returning to her silent reverie. She stared somewhere outside the glass.
But he couldn't just give up, not yet. Fire flashed in his eyes. "Look, I know something is bugging you. You know you can tell me anything, right?" He pleaded, brushing his fingers lightly through her hair.
She remained silent, stubbornly refusing to answer. He sighed, leaned in closer, and pressed a kiss to her neck. His stride long and determined, he left. It was time to send in reinforcements. If he couldn't reach her, he knew who could.
Fang sighed inwardly, staring after him long after he was gone.
She had known that this wouldn't be easy. They were her family, yes, and she loved them, but she was too independent, too proud, too free-spirited to stay. I can't take this anymore. I can't stand being here. I can't be a little girl forever. She couldn't stand the constant supervision anymore. They acted like a pack of bodyguards. It had only gotten worse since the incident.
For twenty minutes she paced, relentless, in front of the bay window. "Fang?" Jumping back, Fang twirled to face her newest visitor.
"Raven!" Placing a hand on her chest, Fang glared. "Don't sneak up on me! You scared the hell out of me."
Raven's red lips turned up in an impish smirk. Fang was sidetracked momentarily, taken again with how different she was than her sister. Raven's long, ebony hair cascaded down her back, and her dark skin and high cheekbones hinted at the Indian heritage they got from their father. Fang glanced at her own hand, as she so often did around Raven. Still pale, just like their British mother. Damn.
Fang couldn't help it as her eyes took in her sister. She had always been so fascinated by Raven's exotic looks. They were polar opposites.
Outside the pristine mansion, night had fallen over the jungle. The shadows in the room had enveloped them completely. Raven put a hand on her hip and tossed her hair, smiling playfully at her older sister. "So, you're broody. Spill. How's the planning going?" Fang winced and looked back out the window. Not well.
Where am I going to go? How am I going to cover my trail? How do I make sure they don't find me? I can't take any chances.
She needed a plan, but her mind drifted. The sticky air of the humid Amazon jungle crept in the open door to her left and weighed heavily around them, as if even it knew the weight on her heart. The screaming of the monkeys and the macaws, the strangely calming chaos of the jungle drifted in as well. Fang closed her eyes, breathing deep.
The orchids and the water-lilies were fragrant and intense, with the barest hints of coconut from the Maxillaria Tenuifolia tickling her nose. Fresh fruit, poisonous plants, they enveloped her, calming her racing heart. The passion fruit mixed with the vanilla, acai berries and cocoa, with subtle hints of guava and pineapple.
A soft smile played on her lips as the foul scent of the poisonous Strychnine tree mingled with the pleasant aroma of the deadly but beautiful Angel's Trumpet flower. They all fell together into a unique scent, the most soothing Fang knew on this earth.
It calmed her racing heart, preparing her for the first steps in what she hoped would be the journey of a lifetime. Her eyes snapped open, burning with a fire long absent. Her mind raced, beginning with the basics.
"They can only follow my tracks, right?" Fang asked without looking at her sister.
Raven nodded, encouraging her. "Loose hairs, claw marks, anything, they'll find it and follow you. You have to travel light and fast, so you don't leave much behind." Raven stopped for a minute, listening. Fang was too preoccupied to listen to what was happening. After a few minutes, her eyes returned to Fang's pacing form.
"Raise is still out, he and Demi are taking out an avid show host and his crew that wandered too close, they're going to bring them back for dinner. You're safe for now, no one is close enough to listen in."
Fang waved a hand at her in absent-minded acknowledgment, too lost in thought to really pay attention. She considered the terrain around her. The coven was in the middle of nowhere, somewhere deep in the Amazon. After so many years of traveling from place to place, she had lost track of where they had been in the world. They'd been in Italy a few times, Japan, Russia, India, Africa, and at least a dozen others. They moved every decade or so.
The breeze picked up again, bringing some relief. Fang picked up the pace, preparing, planning, praying that somehow this would work. The coven had become so overbearing lately. She was never alone anymore. Always with someone assigned to stay with her, always someone there watching over her every move. She had tried to go on a hunt, see if there was anyone near enough to them that they could eat, and she hadn't been gone more than five minutes before Raislin had appeared and scared away the tribesman she'd been tracking.
Anger boiled within her. How could they still treat her like such a child? She was a grown woman, more than old enough to take care of herself. Her teeth clenched. This was all just so- "Alixica!" A harsh voice interrupted her angry brooding.
Fang jumped, startled, her eyes flying to meet Raven's agitated gaze. God, she wouldn't be so intimidating if the blue in her eyes wasn't ringed in that damned black. How the hell did she get eyes like that?
Fang chuckled nervously and turned to her sister. "Yes, you're right little bird. Forgive me."
Raven waved her on. Her eyes still showed curiosity as to how she would manage her escape, so Fang continued.
"Okay... maybe I can swim? I know I can't swim all the way, but I can make it up the coast a bit, far enough away they won't catch my trail. It doesn't matter if they follow me over to the coast. They won't be able to track me past the water."
Fang wrapped her arms around her torso, lost in thought, her gaze returning again to the blackness outside the mansion. "I can go to Washington, run over to Montana, leave the necessary cover-ups where I need them, and then enroll in school and find someplace to live a normal life. Alone, without them. Without this ridiculous coven."
She opened her eyes again and dropped her arms. Despite everything, she didn't want to forget her life here. She just needed to move on. Her thoughts wandered towards memorabilia. "I can't take any of my belongings... maybe my wallet, with a few pictures tucked inside the cover, but nothing else. Hiding them in the cover might not be enough, though, I'll need to stow them away somewhere hidden and inaccessible to anyone but me once I've settled in."
A soft sigh escaped her lips, a bit of the fire that fueled her fading. She dreaded what came next. No matter how she looked at it, she was going to break their hearts. "Come, little bird, let's go wait for Raise and Demi to get back. This is going to be hard."
Raven smiled warmly and took her hand. "I know, Fang, but you need to do this."
The moon had finally risen, so together they turned and made their way through the darkness to meet Fang's fate.
Dinner dragged on. Perhaps because she knew what was coming, Raven stood, excusing herself from the table. Her tanned complexion showed a hint of sadness as she stopped next to Fang, and their eyes met. A silent understanding passed between them, saying everything that needed to be said. I love you, I'll miss you, goodbye. Be safe.
Raven leaned down and placed a tender kiss on Fang's forehead. They both knew what needed to be done. Straightening, Raven sashayed out of the room with her usual sway of elegance and grace. Brushing aside the tightness in her chest and the grief in her heart, Fang pushed her chair back and stood. She took a deep breath, steadying herself. Preparing herself for the goodbyes that she dreaded but couldn't leave without. The room fell silent as they witnessed the expression on her face.
She met each pair of eyes in the room, her gaze steady and unwavering. She met Caleb's gaze last, and locked in the grip of his eyes, the words she had so dreaded finally tumbled from her lips.
"I'm leaving."
Her words shattered like glass in the quiet room.
Hiding her tears but not the rage that boiled forth suddenly within her, Fang stood there, trembling, holding her shape together.
Never will I belong here.
At the head of the table, Segan assessed her.
"Fang, what do you mean?" His voice was deep, smooth, like the rumbling of a river. Standing up and walking over to her, he reached out his arms to embrace her. She pushed him away, ignoring the surprised hurt in his eyes.
He won't be the only one. Fang hardened both her heart and her stance.
From his seat next to Segan's, Raislin shot up, hair bouncing in his fiery eyes. He tried to speak, to yell at her, but he couldn't find his voice. He stood there like a fish out of water, his mouth flying open and then snapping shut just as fast. Raislin's twin Demitri followed suit, his eyes displaying a fire surprising against his normally cool demeanor. "Fang, he's right. Have you lost your mind?!" He didn't seem to be mad, just scared. His round eyes were full of fear.
Malachi and Lysistra sat stunned. Nothing ever seemed to rattle them, but Fang knew from the expressions on their pale faces that they had never expected this. Immalia stood slowly. "Alixica. Honey, why would you...?" Her voice trailed off, tears shining in her eyes. Fang winced at the sound of her real name.
Not surprisingly, Caleb's reaction was the strongest. He shot to his feet, pulling Fang into his arms. He had never held her tighter.
Fang's heart quivered, and for a split second her resolve wavered. Shaking her head angrily, she pushed him away, harder perhaps than she meant to, for he stumbled back and fell into the table. The vase in the center rattled and fell over, shattering into a thousand crystalline shards.
"No!" Fang snarled, baring her teeth. "I am not one of you! I will never be one of you. How can I belong here with so many.... so many vampires! With all the blood and the pompousness!" They all stood then, exchanging worried glances. Fang sighed in frustration, knowing that she had to go now or she wouldn't go at all. "You guys need to take care of Raven. She needs you, now more than ever."
She turned to walk away. Malachi vaulted over the table faster than a cheetah on a rabbit. Caleb and Raislin joined him in rushing after her, but with one nod from Immaliah, Segan threw out his arm and stopped them.
They met Segan's eyes with desperation and fear, silently pleading with him. "No. Give her a few minutes to calm down and then Lia and I will go talk to her. Be patient." Segan then called after Fang, softly, reassuringly. "Go to your room for now, my darling. Do not rush. Let us discuss this like civilized people." Her shoulder blades jerked as if she'd been shot in the back. Hot tears streaked her cheeks.
She didn't look back.
------------
SHIT!
Fang ran faster than she had ever run in her life, Raislin hot on her heels. She stole a glance back over her shoulder. It was a damn good thing she had a twenty-minute head start, because Raise was faster than the entire coven combined, and he was the only one who could catch her now.
She could already see his figure weaving in and out of the trees not far behind her.
She had no hope of outrunning him.
But she could out-maneuver him. Raislin relied too much on his speed.
Fang quickly veered left. If she could make it a few more yards before he caught up to her, she would be home free. She pushed herself harder than she ever had before. Raise was gaining on her. She could feel it. She ran, her heartbeat pounding in her ears.
Just.... a little.... Further!
Her head down, knowing that every passing second brought her pursuer closer to her, she pushed on.
His fingers were just brushing the fabric of her shirt when she shot straight up into the air.
She jumped, grabbed the branch above her, and used her momentum to spin herself up.
But she wasn't done yet.
She swung around again, coming up behind the surprised Raislin, her feet connecting hard with the spot just between his shoulder blades. He went flying. Fang released the branch, swinging forward a bit and landing nimbly on the balls of her feet.
Her plan had worked. Raislin had taken the bait, and now he was trapped on his knees in sinking sand. She grinned sadly as he glared up at her with betrayal in his eyes. "I'm sorry, Raise," She whispered. "The others will be here before you've sunk completely. By then, I'll be too far for even you to catch me."
Before he could so much as utter a word, Fang gave him one last, apologetic smile, and she was gone.