Flesh
Chapter 15
Real/Fake Love
Part 19
Eclair flipped through the channels on the television finally stopping on a local news station and replacing the remote on the table between the beds. Lumiere clung tightly to her, fast asleep with a pensive look on her face. Her face became more pale with the passing hour—the teenager knew this because she hadn't slept only three hours. Her vampire partner literally passed out once she got the three back to the room. Viola hadn't moved an inch, either. The werewolf inside her prickled. She had to protect these two.
Having made her decision the redhead carefully extracted herself from the near death grip from her partner. Once off the bed she found it surprisingly easy to move around the room soundlessly as though she were nothing more than a ghost or a whisper in the wind. She couldn't help but be aware of how easily her body took to becoming a werewolf. Her sight, her smell, her hearing, and even other senses she wasn't even aware of had enhanced a thousand times more. It was like being a human was a handicap. Her true nature was the wolf.
She just had to submit to it, now. She had to trust the wolf within and let it guide her.
Slipping on her shoes she grasped the door handle and glanced back. On the bed Lumiere still laid in her position, except she now stared at Eclair with a pair of lucid red eyes. For a moment the teenager felt guilty but she shook it off and returned to the side of the bed.
“I'll be right back. I need to hide the body and make sure no one finds her.”
The vampire blinked once and then sat up. Eclair reached out and laid a hand on her shoulder.
“It's light outside.”
“What time is it?”
“Almost nine. I haven't heard any cars or people. I figure I better do this now before anyone does decide to come here.”
A cool hand pressed over her own on the shoulder. “I should take care of things for tonight.”
“Okay. But promise me you'll rest if you're tired.”
Lumiere leaned forward and kissed her, reminding her of the lovemaking earlier. The touches, the caresses, her partner's cool tongue. It made the redhead shiver. Yet, in spite of all these new feelings and explorations, it all felt nostalgic. If her dream told her anything it meant that this wasn't the first time they'd gone so far. And her feelings told her she cared deeply for this woman, this vampire. So why did she feel like she was always on the verge of losing her? As though every step forward they made was another step closer to the end.
As Eclair made her way to the door she heard her partner whisper, “Hurry back.”
“I will,” she responded as she opened the door and slipped out.
The morning air felt crisp and the silence made her wary of every step she made. Each door the teenager passed she leaned against the door listening for sounds of anyone inside. She also couldn't help but notice the differences between this time and the last—the last time being when she checked out in the barn and found those two vampire twins.
Perhaps it was her determination, perhaps she felt comfortable with Lumiere now, perhaps a lot of things had changed her. Whatever it was, Eclair didn't feel that longing to be close, didn't feel like she'd die without her partner. Why should she feel that? After all, didn't Lumiere already make it clear how she felt about her? Her cheeks blushed at the memory. The vampire wasn't going anywhere. She felt calm, serene, happy. In spite of all this, so happy.
The door to the main office creaked loudly as it opened. On the floor was the woman with a small pool of blood drained from her neck. The stench from her body made the teenager cringe and she covered her nose. She tried not to think about how the woman used to be a person, she tried not to think too much about how she'd feel or anything else about dead people. Eclair took a breath and held it while she grabbed the woman's ankle and pulled her into the small room adjacent the main office. She quickly closed the door and gulped for air—though the smell was still there, just not as pungent.
A trail of blood from the door to the small puddle now stained the floor. This was the stuff which Lumiere drank, the lifeline of humans and vampires, and something that Eclair must have drank in a previous life if her dream was any indication. Forgetting where it came from for a moment, the teen knelt down and inhaled the scent: coppery but tinged with rotted meat. What could be so appealing?
She touched her neck, recalling how Lumiere drank from her.
“I'll give you all you need,” she said to no one except herself.
Suddenly the sound of crunching gravel filled her ears. Eclair bolted up and saw a car driving up the long path.
“Shit...” She looked around the office and saw a small closet. Inside she found cleaning equipment and quickly mopped the floor, though the stain remained. With the car coming closer she felt even more panic filling her and pulled the mat away from the door over the stain. Outside the office the car stopped and out came a man and woman. Not knowing what else to do the teenager stepped behind the counter and took a deep breath.
With a jingle of the bell over the top of the door the couple entered the building laughing over something. They spotted Eclair behind the counter and paused a moment in their laughter. Both must have been in their late 20's and both had blonde hair and blue eyes. Though they looked nothing like brother and sister. Cousins at best.
Her heart sunk at the thought. Caprice. She hoped the woman was still alive. And Miss Cole.
“You look a little young to be working here. Shouldn't you be in school?”
Eclair shook her head of the other wolf and put on a fake smile. “I can assure you I'm 18. I'm working here part time, saving up for college.”
The woman nudged her boyfriend, or husband, or whatever. She gave him a look and then returned a smile to Eclair. “That's awesome. We both graduated from NYU. We're taking a long weekend to celebrate our anniversary. Do you have a room available?”
“Congratulations,” the redhead said. She glanced around the area behind the counter trying to look professional even though she had no idea what she was doing. Thankfully the keys were hanging on a board with a room number over the top of each hook. “How about number 20?”
When she handed over the key to the couple they took it and then stared as if waiting for more. Eclair went wide-eyed. What else could they want?
“You need us to sign something? Money up front?”
Of course. The redhead mentally slapped herself and looked down to hide her surprise. She saw a computer and reached out to type something on the keyboard. It's not like they could see if it was on or not.
“I'll umm... need your ID and...” A piece of paper taped under the keyboard caught her eye. She moved it and saw the list of rooms and prices. Her luck changed too much. “60 dollars.”
The man reached for his back pocket and produced a wallet. “Credit okay?” He laid out his ID and a MasterCard. She went wide-eyed and quickly said cash only. Once they paid and Eclair pretended to type some things they left to their room.
The teen exhaled and sat down on the chair. If more people came she'd have to stay in here all day. She looked to the door behind which was the dead woman who ran the place. What exactly had happened when she pulled Viola off her? Whatever it was, Eclair bet that it was the key to their past.
Putting the money under the keyboard the teen left the office, being sure to turn the small lock on the knob before exiting. They couldn't stay here all day. The chances of being found were too high. She was sure she could protect those two if it were a vampire or werewolf that came, but policemen with guns? She didn't want to chance the possibility of sunlight pouring in or being separated.
As she neared the room she started feeling better. Being in the office had given her a sense of dread, a sense of unhappiness. Although it wasn't extreme it still didn't feel very good. She just didn't like dead things, especially people, with one distinct exception however.
“Do you think anyone else will come?”
Inside the room Lumiere sat on the bed with the laptop in front of her. She had looked up from her work when the teenager entered. Her eyes looked worried and her mouth was set taught in a frown. Eclair drifted over to her like a moth to a flame and laid down on the bed next to her.
“I think we need to go.”
The vampire sighed and glanced at the pink haired girl on the other bed. “It's not impossible. If you can back the car as close to the door as possible with the trunk open—it will limit our exposure. A little bit of sunlight won't kill vampires straight up. It takes time, like starting a fire. The problem I foresee is where to go while we wait for the flight.”
With a yawn the redhead curled on her side and allowed her head to be petted by the cool hand from above. “Where exactly are we going?”
“Italy. Specifically Jesolo, Italy. It's a small town on the Mediterranean. Cesario and Viola used to live there—since in that woman's memory he said he was going back to Italy I figure this must be where he'll be. Once we get Viola safely to him we can find your parents.”
“Could you stop referring to them as my parents?”
The hand on her head stopped. “Yes, I'm sorry.”
Eclair turned and kissed the hand. “It's just... they're not my parents anymore. If I continue to think of them as such, it'll just be harder.”
“I understand.” But the hand didn't resume it's petting. “This isn't fair for you. I really hope that what we were working for in our previous lives is worth the anguish you're being forced through.”
What did she mean by anguish? “Lumiere, I think I've accepted this. The longer I'm with you the more I feel like this is supposed to happen. If I stop to think about what's happened then I don't think I'll be able to move forward. I couldn't hide dead bodies or eat five pounds of raw meat or let a vampire drink from me.”
At the last part Eclair felt the hand move away and she looked up to see her partner starting to get off the bed.
“Lumiere, wait...” the teenager reached out and took hold of the other woman's forearm.
“You said I could only drink from you.”
Eclair pulled her back and rested her head on the vampire's lap. “And I mean it.”
The hand returned to her had and pushed her hair behind her ear. “When you touched Viola a series of images popped up in my head. I couldn't stop myself from reading her mind—it was as if her psychic powers went utterly haywire and messed up the blocks I had on mine. And what I saw...”
“What did you see?” Eclair was surprised at how breathless she was.
“I saw images of us, not the us now, but the us then. And blood, and screaming, and lots of pain. I saw some tall, blonde woman looking over us. I think we were getting killed, but it felt much worse. I saw other flashes of lives ending similarly or simply just ending. I saw so many lives, so much death, so much.”
“Is there a reason we're always together?”
Above her the vampire exhaled though she obviously didn't need to. It must be hard for her. “We're partners, soul mates, and the only reason I can possibly deduce that we continue to end up together is because a combination of the sheer amount of times it has happened and likely, if I consistently retain them, my mental powers. It would be easier for me to pinpoint you. A rose amidst a sea of gray.”
Eclair nuzzled against her partner's thigh and considered a hundred lifetimes of unbreakable love. It made her heart swell with pride and a deep sense of commitment to Lumiere. How much could two people actually love each other? Enough to transcend time and the barriers of the physical and spiritual realms? Her head swam with implications far beyond her reach. Other teenagers were probably getting their first crushes or believing they've found their true love even though it's just the throes of adolescence. Did this teenager overlook her own impetuous desires to love and be loved? She turned her eyes up to the pair or ruby orbs studying her so fondly, so adoringly, so full of passion and unbridled love.
“I've never been in love. Not even a simple crush.” At Eclair's words she saw a downcast look appear on her partner's face. She reached up to brush her finger over the woman's pale cheek. “When I'm with you, when I'm near you, when we make love, it's not a crush. It's not that I'm in a childish love. It's like you were made for me and I for you.”
“Eclair...” The breathlessness in the vampire's voice made her heart pound.
She smiled, so happy, so content. “Personally, I believe this isn't something we can examine under a microscope. Whether we find out our pasts or not, I'm just so happy being with you.”
Their hands clasped tightly and Eclair pressed her face against her lover's stomach. They stayed like this for several minutes. The redhead pushed the rest of the world away from her mind and concentrated only on what was in front of her. She knew, just knew that whatever lay ahead of them they could take head on. No one was going to break them apart.
“Eclair...” Lumiere ran a thumb over the teenager's lip. “We should get going.”
“Right.” She sat up and nodded.
“For now we shouldn't touch Viola skin to skin. And we don't have time to deal with her if she wakes up. Let's just drive to the airport and discuss it on the plane.”
“I'm ready if you are.”
With a kiss the two separated and began to pack.
Eclair steeled herself. She had to keep pushing forward.
Trust the wolf. Trust herself.
Part 20
Tweedledum couldn't outrun the red wolf. It grabbed him by his throat and threw him through a brick wall. He felt his shoulder blade shatter and his skull fracture. Their plan to lead the wolves into a cell and lock them in didn't quite work the way they planned. They were smart, obviously keen to his sister's powers. They didn't follow their path and instead split apart to sniff them out. He tried desperately to get their attention and have them follow him, but they had no intention and when he heard the piercing scream from the human he panicked.
It was too early. This wasn't the place he saw.
He ran to the cell they locked her in and fretted even more when he saw his sister using her powers to keep the blue one from tearing the human's throat open. It only took that split second of distraction, wondering where the other wolf was, to throw him off his game.
The wall caved in around him and bricks piled quickly along with a lot of dust to clog his vision and senses. He called out for his sister but the resounding crash echoed endlessly off the solid walls of this enclosed prison. As he tried to push away the bricks and debris a clawed paw flew through the rubble and clutched his throat. With the ease of a werewolf's strength it pulled him up so that his face was inches away from the frothing sharp teeth of his attacker.
“Let... me... go....” he struggled to say through the grip.
“First let my brother go!” The red wolf holding him turned towards his sister. “Let him go and I'll spare your partner!”
Out of the corner of his eye Tweedledum could see his sister struggling through the decision—human or lover. It shouldn't be a decision at all. Clearly without him she would die. Was Lumiere so important to her that she would sacrifice her own life just to get a glimpse at that vampire's mind?
“I cannot let you kill her,” his sister responded.
A rage filled Tweedledum. How could she...
The blue wolf growled and barked, “I don't plan to kill her! But unless Caprice comes out of hiding I will tear her throat out!”
They didn't know that the dirty coward of a wolf abandoned the trio. The male vampire gripped the arm of his captor and looked the him straight in his ugly dog eyes. “She's gone! She went on ahead and if you really want her you better hurry! I bet her scent is still fresh. You could have her dead before morning!”
The paw around his throat squeezed more and he felt a small bone in his neck snap. With the pain from his shoulder and the fracture in his skull he already felt like his body was on fire from all the hurt it was going through.
“You lie!” The wolf holding him let out a fierce and loud yell. He braced himself against more breaking bones in his neck.
“Dextera!” From behind the other wolf being hold by his sister struggled to speak. “I think they're telling the truth. I haven't been able to pick up on a strong scent anywhere.”
Tweedledum quivered. His neck had not yet been crushed but he still felt it could happen at any second. He needed to think of a way to get out of this, but his heavy heart gave him no motivation with which to work. How could his sister choose this?
“Let him go and I will let your partner go. But if you kill the human girl I'll send a pipe through you're head so quick that you'll be dead before you even realize it.” Tweedledee wasn't playing around. As her partner Tweedledum knew when she was being serious. She wanted too much. Wasn't she aware she couldn't have her cake and eat it, too?
“Feh. If Caprice isn't here then none of this matters anyhow,” stated the red wolf.
In a flash Tweedledee felt his body being flung through the air and without warning he was smashed against another wall. Except this time he didn't go tumbling through it. The grip on his neck held tight and before he had time to react he was smashed against against the opposing wall.
His attacked yelled to his sister, “Let Sinistra go! Or I will kill this weak, pathetic vampire.”
“Maybe you should pick on someone more you're own species.”
Amidst the hazy red hue from the blood gushing out of his forehead Tweedledum lifted his eyes to a new, but familiar voice.
Part 21
She didn't have time to think, she only knew that she had moments to act and that with one of the wolves detained it would be at least a more fair fight. Caprice was already in her wolf form as she galloped down the hall and wrapped her arms around Dextera. The red wolf howled and let go of Tweedledum who collapsed on the floor like a rag doll.
They struggled for a moment before Caprice managed to push him on his back and claw his face. She didn't have time to marvel at the small victory as he kicked her off him. She landed next to Tweedledee who looked tired from holding back Sinistra. In the blue wolf's grasp was a surprised by frightened Liquiy. But there was no time to feel bad.
“Hold him as long as you can,” she said to the vampire.
Tweedledee looked as if she wanted to say something smart and sassy, but held her tongue. She simply nodded at Caprice who turned to the red wolf standing several feet behind his brother.
“You're going to die Caprice. And when Sinistra is able, he'll eat that human's heart.”
Caprice narrowed her gaze at Dextera. “This ends here. One way or another. If she dies, you both die, and to be sure, I'll take as many with me before I die myself.”
The red wolf seemed nonplussed by her words and sprinted towards her. She backed a few steps away from Tweedledee. The halls were narrow and any escape from this would be near impossible; she had only one chance. When he leaped into the air at her she side stepped and grabbed him by the cuff of his collar. In a single swing she threw him against the wall several feet behind the vampire. The crash was deafening as the red wolf propelled through the wall like a wrecking ball. But Caprice wasn't finished yet.
Before he could recover she grabbed him by the ankle with her teeth and dragged him down the hallway on all fours. There was yelling behind her but she couldn't stop. She only hoped that Tweedledee would keep her promise to Eclair's partner and keep everyone alive.
By the time Dextera was able to comprehend the situation Caprice had already dragged him to the door that led outside. She spit his leg out and dashed outside. He'd follow. She had angered him beyond clear thought.
Outside the night was quiet save the sound of crickets and the rustling of leaves. Above the night sky was littered with stars and a waning moon. Once she was far enough Caprice the wolf turned just in time to see her attacker leaping again at her. She braced her feet and took the hit with a tumble. The two bit and clawed each other as they wrestled for domination. But he was strong, so very strong, and she was always the smaller, weaker wolf of the pack. His powerful jaws tore at her fiercely and she felt her strength slipping with each bite.
She went on the defensive and tried to evade his attacks. An opening showed itself and she tried to escape into the forest but he was too quick and pushed her down. The sheer weight of his body coupled with his more massive werewolf strength held her down to the ground like a leaf under a boulder. He leaned in and growled at her.
“You stupid bitch. You should have just kept running. Now I'll kill you. Then I'll kill that stupid vampire bitch. And after that...” Dextera paused and his wolf jaws spread into a grin. “I think I'll turn that human and give her to the wolves to do as they please. It may not bring back those you killed, but it will certainly satisfy their vengeance.”
Caprice fumed and felt her muscles twitch. She struggled against the wolf on top of her who merely laughed at her feeble efforts. “You touch her and I'll-”
“You'll what Caprice! You won't do shit! You're dead and we both know it!”
The brown wolf flailed any body part she could. She wouldn't let Liquiy die. She made a mistake by leaving her, she knew that now. But she returned, she came back for her, for her partner. Her paw brushed up against something solid and her mind recognized the object.
Dextera didn't know what hit him but Caprice sure did. She smashed the rock hard against his skull and he cried out as he fell next to her. He raised his paws in front of his head but she wasn't planning on striking him again. His movements were jerky and he speech came out as a jumbled, blubbery mess. He could barely roll to one side or the other.
“Sinistra...” he managed through the messed up motor functions of his mouth.
Caprice pulled his hand away and saw that the rock took a small but definite chunk from his skull. She grimaced and let go of him.
“D-don't kill me...”
She shook her head. “I'm not a killer.”
There was no more time to waste. Caprice ran back into the prison, still in wolf form, and back to the scene she left moments earlier. Nothing had changed, save Tweedledee looking nearly ready to collapse.
“Where is Dextera!?”
In front of her she could see the blue wolf able to move a little more freely with the vampire's weakened powers. His grip on Liquiy had drawn blood from the woman's neck and shoulder. The blonde looked relieved in spite of the situation.
“He's outside. He's fine, just a knock to the head.” The brown wolf carefully closed the distance between them. “Just let her go and you can go to him.”
Tweedledee gasped, “They'll still come after us.”
“No. No more of this. We're done.”
Sinistra twitched and clenched his jaw. “We won't stop until you're dead.”
Caprice paused and stared at him. He wasn't showing his ego or dedication to the pack. His voice seemed resigned to this statement. She frowned. “What do you mean?”
He shook his head but he needn't say anything.
Just behind her Tweedledee piped in, “Some being approached them and told them to kill all of us.”
The brown wolf was about to ask who when Liquiy's scream filled the air. She was being too careless again. A body slammed against her and knocked her down the hall away from the deadlocked trio. A flash of red fur caught her eye as she was picked up and smashed down onto the floor. Blood filled her mouth and the piercing, angry howl of the wolf filled her ears.
She lifted her arm to try to deflect the next attack, but it never came.
Above her Dextera stood like a statue for what could have been a second but felt like an eternity. A pipe stuck out from his left eye socket where it had been jammed in through the back of his head. When he finally fell next to Caprice she saw Tweedledum leaning against he wall and holding the right side of his body. She marveled how he could look so satisfied while being in so much obvious pain.
“DEXTERA!”
Down the hall the blue wolf broke free while Tweedledee collapsed to the floor. Caprice stared in horror as he held tight to Liquiy's neck. She saw a flash of white expecting to see the woman dead in the wolf's clutches, but much to her amazement he dropped her onto the floor and reverted into his human form.
The blonde scrambled away from him and coughed as she held her neck. Caprice wanted to break down and cry from the joy but she kept it together while Sinistra crawled towards her.
“Dextera,” he cried softly. The blue haired man crawled to his brother's dead wolf body and gripped his fur with white knuckles. “You stupid asshole. You idiot.”
Caprice pulled herself up and reverted back to her human form. Her body was soaked in both her own blood and Dextera's. She felt like she just went up against an entire pack. But there were more important things to take care of at this moment.
“I'm sorry,” she whispered to the blue haired man. He didn't look up at her and continued to weep quietly against his brother. “I never wanted to kill either of you. You have to believe me.”
“You didn't,” he responded in a muffled voice. “I do believe you. You've got a chance to make it. You better go before they send more.”
She stared hard at the back of his head. He wasn't like the others. This death shouldn't have happened.
“Get out of here! I have no need to follow her orders anymore. Or theirs.”
A strong arm wrapped around her midsection while another pulled her arm. Caprice looked to see Liquiy taking her hand and arm over her shoulders. The blonde wouldn't look her in the eye while she helped her down the hall. They said nothing as they walked past Tweedledum and Tweedledee helping each other up. The four entered the night air as though there were no hard feelings between any of them.
Part 22
Considering the owner of the B&B had been murdered by Dextera and Sinistra, Liquiy thought it was a good idea for the four to go back there. Apparently no one had noticed anything was awry because the town was quietly asleep for the night. The vampires didn't go in and said they'd return before sun up. Caprice figured they were going to hunt but she had no energy to scold them.
They found a first aid kit in the hall closet and entered the room where she had left the blonde on the bed. Either they did this out of convenience or Liquiy really wanted to torture her. In the bathroom they took time bandaging each other and cleaning each others' wounds. Not wanting to worry the other woman Caprice tried to hide the fact that she had broken her arm but it was pretty obvious as she cradled it at her side.
Liquiy put it in a sling made from towels tied together and looked on with a worried gaze as the brunette tried to convince her that she would heal by tomorrow afternoon.
It felt like nothing had changed. Caprice kept tense with each exchanged word or sentence, afraid of being chastised by the other woman for doing what she did. She felt like a child who had broken a window and her parents were too mad to even say anything. How angry was Liquiy? What would this do to their relationship—assuming they still had one?
When they finished cleaning up and got on some clean clothes they went into the bedroom. Caprice stood at the door of the bathroom unsure of where she should sit. Liquiy plopped down on the chair and rubbed at the bandage over her neck and collar bone. The teacher gestured to the bed.
“Why don't you take it. I spent quite some time on it earlier.”
The brunette stared at the floor as she trudged over to the bed. This was going to be a very long night. She scooted up onto it and moved some pillows to rest her arm on them as she leaned against he headboard. Every part of her ached, but she tried not to show her pain. The last thing she needed to do was to look like she was garnering pity from the other woman.
An uncomfortable silence fell over the room. Caprice shifted on the bed refusing to meet eyes with Liquiy. She was afraid she'd break down if she looked at the woman.
She heard a sigh followed by a clicking of tongue. “Lift your head and look at me.”
Why were her muscles betraying her mind? Try as she might she couldn't stop herself from following the order and when she met a pair of dulled, aqua eyes, Caprice felt that anything she'd done wasn't completely irreparable. Tears filled the corners of her own eyes, however, even though she tried desperately to hold them back. She couldn't hurt Liquiy anymore.
Across the room the blonde's eyes also began to fill with tears. Liquiy wiped at her eyes and then took a deep breath. “I know why you did it, why you left me here. But what I don't know... is why you came back?”
Caprice felt her breath leave her body. Wasn't it obvious why she returned?
“I...” The brunette struggled for words. “I couldn't leave you.”
“You couldn't leave me because I could have possibly been killed? Or you couldn't leave me because you felt bad for what you did?”
“W-what? Neither of those-”
“Because honestly Caprice I thought I had this figured out. I thought I loved you and you loved me but then you decide to tie me up and leave me. How could you do that? I don't think anyone who loves someone could do that to them. And what with you saying that Tweedledee is correct in your lack of feelings against me and these actions, it obviously is true. You don't love me. So why did you come back?” While the blonde talked the tears gushed from her eyes. She tried to cover her face at first but gave up and just let her face glisten under the dim lamp light.
Caprice honestly didn't know she could feel so much at one time.
“Liquiy,” her voice came out much more hoarse than she expected. She pressed on, however, because she had to explain. “I came back because it hurt. I'm an idiot, I know that, and I realize I'm stupid for not seeing this sooner.”
“Seeing what?” The teacher sounded tired. She was wiping away her tears with kleenex and no longer looking at the brunette.
Her throat felt so swollen. Why was it so hard to say something so simple? “It hurt because I love you. Liquiy, I am utterly and completely in love with you. You are my partner and all this time I've been trying to deny it I was just hurting you.”
“Obviously.”
Caprice leaned forward. Liquiy had stopped moving and was staring at the wall. Her neck was bruising, her eyes were puffy, her face was scuffed with small cuts, and yet, she was so beautiful. If it took a millennium she would make up everything she'd done to this woman. How could she be so stupid and ignorant?
“You know, it doesn't really bother me that you were pushing me away. I knew how I felt. What worries me more is that you don't take your own feelings into consideration.”
What was she talking about? Her own feelings? “What do you mean?”
When Liquiy turned her head and to look again at Caprice, she felt like she was hit with a ton of bricks. “Nevermind. Just say it again.”
The brunette was about to ask what but she had a moment of surprising genius. She stared into those wondrous eyes and stated through falling tears, “I love you, Liquiy. I love you so very much.”
Caprice watched as the woman lifted the tissue to her eyes again. She held it there for only a moment before rising from the chair and sitting on the edge of the bed. When they joined hands the werewolf let out a gasped sob. Why had she tried to deny this? What sort of demented ideas had she got into her head that blocked her heart from recognizing these feelings?
Liquiy leaned forward and kissed her forehead.
“Idiot.”
Tears streamed steadily down her face. “I didn't want them to die. I didn't want you to get hurt. I did come back because I realized I loved you. You have to believe me. But I-”
The lips pressed against her own this time. She felt herself shaking in spite of the calming force next to her. What had she done? Even if she wasn't directly responsible for his death, even if she wasn't the one who injured Liquiy, wasn't the one responsible for all that had happened? The elder wouldn't forgive her. She couldn't forgive herself, so how could he?
“Caprice listen to me.”
She wiped at her eyes to no avail and tried calm down.
“What's happened has happened. You and I are still alive and as far as I'm concerned that is what is most important. And you're not a killer. No one who feels this guilty about a death they didn't even cause could ever be a killer in my book. Damnit Caprice, even though I'm still mad at you, you must know that I love you. I always will.”
Even though she nodded her head she still felt the weight of all that happened. She still felt like her world was coming to an end and all she had to show for it was a limited time with the woman who was most likely her partner. They would come for her now, full force, and wouldn't let up until she was killed. Why had she drawn so many people into her problem?
“His murder has assured us both death. I've fucked up, Liquiy.”
“We'll figure this out-”
“No! We're screwed! They're going to come for us and they won't stop-”
A pair of hands grabbed the sides of her head and forced her to look at the blonde. She breathed heavily between the sobs and tears. Why couldn't she just keep it together?
“We will figure this out. We know there are two vampires willing to help us. And we're so close. It could be weeks before they figure it out. Please calm down. You didn't do anything wrong.”
Liquiy pulled Caprice against her shoulder and held her tightly. The brunette couldn't do anything but cry. She cried for so long. Unable to do anything else she cried until the throes of sleep made her so drowsy that before she knew it she drifted off into slumber. Soothing hums from a song she didn't know lulled well into her sleep. She really did love this woman.