The Damned

Theatrics

Nix POV

It’s been a week now since Darian stayed the night with me.  Aside from that night, I still haven’t been sleeping well.  Only this week it isn’t because of the nightmares.  No.  Instead, this week I haven’t been able to get comfortable with just my body pillow.  If I keep having a hard time sleeping, Darian will sense something is up, if he hasn’t already.

As I’m getting ready this morning, I put on some foundation and concealer to hide the dark circles under my eyes.  Luckily, ever since I confessed to Darian who my attackers were, the four haven’t even looked at me.  I guess his Alpha command really worked.  Thank Goddess!

I go downstairs and grab a granola bar.  I finish the bar and grab my book bag.  It’s a nice day out, so, I go sit outside on the front steps.  Five minutes after I sit down, Darian pulls up in his Audi.  I love his car.  I love his Yamaha too, but it is fairly windy, so, the Yamaha ride would be rough.  I climb into the car and reach over the middle to give Darian a kiss.

“Why does it feel like you’re agitated about something?”  He asks as I pull away and put my seatbelt on.

“I don’t know.”

“Don’t lie to me.”  He growls.

“I didn’t sleep well again last night.”  I half lie.

“Nightmares again?”

“Yes, but not the usual ones.  These were just random nightmares.”  I lie.  Darian glances at me but let’s the subject drop because we are at school.

“I have to talk to some of my teachers between classes, so, I’ll see you at lunch.”

“Sounds good.”  I say getting out of the car.

“I’ll meet you under our tree.  Do you want your usual for lunch?”  Darian says standing next to me.

“Please.”  I smile loving how he calls it our tree.  I give him a kiss and head to my locker.  I grab everything I will need for my morning classes.  I started doing this when Darian announced he would walk me to my classes.  But then after the class just before lunch, I go to my locker and get everything for afternoon classes.  It’s become my routine, so, today will be no different.  I head for my first class and morning classes pass rather quickly.  I go to my locker, open it, and a note falls out.  I pick it up.  My name is scrawled on the outside, but I don’t recognize the writing.  I open the note and it appears to be lyrics.

‘His eyes upon your face.  His hand upon your hand.  His lips caress your skin.  It’s more than I can stand.

Why does my heart cry?  Feelings I can’t fight.  You’re free to leave me, but just don’t deceive me.  And please, believe me when I say I love you.’

I recognize these lyrics.  They are from a song in Moulin Rouge.  Who the hell would leave me this note?  I refold it and stuff it in my pocket.  I need to control my emotions about this otherwise Darian will know something is up.  I go to mine and Darian’s tree, sit, and wait.  Darian comes out of the cafeteria and he looks upset.  He sits beside me and I feel rage radiating off him.

“What’s wrong, baby?”  I ask calmly.

“What did the note say?”  Darian growls out not looking at me.

“How do you know about that?”  I ask surprised, but go into my pocket to get it out.

“I watched David put it in there.”

“David put this in my locker?”

“Yes.  Now, what does it say?”  Darian looks at me and his eyes are black meaning Xavier is at the forefront.

“Here.”  I hand it to him cautiously.  He reads it and growls.

“Bastard!”  He looks away.  “You may not want to sit so close to me right now.”

“Why?”

“Because I don’t want to hurt you.”  With that, I climb on his lap.  “Nix, please, don’t.  I really don’t want to hurt you.”  He looks at me with sad black eyes.

“I’m not going anywhere.  I am your mate and I love you.  Besides, I know that right now I’m the only person who can calm you and Xavier down.  So, no.  I’m not moving.”  I say placing my arms around his neck.

“He wants to steal you from me.”

“But no one can do that.  You know why?”  Darian shakes his head.  “Because I have chosen you.  In mine and Isla’s minds, no one else will ever come close to being you.  You are our mate and we love you so dearly already.  I would rather die than going to some other male.”  I say looking into his eyes so he knows I’m telling the truth.  And just to get my point across, I smash my lips against his.  Darian hesitates, but only for a second before kissing me back equally.  I can feel him relax, but not fully.

“You tried to reject me.”  Darian says pulling away from the kiss.

“And it was the worst mistake of my life.  I never should have done that.  And I will spend every day of my life making it up to you.”  He relaxes a little bit more, but still something is off.  “Something is still troubling you.”  I say with a matter of fact tone.

“There’s just something I want to do that I think Xavier will calm down fully.”

“As long as it’s not permanently marking me, do what you need to do.”  I say honestly.  Darian looks at me surprised, but then leans toward my shoulder.  I know he won’t mark me and he doesn’t.  He simply inhales my scent and kisses the spot where I will bear his mark.  I sigh at the pleasure.

“Thank you, Nixie.”  He says still at my spot.  He then pulls away and all is calm once more.

“Anything for you, Darry.”  I smile.  Darian smiles in return then places his lips on mine again.  He lays us down while still keeping contact with my lips.  I smile to myself.  Darian nips my bottom lip and I open my mouth to grant his tongue access.  I pull away slightly causing Darian to pout.  I giggle which lights up his eyes.  “I love you.”  I say.

“I love you too.  So much.”  Darian says sweeping a stray hair behind my ear.  I feel all eyes on us, but I could care less.  I’m happy for once in my life.  “We should probably eat before the bell sounds.”

“Yeah.”  I smile and sit up.  Darian quickly sits up with me and we are face to face again.  He has a devilish grin on his face.

“That was a very teasing move.”  He says with a husky voice and stormy eyes.

“Sorry.”  I blush.  Darian kisses each cheek where the blush is slowly growing.  He then helps me off his lap so that I don’t accidentally tease him again.  We eat our lunch and finish just as the bell sounds.  He walks me to art class and I have a hard time focusing during the remainder of classes for the day.  I keep thinking about his sexy, husky voice and those stormy eyes of his.  If looks could kill.

After school, Darian takes me home and I get right to work on homework.  I decide to skip dinner and try to sleep instead.  I manage to drift off but only for a brief hour or so.  When I wake up again, I feel a presence in my room.  I look around and in the corner stands a figure.  I can feel emotions coming from the figure so I know the figure is Darian.

“What are you doing here?”

“I figured you weren’t sleeping well for a week now.  And wondered if it was because I wasn’t in the bed with you.”

“Maybe.  Why don’t we test the theory?”  I say with a shrug.  Darian instantly comes to the side of the bed he slept on last time.  He crawls in and I instantly feel relief when I lay on his chest.

“So, I know you feel relaxed now, but I have to ask.  Why do you always wear long sleeves?  I mean, even your hospital gowns are long sleeved.”  Darian says quietly.

“Oh.  That.”  I reach over and turn on my bedside lamp.  “This is why.”  I say and roll up my sleeves to show him my scars.  He takes my one arm in his hand and starts trailing kisses down my arm.  I sigh at this simple act.

“Your episodes?”  He says.

“How do you know about those?”  I ask surprised.

“Don’t get mad okay?”  I nod.  “The Monday after Fall Fest I didn’t see you at school.  At lunch, Nina informed Lucian and me about your episodes.  I always wondered if that was why you wear long sleeves, but I wanted to know for sure.”

“I see.”  That’s all I can think to say at the moment.  I turn off the lamp and curl into Darian again.  Before I know it, it’s morning.

Darian POV

It’s been a month now since Nixie was attacked.  I have stayed with her a few times just so she can sleep easier.  I have even talked to her mother about letting me continue to come over once a week to help Nix sleep.  Her mother was more than willing to agree.  I even got Nix a weighted blanket for the nights that I won’t be there.  It seems to be helping.  This weekend is the spring play.  Nix is the third Weird Sister.  I can’t wait to watch her performance.  I tried to get her to let me come watch a rehearsal, but she refused and said that if she feels me in the auditorium during a rehearsal, then I won’t get kisses for a week.  So, I haven’t dared to sneak into a rehearsal.

This weekend also marks the start of Spring Break.  I can’t wait for that either.  I have plans for Nix, Lucian, Nina, and me.  Only Lucian knows of them.  The girls only know that they need to pack for a week and what kinds of things to pack.

Tonight is my night with her and Xavier is thrilled.  He’s been pacing in my head ever since we dropped her off after school.  Nix’s mother and I agreed that since I helped her sleep for the first time on a Tuesday then that would be the day I help her sleep every week.

‘Ok.  I’m done with homework and dinner.’  Finally Nix says through our link.

‘Be there soon then.’  I smile to myself.  I grab my overnight bag and head for Nix’s house in my Audi.

Nix POV

Time flies when you are having fun.  Tonight is the last performance of MacBeth.  Then tomorrow, Darian is taking Lucian, Nina, and me somewhere for a week on the Alpha’s private jet.  I am so excited.

I finish getting ready for the performance and suddenly feel excitement from the crowd.

‘Darian’s here.’  Isla says happily.  I smile.

The performance comes and goes successfully.  After curtain call, the cast goes into the hallway to meet audience members.  Darian greets me immediately with a bouquet of Blood Red Roses.  He knows these are one of my favorites.

“You were amazing, love!”  Darian exclaims handing me the roses.  I sniff them with a shy smile on my face.

“Thank you, baby.”  I give him a kiss.  Then he stands beside me as I greet some more of the audience who also praise my performance.  Once there are only cast members and Darian left, Darian turns to me.

“You’re mother has agreed to let you stay with me tonight.”  He smiles.

“Oh.”  I smile too.  “That will make things easier.  Are Lucian and Nina also staying?”

“Yes.”

“Cool.  When are you going to tell me where we are going?”

“Not until we get there.”  He laughs because I pout at his answer.  “I’ll let you get changed.  Then we’ll grab your stuff and go to my house.”

“Okay!”  I smile.  I go to the dressing room and quickly change out of my costume.  I meet up with Darian and we quickly get my suitcase from my house.  Lucian and Nina are already at Darian’s house when we get there.  We all stay up and talk for a while before Darian announces that it’s time to get some sleep.  Darian and I get comfortable on one couch while Lucian and Nina get comfortable on the other.  Even with the excitement, I am able to sleep through the night.