When the Sky Comes Down

Chapter 12

[Alexia’s P.O.V.]

I have been attending school for a week now and things have started to become stranger and stranger. First it started with the sudden appearance of my brother, Nicole or Harlen. Sometimes even two of them at once. They would pop up everywhere. They were there in the morning, to guide me to the canteen and to guide me to my first class. Luckily they wouldn’t show up in between classes. Instead, I got to spent al my time with Ilion and Bellian. We are together all the time. We make our homework together in the library, we play card games during our breaks and it is all fun. I learned a bit more about Ilion, who is the youngest of three. He is a wizard. I found out the difference between mages and wizards, besides the mark. Apparently mages power lies more in nature, while wizards are more focussed on dark magic. They both have their specialties. Mages are good at healing, at brewing and influencing nature in whichever way, whereas wizards influence the non-natural matter. Basically they can create the unnatural.

But then, by the end of the week, even Coden started to show up. I like Coden, but he didn’t quite seem like the type to just show up in my free periods to spend time with me. With us, because Ilion and Bellian are always there too. ‘Just keeping an eye out,’ is his excuse. ‘I can’t spend time with your brother and Nicole anymore, now that they are having- Eh- now that they are mated.’ They are almost always together, Nicole and Keith. Nicole says she is trying to make up for the time she lost, for these last four years. I can’t imagine wanting someone so badly that you feel the need to make up for lost time. I wonder how it would feel like.

Seeing how it is weekend, the school has become a lot more quiet. Bellian has left for home and so has Freya. Meaning I have the room for myself. Graham and Ilion will be staying, so will Coden, Harlen and Nicole. I tried convincing Keith and Nicole to go to her pack, so he can see if it is something he’d like. I almost seemed to have convinced them, but for some reason, they suddenly changed their minds again.

I take my time showering. The hot water feels nice on my skin. Keith and I went to the shopping centre near school a couple of days before classes started. I got a few new soaps and shampoos, but have been emptying my old once first. Now I finally get to use my new shampoo. It smells like roses and coconut. I rub it in nicely and enjoy the scent. Most of my previous shampoos barely smelled, but Nicole advised this nice little shop with homemade products. They weren’t too expensive and had great products. I rinse out the shampoo. I wonder is people will notice the difference, I certainly do.

I put off the shower and grab my towel and dry myself off. I wrap the towel around my body and wrap another one around my hair. While I brush my teeth, there’s a knock on the door.

‘Wowne womwent,’ I say, with my mouth full. I spit, rinse and go to my closet to get my robe out. I unlock the door and open it, but nobody is there. I shrug, close it again and walk to my closet to get dressed. I decide upon a simple, black and red t-shirt with v neck and a pair of black, ripped jeans. They are second hand clothes. Nicole promised we would go out shopping one of these coming weekends, but having seen her with my brother, I doubt she will find the time.

As I am combing my hair, there is another knock on the door. I leave my hair for what it is: wet and a little curly, and go to open it.

The first thing I see is the eyes. Dark brown with a hint of red. Then the teeth. A smile simple smile. But then he sees me and his corner teeth get exposed a little. My legs get a little weak over it. He had this same effect on me before, the one other time we met face to face. He got in my way, made sure I couldn’t continue walking. Then he started talking. His voice sounded like a string quartet, so melodious. He touched my cheek, my hair, my neck. I knew he was dangerous, Jakey had told me, but even then I couldn’t seem to move. Now I seem to be in the exact same position. My brain tells me to move, but my legs refuse.

‘Good morning beautiful,’ Gregory says. He moves my hair behind my ear and lets his fingers wander off to my neck. I feel my heart speed up. I am fairly sure he notices, because he smiles even wider. ‘Aren’t you going to invite me in?’

‘I am not sure that is a good idea.’ I force it out. He cooks his head. His fingers are still lingering on my neck.

‘Are you sure about that?’ His voice deepens, making me feel aroused. I know the feeling, I have felt it four times now. I just didn’t realise what it was exactly. Not until I continued reading the book on Womanhood from Nicole. ‘Because I think it would be very good for you to invite me in.’ He moves in closer and lifts my head with his fingers. ‘We could talk…’ He places a kiss on my forehead. I close my eyes. ‘I could, kiss you.’ His lips linger over mine. Suddenly his hand is touching my waist. ‘Wouldn’t you like that?’

‘Yes,’ it comes out before I even fully processed it. He doesn’t wait for me to change my mind and kisses me. He tastes sweet, but I can’t quite figure out what it tastes like. I have never been kissed, and I have to admit this is nothing like I imagined it being like. I feel like I’m not in control, like I have no power over what I do. His tongue plays with mine. It feels strange having his in my mouth. He pulls my body against his, but then starts moving me backwards, forcing me to walk into my room.

‘Gregory!’ somebody stops him from slamming the door close behind him. I can’t seem to place the voice. Gregory growls and pulls my head back by my hair. Then suddenly he is gone. His arms are ripped away from me and I almost fall down. ‘How dare you!’ My sight is blurry and my heart is pounding. ‘You know that is forbidden, you know it!’ There is a lot of growling. My heart starts to slow down and my mind starts to clear up. ‘Stay away from her!’ It’s Nicole. She has Gregory pushed against the wall, arm against his throat. They both have their teeth exposed. ‘You understand?! If I see you chasing her, I will rip your head off.’

He starts laughing. It is a scary laugh, it makes me want to rip him apart in order to stop him from doing it. ‘You and I both know that is more forbidden than what I did.’ Nicole puts more pressure onto his throat and he growls a little. I hear a little pain in it.

‘I warn you Gregory.’ She lets go of him and stands in front of me. ‘Now get out.’

Gregory just grins and straightens his jacket. He looks at me and winks. ‘We will finish this later.’

‘No you won’t!’ I am not sure he even hears Nicole, because he has already left.

Nicole turns around and starts inspecting my neck. ‘W-what are you doing?’ I say, confused.

‘Checking if he bit you.’ She looks at me. ‘Seems like I was just in time.’ She sighs.

‘I am sorry,’ I whisper.

‘Lexi, this wasn’t something you could do anything about.’

‘Harlen told me to walk away if Gregory ever approached me again.’ I feel so stupid.

‘Love…’ Nicole takes my hands. ‘You couldn’t do anything about this. He used his compulsion on you.’ I frown. ‘You haven’t learned about it in class yet, you will. Compulsion here at the school terrain is strictly forbidden, but some vampires manage to get away with it.’

‘Gregory is one of them?’ I ask.

‘Yes, he is. He seems specialised in hiding it.’ She sighs. ‘Ever since we knew he had his eyes on you, we have been trying to prevent it from happening.’ She pulls me in for a hug. ‘Coden came by earlier, to walk you to the canteen.’ So that was the first knock. ‘There was no answer, so he thought you had already left. So when I saw him without you, I hurried to get here.’ She lets go of me. ‘You smell different. Did you use your new shampoo?’ I nod. ‘It smells good.’ She gets my brush and starts doing my hair for me. ‘Gregory must have thought the same,’ she mumbles. ‘He must have noticed your roommates leaving and he has probably been keeping an eye out to wait his perfect moment. He knows we are careful when it comes to you. We protect our own.’ She takes a strand of hair at my left ear and starts braiding it in towards the back, then she does the same on the right and ties the two braids together. The rest of my hair goes down my back and over my shoulders. ‘There, now let’s go to the canteen.’

‘Lexi!’ Keith comes storming in, completely out of breath.

‘I am already here Keith. I got here just in time,’ Nicole calms him down. She walks up to him and gives him a kiss on the cheek. ‘She is alright, but Gregory almost got her.’

Keith reaches his hand out to me and pulls me in for a hug. ‘We should be more careful. Lexi, you need to be more careful. Who knows what he might have done if Nicole hadn’t-‘

‘But I did, I got here.’ Keith lets go of me. I can see him look at her. I have never seen him look with this much love at anybody. She did finally get him to break down those walls.

‘Come, let’s just go eat breakfast.’ Nicole takes his hand. She then hooks her free arm into mine, to pull us along.

[Harlen’s P.O.V.]

‘Where is Alexia?’ I ask Coden. It was his turn to get her, yet he is sitting in the canteen by himself. He has his head in his hands. ‘Coden?’

‘I messed up-‘ I turn my heels to run out, but in that very moment, her scent hits me. She smells different. It makes my knees quiver, it makes my instinct but in and it arouses me more than usual. She is guided by Nicole and Keith. I hurry towards them.

‘What happened?’ Too low, I need to watch my voice. Alexia looks at me and I look at her.

‘Gregory.’ It is that one name that makes me look up at Nicole. ‘I got there just in time. He was-‘ I growl as I imagine what he might have been doing with her.

‘Calm down Harlen,’ Keith says. Knowing him, it cost him some time too to calm down. ‘She is alright, Nicole got to her.’ He pets my shoulder. ‘But we should be more careful.’

Nicole lets go of Alexia, allowing me to wrap my arm around her. Nicole is helping me to get as much time with Alexia as I possibly can. As much skin on skin. She knows I plan on eventually telling on what is going on with me.

‘I will get her breakfast,’ Keith says. ‘Keep an eye on her?’ I just nod. We split our ways, he and Nicole walk to get breakfast and I walk Alexia to the table.

‘Lexi!’ Coden jumps up. ‘I am so sorry, I feel like such an idiot.’

‘So you guys have been taking turns in getting me,’ Alexia says accusingly.

Coden just stands there, at a total loss. ‘Yes,’ I answer. ‘But only because we all know how dangerous Gregory is.’ Had it been up to me, I would be the only one getting Alexia, but until I have told Keith about her being my mate, I cannot be too pushy. Before I tell Keith, I need to get Alexia to fall for me. I cannot convince Keith until I have her on my side. I am sure Keith will not have it unless she is able to help me to convince him.

‘So I heard,’ she whispers.

‘Nicole was there in time?’ Coden asks, as we all sit down. I keep my arm loosely around her waist. ‘He didn’t get to bite you?’

Hold back, do not start growling, I tell myself.

‘He didn’t,’ she tells us. ‘But he-‘ she stops talking and seems to be lost in thought for a moment.

‘Alexia?’ I don’t like the look in her eyes. I pull her closer to me, getting her out of her thoughts. ‘Is everything okay?’

‘Yeah,’ she whispers. ‘Yeah, everything’s okay.’ I notice her sniffing at me a little and I start getting aroused again. I cannot help but do the same. I stop when I notice my upcoming erection. I went to far. We are in public and I want to jump her. I have no place to go without anybody noticing, without her noticing. The idea of her noticing makes me even more excited. I pull back a little, in an attempt to get back control.

‘Breakfast,’ Keith says. He pushes a tray towards Alexia, whereas Nicole pushes one to me. They were kind enough to bring breakfast for the both of us.

‘Thank you.’ At least now I won’t have to get up myself. That would have been awkward.