Ilena

13

Soft kisses trail down my neck, sending tingles across my delicate skin. He's pulling at my clothes desperately needing nothing to be between us, finally we're alone and there's nothing to stop us. His scent overloads my senses and I can only think of him, he's kissing down my chest, undoing buttons as fast as his large hands can manage. My legs became weak under his touch, caressing my thighs as he slipped the offending material from my legs. His soft lips found their way to the sensitive skin there, each kiss getting closer and closer to the forbidden, until..."Fox." I whisper a moan.

I open my eyes to find that, Fox is not in my bed. That I'm in a bed and not only that but there's a strange man lying next to me half naked and asleep.

"What the hell?" I curse quietly as I quickly remove myself from the bed finding that my pants are missing, I find my bag on the floor next to the bed and grab a wrap skirt out of it and tie it around my waist. Its showing off one leg leading all the way up to my hip bone but I don't care at this point, someone also took off my over shirt so that all I was wearing was a tank with my lace underwear. After putting on the skirt, I decide I'm covered enough.

"That sounded riveting, who's Fox?" The strange man asked making me roll my eyes as I storm out of the room.

"Shut the hell up." I curse at him as he follows me, I go down a hall to find Cara in the kitchen fixing coffee, she tries to stop me but I am determined.

"He must be tasty is all I'm saying." The man teases.

"Wait, Ile...I mean Ember their..." She tries, but I keep going, I walk into the next room to find, Charles and Sarah smiling on the couch cuddling, Blake laughing at his post near the windows, Fritz fidgeting with something in his lap while he sits by the fireplace, 'Fox' is braced against the wall next to the door with a grin plastered to his handsome face. And what's Evan doing but wrestling with another man that looks about his age in the middle of the floor.

The strange man grabs my elbow just as I enter the room, causing me to turn and look at him.

"Let's just..." He stops talking when he looks into my eyes and slowly releases my elbow.

"Touch me again and I will fry your tiny brain where it sits just like I did with your friend Theo." I say in a deadly voice that I didn't even know I could muster. He backs off a few steps with his hands in the air defensively. "Someone want to tell me why there was a strange half naked man in my bed when I woke up?" I ask loudly and angrily, everyone stops instantly and looks at me.

"Darious felt the need to send more men to protect you since at least four of the other ones are dead now." Evan said as he untangled himself from the man he was wrestling with.

"So I was right, you are the side action he wants kept safe." The strange man says beside me as he pulls on his shirt, with a cocky smile.

"Son of a.." I say as I'm about to zap him.

"Stop." Charles exclaims as he jumps up from his seat. "You and you, out we have private matters to discuss." He says and then walks over to me, leaning in to whisper in my ear. "You don't tell him, I will. If you had he would have been in your bed instead and we wouldn't be having this problem." He turned back to the room just as the two men were walking out of the door and everyone was looking at him curiously.

"I will tell him when I know him." I whisper to him, just before he walks off and Cara steps in beside me.

"What is it boss?" She asks trying to lighten the room.

"She is not Darious's other girl, or at least not in the way he meant." Charles starts to explain as he moves back to his seat next to Sarah. This is only really news to Sarah, Cara and Nolan, I mean 'Fox'. I notice 'Fox' appraising me and lean against the door frame exposing my leg just a little bit more, he's not the only one that notices but he's the only one that matters.

"So what's the big deal then?" Sarah asks, curiosity getting the better of her.

"I'm his daughter." I say loud enough that I won’t have to repeat myself but make sure no one outside could.

"Wait, but your one of us, how is that possible?" Cara asked and went to sit down on the empty couch across from Charles and her sister.

"Your mother?" Fox asked and push's off from the wall to come stand behind the sofa, Cara was sitting on.

"Is my sister, Vela Spayord. Princess to all vampire kind before our mother ordered her death that is." Fritz chimed in, turning to join the conversation.

"Killed, because she fell in love with the wrong man." I explain quietly but no one seems to notice.

"She's not dead." Evan says, somehow he came to stand beside me and I didn't notice. "She is married to your father, she lives with him."

"That's too much power for one person, especially one that didn't become acclimated to it as they grew up. She's too new to just the one power she can access, she's going to need an anchor, someone that can bring her back when the power takes over." 'Fox' explains sounding worried, maybe even like he knew someone like this before.

"She seemed to handle it pretty well on her own and besides that, you were the one to help her otherwise, so it’s just logical that it should be you." Charles volunteers.

"And you seem to know the most about it." Evan offers, their setting me up.

"I don't know her as well as you do, are you sure?" He asks, he's thoughtful and studious as he looks over at me. God why does he have to look so good all the time that dream has me all messed up. All I can think about are his lips caressing every soft....

"Ember...? Are you ok...with it that is?" 'Fox asks in that sexy voice that I love so..."Ember?"

"Yeah, I'm ok with it." I say acting as if I wasn't just thinking about him and he startled me back to the present.

"Good, he'll stay with you then, since there's limited space and he needs to be near you anyway." Evan says and quickly heads into the kitchen before either of us can object.

"You’re not slick, you know that right?" I ask following him into the kitchen.

"Slick enough." He says grinning widely.

I sigh and roll my eyes, "Know where I can get a bite?" I ask smiling over at him as I start closing the distance between us.

"Well, there all hunting for theirs." He offers but I can see he knows that's not what I meant.

"I could do that." I say and turn to leave and he catches my arm.

"Or you could just stay here with me." He says flirtatiously, 'Fox' must have come into the kitchen and he's back to his old tricks again.

"Mmmm, I don't know. I haven't been hunting since I turned, it could be fun." I tease and remove my arm from his grasp to turn and look at 'Fox'. "Are you ok, with the arrangement, Fox?" I ask him as he turns to leave.

He turns back to look at me, his eyes even darker than usual, his eyes graze the spot Evan's hand had so recently been. "It's fine, I don't sleep much anyway." He said and went to turn away again.

"Neither do I normally, but you have to sleep sometime. Would you like to come for a hunt with me and we can get to know each other better so that what happened this morning doesn't happen again." I say as we walk back into the living room, Evan follows shortly after.

"Sounds good." He says keeping his stern demeanor, I don't think he's willing to let his guard down around me. He might still be confused about his reactions towards me.

"And you." I say looking towards Evan, "You can tell Darious, that I trust the people in this room I don't need anyone else here that's supposed to be 'protecting' me and ends up trying to maim, r**e or murder me."

"Someone tried to r**e you?" Charles asked defensively.

"Oh no, your right, that was the grievers last week. Look just tell him I will keep mine in pocket and he can keep his." I look back up at 'Fox', "I'm going to change and then we can go." He nods and I head back to the room I awoke in, my bag still sitting on the floor. I dig out a pair of skinny jeans and a black V-neck and get dressed with my brown knee high boots. I brush my hair and head back into the living room, where he is waiting for me as he stares out of the window. He must have changed, he's wearing a pair of jeans, hiking boots and a deep blue flannel, that he has the sleeves rolled up to the elbows. It’s a designer shirt though, I can tell because of the material, but I'll be damned if it doesn't look amazing on him. I start to walk up but as soon as I can smell him he tenses, I'm sure it’s because he can smell me coming.

I walk up and touch his elbow lightly, in an instant his hands are holding mine. I didn't realize it would have that much of an effect.

"Are you ready?" I ask softly.

"If you are." He says and leans just past me to open the door. We pass the campfires of his men, sideways glares lining my path. Hearts of the ashamed filled with hate for the unknown, they really are not the best ones to be protecting me. In moments we are in the forest, we are taking long strides, weaving around trees.

"Do you trust them?" I ask casually and look over at 'Fox' walking next to me.

"No, they are only my men when the king chooses." He says firmly.

"We should send them home." I say definitively, I would actually feel safer with them gone, with less people watching over me.

"Then we will." He agrees easily, funny I had expected an argument. The hunt calls to me, I can smell the blood of deer pumping rapidly through their veins. I took a deep breath catching their direction and took off, I could feel him close behind. It takes several miles but finally up the side of the mountain we found a group of deer, at least twenty of them. I flip into a kneel, landing on one knee and my other leg outstretched, my long hair flowing out in front of me, I was so quiet I didn't even break a twig.

I hear a slight wiz sound and then I'm tumbling, a large body crashing with me. My back lands on the ground and I open my eyes to see 'Fox' lying on top of me, his body nestled into mine like a mold, I don't think this was part of his plan.

"Are you alright?" He asks, I stretch my arms above my head, checking my limbs for damage, I'm fine I never really needed to worry about it.

"Yeah I'm just enjoy the feel of the soft cool grass against my bare skin...please tell me that your trying to seduce me and someone didn't just make another attempt at my life." I smile slightly, he so close, if I lifted my head just a little I could kiss him, everything else is in the right place for seduction, so why not. He points upward to a tree that was right next to me before this roll in the hay and I could see an arrow sticking out of the wood.

"Shit." I curse and plop my head back, "I was so hoping for option A." I admit and he smiles embarrassed and gets up. He gives me a hand up just as the two men that were in the house earlier jog up.

"I'm so sorry, I was aiming for the deer but it’s been so long since I've shot I guess I'm crap at it. Again I am so sorry." The guy who was half naked in my bed earlier apologizes.

"Don't let it happen again John! Ember, this is Johnny and Sims." 'Fox' growls.

"You can have the beast when I'm done with it, you don't have to shoot me for it." I joke and turn back to the deer. "Damn it." I curse, their running, I take off after them. Within a moment I have closed in on them, one on either side, seven males, eight females, five babies. The males are so much bigger than the females, they will feed more men and sustain me longer. I narrow in, and try to separate him from the pack. It's what a predator would do in the wild, I just hadn't realized that I was one. I leapt, landing on the males back, he's insistent on keeping his pace. I grab his horns pulling them to the side, he crashes to the ground hard, he's breathing heavy and kicking widely, trying to get up but I am pinning him down. I try to sooth him by petting the fur on his neck and hum an old song I used to know, it seems to be doing the trick, he lays his head down and closes his eyes, he seems to be going to sleep.

"Thank you.” I whisper close to his ear and then gently, I sink my fangs into his neck, he doesn't flinch, just takes deep breaths, slowly slipping away until death.

"Ember did you...?" 'Fox' starts to ask as he runs up, but stops when he sees me. I gently remove my fangs from his neck and pet his fur once more before looking up at 'Fox'.

"Yeah, I got him." I said standing and brushed off my knees. "I guess I'm a natural." I say with a weak smile. Johnny and Sims come running up behind 'Fox'.

"Nice. But I can’t take credit for a kill from a woman." Johnny says smiling.

"Then don't take credit and by the way, it’s the twenty first century, women can do anything any man can do, only better because we have breasts." I smile wickedly and start walking back towards the cabin.

"Wait, what about the beast?" Johnny calls to me.

"What can’t carry back your kill?" I laugh and 'Fox' comes jogging up next to me, but slows to a walk. “And save me a piece of the horn." I holler back but don't slow my pace, I quiet my voice so only he can hear, "So you’re like me, a creature of both worlds?" I ask already knowing the answer, it was in his blood that was shot into my shoulder. I only came to realize the difference when Evan wanted me to drink his blood before going out for the hunt. Their blood is similar but some of the markers are the same as Blake's and Charles.

"How did you...When?" He asked sounding much too serious for my liking, but I'm guessing this is a secret he's hidden for a very long time without anyone finding out and now after only knowing me a few days I have.

"When Fritz shot you, the shot when through you and into my shoulder." I stop and pull down the side of my shirt to reveal the nasty looking scar that has now replaced the wound, I don't know if the scar will heal fully either but it should. He leans in closer and brushes his hand over the scar, making me shiver slightly, the skin is so sensitive there, not to mention he's touching me ever so gently, just like in my dream.

"Why is it scarring?" He asked.

"Fritz soaked the shot in Vervain, clearly he was expecting vampires to attack him not Titan's. It’s either that or I'm having a reaction to your blood, because of what we are, but if yours didn't scar then you are clearly more Titan than vampire." I say just as he pulls down the side of his shirt to reveal his shoulder, it’s near completely healed just a few small spots are still dark. I touch it lightly and feel him tremble slightly and quickly replace his shirt, moves away, frowning as if we've just done something wrong.

"We should get back, they'll be looking for us if we stay out to long." He said and turned back towards the cabin.

"Right." I say and head back to the cabin, but don't bother to wait on him. Why do men always have to be so stubborn?

----------------------

It's been three days, every night when I've been able to sleep I've dreamt about him and every time when I wake he's nowhere to be found, I can only pray he hasn't heard anything, which is why I can barely sleep. It hurts a little more each day, not being with him or at least I'm guessing that's what it is, can you really need something you've never had, can you really crave something you've never tasted. It's been quiet, since the other day, we barely talk unless we have to, and frankly I'm a bit sick of that.

Just as I step out of the shower I hear a door close, I dry myself and throw a silk robe around me. It shows every curve but I don't really have a choice, I have no clothes in here and I'm trying to dry my hair with the towel, I step out into the bedroom to find him without a shirt on, it looks like he's looking for another one in his bag. Thank you, Charles and Evan, for making this the most painful living situation I have ever been in, the s****l tension, at least on my end has grown to astronomical levels. On the other hand I can see him appraising me out of the corner of my eye as I cross the room to my bag. Maybe I'm not the only one feeling the pain!

"Is there still hot water left?" He nearly growls, his jaw is clenched and his stance is tense.

"Yes, there should be. I'm sorry did I do something to piss you off?" I ask standing up and turning to look at him, he's only about six feet away but I can feel the pain already.

"No sorry, I just need to feed. I don't have to do it very often but still." He says quietly and looks back towards his bag.

"I was going out for a hunt, come with me. Just you and me, no one else." I say casually and squat back down to dig through my bag, I was running low on clothes until yesterday when Cara tells me she found a working laundry room off of the kitchen, thankfully. I only wish she had told me sooner. I pick out a pair of dark wash skinny jeans, a long sleeved purple blouse, nothing special really except for my matching blue lace bra and boy shorts. I throw them on the bed along with the rest of my clothes and look around for my brush, I must have left it in the bathroom. I walk around the bed and into the bathroom, finding my brush sitting on the counter where I left it. I grab it and head back into the room but bump into him at the door.

"Oh sorry, I forgot my brush." I say stepping to one side.

"Its fine, we'll go after I'm done." He says, clenching his jaw so tight I think it might break. I go back to my bag and as soon as the door shuts I start getting dressed and brush my hair. After finding my boots under the bed and putting them on I head out and into the living room. Everyone is pretty much where they always are, but their getting restless and so am I, it’s been over a week and there's been no word from Darious in the past two days. He should have sent for us already instead of keeping me in hiding.

"Any word?" I ask as I grab a black sweater off of the back of the couch and throw it on, it’s gotten colder outside and while I don't get cold a woman of my size if seen without one at this temperature would look strange.

"No but I called him again and said we were going to go home if he didn't call me back." Evan grins.

"Oh good." I say sarcastically, shouldn't have to threaten to get a man to meet his daughter. "Fox and I are going for a hunt, hold down the fort." I hint and look out of the window. We sent almost all of the extra men off, but we decided that Johnny and Sims could stay since 'Fox' knew them pretty well.

"Let's go." 'Fox’ calls and walks out of the door before I can even turn my head.

"I have a feeling something's wrong with him." Evan teased knowingly.

"Oh shut it." I curse as I storm out of the door and into the woods behind 'Fox'. He's already running and I have to catch up, the red deer are further up the side of the mountain now, they seemed to be on to us after the first hunt. Smart creatures they are, we just don't have another choice. We run for while not saying a word, but we can’t seem to find the deer. It's starts to rain and we duck inside of a cave for shelter as we gather our barring's.

"We'll never find them now." He says frustrated and hits the cave wall.

"I guess we'll have to find a plan B then." I say thinking, interesting reaction, for someone who doesn't need blood that often or maybe it’s a combination of that and me.

"What plan B, there's no one out here?" He asks frustrated but seems to immediately regret his tone.

"Then take mine!" I say firmly and he turns, looking at me wide eyed.

"What about the Griever...?" He asked trying not to look at the pulse in my neck.

"I'm immune and I'm guessing you are too, but put simply...do you feel drawn to the blood of vampires?" I asked stepping towards him.

"I don't..." He starts but stops.

"Are you called to my blood, can you hear my heart beat thumping in your ears, can you hear it rushing through my veins?" I ask knowing the answer, it’s practically written on his face.

"Yes." He breathes and slowly moves toward me, he closes in as I pull my shirt and jacket away from my neck. I can feel his breath against my skin, making my skin tingle from its heat.

I hear him growl deep in chest, but he steps back looking at me like it was my doing, I look around the cave to find a large brown bear staring at us, barring its teeth and preparing to attack. Slowly I step away from 'Fox' and move towards the bear, catching its eyes and humming my old lullaby, its looking less aggressive by the second and gently lays down on its side and closes its eyes. I pet the fur on its neck and that it is a she when two cubs come running up to snuggle in their mothers warmth.

"You’re a soother?" 'Fox' asks quietly as he takes soft steps toward me.

"I guess. Um I guess plan A can be back on the table...if you want." I say wishing I hadn't needed to. I am ready for the secrecy to be over but I have a feeling he won’t believe me if I just tell him, I just don't know how to go about it.

"Oh right, but what about the cubs?" He asks sounding off.

"She is big enough that she should recover easily from the amount of blood a normal vampire would take, unless you think you would need more?" I say looking at him quizzically.

"No I guess not." He says and kneels down on the other side of the bear and sinks his head to her neck, gently biting. He takes long draws, like a man starved for weeks but he keeps his gentle touch and only takes as much as he needs, nothing more.

Several long minutes later, the cubs are all tucked in with their mother and their mother is indeed fine. The rain has stopped and we start our long track back towards the cabin.

"How often do you need to feed?" I ask as I step over a downed log.

"Once a week, sometimes less, sometimes more. Otherwise I eat normal food, if need be I can drink more blood and eat less food but it does not work the other way around, trust me I've tried."

"Interesting, I rarely ever eat regular food unless I've have a craving or am trying to seem normal. Mostly I just survive on blood." I offer.

"Oh did you not want to..." He asks motioning back towards the cave.

"Oh no I'm fine for now, I can try again tomorrow." I shrug and then we hear a scream near where the cabin is supposed to be and take off running in that direction. But once we get close ‘Fox' pulls me behind a tree to scope out the place.

"I can’t believe you shot me in the foot with my own bloody arrow. How stupid can you be?" Johnny yells.

"You’re supposed to run away, not stay in the strike zone." Sims yells back at him.

Oh great it’s just two idiots playing a stupid game. 'Fox' steps away and we walk the rest of the way back to the cabin and inside just shaking our heads at their juvenile show. Just inside the living room everyone is sitting around talking.

"Charles, you didn't tell me that your protégé was a Soother." 'Fox calls just after I walk in the door.

"I didn't know." He perks up curiously.

"Hey that's my skill." Blake speaks up out of the blue.

"What, when did you figure that out?" I ask, wondering why I didn't already know this information.

"I didn't figure it was a big thing, I calm down dogs from time to time, a wild cat or two but nothing too big to really get excited about." Blake shares.

"I've been doing it to the deer on hunts and just a bit ago to a decent sized brown bear. So yeah I'd say it’s a big deal." I say wanting to smack him for not telling me. "That's weird though, us both having the same ability." I say as I plop down on the couch next to Cara, who always seems to be drinking coffee.

"You mean like how we both can drink vampire blood but not turn into grievers." Charles chimes in.

"Yeah what of it?" I ask sitting up in my seat, he seems to be going somewhere with this.

"Evan what's your gift?" Charles asks obviously.

"I have a couple, I can manipulate the elements, I can teleport short distances, but combustion has to be my favorite though." He says smiling at me, remembering old times.

"I for one have thought that you have showed great control of your new power for only having it a short time, don't you think Ember?" Charles says emphasizing my false name.

"Maybe, but so what are you saying? I'm collecting gifts from the people that I've taken blood from?" I ask curiously.

"It's not an impossible idea, considering what you are, there are no real limitations to what you could do." He speculates and looks up towards 'Fox' as if he should hold some answers we do not, and he should but Charles doesn't know that. I really need to talk to him I just don't know how. But for now maybe while he's awake, I might be able to get some rest, instead of restlessness from worrying what he might hear.

I yawn and stand. "I'll be resting if anything exciting happens around here." I say knowing nothing will and leave to go to my room. A few minutes later I strip off everything but my lace underwear and a tank top and climb into bed. It's the first time I will have voluntarily slept at night in a very long time.