by H G Lynch
“Well, we wouldn’t want to start a frenzy, would we?” Liandra gazed Reid up and down, so slowly that Ember wondered, furiously, if the girl’s eyes were stuck in the direction of Reid’s crotch. When her hazel eyes finally returned to Reid’s face, the look in them could only be described as smoky.
Ember gritted her teeth, feeling the tell-tale sting against her lower lip that meant her fangs were coming out.
“No, that would be…unfortunate. Now, if you don’t mind…um…?” Reid tilted his head questioningly.
Liandra giggled, holding out her hand to him. “Liandra,” she said, her voice making the word a purr.
Reid smiled pleasantly and took her hand briefly. “Liandra. Nice name. I’m Reid. Now, if you don’t mind, I think my girlfriend and I should be heading off.” With an elegant sweep of his hand, Reid motioned Ember past Liandra.
Stormily, Ember went, shooting Liandra one last glare.
Liandra called after them — or rather, after Reid, “Goodbye…Reid.” Then she disappeared around the corner and was gone.
Ember, having reached the door to her room, slammed the door open, and dumped her textbooks unceremoniously on her bed. Reid followed her into the room, closing the door behind him and frowning at the dent the door handle had made in the wall when she’d thrown it open.
“Okay, that was a little extreme, don’t you think? It was just an accident that she walked into you,” he said, apparently clueless as to why Ember might be so pissed off.
She turned her glare on him and he froze by the dresser, a puzzled look on his face. “Yeah, and I’m sure it was an accident that she was checking you out too. And don’t pretend like you didn’t notice, because it was impossible not to. She might as well have written, ‘Wow, I think he’s hot’ across her forehead,” Ember barked, kicking her trainers off viciously and tossing them under her bed.
Reid’s expression smoothed out to something between amusement and comprehension. “That’s what you’re so upset about? That she was checking me out? Emz, in case you haven’t noticed, most of the girls in the school do that. Daily.” He gingerly moved to sit on the end of her bed, smartly keeping a little distance away from her.
Ember gave him a warning scowl. “At least they’re semi-discreet about it. And they don’t open flirt with you right in front of your girlfriend!” She crossed her arms angrily, and she could feel the stubborn set of her jaw.
Reid cautiously slid closer to her, but she turned away so he had only her indignant profile to look at. He sighed. “Oh, come on, Emz. How was she supposed to know you’re my girlfriend? She’s new here. That’s why I specifically said, ‘I think my girlfriend and I’ instead of ‘Ember and I’.” He touched her arm lightly.
She didn’t move away, but she didn’t melt at all either. “Oh, she knew. It was more than obvious. She didn’t care. Plus, it didn’t help that you flirted back,” she added quietly, turning her back on him so he wouldn’t see her injured pride or the hurt on her face.
There was a pause, then Reid said softly, “I wasn’t flirting,” he said it almost like he wasn’t sure, like he wanted to add ‘Was I?’ to the end of that sentence.
Ember swallowed some inexplicably harsh words, and grumbled, “Yes. You were.” Another silence.
Reid moved closer, put an arm around her shoulders and pulled her to him. She stubbornly didn’t respond to his gentle hug, kept glaring out the window. “I didn’t mean to flirt with her, Emz. If I did, it wasn’t on purpose. Old habits die hard, I guess,” he murmured, winding a lock of her hair around his finger.
Ember continued to scowl. She didn’t like the idea that yet another girl was going to try to steal her guy, especially one that was pretty…in an exotic way, albeit.
When she didn’t relax any, Reid continued, murmuring into her ear, “I used to flirt with every girl that looked my way, but since you came along, Emz, I can’t even see them anymore. I only see you. It’s like you outshine every other girl. None of those girls can compare, Emz. It’s you I love.”
Of course, at that, Ember’s anger started to crumble. How could she stay mad at him when he said something like that? It was almost impossible, especially when she could feel his arms around her so gently, his steady breathing in her hair. It was like his touch drugged her, lulling her into complacency.
“There we go. You so easily get worked up, Emz,” Reid muttered as she sank back against his chest, closing her hands over his. He kissed her hair, and she smiled faintly.
He was right, she had to admit. After all they’d been through, especially with their latest escapade, she was stupid to get jealous over nothing. She knew Reid loved her, would never do anything to hurt her. As long as she didn’t hurt him first — he was very good at being vengeful. It seemed to come with his ego.
“I guess I’m just a bit tense at the minute. Still recovering from the nightmares,” she said quietly, and felt Reid grip her tighter reflexively. She’d only stopped having nightmares about seeing Reid tortured and killed in front of her in the last few days really, and those kind of nightmares had left traces in her mind, images she could never burn out. In time, she might forget them, but she doubted it. Those images would be branded into her mind for a long, long time, and they still made her heart squeeze and her stomach twist.
“Are you still having the nightmares?” Reid asked, so softly his voice was a whisper.
Ember thought he still felt guilty because he hadn’t believed her when she’d said her nightmares were predicting what was going to happen in reality, and then he’d gotten captured and tortured in front of her, just like in the nightmares.
She shook her head. “Not anymore. But I can remember them. Sometimes an image or two will flash into my dreams, like a semi-subliminal reminder.” She resisted a shudder. But Reid had felt her tense, and shifted around to see her face, his blue eyes searching hers.
“The images will go away. It’ll just take time. If you want, I could sleep here with you, just to ease your mind a little,” he said gently.
Ember smiled weakly, tempted, so temped by his offer, but she put on a brave face. “It’s okay. They’re just dreams after all.”
Reid’s lips tilted up at the corners and he drew his thumb lightly over her cheekbone, leaving the skin there warm and tingly.
“What about you?” she asked tenderly. “Do you…have you had any nightmares about…what happened?”
Reid’s eyes darkened a little, but he didn’t drop his smile. He shook his head. “Not so far. I’m as sane as ever,” he said.
Ember searched his face for signs he was lying, but couldn’t find any. “Well, that isn’t saying much,” she quipped.
Reid broke into an easy grin, chuckling. Then he leaned forward and kissed her, lightly, on the mouth. His lips, as always, were warm and soft and inexplicably tasted like hot chocolate. His spiced-apple-and-pine-tree scent tantalized her sense of smell, tickling her nose and throat, filling her lungs with a fuzzy warmth. She could feel the muscles in his shoulders sliding as he held her against him, could feel the beat of his heart against her chest.
It was amazing how someone who was technically undead could feel so alive.
Everyone Has Issues
** Reid **
When Reid left Ember, she was happily curled up on her bed with a book and her MP3. She’d wanted him to stay a little longer, but he wasn’t sure he wouldn’t crack if he did, and end up telling her everything.
Because, he’d lied to her when he’d said he hadn’t had any nightmares about being tortured. He’d had plenty of nightmares, only in the last few nights, since coming back to Acorn Hills. Only Ricky knew it, and Reid had made him swear not to breathe a word to anyone. They were just nightmares, but for Reid, they were painful, horrific memories.
Every night for the last three nights, he’d felt it all over again; The icy cold wind whipping his hair into knots, the snow seeping into him and chilling his bones, the hellish blade piercing his flesh, again and again, tearin
g and ripping his skin and muscles. The burning pain, the uncontrollable fear — not really for himself, but for Ember and Sherry and Ricky. If The Society members tortured him like this, what would they do to Ember, who was their real target? Then, there was the emotional agony of wondering what Ember would do if they killed him. He’d seen her suicidal over Sherry’s death, hated to think that she might follow that same path if he was taken from her. How much would it really hurt her to lose him like that? Would it tear her apart? Yes. He’d known from the instant he had the thought that the answer was yes. And he’d felt the pain of his torture that much more for it.
That was what he relived every night, sometimes several times a night. He found himself gasping awake, sweating, as Ember had done when she’d had her nightmares. A few times, Ricky had had to shake him awake because he’d been thrashing and yelling. It was a wonder Ember hadn’t noticed anything wrong with him yet, but then again, he was very good at acting like there was nothing wrong.
“Reid?”
The sound of Ricky’s voice jerked him back to the present, and he found the brunette boy watching him with guarded eyes from across the room. He wondered what expression had been on his face while he was thinking, to make Ricky look so…concerned.
“What is it, Kee?” Reid forced a smirk to his lips, knowing Ricky wouldn’t buy it but hoping he might anyway. Judging by the narrowing of Ricky’s eyes and the firm set to his mouth, his hopes were worthless.
“You were thinking about the nightmares again, weren’t you?” Ricky asked, not unkindly.
Sometimes, Reid wished Ricky couldn’t read him so well.
“No. I was considering what might happen if I were to tell Mr. Waysworth that my girlfriend burned my homework. Do you think he’d believe me? I suppose not. Maybe if I could get Ember to show him exactly how she might burn my homework, then he’d be more likely to—”
“You’re rambling, Reid, to distract me. It won’t work. Have you told Ember about the nightmares?” Ricky sat down on his bed, opposite Reid, and rested his elbows on his knees, leaning forward. His blue-green gaze seemed to see right through Reid, which would have bugged him at any other time, but right now, it was oddly comforting to know there was someone who he didn’t have to hide from or be strong for. It was part of why Reid had always liked Ricky, the boy’s intuitiveness and sensitivity. It nicely complimented Reid’s own shortcomings in those areas, boosting his bad boy rep.
“No. Why would I? They’re only dreams, Ricky. They’ll stop soon enough. No need to worry Ember over nothing.” Reid shrugged.
Ricky didn’t look convinced, though. “You know, she will find out eventually, and if she doesn’t hear it from you, she won’t be happy,” he pointed out.
Reid narrowed his eyes at the boy and said, in a low voice, “She won’t find out, because you won’t tell her.”
Ricky didn’t look surprised or even vaguely frightened by Reid’s threatening tone. Lately, it seemed that Ricky had grown somewhat more backbone than before. While Reid might’ve commended him on this at another time, at the moment, it was annoying. If Ricky told Ember about these nightmares, Reid would not be happy.
For a long time, Reid and Ricky locked glares, until Ricky finally gave with a sigh. “Fine! I won’t tell her. For now anyway. But dude, if anyone’s going to understand what you’re dealing with, it’ll be Ember. Talk to her, or no matter how much you threaten me, I will tell her myself,” Ricky said seriously, a determined look on the brunette boy’s face.
Reid gritted his teeth in irritation, and turned away, flopping onto his back and pulling a pillow over his face. He hated feeling weak, and that’s exactly how he felt at the minute — weak. Vulnerable. It was one thing for him to be having nightmares that had him waking up in cold sweat, it was another thing entirely to have Kee, the youngest of the vampire boys, throwing his threats back at him like that. He was starting to understand more and more why Ember had frozen up and broken down so much because of her nightmares before. Something like that really ate away at you, screwed with your head. It was hell.
*****
**Ember**
“What’re you wearing to the party this Friday? Did you finally buy that pink dress you wanted?”
“Oh, yeah, I made Daddy buy it for me. But that’s not what I’m going to wear. I want to wear that sexy red one I got last week. You know, the one with the plunging neckline? David’s going to be drooling over me for sure.”
Ember listened to the giggling girls in the row behind her with disgust and curiosity. What party? She hadn’t heard of a party this Friday. Not that she was planning on going anyway, but still, it might’ve been nice if somebody had informed her. Bored and slightly miffed, Ember quit listening to the girls and tried to pay attention to what the teacher was saying about parabolic equations, until she heard her name. Then she tuned back into the gossipy conversation.
“…That Ember girl, the one going out with Reid Ashton. I bet she’ll wear something so…virginal. Like that horrid blue affair she wore to the autumn dance last year. I honestly don’t know what Reid gets from her. I’d bet anything she doesn’t put out, so he must have some sort of special arrangement with her. Like, maybe she’s writing his English essays, and in exchange, she wants him to pretend to be her boyfriend. How sad is that?” the first girl gasped excitedly.
“Ugh. Pathetic. Who really believes Reid would go for that kind of girl anyway? He should be with someone more…mature. Someone who’ll give him what he wants,” the second girl murmured meaningfully in a husky voice.
Ember gritted her teeth, resisting the urge to turn around and knock both girls unconscious.
Two months ago, the whole school had been whispering that she was a slut, and now, it seemed the opposite was being uttered behind her back. Worse, these girls were talking like they thought they had a chance with Reid, if they just offered him ‘what he wanted’. What they thought he wanted anyway. Ember knew what Reid wanted, and that was her.
That thought made her feel a little better, but she was still angry when the bell rang. She scooped up her bag and barged her way out of the class, ahead of the two girls, and stomped along the hallway. What she needed right now was to do some drawing, something to calm her down…maybe just a big mug of coke. That could work.
She was considering her options when she ran into someone, so absorbed in her own fury that she hadn’t noticed the person standing in the hallway right in front of her.
“Hey, midget, try not to—Oh! It’s you again. Do you ever watch where you’re going?” a familiar voice mocked.
Ember briefly shut her eyes, wondering how her luck had ever gotten so bad. Because, of course, the person she’d walked into just happened to be Liandra. Again. Fabulous. Just who I wanted to see, she thought sarcastically.
Not even trying to conceal her irritation, Ember raised her eyes coldly to Liandra’s hazel ones. Today, Lia’s make-up consisted of bright green eye-shadow that matched her hair, and blood-red lipstick. She was smiling at Ember, but it wasn’t a pleasant smile.
“Not happy to see me? Aw, I’m hurt.” Liandra pulled a mockingly pouty expression.
Ember just blinked at her slowly, contemptuously.
Lia smirked tightly and shook her choppy, mossy hair back, placing one hand on her hip.
Ember could see now that the girl had a really good figure; she was voluptuous, with curves in all the right places. It was hardly fair for a punk girl to be pretty and voluptuous, Ember thought bitterly, scowling. Punk girls should be bulky and unattractive, or at the very least, not look like someone from a motorcycle ad.
“So, midget—”
“Ember,” she said bluntly, through gritted teeth.
Lia simply flashed a quick, sharp smile, and continued what she was saying, ignoring Ember’s look of evident annoyance.
“Whatever. Ember. Are you going to the back-to-school party on Friday? It’s going to be a blast from what I hear.” Liandra leaned in close and muttered conspirato
rially, “I’ll bet Reid’s going, right? God, how did you snag him? He is the hottest thing I’ve seen since I last saw the sun…Which, living here, has been a while.”
Ember worked not to slap the girl, digging her nails into her palms. “I don’t think we’ll be going to the party,” she said shortly, feeling acid on her tongue. Why was everyone suddenly after her guy? Then again, maybe it wasn’t so sudden actually. Maybe she just hadn’t noticed all the girls lining up for shot at her boyfriend before, because there had been one glaringly obvious bitch at the front of the line: Kara.
“Aw, pity. I’d love to see that boy in tighter jeans. Mm, de-licious. But, I suppose, a party would hardly be your thing, would it?” Lia sneered, looking Ember up and down disdainfully.
Refraining from pointing out that Reid probably wouldn’t wear tight jeans to the party anyway — he hated tight jeans, said they restricted movement too much which was a problem when you might have to spring into action to slay a troll at any moment — Ember simply glared. “And just what is that supposed to mean?” she snarled, biting back her fangs.
For a second, Lia’s malicious smile dropped, and Ember wondered if her eyes had turned that metallic, predatory color that came out when she slid into vamp-mode. But Lia’s smile was back in an instant, overly cheery and innocent now.
“Just that you look more like a bookworm type. No offence, but have you ever thought that social events just aren’t your thing? Your boyfriend though…I’ve already heard stories about him. If he still wants to go to the party, I’ll be happy to be his date for the evening. Be sure to tell him that.” And with a nasty little giggle, Liandra turned and walked away, her hips swaying.
Ember stood for a long minute, glaring after her, tasting metal on her tongue, before she realized her fangs had nicked her lip and it was her blood she was tasting.
Angry and, admittedly, a little wounded, Ember decided that her next biology class could get screwed; she was going to the dorms, and she was going to draw some wonderfully gruesome pictures of ways to slaughter Liandra. Just the thought made a small, dark smirk come to Ember’s lips.