by Sara K
Clara chocked on her cookie. "How… how do you know that? I don’t remember you being with us."
Cassie gave a sympathetic smile. "I kind of have a confession to make."
"Hurry up then."
"What happened last night, Michael told Justin who told me."
The mention of Michael's name sent another fury through her.
"Why would he do that?"
"So I can get through to you, I suppose."
Clara threw up her hands in frustration. "I don’t need anyone to get through to me. Michael's the one with the problem. Maybe someone should talk some sense into him."
"Ok, why don’t you start from the beginning?" Cassie patted her knee. “Why did he kill that young man?"
"We went to watch Beauty and the Beast. Half way through the film Michael ran out saying there was a vampire outside. He left me alone inside. That's when Dean came…"
Cassie's eyes widened in shock. "Are we talking about Dean from the store?"
Clara nodded miserably. "Yeah, he was real nice. Until he kissed me…"
"So Michael killed him because he kissed you."
"Yes, what a pathetic excuse. Can you believe it? Dean's dead because of me. I didn’t kiss him back. It lasted for several seconds."
"I see the problem."
"And Michael killed him right in front of me behind the alleyway. He was so jealous. He did it out of spite." Clara rubbed her forehead and let out a breath. She wouldn’t think about last night. Or the blood or the body.
"I'm sorry."
"So am I. I thought we could enjoy the evening. One little kiss, why should the penalty be death." Cassie knew exactly why. Michael could no longer control his actions. She clasped her hands together to stop them from trembling.
"What happened next?" She asked slowly.
Clara shook her head in disbelieve. "You honestly didn’t expect me to stay with him and cheer him on."
"Of course not."
"He killed Dean right before my eyes." Cassie saw the other woman's face pale.
"You ran away and the vampire caught you?"
"Right." Clara didn’t want to explain the little scenario where they played the cat and mouse game. "I've never faced a vampire but this experience left me shaky. He gave me bruises which Michael healed by the way."
"That was nice of him."
Clara narrowed her eyes. "Of course."
Cassie lifted her head. "What does that mean?"
Clara let out a deep breath. "It seems as though you're taking Michael's side."
"I'm not on anybody's side."
"But you don’t think Michael's in the wrong. He killed an innocent person." Clara reminded her severely.
Cassie held up her hands. "Whoa, back up there, Clara. Firstly I understand your anger. He shouldn’t have killed Dean. Secondly I understand why he did it. He's too close to turning like a real vampire, very soon he's going to enjoy killing. Last night was just a taster. She should also understand where he's coming from. The vampire had you, have you asked Michael what he went through those few minutes when anything could have happened to you."
"No."
"This is a very bad phrase for him. Only you can help him, Clara. Tell him that you are there for him. Give him hope." Cassie said.
Clara put her head in her hands. How could she help him when he went and did things like sucking on people's necks and destroying innocent lives? "I don't know what to do, Cassie." she confessed tearfully. "I tried so hard, but the fault doesn’t just lie with me. It's him too."
Cassie reached out and took her hand. "Come into the kitchen, I'll make coffee. You need it."
Clara glanced up tiredly. "I don’t need caffeine. I need… I need a normal life."
Cassie pulled her to her feet. "Come, we'll talk about this whilst drinking coffee." Clara followed her into the small, bright kitchen that connected the living room. Pulling out a stool Clara slumped down whilst Cassie brewed coffee.
"I'm here if you need to talk about anything." Cassie volunteered.
"So Michael thought I needed counselling from you."
"Just someone to talk to. Someone who is on the same wavelength” Cassie handed her a cup. "I think he tried talking to you last night but you didn’t respond. He was concerned. I've never seen him so uptight about anything."
Taking small sips of hot coffee, Clara said. "I was upset. He was lucky I went home with him."
Cassie grinned. "You give him so much trouble. Poor guy."
"I'm serious, Cassie. I've been through so much past several weeks. But yesterday I really thought we could give things a go."
"Where you considering sleeping with him." Cassie said grinning wickedly.
"That didn’t cross my mind. What I mean is that I was considering meeting him halfway. It was like I warmed towards him. And then we went out for the evening and all that positive thinking vanished as quickly as it came." She felt the tug in her heart. The positive and negative feelings mixed together causing her fresh pain. Clara closed her eyes. "He hurt me, Cassie. It's like he deliberately killed Dean to punish me. Do you know how much I pleaded with him to spare Dean?"
Cassie nodded in understanding. The stress was apparent on Kristine's face. "You not gonna forgive him."
"No!" she said simply. "I feel like putting a stake through him."
Cassie laughed." That won't kill him."
Clara signed. "I don’t know what to do”.
"How do you feel? You look ill." Cassie regarded her closely.
"Please don’t play shrink on me." she groaned, irritated.
"I'm asking as a friend. If you discussed your feelings with Michael I don’t think he would want me playing 'counsellor'."
"You really want to know how I feel" she signed deeply and stared at the other woman. "I feel sad, depressed and angry. What a combination" she muttered.
"You can't stay mad at him forever." Cassie suggested quietly.
"I know that." she said quickly. "I can't seem to get Dean's death out of my mind." before Cassie could speak she continued. "I know it's stupid, since I didn’t even know him but he was a human who didn’t deserve to die. I blame myself if I wasn’t so absorbed with my feelings I could have noticed when he leaned down to kiss me."
"Hey, don’t blame yourself. He liked you so thought he could kiss you. Which was stupid? Since he knew you were with someone." Cassie said shrugging.
"I can't change the past, Cassie. I can't bring him back to life."
"You can look forward to the future. Just you and Michael. I think I mentioned this before but forget about your past life and build a new one with Michael. Don’t be bound by the life you left behind”. Cassie took her friends hand. “It will destroy you. You're the hope for Michael. You can save him. Look past his faults and accept him."
"I don’t know if I'm strong enough. I've never been strong in my life. I wasn’t even strong enough to escape from Brett or…"
"Who's Brett" Cassie asked curiously.
A painful, secretive door opened, flooding her with memories. Each one explicit and ever so recent. There was so much time couldn’t erase for her. She swallowed the tears and looked away. "He…he was someone I lived with for three years before Michael found me. He used to…" Rape. Hurt. Abuse… the painful cries… the tear streaked face… the pain… the blood trickling down her legs… the awful thrusting... Brett laughing… the screaming.
Lifting her hand she rubbed her temples and looked away only to be jerked upward as the kitchen door opened and Michael entered. His face was expressionless and he seemed livid, hurt. What has she done to him in the past twenty-four hours? Clara thought to herself. Something must have happened to put him in his sulky mood. Cassie also noticed the tension radiating from him. His eyes darted from Cassie to his woman. Cassie stepped forward.
"What's wrong, Michael" she said a little worried. “We were talking."
His dark eyes jumped to Clara and she flinched as his gaze drifted over her, caressing her. "Co
me with me." He ordered. His gaze was burning, possessive, his face hard and edgy with need. Without looking at him she shook her head. She wouldn’t go with me.
Cassie glanced between the two, and then intervened. "Seriously, Michael. Why do you want to damage her peace? She's happy here talking to me." His eyes never left her face, her own green eyes lifted to meet his. It was a mistake. Beneath the depths of his eyes dark hunger burnt like wild fire. She was captured. Imprisoned. She couldn't tear her gaze away.
"Come with me. Now!" he commanded again.
Silently, she placed her cup on the counter and walked out the door. He followed her closely his eyes burning through her clothes.
"What do you want?" Clara slammed the bedroom door and leaned against it, wearily.
Michael studied her closely taking in her every movement. She was nervous as her hands clasped around each other and her eyes didn’t meet his. This was his doing, he thought bitterly. He had reduced her to a fearful, disheartened woman. After last night this was the first time she had spoken to him. If he hadn’t heard their conversation in the kitchen this encounter would never have occurred. But here they were because he was furious of the nature of the womens’ conversation.
Michael had entered her mind gently and was enraged at the images he had seen in her mind. She was suffering and refused to ask him for help.
"Well, hurry up." She muttered. "I don’t want this evening to turn out like last one."
"Your conversation with Cassie was inappropriate." He began.
Clara blinked. "Excuse me"
"You touched on the most sensitive topic, Clara I could see it caused you pain. You projected the images clearly and I picked them up from your mind." he told her regarding her closely.
So that's why he wanted a private chat. "What I talk about with Cassie is my business." she snapped, annoyingly. "As I remember you're the one who wanted me to talk about my feelings. If you don’t like it. Tough. Deal with it."
"I did not ask you to talk specifics. I do not like you talking about your trauma that you suffered." His face hardened. "It pains you, doesn’t it?"
"Yes." she admitted guiltily.
"Why cause yourself so much pain." he said gently. "Talking about it torments you. Hurts you. Why."
Clara was at loss for words. She sagged against the door. "Because… it's part of me. Something that won't ever be erased." She turned her cold stare on him. "Talking about pain, what about the pain you caused me last night. Have you forgotten?"
"That was no deliberate attempt to harm you. It was simply a warning that the darkness is consuming me."
"So Cassie tells me. I don’t understand why you would put Cassie up for this 'shrink' role."
"You do not talk to me, Clara I want you to share your memories with me. Talk to me about your abuse if you must, I can help ease the pain. Cassie cannot. It causes you tremendous pain retelling someone else."
"I don’t want to talk about it. It just slipped out of my mouth when I was talking to Cassie. It won't happen again." she said resignedly.
"Cassie is simply there if you liked to talk about your feelings, not your intimate ones." He said. "I’d rather you came to me."
Clara saw the terrible ache on his face. She believed him. He was suffering for her. It was an accident. How on earth did she know he was there in her mind when she went down memory lane?
"I can't help remembering."
"Come sit and talk with me. Do not lean against the door."
Resting her head against the door frame, she shook her head. "I don’t trust myself or you."
"I have not touched you this evening." His voice was filled with solitude and hunger. "Come to me so I can feel you against me."
"I think you've done enough touching yesterday. I don’t wish to be touched."
"Talk to me, then." he pressed.
"We're talking." she said.
Michael took a step forward, his eyes remaining on her all time. Her body pressed against the door made her look vulnerable and lost. He spread his arms open willing her to step into them.
" Stop seducing me."
"I simply wish to comfort you." his hypnotic voice brushed over her like a gentle feather sending a wave of dizziness through her.
She started to shake her head, but when the first touched rasped against her skin, she froze. Her eyes opened impossibly wide, and her lips parted on a soundless gasp. She could see his arms had not moved. She felt a dozen hot, eager hands caressing her flesh. Firm fingers tightened around her nipples, pinching the rosy flesh. Hands moved up her thighs over her stomach. More hands invaded her body, pressing into the heat between her spread legs parting her slick folds and penetrating her. The phantom hands invaded her body and skin at once. They stroked and probed along the secret cleft, parted her round cheeks and rubbed erotic circles around her rose bud. Fear welled up in her. She couldn’t understand what he was doing to her, how he could make her feel these things, and all at once she wanted nothing more than to get away from him and the power he wielded over her. The fingers inside her thrust harder and faster, the thumb on her clit rubbed harder, tighter circles and she began to cry.
"Stop it, Michael. Please!" her head rested against the door, her eyes squeezed tight but not enough as a single tear slid down her cheek. The hands froze. Not withdrawing, but going completely still. Michael felt the tension seeping through her; once again he had hurt her. He swore silently and took a step forward to bring her into his arms. Her body withered to invade his phantom hands, with a sign he removed the hands away from her. She sank to the floor in defeat. What had just happened terrified her. His touch was intense so real. Clara took several deep breathes as though as had ran the marathon. He knelt beside her. "I'm sorry I scared you"
After a long moment, she muttered. "You sure did."
"Did you not enjoy it?"
Her eyes flew wide open. "You were standing across from me, Michael. It unnerved me."
A smile curved his face; his eyes became bright as he whispered. "I can always demonstrate it again, in a less terrified way. No phantom hands. I promise."
Clara glared at him. "I haven’t forgiven you yet. So just leave me alone." She rubbed both hands over her aching temple. Damn headache. She always got one when things bothered her. Especially when she was under a lot of pressure. This was one of those moments. Her skin tingled where the hands had rested. Good, God. She had never felt such a thing before. It was exciting in a frightening way. Every part of her ached to be touched again. She was going insane if she didn’t get away from him and sorted her bizarre thoughts out. Would it be so bad if he did it again? A voice inside her whispered.
Hell, yes. She wouldn’t live if he touched her again in an intimate, passionate way.
It wasn’t so bad or cruel the voice whispered again. Again she thought about the cruelty she had suffered and contrasted that with what Michael had done to her.
Oblivious she had opened that memory again. With a final glance at her on the floor, he shimmered out of the bedroom and into the kitchen.
"God, you scared me." Cassie put a hand over her chest and turned to see Michael behind her. He did not look happy. Or pleased with her
"Is she ok."
"I wanted you to get through to her. I did not ask for her to remember her past." He growled.
"Michael I …"
"What were you thinking, Cassie. One trigger is all she needs before the floodgates open and she is taken into hell again." his voice rose angrily and Cassie took a step back and placed her hand on her stomach. She hated seeing him like this. She remained quite whilst he paced in her kitchen.
"Eight centuries" he snapped, turning to face her. "And everything is falling apart. For her."
Cassie felt his pain as though her own. She blinked back tears. "You kept her safe for this long." She said quietly.
He snarled again, focusing his black eyes on her. He looked beyond dangerous "Safe. She will never be safe with me or in th
is dark world."
Cassie's control snapped. "Then send her into the next world why don't you." she shouted. "Because I am sick of this. Pull yourself together, Michael. You're destined to be together. So stop moping around, give her time to accept you, and for God's sake don't kill anyone in front of her because it won't put you in her good books. Be a man. Not a monster."
Michael took a dangerous step towards her. Justin appeared beside Cassie, his arm circled around her waist. She huddled closer to him. He looked angry. "Back off, Michael." he said sternly. Michael's dark gaze flickered back and forth between the couple. The love that tied them together was very obvious. He felt a sense of envy and frustration. He was doomed. Had the fates took pity on him he would be in a better place?
Michael saw the fear and tension on Cassie’s face as she wrapped herself around her husband. Justin's accusing glare held him in place. Michael looked away, ashamed. "Cassie, please accept my apology."
"I understand" she said quietly, not meeting his eye.
"There was no need to distress Cassie." Justin said. "She does not need this from you. She was doing a favour for you by doing what you asked of her."
"Clara can stay with us tonight, if she wants to." Cassie offered.
"I'm sure that is best for her." Justin added his gaze unwavering from Michaels.
"You two do not get to make that decision." Michael said between clenched teeth.
Michael did wait to hear any more from the couple who were extremely irritated with him. It suited him fine. He answered to no one. Returning to the bedroom, he found the bed empty and the window wide open with Clara’s legs dangling from the window. She was trying to escape him. Again.
He laughed in amusement. Admiring the view from where he stood. Her cute little bottom was in the air, her jeans rested below her waist exposing the toned, slender curve of her waist to his enticing eyes. He drifted forward and noticed the black blouse had slid up revealing the creamy skin of her stomach. He let out another laugh.
"Go away." the feminine voice called from below. "I can make it from here."
"Do you need any help? Are you stuck trying to escape me." he tried to hide his grin.