"Areyna calm down, we'll figure this out together." Richard walks over and wraps his arms around me, pinning my hands between us awkwardly. "I promise everything is going to be okay." We both seem to realise that I'm still standing in here in only a towel at the same time. He steps back at the same time I try to step to the side. My foot catches on the edge of the rose rug and I tumble, right into his arms, minus the towel.
As if my mortification wasn't enough, Jason bursts out laughing, practically falling off the edge of my bed. "So much for that rule." He manages to say between laughs as he collapses to his knees.
I can't move, if I move I'll be exposing my front half to them, it's bad enough that they can both see my ass. Richard solves the problem for me, tugging the sheet off my bed and wrapping it around my naked body. I'm just tucking the sheet between us when I notice the very hard ridge in his pants. My eyes go straight to his and I gulp at the very evident lust filling his green gaze. He blinks and the look transforms from lust to panic in a heartbeat.
Quicker than I can blink, he pushes me away from him, sending me, sheet and all to the floor. "Sorry." He mumbles before stomping out of the room like the devil himself is on his heels.
Safely covered, I turn my eyes on Jason, who is just now recovering from his laughter. "What rule?" I demand with all the dignity I can muster.
"Doesn't matter now, I'm pretty sure it's just been vetoed." He winks as he walks out, leaving me feeling even more confused.
* * *
After getting dressedin my favourite jeans and torn skull tank top, I head downstairs in search of something for breakfast. Unfortunately, what I walk in on in the kitchen has me wanting to turn right back around and hide for the rest of the day.
"...she's not ready for something like this, we have to keep it secret." Richard growls.
"You're wrong she needs to be told, if we don't we'll be putting her life in..." Two sets of eyes spot me at the same time. "Areyna, how are you feeling?" Jason asks, pretending I hadn't just walked in on them arguing over telling me something.
"I'm confused, annoyed, hungry and extremely curious about what the hell you two are hiding." With my hands clenched by my side, I turn on my heel, ignoring the two of them as I go into the kitchen and make myself a bowl of rice bubbles. I pick up my spoon, eating the cereal standing up at the breakfast bar.
"You were listening to our talk weren't you?" Richard asks.
"I, uh, I only heard the very end." I shrug like I don't care, but inside I'm losing my mind.What were they talking about? What could be so dangerous? Are they worried about me losing myself to the bloodlust?
"Rose are you even listening to me?" Richard snaps.
"Huh?" I put the spoon down into my now empty bowl.When did I finish eating?
"You shouldn't eavesdrop on other people’s conversations, especially if you don't hear the entire thing. You might misunderstand what you hear." Richard scolds, sitting up straight like a class lecturer.
I dump the bowl in the sink and cross my arms, "How can I misunderstand you two keeping secrets from me?"
"Sometimes it's necessary, just like your feeding from us is necessary." Jason smirks like he's just won some great battle.
"And on that note, come here Areyna." Richard holds his hand out, beckoning me towards him. My body responds before my mind can catch up. I find myself approaching Richard, sitting down between him and Jason at the table. Richard’s looks steal my attention until Jason grabs my arm, tugging me to face him.
"What are you...?" My heart goes into overdrive, slamming so hard in my chest that it feels like it's going to burst free. Richard holds his wrist out to me over my shoulder, his hand shaking slightly. "I... I can't, please don't make me." I shake my head. "There has to be another way."
"It's okay, Rose. We've done this before; I know it'll hurt a little at first." He lifts his wrist to my face, ignoring my words. My mouth waters as my fangs protrude. I don't want to do this, but my body has other ideas. Before I can form the thought in my mind, my fangs sink into his flesh. Sweet blood floods into my mouth, I swallow it along with the moan building in my throat. Just when I'm starting to enjoy feeding from him, he pulls away, I groan, needing more.
"I've got you baby." I blink and Jason's wrist is being pressed to my lips. It feels like hours but it can't be more than a few minutes. Jason's blood tastes sweet too but there's a hint of something different, almost like he's a different flavour. I've tasted their blood before but I was so lost in the bloodlust back then that I couldn't really taste anything.
The moment my thirst is satiated, I feel more like myself, even my body feels like it's stronger.
"Are you back with us, Areyna?" Jason asks, rubbing his wrist.
"I... I think so. I'm sorry you had to do this."
"It's okay, we chose to let you, it's not like you forced us." Richard cups my face tenderly, lifting my chin, until my eyes meet his. "We care about you, haven't you figured that out yet?" Just like in my dream his eyes bore into mine, right before he lowers his head, I feel his breath across my lips.
"Richard, please don't. It's just the bond." I slam my hands into the table toppling my chair to the floor. Quicker than they can react, I'm running up the stairs, through the games room and into my own bedroom. "I knew this was a mistake." I sob as I prop the chair from my desk up against the door handle. Their heavy footfalls are getting louder, so I run across to the other side of my room.
Bang, bang, bang.
Each time they beat their fists on the door my heart beats harder. Fear drives me through to the bathroom, where I lock the door. Sliding down the back of it until I'm sitting on the floor.
"Areyna! Open this damn door!" Richard doesn't sound like himself, he sounds almost as obsessed as the guard, Marcus from Laverton. I hug my knees to my chest, letting the tears fall freely.