AUTHOR'S POV | Earlier
Scott left the ballroom first. He knew in his heart he is needed elsewhere. As he walk past the kitchen, he heard rattling of metal and slamming of drawers. He was supposed to ignore it, but the noises became sharp. Whatever causes that bluster at this time of the night needs to stop. Stepping in the kitchen, he found Ofir rummaging the drawers. Closer at a few long strides, the lythari elf was preparing an almost tower of a bread, with peanut butter and purple and pink jelly in between. "Really, Ofir? At this time?", Scott rested one hand on his waist, scratching his temple with his finger as he sees the mess Ofir made.
"Ah!!", he flinched so hard that the slices of bread flew in the air. "You gave me a fright! I could almost have a heart attack! Sheesh", Ofir continued spreading peanut butter on the sides of the sandwiches as if it was a cake.
"Aren't you making too many?", Scott walked towards the long island table Ofir is working on. He stared at the enormous tower of peanut butter and jelly he have ever seen, and the total mess around it just for a simple snack.
"It's for my favorite boys", sticking out half of his blue tongue out to the side of his mouth, as he happily spread the strawberry jam on some edges.
"Boys?", Scott knitted his brows. Every wolf in the mansion is a carnivore, only if there's steak in between the slices of bread.. they'd eat it. "What boys?", he asked.
"Yeeeeee-uuup!! The twin boys", he nodded, as he carefully fix his awful looking sandwich masterpiece arranged in a tower. "Do you perhaps need me?", Ofir paused for a bit looking at Scott, licking the jam on his fingers at the same time.
Biting the inside of his cheek, Scott took a moment. He swallowed one hard lump down his throat before he asked. "Is... she up?", he hesitated.
"Who's.. SHE?", he widened his eyes looking dumb as if he doesn't know who I was referring to.
Scott looked around, as if making sure no one hears. "You know.. HER.", he whispers, leaning forward.
"I don't know", Ofir shrugged. "Lily?", he lifted his brows, then smiled.
"Fu..", Scott bit his lower lip and clicked my tongue in irritation. "HER. Who else?".
"Oh….", he made a long O sound like he just figured who I was looking for. "Yes, and she's dizzy", he quickly answered.
"Then why did you leave her??".
"Because the boys are hungry!!", he shrugged his shoulders again with a teasing smile. "Are you goin' there?", he asked as he place his elbow on top of the sandwich tower.
"No! Why would I?", he tried to lie.
"Too bad… I'll need someone's help to bring these yummy sandwiches to the Luna.. Let me see.. I bet Roman would love to help", he said, as he lift the tray full of sandwiches.
"Fine, I'll do it", Scott takes the tray before the elf vanishes into thin air. Those words arrived too quickly, leaving Ofir with his widening smile. "There are boys in her room?", he tried to hide the displeasure in his tone.
"Just tell the Luna the sandwiches are for the boys. She knows what to do", Ofir said as he hop down the table.
The tray was heavier than it looked. The sloppy tower of of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches was enough to feed an entire patrol. With a sharp exhale, Scott left the grinning elf in the kitchen as he went straight up to Reina's room. Butterflies keep fluttering in his stomach on his way there. His face faltered at the stairs going up. An odd wave of air swirled inside him at every brisk and purposeful stride going to Diana. He exhaled sharply. He stood before big executives, faced intimidating elders and Alphas... fought beasts and walked through burning houses. Yet now, his heart refused to obey a calm that he commands.
What was he supposed to say?
He can't be too casual. He won't be formal. He refused to act the obvious. And he didn't want to use small words. Everything in his head tangled like hopeless knots as his grip tightened on the tray. Just when his was about figure what to say, his what ifs began to cloud his head.
What if she doesn't want to see him?
What if she kicks him out?
What if she's asleep?
What if...
Every thought almost made him turn around. But no. He had already walked this far. Then another question surfaced. Who exactly are those boys with his Luna? Scott frowned. His jaw tightened even. He could imagine himself dragging them all out of the room by their collar. He hissed. Why was Reina's wing so impossibly far from the kitchen? Had this corridor always stretched this long? Every step felt as though the mansion itself had decided to test his resolve, lengthening the distance one heartbeat a time.
Finally, he reaches Reina's door. He drew one slow breath, then another. He turned the knob, and opened it. Darkness pooled inside Reina's room. And the Diana's scent reeled him easily. Scott went in, and nudged the door shut with his shoe. "Who's there?", Diana's voice floated through the room, quiet and awake. "Can you please hit the lights for me?"
Scott didn't answer.
His throat had forgotten now. In the dark, he could see her enough standing barefoot in Reina's sleek blue dress with its hem swaying below her knees. One of her hands glides carefully along the wall, searching, and the other hand reaches forward. Scott set the heavy tray onto the nearby table gently, careful enough not to shatter the PB&J tower. Diana tilted her head. "...hello?"
Scott crossed the room in slow steps. When he brushed her fingers hanging midair, she paused. She didn't pull away. Instead, her hand relaxed instinctively into his. His other hand settled lightly around her waist to steady her. Without a word, he guided her fingertips across the room, to the switch. He made slow steps. Feeling her warmth, if there's still fever. Measuring her legs, if they are strong enough now. Holding her hand, not wanting to let go.
Then...
...click.
Warm golden light flooded the room. For a heartbeat, neither of them moved. Half a turn, Diana met his eyes. She had known. Long before the lights came on. His silhouette when he opened that door. His manly scent of lavender musk and peppermint cigarette. The sound of her own heartbeat at his presence. It's him.
Scott forgot to breathe. He looked into her blue eyes, forgetting to function. After staying all night beside her tending her fever, it is different now that those eyes have finally opened to look him in the eyes. His gaze ran from her damped hair that smelled of bold botanicals, to the bones on her cheeks, down to her pale lips. And there, he was no longer lost. He have found himself where he wanted to be.
*****
Scott took a good look of her from then. It looked like she's preparing to leave. "Are you leaving without saying goodbye again?", he asked, as she go over Reina's desk.
Diana looked for
"I left a note this time".
"A note?", he frowned, as she place the piece of paper on desk. "How come you leave a note when I got nothing?",
"I guess, I'm not too good at goodbyes.."
Scott bit his lips. He wanted more.
"Ofir wanted me to give you these.", he took the tray of the PB&J, and looked around. "He said it's for the boys".
"Oh", she smiled timidly, and took the heavy tray of sandwiches. "Is that all?", she went to the
Scott followed her like a dog on a leash, sat on the floor beside her. He placed a
He watched her eat with her hands
"Did... Priscilla hurt you?"
"No",
"She changed her mind, but it didn't ended well for her as soon as she did".
"And Damon?",
Diana shook her head. "He fought it, if you're that concerned."
"People will be coming tonight to see their urns, you might want to stay in the room for a while. It's protected by the lythari".
"...their urns?"
"Yes... Damon and Priscilla",
"He died in the fire"
Diana gasped. "I'm.. I'm sorry...",
"None of these is your fault",
"I'll... I'll leave later",
"Don't push it.", Scott
"You can't even finish a sandwich..."
"And uhh.. I I thought it's for the boys?",
*******
"I heard you're getting married",
"Let's not talk about that",
"The imprint rejection",
"Your fiance wants me to do it. I justt don't know how"
"It can wait",
Diana
"What else do you want, Scott?", she asked.
"What do I want?",
"Well, I don't think you're supposed to be here", Diana said, as she eats slowly.
"I am right where I'm supposed to be. And stop worrying about her",
"Don't you think you owe me something?", I asked as I stared at her. She met my gaze looking clueless about what I seek.
"That night… I thought we're in this together. I was all for you but.. you didn't fit me in your plans.", I tried to hide the sadness in every word. Perhaps, my actions spoke louder as she watch my gestures carefully.
"It was a journey worth doing alone", she replied as she looked down. "Besides, you've been busy on your own too.."
"So what are we now?", I knitted my brows as I couldn't hide my irritation.
Diana remained silent. She sat unmoved, and stared at me with those blue eyes. "I asked a question. What are we now?", I repeated.
She stood up and pat the crumbs of bread off her dress. "You're getting married, and I can be off with someone else".
I stood and caught her up with her arm. "That's not you kiss someone who's about to get married."
"Scott.. you're hurting me", she winced as she try
Scott pushes her on the bed kissed her once more
To confirm if he hears her heartbeat correctly,
"You are not going anywhere unless you..."
"Unless... what?",
"Unless you tell me you love me"
how hard it is to shut off those feelings for her, that only ends up yearning for her even more.
In the deepest calmest hours of the night, when I have nothing but my own company, unanswered questions swarm my head, and only her image fills me with bliss. Every tick of the clock comes with a hope that I'd see Diana once more and often, I think of ways to make sure that with whatever reason, she won't ever have to walk away from me ever again. Enduring my heartaches, I never stopped looking for her even until I started to lose my patience. And after all the absences due to the great distance and the unbearable torture of waiting, I have learned to love Diana even more.
"I beg you to love me, Diana"
"Love me true. "
"That you would trust me, and allow me to be there.
"Because every time I shut off
"I'm... sorry", Diana
"I got scared of losing you.." she said. "I wanted to be worth it being called your Luna so I took risks. I couldn't tell you because I know, you wouldn't want such unfair trade - my death for your life.", she said as she took a deep breath.
"Don't leave me like that again"
"Lily.."
"She's nothing to me",
******
Hearing the strange sound of her double heartbeat
Sensing something cold and lethal, the power in the room vanished
"Scott?"
Stay close
"Wait, the peanut butter and jelly boys?",
"They'll be fine", she assured
As soon as we stepped out of the door, we walked swiftly and stealthily on the carpeted oak floor. Keeping my senses up, I made sure I'm not walking on ice, especially now that Diana is by my side. Then, up ahead at the end of the hallway, I saw a man with long sleek hair standing with his hands together in front of him. I placed Diana behind me as two more men came out from his back. Their bloodshot eyes shimmered in the dark like prying eyes ready for a deadly attack.
"Vampires", Diana said as she squeezed my hand.
"That's Roman", Diana said. I hardened my jaw to think she could recognize Roman's voice.
I looked fixedly at the vampires who stood frozen ahead, watching their next move closely. Newborns are faster than regular vampires. Also, they are very hungry for blood. Then, in a sudden, Roman rolled in front of us as he stab a vampire on the chest. He grunted as he stood up catching his breath. "Newborns", he said as he glanced at us. "There you are!", he exclaimed as he walked towards us. Before he could reach us, he stopped and turned around and stared at the vampires watching us in silence.
Then in one swift move, the three vampires swiftly moved in different directions attacking us. I kept Diana to the side as I follow Roman towards the vampires who were too hyped for blood. Without shapeshifting, Roman and I take on the newborns. He aggressively killed one, smashing his hand with a lamp. While I managed to kill two as I tore one of the newborn vampires to pieces with my bare hands. Thanks to the moonbath earlier, our strengths our undeniably immeasurable.
After crushing the head of the long haired vampire with my foot, I rushed to Diana who was leaning against the wall. Then we ran out with Roman who's holding Diana on her other hand. "What's the situation?", I asked.
"They're all over the place", he answered. "There's this blonde bloodsucker who's ordering around", he added. We stopped in the middle of the hallway as Diana gasped in shock.
"Claudia", Diana whispered. "She's here for me", she said with her hands trembling.
"Who's Claudia? And what does she want from you?", I asked.
"I'll take you out of here, Luna. Don't be afraid", Roman said as she held Diana by the waist trying to pull her close to him.
I held her shoulder as I pull her back. "She's on her way out with me", I said.
"Stop it, you two!", Diana put her hands up as she stayed in the middle. "We'll all walk out, but first let's find Ofir, and your dad", she said.
"Forget about them Diana, your safety is more important", Roman said.
"Shhh!!", I shushed Roman as soon as I sensed something. I heard a familiar voice shouting somewhere down the mansion's ballroom. We draw nearer where we can hear the voice clearly. I peeked out on the balustrade and to my surprise, I saw the helpless woman taken as prisoner by a group of vampires led by the blonde woman that I freed from Tamara's basement. I looked closely on the hostage and my eyes grew bigger when I realized who it was..
"KATE", I whispered.
Claudia and her brood of blood-thirsty newborns arrived at the Devlins mansion, surrounding the grand home looking for Diana. The original vampire have waited enough for the revenge she has been longing to do ever since her supressed powers have worn out. She certainly believes that Diana worked with the nagua to capture her, and that her blood is a threat to their kind. At the mansion's ballroom, the strongest newborns held Kate captive under the command of their maker to lure Diana out.
"Diana!! Don't go in here!!", Kate bravely screamed as loud as she could to warn Diana not to come out.
"Oh please.. Make it even louder so she could hear.", Claudia inched her face on Kate's neck as she grazed it with her sharp fingernail. Kate muffled her cries as she stood in the middle of the blood-hungry newborns. Feeling trapped and helpless, Kate could only shout for Diana not to come out no matter what.
"We don't have all night to wait here", Claudia whispered in her ear.
"Claudia, I don't think the woman is gonna come out. Can we just take a bite on this fresh blood", a newborn seethe on Kate's hair.
"Don't you touch me!", Kate swatted its hand as she glared at the red-eyed vampire.
Claudia grabbed Kate by her hair and licked her face. "You're one brave soul. Let's see how long will you keep up", she whispered.
Upstairs on the balustrade overlooking the newborns who were guarding Kate, Roman Scott and Diana hid in the dark as they plan for the best thing to do.
"I have to save her", Diana said as she worry for the safety of her bestfriend.
"And what Luna?", Roman furrowed his eyes at Diana. "They will slaughter you on sight. They will not think twice, they will have no remorse. And with an original vamp hunting you, she'll make sure you'll die a slow painful death", he convinced Diana to choose an option that's best for her to stay alive.
"There's too many of them. How can the both of you fight them all off?", Diana worriedly said.
"Luna, you forgot. We're Alphas", Roman smiled at the Diana as he imply that they are the strongest in their clans. "So, any bright ideas?", he asked Scott.
"Scott? Are you okay?", Diana asked as she sees unpleasant emotion painted all over his face.
"Sorry, Luna I'm the one who got you in this mess.", Scott said as he held her hand tightly.
"What do you mean?", Diana furrowed her eyes in confusion.
"I freed Claudia. I found her in Tamara's basement, and decided to free her, thinking she's valuable in one of the nagua's incantations. I didn't realized Claudia will be after you", Scott curved his lips down in regret.
"WHAT?", Roman hissed at Scott for his ignorance. "I would kill that original vampire when I have the chance, not free her", he clicked his tongue in agitation. He stared at Scott's and Diana's hands joined together. He couldn't be more irritated.