Woven Rings Of Destiny ( Continuation of The Family)

[Shoty98]

Maggie

I was shocked there was nothing I could say and by the look on her face she didn't really care anyway. I shrugged "Don't be sorry Aria you have no reason to be. I should be sorry for pestering you to tell me instead of just letting it go. But you know me always concerned for a friend and cousin."
I stood up from my perch on the counter, my knuckles white as my hand gripped the plate further and my heart sinking. Why Aria? It didn't really matter now what's done is done. All I could do was be there if and when she needed me.
Feeling the touch of Ray's mind to my own and fighting down the urge to hug her and tell her everything would be ok, I turned to leave.
"I'm here if you need me....don't know what I can do. I am going down to check on Michael and see what Ray wants." I fell silent and left the room closing the door softly behind me.
Slowly I made my way to the kitchen passing Joseph, he looked very amused at the moment, a thought to say something surfaced and then died on my lips. Instead I just smiled and continued on my way.
Michael sat quietly in the kitchen finishing up his cereal. I flashed him a smile and scraped my plate into the garbage. My mind was consumed with the images that Aria's description had invoked in my head. I wondered so many things I couldn't even straighten out which order they went in or where to start.
"Hey buddy go get dressed and after I see what uncle Ray needs I will take you outside to play...sound like a plan?" He nodded his head and made some kind of sound with his mouth full of cereal. I chuckled at him and left the room.
It wasn't too long before I found myself in the training room and looking at Ray in some weird pose. "Someone taking a picture and you just can't help but pose?" I looked around the room with a mock seriousness on my face and then began to chuckle at him. "What did you need love?"

 

[Sweetp4u]

Aria

There wasn't much i could say to her, nothing really on my mind at the moment but getting over it and going on with my life. She looked worried and I couldn't blame her, I would be too in her place. I just couldn't help how I felt about this whole situation and I only wanted it to end not continue on in my mind.
"Will you check on Michael for me please?" She nodded as she hopped off the counter. She offered her help if I needed her and I smiled faintly, but words just did not come.
I said nothing more as she left, merely nodded my head and went back to getting dressed. Slipping on some shorts and tank top, I pony tail'd my hair and headed to the next room to check on Lance.
I knocked on his door, "Lance? You alright?" and waited...

 

[nightray]

Ray

I smile as Maggie walks in to the room joking about my stance. I put my foot down saying “That stance helps with baleens.” I chuckle softly "it do’s look odd doesn’t it”. I move closer to her raping an arm arund her and pulling her in to me kissing her deeply rougher then normal.

I lift my head up slitly saying “I was wondering if you would like to be my sparing partner is all.” I grined my crotch in to her suggestively as my fingers tangle in her hair from behind pulling on it. I smile devilishly as I lick her lips. “Unless of cors you would prifer to do some thing els.”

 

[poohlive]

His clothes wet and matted were now in a pile inside the tub. He had managed to tear the stiky cotton off of his skin, and sat there on the ground doing little else than breathing.
Only his breath, short and shallow didn't give him any pain. Memories kept coming to him, dark ones where Joseph's eyes bored into him, the loss inside if him. It wasn't a loss of a loved one, as he would thought, but it was the loss of a feeling inside.
A piece of something that made him normal gone, leaving only a shallow husk.
Lance raised his head, grinning at the door, "I think I need some clothes," he managed to say. His voice bareyl above a whisper. He wondered for a moment whether it actually went out to reach her.
"Come in, come in."
He had no reason to hide his shame, she had seen it before, and at this point he cared less.
Everything was becoming less and less important as time went on, as the book continued to feed. He had nothing more to give except himself, and even that was struggling as hard as it could.
"The book took it, it took my curse. Vampirism s nothing more than a entree for the book, it wants more, a lot more."
He coughed up blood, spitting it into the toilet across from him. Several more pools of blood and spit mixture swam inside there.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean.... "Anything? Everything? Did he even have a way to finish that sentence? No, he did not, he had nothing. If his strength had held on, if his mind was clear he could come up with something, or a better reaosn to keep his mouth shut. This happened too fast, and things were already unravelling. The truth always hurts.
He just hoped a little more pain was something he could handle.
"The death dance, you know what that is? A fighting form only taught in middle eastern countries, if you saw it you could swear that the body doing it was possessed. Even for a vampire it was magical, almost impossible. There are secrets under the stars, all of them. Be careful Aria, for everyone's sake."
He laughed as he traced the wounds that refused to heal on his body. Their dull ache only fueled the laughter as he came out into fits of hysteria. It only stopped once he began coughing once more, and another spit of blood went to the toilet.
"He raped me too. Your blood made it real, made it more real than anything I've ever felt. He fucked me. I don't..." he let his hand waiver over his crotch, "I don't have any pain, but I know... I know. I'm not that stupid."
The back of his head rested against the wall. He was tired, and thirsty, although he doubted anything he drank would stay down. For now he was content to just lie there a mometn, and try to forget everything.
Everything didn't want to forget him.

 

[Sweetp4u]

Aria

I stood listening to the fall of water inside the room, a small chuckle coming to my ears as i stood there wondering just what the hell was going on in there?
"Come in." I heard him whisper, barely able to force it past his lips I would have guessed, but I picked it up. Was he that ill from a single swallow of my blood? How could that be possible?!
I stepped inside, shutting the door behind me and locking it. I did not need the whole world in here at this moment.
His room was empty, but I knew where he was. Walking around the dresser I came to the bathroom door widely left open. He was huddled in the shower, his face a twisted mess.
"Lance?" Confusion hit my brain like a freight train. Just what was all of this? Why was he in so much pain? He wanted clothes, but he looked far worse off than just nude right now.
His words came to me faintly as he coughed up blood and spit into the toilet.
"What is.." my words cut off by his quiet explanation.
"The book took it, it took my curse. Vampirism s nothing more than a entree for the book, it wants more, a lot more."
The book?
"It took your curse?" I spoke up, still not fully understanding. Damn him! Why did he always have to speak in rhyme!? Then it sank into my mind what he had said. Before I could question him further he went on...
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean.... " Again his words trailed off, his look glazed, like he was barely hanging onto life by a thread.
"Sorry for?" He didn't answer me, more coughing wracked his worn body. He breathed heavily, his body marred with scars all over his torso.
"Who did this to you!?" I was getting angry, I had given specific instructions he was not to be harmed!
He smiled faintly, but it wasn't a real smile, his words freezing him further..
"He raped me too. Your blood made it real, made it more real than anything I've ever felt. He fucked me. I don't... I don't have any pain, but I know... I know. I'm not that stupid."
My eyes widened with realization what feeding from me had done to him, inside of his soul.
I moved towards the tub, sinking down to my knees and crouching there, "It'll be alright, just tell me what to do?" I urged him to give me something to help him, anything at all he could think of? His scent caught me off guard as I crouched there, his body was human? His curse was gone? But how? I felt so many things overwhelm my mind at once, I did not know where to begin?
"What can I do Lance? Tell me? Can't we change you back?!" His head rested against the back of the tub, the redish hue of blood washing down the drain. He needed to heal dammit! I glanced down at my wrist again. Would this do more harm than good?
"Could I heal your wounds?" i asked, a little afraid of what could happen if I did and would could happen if I didn't.

 

[poohlive]

Lance took his left hand, and put it to the back of her head. He brought her in close, feeling her close to him, breathign against him. It was a warm feeling, something he liked, something he could understand. An oasis of ease inside his torrented existence as it now was.
All for the quest.
"Your blood will heal the wounds, maybe. The gash or the cut, but if you turn me I will just change back. The words inside me will tear at it once more until it has released me. I can't go through that again, I just can't. I don't..."
He let go of her, moving up the wall. One agonizing stap at a time. His strangth was failing him, and he had to hold onto her before he could stand upright.
"Just sleep, for now. Rest somewhere quiet, blankets. I am cold," he shivered as he said this, "So cold."

 

[Sweetp4u]

Aria

"I understand." I spoke quietly as I helped him from the tub. He was weak, most of his weight was against me as we moved towards the bed. I sat him down on the edge of the bed and took a towel to him, drying him as best I could before helping him to lay down.
So many questions in my mind and above all was the shock that he was human again!? How was that possible!? It was, I was looking down at a very human Lance after a few thousand years. It was simply amazing and down right terrifying as well. I looked down at my hand and decided to give it one more try. With him being human now my memories shouldn't invade his mind this time. Extending out the fangs, I bit into a finger and let the blood flow over the tip. I bent over him, running my fingertip along the cut across his stomach.
"How is this possible?" I whispered. How did he get a cut exactly where I had mine? I looked over to his face, his features tight. From pain? Tired? Who knew exactly, it could be a combination of alot of things.
I covered his cut and suckled on my fingertip until the prick was gone. Grabbing the blankets I pulled them over him and tightly tucked them around him. He looked pale and tired, he probably needed something to eat as well?
What could a newly born human eat? I couldn't imagine what his body was doing inside there right now, It was too strange to fathom.
"Would you like some soup Lance?" I asked. I could find some hot water bottles and a few more blankets, perhaps then I could get everyone together and plot the next move. We did need to move, and quickly now. With Lance being human, the book inside him, we had to get this ceremony completed as soon as possible.

 

[poohlive]

"Just rest, " he moaned, blackness already settling in around the corner of his eyes. Aria held him in her arms, and he could only see an outline of her face, a blurred vision of lighter gray in front of a darker gray.
His eyes had just refused to send him any more messages to the outside world. He welcomed that, unable to think of any reaosn why he needed to see at the moment.
"Just rest," the words echoed inside of him. The sounds lost all meaning, now a mantra he clung onto before sleep could grip onto him. He hoped, prayed to whichever god decided to be in his good graces at the moment, that no dreams would come. A black void of simple rest so he could take on the next day, and the rest of the trials to come.
"Just rest," he fell deeper and deeper into the soft warm covers he now snuggled between, "She will help us all. Rest until we meet."
Lance was sucked into the black hole of sleep.

 

[Sweetp4u]

Aria

I waited until Lance was sound asleep before getting up and leaving quietly. This did not bode well for our little group, one less vampire amoung us, weak and in no condition to do much of anything. I would have to guard him well to assure his safety.
I stopped in the hallway spotting Joseph in the corner. I moved towards him, he looked a little drained himself lately.
"Are you alright?" I asked quietly, my hand touching his forehead a moment. What was I doing? He wouldn't have a fever if he was sick. Vampires didn't get sick!
Shaking my head, I glanced up at him.
"We need to watch lance carefully, keep him from getting hurt.. The book has changed him.." I fell silent a moment, holding Joseph's gaze.
"What is wrong?" He didn't seem to be his normal self, course with all that had happened to us both, I could understand why he was acting strangely.
"Will you help me watch him?"

 

[The GrandMage]

Joseph

He looked away, and shook his head. "I'm soprry love, but I can't help you watch Lance. We've got other problems. Lance isn't the only one who's changed." He raised a hand, putting a finger to her lips to silence her.

"I can't say any more. Just promise me you won't go anywhere without me or Maggie. One of us two. No matter who else you have with you."

He looked away again, and gave her a small smile, and pressed his lips quickly to hers in a short kiss. When he pulled back, he turned. "I have to go watch Micheal now. It's not good to leave him alone."

 

[Sweetp4u]

Aria

"Changed?" I mumbled, his lips touched mine and just as quickly he was gone to watch over Micheal.
"Alright.." I shrugged, wondering if I was living in a home with a bunch of insane people? Maybe it was just me? And why did I need someone with me?
Sighing, I walked into my bedroom and grabbed and extra blanket. Walking back into Lance's room, I laid another blanket over him and sat on the edge of the bed.
Things were just becoming stranger and stranger as each day passed. We needed to move on, we had to get out of here and to another safe house as soon as possible.

 

[Sweetp4u]

Erika

I walked outside into the fresh new day and smiled. This was nice, i felt like a million bucks. Ok so i was worth a few billion, but this was great!
I hailed a cab and headed to the old hotel to pick up my things and those Joseph had left behind. I had a few things to do, finding my cell phone would be one of those things.
I watched the traffic with half interest as I thought about all the things that were to come in the next few days. I hoped i was up for the tasks set before me and wondered how I could accomplish what I needed to do?
The taxi arrived and I crawled out, paying him to wait as I walked upstairs. None of the blood slaves were around, and that gave me pause to worry. Where had they gone? My senses keen and alert, I sensed nothing amiss anywhere in the building.
I moved inside, packed up my things I had left there and moved up to joseph's old room. Opening the door, I peeked inside and seen nothing but a jacket and a sword. Taking both with me, I headed back to the cab and instructed him to take me to the Hotel next. I had a few things there as well to gather up since I left with Lance in such a hurry.
I arrived there, paid for my room and went up. My cell phone was here as well as my clothes. I felt like I was forgetting something, but what? Then it dawned on me, the rental had the sword in it. Sighing, I packed up everything there, hauled it downstairs and hailed another taxi. This was becoming a viscious ring-around-the-rosie game!
Arriving back at Aria's place, I put everything into the trunk of my car except for the coat and sword. Walking back up the stairs to the house, I peeked inside and seen no one.
"Perfect." I set down the duster and the sword, quietly exiting the house the way I came. taking the keys, I hopped into the rental and drove for a new Hotel room, and hopefully soon I could locate Vladamir as well.

 

[poohlive]

It was hours before he stirred. No dreams had come to him, the black void swallowed Lance hole, and when he emerged from the other side, he felt somewhat better.
The pains that conflicted inside of him, each threatening to hurt more than the last had turned now to a dull ache. He didn't like pain, there was a reason he became a vampire, to get rid of this damn weakness.
In the dim room, he saw a figure beside him. Aria, his eyes were too blurry to see anything more than a shape, but her presence was near him.
The bond was still inside of him.
She was troubled.
He gave a soft smile, get in line. He was just as confused as she. Although, their troubles lied in different fields.
His hand reached out from a mountain of blankets to touch her back. Nothing more than simple contact, to know that he knew, and he understood.
"Sometimes it's better if you just talk," he said, a soft edge to his voice. Inside the blankets had captured quite a bit of wamrth, and he nestled against them, loving the feel that surrounded him.
"Even if it is to me," thoughts of him swam through his mind as well. He knew what she thought, hell, he knew what she was thinking, but still she had the right to share with him or not. He wasn't going to be some monster and knit throug her brain until he found the problem.
With the worries lines criss crossing on her face, he would have to guess that it was many problems, not just one.

 

[Sweetp4u]

Aria

I felt a touch at my back and turned, Lance was awake once again.
"Talk?"
It was a simple query, just out of concern I would imagine. He knew all that was in my mind, had seen it and because of it had suffered. I felt tired and defeated before the real journey even began. Turning sideways on the bed, I lay down outside his mountain he had going on and just stared at him a minute.
"There is alot of responcibility that came with these rings... more than I ever thought... So many in danger whether we try or give up.. All on my shoulders and well.." I fell silent once more, mulling over all the mess inside my head, what?
"It's all my making.. Now you have been changed, but I do not think it was for the best.. That thing is inside you, feeding off of you like some alien movie.. And I feel lost in all of it.." I smiled a little, "Kind of a mess aren't I?" I fell silent a moment, I was tired. Everything ached in my body, although almost healed, I still had some pain.
"On top of that, I really believe Joseph is losing his mind... Ray is acting strangely and Maggie, well she's possessed. And as for me, well you know what a caserole of hell that is inside me....It's all just caving in on me.. I had hoped.." I fell silent again, not wishing to push this off on him, but feeling it was only right to say it, "Hell I was hoping that with your knowledge we would have a better chance at this game.. I am wrong, messing up and not sure how to fix anything right now.. not even myself!" I closed my eyes a moment, just willing myself to relax a little more. I felt safe inside this room with him. For the first time in twenty four hours, only a few rational hours at best, I knew Lance was not a threat.

 

[poohlive]

Lance's clear eyes took her in, each word filled with sadness and a lost hope. She began looking more and more like a little girl, alone int he dark woods, afraid of the strange noises, just trying to find her way home.
"I know. Everyone has changed, even you," his hand dropped to the ring now at her finger, "It helped, didn't it? Everyone has changed. You might not think it's for the best at some point. Ray's weird behavior or Joseph's need to protect everything including the car keys, but it's all for a reason. If you don't see it now, you will. I wish I knew how, but I don't. There are some things I know, but others I am just as lost as you."
He wiped a flock of hair away from her face, looking into her troubled eyes. So lost, he wished he could help her.
"Everyone has their own demons to conquer before this is over. Mine happens to be a book that wants to eat me," he giggled, until it began to hurt and stopped at once, "The responsibility is on all of us now Aria, not just you. You don't have to feel like this is all on your shoulders. I know everyone looks up to you, but you can hurt too, you can be indecisive, you are only human..."
Vampire, whatever, she knew what he meant.
"The book has spells, lots of them. It's inside me now, and I can conjur up a few of them. It's not much, but it will help me. I'm not without weakness, even if I lost my... my gift."
It still hurt, an emptiness that crept through his heart, only to be filled by a monsterous book that continued to feed.
"What are you most scared of?"

 

[Sweetp4u]

Aria

I glanced down at the ring he caressed, "Yes it did help, thank you." I whispered softly, still feeling too much on my shoulders.
I chuckled at his comment, though it was true it sounded so silly. I stopped laughing after a moment, it just did not push away the worries.
"You will be alright, Lance.. We'll figure out a way.." I fell silent, so many things to figure out, work out as a group and so little time as well.
"Afraid?" I sighed and thought a moment, letting the words just pour out of me.
"Sleeping. Failure. Hurting those I love.. I am afraid of losing the only family I have left, of not being all that is expected of me. I fear many things, and at times very few things.. But with what is going on, I fear I put everyone's lives in danger and if anything happens to them, it will be my fault.. My burden to bear and I am not so sure I could handle that.." I lay there a moment, curious as he was, "And you?"

 

[poohlive]

"Ever stop to think that you are the reason they are mostly alive in the first place? No one can make this quest on their own, it's a team effort. We all need to help, do our part, if we do then we can defeat this..."
He shifted in the bed, moving to the side,
"Together."
He wished he could stop the worrying inside of her, take it away somehow. Perhaps he could, but he felt it wouldn't help her. Being scared, afraid for her friends, her family were just as important. It put everything in perspective for her. He just hoped that fear didn't consume her.
"Wanna know what I'm afraid of?" he smiled, puffing out his chest, "Big powerful Lance. The Father of the modern vampire, ageless and timeless, stronger than anything yet produced on this earth?"
He leaned in, whispering in her ear, "Ants."

 

[Sweetp4u]

Aria

"Yes, you are again right.. Together.." I lay there, thinking mainly about survival when he spoke up again.
"Yes, what are you afraid of?" I was thinking something weird, or an older vampire. Perhaps he was afraid of being alone? Afraid of what was to come?
"Ants." He said softly. I blinked a few times, clamped my lips together and tried to not laugh! My eyes watered and a giggle bubbled inside.
"Oh sorry." I managed to squeeze out. He looked offended and that just sent me over the edge with laughter. I fell back onto the bed and giggled until my sides hurt.
"Ants!?" I chuckled, gasping for air, "owie.. that hurt.." I took deep breaths to stop the laughing, exhaling loudly but it did not help. I thought about it again and again I giggled.
"Ants??! You're serious?" I peeked at him and giggled again.

 

[poohlive]

"Oh, come on, you don't think ants are scary?"
Lance watched in amazement as she turned from that firghtened girl into an exctatic young woman. It brought so many emotions through him, most of which were hers, but some... some were his own.
"It's not an ant, mind you. I can deal with them one on one, it's when they bring all of their buddies when I get scared. You seen how many there are? Hundreds, thousands."
His hands lashed out, crawling over her skin to emphasize the point.
"Millions of them trying to get you, to eat you. Ants everywhere, their feelers out, legs moving all over."
He laughed aloud, seeing the look on her face.
"They are sneaky and conniving, always working underground, and taking our food. Sneaky and conniving little devil's, just be careful, is all I'm saying. You never know..."

 

[Sweetp4u]

Aria

I laughed harder when his fingers tickled all over my stomach, rolling and telling him to stop at the same time as laughing. God it felt good to laugh again! He backed off, his warning so serious, I laughed again.
Rollling to my side to face him, I shook my head and the laughter quieted down to a giggle and finally no more. My face was hurting from laughing, but it felt good inside.
"Oh yes! I will be wary of those evil maniacle ants.." I giggled again, covering my mouth with my hands, eyes wide. "Sorry I know this is serious business here.." I grinned, putting my hand back down.
I laid my head down on the pillow, relaxing more and more into the soft feather matress. Yawning a little, I appologized, "Sorry.. I guess I am more tired than I thought." I watched him, the laughter still in his eyes, I felt comfortable here with him which surprised me.
"Thanks, I needed that.." I moved towards him, my lips kissing his forehead before backing away. Laying back where I was, I closed my eyes for a few minutes, but still kept talking.
"What's it like to be human again?"

 

[poohlive]

He raised himself up in bed a bit. Watching her yawn, stretching out the face that was still red from her giggling. Without a thought, he shuffled his warm blankets over to her, leaving one for himself.
He was nice, but he wasn't a fool. The room still felt cold to him.
"It hurts," he said, quite plainly, tucking her in as she once did him not too long ago.
"Pain that used to go away so easily just stays. Back pain, stiff legs, even old cuts," he looked donw at his elbow, which somewhere inside this house had gotten scratched up.
"You feel weak. The power once surging through you gone. It's like being a vampire is a drug, and I'm off of that drug now. I don't think it's all so bad though. I'm more relaxed. All of that extra hearing and sight gets to you after a while. Sometimes I wish I could have turned it off. Neighbors down the street keeping you up at night."
He could see her drifting off, and moved to where he sat beside her. She had watched over him, for who knows how long. He wanted to do the same.
"It's not that bad," that was the truth, "Not that bad at all."

 

[Sweetp4u]

Aria

I smiled faintly at his words, the darkness pulling me down. The warmth and feeling safe took hold and allowed my mind to relax. The guards went down and I slowly sank into a sound sleep there in Lance's room. The world outside could wait for a few hours, I just needed a little nap. Curling up into the blankets, I did not hear anything more, not even the last few words he said a second time.

 

[The GrandMage]

Joseph

He hung around, waiting just outside the doorway, staring at the boy. So young, so very young. He shouldn't be here. None of them should be here. It wasn't safe. It wasn't safe at all. Then again, he thought with a sigh, very few things are safe these days.

He had been alive a long time. Danger was always there. But there were always people who could take care of themselves. He wished he could watch over Aria. But their son was so much more vulnerable. So human. He glanced over his shoulder, and then back at the boy.

He smiled softly, and walked into the room. "Heya, sport. Sleep well?"

 

[Sweetp4u]

Aria

I awoke some time later, a little disoriented at where I was? I was still tired, not having much sleep the past few nights between this quest and.. Well I wasn't going to think about that.
I lifted up my shirt and peered down at my stomach, the angry red scar nearly completely faded now. Perhaps my neck looked normal by now as well? One could hope.
Closing my eyes, I tried to pull some energy from some where and get up. I had things to do, like packing up the things we needed here and moving on to a safer location. But first, just a few more minutes in this bed.. I smiled, but did not try to open my eyes again. I was never a 'morning' person anyway, might as well go back to sleep.. But I was waking up whether I wanted to or not, my senses going out and listening for the locations of everyone in the house.

 

[Sweetp4u]

Aria

Rising from the bed, I stretched a moment and walked out. In my room I hunted down my suitcase and started packing my things. I would get everything ready to go and alert the others we were moving to a safer location.
So many thoughts danced in my head and for once it was nothing about the rape. Instead all the things that needed to get done was rattling off in my mind. I needed to get the page out as well as the rest of the artifacts, get everyone ready and move on.
Tired but feeling better than I did yesterday, I had a sliver of hope this would work out. I just had to stay positive.
Stuffing only what would be needed into my suitcase, I carried it downstairs with me and set it down beside the couch.
"Joseph? Michael?" I could hear Michael giggling in the kitchen. Walking in I spotted Joseph and Michael, making lunch and a mess. Smiling, I shook my head and walked over to my son. Kissing him gently on the forehead I glanced down at the peanutbutter and jelly mess.
"Looks scumptous.." I chuckled again. "we're getting ready to move to a safer location.. I'm going to go pack his things, will you tell Ray and Maggie for me? Find Erika, think she's lazin' around in her room.. Thanks" I kissed Joseph on the cheek, my son once more and turned and left for Michael's room.