"Hey guys." - He said, and took the coffee cup from my hand and took a sip. Why the hell do these people have to drink my coffee? I mean there was a whole fucking pitcher full of coffee!
"Hi Joel." - Stephen rolled his eyes. - "Can we help you?"
I could sense a dash of anger in his tone, but I decided that it's not really my responsibility to make them get along... it was out of my league by far.
"I live here." - Joel said, but he didn't look at him. Instead he took a round around me - with my cup in his hands. - "Who is your little guest?"
"She is Darren's guest, to be exact." - Stephen pointed out. Joel pinched my chin between in his thumb and index finger and rotated my head from one side to another, like I was some strange object he wanted to get a good look at.
"Isn't he with that Princeps girl?" - He asked, but he was still staring at me.
"He is." - I answered, which surprised him, like he didn't think I can talk. - "I am that girl's sister."
To that, he raised his eyebrows.
"Well, isn't Darren one lucky motherfucker?" - He asked, and when I realized what he meant, anger raced through me, and I slapped him as strong as I could, putting in all of my anger into that one slap. I heard Stephen let out an 'ouch'.
"Do not get your hopes up with this slut." - He said, and he swung his coat over his shoulder. - "A man can't even find a slut to fuck these days..." - He mumbled.
What a jerk..
"I heard that." - I yelled after him.
"Why, are you up for a ride?" - He answered from the other side of the corridor, right before he dissapeared into his room. He stopped, but he didn't turn towards me.
"You can't pay me enough." - I answered. - "No way I would have sex with a loser like you."
Stephen stared at me wide eyed, but Joel just laughed, and disappeared in his room, and slammed the door.
"What the hell..." - Stephen began, but I shook my head with a grin.
"He is drunk as hell." - I answered. Stephen let out a sigh of relief, and laughed.
"That explains a lot. I was kind of surprised that he acted so strange..." - He rubbed his face. - "I am so sorry, you shouldn't have seen Joel like that... Once he gets sober, you will like him, I swear." - I giggled at that. There was no doubt that Joel had charisma, and a great body, but there was no way I could ever like a person like him. I mean, you can think I am just telling this because I don't wanna admit that I like him... because that's not the case. He is indeed has a great body, I admit. But I was just not found of that he gets all drunk, and kisses a girl he doesn't know at all.. and the weird thing is that he got really weird after I slapped him... I don't know, maybe he has a thing for aggressive women, but that is just one more reason why this is a horrible idea.
Oh, and have I mentioned that his brother is my sister's boyfriend? Yes? Well that's another reason why it would be fucking weird.
And as i was thinking about this, Rider's face flashed into my vision, and immediately felt pain in my chest. What was I doing here? I mean I could have risked his life... but I couldn't do that. So why am I asking Stephen when he barely knows me. If I wouldn't make Rider risk his life for me, why am i asking a stranger? This did not make sense to me.
"Stephen, I am sorry." - I blurted out. The smile didn't disappear from his lips, like I thought it would. Guilt chewed on my heart.
"Why are you apologizing?" - He asked. I just shook my head.
"I just feel terrible." - I said, and buried my face in my hands.
"I just don't understand why." - He said, and put a hand on my shoulder. - "Because you slapped Joel? If that's the case, I have to admit that I don't give a shit." - He laughed.
"It's not that." - Considering how much I have cried in the past couple days, I decided that this was not the best time to break down again. I mean I don't wanna make Stephen think that I was weak - even though I actually wren't the best warrior in the whole word.
"Hey...." - Stephen pulled my hands off my face, and wiped down the tears that had rolled down on my cheeks already. I felt pure disgust towards myself. I wouldn't want to risk Rider's life, because I was attached to him, but I would ask a stranger, an innocent outsider to put his life on the line for me.... I was so selfish, it made me sick.
I just shook my head, and tried to shake him off, but he didn't move. - "Please, talk to me..." - He asked. I just shook my head.
Why the hell did I take Darren's offer on the first place?! - I asked myself. But I already knew that answer that have been haunting me: I was just too afraid to act on my own. I saw enemy in everyone, and I needed an anchor to return to, someone I can rely on.
"I can't do this to you..." - I whispered.
"What are you talking about?"
"That you are nice to me ever since I arrived, and that you agreed to become involved with this whole thing..." - I still couldn't talk louder than a fain whisper, but he understood me clearly.
"I am nice to you because you are a friend of my brother, and I wanna help you because you are a good person. Just because it involves the guys up above, doesn't mean we will die, or that we will be punished for sure." - He tried to calm me down, but I knew the truth.
"Do you know, who I am?" - I asked as I looked up to him, searching his eyes.
"Yes." - His face was serious - "You are a girl, who lost everything she ever had, and now fighting to get it back. You are a person, who is ready to stand up for what she thinks. You are a Nephilim, whose blood is boiling with the desire for revenge." - I have to admit that I was surprised by his answer, but what he thought was only a little piece of me.
"No, Stephen... I am a lost girl with no destination, no plan, no heart. I am just a selfish child who will bring trouble upon you." - I said. - "I am a curse, and everyone around me suffered from it."
To that, he hugged me tightly, and whispered in my ear.
"You can call yourself whatever you want, but don't you ever think that I will believe the bullshit you just said." - I could sense his smile on his lips. - "I have been through more dangerous situations than you think, and the little job you offered me is nothing but a small adventure for me."
I pushed him away a little so I can face him, but judging by his eyes, he was telling the truth. Could he be really that powerful?
At that moment the elevator arrived, and the light on top of it began to blink, but the doors didn't open for a long moment. My heart raced, and I was expecting the worst to come. I reached for my knife, but Stephen grabbed my wrist and shook his head.
The doors finally opened, and Darren stepped out.
"Feels like a reunion..." - Stephen murmured. Darren approached us with a wide smile. That's when I realized that Stephen was still holding onto my wrist. I quickly pulled my hand away from him, and crossed them front of my chest.
I know I wasn't doing anything wrong, but I still didn't wanna make him think we did.
Okay, probably my sudden movements made him wonder anyways, but that was less embarrassing than if he would see us holding hands.
"Hey Spirit." - He greeted me - "So, did Stephen treat you right?" - He asked, like Stephen was just some kind of servant of his. I nodded, I couldn't help but wander off into my thoughts.
Back in my head, I was 20 minutes behind, and I felt Joel forcefully press his lips against mine. I could smell his cologne, and taste the strong taste of alcohol mixed the taste of some kind of fruit, or maybe flavored gum.
I tried to make myself wander back to the present, but it was like I didn't have any kind of control over it. The world spun around me, and I knew what happens.
"Oh no..." - I cried, but then, darkness sucked me in.
I was standing on the top of a building, with a bottle of Jack Daniel's in my hand, my tie flopping in the wind, untied. The taste of cherry made me nauseous. I knew it was a bad idea right from the beginning to get mixed with Lilith, but when she found me, I was lost.
Not like I was better now. She gave me shelter, fulfilled my needs, but this was messing me up. Lately, she began asking about my brothers, and about my brother's connection to that bastard princess... I guess her name was Iris. I didn't know about it at all... I haven't talked to Darren in years, and ever since he moved to LA to that institute, I haven't even heard about him.
Besides, I was living with Stephen, but since his 16th birthday, we didn't spend any time together. After all, I was the screw-up of the family. Darren got the role of the perfect big brother, Stephen was the promising little genius, and here I stood, drunk as hell, trying to wash away the memory of Lilith's touch.
It made me sick to remember that she touched me, and I let her.
I took a deep breath, and smashed the bottle against the roof. The glass pieces shattered and rolled into several directions. But even a whole bottle of Jack Daniel's couldn't wash that taste away from my mouth that made me ashamed of myself. I have always tried be as good as they are. People expect me to do great things, but instead, I just screw up.
I pushed in the door that lead into the building, and Pressed my palm against the elevator's button. I pushed repetitively until it finally arrived. I only had to go down one floor to arrive at home. I pushed the button, and then leaned against the mirrored wall of the elevator. I looked terrible - There were dark circles under my eyes, and I was pale as virgin snow. I slapped my face a couple times.
I couldn't face Stephen like that. I pushed the emergency stop, and the elevator stopped with a yank. I took out my phone, and then I thought through what I should say. I knew I couldn't just wander into the flat, because it wasn't exactly my home, even though I claimed it to be... I haven't spent more than a week here in my whole life.
I know sleeping over at strangers' houses aren't exactly the kind of thing that anyone could call a good idea. I wasn't proud of it either... but I couldn't face Stephen day by day, knowing that we can never be like brothers, because as soon as we grew close, I realize that he will eventually leave, and I will just stand here alone again. I don't want that... I don't want that at all.
Finally, after repeating what I wanted to say to him several times, I pushed the call button. He picked up quickly, which was a surprise since it was very early in the morning.
"Hey Joel. What do you want?" - He asked in a cold voice.
"I am not far from home, about a half minute." - I said. - "I just wanted to let you know that if you have a girl over, you should get her ready to leave. I wanna sleep." - I knew that this wasn't the kind of tone anyone would expect from brothers, but we were more like strangers.
"I actually do have someone over. And she can't leave, so be nice for once." - He sighed, and I could tell that he was annoyed.
"Are you done fucking her?" - I asked. - "Because she can leave then."
"I am not you, nor wanna be you, Joel. Grow up already." - Stephen hissed at me through the phone. - "She is here because she needed help, and I took her in, because I wanted to help. There is the end of the story. Get your ass here, grab what you want, and leave." - He wasn't happy at my comment. Well, shit.
He hung up before I could say anything else. I sighed. Why can't I do anything right?!
I pushed the button on the elevator again, and it began moving. Great, now he is pissed off.
The elevator stopped with a ding, and the doors opened to the suit where our flat was. I took off my coat, and pulled off my tie, and when I looked up, I was facing a huge, light brown pair of eyes. She was staring at me, like I was from another planet...
But I could feel her body tense up as I got closer, like her defenses were working automatically. I walked up to her, and took her coffee.
"Hey guys." - I greeted them, and took a sip from the coffee. She drank it with a small amount of sugar, and a lot of milk. Exactly the opposite of my taste: I like it sweet, and black. I set the cup on the table.
"Hi Joel." - Stephen answered, but the girl remained silent. - "What do you want."
Suddenly, as if I was struck by lightning the realization hit me: Lilith showed me a picture of this girl not too long ago. "I live here." - I shot back the answer. I walked in a circle around her, and her body became even more tense. I picked up the cup again, and took another sip. - "Who is your little guest?"
"She is Darren's guest, to be exact." - I still couldn't believe that I was standing front of such a person. She was basically the bull's eye for the consilium, and Lilith wanted me to help her find this girl. The taste of cherry emerged again. I wanted to spit it on the ground. That woman made me sick...
"Isn't he with that Princeps girl?" - I asked, hoping that she would tell me that she is not who I think she is, because then, she would have to leave... she can't stay in this flat with me, because if she runs into Lilith, if that monster catches her, it would be all my fault again, and it would be me, who would have sleepless nights, and nightmares, even if I don't know this girl.
However I don't wish it to anyone to be forced to depend on the mercy of that hellish woman.
"He is. I am that girl's sister." - She said suddenly. I wanted her to tell me that she was joking. Even though, I wanted to hide that I was worried, and I just faked a smirk. With that much alcohol in my system, it wasn't exactly a hard task.
"Well, isn't Darren a lucky motherfucker?" - As soon as it left my mouth, the girl slapped me. The taste of blood spread through my mouth. I wiped it off from the edge of my lips. Her powers reached for me, but I could tell that she was not aware of it. I could hear Stephen say something in the background, but I didn't care.
The girl's scent was floating around me. It wasn't like perfume, nor soap. It was the scent of her skin, and her aura.
I couldn't resist it... I pulled her body towards me, and then since I was sure Stephen would kill me if I do her right here, right now, I just kissed her. But that took me a great amount of will-power. She teased my edges to the limit, and her powers pulled on the strings of mine, like she was challenging me.
She tried to push me away, but I didn't let her.
For my greatest surprise, as her taste filled my mouth, the cherry faded, and eventually disappeared in the matter of seconds. She freed me from that sickening taste. Now I could taste her... she tasted like bitter coffee, and something like chocolate.
I knew that if I don't let her go now, I won't be able to stop. So I released her, and began to walk away.
"Do not get your hopes up with this slut." -I turned back when I was safe distance from that girl. I couldn't believe that desire for her that I felt. It was unnatural, and I couldn't let it take me over. - "A man can't even find a slut to fuck these days..."
Of course, I only said it to make her think she had no effect on me. It was for the very best for both of us. She would only get into trouble if she tries to stick around... I have to make her leave before anything bad happens. I don't want to kill her... because if Lilith finds out that she was here, and I was aware of her presence, she will rage, and most likely kill her... and I would get punished for hiding a criminal...
"I heard that." - She yelled after me.
"Why, are you up for a ride?" - I stopped at the door, and a faint smile crossed my lips. I might be drunk, but this girl had some nerve, I'll give her that much. Maybe she wasn't strong enough to fight me off just a second ago, but she didn't give up.
"You can't pay me enough." - The disdain in her voice felt like a poisonous arrow through the heart. - "No way I would have sex with a loser like you." - She didn't know how accurate she was. I was a loser... A loser who was afraid to love his own family, a loser, who looked for relief in the bed of strangers, a loser, who got drunk every day to feel numb...
I just smiled sourly, and slammed the door behind myself.
I gasped for air, and sat up. Darren must have been trying to slap me awake, because my cheeks hurt. My heart raced like I just ran a marathon.
I looked around. I was back in my body... okay, this is bad. I mean not that I was back in my own body, in the present, but if I have visions it could mean that we are bound.
But I didn't let my powers into him, I didn't feel him, I didn't sucked in his powers, forcing him to share it with me.
I stared at my hands, but they were normal... there were no signs of bonding.
The door down the corridor flew open, and Joel was storming towards me. Oh no.
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