~Back Home~

Jenna's silky soft brown hair with sunkissed highlights flowed out behind her as she let the hood fall back on her mustang. The wind made her hair dance across her back and whip on the seats. The sun shone down through the trees in the woods but Jenna didn't worry about her shining skin. There weren't going to be any humans crossing the path she was going down. Their little cottage was tucked deep into the woods, even the driveway hidden from veiw of humans. She pulled a lock of hair behind her ear before seeing the little house ahead. It's long modern elegant windows were positioned just right on it and the front door was perched atop the steps like it was the main show peice. Where the kitchen window should have been, Jenna's stainglass art was, making a mixture of colors tumble onto the kitchen floor on the inside. She pulled into the garage, seeing Grace's porshe parked inside, safe and sound. Held breath escaped Jenna's lungs like a human would do when they were releived. She almost slowly gathered up all of her things she had brought and set them all on the oak table once she was inside. She saw something fall onto the wooden floor and bent over to pick it up.

A note from her sister told her that she had gone to fix things with Loren. Her golden eyes shifted suspiciously over to the garage and her pumps took her to the window above the sink that had a clear veiw of their parking places. Grace's car was still there. Jenna softly shook her head and ignored the things on the table to sit on the couch. Her hands made their way to the remote and turned on the TV. Luckily the volume was down, letting her think about this. A little meow came from below seconds before Lily jumped into her lap and rubbed her head against Jenna's pale hand. Jenna crossed her legs and stared at the lady news reporter on the TV, her serious face glaring back at Jenna. Grace had to of gone with one of two people. Brad or Loren. Her mind slowly narrowed down the odds that Grace would have gone with one or the other and decided that she had gone with Loren. Grace didn't wait for her, ditched her sister for a bloodsucking male vampire and to do what? Her mind mulled it over as Lily fell asleep, layed out on her lap and Jenna's chin in her hands.

It had been a few good hours since that incident happened. Perhaps he would be able to talk to her now?

He could only hope. Tracer had been sad to see his master go again, but Brad needed answeres as to what exactly happened to Grace that night. He'd gone to school earlier because he was sure she'd have shown up, but he had been the only one there. Grace hadn't been there, Jenna wasn't there... Not even Loren had showed up. Finally seeing the familiar driveway that melted into the forest, Brad slowed his mustang and made a perfect turn, then sped down the remainder of road until he found himself at the little house in the woods.

What was he doing here?

She'd more than likely just bite his head off again. The memory of her face; the emotions that flitted across it as she said those last words and disappeared from his apartment building; had been too much to bear. He had to know what was going on. He knew now that this had to be something big, and not just something that she and Jenna had shared.

Why had she been keeping it a secret from him? So many questions.

He forced himself out of the comfort of his car. He was going to go in there if it killed him. And it actually might. He had no idea how Grace was acting now. Maybe seeing him would calm her down. Or do the exact opposite. He didn't know. He didn't know a lot of things. He'd been stuck in the dark for quite a while now. Making his way to the frost steps, his courage began to grow. Before he could wimp out on himself, he raised his hand and rapped on the door. "Grace?" he asked in a firm yet somehow gentle voice.

(I'll edit this if it isn't rite but it is the next day rite? so has it been a day or a couple of hours since Grace had her scream in the woods? )

Jenna sat up from her laying position, setting her Italian fashion magazine on the leather couch. White ipod headphones were stuck in her ears and the music was turned on super low. It felt like it was on full blast to her ears. Her uber favorite song, Sadie Hawkins Dance, whispered out of the silver speakers as she set them down. Shreds of paper lay crumpled on the floor. Grace hadn't come home that night and Jenna had been dreading her return. In her mind, she knew that her adopted sister had been with Loren. The temptation was obviously too much for Grace. Jenna had written down lists after lists of possible other explainations but none of them fit as good as her first one, not matter how hard she wanted to make any of the rest true.
Jenna had heard a car coming when it turned down their driveway but had ignored it until she heard a knock on the door. She wondered what excuse Grace would make up in order to cover up that she had been with Loren. Jenna knew she would do it. Her feet took her down the carpeted hall and to the front door. Why was Grace coming through here? Why was she knocking? She had a key... "Grace," a muffled voice spoke on the other side. Strange Grace would say her own name.
Jenna slowly unlocked the wide door to see the person she had least expected. Brad. Her face would have blushed as a human, looking a little bit less representable in her wide gray sweatpants that went past her feet and maroon patterned tank but she hid her embarassment, standing up straight. "Grace isn't here. She, uh, hasn't come home yet," Jenna mumbled. It was kind of awkward talking to the guy that her sister had liked two days ago but now was falling for another. Her golden eyes looked into Brad's uncertainly, wishing--hoping that he would accept her answer even though she knew he wouldn't.

( It hasn't been a day since Grace left the house. Jenna left in the early morning and Grace has been out from then till 4:00 pm the same day)
Grace's feet had never slowed from the minute she exited Loren's house until where she was now; racing through the quiet woods. Remembering that the last time she had been in these eery woods, she had been falling apart, dampened her spirits even further. She had to constantly remind her distraught self that she was changed, transformed into a more powerful vampire.
The oaks flashing by changed from smelling of the normal mustiness of the forest, to taking on the slight familiar scent of Grace's and Jenna's scent mixed together. Bracing herself for the extreme reprimand that she was probably going to get from Jen, Grace sped up. While running, her mind had fallen back to replaying the pleasurable events of that day. She had been so caught up in her memories, that she didn't notice the familiar but extremely suprising scent until Brad's car was looming up in front of her.
What was he doing here? It wasn't like Grace wanted him not to be there, it was just the most horrible moment for him to come. There she stood, thinking of her day with Brad's rival, wearing his clothes, and completely changed from the last time he had seen her. For the first time, Grace wondered whether everyone else would like this 'new' Grace, as much as she had thought. ' Of course they won't,' Grace shouted to herself. She had broken every rule in the book, her fiery ornage eyes now a big, flaring testemant to that.
Grace knew that any time know Brad or Jenna, who she had noticed standing at the door, would see her standing stock still on the gravely pavement. The last thing Brad deserved was to see what she had been doing that day, so she quickly locked them away, deep in her mind. Neither the eyes, nor the clothes could be helped. So, with a resigned attitude, Grace made her existence known.
" Brad," she called out, ready for the judging stares, and shouting to come.

When he heard footsteps beyond the door inside the house, Brad readied himself with what Grace would be like. The image Matt had shown him mentally had torn him, and he didn't know what she'd do now. Though he was surprised if not a bit dissapointed when Jenna answered instead of Grace. He narrowed his eyes slightly at her answer. She was telling the truth, her eyes said that, but there was also something else that she was hiding from him. "You know as well as I do that it's not going to stay with just that," he said simply. He was tired of being in the dark for so long. He opened his mouth to say something more, when a voice sounded from behind him. He hadn't heard her thoughts until just now, and still they were guarded when he turned to see Grace. He was shocked into silence at what he saw. Her hair was wild, yet not totally obscure. Her clothes looked nothing like what she'd wear; in fact he could have sworn that he'd seen them before. But what surprised him the most was her bright orange eyes. They weren't the liquid golden of a vegitarian, nor the blood red of a human drinker. But one thing was certain; she had hunted. And it wasn't an animal. "G-Grace..?" he whispered, his eyes wide with shock. Why? Was his new question. Why would she do anything like this? A small, timid thought formed in his mind. Loren. No. He immediately dismissed it and locked it away. She'd never go with him. There had to be another reason. He just couldn't believe... "Why?"

Jenna waited stiffly for Brad's reply, cringing at the thought of telling him that Grace had disappeared with Loren the earlier that morning and hadn't returned yet. She watched his face turn from relaxed but persistant to downright stupidfied. Her golden eyes stayed on his face for a few moments, not wanting to look in the direction he was staring at. She quickly took a glance and then did a double-take, her eyes widening. Golden staring at fire eyes. It was a strange sight to see Grace having eyes the same color as her hair, uncanny. Her mind reeled like it did when Grace had left, making up explainations other than the one she knew to be true. Maybe Grace and Loren went to the eye doctor for fun to get orange contacts. She mentally shoved aside the thought, her eyes darting from Grace to Brad, from Grace to Brad.
What would Brad say? What would Grace say? What would she say? It was all too much for her too think about; too many thoughts flying in her brain. Jenna had been upset when Grace had started liking a bloodsucker; she had been upset when she found out she had kissed him; she had been upset when she found out Grace had ditched her for Loren; now she was stunned.... emotionally slapped in the face. Her heart was more scared than hurt even though her prediction had been true.

Her note to her sister rang in her ears and seared her eyes: I'm sorry that you feel the way you do but your new boyfriend's eating habits would of effected me sooner or later. Her eyebrows pulled together. On one hand, it was true, Grace had broken her vegetarian lifestyle, on the other it wasn't, Jenna could just ignore her sister's eyes, not go hunting with her anymore. It seemed like the only way she could think rite then. Her mind was buzzing with words and thoughts but her body was frozen on the outside. It awoke from its slumber and leaned her shoulder against the door. Her mouth couldn't say a thing: it, too, wasn't thawed out yet.

Grace stood still as Brad's eyes went up and down her. She felt his gaze, too. It was like having a x-ray, but much more painful. Just a while ago she had been perfectly content to be this...monster. The glamour of being with Loren had hid that from her. And, just to prove her point, her cruel mind dragged out the horrific picture of the boy. Her breath came back into her in the form of a gasp. She had killed him, taken away his very breath. And the horrible thing was she had no inkling who the heck he was. He was just a boy to her; he could have had a family, a brother who looked up to him, a girlfriend who thought that he was love of her life, a dream that he'd never had time to fulfill. Grace had takem that away in all of five minutes.
It seemed kind of anti climatic that after ruining everything she had spent years fixing, it had all been to impress one person. Looking back, for the first time she wondered if her curiosity for something new had tricked her mind into seeing someone she thought she loved. If she was really, truly in love with Loren, being with him shouldn't have to hurt the two other people who she loved. As Grace's mind thought more and more over her situation, she came to find that from the very start she had been doing it all wrong. You weren’t supposed to have two lovers; any way you turned it, something bad would eventually happen. All this mind searching had boiled down to one question in the end.
Was it really worth it? If being with Loren meant that she wouldn't be able to be around Jenna and Brad without it ending badly, could she still continue her fling with her bad boy. ‘No, she thought, looking into Brad's golden eyes that were heavy with a sorrow and confusion that Grace had put there. Her need for something different, something outside of her comfort zone, had resulted in something she couldn't find the words to fix. Her one act of selfishness had costed her everything.
But they needed an answer; they at least deserved that.
“I was weak,” She finally gasped out. Her breath came in shallow gasps and her eyes were wide, and fixed on Brad. The urge to run into his arms was so persistent, but she restrained herself; she never disserved to be loved by him. “I tried to tell myself that I had been weak before, and that this new ‘Grace’ was better, more powerful. My selfishness was what really brought me down. I had a great life before, and not until something new was put in front of me did I really start to fall. I deceived myself into thinking that my life had been plain and simple. I was wrong, I know that now. I hurt people and no matter how dull a life I thought I had, not one time did I ever physically or emotionally hurt someone,” Grace said, not able to look him in the eye anymore. The shame was like a tidal wave, sweeping in and wrecking havoc all along its path. And she hadn’t even gotten to the hard part.
“I wouldn’t blame both of you if you never saw me again. I never deserved your kindness, your love, or your respect. And yet you gave it, and I’ve treated it like it was nothing,” Grace finished not having enough left in her to continue, let alone stand. What was done was done. What was said was said. They would leave and she would be happy for them; she wouldn’t be able to hurt them anymore.

(I'm scraping for any muse right now, all of it just kinda poofed right when I started to reply. @,@ So yeah, this is more than likely gonna be really short)

Brad stood dumfounded on the front porch of the girls' house, his golden eyes scanning the being that stood before him. It was Grace, the girl he'd fallen in love with many times over, but she was so different now. Her eyes... They were the most stunning thing that was so different. Scathing for something that would make sense of this, he finally shook his head and opened his mouth to finally speak. "Everyone has a slip up here and there, right?" he asked. Speaking the words made them feel more real to him. It was true. Even the most experienced vampire has their slip up sooner or later, right? He could only hope that it was a mistake. He shook his head at her words, refusing to listen. "Grace, even though this has happened..." He hesitated, but pushed on. "You know that I'm always here for you."

(He's such a sweet heart xD <3)

Jenna smiled without opening her mouth; maybe her jaw was unfrozen. She listened from the doorway as Brad and Grace talked, not wanting to inturupt either one of them. She caught Grace's gaze, silently saying, I'll let you two talk. She went back into the house at a loss of what to do. She hoped that Grace would feel up for talking to her later. Jenna glided across the carpet and onto the couch. Lily sprang up and started licking at her hands. Jenna watched the playful kitten, the most patient she had ever been.

(Just letting you know, I think I've got a cold so I may not write very long posts... my head has been hurting and my nose stopped up even though I'm sneezing an awful lot. I get colds almost every year around this time so it may last a little while...)

( Well then I guess IM the only one making the long post here.....HMPH!!!!! lol jk)
The long pause before Brad spoke almost killed Grace. She could see his lips forming the words that her mind had already forced herself to be ready for. She had even started to plan out the fastest route she could take in leaving the town, not wanting to bother them with her presence for long.
So the words that came out of Brad's mouth were heard with nothing less than complete and utter suprise. He was forgiving her? Grace found she couldn't move. The joy she knew she should be feeling was there, but numbed by the extreme suddeness of it. She had betrayed him and totally left him with no answers. But here he was ready to forget that she had even done any of it. ' I killed somone,' she thought to herself, or to him if he was listening. The force that Grace had felt pushing her away from Brad earlier, was giving way slowly but steadily. She felt the need to be next to him, even though her logic told her that she should leave and save them from herself. But what he said next completely wiped clean all the doubts she had about herself. Everything except the one thought of 'I love you'.
"Grace, even though this has happened..." Brad's hestitation, as small as it was, only gave her time to come nearer to him, before he finished. "You know that I'm always here for you."
At that moment, Grace wanted nothing more than to throw her arms around his perfect neck and feel his safe arms around her. But, even though Brad had forgiven her, he had every right to still be repulsed by her orange eyes and what she had done. So she decided to stip just inches away from him, arms slightly shaking from being this near and the urge touch him.
" Your forgiving me. After everything I did, you should hate me ," She stated breathlessly, eyes fixated on his. " So, your either really stupid or even more of a perfect angel than I had thought," Grace said adding her signature smile to the end. She had no idea how this was going to turn out, but she did know a few things. Brad was hers, and even after all she had done he was still there. A she also new, and this was probably the most important; she would never do anything to compromise there relationship again.

Brad didn't look back at the sound behind him to know that Jenna had left the two alone. Her thoughts were concernes, curious, scared, and she wished more than anything that she and Grace could talk later. But he gathered that information in only a second of time, because right now he shifted his thoughts and his mind completely to his love who stood before him, inching closer, but stopped just a few feet away. The tenseness that he was feeling before dissipated at her words, and a smile broke loose as laughter cackled out of his throat. "I must be a little bit of both, I suppose," he answered, and closed the distance between them easily. Wrapping his arms around her small frame, he held her in a tight embrace; one that he'd been wishing for for a long time now. "I know," he murmured quietly, his arms still encircling her to him. "I know how you must feel right now. I'm sure you didn't mean to kill the human..." He paused, then continued again, breaking his hold and pulling back enough so that he could meet her new orange eyes. His face had no traces of a smile on it anymore, but there was a gentlenes and softness to his expression that only Grace seemed to be able to bring out of him "Like I said before; eveyone slips up every once in a while. You didn't mean to. It's okay. Just try harder next time."

( So wen is Loren coming by? )
Grace smiled back at his reply to her joke. It felt like old time, like nothing had ever changed. She was smiling again, and this time it wasn't because she was intoxicated with human blood, no, she was actually happy becuase she was with the person she loved most in the world. Brad had obviously read Grace's mind, and found out her wishes to be held by him because his arms were around her. The feeling was like walking into your house after being away for a year. It felt safe and wonderful. She was content, so much that she coulod see herself never moving from this place. Grace circled her small, thin arms around his broad back, placing her head on his chest. Inhaling his beautiful scent, she was suprised when Brad gently brought her back. His eyes were so serious but still had the softness Grace loved about him.
"Like I said before; eveyone slips up every once in a while. You didn't mean to. It's okay. Just try harder next time," He told her.
" I've seen what my actions have done to you and Jenna, and I can sincerely promise you I'll never do it again. I'm going to stay true to my choice of being a vegitarian, and I'm never going to see him again. I swear I could just kill him for making me act like this," Grace stated, anger coloring her tone on the last part. Her fingers clenched up in fury.

(Be patient xD)

Brad was surprised at the anger that flared in her voice as she spoke, and he felt her fingers on his shoulders clench and tighten. He had no idea who the 'him' was. "Him?" Brad repeated, curiosity flashing in his eyes. Going to see who again? Great, more questions. Speaking of which, he still never got the ones he'd wanted originally. He shrugged mentally; he'd get them later. Brad shook his head and dropped his arms from Grace's shoulders, moving away from her. "Nevermind. I'll be back; I actually forgot to feed Tracer this morning, and he didn't have naything last night either. Shouldn't take me long." He gave her a smile and dug through his pockets to retrieve his keys. Opening his mustang's door, he sped out of the driveway, still unanswered questions buzzing through his mind.

(Was gonna wait till later, but I wanna do this thing, sooo...)

With the disapperance of one vampire and the apperance of another, as if on que another vampire stepped into the open/ He just barely missed Brad's car on his way in. Stepping out, it was just his luck that Grace was outside. By the silver mustang in the driveway, it looked as if Jenna was here, too. He certainly didn't want her to get into this. Loren didn't make any move closer to the house than he already was. Grace could see him; he was in plain sight. He just didn't want Jenna to overhear. He made a motion for her to come closer as he stepped into the cover of the foliage beside the driveway.

Grace's eyes widened further as she relized that Brad didn't yet know about Loren. She had just guessed that he had read her mind and seen her affair with his arch enemy. Even the clothes she was wearing must have been something to think about; she must look rediculous.
Now a new worry came into her head. If Brad only knew about her drinking human blood, what would he feel like after he knew about her fling with Loren? Would he still feel so forgivving after that bit of information. It was too late for Grace to get back into her mood of being happy to let him leave, so that he would be happy. She had already let herself get attached back to Brad and it would kill her if he left. She saw the confusion in his stunning eyes and it killed her. "Nevermind. I'll be back; I actually forgot to feed Tracer this morning, and he didn't have naything last night either. Shouldn't take me long," Brad finally said, breaking off a little of Grace's worry. At least she wouldn't have to explain herself right away. His smile almost brought back the sobs of earlier.
Watching Brad pull out of the drive, Grace stood stuck to the ground. Now that that nighmare was over she was kind of going into shock about what she was going to have to do. Preparing to go into the house to talk to Jenna, Grace was stopped in her tracks by the sight of someone she really didn't want to see right now. Nonetheless, she had to let Loren know that she was done with him and was back with Brad. So, hoping that Jenna would suspect that she wanted to be alone, Grace walked calmly over to Loren. The sight of him no longer gave her a surge of pleasure which just hardened her theory that she had never really loved him.
" Loren some things have changed and I'm not going to be seeing you anymore," Grace said her voice steady.

(Little bit of power play, sorreh... I can edit.)

Loren shook his head and raised one finger over Grace's lips to silence her, ignoring her words. Instead he turned and already began to pick his way through the foliage that led deeper into the woods. "Walk with me," he said simply. "I wish only to speak to you, and I fear of Jenna overhearing. Just follow me." After a few minutes of silence on his part, he finally found himself at a large clearing. At the far end, the very last of a herd of deer scrambled for the safety of the trees. As if he'd go after them. Though, with the two vegi's living near they'd be smart to run. He waited patiently for her to appear, and he didn't have to wait long before she came. She didn't look all that happy, but he wouldn't take long. Once she was close enough, despite himself, he would allow himself to enjoy one last kiss from her. And so he closed the distance between them quickly as he had so many times before. This wasn't like before, however; the emotions that spilled out from him were different from the ones before. He planned on ending it quickly, however a disturbance seemed keen, and he found his upper lip curling slightly in a sort of growl. Pulling away, he faced away from Grace and stared evenly out into the bushes. "You're interrupting," he snarled.

----
(DUN DUN DUNNNNNN. YES.)

"Yeah," came the reply, and Brad stepped out into the open, facing the two with anger and betrayal written on his face. His golden gaze swept from Loren's to Grace's. "I can see that." For a moment he simply stood still, then his legs moved seemingly by themselves and he began pacing back and forth quickly. His teeth were bared in a sort of feral snarl, while his mind was going through so many emotions at once he didn't know what was going to happen. "You know, I knew there was something going between you two," he growled, starting in another round of pacing. "But I was stupid." He stopped and looked directly at Grace. "I didn't think you would do anything like that. I actually thought you were decent. Oh boy was I wrong..." He trailed off and stopped pacing, his golden eyes stabbing a nearby rock. His hands clenched and unclenched into fists. Finally, in a motion so fast, he was across the field and punched Loren right in the face. The impact sounded like thunder, and the force of it sent the vampire into and through the closest tree, only to knock him into the second. Both trees easily snapped and fell, creating unrest within the trees of the birds who had nested there. For the second time today, Brad whispered the single word which asked so many questions. "Why?"

(... Almost cried.)

Jenna shifted in her seat. Lily grumbled a little as she did so, clawing at her hand that shoved her off her lap. Grace was sure taking a long time. Surely they had already made up and they could all sit down and chat... or something. Jenna felt like she hadn't seen her sister in a long time and something was just nagging her to go out and check on them. She went into the kitchen, a little ball of brown shadowing her every step. Jenna pulled back the pretty brown plaid curtains from the window above the sink. No Grace or Brad. Her eyebrows pulled together. She swung open the back door, hearing voices around the corner of the house. Lily stayed inside, the kitten not wanting to get her little white paws dirty. Jenna quietly closed the door, stepping on the sidewalk and peeking around the corner. Loren and Grace stood there, their eyes staring at each other like enemies. Jenna's power quickly took over, her body turning completely invisible, just in the nick of time to see Loren leading Grace into the woods. Jenna's mind pounded like a drumroll. She darted soundlessly across the yard, passing up the garage, and then followed them to a huge clearing. Her first thought was for the fear of her sister. A male vampire was just slightly stronger than a female one.
Jenna crouched down behind a bush, her body still invisible and the lushious green bush giving her a little space to be able to see what was going on. She thought about how her hair was messily put up and how her sweatpants were probley in shreds by now. Her hand reached over and touched them delicateley, tracing all of the rips and tears. They would be salvageable.
Her mind raced when she heard Loren tread across the grass and meet lips with her sister. She narrowed her eyes and her fists were little balls agiainst the dead grass beneath her. She was about to growl and tear across to rip at Loren with her very own teeth and nails when they seperated and the blonde vampire spoke, "You're inturupting."

Jenna's astonished gaze swept to her right and her mind started to pound again. Did he know she was there watching them? All of a sudden, Brad stepped out from behind a tree to reveal his full body and his snarling face. Jenna watched carefully as he paced in front of her and then in front of Grace and Brad. Her mind blurred out his words, not wanting to hear them. She wanted this conversation to be between Grace, Brad, and Loren. She was strictly there for when her sister needed her. Her thoughts were pushed aside as she gazed at the scene unfolding before her. Brad raced forward and his fist hit Loren with such a force that Jenna thought her sensitive ears would burst. It was a terrible crunching noise as if a lion was snapping his prey's bones in half with a flick of a paw. Brad stood and looked in Grace's direction a sticken expression on his face. "Why?"
Jenna blinked once and twice again. She hoped that Grace was okey. Of course, her strong willed sister was. It was just the way Grace was and always had been. Hopefully. That little word echoed in her mind. Hopefully. Hopefully Grace would be able to answer Brad's question. Hopefully they would make up. Hopefully Loren would get the hint and move out. She crouched there, her face pressed into the bush, still as invisible as ever. This day had been eventful and she could tell that Grace needed a rest.

( Ok this is probably the longest post Ive ever written and its probably a lode of trash but here it is. Please tell me if its too much. I probably could have summarized)
The anger that flowed from Grace when Loren silenced her was deadly. How dare he? He wanted to be somewhere where Jenna wouldn't hear them. Why would want that? She was on the verge of telling him whatever he had to say could be said right there in front of her house, when he turned on his foot and edged deeper into the thick undergrowth. If it hadn't been for her curiosity of what he wanted, Grace would have blown him off and head back into the house. But, as always her wondering mind got the better of her, and she followed him into the dark forest.
Loren had already gotten a head start on her, so when there came a rustle Grace whipped around only to be faced with emptiness. Looking up at the house, she couldn't detect a movement, but decided that Jenna was probably somewhere else in the house. Continuing on the nonexistent path, she met up with Loren only a few paces away. Her suspicion was instantly peeked when she noticed the way he was acting. Warily, she stood in front of him, arms crossed, eyes looking up at him saying “what do you want." Realizing to late what Loren was about to do, Grace was forced to endure another of his kisses. Now, she wouldn't lie to herself, it was nice, but it held nothing of the earlier pleasure. Her only feelings towards him now were anger.
Thankful for the quickness of his breaking away, Grace pushed him away with her surprisingly strong arms and stood, seething a good 5 feet away from him. "You're interrupting," Loren snarled out to something unseen behind her. Flipping around, her breath caught in surprise and agony. "Yeah," came the reply, and Brad stepped out into the open, anger and worse, to Grace, betrayal. "I can see that."
‘Oh, God,' She thought to herself. ‘What he must think of me.' Her situation with Loren was something entirely different in Brad's eyes. Only she knew that she had only followed Loren to break up what had started. But, like the cruel, malicious demon Loren had turned out to be, he had completely turned it around. All Brad would see would be his arch enemy making out with his girl, right after he had forgiven her for something so horrible. Grace watched with bated breath as Brad paced, afraid to say anything just yet. “You know I knew there was something going on between you two," His words coming out in a growl. Eyes as wide as mini moons, she stared right back at him, trying explain in silence. “But I was stupid,” He added and whipped, suddenly around to face Grace. If she had had a heart beat it would have shattered then to a halt. "I didn't think you would do anything like that. I actually thought you were decent. Oh boy was I wrong..." he faltered off. She could hear every hint of betrayal and hurt like the blaring of music turned way too loud. They hit her like bullets to the chest with the guilt she felt. Sure, at this time she hadn’t wanted to kiss Loren or even be near him, but she had earlier that day. She could deny any involvement and believe that it was all Loren’s seduction. But she would be lying to herself and Brad. Once again her need for danger had taken over and made her into someone she didn’t even know. Grace had fallen and she had fallen hard. A loud banging brought her back from her mental breakdown, just in time to see Loren go flying. Not even caring if he had been affected by the immense blow, her eyes flicked back to Brad, hands shaking nervously. For the second time today he asked of her a million answers in the form of one word. She had to be strong enough to do this, she had to. Her start was shaky, but she soon found she could continue more clearly.
“I…swear this isn’t…what it looks like,” Grace gasped out, feeling smaller than ever. “I guess I’d probably better start at the beginning. Well, it started on the first day of school. Loren caught my attention at once with the difference I felt in him. I was attracted to him, but what I had thought was love, was just my insanely, sick need for danger. In my newly found obsession, the only reason I could find for it was my view of my life. I had felt like my entire existence had been safe, boring and dull. I had found the exact opposite in Loren. He was dangerous and unpredictable, everything I wasn’t. I should have stopped it the minute I saw that you and him were enemies. But I didn’t because, against my logic, I had become addicted to the idea of being with someone dangerous. After school we…..met and I found I turned into a entirely different person when I was around him. The feeling was powerful and exciting and I was losing myself the longer I was with him. I was still there, my true self, pushed to the back like I had never been. I was viewing my own demise and I couldn’t do anything to stop it. He had to leave and so I was forced back into myself, for the time being. My first instinct was to head to you for comfort. With Loren gone, I was able to face what I had done and know that it was wrong. But the person he had created was still there, and I knew deep down that I wouldn’t be able to stay away forever. So, filled with guilt, I headed to your house, not knowing how hard it would be to keep my horrible sin away from you. And there you were so perfect and so unaware what I had done. It was killing me and I was forced to leave before I revealed it to you. I know you must have been so confused, but I couldn’t hurt you with the truth,” Grace said, breathe choking out the words. Digging her fingernails into her impenetrable skin, she drove one.
“ I had no idea where to go. I wasn’t yet ready to indulge in my new obsession, and I was too afraid of Jenna finding out to go home. So I drove to middle of the forest and completely broke down. I won’t disgust you with the details, but eventually Jenna found me. She comforted me and brought me home like the great sister she is. And in return I treated her like nothing. Driving her to leave, my horrible side was free to take over me again. I told myself that I didn’t need her, that I would be much better without her. So when Loren once again came by, I willingly went with him to hunt. I told myself I would only watch, but after witnessing his hunt it proved to much for my self control to handle. I killed a human and I didn’t give a damn about him. Only later, after I had finished the hunt, did I fully take in what I had done. I was vulnerable and Loren led me back to his house,” Grace found she couldn’t continue for a while. The words that would send Brad away just wouldn’t come out. But she had to, and, sobbing she finished up her nightmare. “I hadn’t planned to act the way I did….my original self had been erased and replaced with a danger loving witch…..I did the most horrible thing possible,” Grace literally whispered. Brad’s imagination would of course figure out what she had done. Hanging her head, she felt the energy sapping effects of the story. “I was such a slut and realized that when I came back home. Just the sight of you made the person Loren had made leave like it had never been there. I was myself again and I realized what I had really been obsessing about. It wasn’t Loren I was in love with it had been the power. Looking back, I saw what the infatuation had done to me and my loved ones. My life had been fine practically perfect, my selfishness just overrode everything. And then you forgave me for killing a human and I felt like I had been born again. You still loved me. I know that that’s probably changed now, but I want you to know something,” Grace said finally looking up, a little of her energy restored. “I’ve never stopped loving you since the first day I saw you on that beach, since you kissed me. Even if you leave I’ll still love you.”

Brad listened, refusing to meet her gaze, as she spoke. All of his questions that had been nagging him for so long were all answered and dissipated at the same time, one by one being answered, and each one bringing more pain. He wanted to yell at her to stop, but he wanted to know the truth. He didn't want to be kept in the dark anymore. He was sick of being on the receiving end of the unanswered questions. When she was done, he totally ignored her last words, though they echoed throughout his mind hollowly. He narrowed his eyes; he knew that she was telling the truth about everything, and that there was nothing more, by the way her mind was reacting to all of this. "You couldn't hurt me by telling me the truth?" he echoed, his face and tone unforgiving and cold. "You would have rather me find out like this? You wanted it this way?" His hands were clenched in tight fists, he was surprised his fingers weren't poking out the other side of them by now. He just couldn't take it all in. He opened his mouth to create another onslaught of words that were dragging themselves out of his heart, when he was knocked backwards with suck a force that he skidded all the way to the end of the clearing. He looked up quickly to see Loren, his shirt lying in tatters on his body, standing where he had just been, one fist out in the aftermath of a punch. Brad snarled and struggled up, but suddenly his arms wouldn't obey him. After them, his legs froze. His whole being was frozen in place, crouching on the ground.

-----

Loren recovered himself, waiting for Grace to finish. He felt an evil veil of appreciation at what he and Grace had shared; it hurt Brad. It pained the vampire in ways that were nearly unexplainable, ways that he wouldn't have achieved if he hadn't had her. With a devious grin finding it's way across his perfect face, Loren strode a few steps forward, then sped forward and delivered a blow straight to his enemy's face, sending his rival all the way across the clearing. To finish up his move, he finally unveiled his power, freezing Brad to the ground in a crouching position. With the same evil smirk plastered on his face, he strode across the clearing, advancing on his opponent. When he was meerely a few feet away from Brad, he used his speed to quickly close the distance and stand before him. "You stupid inferior being," Loren mused, looking down on his fallen opponent. With the added bonuses of being over three hundred years old, a human drinker, having hunted only moments before, and having the power of immobility, his rival had no chance. "You see now that you have no chance of winning this battle. And like I said before in the hallway, one of us will not live. And I'm afraid that one is you." He opened his mouth and let a cackle of laughter escape. "You should have never come."

Jenna stared, open mouthed, at the scene unfolding in front of her. Grace had explained everything, revealed every secret that had been going on for the last veiw days. Of course, Jenna had known all of this, had suspected all of these things going on but her thoughts were confirmed by Grace's words. Jenna's mouth felt tinged with a bitter taste and her head was spinning. As Grace finished the explaination, Jenna observed Brad's nasty reaction. If she had been him, sure, it would have stung, but Grace had just revealed everything.... Jenna felt like her adopted-sister deserved some forgiveness for even telling him. All of a sudden, the moment of dread that her sister must have felt was inturupted by the blood-sucker himself, the leech that practically created all of this just to suffiocate Brad with a snake of regret and deranged poison. Grace was meerly a tool. Jenna could stare at it plain in the face for hours and it would always come down to it. Loren shoved Brad across the clearing and into the trees surrounding the meadow with such a force that Jenna thought she might puke if she saw it again. Surely the two of them realized that Grace was broken enough as it was.
Loren stood there, a smile on his face, a laugh just waiting to come out of that terrible mouth. She gazed as he looked over at Brad, his eyes locked on him like a predator about to pounce on his prey. Brad didn't make a sound or move at all. Jenna frowned and looked back and forth. back and forth. Her golden eyes followed Loren as he came to stand beside Brad and said the most infuriating thing.
"You stupid inferior being." Loren started with an evil smile painted on his face. "You see now that you have no chance of winning this battle. And like I said before in the hallway, one of us will not live. And I'm afraid that one is you." He opened his leech mouth to laugh."You should have never come." Jenna's jaw tightened. Grace couldn't just kill Loren by herself. She couldn't right now with herself just opened up like she was. It was time to repay her for all that she had done for her, turning Jenna before the others could, traveling with her all this time. Jenna made sure her power was working before she stepped out into the clearing, practically silent, and stood about three feet behind Loren. "You shouldn't of come either," she whispered to where only he could hear.

Brad's reaction to the truth was just as Grace had expected, except it hurt a hell of a lot worse than she had expected. Every word he spoke seemed to rip her heart into pieces, and even when it seemed she had nothing left to rip the pain would still be there. It was true what Brad was saying about her telling him now. She had been stupid to wait until know to tell him, now when things had gotten so much worse.
Brad deserved to express what he was feeling, and Grace was going to listen to everything he had to say; she owed him that much. Suddenly, with a speed so quick she hadn't seen him coming; Loren was standing there and had just dealt a painful looking blow to Brad. Looking past the attacker, she frantically checked to make sure Brad was okay. He seemed to be, as he started to get up, but then something happened and he didn't move another inch. Eyes flicking from Brad to Loren, Grace noticed a focus in Loren's eyes that she had never seen there before. She had no idea what had happened to her love, but she was positive that it was Loren's fault. And, with a horrible fury pulsing through her veins, she knew that the time to act was know, when Loren was focused on his monologue. ‘Typical villain,' Grace thought to herself, fists clenched.
Now, all she had to figure out was how to get Loren away from Brad. He would of course hear her coming way before she was close enough to even touch him, and she'd probably end up frozen too. But didn't she have something that would be perfect for this situation? Scanning the forest floor, Grace spotted the perfect object for the job. She used all her focus to concentrate on the huge bolder a couple feet away, and slowly, but steadily the rock started to rise. Turning around, eyes still focused on the huge rock, she brought it around face her enemy. All she had to do now was will the rock forward, and cross her fingers.
“God, I hope this kills you,” Grace muttered, and with all the energy she contained, sent the rock careening across the grass. With a satisfying crash, the rock hit its target and sent him flying out of sight. Not even waiting to see if he would stay down, she raced across the ground. “Jenna,” She cried out, having seen her sister just before she had thrown the rock. No matter what kind of damage her boulder had done, she knew it wouldn’t have killed Loren. Back up was definitely needed in this case, and her sister had come at the perfect time.
“Brad,” She whispered, falling to her knees in front of him. Grace would never forgive herself if something had happened to her love on her account.

Brad couldn't move. He didn't know at first what it was that was tying him down and disabling any movement at all, but when he saw Loren's eyes gazing down at him, he knew. That's his power; the power that he'd been saving for so long to bring it out at just the perfect moment, one just like this. He had no doubt in his mind that if he and Loren had been alone, that he more than likely would have died then and there. Not being able to protect himself, he only watched as the impact of the boulder Grace had sent made the vampire almost seem to disappear. As soon as the line of eyesight was gone, Brad regained his movements and crumpled to the ground, only to pick himself up again just a moment later. He stood without a word of the two near him, turned, and walked away. He knew Loren well; he wouldn't come back now. Not with the three of them there. He'd wait for a better moment to strike again. They'd evaded the enemy, but only just for now. He stopped and listened for a moment, and somewhere deeper into the woods he could hear retreating footsteps, gaining distance away from the clearing that they were still in. His head turned to look over his shoulder at the girl he'd given his heart to only moments before, and shook his head, then once again made his way further away from the two.

One hand reached out, one foot took a step. But Grace found that she couldn't go after Brad. Her heart was telling her to go after him, to beg him to take her back. But her brain said to give him space, and she listened to it this time, remembering what ignoring it had done. Brad was either going to forgive her or not, it was that simple. Grace had told her story and expressed her feelings, and now she just had to wait. "Come on, Jenna. Its not our fight, anymore," Grace said turning to her sister and taking her hand. Feeling the need to show Jenna how much she appreciated her, she brought her in for a loving hug. It suprised her how long it had been since she'd hugged her sister. They used to be so close that it was like they could read each others mind. " Lets go home, sis," Grace said softly, walking with Jenna towards there house.
Going into the house, Grace felt like it had been years since she had last been in there, not hours; everything had changed now. Walking over to the couch, she finally let herself sit down. At that moment, she could just imagine herself falling back on the pillows, closing her eyes, and sleeping for days. It was a dream Grace had thought about alot at the beginnning of her vampire life. But it know came back stronger than ever. Trying to break herself out of the somber mood she turned to her sister. " Promise me we'll never fight again."

Jenna gawked at Brad as he took steps away from them. After all of this, Jenna expected more of him, like to comfort Grace and tell her that everything was going to be okay even if it wasn't. She just let him be, her mouth shutting and her golden eyes looking over at Grace. Her sister's face looked defeated and worn as if she could really use a good sleep but maybe a movie would do her good since the sleep wouldn't be coming any time soon. "Come on, Jenna. Its not our fight, anymore," Grace had said before she drew her towards her. She accepted Grace's hug, a contented sigh flowing through her. Her mind seemed at ease and her senses no longer as sharp as they were a few minutes ago. Everyone was tired of fighting. Now it was the resting stage of the fight.
Her barefeet followed Grace through the forest as her adopted sister led the way to their house deep in the woods. It was a welcome site to see once they arrived there, and Jenna felt like just sitting down with Grace and doing something that didn't relate at all to what had been happening in the last week. They made their way past the tall grass of their big lushious backyard and into the cool, airconditioned house. Everything was the same as Jenna had left it and Lily was sprawled out on the coffee table, sound asleep as if nothing was going on around her. Jenna stared with glazed eyes as her adopted sister sat down. Her thoughts were far out and into the meadow where the fight had taken place. Her mind replaying how Brad had shoved Loren aside like the peice of garbage that Grace finally realized he was and then how Loren had used his power on Brad. Obviously, it had been immobility, a cruel but cunning power to keep a secret. Her sister's voice spoke from far off and Jenna was yanked back into their house. "Promise me we'll never fight again."

"I. Promise." Jenna stated, plopping down on the space beside Grace on the couch. "All of this fighting is too much to do in one day." and it ruins my hair, Jenna chuckled to herself, thinking about how many twigs and leaves must be stuck all in it and how tangled it must be. She put aside the beauty thoughts to look beside her at Grace.