Aureli

The room is pitch black. I could be walking into a trap and not even know it, but I press on. My heightened senses strain to catch a hint that anything living that has passed through here, but as far as I know there's nothing except for the stench of something rotting. Suddenly, a light appears in front of me, its brightness cutting through the darkness. I'm drawn to the light, like a moth drawn to a flame, and only when I reach it do I realize it’s attached to a hand of a woman. I back off slightly, but the woman makes no move to follow so I relax. The woman puts down the lamp on a table that I didn't realize was even there and pulls something long and shining out of her long dress. Then she turns towards me and smiles. It was one of the most horrific smiles I've ever seen. It’s too dark to make out the color of her hair, but you could easily make out the rotting yellow teeth that filled her mouth. Then she looked up. I stifled a scream as I backed away quickly. Instead of eyes in her eye sockets, feelers take their place reaching out into the air like an octopus.
She spoke softly to me, but I could hear the edge in her voice, "You don't deserve to be here. You killed another of your kind, another angel. You are not fit to be here. I will be doing you a favor when I do this."
She pulled out the shining object out again and I fully see it.
It was a pair of huge scissors with the blades curved slightly as if to cut something off someone’s back.
As if on cue, my wings fluttered out their black and silver feathers gleaming. The woman came towards me, the scissors gaping, but I was too petrified to move. She reached for one of my wings, but I lift my right arm up, making the nearby lamp and table rise into the air. Then I roughly put my arm down and the lamp and table crash into the ground, starting a fire, but the lady doesn't seem to notice. She moves closer, the scissors still gaping when I touch her with my left arm. Suddenly, she's on the floor writhing in pain and as I back away, again, in horror she turns into ash.

I woke up nearly screaming, but I put my fist in my mouth to stifle the scream. The sound of snoring drifted from the bottom bunk and I hung my head over the edge to see it was. It was a boy, with familiar brown hair and green eyes. My mind searched for a memory where I saw him, then I remembered and slipped back into memory.

The night was rainy and I was walking back from taking a walk. Oddly, a boy in short sleeves was walking up to me. He didn't look that tough.
That was before he grabbed both of my arms in one swift motion and slammed me into the wall.
"Take off any jewelry and give me your money." he growled in my ear.
"Werewolf." I muttered, mostly to myself.
He twisted my arms farther behind my back before letting my right arm go. Taking a deep breath, I took off my gold necklace and bracelet before searching my pockets for my wallet. As soon as I found my wallet and was about to give it to the werewolf man, a shape jumped out of nowhere and tackled the werewolf. The figure took hold of the werewolf's shirt before tossing him over a nearby fence like a rag doll.
"I saved you." the boy said as he dusted himself off.
He had white skin, with green eyes, and brown hair. Then I realized that he saw me just give up and felt my cheeks flush. I hated looking like a sissy. My description of him rapidly changed from brown hair and green eyes to dirt colored hair and baby vomit green eyes.
I scowled and said maliciously,
"No you weren't saving me you were taking you battle axe for a walk and just happened to come across my situation. I didn't need saving anyway."
He eyed my suspiciously before shrugging. He examined me in a way that made me feel like he was looking into my soul, before he said, "I need payment."
"What?!?! You save a damsel in distress and you ask for freakin' payment?! Why don't I rip those eyes from your skull!" I yelled incredulously.
"Only if you do it in a sexy way." He joked.
He eyed me with his x-ray vision again before leaning over me and kissing me full on the mouth. I nearly cried out, but even if I did nobody would have heard anyway. My eyes raced around so that I could barely tell which way was up, and I tried to control my racing heart so that I wouldn't turn him into a pile of ashes. That would be a little hard to explain later. Abruptly, he pushed away, but his eyes looked a little glazed over.
"I'll take that as payment." he said, slightly breathless.
Then he ran off so fast that it seemed like he had never been there.

My eyes focused again and I was forced back into the present.
I looked at the boy again.
My first thought was to lunge at him and tear his eyes out like I threatened that night, but I had a better idea. I concentrated on the largest weight that sat on the floor and lifted my arm. The weight followed my arm easily. I leveled the weight to the bottom bunk and swung my arm. The 600 pound weight flew towards the bottom bunk with an extra 300 pounds of force. It crashed, splinters flew everywhere, the guy screaming.
He rolled out of bed and stood up shaking splinters out of his hair.
"What the hell was that for!" he yelled.
A part of his head looked caved in and the area where his rib cage was stained with red blood, but within seconds the redness vanished and his head reformed.
"Morning sunshine." I said not without the slightest hint of a smile.
His brow furrowed. "Don't call me that. My name is Henry."
"Good for you." I retorted, before hopping off the bed.
I walked over to the closet and flung open the doors.
Fencing swords, baseball bats, and all other sorts of weapons spilled onto the floor.
"What the hell did you do to my closet!" I yelled at Henry.
He quirked up his mouth into a smile and said, "Only adding to the collection. You already had a frying pan in there and a knife. What is the frying pan for, anyway?"
I glared at him and spat, "To give the stupid idiots that I have to deal with a concussion, which is what you are gonna get if you don't close that stupid mouth of yours."
He laughed and I glared at him before turning back towards the closet. After a couple minutes of shuffling through more weapons, I got to my dresser and yanked the drawers open. I took out a black shirt and acid washed jeans, before jumping out of the closet and running across the room to the bathroom.
The bathroom was cold so I quickly slipped out of my pajamas and put on my clothes. My white hair covered my purple eyes in a tangled mess, so I ran my hand through it before checking the time. Crap! It was 8:15 and classes started in 5 minutes! I ran into the room and kicked Henry's shin, "Get your ass out of bed! Classes start in 5 minutes!"
While he sat there rubbing his eyes, I grabbed my bag and slung it over my shoulder.
I looked back at him, still waking up and I yelled, "If your ass isn't in class when the bell rings I will personally take all your possessions and sell them on eBay. Now, get the hell up!"
He finally stood up and shuffled slowly into the bathroom, shutting the door behind him
I sighed and whispered to myself, "Men." before rushing out the dorm room.

Henry

Dang, that girl hit me. I winced at myself in the bathroom mirror as I felt the soft spot of my skull where the dumbbell hit. It had healed but still hurt like hell and it had bruised, leaving a blemish the size of an egg on my skin.
Might as well cover it up. Everyone marvels at how pale you are and now you’re purple too. Soon I'll be considered a new species of human and be locked in a cage and sent to the zoo.

I thought to myself, as I covered the bruise with a lock of my hair.
I pulled on a shirt and shorts, all the while, my mind wandering so that I became sluggish.er feisty composure, her sense of humor, beauty, I had liked her from the start.
Aureli crossed my mind and I focused on her. H
"Snap out of it!" I yelled at myself.
I couldn't have her, I knew that, and it was killing me not to have her.
The night I had kissed her, well, I went overboard. I could have killed her. I mean, literally sucked the soul from her body.
Dumb vampire powers.
Expertly, from years of practice, I pushed Aureli out of my mind like I did with the rest of my jumbled thoughts. Finally, I could think clearly. I walked out of the bathroom and through the bedroom into the hallway. I read one of the clocks on the side wall and jumped. Ah hell! I was an hour late for class! I rushed through the corridors until I reached homeroom. I flung open the door and eyes turned.
The teacher, Mrs. Stalin, set her mouth in a firm line and said, "Henry, you must be better about your attendance, class is ending in ten minutes. Please sit down though because I haven't yet assigned homework and since you haven't learned today's lesson, I can assure it will be hard for you. Sit down now."
I flushed, my cheeks hot with embarrassment, before sitting down in my seat. Aureli leaned over the space between the desks and whispered, "You are late. Your stuff is mine."
I sighed and listened to the teacher drone on about x plus y equals nine thousand when the bell rang. The teacher plunked homework onto my desk and sat back down on her desk. She gave us the evil eye and we all quickly packed up our homework and left the room. I walked out of the room and bumped into Aureli near the lockers. "Why were you late?" she asked accusingly, her hands clenched into fists at her hips.
"Um..." I said, sounding like a complete moron.
Why was I so lame at talking to her? Come on, I'm a freaking gorgeous vampire! She rolled her eyes and walked away. I watched her leave, stifling a sigh. As soon as she left, everyone in the hallway went to the nearest person and started whispering to each other.
I flushed like it was me they were talking about. Wait, maybe they are! I cocked my head over to the side and tuned into my vampire hearing.
"God, that girl is soooooo weird." said one girl in a cut off tank.
Tate, I think.
Her friend, Cyndi whispered back, "I heard that she's mentally challenged. Then why is the cutest boy in school drooling over her."
She eyed me and giggled slightly.
I rolled my eyes and whispered to myself, "Girls."
I adjusted my head and another set of whispers reached me.
"Wow. That girl is so..so.." Said a boy with golden hair and equally gold eyes.
I tensed.
Wait...I knew that boy. He's considered the golden boy. I don't think he deserved that name.
I called him by his real name: Gage.
"So what, Gage?" I snapped.
"What does it matter?!" Gage snapped back.
"Go ahead, tell me. I'd just love to find out what you were going to say." I said.
"It's none of your damn business what I was going to say!" Gage snapped.
"I broke your arm once, I can do it again." I growled.
With each thing we said, we took a step closer to each other, glaring.
Now we were face to face.
I heard some girls whispering something like, "Oh, two of the hottest guys fighting!"
And, "I hope they don't mess up their pretty faces."
Also, "Five bucks on Henry."
"Oh please, I leave for 5 minutes, and when I return, you're banging chests with this guy. Really, Henry?" A thick and rich female voice said, annoyance tinged in her voice.
I turned to see Aureli glaring.
I grinned.
"Why doesn't he tell you what he was going to say about you?" I said.
"Why do you care what he says about me?" She asked, almost snapping.
I cringed, and held my hands up in surrender.
"Okay, okay, jeesh. Just trying to be nice and help you." I said.
"Aww, the asshole likes her. Isn't that cute?" Gage said, laughing with his group of friends.
"Do you have a problem with me?" Aureli snapped.
Gage raised an eyebrow.
"Do I look I have a problem with you?" Gage said.
He backed her against a wall, and looked down at her, his eyes looking down at her chest, his mouth inches from hers.
"What is it with mentally challenged girls? Why do they get all the attention from the hotties?" Cyndi asked Tate.
"Leave her alone, Gage." I growled.
"She's not complaining." Gage said back, a glint in his eyes, a devilish grin on his face.
"Gage, leave Ms. Vaughn alone." Mrs. Stalin said, appearing suddenly.
Gage backed away from Aureli, who was glaring.
Aureli Vaughn?
Who knew that that was her last name?
Well, besides Mrs. Stalin, of course.
Gage sneered at me, then looked at the teacher and said, “I’m sorry Mrs. Stalin. I've been acting like an immature five year old. Please forgive me."
I growled under my breath,"Ass kisser."
Gage looked at me, blinking his eyes innocently.
I took a step towards him menacingly after Mrs. Stalin left.
Aureli surprised me.
She pushed me backwards into the lockers with surprising strength and lunged at Gage. Moving so fast I couldn't even trace her movements, she kicked him behind the knee.
He collapsed on the floor.
She kicked him over and planted her foot in his face, around the area of his nose.
"You are such an asshole! Give me one reason not to kick your sorry ass right now in front of the entire hall!" she yelled as she stomped on his face again, for good measure.
"Aurelessa Vaughn! Quit that this instant, or you will be expelled!"
Aurelessa? THAT'S Aureli's real name?
I whipped around to see Mrs. Stalin, again standing in the doorway of her classroom, looking utterly and completely shocked, her mouth hanging slightly open in disbelief.
Aureli turned around slowly and smiled a thousand-watt menacing smile, batting her long, thick eyelashes.
"What's wrong with protecting myself? I mean, I didn't do THAT much damage. My foot just got all up close and personal with his face and my foot connected with the back of his knee! He isn't THAT hurt." she said sarcastically. "Besides, what he did before was considered sexual harassment, don't I have a right to defend myself from being taken advantage of?"
Gage stood up, caressing his nose carefully, like it would fall off.
I saw a trickle of blood dripping down his face.
"I-I'm fiiine, really. Aiiyl be raight baack." Gage announced, sounding drunken, before collapsing into a surprised Mrs. Stalin.
"Ms. Vaughn, I'll give you two options. A, you can walk to the principal's office and be expelled, or B, you can, as a punishment, care for Mr. Hyland, serving his every need and whim. If he says jump, you say how high. What will you pick?" Mrs. Stalin struggled to hold up Gage.
I looked at Aureli, focusing on her thoughts.
I really need to stay at this school. My life depends on it. But, take care of Gage? AND do whatever he says? How long will it take for him to recover? Will I still have to attend classes?

I stopped there. Her life depended on staying at this school?
Imagine how bad that would be!
"Mrs. Stalin, would I still have to attend classes if I chose to care for Gage?" She whispered, trying to make sure no one heard her answer but her, Mrs. Stalin, and I.
"No, you'll just have a little test now and then." Mrs. Stalin said.
"Fine then, second option. I can't be expelled. I just can't." Aureli said.
Gage came to, then.
"Derek, Jones. Get over here, I need you to do me a favor." Gage commanded, his old venom-like voice back.
Derek and Jones stalked up.
"Yes?" They asked, helping him not fall over with his weak leg.
"I need you to..." Gage whispered.
I didn't want to know, so I stopped listening with my super-hearing.
"Oh." Derek smirked, he and Jones stalking off, mischievous grins planted in the middle of their identical blonde hair, blue eyed heads.
"Mr. Hyland, as a punishment, Ms. Vaughn is-"
Gage cut Mrs. Stalin off.
"I heard. Come on." Gage grinned, half limping away.
Aureli sighed and stalked off with Gage, looking tortured and uncomfortable.
After they were out of sight, my friends came up to me.
I remembered by numbers.
"Dude, was that your GF or somethin?" One asked.
"Um...This may sound stupid, but how do you know if a girl is your GF?" I asked, both sounding and feeling lame.
"Have you kissed?" Two asked.
"Um...Sorta." I replied, going back to the first night I met Aureli.
"Have you slept together? Either way?" Seven asked.
"Sorta, but it was an accident. I didn't realize it was her bed when I climbed in..." I trailed off, before I went into detail.
"Does she call you by girly nicknames?" Five asked.
"Hey Hunn-nee." Aureli appeared at that time, sounding like a complete as I call them, 'Bubblegum girl.'
"What?" I snapped, frustrated.
"Where is the first aid kit? I'm stuck dealing with princess I'm-a-total-stuck-up-guy-who-gets-his-way, and he can't, and I mean won't tell me where he keeps his in the room." Aureli drawled in a fake accent. "Course I get stuck with him. Just my luck. Course a little girl like me gets stuck with a monster like him."
"Bathroom medicine cabinet, remember?" I answered.
"Thanks." She called, scurrying off.
"She's your girlfriend." six said, after a few minutes of silence.
"WH-no!" I exclaimed, along with Aureli, who was already back with the first-aid kit.
"See, that's what we mean." four said.
"No!" Aureli snapped, before going towards the infirmary.
"Oh-kaay then Mr. Hyde. Whatever you say. Sucks, never got to say hi to Mrs. Hyde before she went to care for Gage." One said, sarcasm in his voice.
"Ya know, Ah will stranngle y'all af ya dohn shut up." I said, delving into my original vocabulary.
They laughed.
"Shut up!" I yelled, trying not to laugh myself.
"Ya tell us y'all ta shut up, or ya will stranngle us? How couldda ya? Ah menn, wha we du?" Seven impersonated, pretty close to my voice.
Gawd, them y'alls were ah lad vahshun af thatt Aurelee gaul.

Aureli

God, this boy was such a brat. Get me this, get me that. I was considering calling this off and stomping on his face again. I have already bandaged all his wounds, but he still acts like he's bleeding out his life blood.
"Aureli will you do me a favor?" Gage said sitting up with a wince.
"Yes MASTER?" I say, enunciating the word master with a sneer.
"Will you help me feel better?" Gage answered without skipping a beat.
"What the hell do you think I've been doing!?" I yelled at him.
"Well, I had something else in mind." Gage yawned with a mischievous grin.
"Oh hell no. Never on heaven above would I do THAT with YOU. Even if you were the last boy on Earth." I said with a growing terror in my voice.
"Well she did say EVERY need." Gage said, raising a golden eyebrow.
"She said need, not want." I remarked quickly, sending a venomous look his direction.
I looked at the clock.
Ugh.
5 more hours until I'm away from this torture.
Gage looked at me as if sensing my thoughts, smiling.
With a sigh, I grabbed some more bandages out of the first aid kit.
"Fine, can you please help me feel better? You don't have to say yes." Gage said, sounding innocent and pure.
"No." I said sternly.
"Fine then, can you wipe the blood off my sides, where you missed with bandages?" Gage asked.
Gage tried to completely sit up, but winced and laid back down.
"Fine. Let me get the towels." I said, walking to the towel cupboard.
I opened it.
Empty.
I went through the room, looking through each place towels were to be, but as if the towel fairy had recalled them, the towels were gone.
I continued searching until Gage cut the silence.
"Oh, bummer. No towels. So what will it be? Shirt? Or Skirt?" Gage asked with a cocky grin.
I froze.
"Huh?" I asked brilliantly.
"You have to clean up this blood, and since I'm practically naked, and nothing here can be used as a towel, which leaves two things: Your clothes. So, again, what will it be? Shirt or skirt?" Gage said, his cocky grin turning into a smirk.
"Shirt." I answered, just because little did he know, I had a tank top on under my tee.
I pulled my tee off.
"Not fair." Gage muttered, as I went to work at his bloody sides.
As I was leaning over Gage, something cold went into contact with my stomach, under my shirt.
Gage's hand.
I darted away from his smirking face, afraid he'd try something inappropriate on me.
"Cum on babe, give me a chance. Don't give yourself to that idiot, Henry." Gage grinned.
"Don't mess with me. Maybe if you were nice to me, I'd treat you better. Hear that? Or do I need to dumb it down for you? Make nice, okay?" I snapped, going back to treating Gage's wound.
"With you, I'd rather make...Never mind." Gage said, stopping and looking past me.
"Ms. Vaughn, do you need a break, you look tired." Mrs. Stalin's voice came from the doorway.
"I-I...I am well. Gage is worse." I said, not looking at anyone.
"Okay, but I have another girl in trouble who can take over for you, just in case, Ms. Vaughn." Mrs. Stalin.
"Oh, but Aureli is a rather good nurse. Make the other girl scrub the dorm bathrooms, or something." Gage grinned, past me.
"Okay, Mr. Hyland." Mrs. Stalin said, and then the door closed.
In a quick movement, Gage pulled my head against his, forcing me to kiss him.
He moaned, and went for the hem of my black tank top, threatening to reveal my bra. He pulled me harder against his mouth, and he started to deepen the kiss into an I-want-into-your-panties kiss.
I pushed away from him, red faced and shocked.
Gage grinned.
"See, that felt good, right?" He said, licking his lips.
"You are a vile, uncontrollable, stupid, vain, son of a...a...Bitch!" I shouted, wincing after cursing.
"You know, the other girls are spreading rumors about you. Saying you are mentally challenged, a lesbian, a dangerous criminal, an escaped mental patient, I could spend hours listing them. Are you? Any of the ones I mentioned?" Gage asked, finally with the strength to stand up.
I reddened and looked away.
Gage only had on a pair of boxers.
Other than that, he was naked.
"You that afraid of seeing me?" Gage laughed, grabbing my chin, turning it to face him.
"No, I'm just not interested in you." I lied.
The real problem was, I wasn't allowing myself the pleasure of a human mate.
He raised an eyebrow but stopped asking questions. I sighed gratefully and went back to cleaning his wound. I hurried up this time, cleaning up the blood with my shirt quickly before bandaging it up. When I looked up again Gage had an odd look on his face. He looked at me and amended, "That was a bit overboard. I hate seeing you with that asshole Henry. You deserve better."
Those last 3 words stirred terrible flicks of memories, a glint of silver, a shriek of pain, flames burning as high as me, a pile of ashes drifting away in the wind...
I shook my head at Gage. "You don't know what I've done and you know nothing about what I deserve."
I flunked down on the side of his bed with a sigh. He gently put his arm around my shoulders and whispered, "That might be true, but I know what you want."
Then he pulled me towards him and kissed me. This time I didn't shy away. Instead I tried to get lost in the kiss. As soon as he felt me kiss him back he moaned and the kiss hardened, becoming hungrier. Gage pushed me onto his lap running his fingers through my hair. He cupped his hand behind my head and guided me gently to his mouth. When we finally pulled apart he was grinning with a smile so wide it threatened to split his face in two.
I frowned at him, “Stop smiling like that, you look like your face is about to split open.”
“You’re not the boss of me.” Gage retorted, sounding like a whiny four year old.
I rolled my eyes and jumped off the bed. He still had that idiotic smile plastered on his face. He looked at me and his expression changed to slightly shocked, then he said to someone behind me,
“Hello Henry. How long have you been standing there?”
I whipped around to see Henry standing in the doorway of the dorm.
Ah hell.
His face looked guarded, his expression stormy,
“Long enough.” He answered looking at me with anger.
I wilted.
He stared me down with his now stony green eyes.
"I can't believe that I even liked you, I stood up for you!" Henry said his voice rising in a crescendo.
I shrunk back, like a scolded puppy and Gage jumped in front of me, shielding me with his body.
"Don't talk to her like that." Gage says, his voice so calm it was nearly monotone.
Henry nearly hissed at Gage. He looked around him, or through him, I couldn't tell.
"Since when do you care about a girl? All you do is ACT. ACT LIKE YOU CARE!" Henry lowered his voice. "If you want to get in between her legs and give her a child, go ahead, since that's ALL you think of. But, if you leave her, I swear to god, I will kill you. Your family has done enough damage as it is."
Henry's voice was pained, but still angry, but there was more to his words than I knew. He looked lost, and scared. Betrayed, and alone.
"WHAT DOES THIS HAVE TO DO WITH CHASE?!" Gage yelled, looking hurt, as if Henry had reopened an old scar.
"EVERYTHING, THAT'S WHAT!" Henry yelled, a dangerous look in his green eyes and he stepped forward.
I shrunk backwards. Henry looked feral, uncontrollable. I almost yelped when he began his change into a vampire. His eyes, a beautiful mossy green, went to the lust cherry red I feared. It was too close to the color...The flames. I shuddered, trying not to cry at the memories. Henry hissed, baring his ivory needle-like fangs.
"He did this to me, Gage. That god damned brother of yours ruined my effing life! I had a good house, family, girlfriend, school, tutors, even a freakin job waiting for me! But, that will never happen. Never. I can never have my life, because of that GOD DAMN BROTHER OF YOURS, GAGE!" Henry yelled, glaring with an intensity that made Gage stagger back into me.
"He bit me too, but I rejected the change. I had to drink holy water, but how it burned Henry. Chase did worse to me than he did too. Things I can't tell." Gage said, before turning to me. "We've all got our secrets."
I tried to acknowledge him, but suddenly the memories were coming on and too fast. Each one was a clear as if it was happening at the moment. Other memories I didn't remember ever happening, so I couldn't tell if I was going insane or not. At each reoccurrence of memories it felt like hundreds of people were stabbing at me. At first I tried to contain the pain, but that didn't help at all. So, I screamed.
That brought Henry back.
"Aureli! Aureli! What's wrong?!" Henry yelled frantically as his eyes changed back to normal. He knelt down to look at me, even though I had no recollection of ever collapsing. I tried to tell him what was wrong, but the darkness had its grasp on me. All I could do was grab hold of his hand before I curled into myself and was thrust into the land of memories.
The land around me was odd. The ground was a cherry red and constantly seemed to be licking with flames. Screams echoed everywhere, painful screams of torture that sounded eerily like a mixture of animal and human. I kept walking until I saw two marble columns with black iron wrought gates. They immediately swung open to admit me. As soon as I stepped in, I knew where I was, hell. I heard a couple of voices echoing from one gaping halls carved into the rock. Out of impulse I walked towards the hall. My feet slowed as I neared a crude door. The door was cracked so only a sliver of light drifted into the hall. I knelt down on the floor and brought my eye up to the crack. The room was rather large with a table in the center with chairs pulled up. Two figures sat in the chairs conversing with each other. I couldn't quite make out their features, but I could tell one was a woman and the other a man.
"Lucifer, will you please quit your babbling for one second?" the women said teasingly.
The man smiled, "Of course, I've completely forgot why you're here."
The woman pulled out a bundle of clothes and gently unwrapped it. When the swathes of cloth fell away it revealed a baby with white hair and purple eyes. The baby smiled.
"Aureli." the woman said, “She’s your girl too you know."
I pulled away from the door with a gasp. What is she talking about? Is that me? I wanted to fling open that door and barrage that woman with endless questions. Then a thought surfaced, was that my angel mom Xenia? My mind screamed at me to go in the room and ask question after question after question, but suddenly the land around me started to crumble. Bits of the memory shattered and I was forced back into the present.

"Aureli! Aureli! What the hell just happened?!"
I opened my eyes groggily and saw the slightly blurry faces of Henry and Gage over my head. Both had looks of worry on their faces. I pulled myself into a sitting position and asked, “How long was I out?"
"3 hours." Henry and Gage answered together.
I gawked. 3 hours! It had only felt like 10 minutes!
Then the reality of the memory fell over me like a tidal wave.
"Oh my god! Oh my god!" I yelled.
"What?" Gage asked before Henry could ask.
I clamped my mouth shut. I couldn't tell them. They didn't even know I was an angel. I mulled my thoughts around in my head. I knew after I killed that angel I was part demon, but I didn't suspect my dad was Lucifer! Should I tell them or not?
"N-nothing. I-I'm fine..." I said, standing up.
I lied.
I gasped as a nauseating pain shocked my body, and I found myself falling into Henry's arms.
I stared into his chest, gasping and trembling in an absolutely excruciating pain.
"Aureli!" Henry cried, worried.
"Is there something wrong...Oh! Gage! Good heavens! Cover up a little more." Mrs. Stalin's voice came from behind Henry.
"Aureli's in worse condition than I am. She passed out, and now something else is wrong with her. She was passed out for 3 hours." Gage said, as Henry picked me up, plunking me into an unused infirmary bed.
I kept my eyes closed. I simply had no energy to keep them open
"Don't die on me." Henry whispered to my hair, before lightly kissing my forehead.
I kept my eyes closed as I listened to Mrs. Stalin, Gage, and Henry talk.
"Was she fine this morning?" Mrs. Stalin asked.
"Mrs. Stalin-"Henry started to say.
"Call me Olive." Mrs. Stalin said.
"Olive. She was fine. I think this one poisoned and molested her." I could practically see Henry jerking a thumb at Gage.
"Wh-me? I wouldn't do such a thing..." Gage trailed off.
I groaned, nausea slapping me in my face.
My eyes flew open, as I gasped.
I was clothed in sweat.
Literally.
I felt for a shirt or pants, but only felt my bra and underwear.
I could tell they were the frilly, lacey type of lingerie, which boys would kill to see a girl in.
It was evening.
"Awake, Sugar?" Gage said, walking over to me, this time in jeans and bandages.
"Wow, JEANS and bandages? Big improvement from BOXERS and bandages." I said, my voice hushed, cracking in the end.
"Haha. Are you okay?" Gage asked, crawling on the bed next to me, propped on his side.
"I'm tired, and drenched in sweat." I said, trying to push him away.
"Don't. I won't pull anything. Henry will be back in a few seconds to check on you. He's so worried, he might have a mental breakdown." Gage said.
I giggled.
"That would be interesting." I giggled.
"It turns me on when you giggle." Gage said, laying closer to me, despite that there was a blanket wall of protection around me.
"Gage." A voice snapped.
Henry.
Gage backed away from me, falling off the bed head first.
I scooted over to look, not able to stop my giggling.
Gage looked confused.
His hair ruffled, his eyes shaken up, his legs the only thing not on the ground, instead hanging on my bed.
"That still turns me on." I heard him mutter, as he got up and brushed himself off.
"What happened to you? You were flipping out before you passed out again." Henry asked, coming over with a plastic bag, tied at the handles.
Forgetting I had on the boy-toy lingerie on, I got up, saying, "I would like to get dressed before I explain. What is that?"
Gage's eyes widened, as he flushed a bright red.
Henry's reaction was similar, though he covered Gage's eyes with his hand.
"Clothes for you. They're from Olive...Mrs. Stalin." Henry said, tossing me the bag.
I opened it and smiled.
A white lace shirt, along with a red corset, and black skinny jeans. there was a red bandana, and owl studs.
I quickly threw them on, pulling my white hair into a bun with the bandana.
Henry uncovered Gage's eyes, and I was rewarded with an awkward silence.
"Damn." Gage muttered, his eyes scanning me.
"So...Do you two promise you won't like go feral and kill me once I tell you?" I asked Gage and Henry.
"Yeah." They replied.
"Okay...So, how should I tell you..." I trailed off repeating my memory, grabbing Gage and Henry by the hands, to show them the memory, hoping my kill-them-dead power wouldn't turn on.
Memory after memory, I cried out at the pain of them, as if I were the Aureli in my memories.
When I was finished, Henry and Gage stared at me, gaping in shock.
"You...you..." Gage trailed off gawking at me.
"Are an angel-demon, yes." I nearly snapped.
I gasped at the pain that gripped me. I fell back into the hospital bed.
"Aureli, why didn't you tell us?" Henry said as calmly as possible.
Under his composed smile I saw a ripple of confusion, and what was that? Distrust.
"I barely knew you. I thought I couldn't trust anyone after what happened. I mean, I've killed an angel, an angel executioner, gotten chased by angels, and when I thought my only sanctuary was hell they kicked me out! What would you have done?" I nearly yelled, my voice rising with emotion.
Henry backed off looking taken aback and Gage flinched.
Tears sprung up in my eyes unexpectedly. What was wrong with me? It wasn't even my fault! I swiped at the tears angrily anger and guilt burning inside of me. Henry eyed my tears with an expert eye and said softly,"Aureli, we're not blaming you. We just...just...it’s hard to believe."
His consolation didn't help. If anything it made me even more furious.
"So you're calling me a liar?!" I yelled at both of them, even though Gage hadn't said anything.
They both stared at their feet and I had a sudden urge to throw something at them. I itched to get away from this room and escape into the land near the heavens.
"Where's the nearest exit?" I asked.
Henry cocked his head at me but pointed towards a door several rows of beds down.
I angrily stomped to the door, making a point of making as much racket as possible. I fling the door open and step out into the cool night.
The sky still had a sheen of light orange but the velvety darkness of night was slowly creeping in and brushing it away. The first star of the night winked at me.
I spread my wings and flew up.

Henry

I watched her stomp down the aisle of hospital beds before she opened the door and stepped out. Through the window I could see her look around for a moment before spreading out what I assumed to be her wings and taking off. Her wings were feathery, resembling those of angel wings. But what caught my attention, is under them, another pair of wings unfolded, but they were differently colored. They were gold, like the sunset.
I sighed and looked back at Gage.
He was looking at me with a look that clearly said that he was going to tell me something that would start a fight between us.
"Now I really want to get in between her legs." He thought out loud.
Grr...I was going to kill him. If anything, she was going to be mine, and mine only. I would not-could not-share her with anyone, especially Gage.
In blind anger, I shoved Gage. He staggered back, looking pissed off.
He went to punch me, but with my vampire speed, I dodged it, throwing a punch at Gage. There was no way he could dodge it; it connected with his face, causing his nose to bleed. Punch after punch, Gage missed and I hit, until I was sure I had broken his nose.
"She will be mine." Gage hissed, finally able to punch me. He connected with my gut, causing a pain to spring up my torso. For a human, he was strong. Not strong enough.
I grabbed his left arm, putting it into an arm lock. I twisted and turned, until I both heard and felt his arm snap. Gage yelled in pain. I dropped his arm, grinning in victory.
As if she had heard it, Aureli came in, taking one look at Gage, and back at me, before rushing over to Gage. Gage was broken and battered, holding his arm carefully. She looked at his arm, and said, "It's broken in three different places."
She turned to me, rage in her lavender eyes. She came over to me. Like a whip, she slapped me across the face.
"I leave for one single effing minute and you break his arm?! What the hell is your problem! Even if he acts like an idiot, that doesn't mean you break his arm three effing times!?" She yelled.
"Aureli, I didn't mean to-" I started to say, before she cut me off.
"Now you can either stay here and help, or go back to our room and wait for me." She snapped.
I stalked out, but I still watched through the door crack.
Aureli walked over to Gage, kneeling down to help him.
"I'm gonna help okay?" She said.
Gage nodded.
In a quick motion, Aureli leaned in and kissed Gage. Her body went from the light tone, to a purple-hue. The purple traveled from Aureli to Gage, and down to his arm. His arm mended by itself, before the purple returned to Aureli as she pulled back.
"Better?" She asked.
Gage no longer looked broken and battered, he looked good as new. His arm was fixed, there was no blood on him or his clothes, and he was grinning.
"I think you should kiss me again just to be sure." He grinned.
"If I hadn't just healed you, I would slap you upside the head." She said.
I barged in then.
"WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT?" I exclaimed.
"Raphael Blessing. It heals any injury as if it never happened. There are other ways to do the Raphael Blessing, such as sex, but there was no way I was going to do more than a kiss." She answered.
"What?! I could have been healed through sex? I need to hurt myself more, including my lips." Gage said.
That time Aureli did smack Gage.
I laughed.
She glared at me. If looks could kill, I would be dead.
I shrunk back as she towered over me. She looked like she was going to throttle me, so I was surprised when her voice came out gentle and low.
"Henry, I don't know why you did this or who started the fight, but you need to listen to me. You guys need to stop this I'm-more-perfect-than-you act and just get along. Whatever started the fight you guys need to work out because I don't think I can stand another fight where one of you gets hurt acting holier-than-thou."
Her gentle approach came and slapped me across the face. It was worse than being yelled at.
She turned around and looked at Gage.
"Did you hear that Gage?" she asked with her voice still even and calm.
"Yes master." Gage replied with a sarcastic smile.
She rolled her eyes.
There's the Aureli I knew and, though she didn't know it, loved.
She turned back to me and said, "I'm gonna go to bed."
I checked the clock.
"It's only 6."
She glanced at the clock and replied, "I don't know about you but this day has taken its toll on me. I'm gonna sleep on it."
Then she walked out of the room.
Gage stared towards the door and said, "She didn't even eat dinner. She hasn't eaten anything today."
"God you sound pathetically motherly. She can take care of herself." I retorted.
Gage humped and replied, "I'm just worried for her."
"I hate to break promises with Aureli, but if you act like her boyfriend one more time I'm gonna kill you, shove you in a closet, and tell everyone you had an accident."
"And if I tell you I AM her boyfriend?"
"My friend over here will send you to China." I said holding up my fist.
"Ooh, I love Chinese food." Gage said, mocking my threat.
"You are utterly completely hopeless. Even Aureli wouldn't be able to mold you into something useful." I replied, shaking my head.
I headed for the door, when Gage's remark stopped me cold.
"At least I can give her something you can't." Gage retorted.
I spun around, anger welling up in me, ready to explode at Gage.
"And WHAT is it that you can give her that I can't?" I asked.
"You can't live with her. One day she may die, and you'll leave her. I can be faithful. I can die with her. I can give her children. ALL things you CAN'T do." Gage said, before stifling a laugh of victory.
I nearly exploded. I promised Aureli I would apologize. I better do it before I explode from rage.
"Gage, I am sorry for injuring you." I said through my teeth before running out of the door.
I hit the first thing I could find: A set of lockers. My vampire strength came on, denting the lockers. The words from the day I became a vampire rang in my ears.
I lost it all. I can't have it. I'm a monster. I can't ever love again. Never. Kill me. Kill me now. Anyone, just put me out of my misery and pain. Please.

I cried out in misery and pain, as I ran outside of the school, and into the woods.

Aureli

For once the dorm was quiet. Without Gage making pervert comments and Henry yelling and fighting with Gage, everything seemed almost peaceful.
I'd said that I wanted to go to sleep, but what I really wanted was just some peace.
I grabbed the first somewhat pajama clothing, took off the clothes that Mrs. Stalin gave me, and slipped it on.
It turned out to be a silk, gray nightgown that was at least two sizes too small. The hem fell only about three-quarters of the way down my thigh, barely covering my crotch or butt. I tried pulling it down to make it more modest, but the hem just popped back up again. The neckline swooped low, revealing more of my chest than my corset shirt did. Again, if I pulled the hem up, it was not only pull the bottom of the nightgown up, but they would swoop back to place. At least it fit around my stomach at all. But still... Great. The last thing I needed was Henry or Gage to walk in with me looking like a seductress.
Speaking of which, where was Henry? Cracking the door open I peeked into the corridor. No footsteps echoed in the halls. Neither was there the sight of Henry walking this way. The only sound was an echoing scream that rang through the halls and led to an open door. Partly out of curiosity and partly out of concern, I padded down the hallway towards the echoing scream. The scream led me outside in the bitter cold. With a shiver, I drew my arms closer to my chest to try to warm myself up. The wind pierced through the nightgown's thin silk making me shake like a leaf. To one side the park benches lay exposed to the elements, to the other side were the towering trees of the woods. The trees looked nearly black in the night and it seemed as if shadows were drifting silently between the trees.
With a shiver, I started towards the woods. Who was screaming? Why? Am I imagining things? I must be going crazy. Yeah, that's it. Insane. I'm an insane angel-devil...thing, that is dressed like a seductress, and it looks like she's seeking one of her whores. I wandered through the woods. Another cry of pain echoed through my ears, leading me to the source. Henry. He sat on a log, sobbing, his head ducked. His hands were making a meager attempt to cover his tears.
"Henry? A-are you okay?" I asked, shivering.
Henry's sobbing stopped. He wiped his eyes, before looking up at me. His eyes widened, taking in the short hem and low neckline of the dress.
"What the eff are you wearing?" Henry asked, as I sat down next to him.
His hands fingered the hem of the dress, sending chills down my spine. His hands were awfully close to my crotch.
"Stop it. It's all I could find." I said, pushing his hand away from my thighs.
"Okay, how much did Gage pay you to dress like that?" Henry asked.
I was taken back.
"I didn't dress like this for anyone. It was all I could find." I snapped.
"S-sorry." Henry stuttered.
"Why were you crying?" I asked.
Henry sniffled.
"I wasn't crying." Henry said, sitting up straight.
"Liar. Quit the macho act. I don't give a crap about how tough you think you are. You. Were. Crying. Will you tell me why?" I said, leaning against Henry and shivering. "Better hurry up, before I die of hypothermia."
Henry pulled me up.
"Come on. Let's go back to the room. I don't need you dying." Henry said.

After back in my room, covered in a blanket, I laid on Henry's lap, staring into his eyes.
"Come on, it's been an hour, tell me!" I insisted.
"I was...I was thinking about the day I was turned into a vampire. And...a few other things." Henry said, playing with my hair.
"Like what?" I asked.
"You. I was thinking about you." Henry said, after a moment of silence.
"What about me?" I asked, sitting up.
"Nothing. Come on, it's late. We better get to bed-" Henry stopped, looking at his ruined bed.
"You can share my bed with me. Just don't get any ideas." I said.
"I'll try not to take pictures of you while you sleep." Henry joked.
I smacked him. I knew he was playing, but still, that sounds creepy.
After climbing up onto the second bunk, Henry came up, in boxers and a tee shirt. I frowned.
"Sorry. I promise, I won't play around. Just sleep." Henry said, realizing I wasn't comfortable with his pajamas.
"Just sleep." I agreed, letting him in. He curled against me, his warmth far better than the blankets. I fell asleep with Henry's arms around me.

"Aureli, wake up. Aureli!" Henry whispered.
I groaned, opening my eyes. Henry was positioned over me, looking into my eyes, trying hard not to put his weight on, let alone touch my body.
"What?" I asked.
"It's Saturday. Perfect day to replace my bed." Henry said, pulling me up.
"Five more minutes. I'm tired." I said, forcing myself back down. "Please, won't you lay down with me? Just for 5 more minutes?"
Henry sighed, exasperated, before laying down with me. I fingered his shirt, playing with the buttons.
"You're so warm." I said, closing my eyes.
There was a knock at the door.
"Henry, Aureli! Come on! I didn't just sneak out of the infirmary to get ignored!" Gage's voice was impatient, ringing from the door.
"Fine! I won't get ANY sleep!" I cried, falling off the bed. I hit the ground, but felt no pain. I wonder if you just get numb from tiredness. Henry jumped down, helping me up. I threw the door open, to see a bedraggled Gage. He saw my 'seductress' nightgown, and his eyes went wide. I got a shivering sensation, and I shuddered, covering my chest.
"I would say get dressed, but I rather like that nightgown." Gage smirked.
"Oh, shut up, it was the only thing Mrs. Stalin left me." I said.
"Just wait a minute so Henry and I can get dressed." I said, shutting the door in Gage's face. I turned to see Henry, jumping into his jeans, quite literally. He had combed his hair, fixed his shirt, and thrown on a cap. I stalked over to my wardrobe, finding it completely empty. Other than a few switches of fabric, thread, and a few other of my seductress nightgowns, there was a sewing machine. I grabbed a white fabric, which had a design of brown lace, and a few swatches of fake purple roses, and lace. I grabbed a hard fabric, much like jeans, with the design of a zebra. I grabbed some extra pieces of fabric a lilac, a white, and a light brown, sewing them into a fabric wrap around belt. I sewed the zebra fabric into a pair of skinny jeans, setting them aside. I sewed the white brown-lace fabric into a off the shoulder boho top, switching it from the nightgown. I fixed the outfit, adding final touches, like a lace and purple rose collar to the boho top.
I threw on sneakers, before opening the door to see an angry Gage.
"Ready?, or are you going to slam the door in my face again?" Gage snapped.
"Henry! Come on!" I shouted over my shoulder.
"Coming!" Henry said, before being behind me.
Gage grabbed my hand, before taking me down a hall, ignoring Henry.
"You know, I can tell you guys are fighting over me." Gage tugged harder on my arm. "Don't rip my arm out, boy." I said.
"Fine." Gage said.
"Where are we going?" Henry asked.
"I'm hungry, we're going to get breakfast." Gage said.
"You sneaked out of the infirmary, yelled at us to wake the freak up, just so you could get breakfast ?" I asked incredulously.
"Yup. Now come on so I can actually get breakfast before the good stuff is gone." he answered.
I rolled my eyes and sighed dramatically.
Gage's mouth quirked up into a half smile.
Then he did something unexpected.
He leaned over and kissed me full on the mouth, right in the middle of the hall.
I saw Henry stiffened, looking like he was about to pounce on Gage and rip his throat out. I pulled away from Gage as quickly as possible to make sure Henry didn't kill him where he stood. This proved hard because Gage was stuck to me like a piece of Velcro. I hate to say it, I kind of didn't want him to let go either.
After I finally got Gage off of me, Henry said in a voice filled with fake cheeriness,
"Are we going to get breakfast or not?"
"I guess." I answered. My cheeks grew hot for some reason and I stared at the floor. Just before I averted my gaze I saw Gage's smile of victory.
We walked in silence until we reached the cafeteria.
"I'll save us seats. I'm not that hungry, I can go last." Henry proclaimed before walking off in the sea of students.
Gage took my hand, leading me towards the food. I barely noticed what I put on my plate. When I looked down I saw that I had a tower off scrambled eggs on my plate, along with seven pancakes, two pieces of toast, and three pieces of bacon. I sighed and looked around the cafeteria to see where Henry was.
Henry sat next to his friends at the back of the cafeteria. He caught my gaze and waved me over.
I grabbed Gage's hand and dragged him after me despite his whining that he didn't get any eggs or bacon.
Plunking down next to Henry, I placed my plate down. Gage swooped down and took half the mountain of eggs and two pieces of bacon. Henry tentatively picked up the top three pancakes in my pile and starts nibbling on them.
"God, you guys are like my dogs. If you start giving me the puppy face I might just kill myself." I exclaimed.
"Puppy face…funny. Killing yourself…not so much." Henry muffled through a mouthful of pancake.
Gage snorted and made a hacking sound. He coughed, swallowed, and then said, “No need to worry I'm still alive. I haven't choked."
"Not yet." Henry muttered.
Not again. Henry was glaring daggers at Gage, who was inches from strangling Henry. You have to admit, it looked kinda funny.
I cleared my throat.
"Okay, girls, stop fighting. You're gonna break your nails." I said.
I cracked up laughing from their horrified expressions. THAT, got their attention. They turned and looked at me, pale, with total question mark faces.
"Look who's talking." Gage snapped.
Idiots. I stood up, pushing back my chair, before stomping angrily out of the cafeteria. I don't know why I put up an angry charade. To get attention maybe? I was halfway down the hall before I heard Gage running up.
"Aureli! Wait!" He called.
I ignored him and started walking faster.
"Aureli! Stop for one freakin' second!" Gage yelled.
I stopped, folding my arms. I refused to face him. To my surprise, Gage grabbed my shoulders and forced me around to look at him. If he had been trying to apologize before, that ended when I ignored him. Now he's just pissed off.
"Will you listen for a fucking minute, or is being a disgrace to god damn nature disabling your hearing and listening skills?" he hissed.
I seethed with anger. I reached him and struck him across the face, hard and quick.
He staggered back, surprised at my attack.
"Is that the best you can fucking do, you brat?" he gritted between his teeth.
"If I wanted to I could make you turn into a effin' pile of ashes, so you had better watch your mouth you...you...asshole!" I blurted.
I turned around so he wouldn't see the angry tears that were making wet trails down my face. He's the one that started this, not me. If he hadn't of molested me in the first place, causing the past few days to not involve HIM. I should be the one YELLING, not the one being YELLED AT.
"Aureli..." Gage started to say in a calm voice, as if the past few remarks never happened. His hand touched my shoulder gently, but I brushed him off.
"No! Don't you dare touch me, Gage! Not after what you just said! Who do you think you are!" I yelled.
Gage forced me around, and the next thing I knew, Gage was kissing me. My gasp was muffled by his lips. I pushed at him and shoved, but he was stuck to me like a leech. Not many students were in the halls, but the ones that were, either were angry, or surprised at our making out. I could tell by their gasps that rang in my ears. Yes, they think I'm retarded. Yes, they think I'm a brat. Yes, they love Gage, or want to be Gage. But, that all left my mind when I went limp, allowing Gage to kiss me, long and slow. When he let go, I dropped to the linoleum floor with a thud, burying my head between my knees, attempting to hide my angry tears.
"Gage, just because all the slutty girls will melt for your ass, even flirt and kiss you, doesn't mean you can get your way if you blink those blonde eyelashes of yours. I'm tired of the whole my-ass-is-holier-than-yours act. I'm tired of the whole You'll-melt-since-I'm-a-hot-guy-and-your-a-stupid-girl charade. Just leave me alone you...Fucking ass hole! Go run off and fuck a whore, for all I care. You seemed content with doing that a few days ago. Kissing me won't do anything but get your ass killed!" I screamed at him through my angry tears. I felt his hand on my leg. Without looking up, I struck at him.
"Don't touch me!" I screamed, waiting for footsteps signaling he left. They didn't happen. Gage grabbed my chin, forcing me to look up at him. I saw tears threatening to spill from his eyes. HE was crying?! I SHOULD BE THE ONE CRYING!
"Go run off and cry then." He hissed, before raising his voice. "GO RUN OFF AND CRY TO YOUR STUPID BITCH HENRY!"
I did just that, though Henry wasn't in the dorm room. Without caring about my clothes, I made my self a hiding spot. I climbled on my top bunk, grabbing onto a pole from the ceiling. From there, I climbed into the corner ledge of the ceiling, sitting on giant pipes, sobbing about everything, spitting out cuss words like a sailor.

I dreamt I was talking with a girl I had never met.
I was about six, my hair up in pigtails, my mom dressing me in a lavender dress that fell at my shins. I ran onto a field, before smuthering a girl my age in a hug. She was a little taller than me, her hair cherry red, pulled back in a braid, a loop of hair hanging at each side of her head, like a princess. Her eyes were a blonde color, much like Gage's. She wore a green sundress, that swayed in the wind.
"Ya back!" I cried, jumping up and down.
"Uh-huh Aurey. My mama en papa said I had to make sure ya mama could watch us." The girl said, waving at Xenia. Xenia smiled, waving back at the girl.
"Ana-asia!" I cried.
"Aureli, how many times do I tell ya? My name is Anastasia. Not Ana-asia!" Anastasia laughed.
I chased Anastasia around for a while, screaming and hollering, before Anastasia had to leave.
"Ana-asia?" She turned around as she walked. "I wish ya were my sissy. We'd have lots of fun!" I said.

I woke up, pinned under Gage. He was awake, his eyes apologetic. For a moment I believed he was going to rape me, but when he let me up, I was engulfed in a hug.
"I'm so sorry." He whispered into my hair. "I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry." He repeated this for a good fifteen minutes straight, before letting me go. I noticed I was on my bed.
"Why are you apologizing?" I asked, my voice hushed.
"I was a jerk. No one could find you. I freaked out, thinking something awful had happened to you." He said, his head nuzzling my neck.
"I'm freaking tired." I sighed.
Gage seemed to get a clue that I didn't mean for.
"I'm staying." He said, unbuttoning his shirt, before slipping it off.
"GAGE!" I gasped when he went to take off his pants. He looked up at me, a cocky grin plastered on his face.
"I'm not going COMPLETELY NAKED. I'll leave my socks on." He replied.
I groaned, hitting my head against the wall.
"I'm joking...I think." He said, slipping under my covers with just his boxers on. I took off my pants and slid into his arms under the blankets. He pressed his body close against mine, but I flipped around, staring into his chest.
"I can't believe I went from arguing, to angry, to freaked out, to sexual in a matter of an hour." Gage said to the top of my head.
"This isn't sexual." I murmered into his chest.
"Do you REALIZE where your hand is?" He asked.
I flushed, realizing my hand was in between his legs, on his groin, exploring him. I threw my hands away from him, placing them behind my back, turning a bright red.
"No, that didn't mean stop rubbing me there." Gage said.
I slapped him as hard as I could lying down.
"Okay...I deserved that." He said.
I looked up at his face. He was blushing a bright red, even brighter where I slapped him.
"Yes, you did." I replied, turning away from him.
"Oh, come on. Don't be like that babe." Gage whispered.
"Say your sorry." I said.
"I'm sorry." He whispered, his voice seductive and deep.
I was flipped around so that I had my head buried in his chest again.
"You know what I want to do?" Gage asked, his voice still seductive and deep.
"You want to strip both of us naked, then get on top of me and..." I trailed off, shoving at Gage's chest.
"Close. I wanted to do this." Gage said.
He forced my chin up, his lips connecting with mine. For a while we flipped around, exploring new positions to make out, before the door slammed open, and Henry caught us making out, half naked, in my bed. He flushed an angry red, before scaling the ladder and pulling Gage off of me, shoving him down the ladder.
"Ass." Henry hissed.
"Henry..." I said through my teeth, angry to have been interrupted.
This suprised both Henry and Gage. They stopped attacking each other, looking at me, confused and suprised.
"What is it? Are you angry I interrupted you and Gage? Do you want me to leave?" Henry said in a mocking tone.
"Actually, yes." I snapped.
I noticed Gage was flushed a bright red. Musat've never thought I'd LIKE his attention.
"Fine then. Just...Stay outta my bed." Henry snapped, his voice cracking, before he dropped Gage and stalked out. I caught a glimpse of pain in Henry's face before he was gone. Gage closed and locked the door. He scaled the ladder, still bright red, before climbing in bed with me.
"I'm too pissed off and tired to kiss again Gage. Kay?" I snapped, without meaning to.
He flinched.
"O-okay." He said, pulling me against his body, rubbing my back.
I sighed, leaning my head into him, before falling asleep.

Gage

I couldn't believe it. When Henry busted in on us I was sure I was dead. But no. Instead my Aureli told him to get out.
My Aureli.

I voiced the words in my head. It sounded good, no, great.
She stirred in her sleep and shifted into a more comfortable position. I stroked her hair gently. She smiled in her sleep, making me wonder if she was fully asleep or just faking.
I smiled with her.
I heard the door slowly creak open and tensed. I looked at the door. One green eye showed through the crack in the door.
"Henry?" I whispered.
The eye narrowed and the door opened fully. Henry stood in the doorway with his arms crossed. He looked like he wanted to strangle me.
"Get your ass out of her bed. I don't give a crap what she says when she wakes up, get out of her bed. I don't think I'll be able to sleep with your stench filling the room besides." he growled.
"No." I snapped, causing Aureli to stir.
"No? That's the best ya got?" Henry growled.
"Zip your face." I snapped.
Henry was trying hard not to laugh.
"Zip your face? That's all you can do? How bout this, why don't you zip your vagina?" He growled.
"You know what, eff you." I growled.
"Eff me? No man, eff you." He spat.
"Eff you."
"Eff you man."
"Eff you...You mother effer." I spat.
Aureli stirred.
"Shut up...You idiots." She mumbled in her sleep.
"I'm done playing, get out of her bed, or I'll kill you. Simple as that." Henry muttered.
Wow, a death threat. I'm not stupid, he'll attack me when I get down there anyways. So, guess what I did? I woke Aureli up.
"Okay, who died, and how am I involved." She gasped, her eyes flying open.
I pointed at Henry, my arm over Aureli's waist.
"Henry...Really, leave us alone. It'll be fine. We weren't even DOING ANYTHING. I'm tired of your idiocy. I heard you guys telling each other 'eff you' in my sleep. Just leave. It. Alone." She snapped, her voice final.
Henry gave her puppy dog eyes, before retreating to the couch.
"I don't understand how you can be so close to him. He smells." Henry said.
"He doesn't smell. If anything, it's me, I was going all monkey on the room earlier, climbing onto those poles to nap. I smell like dust." She said.
I don't understand why Henry complained it smelled so bad in here. I didn't smell anything.
"Aureli?" Henry asked.
"Yes, annoying pet?" Aureli said around a yawn.
"Will you sleep with me?" Henry asked, pretending to be tired.
"No." Aureli snapped.
"But-"
"No." Aureli said, before dozing off.
Ha ha ha...Aureli rejected Henry...I told him she would reject him..
"I told you so." I said, soudning like a whiny 5-year-old.
At first there was silence along with the darkness. I figured Henry was asleep.
"You didn't even say anything." Henry said.
"Oh well...I told you so..." I said.
I could hear Henry's laughter.
"You know I really wish I could take your place in her bed." Henry's voice was sheepish.
"I know. And I'm sure you want your hands to be touching Aureli where mine are-" I teased, before Henry cut me off.
"If you're touching her chest, her ass, or her crotch, I will cut off your hands." Henry growled.
"God, I was teasing. I'm not touching her." I said, pulling my hand away from Aureli's stomach.
"Oh." Henry said. "Goodnight idiot."
"Goodnight, Ass." I replied, before I fell asleep with Aureli in my arms.

Aureli

I awoke groggily from a dream-free sleep. I could feel Gage's warmth around me like a blanket. I hugged him closer to me and he groaned. His eyes opened slowly and a smile spread across his face.
"Good Morning." I said.
"Mornin'" he mumbled before kissing me.
I moaned and pulled him harder against my mouth. We both sat up, Gage pulling me onto his lap. He tangled his hands in my hair pulling me even closer to him.
"Stop making out. It's too early for me to be strangling someone."
We broke apart, startled.
"Thank heavens." the voice said, relieved.
"Henry, haven't you been taught how it's unmannerly to spy on other people?" Gage snapped.
"No I haven't actually. But you are intruding in our bedroom so I have the right to spy on you two." Henry replied snottily.
"What idiot made up that rule?" I asked before Gage could intervene.
Henry snorted.
"I did." Henry huffed.
"Of course you did. Are you jealous?" I teased.
"Maybe." Henry huffed.
I giggled, sliding out of bed, grabbing a towel and an outfit.
"You two feel free to do the whole 'I'm-the-better-guy' thing you guys do while I shower. I don't want to listen to it." I said, before locking myself in the bathroom.
I knew immediately they started arguing, their voices at a yell before I even had the water running. I slipped off my clothes, testing the water with my hand, before getting in.

I got out, shaking the water from my wet white hair. I dried off, slipping into jeans and a blue half-shirt. Pretty simple today. I came out of the bathroom, to Henry and Gage throttling each other. I stalked over to them, pulling them apart.
"I'll throttle both of you if I have to. And Gage, what happened to your shirt?" I snapped, seeing that Gage was shirtless.
"You take too freaking long in the shower. I got hungry, and ate it." Gage retorted, grinning like an idiot.
"Wonderful. Now that you've eaten, you have no reason to ruin our lives. Thank god you didn't have the brains to eat my steak." Henry said.
"Oh, so if I ate your steak I'd be eating all your steak and ruining your lives? Amazing." Gage said.
"Shut up." I said.
"Fine." They groaned in unison.
"Why can't you guys go annoy some other girl?" I snapped, crossing my arms.
They both turned and gave me puppy dog eyes, causing me to giggle.
"Fine." I said, imating their groaning.
"Not funny." Henry said.
"Says Mr.Puppy-dog-eyes." I said, giggling again.
Gage and Henry shared a look at each other, before grinning and chasing after me. I dodged, shrieking, as they tried to catch and tickle me.
"No, NO NO!" I shrieked, grinning. I ran out of the room, and straight into a guy. I hid behind him, clutching onto him as a shield from Gage and Henry.
"Not fair! You two can't team up against me! You're supposed to hate each other!" I said, hiding against the guy I bumped into. The guy I was hiding by seemed to be in shock. He turned and looked at me, causing my heart to stop. His strawberry blonde hair and blue eyes rung a bell.
"Aureli." He sighed.
NO! HE'S SUPPOSED TO BE DEAD! How? I SAW him BURN INTO ASHES!
"N-no, y-y-you're sup-p-posed to b-be dead. H-how." I stuttered, dropping to the ground, holding my head as I shook.
"Aureli..." He sighed.
"H-how did you come back?" I whispered, before raising my voice. "HOW DID YOU COME BACK, KADE?" I cried.
Kade looked at me, sadness in his eyes.
"Who is this?" Gage asked, jealousy in his voice.
I put my head between my knees, hoping it would help me breathe. Kade was explaining something to Gage and Henry, before I blacked out.
I dreamt of the day I was prosecuted for murdering my best friend.
I was surrounded by a jury of angels. All wore frowns that seemed to grow angrier when they looked at me. They started asking questions right off the bat.
"Why did you kill Kade?" one man asked. I recognized him as the prosecutor.
"I-i really didn't mean to. I-i just touched him and...and..." I tried to explain.
"Why did you do it?" The man asked again, this time staring me down.
I gulped and started again. "I honestly didn't kill him out of cold blood. It was an accident."
"You're lying." he said like it was a matter of fact.
"I'm not! Why would I kill him! He was my best friend! Why do you think I would do something like that!" I yelled angrily. I could feel tears threatening to spill from my eyes. Don't they know that I would never, could never, do anything like that?
Then I heard my mom's voice. "I think you should let her speak. Maybe it was an accident after all."
"Xenia, this is none of your business to assess..." the prosecutor started to say before my mom cut him off again.
"It is my business because she's my daughter!" she snapped.
This caught him a little off guard, but he quickly pulled himself together and replied,
"All the facts show that she killed him. Whether it was on purpose or not is out of question. If she were any older we would punish her like a normal angel would, but since she is a child, we will be a little more lenient."
He turned and looked at the rest of the jury. "Does everyone agree that we will punish her in the normal manner, except with lenience?"
All the angels nodded their heads in unison.
The prosecutor nodded curtly, then called the guards. He whispered something in their ears before stalking off. All the other angels took that as their cue to go and they filed out the door.
"You'll come with me." one of the guards hissed in my ear.
"Where are we going?" I asked.
He didn't reply. Instead, he took me by the arm and led me towards a room. He fiddled with some keys in his pocket before choosing one that was small and silver. It fit into the lock and the door opened with a click. He shoved me in the dark room saying, "Stay in here until someone comes to get you." Then he closed the door. With a click the door locked.
I was alone.
I waited awhile, but as I was sure a day passed, I grew sure they were lying. I grew weary of sitting and waiting, so I got up, exploring the room, to find it was actually a hall. I tried each door, but none opened. I could be walking into a trap and not even know it, but I press on. My heightened senses strain to catch a hint that anything living that has passed through here, but as far as I know there's nothing except for the stench of something rotting. Suddenly, a light appears in front of me, its brightness cutting through the darkness. I'm drawn to the light, like a moth drawn to a flame, and only when I reach it do I realize it’s attached to a hand of a woman. I back off slightly, but the woman makes no move to follow so I relax. The woman puts down the lamp on a table that I didn't realize was even there and pulls something long and shining out of her long dress. Then she turns towards me and smiles. It was one of the most horrific smiles I've ever seen, twisted and evil. It’s too dark to make out the color of her hair, but you could easily make out the rotting yellow teeth that filled her mouth like corn on the cob. Then she looked up. I stifled a scream as I backed away quickly. Instead of eyes in her eye sockets, feelers take their place reaching out into the air like an octopus.
She spoke softly to me, but I could hear the edge in her voice, "You don't deserve to be here. You killed another of your kind, another angel. You are not fit to be here." She stopped to grin. "I will be doing you a favor when I do this."
She pulled out the shining object out again and I fully see it.
It was a pair of huge scissors with the blades curved slightly as if to cut something off someone’s back.
As if on cue, my two pairs of wings fluttered out, their gold and silver feathers gleaming. The woman came towards me, the scissors gaping, but I was too petrified to move or to flee. She reached for one of my wings, but I lift my right arm up, making the nearby lamp and table rise into the air. I roughly put my arm down and the lamp and table crash into the ground, starting a fire, but the lady doesn't seem to notice. She moves closer, the scissors still gaping when I touch her with my left arm, channeling my fear and sadness into her body. Suddenly, she's on the floor writhing in pain and as I back away, again, in horror she turns slowly into ash.
Her voice seemed to change as she mumbled her last words to me. Her voice became deeper, and more man-like.
"Aureli. It's not real. Wake up. Wake up. It's okay." She said. With a jolt I realized, she was using Gage's voice!
She talked again.
"Ssh. Wake up. It's not real. Wake up. You're crying." She said.

My eyes flew open, stinging and wet, to reveal Gage looking down at me. Sadness took over, and I clutched onto his shirt, trying to contain my powers as I sobbed.
"Ssh...It wasn't real. It's okay Aureli. It was just a dream." He said.
I shook my head.
"No, It was a memory." I sobbed.
He pushed me away.
"Is it true? Did you kill that guy?" Gage asked.
I felt more tears fill my eyes, treatening to spill out.
"I-it was an accident, I-" My voice cracked, and I broke off, hiccuping.
"Ssh. You're gonna make yourself sick." Gage sighed, stroking my cheek.
I hiccuped again and rested my head on his shoulder. He sighed and tried to take his hand in mine. I flinched back from him.
"Don't. I might lose control and I don't think I'll be able to bring you back." I whispered to him.
He nodded knowingly.
"Ssh, calm down. It's okay. No one can hurt you." He soothed.
I closed my eyes, trying to calm myself down.
"She awake?" Henry asked, as he walked up.
I stood up, walking up to him, staring him in the eyes. Then, I smacked him across the face, causing Gage to erupt into a fit of laughing. Henry made a surprised expression, as if he was confused at the same time, and spat blood at the ground.
"WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT FOR?!" Henry yelled, wiping his mouth.
I shrugged nonchalantly, blinking my eyes.
"I needed to be cheered up." I said innocently.
"SO YOU SMACKED ME?!" He cried.
I nodded grinning, before stealing a kiss on his lips, just because he makes funny expressions. He turned red, but not pushing me away, but pulling me closer. I almost forgot Gage was watching. Good thing he forced me away from Henry by the back of my collar, nearly choking me to death.
I dropped to the ground, gasping for air as I gripped my neck where my collar choked me.
"Stop teasing him Aureli." Gage growled, causing me to flinch.
"Do you want to talk to that guy or not?" He snapped.
I nodded, whimpering. Gage pulled me up, dragging me to my room, before shoving me in and locking the door.
Kade sat on Henry's desk, staring at one of my fashion drawing books.
"You're getting good at fashion." He said, not looking up.
"Kade-" I broke off, my voice cracking.
"Aureli, don't cry. I thought I was dead too. But the high council. They did something with my ashes, reconstructed my body or something, sending me here to find you. I think they want to see if you'll kill me again." He said, closing the fashion drawing book. The next thing I knew, I was in Kade's arms, grinning.
"They gave you back to me." I grinned.
"I missed you too. And Kahealani, and Kaari, and Bao, and Beck, and Aaralyn, and Cleo, and Leon, and-" I cut him off.
"I get it." I said.
Kade laughed.
"I know." He said.
"And...Your wings?" I asked.
Kade looked away.
"They took them away? Why? Why are they so cruel?" I cried, tears springing to my eyes.
"Ssh. Don't cry. It's fine. It didn't hurt, and there was no blood. And finally I can go swimming without worrying about my wings getting wet." He said, stroking my cheek.
I stepped out from his arms.
"It's all my fault. If I wasn't born, you wouldn't have died, or lost your wings." I said.
"Don't talk like that." Kade said.
"It's true." I huffed.
"Are you hungry?" Kade asked, trying to change the subject.
"No." I said.
The next thing I knew, Kade was kissing me. I gasped, shoving him away, blushing. Kade beamed at me and I blushed even more. I NEVER thought Kade like-liked me, you know, loved me. We were just friends...ARE, we ARE best friends. Nothing more.
I looked at Gage, preparing for an explosion. Gage looked furious. Well, at least I don't need to explain, since he saw the whole thing. He grabbed Kade by Kade's shirt, flinging him into a wall.
"Don't you DARE, ever touch MY Aureli again." Gage growled, cocking his empty hand back to punch Kade. Kade was pale, scared and confused, since Gage weighed more, was taller, and was stronger than Kade.
"Gage, Gage, stop. Calm down. STOP GAGE!" I cried, my voice shouting when Gage attacked Kade, punching Kade's face. I grabbed Gage from behind, wrapping my arms around his waist, my head burying into his shoulder blades. THAT stopped Gage. He shook me off, looking at me with sad eyes, while Kade scampered away, covering his right eye.
"I hate how he touched you like that. I hate how Henry can touch you like that. It isn't fair." Gage said.
"Can we have this argument later, you just punched one of my DEAD friends in the face." I snapped.
"Friend? I doubt he's your friend-"
"LET'S HAVE THIS DAMN ARGUMENT LATER!" I screamed at Gage, who flinched.
I rushed over to Kade, who was on Henry's bed. I kneeled down, prying Kade's hand from his face. He didn't have a black eye, but he seems to think so.
"There isn't a black eye. Don't piss my boyfriend off, kay Kade?" I said, as I got up to get him ice for his eye. Out of the corner of my eyes, I saw Gage grin, and Kade flinch. I got a ziploc bag, filled it with ice from the mini fridge, and handed it to Kade. He nodded gratefully before putting it on his eye.
"Let's go out to get some lunch." Henry said.
I spun around. I completely forgot he was there. He looked at me with sadness in his eyes, but the next second all traces of sadness were gone and he was smiling.
"I know somewhere we can go." Henry said.
"Is it somewhere that serves something other than angel food?" Kade muttered.
My mouth quirked up into a half smile. Clueless Kade.
Henry looked at me questioningly and answered, "It's Chinese food. I don't think we even have restaurants that serve angel food."
"Good." Kade said relieved.
"I feel way more intelligent already." Gage muttered.
"What was that?" Kade snapped, his stupid, conpulsive, STRONG guy switch finally turned to the word 'on'.
"Nothing." Gage grumbled, grabbing my hand.
"Kade, humans don't eat angel food. They burn and die remember? Sound familiar?" I said.
Gage gulped, the noise kinda loud.
"I'll keep that in mind when I need there to be an...accident for your boy over there." Kade said, pointing at Gage.
"I can imagine Kahealani lecturing you about how it's not cool for one guy to attack another over a pretty girl. How many times did she lecture you before..." I trailed off.
"3,465,872,945 times. Damn, I swear I think she surgically implanted a pair of headphones in my ear, so she can lecture me whenever, cause I hear her now." Kade laughed.
"Who's Kahealani?" Gage asked.
"My friend, and before you ask, Kahealani is a GIRL." I said, stretching the last word.
Gage's eyes narrowed, testing my response.
"For God's sake, stop testing me whenever I mention someone you don't know!" I snapped at him.
Gage frowned and Kade stifled a laugh.
"We're going to have to walk. I don't have a car." Henry cut in before Gage punched Kade again.
"I do we can use that." Gage said.
"Do you even have a license?" I asked.
Gage gave me a devilish grin.
"Oh great. I hope we don't crash and die. If we die, I blame you Gage." I said for everyone to hear.

The car ride was terrible. Turns out that Gage really didn't have a license, and probably stole the car. At every turn, we nearly crashed into something. I bet if I turned around, I'd see a line of cops trailing us. Henry was showing off, lounging back in his chair like he didn't have a care in the world. Kade was having the time of his life. I wanted to throw up.
"Light post!" I yelled at Gage. He swerved back onto the road.
"Fire hydrant!"
He swerved again.
"Pedestrian!"
He pushed hard on the brakes and a lady with a dog walked across the street.
He turned to look at me and said,"Calm down Aureli. We're not gonna crash."
I gritted my teeth and nodded.
"Are we almost there?" I asked.
"Five more blocks." Gage answered. He turned to Henry for confirmation. Henry nodded and went back to his lounging.
I wanted to pull my hair out and scream, but I managed to stay calm.
Five excruciating minutes later we pulled up in front of the restaurant. I scrambled at the lock and fell out onto the sidewalk.
Gage smirked and helped me to my feet.
"Remind me never to go on a car ride with you again." I whispered. He smiled and kissed my forehead.
"We should go inside." he murmured.
"Give me a minute so I don't explode from lack of lungs, and a few other organs I lost along the road." I said, panting and clutching the area over my racing heart.
"Come on Aureli, you're being a wuss. It was like flying." Kade said, hopping out of the car with a grin plastered on his face.
"Says the angel that's wingless." I grumbled.
"You know, I've never really seen your wings. Ya sure you're an angel?" Gage asked.
Kade sighed relieved. I have some explaining to do to Gage.
"You haven't seen my wings because it's considered sexual for an angel to show their wings to someone else. It's like boobs, girls don't go around flashing their bare breasts." I said, still clutching my racing heart.
"Huh. Wings equal boobs. Haven't heard that before." Gage muttered.
"I think I'm having a stroke because my heart rate won't slow down." I announced.
"I'm THAT scary as a driver?" Gage asked.
"I was rather relaxed actually." Henry said.
"Ha-ha." I said.
"No, really." Henry insisted.
"Show-off." I muttered.
Henry frowned.
"Can we go inside already?" he asked.
I nodded.
We stepped through the doors. The restaurant looked nothing like a Chinese restaurant was supposed to look. There weren't any dragons or bamboo or anything. It looked as plain as a fast food place. The only odd thing there was was a stage placed in the middle of the place, surrounded by the tables. A TV hung on the wall with two microphones dangling by a wire from the side. An open binder lay on a stool.
Henry broke the silence by saying,"I need a table for...one, two, three...four people."
A little man appeared out of nowhere to lead us to our table. We got led to the table right next to the stage. The tables all around us were occupied by chatting people.
The man spoke with a slight accent,"Would you like anything to drink? If you already know what you're going to order you can tell me now. Also, there is a karaoke machine up on the stage if you want to do something while you wait."
"Wait, there's a karaoke here?" I asked. The man nodded.
I stood up. "Henry, you can order for me." I said. "Gage, try not to kill anyone."
I rushed off towards the stage. I quickly turned on the screen and picked up one of the microphones.
I heard Gage's voice, "Did she do this in heaven?"
I heard Kade reply, "She would love to sing. It got annoying sometimes but she still sounds good. Comes from her mom."
I rolled my eyes and started to flip through the binder of songs. One of the songs caught my eye. Safe and Sound by Taylor Swift. I punched the code into the microphone's keypad. The screen on the TV turned black for a second then turned back on and the music started. Lyrics scrolled onto the screen and the little countdown started in the corner of the screen. The counter reached zero and I started to sing.

"I remember tears streaming down your face
When I said, I'll never let you go
When all those shadows almost killed your light
I remember you said, Don't leave me here alone
But all that's dead and gone and passed tonight...

Just close your eyes
The sun is going down
You'll be alright
No one can hurt you now
Come morning light
You and I'll be safe & sound...

Don't you dare look out your window darling;
Everything's on fire
The war outside our door keeps raging on
Hold onto this lullaby
Even when the music's gone, gone

Just close your eyes
The sun is going down
You'll be alright
No one can hurt you now
Come morning light
You and I'll be safe & sound...

Oooooo, Oooooo,
Oooooo, Oooooo
Lala... Lala...
Lala... Lala...

Oooooo, OooOoo,
Oooooo, OooOoo
Lala... Oh Lala...

Just close your eyes
You'll be alright
Come morning light,
You and I'll be safe & sound...

Oooooo, OoooOooo,
Oooooo, OoooOooo,
Oooooo, OoooOooo,
Oooooo, OoooOooo,

Oooooo, OoooOooo,
Oooooo, OoooOooo..."

When I finished an applause sounded. Everyone was cheering. I blushed through the tears in my eyes and hurried off the stage. My mother sang that song to me when I was little. Kade knew this, he saw my tears and engulfed me in a hug.
"She's alright, I saw her before I was thrown down here. She misses you. She doesn't know what happened to you." He whispered.
"What?" Henry asked around the menu.
"Mother...I miss her." I said into Kade's shirt.
"You've still got your mother's voice. Well, then again, your mother LOVED music and studied it as her field of knowledge." Kade said, letting me go.
"Why don't I take you back-" Gage started to say.
"NO!" I cried. His driving TERRIFIED me.
"Okay, hurtful. I'm only human, I only drive like any other teenager." Gage rolled his eyes.
"Oh, I do NOT know what to say to that." Henry said around the menu.
"Can I start you off with anything to drink?" A female waitress asked.
"Water." We all answered, and she hurried off.
"Give me that." I said, leaning over Gage's lap to grab the menues from Henry, tossing one to Kade.
I scanned the menu, finding Orange Chicken.
"I'll order orange chicken. I haven't had that in a while." I told Henry.
"Their orange chicken tastes like crap." Henry said.
"How do you know what crap tastes like?"
"Umm...I just do."
"I'm going to order it anyway, and then make you eat it."
"Why is there tacos on the menu?" Gage wondered.
"This isn't a very authentic Chinese restaurant. The tacos are probably filled with Chinesey stuff." Henry snapped.
"Hey, you wanted to come here." Gage said
The waitress came over to our table and asked,"Whaat do yoou want to order?"
"Food." Gage answered.
"More specific pleeease."
"Orange chicken, wonton soup, tacos, and uh, more food." Gage said.
The waitress gave Gage gave a weird look, before walking off.
"Henry, don't piss the waitress off. She might force feed you garlic." Gage whispered to Henry.
"Garlic is just some stupid spice everyone hates." Henry replied.
"...True."
"If you guys don't shut up I will force feed both of you garlic."
"NO!" they said in unison.
"Your foooood." the server said as she placed down the steaming plates.
Gage eagerly grabbed his tacos. He bit one open and stared at it openmouthed. I bit back a giggle as he showed me his taco. It was filled with rice and orange chicken.
Henry laughed out loud. "Told you so." he said in a haughty tone.
"I thought you were joking!" Gage protested.
I reached for the plate of orange chicken. I took a bite and made a face expecting it to taste bad. It actually tasted good, with a hint of out-of-place spice.
Henry made a face.
"See what I mean?" he said.
I scowled and said back, "Don't make me shove this down your throat."
He looked horrified and I held in a grin. I knew what the spice was, garlic. Really? Henry, afraid of a little garlic? Doesn't seem right. Does garlic really affect vampires?
"No, I'm just allergic to it." Henry said.
"And next I expect you to say you can't look in a mirror because you don't see your reflection." I joked.
"Ha-ha." Was all that Henry said.
"This isn't that bad." Gage and I said at the same time.
Kade remained silent. I looked at him, to see his skin pale, as he moved his food around the plate, but not eating it.
"It won't kill you, you baby." Gage snapped.
"You sure?" Kade asked.
I looked at him, eating another bite of orange chicken.
"Look, not dead." I mocked, sticking my tongue out like a four-year-old.
Kade shrugged, going back to playing with the plate of orange chicken.
"And I thought Gage was painful to deal with." Henry rolled his eyes.
Henry was nearly shoved out of his chair by Gage, who grinned. They shoved each other, until Gage, at last, fell out of his chair onto his butt. I leaned down, holding out my hand.
"Act like adults, not like four-year-olds." I ordered.
Henry and Gage replied with a meek "Okay." Before going back to their food.
"Oh my gosh, I made an important discovery that could change our lives forever." Kade finally announced.
That shushed Gage and Henry up; They looked at Kade, expecting something profound. Eh...They got close.
"What?" Gage demanded.
"Food...Is...Good!" Kade grinned, before going back to his food.
I covered my face to try to hide my giggling. Gage and Henry had hilarious expressions on their face, I was soon red before I could gasp for air.
"Same old, same old, huh Kade? How did the High Council deal with you?" I chuckled.
"Took days, I was worse than a black dog in holy water." Kade laughed.
For those who are less informed, a black dog is a demonic wolf-dog thing, like a banshee. Dump it in holy water...And it gets bad.
"Huh?" Henry asked.
That shocked me. Henry was the smartest of my human (or sort of) company. And HE was confused.
"Inside joke." I replied simply.
He cocked his head and simply nodded.
Gage put his hand over his mouth in mock shock.
"The great and mighty Henry doesn't what a black dog is?" he said in a gasp.
Henry slugged him on the arm and Gage winced in pretend pain.
"Even I know what a black dog is. A dog that is the opposite color of white." Gage said in the most serious tone he could muster before bursting into laughter.
Kade cocked his head in actual confusion and I covered my mouth to stifle the string of laughter that was about to explode from my mouth.
"Hooow aaare youu dooing? Doo youu neeed aaa reeeeeeefilll?" the waitress said as she passed by our table.
Gage and Henry looked at each other and made a face to contain their laughter.
"No thank you, we're fine." I replied quickly.
"No, you need to speak her language. Noo thaank youu, wee're fiine." Gage whispered, mocking her tone of voice.
The waitress must have had very good hearing because she gave Gage a glare that could kill before taking our empty plates and walking away.
Kade was turning red trying to contain his laughter.
"We better leave soon. She might call the police on us.'We have some obnoxious idiots over on table three. Please handcuff them and take them to an asylum in top security. Double the guards on the one with the blonde hair.'" Henry said.
I cracked up.
"Aww...I was planning on sneaking into Aure's room in the asylum for some fine, raw se..." Gage pouted, trailing off when I glared at him.
I smacked Gage upside the head.
"Ow!" Gage cried.
"No, bad slave. Bad." I scolded.

After paying for the food, Henry drove us back. I was so happy Henry could actually drive, and HAD a liscence, because never again will I let Gage drvie me somewhere. We walked back to the dorm wing of the school.
"I'm telling you, vamps aren't allergic to garlic!" Henry argued.
"Oh really, then why are YOU allergic to garlic when YOU ARE a vamp." Gage said.
"Henny's right. I've known vampires who are ADDICTED to eating garlic." Kade argued.
"I told you, my name is HENRY, you idiot!" Henry snapped.
I stopped, causing the guys to walk into me. I spun around, the lecture in my head ready to come out.
"You guys, seriously, calm down. All you do is constantly hate each other, and I'm stuck in the middle of it. You guys need to put your differences aside, and stop arguing. None of you have friends, you only have me, and all of you think you're my boyfriend. You need to stay with each other and just discover things you guys can AGREE ON. People are out there, who want to kill me, and that very well may happen. So at least try and-" I broke off when I opened my door. Derek and Jones, Gage's goons, were rummaging through my lingerie drawer. "WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING WITH MY UNDERWEAR!?" I shouted, causing them to jump.
"What the hell? I told you just to...Ah..." Gage stopped himself when I realized they were doing what he told them to. I rounded on Gage.
"Hey, I didn't tell them to go through YOUR stuff, I told them to mess up Henry's stuff."
"B-but...We got distracted." Jones said, a pair of my lace underwear in hand.
"Give me that!" Gage said, snatching it away.
"Give ME that!" Henry said, grabbing it from Gage.
"WHAT THE HELL!? It's my underwear, unless you've been borrowing it!" I snapped, snatching it away.
"Out!" I shouted at Derek and Jones.
They scurried off.
I rounded on Gage, who gulped, running off.
"What just happened?" Kade asked.
"Gage sent his goons to destroy my stuff but got distracted since they have a MAJOR crush on Aure." Henry replied.
"They do?" I asked.
"Uh-huh." Henry answered.
"I officially hate Gage and his goons 1000 times more than before." I replied.
"Well...people can't really help but like you Aure." Henry said, looking at his feet.
I felt heat rushing to my cheeks. The moment was broken by a beep from the microwave.
I turned to see Kade pulling an old piece of pizza from the microwave.
"Kade!" I exclaimed.
He nearly threw the pizza at me in his shock.
"You just ate Kade!"
"I'm still hungry." he mumbled grumpily.
Henry coughed trying to conceal a laugh.
I glared at him and Kade took that moment to take the piece of pizza and stuff it in his mouth.
"Kade!" I scolded.
"What did he do now?" a voice said from the doorway.
I whipped around and saw Gage leaning against the open doorframe. He smiled apologetically and I scowled back. He shrugged his shoulders, not even trying to fight back.
"I just came to say sorry and to tell you that Mrs.Stalin wants to see you." he said.
I tried to keep my cool, but I was honestly worried. What was she going to say? Did she figure out that Gage was better and now I was just skipping classes? I don't want to go back to my classes, they're no FUN!
Gage raised an eyebrow at me, challenging me to chicken out. I huffed and stomped out, glaring daggers at Gage the whole time, trying not to melt under his golden eyed gaze. I saw Henry give me a thumbs up out of the corner of my eye. I managed to smile weakly at him as I walked into the hall.

Gage

I watched Aureli as she walked down the hall, her slim figure disappearing from view. Henry advanced on me, looking ready to sock the daylights out of me.
"What?" I asked, thoroughly confused.
"I'll give you five seconds to run before I kill you. Gives me enough time to kill Kade while he eats that month old pizza." Henry growled, jerking his head towards Kade, who was reading the funny comics in the newspaper.
Kade gagged, looking ready to throw up the pizza he just scarfed down.
I snickered at him and he shot me a seriously scary glare.
"I'll kill you before you can kill me." Kade answered simply to Henry's comment.
"Pfft...yeah right..." Henry trailed off, realizing that Kade might be serious.
"Do I still have that five second start?" I asked.
"No. I've lost my patience with you. Hijack my stuff will you? At least do it yourself, cause then maybe your goons won't get you into so much trouble with me." Henry growled.
"What's with you? Have you started to think that you're Aureli's personal bodyguard or something? She'd probably die before you could protect her." I snapped.
I tensed, ready for Henry to strike at me. I wasn't THAT stupid, I know when my big mouth is going to get me into a fight. Kade seemed to be oblivious to our soon to be fight.
"Can we get doughnuts?" Kade asked, stifling a laugh at the funny comics.
If there was one person Henry hated more than me, it would be Kade.
"NO!" Henry and I shouted in unison.
Kade slumped down in his chair like a kicked puppy.
He glared daggers at the funny comics he was reading.
"Aureli would get me doughnuts..." He grumbled.
"Let's get this over with. When Aureli comes back, you two dumbos will be locked in that closet." Henry gestured to the one nearest to me, "And not to mention you'll be dead."
"You can kill me, but make sure to do it without maiming my face. Even when I'm dead I want to look as beautiful as it does now." I retorted, adding as much snobbishness in my voice as possible.
Henry clenched and unclenched his fists like he was having a nervous spasm.
"That's all you ever care about isn't it Gage." Henry said hotly.
"Why of course." I said as calmly as possible, even though I felt like strangling him. I don't know why, but I just wanted to.
Kade sensed the tension between us and jumped between us.
"Donuts, good. Fighting each other, not good." he told us, his face serious.
I had to bite my tongue to keep from laughing out loud. Leave it to Kade to break up a fight.
Henry stared at Kade incredulously, but his arms dropped to his sides and his fists stopped their spasm.For a while, Kade, Henry, and I had a staredown, until I heard a cry of surprise, and Aureli came running in the room, beet red.
"What happened?" Henry asked.
"Stupid new kid, touching...." Aureli's voice became inaudible.
Whoever the new kid was, their so going to be dead. Just from what I heard was enough for me to kill.
Wow, now I sound like Henry.

Aureli

I sat down on the couch, still red. I recalled what had happened when I went to Mrs.Stalin's.

I opened the door to her office, to immediately see her, talking with a boy my age. He had stringy blonde hair, and blue eyes. Mrs. Stalin looked up at me, grinning.
"Mrs.Vaughn, thanks for coming at such a short notice. I was hoping you could show Mr. Greene around, if you don't mind?" Mrs. Stalin said.
I shrugged, before nodding. This 'Mr. Greene' guy turned to me with a smirk.
"Name's Chase. Chase Greene." He said, walking up to me.
"I'm Aureli." I replied. "Come on, I've got to get back to the buffoons in my room which are most likely killing each other for 'dominance'." I air-quoted the words.
Chase chuckled under his breath.

After showing Chase around, I stopped at his room, which was just down the hall from mine. Chase opened the door, gesturing for me to come in. After closing the door behind me, Chase grinned.
"So, you got a boyfriend?" He asked bluntly.
I felt my cheeks heat up.
"Sort of." I said.
Chase frowned, strutting up to me. He pushed me against the wall, practically grinding against me.
"Too bad, since I did have something in mind..." Chase trailed off, his hand going up my half shirt. Before I could stop him, he grabbed onto my boob, causing me to squeak, and shove him away. I opened the door, running to my dorm room, and onto the couch.

"What's wrong?" Gage asked.
"Um...I was molested?" It came out as a question.
"I don't know, you tell us. I knew there was someone Mrs.Stalin wanted you to meet-"
"His name was Chase...I believe his last name was Greene. And next time I run into him, he's dead." I growled.
Henry and Gage shared a look, both paling. They then turned to me.
"What did he do?" Henry asked.
I frowned, looking away. "He was pestering me, and then he pinned me against the door and-"
"That's enough for us to kill him." Gage growled, stomping out.
Henry followed, leaving me with Kade. Kade smiled at me.
"Can we go get doughnuts?" He asked.
I sighed, nodding.

After getting doughnuts for Kade, I returned to Gage and Henry yelling at none other than Chase. He looked to me, and smirked.
"So you've been shacking up with these two? Wow, I thought someone as hot as you would have better standards." Chase said cockily.
That rewarded him with a punch to the face from Gage.
"Haven't you done enough damage? Don't speak to Aureli that way!" Gage growled. "Just because she wouldn't fuck with you, doesn't mean you can be an ass!"
Chase shrugged. "They usually go for vamps."
Henry stifled a grim chuckle. "Yeah, those would be the sluts, not Aureli."
I glared, the temperature in the room seeming to drop. Henry shivered, turning and looking at me.
"I hate when you do that." He said, rewarded with me sticking my tongue out.
Henry rolled his eyes, before turning back to glare at Chase.
"I'm really sick of your disgusting sight, you ass!" He growled. "It was bad enough when you ruined my life, but you crossed the line for trying to rape Aureli!"
"Technically, I didn't rape her-"
"You had the intent!" Gage added.
"Hey, Gage, brother, I haven't seen you in a while. Good to know you and the freak over here had some good taste, though I'm not sure I'd approve of threesomes." Chace greeted, venom clearly laced into the words.

Impressum

Lektorat: Kaori Rose
Tag der Veröffentlichung: 02.03.2012

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Widmung:
I dedicate this book to Kaori Rose and Catari Ray. We came up with many ideas for this book together, after laughing our butts off. I've spent many afternoons laughing about random scenes we are thinking about putting in the book. That's what friends are for right?