Crimson Dreams

I awoke with a smile on my face and cuddled back against the man behind me. I felt breast pressed against my back and I rolled back over quickly. Hayden didn't have breast. I opened my eyes to see a familiar face smiling at me. Sherri was lying in bed with me where Hayden had been when I had fallen asleep. I raised my head enough to see over her and looked around the room. Hayden wasn't in here. Sherri started laughing.

"It's past midnight." She told me.

"Where's Hayden?" My voice was cracked and my throat was dry.

"He left about an hour ago to feed. Alex sent me in here to wake you up."

I raised an eye brow at her. "Alex is here?"

"Him and a few other guards. Alex has moved the timeline up for making Hayden one of his own. He took Hayden off to explain it to him but only Hayden knows and Alex isn't telling anyone anything else. It's apparently serious enough that Marco and Polo have not left Alex's side. Tack has been assigned to you along with Hayden obviously." She started getting out of bed.

"When do we do it?"

"Tonight."

"But doesn't Hayden's master have to be here?"

"Her plane will land in about twenty minutes and six of our men are already in Atlanta to escort her here."

I kicked the blanket off and jumped out of bed with out even bothering to cover my naked body from Sherri. As soon as I was standing I became aware of the pain between my legs. With a little yelp I spread my legs more until the pain eased up a little. I took a few deep breaths and crab walked my way to the bathroom. I healed fast so either I wasn't healing properly or last night was really rough. I was betting on the latter of the two since there were no puncture wounds on my body.

Once the bathroom door closed behind me I took another deep breath and started inching my legs closed. The pain between my legs was intense but tolerable if I focused on it. I kept my legs together while I brushed my teeth and hair to pass the time while the dulled out. When I was comfortable with the level of pain I started trying to walk. At first my steps were slow with me pausing to do a few breathing exercises until I could finish the steps. My body slowly adjusted to the pain and I was walking better. Still a little stiff and with some flinching but enough that I could pass for normal if I focused only on my walking.

Dressing was another fight all together. Putting on my jeans required a few grunts and moans of pain. I didn't even bother with socks and shoes. I was not willing to bend that far over even if my body wouldn't kill me in the process. I pushed on my waist lightly and felt to see if anything was broken. It was painful but nothing moved out of place so I was fine.

I walked back out the bathroom to find Sherri looking at me with a cocked eye brow. With a weak smile I started my controlled walk to her. She shook her head and chuckled and offered me her wrist. I really didn't like taking blood from the vampires unless it was a life or death situation or a broken bone that wouldn't heal fast enough for me to get on with my life. I politely rejected her blood and made my way out the room and down the hall.

I could hear the vampires in my living room talking but I was focusing too hard on my walk to hear anything they said. Sherri walked behind me quietly but I knew she was ready to catch me or hand her wrist over, which ever came first. I bypassed the living room and walked to the fridge and opened it. I gave a little whimper as I tried to reach down to pick up a bottle of water. Sherri giggled before she bent down and grabbed the bottle. When she handed it to me I had the urge to tuck it between my legs but eventually my thirst won out.

"Thanks." I said. And for a lot more than just getting the water.

"I know you don't like it but please accept it." She said as she held her wrist to me again.

"You know how I am about that."

"Treat it like a broken bone."

"I think more than a bone is broken." I said before downing the bottle of water.

"All the more reason to take it."

"I'm fine." My voice wasn't so cracked anymore and my throat felt better. "Alex wanted you to wake me up for a reason so let’s not keep him waiting."

I set the empty bottle down and started for the living room. Step. Breathe. Step. Breathe. If I concentrated than the pain wasn't so bad. I walked into the living room and didn't even bother looking up as I made my way to the couch. I could feel every pair of eyes on me but I was on a mission and no one was going to distract me. I walked to the couch without a flinch or grimace and was about to congratulate myself until I realized I couldn’t even sit down.

"Did you hear me Alex?" Alex's voice sounded amused.

"What?" I asked. No I hadn't heard him.

"The plans have changed and everything has been moved up to tonight."

"Sherri told me." I took a look around the part of the room I could see without turning.

Alex was standing in his usual place behind the chair with Marco to his left and Polo to his right. Tack sat in chair in front of Alex, which is where Hayden normally sat. Gabriel was sitting on the couch where I normally sat and Jason was on the floor between the mans legs as Gabriel braided his long black hair. I had never spent much time around Gabriel or Jason because they had moved in with Alex after I left.

"Some of Nathan's demons will be here shortly."

I took a step back abruptly and bumped into Sherri. I hissed in pain while mumbling some very obscene things as Sherri held her wrist up to me again. I shook my head and pointed to the blanket on the back of the couch. Sherri handed it me and I made my way to the couch again. I took a deep breath and started easing down so I could sit. My head grew fuzzy with pain or knowledge that Nathan's men were coming. What if he decided to come with them? I couldn't tell Alex that Nathan couldn't come with out explaining why.

Sherri eased me to the couch and I laid back with the blanket over me. My legs were spread wide under the blanket but I didn't care. At least with the blanket I had the illusion of privacy. If anyone had the nerve to say anything, I would kill them. Just as soon as I could stand with out screaming.

"Are you okay Alex?" Alex's voice was back to being amused.

"Per-fucking-fect." I said irritably before looking at him and giving a false smile.

I didn't miss the look of disgust on Polo’s face but I did choose to ignore it. I was so not in the mood or condition to fight him right now. Marco looked like he was about to burst into a fit of laughter. I felt the heat creep up my neck and along my face. Marco, Tack, and Sherri had guarded the house last night. No doubt they heard everything.

"Do you not want the demons here?" Alex was wise enough not to say anything about my current state. Sherri's wrist was starting to look good.

"I spent last night killing one sick demon so forgive me if I am not in the demon loving mood." It wasn't a lie because I really had spent the night killing demons. But it wasn't the whole truth.

"Understandable. But Nathan's people are not like Pyro and they are coming to be guards to make sure nothing happens at this gathering."

"Aren't gatherings done without weapons for that same reason?"

"This one won't be. I have seen a fight take place but I am not sure why or with whom."

"What else did you see?"

"Me in a lot of pain. The only reason I can think of that would put me in such pain would be someone killing you." He waved his hands in the air as if to push that thought aside. "I am not taking any chances."

"The vampire that got away?"

"I traced his scent through three state lines before returning. He is not here." Tack finally spoke.

"Could he have come back with buddies?" This was from Sherri.

"I hadn't considered that. I stayed guard here last night." His eyes glinted with laughter as he looked at me. I fought not to blush or wiggle in my seat. "I didn't see or hear him come around the house."

"I didn't hear him either." That fit of laughter that Marco had been containing finally broke lose. He laughed like I had never heard a man laugh before. It was an honest full hearted belly laugh that brought red tears to his eyes.

Sherri and Tack went into coughing fits as they tried to hide their laughter. My neck and face grew hot as Alex looked at all four of us. Polo was looking at his brother as if he had never seen him before. The look on Polo’s face made me forget my embarrassment and start laughing as well. We were all still laughing when Hayden walked in the door. He took in the confused looks of Alex and Polo then the laughing faces of us. Gabriel and Jason sat there just as confused.

"What did I miss?" Hayden asked.

Marco and I started laughing harder while Sherri and Tack tried to control their laughing with another coughing fit.

"The look on Polo’s face." I finally got out as I held my sides. The pain between my legs wasn't as intense since I had them spread. "You would think Marco had grown a new head."

"Apparently your activities last night have left my Alex immobile and these two," Alex motioned to Tack and Marco. "could not pass up the opportunity to make her blush."

"Immobile?"

"Yeah. Ask her to come to you." Tack started laughing harder and I threw one of the couch pillows at him.

"Come to me Angel." Hayden had an amused look on his face.

"I can't." I admitted.

"Try."

I held my hand out to Sherri and she took it before gently pulling me to a stand. Everyone one in this room was family so I didn't try to hide anything anymore. I took a deep breath and started my crab walk to Hayden. Marco, Sherri, and Tack howled with laughter as I giggled and made my way to Hayden's arms. He was barely controlling his own laughter as he enveloped me into in his arms.

"You four are so dead when I can fight again."

"What did I do?" Hayden asked as the other three started laughing again.

"You made me walk to you." I told him with a smile.

"Come on." He swept me up in his arms and I yelped in pain before spreading my legs a little wider. "I'll go fix you."

I heard Alex chuckle as Hayden carried me back to the bedroom. I was still laughing when he set me down on the bed carful not to jar me to much.

"I'm sorry Hayden."

"Don't be, Angel. I have never seen you laugh like you are doing now. It lets me know you are comfortable around your people still."

"Why wouldn't I be?"

"Most of the times when vampires partner outside the line things get weird between them and their line."

"But this line raised me since I was sixteen."

"And that may be the only reason things have not gotten odd." He pulled a silver blade out and dragged it across his wrist before holding it out to me. The wound healed instantly but the blood remained. "Though I do not understand why you didn't get blood to heal from one of them when you first woke."

I licked the blood off his arm before answering. "Sherri offered but I don't like taking blood unless it is a life or death situation or broken bones to keep me from finishing a job." The pain was starting to ebb off and I closed my legs before opening them again. I repeated the action a few times while watching myself. Finally there was no pain at all as I moved my legs and looked back to Hayden. My words died in my throat as I seen the navy blue fire.

"None of that or it would have been a waste of blood." He nodded his towards my legs.

"Sorry." I stood up and kissed his cheek before taking his hand and walking back towards the living room.

"She walks." Marco said with a smirk as we came into the living room.

"Hayden," Alex turned to look at us with a serious look. "We couldn't help but over hear what you said about mixing lines being awkward. I want you to know that Alex has never acted like this around us as a group. She was silly around me when she was younger but as she got older and no longer a child she was only serious around me. She remained silly and herself with everyone else but only one on one. So I believe I speak for all of us when I say thank you for making her comfortable enough to be herself when we are in a group."

There were nods of agreement from everyone in the room. Was I really that bad? I knew I acted differently with each one of them when we were alone but was I really that stand-offish when we were in a group? Had being with Hayden really made me more comfortable with them? I knew the answer to the last question. Yes I was more comfortable with all them now that I was with Hayden. Did I like the change? I don't know.

"As we were saying before people started dropping hints." I changed topics quickly.

"It could be but I honestly don't think it is." Tack said.

"What was the topic?" Hayden and Sherri asked at the same time.

"If the vampire who got away was the one to ruin our gathering."

There was a knock on the door before it opened. The man coming in the door had long red hair and bright green eyes. He didn't have that muscled look like most of Alex's line but I knew there was an unseen strength to him. The first time we had met I thought he was a bad guy. I nearly had my ass handed to me that night. The only reason I had won the fight was because he got cocky and rolled his eyes at me. That brief distraction had cost him the fight. Alex got home to find me standing over him with a sawed off shotgun pressed to his heart.

Lucas nodded to me and Hayden before looking at Alex. "She is set up."

"Thank you Lucas." Alex said to him.

"We don't know who is going to crash the party so maybe we shouldn't do it." Hayden suggested.

"If we don't go through with it, you will remain Rachel's." Alex pointed out.

"But I won't put Alex in danger to win my freedom."

"She's already here and I am fine. We have our guards and some demon friends are going to be there as well."

Hayden gave me a questioning look and I shook my head discreetly. I knew he was wondering if Nathan was going to be there. I didn't think Nathan would break the deal I had handed him when I was sixteen but if he did I would be sure not to let it show. Luckily he and Alex rarely called each other by names.

"And I have moved it up to tonight in hopes of staving off an attack."

"That and we are leaving no later than tomorrow night."

"What?" This came from everyone in the room.

"Umm..." I hadn't come up with a good reason yet. I was doing it to keep Hayden from finding Nathan but I couldn't tell anyone else that.

"I didn't know we were leaving. Surely you would like to stay and have a break after what all has happened in the last few days."

"I want to get away from it." I grasped at what Hayden had said and ran with it. "Get away from what I did to Pyro. Get out of Macon for a bit and take a small break. A week or two."

"I feel you on that one." Marco said.

"What ever you want, Angel." Hayden replied and put his arms over my shoulder. "What time are we meeting you guys?"

"At two. We are going to dress. Please make sure she dresses accordingly." Alex nodded his head and made a motion to the door.

Everyone stood and started filing out the house. Polo didn't stop to say anything but Marco gave me a tight hug and told Hayden to behave. Tack and Sherri kissed Hayden and on the cheeks and Alex simply ran his hand along my shoulder. Jason and Gabriel nodded as Lucas winked at me. When everyone had left the house Hayden took my hand and led me to the bedroom again.

"I have already bought you a dress and we will stop by somewhere to get a burger or something."

"You're going to be as bad as Alex aren't you?"

"What do you mean?"

"When it comes to my clothes. I have a feeling I am going to be practically naked tonight."

"Vampires love flesh, Angel. Not to mention you will be meeting a few very important people to me. I will admit to wanting to show you off."

"Let's get this show started. We have an hour and a half."

"Indeed. You go shower quickly and I will handle the pets. Your clothes will be on the bed when you get out." He kissed my forehead softly before pulling back. "And don't worry about the note Sherri gave you. I put it somewhere you will never find it."

My face flushed and I turned to go into the bathroom. I knew I should have put that note somewhere else but I was too eager to get back to Hayden. I wonder if I could find it. Maybe I should try out of spite. I turned the shower on and started pulling my clothes off. So much had happened in just the past few days. I knew two weeks ago that I was starting to have feelings for Hayden but I didn't know it would go this far. I still thought I was going to end up killing him two weeks ago.