Sleeping In A Graveyard

Diana called out to Lamont who quickly ran in and saw the empty room. Lance followed behind him and wondered what was going on until he saw no Marionette.

"Where is she?" Lamont asked quietly knowing that if Kaeden found out he would be up again only worsening his condition.

"I-I don't know. They left her here because she wanted to be alone for a moment. I was going to ask her if she wanted something to snack on." Diana started to worry. She didn't want anything else to happen to Marionette.

"Alright calm down, we'll--" The door bell rang, sounding throughout the house. Lamont sighed wondering who could it be. He knew it wasn't the Varcoli because it was too early for them to determine sentencing and they weren't very well known for house visits, even by messenger.

"I'll get it." Diana rushed down the stairs to answer the door and Lamont looked out the window. He didn't know much about the town that they were in, which also meant he had no idea where Marionette lived. Aurora had only told him so much about where she came from, the only thing he could remember was that they lived on cemetery grounds.

"Lance, do you know where Marionette lives?" Lance nodded his head and Lamont led them downstairs. Diana was standing there smiling nervously at an unknown male. Lamont took in the mans scent and instantly knew he wasn't a vampire, or human.

"Diana?" She looked up at Lamont and was biting at her lip.

"This is Caleb. Kaeden's close friend, Caleb this is the healer, Lamont and Kaeden's friend, Lance." The young man smiled at the two of them, his bright blue eyes piercing through Lance's green ones.

"A ghost? How strange. So, where is Kaeden?" Caleb smiled down at Diana being extremely tall and well-built. Lance looked at the guy shocked and double checked himself to make sure he wasn't giving off any signs that he was a ghost. Surely he wasn't and wondered if this Caleb guy was another vampire.

"Kaeden's in bad shape. That's why I'm here but we have more pressing matters. Lance go find Marionette and bring her back here quickly, she is not to see her family." Lance looked at Lamont shocked. He didn't understand.

"Why not?"

"Marionette is the reason a great vampire is in big trouble. She has to stay here until the...elders figure out what they are going to do. Plus, she's a mortal who knows our secret--" Diana tried to say when Caleb interrupted her.

"Kaeden is in trouble because of a mortal? What's going?" Caleb wondered, he didn't understand anything. His best friend wasn't into mortals, he really never had an interest in women other then sex and blood.

"It's a long story, but we have to find her first. Lance?" Lance nodded his head understanding the circumstances somewhat a little better than before but didn't understand as to why Marionette might be punished.

***

"Why did you come along again?" Lamont questioned, looking over at Caleb. Caleb smiled walking along side Diana as Lance led the way to Marionette's house.

"My best friend is laying in bed, sick, because of a mortal. I'd like to meet the woman responsible for bringing the great Kaeden Sparks to his knees." Lance glanced back at Caleb curious about his statement. Was Kaeden really that well known? That terrifying? Sure he had seen a very different side to Kaeden, a deadly side, but something had broke in him that night too. Lance was even afraid of himself. Somewhere inside him he was very willing to do the same as Kaeden. Wanting to tear Cain apart for hurting Marionette.

"Wait." Lamont stopped everyone as they approached the cemetery. The three of them being able to hear Marionette's faint cries in the distance.

"What is is?" Lance asked at the all looked at him solemnly. They obviously knew something that he didn't. Not knowing that all of them could hear Marionette from this far away.

"I think you should go alone." Everyone nodded their heads agreeing with Lamont. Lance gave them a small smile and then kept walking into the cemetery ground.

He looked around him to make sure no one was watching and fazed through the gate instead of having to climb it in order to get into the graveyard and thought about where would Marionette be for a moment. He made his way past his grave not seeing her anywhere near there and thought of the next place she would go. He had remembered from before whenever she would be really upset she'd run to her grandmother's grave crying about not being able to talk to her sister. He walked over a small hill and soon enough saw her in the distance. Marionette's figure was curled into ball in front of a rather large monument. A statue of a beautiful angel holding a bowl close to its chest.

Lance got closer to see her face stained with tears and clutching the grass as if it could keep her safe. It broke Lance's heart seeing her like this, seeing her suffering. He wanted to help her, he needed to help her. He walked carefully over to her and bent down to her level getting no reaction from her. She just kept her eyes shut not wanting to open them for fear of who she would see.

"Marionette?" She stirred and looked up at him surprised. She hadn't expected to see Lance, part of her thought she would run into her parents and her greatest fear was that she would see Cain. She sat up and wiped her tears away and sniffled.

"What are you doing here?" Lance smiled at her and took her hand. He helped her up and kept his hands gently placed on her shoulders.

"I know you're in pain and want the comfort of your home, but you can't be here just yet." Marionette looked down at the ground sadly taking hold of Lance's shirt and grasping the end of it.

"It's because of what Kaeden did, isn't it?" Lance nodded his head and brought her into his arms. She had a feeling that that was the reason she couldn't be with her family. She was now apart of a world her family knew nothing about and putting them in danger was the last thing she wanted to do.

"They're waiting for us by the gate. Kaeden and the others will keep you safe, I believe that. Do you?" Marionette thought about it more, knowing that putting her family at risk wasn't the only reason it was a bad idea to go home. She had barely begun to heal emotionally from the attack and didn't know how to go about that with her family. She also knew very well that Kaeden would keep her safe as would Lance.

"Yes, but you'll keep me safe too, right?" Lance smiled down at her and held her tighter.

"You know it." With that they made their way back to the where the others were. Marionette took notice to the new face that was with them and grabbed onto Lance's hand. When they were both past the gate Lamont gave her a quick check of the visible injuries she had to made sure none of them got worse. Diana smiled at her softly as the man looked like he was on the verge of tears seeing the damage that had been done to her body.

"Never do that again, do you understand? Kaeden would have our heads if something happened to you while he was out." Diana told her and Marionette nodded her head glad that she was so well cared for.

"Who's that?" Marionette asked softly, looking up at the handsome young man with bright blonde hair and icy blue ices.

"I-I'm Caleb. A close friend of Kaeden's." He held out his hand and she stared at it for a moment before reaching out and shaking it, still holding onto Lance for dear life.

"Alright, let's get back." Lamont piped and they all headed back to the house.

When they got back to the house both Cordelia and Sion were waiting for them by the front doors. Sion seemed to be upset as did Cordelia, Sion pacing back and forth.

"Do you know how late it is? Where have all of you been...and what's Caleb doing here?" Cordelia questioned staring at Caleb dumbfounded.

"Well, you invited the family over, remember? I came early." Caleb gave them a small smile as Cordelia's eyes widened. Sion's mouth dropped slightly as he glared over at Cordelia.

"He's about two weeks early, we have time!" Cordelia quickly defended herself and then looked at Marionette. She walked over and took her face into her pale hands. She was truly worried about the girl seeing the marks on her body. Marionette was in a pair of pants and a t-shirt but the damage was still able to be seen in other areas only making you wonder about the rest of her body.

"Are you okay? Would you like some dinner?" Marionette looked up at Cordelia shocked but slowly nodded her head.

"I want to see Kaeden first." She stated suddenly looking around at everyone.

Her big blue eyes were puffy and red from crying and the look she had on her face made it hard for anyone to deny her. Lamont stepped forward and told her that she might not want to see him because of the condition he was in, but she insisted.

"Lamont, please." He nodded his head and took her to him. In the front, everyone parted as Lance went with Diana to fix up Diana's room to fit Marionette, Cordelia to the kitchen to prepare dinner and Sion went upstairs with Caleb to ready Kaeden's room for another guest.

Marionette walked slowly to where Kaeden was resting to see him getting a blood transfusion and looking horribly pale. She didn't understand why he was in such a state figuring that vampires were strong creatures, immortals.

"What happened?" She looked at Lamont who was checking up on Kaeden. He looked at her and let out a small sigh.

"Garlic. We're highly...allergic. It had been injected into his blood stream." Marionette nodded her head in understanding wondering how many of vampire folklore was true. There was so much she wanted to ask and learn about but she knew she had caused enough trouble. Something told her the more she knew the more dangerous her situation might become.

"You should go with the others and get something in your stomach. If your sister knew-"

Marionette looked at him shocked, her mouth dropping. "My sister? You're Lamont Sterling?" He was surprised not thinking that Aurora would say something about him but apparently she had.

"Yes. Surprised, huh?" Marionette nodded her head and began wondering if her sister knew.

"Does she?"

"Yes. I told her sometime ago. She's fine with it." Marionette looked back down at Kaeden, smiling to herself.

She would have never thought her sister of all people would be okay with dating a vampire but apparently she was. She was amazed that she had taken it so well, then again, Marionette herself hand easily accepted all of this without thinking twice. However, she did have the evidence to prove that vampires very well did exist.

"Well, you should go eat. Oh and by the way, no one here knows I'm dating your sister, except Kaeden. Please keep it that way?" Marionette nodded her head and headed back up the stairs. She heard voices that she thought she recognized and decided to follow them into a bedroom. The door was open and inside was Diana and Lance sitting there talking with one another. Diana smiled at her and stood up opening up her arms.

"This is my room, you'll be bunking with me. Hope you don't mind." Marionette looked around. Diana's room had been painted a dark blue with black trimmings and antique looking furniture. Black and white lace curtains decorated the windows and off to the side of the room was another bed dressed in deep purples while the bed Lance was sitting on was dressed in dark greens. Marionette admired the room, loving every inch of it.

“Wow. Thank you." She said as she smiled up at her not really believing that one of the most popular girls in school was talking to her and inviting her into her room. Not to mentioned the fact that she was apart of a vampire family.

"No problem."

"Um...will we still be going to school? What about my parents?" Marionette started to ask remembering it wasn't going to exactly be easy for her to just stay her without a reason and she definitely didn't want to miss school. Diana chuckled at her and Lance smiled at her.

"I'm amazed. You're worried about such trivial things after what you've been through. You truly are something, Marionette." Diana commented making Marionette blush.

"T-Thanks."

"That's Netty for you." Lance said standing up, Marionette glaring at him her cheeks red hot. Diana looked between the two and giggled.

"Don't call me that!" Marionette muttered harshly causing Lance to erupt in a small fit of laughter.

"Sion's going to bring you a bag of your things from your home along with explaining things to your parents...in a sense. And we'll still go to school, as long a you're up for it. We don't that that long left anyways, with December coming." Marionette smiled and hugged Diana tightly. She was very grateful that they were going to take such good care of her.

"Thank you so much!" Diana smiled, hugging her back and laughing at Marionette's reaction. Lance smiled along with Diana, happy to see Marionette beginning to act like herself again.

"Well now that that's settled, want to go eat?"