RockScars

When the night finally came, Twyla opened her eyes slowly and found herself still in the arms of Shadows. She smiled to herself while thinking that if this was heaven she never wanted to leave.

“Unfortunately, this isn’t heaven, but you can stay as long as you like.”

Twyla laughed to herself and turned around to face him. “You read my thoughts?”

“Couldn’t help it, I was bored.”

“You didn’t sleep at all?”

“Nope, I just laid here watching you the whole time.”

Twyla sighed and reached up to touch his face. “I guess we have to get up now.”

“Yeah,” he nodded. “I have to go get your sister soon. She’s probably turned the manor upside down by now and there some news about Daisy that Zacky wants to talk to the guys about.”

“They found her?”

“I don’t know. I don’t really know anything about it actually.”

"Why don’t you tell her how you invaded the dreams of her baby sister? Creep much?"

“I hope she’s alright.”

“Me too,” he nodded and sat up taking her with him.

“Shadows?”

“Yeah,” he said tipping her chin up and pecking her lips softly.

“Do you think Lark will be ok with this? With us I mean.”

His lips formed a tight line while he thought about her question. “I don’t know. I think we just need to ease her into it and hope she understands what we have.”

“I guess,” Twyla shrugged. “I just know she worships the ground you walk on and I don’t want her to feel like I’m taking you away from her. Especially since you and I haven’t been on the best of terms and now all of a sudden we’re lovers.”

“Yeah, well the days of you being on bad terms with me are over right?”

Twyla smiled. “Yeah. I was stupid to be angry with you for so long.”

He rubbed her arms lightly when she hugged him. “Can I ask why you were so angry with me?”

Twyla sighed. “I don’t know if I should tell you, it seems so minor now.”

“Please?”

“Ok.” She eased back from him and he helped her slip her arms through his robe. Her voice was small as she spoke. “Remember the day when it happened? When my parents died?”

“I’ll never forget it.”

“I think in someway my father knew it was coming because that morning he took me aside and told me that no matter what happens, I should stay strong and not cry. He made me promise him I would be a big girl and not cry.”

Shadows listened intently while Twyla recalled the memory of that day. “When it started, I was terrified and I didn’t know what to do. I hid like he told me to do and didn’t come out until Vengeance came and got me, but by that time they were already dead.”

He pulled her closer to him and hugged her gently while she continued. “When Zacky told me that they were gone, I didn’t know what I was supposed to feel. I didn’t know if I was supposed to be upset or ok or what. I just knew my parents were dead and after a while, I went to my room and that’s when it happened. I broke my promise to my dad.”

“How so?” he asked.

“I cried and I not only cried, but I cried like a baby. I tried not to, I really did. Then, you walked in to my room.”

“I remember that. You screamed at me and told me to get out and as I recall it, every other word out of your mouth was four letters.”

Twyla laughed lightly and nodded. “Yeah, I picked up a bit of a colorful vocabulary being around all of you. So now you know why I have been so angry so long.”

“Actually, no I don’t.” he laughed. “What does me walking into your room have to do with you holding a grudge against me for all these years?”

Twyla’s expression saddened. “When you walked into my room, you saw me crying. You saw that I broke my promise to my father. I was weak and I hated that you knew it too. So I tried like hell to be as mean as I could to you to prove otherwise.”

Shadows face narrowed. This was not what he was expecting. “So wait a minute. All of your anger towards me over the years was about a promise?”

“Yeah, pretty stupid, huh?”

Shadows put his hand on her cheek. “You’re an idiot, honey.”

“Excuse me?” She said slapping his hand away.

He laughed and reached for her again pulling her closer. “I mean that most affectionately. Twyla, you were just a kid. When I went to your room, it was to comfort you. I never would have held it against you for crying. Hell, it surprised all of us that you held up as well as you did. Never for a single second would I ever think you weak. Your father made you make a promise that was impossible to keep. It was and still is ok to cry.”

She sighed and leaned against his chest. “It was easier to be angry then. I still get mad sometimes.”

“That’s ok too,” he said and kissed the top of her head.

“Did they love me?”

“What kind of question is that? Of course they loved you!”

Twyla eased back again and Shadows somehow knew the direction that the conversation was about to take. “Then why Lark?”

“What are you asking?”

“Why was she in the will and not me too?”

“Twyla, I don’t have an answer for that. I just know your sister has a purpose and it’s my job to help her with it.”

“So if she was the so called chosen one what the hell did they have me for? Shits and giggles?”

Shadows let out a long exasperated sigh and set his hands on her shoulders. “Hey, I don’t want to hear you talking like this anymore. You need to stop thinking that you are nothing, because maybe to some of us you are everything.”

Twyla’s mouth slowly started to open, but she was too stunned to say anything. His lips covered hers before she could even utter a single word. “If I have to shut you up myself, I will. Got it?”

She nodded after being thoroughly kissed and Shadows just shook his head and smiled to himself. “Come on, let’s get dressed and get over to the manor.”

“Ok,” She took his hand as he helped her off the bed. He walked her back to her room and left her to change while going back to his own room to get dressed.

-------

Vengeance was pacing back and forth in his office in front of The Rev, Shadows and Gates. “Your sure you didn’t see anything at the house?” His question was directed at Gates.

“Nothing,” Gates shook his head disappointedly. “The place was abandoned.”

Vengeance nodded acknowledging Gates. “Maybe it wasn’t the right house.”

“Stupid.”

Vengeance’s eyes met Lark’s as she sat pouting with her arms folded across her chest. She had been sitting behind his desk in his chair watching him the whole time.

“Did you say something?” he said to her.

She nodded in response and kept the pout on her face.

“Care to repeat it?”

“I said stupid.”

Vengeance nodded and leaned forward bracing his hands on his desk. “What were you referring to, Lark?”

“You,” she said pointing at him. “You’re stupid.”

“Really,” he nodded. “Why am I stupid?” It wasn’t easy for him to hide his annoyance with her, and at this point, he didn’t bother.

“She’s in the basement! I saw her and now Daisy is gonna die because you don’t believe me.”

“Lark, no one said they didn’t believe you. The guys went to the house, but it was empty.”

“IT’S NOT EMPTY!!” She shouted. “They didn’t look in the basement!!”

Vengeance craned his head around and looked at Gates. “Did you check the basement?”

“We didn’t find a basement,” he shrugged. Shadows slapped Gates on the back of his head.

“Go back,” Vengeance snapped and then turned his attention to Shadows. “Go with them.”

When Vengeance turned his attention back to Lark, she still had her hands folded across her chest. “They are going back. Ok?”

Lark nodded approvingly.

“Anything you wanna add, boss?” Vengeance asked.

“Yeah,” she nodded and looked at the three guys standing in a row. “Don’t come back without Daisy.”

“You heard her. Now go.”

There was a mixture of grunts and nods as they filed out of the office. When it was just Vengeance and Lark left, Vengeance stood and crossed his own arms across his chest and looked across the desk at her. “Happy now?”

“Yes.” Her tone was just as snappy as his was.

“You and I need to have a chat about your attitude.”

“No, we don’t.” She shook her head in a sign of defiance.

“Yes, we do.” He leaned over the desk and narrowed his eyes at her. Lark leaned forward and scrunched up her face trying as hard as she could to impersonate him.

“Young lady, this is my house and you will respect me.”

Lark shook her head again defying his statement. “I’m a Princess. Remember?”

He laughed lightly. “I remember, but I am a REAL Prince and what I say goes. So, you will watch your attitude if you don’t want to be grounded until your are an adult.”

“You’re not my daddy, you can’t ground me.”

“Oh, I am not your daddy, but I do have the authority to ground you. So, if you want to test that authority then you can keep it up with that mouth of yours, but I suggest that you don’t even try it.”

Lark’s pouty lips started to quiver as if she was trying to fight back the urge to cry. She had no comeback for that. “I am a real Princess,” she said with a cracked voice and a tear slipping down her cheek.

Vengeance laughed lightly and walked around to the other side of the desk. He lifted her up out of the chair and into his arms. “Of course you are, but even Princesses have to behave.”

“Zacky, are you a bad man?”

He sat in his chair and set her down on his lap. “What would make you ask that?”

She wiped a stray tear and looked into his eyes. “You order everyone around and you get mean sometimes.”

“And that means I’m a bad man?”

“And you scare people with your eyes.”

“What else?” he asked curiously.

“You have lots of secrets.”

That peaked his interest. “I do? What kind of secrets?”

“The kind that nobody knows. That’s why they are secrets. I’m little and I know that!”

He laughed a little, but knew full well that her gift was stronger than he’d expected it to be at her age. “What else?”

Lark moved her hair behind her ears. “You know what’s going to happen to Twyla.”

He raised his eyebrow. “You know?”

“Yes,” she nodded. “I saw it.”

Vengeance squeezed his eyes shut tightly and then opened them again. “Is that why you think I’m a bad man?”

Lark let out a sigh of annoyance. “I didn’t say I think you are a bad man. I asked if you were a bad man. Pay attention, stupid.”

Vengeance hissed at her with fangs bared. “I’ve had enough of your mouth. You are now grounded and guess what your punishment is?”

Lark’s eyes widened, but no words came out of her mouth.

“No more cookies. No more playing outside in the yard. No more swimming. No more sleepovers with Jimmy and as of right now, you are not invited to Twyla’s birthday party.”

Larks face went pale and tears started to spill over and run down her cheeks. “I know what your destiny is, little girl and I know that you know what it is too, but that is a long time away. Right now, you are just a little girl and you will respect me. Until you understand that, you are grounded. Am I clear?”

She nodded unable to look away. “Good. Twyla is waiting for you in the living room. Now go.”

Lark climbed down off his lap and walked away with her hanging low and tears running down her cheeks. She stopped at the door and turned to face him. The anger on his face was as real as could be as he looked back at her. “I hate you,” she said and walked out the door to find her sister.