True Darkness

"I asked you a question. Who. Are. You?" Julian spat.

"Julian! Stop it! That's no way to treat a guest!" I scolded and went to step between the two but Julian's hand flew out behind him stopping me in my tracks. This wasn't good. This wasn't good at all.

"No Libitina, you stop it. We do not know this man. We don't know if he's safe. We do not have time to be having guests. You need to get it into your head that there are people that want to kill you out there. We can't just bring anybody into our place. He could be a spy!" Julian snapped at me.

My eyes widened at his tone and I bristled with anger. I was sick of all this fighting. What is the point in it? We're supposed to be fighting our enemies, not each other, but all it seems we can do is argue. Julian and Ashton. Julian and Lamia. Julian and Sebastian. It all came back to Julian. Every single time.

"Libitina-" Sebastian began to warn me. It was as if he could sense my anger. As Sebastian spoke Julian pressed the scythe harder against his throat. I growled and threw myself between the two.

I lifted Julian into the air with the power I had been enhancing these past few weeks. He flew up to about thirty feet and I held him there. I was aware of the wind whipping around us, as the extent of my power caused the atmosphere to change, causing my hair to fly out in all different directions but I did not care. I could feel the power pulsating through my ever morsel of my body. It was riveting.

"Listen to me Julian! That is no way to treat a guest! And that is what he is. A guest! His name is Sebastian and he is here to protect me. He's here to help. And so far he's done a much better job then either of you. He's saved me from getting stolen from some guy who probably worked for my Mother and he's saved my life while Ashton took his time. If Sebastian wasn't there I would probably be dead! He is a guest. He is here for me. He is here to fight. You will treat him with the utmost respect! Do you understand?!" I yelled

A bolt of lightning, from God knows where, whipped Julian across the face. I watched as his skin parted, making way for the red liquid to race to the surface, battling among each other in the desperate bid for freedom.

I grew frustrated with his silence despite my obvious question. So I strengthened my hold on him, shifted all my power as to ensure I was holding him up by his throat. His hand flexed and released his scythe which hit the floor. It didn't bounce.

"I said: Do. You. Understand?!" I screeched at him and felt the power shift as he tried to nod.

It hit me then what I was doing. What my power was doing to me. It heightened my emotions. When combined with the wrong one it was too powerful. It took over. I lost control. I wondered why no-one had stopped me. Why Ashton or Lamia hadn't rushed to my side to try and calm me down. But when I looked up at Julian's body floating in the sky I realised why. They were scared of me.

I felt a trickle fall from my nose and lifted a hand to wipe it away only to discover the warm, red substance on my hand. My own body was betraying me. A wave of nausea hit next along with a splitting headache. I wanted to look to someone for help but I knew if I lost my focus Julian would drop and from thirty feet up it wouldn't be a pretty landing.

I staggered slightly as my vision darkened. I saw the panic in Julian's eyes as he dropped five feet before I managed to catch him again. I hoped he didn't think I was playing with him. My power faltered as I staggered again, allowing Julian to drop, but this time when I tried to catch him again, I found my eyes shut and my legs giving way. I was sucked into a puddle of darkness. My own subconscious had failed me.

* * *

When I woke I did my usual routine. Yawn, stretch and roll. But this time, as I caught myself before I hit the floor silently, I realised I wasn't alone. I looked over to the door way where Sebastian crouched, both legs pointed out, ready to spring, while his hands were folded neatly in his lap. His feet were poised to move, the heels of his feet hovering above the ground. All in all it looked rather uncomfortable.

He had his back to me and his shirt and waistcoat were folded beside him. Sebastian had scars. A lot of scars. The most prominent were the two black lines, almost in the shape of two bass clefs facing away from each other. I wandered over to him, my arm outstretched, my fingers tingling at the thought of touching them. I was so close. So very close.

Sebastian grabbed my wrist and stopped me. I looked at him and he was frowning slightly.

"What are you doing?" he asked suspiciously.

"Your scars... They're so big." I stumbled out.

"They were where my wings were. Now what were you doing with your hand?" he asked again.

"I was going to touch them." I said innocently and looked to the floor, a blush creeping up onto my face.

My wrist was released and it fell limply to my side. When I looked up Sebastian was on one knee, his back facing me again. I frowned, confused at what was happening.

"Feel free. Touch whichever you like. I can tell you about any which peak your interest." he said simply.

My hand sprung forward and my fingers traced the remains of his wings. I felt sorrow wash through me that he would never fly again. Never be an angel again. Never have that freedom and purity. I felt him shudder slightly and removed my hand before replacing it on a circular scar with ragged edges.

"That was a leech." he said bluntly.

"That's a big leech." I replied.

"It had teeth too. There are a lot of things in your world you do not understand." he stated and stretched his arms forward.

I moved onto a lightning bolt, much like the ones on my neck. I, at first, thought it was a tattoo but after feeling the raised skin beneath the black I knew I was mistaken.

"And this one?"

"I had a run in with a God. Accidentally made a fool of him in front of his arch angels. He left his mark so I would never forget." Sebastian said and chuckled. I felt the vibrations beneath my fingers.

"There's more than one God?" I asked. I didn't even believe in the one God we had.

"Yes. There are many. Each have their own army of angels. It's quite an extravagant battlefield up there. As if everyone is expecting to have to fight for their lives at any second." he replied.

I nodded as I looked at his other tattoos. I was about to ask about another when he spun to face me, catching my wrists again.

"You're very powerful, you know. More powerful than I could have anticipated." he stated.

"What can I say? I'm full of surprises." I laughed.

"You are. You passed out. You're body couldn't take the amount of energy you were using. It began to fight back. You lost control didn't you?" he asked, looking me dead in the eyes.

I swallowed and looked to the ground before nodding softly, completely ashamed of myself.

"When the time comes that might be useful. But you should learn to control it." Sebastian said.

"I'm trying." I mumbled.

He laughed and I frowned at him.

"You know. I'm not sure you need me. Maybe I should go onto other things." he laughed and looked down the hall.

I grabbed his arm and looked at him, not releasing his gaze.

"No. I need you here. I've seen what you can do. There's no way we're going to beat them by ourselves. They'll kill me then they'll kill my friends. I need someone here who can protect them for when something happens to me. That person is you Sebastian. You have to stay. For them. For me." I said and I meant every word. I had accepted that I would die but I refused to accept that they would as well.

Sebastian grinned at me and bowed.

"Whatever you wish, my lady."

"Good. Now come on. We need to go make sure that girl is okay." I stated and left, Sebastian close behind.

I wandered the corridors, not knowing where she would be, until we came across Lamia. She was sat on a beam above us, stretched out with an arm and a leg dangling down towards us. She reminded me of a cat. I quickly glanced to Sebastian only to find him smirking at Lamia's current composure.

"Ehm..." I cleared my throat and watched as Lamia sat up, staring down at us.

"Oh hello!" she said and wrapped her legs around the beam before lowering her upper half to us. She was hanging upside down as she regarded me carefully. "Nice to see you're up again. You did some serious damage sweetie." she laughed, swinging herself slightly.

"Interesting." Sebastian said. We both turned to look at him as he inspected Lamia closer.

"What?" she snapped, clearly annoyed at the staring.

"It's just that, for a vampire, you're rather different. Rather energetic." he mused.

Lamia pulled herself back up to the beam, gripping it with her hands, as she flipped herself over it and landed gracefully in front of me. I laughed as she did a small curtsey and stood up straight again.

"It's a pleasure to be of interest. I'm incredibly agile and graceful too. My Mother was part Neko. The gene missed Ashton though..." she trailed off, looking around her.

"Oh. So you and the boy are brothers?" Sebastian asked.

"Of course. Although I got all the looks." Lamia laughed and turned to face me. "So, what's got you so lost?" she asked.

"I'm looking for that girl we brought in last night..." I started.

"Oh Stacey? Yeah she's through those doors there." Lamia said and pointed but my eyes were glued to her.

"Stacey? As in the Siren Stacey? The one who completely hates me?" I demanded.

"Yep. You saved a bitch!" Lamia laughed.

"Oh great." I moaned.

"Is there something wrong, my lady?" Sebastian asked from beside me, frowning slightly.

I glanced up at him and shook my head.

"Nothing I can't handle. And you really should put a shirt on Sebastian. You're extremely distracting." I said and averted my eyes.

"I'll say." Lamia commented, giving him a once over.

Sebastian chuckled and bowed to me.

"As you wish. Please wait right here."

And with that he was gone. It was almost as if he had just disappeared, but I had seen the blur and the small breeze behind him indicated that he had indeed run. I turned to look at Lamia but she was already grinning, slyly at me.

"You need to tell me everything about him." she said inclining her head the way he had disappeared.

I opened my mouth to reply but Sebastian materialised in front of us again, his shirt partially unbuttoned and his waist coat in hand. I mouthed "later" to her and raised an eyebrow at Sebastian's smiling face. He wasn't even the slightest out of breath.

"I apologise for not being fully dressed. I merely did not want to keep you two waiting any longer as that would have been incredibly rude of me." he stated.

"Dude... You were gone for like two seconds." Lamia laughed.

"Oh come on! Lets go visit the wicked witch of the west." I moaned and slumped towards the door.

"Be careful Sebastian. She'll be all over you like a fly on a pile of s-"

"Goodbye Lamia!" I cut her off and smiled as her laughter floated over to me from her place on the beam.

"I'm positive I shall be perfectly safe from the Sirens grasp. I do not deserve such attention anyway." Sebastian said innocently from beside me. I stopped and eyed him carefully, looking for some hint of a smile but there wasn't one.

"You're kidding right?" I asked, expecting him to begin to laugh at me but again he stayed deadly serious.

"I must apologise, my lady. I do not understand your question." Sebastian replied frowning.

"Huh." I said as if I'd just discovered a vitally important thing and carried on through the double doors.

I stopped dead in my tracks as I saw Julian lying still on the bed opposite me. I shut my eyes quickly but the image was burnt onto my eye lids. I shook my head from side to side, trying to erase the image as if it were an etcher-sketch. I had killed him. I had killed him! I covered my ears and sank to the ground as Sebastian stepped through the doors. He picked me up instantly and placed me on an empty bed. I could feel the vibrations as he tried to talk to me but I couldn't hear him. The only thing I could hear were three words.

It's your fault.

Over and over again, they ran through my mind, accusing me every time they spoke. I began to cry and my hands were wrenched away from my ears.

"My lady! You need to open your eyes. I do not understand what is wrong!" Sebastian called, worry layering his voice.

I didn't open my eyes. I sat up and threw my arms around the Fallen's neck, shaking my head from side to side as I cried into his chest.

"It's my fault! I killed him! It's my fault!" I repeated until Sebastian pulled me away.

"Who? Who did you kill?" he asked me, frowning.

"Julian you fool! He's dead!" I snapped as I gestured over to his still body.

"The Reaper? He is not dead, madam. He is merely resting. Please. Come and see." he smiled as he led my shaking frame off of the bed and over to Julian's side. I frowned at what I was seeing.

"But he must be dead! Look at his wounds." I sobbed, disbelief dropping with every tear.

"No you are mistaken. He had a hard fall but he is strong. He has three broken ribs, a fractured ankle, a rather deep cut across his face and swelling around his throat but otherwise he will be fine." Sebastian explained calmly.

"But... why isn't he waking?" I asked. I had made a lot of noise. He should have woken up to that.

"Vampires blood. It has knocked him out so it can get to work on repairing his body. It is merely wonderful stuff but unfortunately does not work in a Fallen's body. Our immune system destroys it the moment it comes in contact with us." Sebastian chuckled.

"Oh..." I said and sank to my knees beside Julian, taking his hand and leaning my forehead against it. "Please be okay." I whispered and screwed my eyes up tight.

"What on Earth is making all that racket?!" an all too familiar voice screeched from behind us.

I sighed and stood up, turning to face the owner of the monstrosity.

"Oh no Stacey. Don't worry. It's fine. We save people every day." I said sarcastically and glared at her but she took no notice of me. She was too busy staring at Sebastian.

"Well hell-ooooo Cutie! How did I not see you when I came in?" she purred and walked towards him, holding out her hand.

Sebastian took it and shook it firmly before releasing it again.

"Good evening. My name is Sebastian. I apologise if we woke you." he said calmly.

I smiled as I remembered his introduction to me. How he kissed my hand and had that cheeky wink as he caught me staring at him. I wondered why he didn't do the same with Stacey.

"Oh no, no, no. Don't you worry about a thing. This place is too quiet anyway. It needs a bit of life." she said and gave him a once over. I frowned at Stacey and rolled my eyes. Pathetic.

"No I must apologise. We had a little bit of an incident. But it shall never happen again." Sebastian said and looked at me before returning his gaze back to Stacey.

"Hm? We?" she asked. I sighed and shook my head. What was the point?

"Yes we. Myself and-"

"You know you should hear me sing. People tell me I have a wonderful voice. Would you care to listen?" Stacey purred and leaned towards him, walking her fingers up his chest and bobbing him on the nose gently.

I growled and stepped forwards, shoving her away from Sebastian and glaring.

"If you even do so much as open that mouth to sing I will kill you. Have you got that?!" I snapped at the Siren.

She blinked and shook her head, her eyes finally focussing on me as she raised an eyebrow.

"Oh. Hello again Libitina. How strange to run into you here." she said, while standing and walked towards me. "You know, it's not polite to shove. Especially not someone in my condition." she spat and pushed me backwards. I tripped and fell, sliding across the floor, bumping Sebastian as I went.

"Oh deary me, look at that. You fell. You really shouldn't be so clumsy Libby. You might get yourself hurt." she hissed and glared at me. "I don't think you've had the pleasure to be introduced. Libitina that's Sebastian. Sebastian that's someone not worth bothering about." she laughed and walked back over to him, laying a hand on his chest.

Sebastian looked down at her hand and pushed her away, gently, forcing her to take a step back. He walked over to me and bent to help me up, helping me brush myself down, before turning back to Stacey. His face was as hard as stone as he looked at her dead in the eye.

"In fact I have had the pleasure of meeting dear Libitina and if you lay on hand on her again I will kill you where you stand." he growled, both of his eyes glowing white as his pupils extended, nearly filling his eyeball.

Stacey gulped and took a step back.

"You're some sort of freak!" she accused and took another step back as if she were about to run.

"I wouldn't do that if I was you." I said to her. "Sebastian?"

"Yes, my lady?"

"Make sure she doesn't leave." I said, not once looking away from Stacey's wide eyes.

"My pleasure."

He was behind her in a second, his arms looped through hers, meeting behind her neck, as he lifted her and holding her there while she thrashed about.

"Let me go you freak!" she screeched.

"Not until you answer my question Stacey." I countered.

"I wasn't even talking to you!"

"No. But he won't let you go until I tell him to. So the quicker you answer my questions the sooner you shall be released." I explained.

"Fine!" she snapped and let herself fall limp.

"What did that man want with you?" I asked, frowning.

"I don't know! He said something about my voice being useful or something. Next thing you know you're there and I'm asleep." she said, glaring at me as she dangled.

"Fine. Did he say what his name was?" I asked.

"No. For crying out loud Libitina! This isn't the movies. Criminals don't go around telling their victims their names and their plans!" she yelled.

"That isn't going to help Stacey." I said calmly even though I wanted to punch her so very much right now.

"Look he didn't say his name alright. He didn't tell me anything. He just said they needed my voice. I don't even know who they are!" she hissed.

"You're no use. At all. I suggest you go home and you hide until one of us comes and tells you otherwise. Because honestly Stacey, there's a war coming and the chances are we won't make it out of here alive. But you better hope I do. Because if I don't they're going to come looking for all of our kinds next and believe me, it won't be pretty." I warned and nodded.

Sebastian let her go and she fell to the floor in a heap of blonde hair and short dress. I looked at her with disgust as she picked herself up and ran out of the room.

"Well... That went well." Sebastian commented from beside me. His shirt was creased. It would need ironing now.

"I just wish there was a way we could make her forget about what she had just seen but remember to stay inside for a small time." I sighed and looked to the ground.

"Consider it done. As soon as she steps out of those outside doors, she'll forget everything she's just seen, with only the memory of her knowing she has to stay in for a while." Sebastian smiled at me but I frowned.

"What do you mean?" I asked, honestly confused.

"Mind tricks love. It's all part of the power." he said and tapped his skull.

I frowned but ended up laughing away to myself. What a surprise.

"I should have guessed. You're pretty much perfect as it is. There's literally nothing you can't do." I laughed.

Except fly, a cruel voice said from the back of my mind but I pushed it down and shooed it away.

When I looked up it was Sebastian's turn to frown. I shook my head and his confusion and laughed even more.

"Never mind. Come on! Let's go find out where Ashton is and tell him about Stacey!" I giggled and began to leave the make-shift ward, casting a glance back to Julian's still sleeping form.

"Lead the way, my lady." Sebastian said from behind and followed me calmly.