Puppet

Chris' grip on Alice loosened particularly when Ryan came barging into the room almost forcing Brandon to the ground having heard Alice's scream. She stood there petrified of not just the vampire in front of her but of this new creature who had enough control over Chris to convince him to save her life.

"Who are you?" Alice asked meekly taking a step closer towards the new vampire.
"How rude of me, my name is Brandon, Brandon Richter," he said bowing courteously in her direction. She smiled slightly at the gesture and unknowingly began to approach the him. Ryan's face was flushed of all colour and even for a vampire he looked pale.
"What did he do to you?" Ryan asked as he pushed passed Brandon gently touching the wound on the side of her neck.
"It wasn't Brandon," she whispered placing her hands on his chest and looking up into his honey coloured eyes.
"Then who was it?" He asked brushing away the tears that had begun to form.
"Christopher," it was strange but she had come to realise she only used his full name in difficult situation as though he was a child in need of be scolded.
"You son of a bitch," Ryan began as he tried to approach Chris but he was stopped more easily than expected. Alice placed a firm grip around his wrist and simply whispered.
"Please don't." Two words were enough to bring him back to his centre and humanity to stop him from launching an assault on the taller vampire in the room.

"Well isn't this interesting," Brandon chuckled from the arm chair he had rested himself on.
"What is you slithering leech?" Ryan replied.
"She can control you. Two simple words and you found yourself in check, won't it be interesting if she chooses our good friend Joshua," Brandon declared his wicked grin so evil it could melt the paint of the walls.
"What are you doing here Brandon? We havn't seen you for four hundred years yet you show up just in time for one of our mates to be chosen hardly a coincidence is it Christopher," Ryan directed his glare in his direction as the singer grinned back at him.
"Whatever are you implying dearest Ryan," he replied the smirk sending goosebumps along Alice's spine.
"Enough with the ridiculous formalities," Alice finally shouted, "Christopher you brought this Brandon guy here. Brandon you clearly aren't here with good intentions so give up the niceties and Ryan you can't let these assholes get to you," she finally said whispering to him whilst caressing his cheek.
"Did our little lesson from before teach you nothing dear Alice?" Christopher snickered from his corner.
"What lesson would that be? The one where you called me a slut for wearing undergarments or the one where you chocked me for telling the truth?" Alice replied with a sarcastic smile.
"Either one will do," he finally replied as he crossed the room heading for the door.
"It was lovely to finally make your acquaintance dear Alice, hopefully we will get to know each other better of the coming days and centuries," he said bowing yet again as he exited the room.

Alice finally turned to Ryan and without thinking kissed along his strong jaw and across his cheeks until their lips finally met in a heated kiss. Her arms tangled around his neck as her hands gripped his hair. Her legs wrapped around his hips as he held her by her ass. The kiss wasn't hateful or greedy both seemed to be getting what they needed from this expression of intimacy. They held each other like this for what felt like days as they pulled away to take a breath they rested their foreheads against each other creating a new form of intimacy. Alice began to blush as she realised the lack of clothes that were involved in this situation. She became acutely aware of the hands that rested on her semi naked bottom and squirmed enough for Ryan to place her back on the ground.

"That was," Alice began but was cut of by a chaste kiss from Ryan.
"Amazing. Don't over analyse this okay just go with what your heart wants," Ryan said as he swept a loose strand of hair from her face.
"I have a date with Josh today," there was no point lying to Ryan he knew just as well as Josh that there was a chance that neither of them would be chosen.
"I know and I'm not trying to pressure you. Don't get me wrong I want you to pick me but if I'm not right for you it's hardly fair for me to stand in your way," with a final peck on the forehead Ryan left Alice to prepare for the day ahead.

Walking into her ensuite bathroom she stared at herself in the mirror. Removing the hoodie she stood in nothing but her underwear and shuddered at her reflection. The blood from her wound had trickled down her chest and had encrusted itself across her skin. She flinched as she touched the wound in an attempt to determine it's severity. She looked at the rest of her body and couldn't help but stare. There were no strange colours, no harsh bruises or large cuts. If it weren't for the gouge out of her neck she would almost consider herself flawless something she had never really been since she was a child. She stepped into the shower and scrubbed the blood from her skin careful not to start the bleeding again once she was dried and dressed she placed a large bandage on the wound and stepped out of her room heading for the kitchen. Before she good reach the staircase she was stopped by a pair of hands on her shoulder.

"Good morning," she heard him say.
"Good morning to you too," you said giggling slightly turning to meet his face. There Josh stood before you in his boxers leaving his chiseled chest and his skin concealed by the multiple lines and colours from his tattoos. She stood and traced the one on his chest that led to his throat. She felt his hand brush against her collar bone brushing away her hair from her shoulder revealing the large white gauze she had taped to her skin.
"What happened?" He asked looking concerned as he gripped her wrists in his hands forcing her to meet his gaze.
"Nothing, don't worry about it," she muttered as she struggled to break free from his hold.
"It's not nothing," he said as he managed to carefully remove the bandage from her throat.
"Josh don't," Alice protested but it fell on deaf ears.
"That FUCKING SON OF A BITCH!" He screamed loud enough for Alice to jump away from him. She didn't know why but she started to run. Pushing herself down the stairs she ran straight into the arms of Devin.

"What's the matter?" He asked confused, "Why is Josh so pissed?" Alice moved her hair away to reveal her wound so Devin could examine it.
"He didn't," Devin gasped.
"It wasn't Josh," she replied weakly.
"Ryan?" Devin asked completely puzzled.
"No," she replied as she met his stare.
"It was Chris wasn't it," all Alice did was nod. "What did you say to make him do that?"
"He threatened me cause I was in my underwear and it wasn't "appropriate" around my future mates friends. So I told him he was a hypocrite for fucking his best friends mate," she said unsure of whether to be proud or ashamed by her actions.
"Don't get me wrong I'm proud you stood up for yourself but maybe pick your battles a little better next time," Devin said grimacing as they heard a thud come from upstairs. Both ran back up the stairs to find Chris pinned to the wall Josh's hands tightly grasped around his throat.

"You promised you wouldn't hurt her?" Josh said through gritted teeth.
"It was merely a flesh wound," Chris tried to reason. "It was an obedience lesson."
"You know that wasn't part of the plan. You were not meant to lay a hand on her just think about Lexi you selfish bastard. I'm done this plan is through find yourself a new puppet to play with." With that Josh dropped Chris to the floor and stormed passed all those who had come to stare at his fury. With one last look in Alice's direction he slammed the front door leaving everyone confused.