Chapter Twelve:I Promise

He took in a sharp breath.

Eyes opened he stared up at the ceiling, unblinking. Having woken up only seconds ago, the remnants of his nightmare weighed heavy on his mind. Suddenly every part of him was shattered with pain and another sharp breath he took.

Dimitri blinked.


"...d'you suppose?" Melody blinked to Skylar.

"I don't know--"

"Hey, Dim's awake!!" Rayan exclaimed, sitting up suddenly. He winced, as his shoulder stung, but only briefly.

Melody looked over her shoulder, and smiled brightly, taking a seat beside him,"Whew...we're glad you're awake. You've been out for a few hours."

Dimitri turned his head briefly, blinking again, taking a bit longer than normal to recognise her face "Oh, hi." he blinked again "...Where am I?"

The hanyou cocked her head,"We're at Skylar's house." she replied, blinking.

His face went blank, taking even longer to recognize that name "Oh, right," he grimaced, looking back up to the ceiling.

"You holding up okay?" Rayan called from across the room, twitching his ears happily, despite the pain that still etched through his upper body.

Dimitri blinked once more, trying to distinguish the voice. "Oh..." he turned his head again to look at Rayan "Yeah, yeah I'm good,"

"All this conflict must get pretty tiring, huh?" Skylar said, taking a sip of cofee out of his mug,"What matters though, is that you're okay."

Melody nodded, and shifted a bit,"Stupid Nightshade..."

Dimitri suddenly remebered what happened in a painful blur. He sighed. "Well, God dammit,"

"Hey," Rayan sat up, and began to sway in his spot,"At least you'll get a chance to braid my hair!" he burst out in melodic laughter.

Dimitri allowed himslef to smile slightly at him, as he reached into his pocket, grasping the pain killers. He downed a few, glancing around "I'll do that once I can sit up,"

"Okie dokie," Rayan plopped back against the couch, and sighed in content.

Melody looked out to the crimson and orange sky,"Tomorrow'll be better."

Dalamir rubbed his forehead with his index finger and thumb,"It better be..."

Dimitri sighed, scratching the itchy bandages absently, red strands of hair falling across his face. "I miss my old hair,"

"Oh, yeah, I was gonna tell you, but the two rabid girls fighting on the roof kinda knocked me off." Rayan said, flipping his hair back,"That stuff's temporary- it can wash off now."

Dimitri grinned happily, despite his sitauation "Really! Aw... that's fucking great!"

Melody laughed a bit,"Now it can be all pretty and natrual and angelic again!!" she looked at his current hair colour,"Not all...red...and...like that..." she turned a bit red.

His face fell. He would've crossed his arms, or thrown some obscene gesture, but he didn't have the strength to "You mean like your face right now?" he mentally smacked himself for the automatic remark, wincing at his own mental strike inside. He tried pulling himself to a sitting position, but quickly found out it was far too painful and abandoned the task at once. "Well that's great,"

The embrassed red turned to one of annoyance and anger in less than seconds. Melody snarled, and flipped her hair back, replying in a mad and embarassed silence, followed by a quiet,"...yeah."

Dimitri sighed, he winced physically this time at her expression and frowned. "Sorry, it was automatic," he said bluntly, but genuinely "Sorry,"

Melody sighed, and got up,"It's fine, whatever." she said hastily, giving a half smile,"I think I'm gonna hit the hay early." with a half hearted yawn, she waved, walking over to the end of the room to her already set blanket on the floor.

Dimitri watched her for as far as his head would allow before glancing at the others "What time is it?"

"Um," Dalamir glanced at a clock on the wall,"Seven 'o clock." he looked outside to the setting sun,"The days are getting shorter...winter's coming."

From across the room, Melody whined into her pillow, ears twitching irritably.

Dimitri's face reflected her sound "I hate winter." he grimaced "It's cold, wet, you can't go outside cause you'll get frostbitten..." he listed them off, lifting a finger since his other one couldn't reach his hand to tick them off.

"At least you can use your wings to keep warm," Rayan rolled over to face him, his own brother and Skylar,"All I have is my hair...and that friggin' freezes."

"Well that's what coats are for," Dimitri growled at him, how own wings trying to flap pathetically.

"Meh," Rayan tried a shrug, but only ended up wincing instead.

Dalamir rolled his eyes,"An on a much darker note, shorter days means longer nights, which means all Hell'll be doing their best to be rid of us."

Rayan looked to his brother with a vacant expression,"Thanks for bringing the mood down!"

"..." Dimitri glared at him before groaning loudly, muttering several words under his breath, including 'sonofa...' 'Kaine' 'Fucking hell' and 'God dammit'.

"Suddenly I wish I hadn't woken up..."

"Just be lucky that you're capable of waking up," Skylar closed his eyes tiredly,"The bitch could've done a lot worse."

Dimitri sighed, choking back an apology. He reflected on the incident for a moment, before a thought occured to him "Hey Skylar,"

Skylar opened and eye lazily,"Yes?"

"You got some nice wings on ya," he grinned abit "What are you?"

Both his eyes were open, and he stared straight on at him. Suddenly, Skylar burst out into low laughter,"You honestly wanna know? Well, I'll tell you one thing-- I'm no angel."

"I hadn't assumed," Dimitri responded, switching his gaze to the less easier to look at celiling.

Skylar smiled widely, and pushed himself off the wall,"Good." he sighed,"It's not wise to get into things that don't concern you...I'm gonna take a shower then go to bed early. G'night."

Dimitri felt his fist clench and crack audibly as he forced a smile "Night." he wearily trailed his eyes across the room, head tilting to the side slightly before landing on Rayan. He blinked once, eyeing the wound in the elf's shoulder "You sure you're okay?"

"Hm?" Rayan's head perked up a bit. He grinned widely, then nodded,"Mmhmm. I'm fine, no worries! You?"

As Rayan talked on, Dalamir's ears rung to the sound of glass clanging. He turned to the kitchen to see Skylar gripping onto an ice cold bottle of beer, before he dissapeared lazily up the stairs,'Fucking drunk idiot...'

Dimitri blinked, bile rising in his throat at the obnoxious brightness "Yeah..." he glanced at Dalamir following his gaze. He raised an eyebrow.

Dalamir rolled his eyes, and leaned back in his seat,"The guy acts all wise and crap, then the minute we aren't looking he grabs some booze and wastes himself in his room...how intelligent." he muttured, staring idly at the ceiling.

Dimitri grimaced, an unfortunate tingling rising at the back of his throat. He sighed "What a jerk,"

"You hipocrite." Rayan snapped to Dalamir, frowning,"You drink all the time."

Dalamir shot a look to him,"Not all the time...at least I don't have twelve bottles of beer stuffed in my fridge and get the restocked every so often." he retorted, stratching his head,"I opened the fridge yesterday, there were five bottles, and now, there are six more..."

"Could you guys shut-up!--Please, just... ya know..." Dimitri sighed, tilting his head to the side "Like..talk about something else,"

Rayan arched a brow at his sudden outburst, and smiled sheepishly,"Okay, sorry..."

Alegora looked up from the book she'd been flipping through. She opened her mouth as if to say something but decided against it and bit her tongue instead.

Dimitri grimaced, looking back at the ceiling "No problem," he sighed again, exhaling.

Leerah thought, I feel so thirsty, so hungry.....i could...no, i couldnt...

Dalamir shot him a look,"I'm guessing you quit--"

Within seconds, a shoe colided with the side of Dalamir's head,

"Knock it off," Rayan scowled, brow furrowed,"Don't press on the subject, you big subject...presser!!"

Dimitri eyes shifted into cold steel, glaring the Elf with iron "Yeah, I did, many years ago if you must know, dear Dalamir,"

Dalamir rubbed his head, and discarded Rayan's shoe on the floor,"Fine, dammit." he got up, and stormed over to Melody. He snatched the pillow from her grasp, and made his way to the hallway,"I'm sleepin' in the hallway. Good night." he hissed.

Melody whined, and looked up after him irritably,"Ack! You jack ass!!"

Dimitri once again would've crossed his arms, but in no position to do so cursed very darkly under his breath for a replacement.

Melody glanced briefly to Rayan and Dimitri, soon afterwards placing the side of her face against the cold floor,"G'night."

Rayan blinked over at her, and shrugged, shifting uncomfortably,"Meep..." he rubbed his tenses and bandaged shoulder a bit, and turned to face Dimitri,"Well, have a good rest, Dimmy."

Dimitri's fist clenched subconsciously at the name, but he glanced at Rayan in acknowledgement anyways "I shall attempt,"

The elf noticed the slight irritation, and smirked a bit, turning in his spot,"Bai bai and g'night!!" he said, pushing the first two syllables.

Dimitri mumbled some profanity as his cheeks and neck flushed with his remaining blood. "Dammit," he rolled his eyes and shut them, praying for some sleep.

---

Night fell.

Kaine tapped his fingers precariously against the counter, as the bartender slid him his drink. He muttured a small,"Thank you." and took a sip of the alchoholic wonder.

Morgan watched him idly, legs crossed, nails tapping her temple in an unconscious rhythm. She bit her tongue, running the fingers of her other hand along the neck of her own bottle which she hadn't touched yet.

Kaine peered down to her, and lifted the bottle from his lips,"Something wrong?"

"Hm?" she glanced up at him through half closed eyes "Nope." flicking her head to the side in an attempt to get the hair out of her eyes she shrugged "Nothing," finally opening her own drink she guzzled down a bit, looking back at him "What are you gonna do now? If anything at all?"

"I don't really feel like bugging them tonight," he said, staring at his feet,"They're not worth any effort right now."

"I wasn't talking about them," she rolled her eyes, taking another sip and glancing around "I meant in general. You must do some normal stuff still, when's the last time you saw a movie? Or taken the time to, I don't know, get clothes or something. I'm assuming going to some lame bar isn't your idea of fun,"

"..." Kaine stared at her for a while, and laughed lowly,"Unless you consider sex normal, no, not lately," he smirked a bit,"Are you suggesting we do some 'normal' things?"

"Yes," she finished the drink "It'd be nice to feel normal again,"

Kaine paid the bartender, and stood up,"Alright then. If that's what you wanna do."

Morgan smiled slightly, despite herself "Alright. Well then, where do you think we should go?"

---

Leerah burst out of the closet. She realized she had made alot of noise, so, as quietly as she could, she left for the door. I must have something...

"Where are you going...?" Dalamir blinked up at her lazily from his pillow.

"I need to.....I have to go." Leerah said.


Dalamir cocked his head,"...have to go? Go do what?"

Alegora opened one eye and quietly turned he head around so she could see Leerah. She blinked a few times, Damn it, why does she have to wake everyone up on her way to the bathroom or something ...

"Eat." Leerah said, then she walked out the door.

Dalamir blinked, and suddenly remembered the ever so important fact; that she was indeed, a vampire. He sighed, and stuff his fac in his pillow again.

---

"A movie would be nice...or some random mall." Kaine smiled sweetly, and held out a hand to her,"As long as I'm with you, I'm sure it'll be fun." Soon afterwards, his eye twitched and he felt himself turn red. Why the hell did he say that? This was Morgan he was dealing with. As Kaine's face flushed a crimson colour, he cleared his throat, looking like a suddenly wreck.

Morgan slowly raised an eyebrow, face going slack "Okay, Kaine, I'm sure as long as we're happy inside, everything will be okay," she grasped his hand and started out the door, smirking slightly to herself.

Kaine smiled after her, and followed giving himself a mental smack,'God dammit, Kaine, you're a fucking idiot.' he thought, as he stepped out inmto the night,"God damn fucking idiot." he repeated aloud to himself.

She quickly stopped in her path, whirling around to hit him over the head "Kaine, stop it," she said flatly.

"Ack," Kaine winced at the impact, and rubbed his head. He looked to Morgan stupidly, and grinned,"Heh, sorry."

Morgan smiled slightly to herself, hand trailing to her pocket "So," she glanced around, eyes perceiving the area at night "You know this place better than I do,"

"Mmhmm." Kaine nodded, and spat on the ground,"I'm not really up for a movie...they're all clichéd and always have something to do with some kind of obsurd conflict or violence that nobody gives a shit about."

Her eyebrows slid into flat lines, her face dropping. "Mmhmm," she repeated after him. Sighing, and with a flick of her hair she glanced up at the sky "How about, we just, go to some big open space, and watch the stars. You're only ever out at night, why don't we take some time to appreciate it?"

The vampire cocked his head, and blinked,"Um, yeah, let's okay, I guess, sure, s'okay, why not..." Any other form of 'okay' rolled off of his tongue. It was until he realised that no one really cared -or was listening- and shut up, pacing on ahead,"There's a nice clearing a few hundred metres away from here." he added lowly. 'For once, I'm thankful that it's not friggin' raining...'

She smiled, starting off in that direction "You seem in a bad mood... you okay?"

"Pfft, yeah, I'll be fine." Kaine replied. He rubbed his brow with his index finger and thumb, smiling a bit,"I've just got so many things on my mind it's becoming difficult to think straight anymore."

Morgan sighed, putting on a smile for him "Well, maybe this little star gazing will help,"

Kaine threw an arm across her shoulder, and walked on,"Sure as hell it will."

---

Kaine looked up to the endless black, as they reached their destination,"Here we go."

Morgan plopped on the ground ungracefully, folding one arm behind her head. She patted the ground beside her with the other "Join me,"

The vampire looked down at her, and sat down, leaning back. He propped himself up on his elbows, and looked up at the specs of white scattered across the sky,"It's eerie and beautiful." he commented, tiliting his head a bit.

"Mm, it is," she responded sadly, eyes scanning across the vast gulf of space "...Kaine, do you ever miss the day?" she asked slowly, voice dropping a few tones as if it was a secret.

"Yeah, of course." Kaine's response was nearly automatic,"To be honest with you, I didn't really want to end up...you know, like this...way..." his words got lost in his tongue.

She sighed, turning over on her side to face him, reaching over to stroke some of his hair back "Do you remember who did it?" she felt like she was intruding on his privacy, but her curiosity was getting the better of her.

The memory pained him. Kaine gave a long pause, then another sigh- she deserved to know some truth,"My...brother. My older brother."

Her breath caught in her chest. Morgan bit her lip "Oh my..." she crawled over to him and warpped him in an awkward embrace, seeing as how they were on the ground "Oh, I'm so sorry Kaine,"

Kaine paused for another while, and smiles sadly, sinking his forehead into her shoulder,"Heh, don't be...it's okay, really. He had reasons; good ones I couldn't possibly argue with..."

She frowned, bending her neck slightly to kiss his head, resting her chin on it 'What possible reason could there be...?' but she kept the question in her head.

Kaine continued to smile despite of himself,"I know it may sound crazy, but he's the reason I'm doing many things and making certain descicions right now." he sighed, and drew back from her embrace, planting a light kiss to her cheek,"Nothing to worry about, though."

Her frown continued all the the same, but she sat up, looking back up at the celestial bodies in all their glory. "I trust you, okay?"

The vampire eyed the wolf hanyou, and nodded,"Okay, Morgan."

She nodded in return, letting out her breath as she closed her eyes. "Okay..." she fell back on the damp earth, ears twitching, dormancy threatening to take her.

"You're tired, aren't you?" Kaine crooned quietly, voice smooth, cool, and comforting. He brushed some hair from her face.

"Mm..." she smiled lightly, opening one eyes "Yeah, I haven't slept in a few days," she moend once turning over onto her stomach, propping herself up on worn elbows, sniffing the air absently. "I think, I'm gonna quit the business," she admitted, with a sense of mild courage she must have summoned from some place false.

Kaine paused for a moment, and laughed lowly,"I do think you should. You're better than all that, Morgan..."

She smiled sadly, reaching across the small distance between them to play with his hair "Yeah... Besides, there's someone else I'd rather spend every night with," she grinning leaning down to kiss him lightly.

Kaine closed his eyes, and remained still. He drew back, and pressed his forehead against hers,"Really? Do you mean that...?" he whispered.

She smiled, breathing in his scent. A voice in the back of her mind whispered at her, but she shoved it away "Yeah, Kaine, I really, truely do."

Kaine grinned, and pressed his nose against hers, inching closer,"Morgan...I love you." he whispered, before pressing his lips against hers.

She would've smiled, bt seeing as her lips were preoccupied Morgan let her eyes drop close, lifting her hand to trail it down Kaine's jawline, her sensitive ears tuning in with his pulse.

With a light moan, Kaine drew away from Morgan's warm lips for breath. He swallowed, as the warmth from her diminished, and the vampyric hellish cold rushed back to his body,"You're so warm." he whispered.

Morgan blinked, unconcsious tears making their way to her eyes. "Oh..." she bit her lip as it trembled, and she wrapped her arms around him, his icy skin sending chills down her spine. She sighed, the tears she had held back overflowing their rims, spilling silently down her ckeeks.

She planted a kiss on his temple, his hair brushing her face softly "Kaine, you're warm too. I promise Kaine, you are," she breathed, voice trembling. She cursed herself silently for showing such weakness in front of him, but she gripped the vampire like a lost child to it's mother.

A salty tear fell against his forehead, and he grimaced. A sad smile crossed his lips, and tears soon made their way to his eyes. Kaine pressed his head against the base of her neck,"Thank you, Morgan..."

She let out a shuddering breath, not saying anything she buried her fcae in his hair, shutting her eyes tight. She only squeezed him once, sighing again. She was a mess, hair matted against her forehead, nose red and eyes bloodshot. Her ears twitched sadly, and she listened again for his pulse matching hers with his own.

"When this...this war is all over, dear, everything will be okay." Kaine said weakly, shutting his eyes tighter,"When this war is over, we can just be together, no Dimitri to kill, no bitch to detest, no elves to frown down upon... we'll be left alone...Kuroi will leave us alone. That I promise."

She pulled back slightly, scanning his face. She lifted a finger to trace his features gently. "Kaine, you're so beautiful... you don't deserve this... you don't deserve this..."

Kaine sneered a bit, and cocked his head while smiling a bit,"Give me three good reasons why I don't deserve this, Morgan. I deserve every fucking bit of it."

Her brows furrowed slightly, sighing "Kaine, no one deserves this. No one."

"Ack..." Kaine swallowed,"...yeah. You're right. No one deserves this...except for Lucifer himself."

She nodded sadly, "Yeah... yeah..." she breathed out heavily "I'm tired Kaine," she said quietly, pushing some hair out of her face "I'm really tired,"

"Then sleep, Morgan." he smiled again, and sat up, soon bending over to kiss her forehead lightly,"Sleep. I'll watch over you."

"Mm," she fell lightly on the ground supporting her head on her arm. She was about to thank him, but was asleep before she spoke.

---

Leerah left the hut, and, some time later, saw a lone figure in the distance. She smirked to herself as she quietly walked up behind him. When the time was right, she moved quicker, and went in for the kill.
Leerah opened the door to the cabin, her face smeered with blood.

Dalamir watched her enter the house, and felt a subconious twitch pull at his face,"Had fun drinking?"

Leerah turned to Dalamir. "What else am I suposed to do to survive?"

"I don't mind it...well, I do, but nonetheless you don't have to waltz in here with blood smeared all over your face." he snapped.

"well, ssoorry." Leerah said, licking the blood off her lips, and using the back of her hand to get the rest.

Dalamir grimaced as the action, and sighed, stuffing his face into his pillow. A muffled, but somewhat clear voice rang out of it,"Just try not to eat us, 'kay?"

"You wouldnt taste good, so I would never try." Leerah said as she left the room to head to her closet, which was nice and dark. She seemed to have nothing else to do.

Dalamir watched her head off,"Not only would we taste horrible, we'd be poisonous to you too..." he mumbled even though he knew she had already gone.

"Well it's fine for you, you're not human." answered Alegora, spitting the last word out.

Dalamir looked to her,"Sheesh, knock it off...it's not like you resent being one."

"I don't resent it, but I'm sick of being treated like garbage or ... food. It may not matter to you, but se just killed another human being..." her voice trailed off. "But ... what happens when you do die ? I mean like now. Do you come back on earth but in angel or deamon form, or what ?" She asked to no one in particuliar.

Dalamir shurgged,"I dunno how it works. I'm not dead or anything, nor am I actually sent to fight...anyways, I'm guessing you could come back if you wanted. I dunno how bossy He or Lucifer is."

"Then if you'e not sent here to fight, why are you here ?" inquired Alegora.

"Because Dimitri and Melody dragged me and Rayan into all of this."

Melody rolled her eyes, anbd sat up from her feign sleep,"Frig, Dalamir, stop blaming us. Rayan tagged along on his own free will, and so did you."

Alegora looked from the hanyou to the elf, not daring to speak. She didn't want to get caught up in something wich wasn't her business, even if it seemed rather interesting...

Dalamir sighed,"Whatever. You do realise we're all in this mess because of you...right?"

"I-" Melody paused, and swallowed,"...you're right. You're so right. And I know it's my fucking fault, but you don't have to rub it in." her ears drooped.

"Whatever, the world's fucked up so there's no big surprise that our lives are fucked up too. Whoever's fault it may be." Alegora replied in a strangely rough voice.  

Melody blinked at Alegora's second sudden outburst, and sighed. She ran her fingers through her hair,"I wish we all knew who started the war...every single person woul team up against him, and take him own. We wouldn't have half the world bleeding every five seconds, and we wouldn't be caught up in so many problems."

"Only few people would know what exactly happened," Dalamir stated, stretching,"And they're probably all dead, except for the person who started it,"

Leerah's hads shook when she reached the closet. SHe had heard bits and pieces of the conversation. She's right, I killed him.......

"Ya know," a voice spoke rather loduly "Generally at night people are asleep... Not being so bloody loud!" Dimitri would've flipped them off, or thrown some obscene gesture, but seeing his ineptness just spat curses under his breath.

"Sorry, o mighty one!!" Dalamir hissed, urge to throw his pillow at him rising.

Melody sighed, and flopped back onto the ground,"Nyaaaaah..." she stretched,"Yeah, maybe we should go to sleep...savour a normal night. I--"

Rayan loud and abrupt snoring interupted her.

"Damn..." Dimitri grimaced, glaring oer at the dormant Elf. Making a decision he turned over and flopped on the floor with a thud, followed by a short grunt. Then, resembling a crippled dog, he started crawling pathetically over to the bathroom, cursing.

Melody watched him struggle to get to the bathroom, and smiled a bit,"Good luck with that..."

"Piss off, ya mutt," he growled, reaching the bathroom. he stopped to rest for a moment, pondering his means of coming to a stand... or at least getting to his feet. "Mmfgh..." with another painful grunt he latched one arm on the counter, before heaving himself up-- and falling stupidly against the wall. "Ehhhh...."

Melody growled lowly at the remark, and drooped her ears. They twitched a bit as grunts, bangs, and booms escaped from the bathroom,"Judging by the ludicrous amount of noise, I'm guessing he's having some trouble."

Dalamir rolled his eyes, and wlaked over to the bathroom door. He knocked on it,"You okay, kid?"

"Don't call me kid!" Dimitri barked in response, reaching out a hand to the cabinent, retreiving a new bottle of pain killers. Sighing in relief, he edged the short distance to the door, opening it with some difficulty "Hello Dalamir, what brings you a-knockin'?"

"Our concern does," Dalamir eyed him, and smirked,"I was a tad worried, but seeing as you managed to get the pills by yourself, I'm sure you don't need any help." he turned back and started his way back to the couch, but suddenly stopped at added,"...kid." before becoming dormant again.

A string of black profanity followed the Elf's statement, courtesy of Dimitri. Suighing he collapsed to the floor again, crawling back to where he had been lying in the first place.

"G'night, friends..." Melody yawned, and tried to sleep again.

"Good night, dog."