Two days had passed and Samantha awoke early. Not by the sound of her alarm clock or Caleb's breathing, but she forced herself awake. She forced herself out of bed, she forced herself to get forced, she forced herself to ignore Caleb's words of comfort and his soft warm touch that always made her happy.
"I'm sorry..." Samantha whispered as she rested her head on his chest.
"It's okay, Sammy," Caleb whispered back as he rubbed her back. "I understand."
Samantha nodded and rubbed her face in Caleb's shirt softly. She slid her cold hands up the back of his shirt and gently drug her finger tips along his spine and the slits in his back where his wings were. Caleb looked at her and smiled.
"Are you okay now?" Caleb asked softly
"I will be..." she sighed softly "Don't leave me?"
"Sammy, just because you can't see me... doesn't mean I'm not with you. I'm always with you so there's no reason to be scared."
"I'm not scared!" Samantha gasped and quickly regretted her words as Caleb rose his eyebrows at her.
"Do you wanna change that answer, Sammy?" he asked softly and Samantha nodded.
Caleb clicked his tongue sadly and wrapped his arms tighter around her.
"My little princess..." Caleb moaned softly
Samantha pressed her lips delecately to Caleb's collarbone. Caleb looked down at her nervously and Samantha pulled away.
"You seem so scared to kiss me, Sammy... You never have been before..."
"I'm fine..." Samantha lied through her elongated fangs and her eyes turned hazel.
"Why are you lying to me?" Caleb asked into her hair as he nuzzled his nose into it.
Samantha sighed blissfully and smiled as Caleb pulled his fingers through her hair. She went silent as he pressed his lips softly on the very edge of her mouth. Samantha jumped and Caleb pulled away from her. She shook her head and Caleb nodded.
"Sowwy," she said cutely
Caleb reached up and took her face in his slender fingers. She looked at him and tears started to well in her gray eyes.
"I'm not ever going to leave you mi princessa." Caleb promised, then repeated: "I'm always with you, so there's no reason to be scared."
Samantha nodded slowly as her tears fell and Caleb licked the blood away. She giggled child-like and Caleb smiled happily.
"There's my little Sammy." Caleb whispered still smiling and Samantha smiled back. "I love seeing my beautiful princess smile..."
Samantha blushed and Caleb kissed her throat. They jumped away because they both heard Ryan's footsteps pounding on the stone stairs up to her room. Samantha looked at Caleb and he placed one hand on her chest where her heart lay and kissed the spot where his hand rested.
"I'm always with you, Sammy. Mi belo, preciosos princessa." he whispered and dissolved away.
Samantha sighed softly and seconds later, Ryan's knuckles rasped at her door.
"One second, Ry-Ry." Samantha called and she quickly glided to her door.
They looked at each other and smiled softly.
"Austin. He's back from the hospital." Ryan said happily
Samantha gasped excitedly and grabbed Ryan's wrist. She towed him down the stairs and into the common room.
"He's in the cafeteria!" Ryan gasped
"Oh..." Samantha got a better hold of Ryan's wrist and broke into a run to the cafeteria.
XXXXXXXXXX
Austin was waiting outside the cafeteria's crystal glass doors when Samantha and Ryan got there. Samantha smiled hugely and dropped Ryan's wrist. She ran over to him and wrapped her around him as tight as she could. Austin rubbed his hands up and down her back softly and smiled happily.
"It's okay," he whispered quietly in her ear. "I'm just fine, Sammy-baby. See?"
Samantha loosened her hold on Austin and looked at him Austin took his left arm and lifted the black sleeve of his robes. Samantha wasn't at all surprised at what she saw. A think piece of white gauze wrapped compleatly around his wrist. She nodded softly and kissed his cheek.
Austin smiled brightly and both his and Samantha's eyes shuttered gold
"Breakfast?" she asked softly, Austin and Ryan nodded together.
"Did you have a night, Sammy?" Austin asked as they walked into the crowed room.
"That dream came back again." Samantha miserably lied.
Samantha sighed softly as she imagined Caleb's skin rubbing against hers as if he were proud of her small lie. She smiled to herself softly. The three of them went up to the line and filled their trays.
"Why're you getting that, Ryan?" Austin asked as he examined Ryan's tray of over-easy eggs, toast, and bacon.
"Maybe, be cause I like a nice warm breakfast, instead of cold frosted flakes."
"Be quite you," Austin smiled, giving Ryan a nudge on his shoulder. "Give me a break. I didn't have frosted flakes for two days."
Ryan smiled and rolled his amber eyes teasingly.
"Guys!" Samantha called from the Full-Fledged table.
Austin and Ryan smiled at each other and strode over to Samantha.
"What do we have today?" Ryan asked as he slipped a piece of bacon in his mouth.
"Herbology, Magical- Sterling." Samantha's upper lip pulled in a disgusted sneer.
Austin and Ryan turned to see Sterling striding towards them. Austin bared his fangs and his eyes burned green. Clearly, nothing had changed in that situation.
"Hey, hey, hey, put the fangs away." Sterling muttered coolly, "I just came to talk to my sister."
Samantha grabbed Austin's wrist a little to quickly and a wave of light headedness came over her. She heard Caleb chuckle under his breath. She looked over at Austin and she smiled. Caleb was in Austin again. He stroked Samantha's hand with his thumb and she gave a private sigh. She blinked and focused her attention on her brother.
"As long as C- Austin can stand by my side." she spat darkly.
"Sure, whatever." Sterling rolled his eyes
"Five minuets, library." Austin whispered to Ryan and he nodded.
Samantha looked over at Caleb nervously.
"It's okay, mi amor." Caleb whispered "I'm right here."
Samantha nodded and gave a weak smile. Sterling led, Samantha and Austin out of the cafeteria, Caleb gliding silently at Samantha's side. Once they got to the library on the third floor, Sterling ushered Samantha and Austin to the back of the restricted section. Samantha grasped both Caleb's and Austin's wrists nervously. Austin and Caleb looked her sympatheticly and she sighed silently as she slide her right hand down so she she held Caleb's hand.
Samantha, Austin, and Caleb continued to follow Sterling deeper into the restricted section of the library. Suddenly, he stoped and pulled a book from the shelf, almost at random. Sterling motioned for Samantha and Austin to sit down at one of the oak tables. They sat down and Caleb stood behind Samantha invisibly and he placed his hands protectivly on her shoulders.
Sterling at down across from them and showed Samantha, Austin, and Caleb a page in the book. Samantha and Caleb gave small unison gasps and Samantha looked up at him, her eyes were his exact shade of icy blue shock. He looked down at her and softly stroked her hair, which somewhat calmed her down. The picture Sterling had shown them was a exact picture of Samantah's dream. Three wolves as huge as horses, surrounding a dead girl.
"It's okay, Sammy." Caleb murmured softly
"Why are you showing this to me?" Samantha darkly asked her brother
Sterling sighed heavily, obviously annoyed and said, "Am I right? In your dream, were there three wolves and the dead girl?"
Samantha and Caleb nodded slowly.
"Who do you think those wolves and the dead girl were?"
Samantha's eyes widened and turned emerald as her fangs elongated mencingly. Sterling gave a private smirk. He understood she knew immedeatly.
"Austin, Ryan, you, and me." Samantha spat
Sterling's smirks seemed plastered on his faec as he nodded slowly. Samantha looked at Caleb scared and he nodded. A second later, he was possessing Austin once again. Samantha's rage returned and she and Austin stood up quickly, sending their chairs to the granite floor with a crash.
"Where do you go about saying something like that?" Austin shouted
Samantha looked at Austin wide-eyed. She heard Austin's voice, not Caleb's. She flickered her eyes around the room and Caleb was standing beihnd her. He opened his arms and she fell into them. He wrapped his arms around her in a criss-cross way and placed his hands over her breasts. She felt her tense muscles relax and Caleb rested his chin on the top of her head and kissed her head.
"Vampires can't be wolves..." Austin muttered sadly
"I was..." Sterling replied darkly
Sterling's eyes turned to a blackish-purple as he strode over to Samantha. Austin pushed Samantha behind him and he pulled out his wand and bared his fangs in protection. Samantha looked up at Caleb nervously and he kissed her neck.
"Nothing's gonna happen, Sammy," he promised
"Are you gonna defend her, VanAlystne?" Sterling teased " Without Thompson too? How very brave of you."
"Yes, yes I am going to defend her..." Austin hissed
"Don't... You promised..." Samantha whispered
She put a hand on his shoulder, but he shrugged her off. He stared at Sterling disdainfully, his eyes were dark green as they filled with rage and hatred. Samantha looked up at Caleb and he nodded as he let her go. Samantah stepped to Austin's side and breathed softly on his neck. Austin closed his eyes and sighed happily. When he opened them, a few seconds later they were gray, he was calm again. Sterling glared at them annoyed.
"Oh, did you save your little girlfriend save you from hurting her brother?" Sterling asked, closing the book and putting back on the shelf.
"Yeah, I guess she did." Austin answered, growling at him.
Sterling rolled his eyes and started to stride the opposite way. Samantha looked at Caleb and he noddded slowly and she stepped to Austin's side and pressed her lips to his and he kissed her back. Sterling turned around just as Ryan came out from behind a shelf of books with a depressed, saddened look on his face. Sterling looked past Samantha and Austin and looked at Ryan with understanding eyes. Samantha pulled away from Austin and glided back over to Caleb and next to Ryan. Ryan gave a weak, fake smile and bared his fags weakly for her. Caleb wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close and nuzzled her close.
"You sicken me, both of you." Sterling seeted angrily, looking at Austin and Ryan. "Protecting her like that, it's disgusting."
"At least we care about her!" Caleb shouted in Ryan's voice
Sterling stared at Ryan and Caleb tightened the hold he had on Samantha. Sterling saw Ryan's facial expression and sighed softly. He seemed to be carefully choosing his words in his mind. Ryan rested his arms on Samantha's shoulders, making his overlap with Caleb's.
"At least I don't have my arms wrapped around her like I love her!" Sterling suddenly said
Ryan didn't say anything, he just looked at Sterling. His eyes turned silver and he let go of Samantha. She looked at him cofused, but shook it off. Caleb kissed her neck and slowly let her go. As he possessed Austin Samantha took out her wand and aimed it Sterling's heart. Austin looked at her softly and shook his head.
"No, Sammy," Caleb whispered in Austin's voice, filled with regret. "He's not worth it."
Samantha nodded and slipped her wand back in her pocket.
"That's right, Sammy. Listen to VanAlystne. You're not worth it either." Sterling said softly and slowly
Sterling flaired his nostrils at Ryan, glided through the library, and slammed the glass door shut. Samantha looked and Caleb was a her side. He got behind her, wrapped her in his arms, and rested his chin on her shoulder.
"Sometimes, I wish he'd drop dead." Samantha whispered
"We all do, Sammy." Caleb whispered back
Caleb slid his hands down her body and held her hands lightly. Samantha turned and looked at Ryan. He was staring at the door Sterling went out of, like a little puppy, almost as if he were waiting for Sterling to come back. Samantha walked over to him and tapped his shoulder lightly. He jumped ten feet in the air and looked at her wide-eyed.
"Are you okay, Ry-Ry?"she asked nervously
"J-just fine, Sammy." Ryan answered, clutching a piece of paper in his hand.
Samantha glared at him with soft green but she breathed it off.
Samantha sighed and shrugged, "if you say so..."
Samantha looked up at Caleb nervously. He blinked and shrugged as well as Samantha's eyes turned rose and she grabbed his hand. When Austin turned to grab their bags, Ryan's fell to the floor. Pencils, paper, and books went everywhere.
"I am so sorry!" Ryan gasped embarassed, trying to pick up certain things more than anything else.
"It's okay, Ry-
Samantha began to say, but Ryan was already out the door, his bag hanging awkawardly on his hsoulder. The paper he was holding in his hand was now laying crumpled on the floor. Caleb pulled on Samantha's sleeve and motioned his eyes to the scrap. They walked over to it, Samantha grabbed it and unfolded it. It didn't have Ryan's handwritting. She knew that much.
"What's that, Sammy?" Austin asked curiously, walking over to her side, and through Caleb.
Caleb gave a loud sigh only Samantha heard as his nostrils flared and his upper lip pulled in a growl. She looked up at him and kissed his neck hard and he calmed down. Samantha smiled and turned back to the scrap of paper in her hand.
"Note," she answered plainly. "Not Ry-Ry's handwritting."
Don't do this to yourself, it's pathetic...
"Who do you think it's from?" Samantha whispered to Caleb as he read the note repeatedly over her shoulder and he rested his chin on her shoulder as he pulled his fingers through her hair.
"No idea, Sammy..." Caleb whispered back, looking up at the clock on the wall. "Come on, I don't want you getting in trouble again..."
Samantha nodded and he kissed her neck as he dissolved away. She looked at Austin and he nodded in understandment. He slipped her bag over her shoulders, grabbed her hand and they ran out of the library, their bags banging at their hips.
