Part six (Don't change my mind)

Neil stood at the top of the roof looking down with sullen eyes at the balcony that stood outside Gabe's window. He had seen the girl come in and out of that room. Had seen the strange light that shone in her eyes when she glance up to look at the sky.

He didn't know what they had talked about but he knew he could find out by asking the girl.

Carefully, using the same wall she had use to climb up and down the balcony, he descended onto the sidewalk.

Okay, she had gone straight down the street, he thought. How far could she have gone?

Skin cooling by the night wind, he walked glancing down every alley to see if he could catch any movement in the shadows. Any sign that there was a girl out there.

He couldn’t.

"Damn," he whispered in the night. He had been wondering the streets around the house restlessly and still couldn't find her anywhere. It was as if she had vanish in thin air, as if such a thing was possible.

He turned around, giving up and ready to go back to the Mansion when suddenly there she was.

The strange girl with the deep blue eyes. Standing behind him with an expressionless face.

Then she smiled and her face broke into one of ridicule, "You were following me?"

"Yes," he answer politely.

"And may I ask why?" her brown hair falling on her shoulder as she tilted her head.

"I saw coming out of my friend's room," he answered truthfully. There was no point in lying to her; he had the feeling she would be able to tell. 

The smile faded from her lips but remain in her eyes as she said, "Why not ask your friend what I was doing there instead of follow me around?"

"I wanted to meet you," that was true too. He had wanted to meet the girl with the blue eyes who shone with a different light inside them. Wanted to meet the girl brave enough to jump over private property to sneak into Gabe's room.

"I'm Neil," he continued extending a hand for her to shake.

"I'm Sarah," she said in return, taking her hand in his. Her eyes dimming as the humor faded from them.

"And I have to go now," she finished. Giving him one last look before turning and continuing to walk down the sidewalk. The cars seemed to slow down. The night quieted down as the darkness swallowed her up and he couldn't even make out her silhouette anymore.

Sarah, the name suited her, he thought as he began walking back towards the mansion wrapped up in his own thoughts.

Too wrapped up.

He felt their presence but it was too late by then. Hands reached out and grabbed his arms as another pair of pale hands brought his hand down and everything was blacker than night.

*

"You brought the wrong guy," said a voice that did not sound pleased by that at all.

"I did not," said another who clearly didn't care weather he was the right guy or not.

"He's not the one she wants"

Neil didn't know to whom the voices belong to nor was he stupid enough to ask. Instead he kept his head down pretending to be still passed out.

"She said he lived in that mansion"

"Yeah, lived inside not outside"

"I saw him coming out of there"

"Honestly Markin, you're too stupid for your own good sometimes"

"Oh please. You're far stupider than me Spin," said Markin walking around the room. Each step on the hard granite echoing in the walls.

"Letting that girl go for the sole reason that you thought she was pretty."

Spin sighed fondly, "She was beautiful"

"She could have seen us taking him," remarked Markin in a more serious tone than before.

"She didn't. I made of sure of erasing that part from her memory before we let her go."

"You shouldn't even use your powers on humans like her. You should have killed her and the chance of her remembering"

Spin sighed but didn't respond.

Something else was said but the words sounded distorted and came from far away. 

(needs to be continued)

Part five (You're too far away)

Bright blue eyes regard him sternly as he awoke from a deep slumber. The dream still clear in his mind. Bridges with beautiful cascades surrounding them, flowers falling downward, roads curving beneath them. The brilliant blue of the water and the sky that now seemed dull compare to the brilliance of this blue.

"Come to hunt me in my dreams too?" he asked dreamily to a girl with the features of a goddess. Dark brown hair parted to the side. Straight nose, pink pursed lips, big round eyes that were so blue, he couldn't look away from those eyes.

She could come and hunt him all she wanted.

"No idiot, now would you wake up?" she said reaching down to take the blanket away from him, "I have something to ask you," she continued in exasperation.

He closed his eyes again. Sure that it was all a dream. Surely a girl like this wouldn't be in his room, at least not without paying first.

She pinched him. Hard enough to leave a mark and convince him it was no dream.

"Ouch. How the hell did you get in here?" Gabe asked startled. Damn her nails hurt, he thought with a hasty look at his arm.

"You have a very wide window with a very good view of the street," she answered eyed him with eyes that said she thought he was a wimp.

His eyes narrowed.

"What do you want?"

"I already told you"

"Fine, what do you want to know?"

She sighed. Finally they were getting somewhere.

"In the party tonight, how deep was the kiss that you and Lady Scarlett shared?"

He looked at her with wide eyes. You had to be kidding me. This dark beauty was in his room to know how deep him and white-haired girl had kissed?

"I'm serious," she said after a few minutes of quiet astonishment from him.

"I remember that there was tongue involved yes. Exchange of saliva and I'm pretty sure I'd been chewing on a piece of gum at some part of the night that had not been in my mouth prior to that kiss."

She closed her eyes, which he now noticed were dark with mascara and eye liner.

He had a feeling she was beautiful without the make-up too.

"You are an idiot," she said touching the bridge of that sculpting nose.

"Do you know what her saliva contains?" she continued without opening her eyes or giving him a chance to speak.

"It contains venom. Venom," she emphasis the word before continuing, "that would not kill you but would make you wish it had."

"Bright sunshine personality, I like that." he said giving her full smiled when she opened her eyes.

She gave him a murderous look.

If the venom doesn't kill me, he thought, she will.

"And now I have to take it out of you. Try and be more cautious next time you go out swiping saliva with strange girls," she said walking up to him.

He lay there. Too stunned to move. As she leaned down and kiss him full on the mouth.

She was moving her lips against his. Whispering words he couldn't understand but had a dim feeling they were in Spanish or Italian.

She bit down on his bottom lip and he couldn't help but gasp as she began to suck his blood out.

His whole body began to tremble as more blood was being sucked out of his lips. When she stopped, it was only to take a quick breath before moving up to suck his upper lip.

"All done," she said finally letting go of his aching lips after what had to be the longest two minutes of his life. Sitting back on the bed, she swipe a hand across her mouth.

He could do nothing but stare.

"What no questions?" she asked looking at him with eyes that burned his own.

He linked his lips, "Who are you?"

"I'm Sarah," she answer looking around the room. Taking in the band posters and books. Oh and the mess that took over 95% of the room.

"Why were you sucking the blood out of my lips?"

"I told you, I was getting out the venom that poisonous bitch put in you."

"What is this venom anyway? What does it do?" he asked not entirely believing her. The thought of her being a vampire was too amazing to let die so soon. He needed proof that what she was saying was true.

Sarah sighed, "It depends on the sex of the parasite that kissed you. Since it was a girl that kissed you the venom would have lured you in to her. Making you want to be near her all the time. Giving in to her demands until you died. You see the venom is addictive and the more of those kisses you get the more you want be kissed by her."

"Not as bad as you made it sound."

"If you think that you're a bigger idiot than I thought."

"What if it had been a boy that kissed me?" he asked.

"Then you would have a parasite growing inside you by now. Taking over your body little by little until you yourself became a parasite."

"Growing inside me?" he asked bewildered patting his stomach idiotically.

"Yes, growing inside you and taking over your body," she said giving him an exasperated sigh when he continue to pat his body.

"Is not inside you now idiot," she told him sternly.

"How would you know?"

"Because when I sucked the venom out I also checked your body for signs."

"Oh," he said letting his hands rest on the bed at last.

"So how did you know I had the venom inside me?" he asked when a couple of awkward minutes had passed by. And by that he meant it had been awkward for him. Sarah looked perfectly at ease and cool.

"I was there when it happened."

"You mean when she kissed me?"

"No, I mean when the Big Bang happened," she said with a roll of her eyes.

"Well I didn't see you there so please spare me the sarcasm," he said feeling his eyes harden.

"I was the one who pulled John away from you, you do remember John right?"

John. . . Brown Plain John.

"I could have taken him." he said refusing to sound thankful to the girl who had intervene in his behalf.

"He could have killed you," she said without emotion on her voice, "He was there to kill her keeping her from doing harm. Instead you show up with her to the party. To the trap he'd set up. Believe me, he was ready to tear your head off."

"He wanted to kill her?" he asked startled. Plain Brown John was now a murdered?

"He killed her," her voice kept that cold, detached manner as she continue to explain how he'd killed her and why. For Lady Scarlett to really die John had to make her kiss him first since only a victim can attack their masters. He had to do it quick also before she knew what was happening and used the venom to command him to stop. He then had to burned her bones to ashes to make sure no one could have access to her saliva. Someone had to suck the venom from him also but without a master the venom went dormant inside and so didn't need to have it removed immediately.

"Who are you people?" he asked when she was done explaining. Her face, her eyes showed how remote less she felt about death.

"That is not something you need to know now," she said standing up and walking with the grace of a cat to the window. There she paused and turn to look at him, eyes cutting him again with their hidden depths, "one thing you must remember about Carries is that when they kiss they bite hard enough to leave a mark. They are hard to spot to your untrained eyes but," she hesitated before pulling a string out of her pocket, "keep this. When it starts burning it means you're near one. The more it burns the more power the parasite possesses. Keep it well hidden for is not guarantee you will ever get another one." she concluded tossing him the talisman. A warm blue stone lay in the palm of his hand. It's surface cool like the night. Somehow he knew that when he turned his face upwards to the spot she'd been, it would be too late to say good bye. Too late to have a glimpse of those soulful blue eyes and too late to say thank you for saving his life.

Part four (could you be the devil?)

If Neil was King, Gabe was the Prince of the Mansion.

Hypnotizing gray eyes.

Charming like a devil.

Gabe always pushed people's emotions. Never respected anyone who he thought didn't deserve to be respected. It made people wonder if he was from a different dimension. A creature who's touch made females loose all control. Magnifying everything they touched. Lips that infected lips with be wilderness and shock of a rocket. Some called him a devil. Deadly poison for saliva. Made victims fall over him with caresses and lovely words. Eyes that opened a door they didn't know had been locked or even existed before. Every pair of lips he touched, he infected. Instead of running, his victims cling to him in hopes of getting one more dose of those lovely lips.

"Shyness can be charming, but is more like a nuisance to me," he told a girl who'd been eyeing him from a distance the next day. She was shy to the core. Eyes running away from his stare. Fingers doing everything but being still.

Now her wide eyes found his.

"Woman may think that I like my woman shy and quiet, well dove let me tell you a little secret, I like woman who I can actually have a real conversation with."

She cleaned her throat but didn't say any words.

Gabe shook his head, "You're not going to impress anyone with a personality as a dry as a stick."

Now her fingers were brushing her hair. This way. That way.

It looked the same.

"Instead of being so preoccupied with how the world sees you, I'll advice you to work on how you wish the world to hear you when you can't even make a boy stand by your side," he continued giving her a blinding smile as he took a sip of the drink he was holding.

Her face turn scarlett.

He laughed.

"Is everything okay Lady Scarlett?" said Sonia appearing beside their table.

Gabe double over in laughter.

"Y-you're n-n-name is La-dy S-scarlett?" Gabe asked between giggles. It fit her face too.

Sonia's expression showed that she didn't find it amusing at all. But then again Sonia wouldn't know amusing if it hit her straight in the forehead. The though made him laugh harder.

"Do control yourself Gabe," said Red in a quiet voice. It was the first words she had spoken to him since sitting down.

"Do indulge me Red," he said in return. Red seemed like an appropriate nickname for her, though by the ice in her eyes she clearly did not.

"Gabe," said Sonia in a tone meant to be serious. A tone that made Gabe all the more charismatic. "Do try to show manners to Lady Scarlett," she continued saying her name in emphasis as if he was a kid and didn't know any better.

"But why show respect to a person who clearly doesn’t respect herself?" he asked innocently to Sonia. He didn't even have to glance at Red to see her face was turning that color again.

"And since when do you like woman with respect?" said Sonia to quietly for Red to hear.

He smiled, "I don't. But is fun watching her blush."

She shook her head and walked away figuring Red could leave when she wanted, after all she had already paid for his 'company' on a feasting tonight in advance.

"That’s why I asked for you," whispered Red as she put her hands together on her lap, "because you would caused a lovely reaction on my father's friend."

"Ah the rebellion phase," he said with a sigh as if he had experience such a thing himself.

"I am not being rebellious. I'm showing my father exactly what I want. And do not want," she said staring at a spot over his shoulder.

"Let's leave now," she said standing up and not waiting for him to help her up. Probably because she knew he wouldn't.

The feasting was held in honor of some lord he had no intention of meeting. He was rich, young and handsome. The perfect mate for dear Red. Too bad she did not want to be married.

He sighed, "And so my job is to stay with you all night. Lured you away from him so it doesn’t seem as if you are running away from him."

It was rather boring.

"Your job is to make him not want to marry me any longer."

He smiled and took that as an invitation to do way more than lured her away from him. Gabe would shred whatever opinion he held of her in front of his eyes.

*

Faces

Drinks

Dancing

Kissing

Slaps

That's what he remember of that night.

Holding on to a white-haired girl who had too many drinks and was now clinging to him in support. Her face coming up and kissing his mouth hungrily. He'd responded to the kiss having a few drinks himself. He had danced with her under dazzling lights and stood by her side as she faced a very brooding dark Lord. His brown eyes boring into his skull as they walked away. They've had a good time, he remember that too. It was after that kiss that things had started looking blurry. He was being pulled away and the white-haired princess with the soft, sweet lips had looked surprised before her expression had turn smug.

Hastily he looked at the owner of the hand still in his shoulder, brown eyes. Brown eyes and brown plain hair. Something lord. Lord something.

Then a warm hand had grabbed his chin and turn it to look at her. A girl with bright blue eyes and a sweet mouth.

"Let him go John," he heard her say wondering who this John was. But forgetting all about it when she smiled and he felt the sun shinning off that mouth at him.

The hard hand let go of his shoulder.

The warm hand pulled him closer to her and then he was being pushed away by an very angry looking white angel who struck him with the force of the devil.

The rest of the night was even more of a blur with hands pushing him and making him go out of the house. The music pulsing in his veins as he took a careful step forward after another. Hands in pockets as the world tilted this way and that. Some how he manage to make it to the road and grabbed a ride home. The coldness of the nice helping him to sober down a bit.

The house was dark when he arrived and he fell dead on his feet. Too tired too even take his shoes off.

Part three (sacred lies and hidden love)

"Is getting late." said a careless voice from behind the curtains of the door.

"Do tell me, Warning Dog." answered Gabe sing fully, arms cross over his head as he lay in bed.

"My name is Cloud, is not that hard to remember."

"It is when it belongs to a person I have no interest on." said Gabe finally turning to look at the boy with the deep red hair and golden eyes.

Cloud's eyes regard him with something like pity.

"Tell me Gabe, why do you want to make everyone hate you?"

Gabe smiled looking up at the ceiling. Cloud had been living along side with him in Madam Claire's house for a few months and already he thought he had him all figured out. Him, who didn't even know who he was sometimes.

"Who says I do?"

"Everyone who comes in contact with you"

Gabe sighed happily, "Then my sweet pet, my purpose in life has been reveal to me. To make everyone hate me. Not too hard," he said nodding his head in agreement.

Cloud snorted, "If you think that's your purpose in life you're more complex that I thought."

"That's because pets don't usually think."

Cold rage flashed in those golden eyes for a moment.

Gabe knew how much he hated to be called a pet. Living in the streets and eating out of trash cans like a dog, it they left a reputation on your record in the Mansion.

Gabe's own reputation had pursuit him here but no one dared tease him about it. Not even whisper about it behind his back.

Silently Cloud went over to the dresser to look at the reflection of the mirror. Staring into his face and unmoving. He did this frequently and he did not care enough to ask why.

"Did you know that it is believed that mirrors can steal a person's soul?" said Gabe at last sitting up to sit on his elbow as he glance at the boy.

The golden eyes remain focus on his own face.

"As self-centered as ever I see pet." continued Gabe prompting himself back on the bed. He knew exactly what strings to pull to make him furious but no matter how much he pushed him he never let the dark rage within him come out. Never gave in to the insults Gabe kept throwing at him. It was maddening.

Cloud started for the door, quietly as a mouse, without so much as a glance to where Gabe was.

he paused on the door way long enough to say, "Sonia has assign you to Lady Heart."

And he left.

Alone Gabe wondered about who this Lady Heart may be. Some rich spoiled girl for sure. Those were the general type of clients they got anyway.

He sighed and stood up, he should probably do something to appear 'nice' to the clients. Though by the time they left they weren't thinking he was 'nice' at all.  He smiled wickedly with that thought in mind.

Standing in front of the mirror Cloud had just been looking on, he felt ridiculous need to let himself grow a mustache. Perhaps get another piercing? He thought touching the two rings at the corners of his lower lip.

He loved seeing Madam Claire's reaction to the changes to his fashion and facial style. Just last month he had opted for blue hair that now was a deep brown with a streak of white in the front.

Short but long enough to give the clients something to grab on, he thought with a smirk.

Glancing around his room he searched for the ring he had bought just a week ago. It was silver with the face of a heart carved in.

My god, what a mess he had in his room. Still, he refused to let anyone come in and cleaned for him for fear of loosing track of where his things where in his room and because he did not want anyone looking through his stuff.

It wasn't like he had something to hide. It was a sense of pride.

A couple of minutes passed and he heard the noise starting down stairs as clients starting coming in and enjoying themselves.

Meanwhile he was blowing bubbles in his room.

And that's how Lady Heart found him minutes later. Standing silently, blowing bubbles to the ceiling.

"Are you not afraid of the soap falling in your eyes?" she asked him standing in the doorway. 

"Nay," he answer giving her a dazzling smile.

This made her roll her eyes, "You are nothing but a boy."

His smile didn’t falter an inch.

"Says the lady willing to pay me to forget I'm one for a while," said Gabe blowing bubbles her way.

She smiled and stepped into the room, parting the curtains and closing the door behind her with a silent click.

Pale, vibrant hair framing her heart-shaped. Red lips wide in a smile.

"I've heard about you, Gabe." she said not coming closer to him.

"I'm sorry I can't say the same about you, Lady Heart," he spoke her name as it was a joke.

This she expected. Gabe was never respectful. He was always pushing people to the limit. Enjoying when their temper took over them and their weaknesses were reveal.

Mischief danced in those gray eyes.

"I wouldn't expect you to, after all unlike you I don't have a reputation to pursue me."

"But who can not love the appreciation in woman's eyes when they hear who I am. When they realize it's 'Gabe' their talking to. Is 'Gabe' who's holding them. Kissing them. I must say I love my moments of spotlight," he said sighing happily.

She walked towards him.

"I paid good money for this moment of spotlight," she said taking the bottle of bubbles away from him. "I expect it to be money good spend," she continued looking up at him with eyes that wanted nothing but fun.

And he was gonna give it to her. With a smile he leaned down to her, kissing her and making her forget that he was just a boy.

*

Some time later that night a shadow had appear over the door step.

"Thought you wouldn't show up tonight." murmured Gabe rather sleepy.

"Scared I'll steal your clients away?" asked Neil coming in and sitting on the only chair in the room.

"Nah," he said yawning and stretching his arms upward. One glance at the clock told him it was 3 a.m.

You have to be kidding me, thought Gabe fighting to keep his burning eyes open. After all he had only gotten two hours of sleep so far.

"What's with you leaving at night?" he asked Neil laying back on the bed in a comfortable position. Neil didn't answer for a few minutes. If he doesn't answer soon I'll fall asleep, Gabe thought with his eyes closed.

"I had someone to visit," he answer in the same quiet way he used on everyone. That is, anyone who lived in the house. To the clients it was all cheerful Neil. Flirting Neil.

"And Madam Claire doesn't suspect anything?" Gabe asked not opening his eyes.

"Not a thing"

He nodded even though Neil wouldn’t be able to see it him the dark.

"That boy, Cloud seems fond of you." Neil said after a few minutes.

Gabe let his head fall his side.

"I suppose"

"He's always with you"

"Is not a mutual agreement but yes, he is always hanging around"

"You could try to not treat him like crap you know"

Neil could be stern sometimes. Good thing he was half-asleep and too tired to cared.

"I've been told I have the ability to do so, yes."

Neil sighed, "I see"

Gabe thought he'd left then when he didn't respond back. Too deep in the spell of slumber to form any coherent words to say to him.

From the doorway Neil eyed him wearily.

Too young, he thought, Gabe is too young to realize he has the ability to do more. Much more, he thought as he left a quiet-snoring Gabe behind.

Part two (bring me back to life)

Who ever is dating the Prince

Can never have him completely

For he is always

Having to deal with his people

"Are you done yet?" Said Neil. Voice hard and eyes of steel. He didn't like waiting. Hated it with a passion accumulated by years of people doing what he wanted within seconds.

The girl shook her head no. Her back to him as she scribble on a piece of paper. Dismissing his request when an intriguing thought came to mind. Rather that have leave it to memory she chose to write it. Even if that meant ignoring what Neil had to say.

He ran a hand through his hair in exasperation.  Eyes wondering across the room. Feet begging to get away.

Turning slightly he gave him the piece of paper he was waiting for. Hands no longer shaking with the fear she had once shown.

He reached forward, eager to get away from the place he had long abandoned.  Eager to fade from the sight of those empty closed eyes.

Eagerly we await

The meetings of two worlds

No longer able to hold back

The scars beginning to show

"What two worlds?" he said after reading her note out loud. The girl shook her head again.

She had a way with words. She had a way with music. Sounds. Emotions.

It was a tragedy she couldn't see the effect her talents had on him. On the people who met her and learn the way it pain her.

She always understood words. Especially the ones she wrote, having her not understand them was rare. And unnerving.

"You have what you came from, would you now leave?" she said with her voice quiet.

He shook his head even though he knew she couldn't see.

"I'm sorry" he whispered. Voice low for only her ears to hear because she was the only person who deserved to hear those words coming from him.

"You always hurt the ones you love" she said just as low.

"You never know how much pain you put them through. You put them through misery and expect them to stay close regardless of that hurt" she continued.

"I'm sorry" he said again. Standing still as each word, each accusation cut what was left of his heart.

"There's nothing you could have done"

"I could have-"

"You could  have. But you didn't. Don't torture yourself over this anymore"

But he couldn't stop. He could pretend long enough. But he couldn't allow his mind to forget the fact that he had made her unhappy when she needed the joy of life more than ever.

"Would you continue to work there? Continue to lie to girls and break their hearts apart?" she asked looking at the spot where he was.

"I have no choice" he answer, lying to her yet another time.

He had a choice.

A choice he chose to ignore because he felt it would make the pain easier to deal with. He had thought living up to the reputation they had given him would made it harder for him to forget the pain.

If he became the person they'd always thought he was, if he became another person altogether then he would remain broken.

"You're breaking your soul apart" she whispered.

"I’m doing to myself exactly what I did to her"

Her.

The girl he had truly loved.

Who’s breath smelled like pure, sweet flowers. Who's life distilled joy and kindness.

"This is not because of her. No, this thing you're doing to yourself is not because you want to continue feeling the pain. Is because you're afraid. Afraid another girl will fall for you like she did. Afraid of loving someone again."

"Why should I be afraid of girls falling for me? Haven't you heard, that's how I get paid." he said voice hard. He wanted to leave. Wanted to walk out the door and never look back, but he couldn't. Too many strings made in the past hold him in place. He had to hear her out.

"You're a coward for making girls fall for you in hopes they'll die for you like she did just so you'll have an excuse to torture yourself. That's all you want out of life now. That's all you pursuit and yearn for. Another reason to loath yourself. To make others loath you. You may try all you want but sooner than you think you're going to realize that nothing can be ignore. No emotion or feeling can be buried or killed as long as you're still alive. And when the feelings are awaken again you will wish to die. Because you're not allowing yourself to be loved. You prefer to go through life half-dead inside rather than accept the fact that life goes on. That forgiveness is possible. Even for you."

His face was hard. Everything inside of him was hard, and yet he felt something breaking inside with her words. True words he would rather never have heard.

"Nobody would love a person like me. Not like she did" he said barely audible.

 "As long as you think that nothing will change. But perhaps and you'll meet a person who can do for you what I cannot. Someone who will find a way of finally breaking that wall inside your heart apart once and for all, because Neil. I'm done trying to make you stop hurting yourself when you wont listen to me. Because if you don't believe the words I say to you maybe and you'll listen when the words are spoken by a person dear to you."

He turned around and walked out of her house. The only person who knew of his past and still chose to remain in his present.