100% Freshie Chapter 34 --PG-13

[librarian_7]

Disclaimer: The characters from Moonlight are copyrighted by CBS, and no infringement is intended.

Special note: This work takes place in the world of Moonlight, but your favorite vamps are not the main focus. Sorry about that; try to enjoy the story anyway. You might be surprised.

100% Freshie

Chapter 34


Danni was drowsy, and the coffee wasn’t helping enough. She yawned, hard. Really, all she wanted at this point was to go home and get some rest. Then she remembered. She might not have a home to go to. Mick had told her to make herself at home, even as he’d ensconced Tyler in the freezer upstairs. He’d showed her where to find the bagged blood, in case Tyler woke and needed nourishment. This after looking closely in her eyes, and giving her a careful sniff.

“Danni, I want you to promise me something,” Mick had said. “No matter what, don’t let Tyler feed from you. It wouldn’t be safe.”

Danni had nodded. What could she say? And they’d left her, woozy and wavering, to care for a wounded vamp while they went after her old boyfriend. She supposed she should be grateful for the coffeemaker and the only slightly stale grounds.

As she heated water to use in the French press, she was listening for any noise from upstairs. She’d tiptoed into the room three times to look in on Tyler, resting in Mick’s freezer, and each time he’d seemed, well, dead to the world. She’d known that was how the vamps slept, but it was a little unnerving to watch it.

Mick and Josef had argued a little over leaving her alone with Tyler.

“It’s not safe, leaving her alone here, Joz’f. If Tyler wakes up—“

“Babyvamp up there is not going to wake up before sunset. And if Texas is in favor of keeping that idiot who staked him alive—“ he shot her a look at that, and she gave him the tiniest of nods in response “—then she has a vested interest in keeping this entire incident under wraps.”

“Joz’f—“

“I’ve got seventeen business associates stashed in guest freezers all over town right now. They cannot find out I’d even consider letting a human stake one of us and get away with it.”

“It wouldn’t be the first time,” Mick said dryly.

Josef gestured dismissively. “Special circumstances. And besides, everyone who’s ever met your ex has wanted to stake her at some point.”

Danni hadn’t been entirely sure what they were talking about, but Mick showed her the cache of blood in his hidden refrigerator. Then he’d looked her full in the face and laid a hand on her shoulder.

“Danni, I know you need to sleep, but you’ve got to stay awake until we get back. And if you hear any movement—any sound—from upstairs, you get a bag of blood ready in your hand.”

“I’m sure Tyler would never—“

“I know. But he’s wounded, and he needs blood. He doesn’t want to hurt you. Make sure he has another choice.”

And she’d been left alone. Left to wait and worry. About everything from Bradley’s probable lifespan (negligible) to what to do about Will. Or rather what to think about that whole situation. She was desperate for news about Hunter, desperate to apologize to Will for whatever fault he thought she had committed. Not that he’d be likely to take her call right now. And beyond that, she’d been told it was crucial that she not communicate with anyone. Not that she had a phone anyway. She supposed Tyler did, but searching for it seemed like all kinds of a bad idea.

The coffee wasn’t working. Danni felt herself starting to nod off. Pacing. Pacing might keep her awake. She tried to walk as quietly as possible, but maybe it was loud to vampire senses. Maybe it was simply that he woke.

In any event, even though she heard the freezer lid open, she was caught across the room from the blood cooler when Tyler appeared, his dark shirt hanging open, his jeans fastened but with the unbuckled belt hanging loose. He looked slightly dazed as he came down the stairs. “Danger,” he said, “what’s going on?”

She edged around the back of a couch, trying to keep as much distance, and as much furniture, as possible between them. “You were attacked,” she said. “Wounded.”

He frowned thoughtfully, and took a step toward her. When she moved away, his frown deepened. “Why are you afraid?”

“Mick said—I’m sorry, Tyler. I should trust you.”

Then he was standing in front of her before she ever saw him move. He leaned forward slightly and spoke low, the barest hint of a growl coming into his voice. “That may not be the wisest thing you could do. I’m hungry, Danger. So hungry.”

Danni looked into his eyes, which had not gone silver, yet. She could see what she’d learned were tell-tale flickers, though, and knew he was close to falling over the edge. “I can’t tell you no,” she said. “But—Tyler, can’t you smell it on me? The blood, the others?”

Tyler inhaled again, his eyes closing in concentration. He swayed a little on his feet as he analyzed what was in her scent, and swallowed hard. “If you can’t feed me, Danger, you’d better get out. I don’t know if I can—“

“Tyler.” Danni tried to make her voice as steady and soothing as possible. “Mick has blood here. If you’ll sit, I’ll get you some, okay? Just sit.”

As he turned, she went to the hidden cooler behind the kitchen island, and pulled out a bag. She hesitated a moment, then found a glass tumbler, and filled it from the bag. Still moving carefully, not wanting to trigger a prey drive response in him when everything was almost all right, almost taken care of…Danni jumped. Again, Tyler was right in front of her, his eyes fully silver now, his brown hair curtaining down to frame those deadly eyes. His lips parted, and she could see the fangs fully extended, ready to feed.

“Danger,” he said, “please—“

She almost shoved the glass at him, even as his hands raised to grasp her. “Drink, sweetheart,” she said. “Everything’s okay.”

He gulped down the first glass, and she refilled it. It took almost two full bags before he slowed, and finally sagged onto the couch, one hand over his bloodstained mouth. She stood warily, waiting to see if he needed more.

“Danger?”

“Yeah?”

“Would you mind—would you check my wound?” he asked. When she nodded, he twisted around and shrugged the shirt off. Danni was a bit surprised at the view.

“Damn, Tyler, you’ve got some nice shoulders on you.” She sat beside him and ran a hand across the cool skin of his back to the rapidly healing injury. He shivered a little under her touch.

“Are you trying to start something, Danger?” Tyler asked softly.

Danni blushed and bit her lip. “Uhh—“

Tyler chuckled. “I was teasing you. How does it look back there?”

“It’ll be fine. The skin’s still pink, but the wound has closed.” She paused. “Did it hurt a lot?”

“Like a son of a bitch.”

Danni leaned forward impulsively and laid her cheek against his back. It felt comfortingly solid. “I’m so sorry. Tyler, I thought—I thought you were dead. And it was all my fault.”

He twisted around and caught her in his arms. “I don’t blame you,” he said, then his voice became steely. “But I do want to talk to Cry.”

Danni shuddered and buried her face against his bare chest. “Tyler, please don’t hurt her. She was—misled.”

Tyler sighed and looked down at the girl in his arms. Considering everything, he felt remarkably non-vindictive at the moment. “You know,” he said, “the stake…it paralyzes you, but you stay aware. You stay aware the entire time. When the sun started coming up, I thought I really was dead. And I thought I’d let you down.”

Danni’s eyes filled with tears and she shook her head. “Never.” His gaze at her slowly deepened in intensity until she had to draw in a long breath. “Tyler?” she said.

“Yeah?”

“You know that vampire cool thing?”

“Yeah.”

“It’s coming along nicely.”

He grinned at that, and Danni really thought he might kiss her, but just then his head snapped up at some sound she couldn’t hear, and which announced to him the arrival, a few moments later, of Josef and Will.

“Well, if this isn’t cozy,” Josef said with a smirk while Danni sat up quickly. “By all means, carry on. I like to watch. How about you, Spence?”

Will’s expression was less amused. “Not so much,” he said. He tapped his foot a few times as Danni rearranged herself. “Think I could have a word, Danger?” Without waiting to see if she was following, he strode into Mick’s office.

She didn’t bother to see how the other two vampires reacted. She simply followed.

Will was pacing the limited confines of the office, but he stopped as she came in. “Are you all right?” he asked abruptly.

Danni nodded. He’d been so angry, before, even if it seemed a thousand years earlier. Now she saw no anger in him, only pain.

“I got a call from the hospital,” he said. “Hunter is going to pull through.”

“Oh, thank God,” Danni said. “Will, I—I never meant—“ She wanted to be closer to him, to take comfort in his embrace.

He shook his head. “Don’t.”

Danni stopped, her face falling. He was still angry with her, then. She was sure she could change that, if he’d let her. She was sure if she could touch him, the contact would be annealing for both of them. But his eyes were so distant, and when he spoke, his voice sounded emotionless, impersonal.

“I think maybe we’ve just hurt each other too much, Danger,” he said. “I find that seeing you, smelling the other vamps on you—I’m too raw to deal with it. I don’t think I can face it right now. Maybe in time…but not now.” And with that, he walked past her, to the door of the office.

When his hand was on the doorknob, she spoke, very quietly, not knowing if the words would be heard over the sound of her heart breaking. “Will…I love you.”

If he heard, he made no reply. And the door shut behind him like the closing of a tomb.

[francis]

I love this conversation:

“I’ve got seventeen business associates stashed in guest freezers all over town right now. They cannot find out I’d even consider letting a human stake one of us and get away with it.”

“It wouldn’t be the first time,” Mick said dryly.

Josef gestured dismissively. “Special circumstances. And besides, everyone who’s ever met your ex has wanted to stake her at some point.”

I love that Danni learned to fear vampires, to be careful with Tyler. It’s healthy. And they have an understanding.
Will breaking up with Danger, it’s the right thing to do at the moment, to make the boundaries clear for both of them. But still my heart hurts for her. And for him also.