Her fingers trailed gently across the quilt as Lisette listened to the condescending voice of her elder. Her teeth gritted painfully and her gut clenched with a complicated mix of anger and jealousy. Jealous that Mila had every right to speak in such a callous tone because she was in fact Lisette’s elder. Yet it still didn’t sit well with the beautiful woman who fidgeted uneasily, trying to regain her composure before her acquaintance made a reappearance. [i]“It’s all about control, Lisette. I suspect you’ll learn someday.”[/i] With a quivering sigh, Lisette made a noise of agreeance. “I suppose you’re right, but where’s the fun in that?” Her voice was a purr as she leaned forward to place her hands on her chin. “I pity the fool who doesn’t go at least a little mad.” She was watching the door, eyes burning into the wood like lasers, waiting for the slightest bit of movement. This was a game of wits, that the two so carelessly played, and she had to make sure not to lose focus or else she would most certainly lose. [i]“Actually, I would love to teach you a few things about control myself.”[/i] A sensuous giggle floated through the air as Lisette raised two eyebrows. “I bet you could teach me lots of things, lover.” Her sickly voice dripped with contempt. [i]“If you ask me, humans are fast learners. It’s other vampires who need occasional lessons in discipline. Proper ways to behave toward their superiors. The younger ones are getting lazy and informal. They need a firm hand to remind them of their place, don’t you think?”[/i] Lisette’s teeth grinded together and her sharp eyes flashed viciously. “Times are changing, Mila.” She fought to keep the oppression out of her voice as she twisted the bedcover in her hand. Her knuckles turned a shade paler as she did so. “Us younger ones are the new generation, don’t you agree?” After a moment of uncomfortable silence, in which Lisette used to recompose herself, she finally calmed down enough to call out with false cheer. Yet her eyes flashed and her hand continue its vice-like grip on the blanket. The older vampire reappeared then, half naked with her hips swaying gently as she exited the bathroom. [i]“Hiding something?”[/i] Lisette bit her lip slowly as her gaze eagerly drank Mila in. The other woman was undeniably beautiful, and Lisette had an uncharacteristically soft spot in her heart for beautiful things. Especially the kind that were just as ruthlessly dangerous as they were exquisite. [i]“I have nothing to hide from you,”[/i] Eyebrows raised, Lisette watched Mila saunter forwards until the older vampire was standing just inches away. She took her time trailing her eyes up to Mila's face where she finally stopped with a sensuous grin. “Nothing to hide, you say?” She didn't believe that in the least, but at the moment she was far too distracted by the feeling of hands brushing against the collar of her t-shirt. “I guess I'll just have to trust you.” Her voice was muffled as Mila's hand tightened around the shirt and pulled it over Lisette's head, sending a fit of butterflies through the younger woman's stomach. [i]“You don’t really hate me. This is what you want,”[/i] As Mila's hands held her face, Lisette's snaked around to hold the her waist, mimicking the gentle, possessive caresses that she received against her cheeks. Her lips parted as her face was tilted backwards and she pulled Mila slightly closer to her. [i]“My full attention.”[/i] She was surprised when she felt Mila's hands shoving her backwards, and despite the fact that it would have taken almost no energy to react and keep herself upright, Lisette let herself fall back against the sheets and be straddled by her companion. “You know nothing about what I want.” The comment was venomous, despite the flirtatious way she ran her fingers along Mila's leg. [i]“It’s adorable, this little crush you have on me. The way you were watching me with that shopkeeper earlier…”[/i] “Says the one willingly pinning me to this bed,” the foolhardy tone was washed away by the dark, almost offended glimmer in the younger woman's eyes. [i]“I wonder..”[/i] Lisette raised her eyebrows in mock curiosity as to what Mila might say next. Her hand had travelled from the other woman's leg to lock several of her fingers through one of the belt loops in her jeans, gently pulling her forwards. [i]“What it really feels like to be bitten by one of us.”[/i] Her fingers loosened slightly and for just a split second Lisette's face assumed an expression of pure curiosity. She didn’t try to hide the gape of her lips or the widening of her eyes as she stared up at Mila, who hovered dangerously close to her. “You... you want to bite me?” Just as quickly as the slip of exposure came, she had regained it and was now grinning venomously. “You want to bite me.” It wasn’t a question, just a bemused statement. “Oh, honey, how feral of you.” Without any pretense to what she planned on doing, Lisette grabbed hold of Mila’s waist and flipped the older vampire over so that their positions were reversed and she was the one peering downwards. Quickly she pressed her lips onto Mila’s, a peck that was teasing at the same time sensuous. “I think I might just let you try it.” Her lips were still against Mila’s skin, trailing along her jawline and pressing against the spot on her neck where her pulse should have been. Not having the feeling of rushing blood struck Lisette as a little odd as she jerkingly twisted her head so that her neck was exposed. “Let’s see what you’ve got.” --- [i]“You’re… not supposed to be out here.”[/i] The frail voice broke the young woman from her reverie with its perturbation. She slowly pulled her gaze, which had been glued to the splintered wooden door, and peered at the scrawny young man whose glassy eyes were almost cat-like in the darkness. She recognized him from before, he had been the one who had brought her water. She shut her eyes to try and block out the vision of his pale, shaken frame migrating towards Booker who beckoned the poor boy like a dog. When she opened her eyes again, the man had moved up the steps a bit, his feline eyes still gazing at her with mute curiosity and something that could almost have been envy. Her gut roiled and she felt tears prick in her eyes. If she stayed her, like she so longed to do, that would mean ending up like him and in what? A year? A [i]month[/i]? She would end up like this pathetic soul, staring up at Booker’s newest plaything and wishing desperately to be her. [i]“…Booker told me you have to stay in that room.”[/i] “Fuck Booker.” Her voice was like acid as she slowly backed away from the stairs in time with the man’s ascent. He was murmuring quietly and Charlie could hardly hear a word that he said, his spindly frame was eerie and she found fear creeping over her skin. She had blocked out his words until his icy hands, just as cold as Mila’s or Booker’s, gently caressed the healing bite marks on her neck. She stiffened in response, resisting the urge to shove him away and make a break for it. That would surely give her intent away and if she lost the element of surprise, there was no way she was getting out of this house alive. “Please, don’t touch me...” However her disturbed pleas fell on deaf ears as he continued to stand uncomfortably close, staring down at her neck morbidly. [i]“You’re so lucky.”[/i] She suppressed a laugh, holding her breath until the insane urge to break into a fit of inappropriate giggles passed. “Lucky, huh?” [i]“I’ve never been his favorite.”[/i] There was something about his tone that made Charlie’s chest ache with pity for him, this was the only thing he knew anymore, the only thing any of them knew. It made her curious, how had they each gotten here? Were their stories as insane as hers felt? Did they have families who missed them, or were they just alone... like her? She shut her eyes tightly and shook her head in a physical attempt to shake the thoughts from her mind. She couldn’t be thinking like that right now, she had to be thinking about how to save herself. The rest she could dwell on later. With all of this running through her head, she had barely noticed the young man’s change in emotion, from poignant to excited. Her eyes studied him. [i]“You don’t…want to stay here, do you. That’s why you ran away…”[/i] Slowly, Charlie’s head bobbed up and down, her lips partially agape. [i]“If you leave…he has to get a new favorite.”[/i] She watched his actions with growing empathy, the way he moved, awkward and disconcerted, was so childlike. “What are you getting at?” She questioned... unease making a knot in her stomach. [i]“You should leave. I’ll help you leave! Ok? Shhh! He can hear everything!”[/i] She listened to him explain Booker’s rush, how this was the best time to try to escape because he would be too distracted by his own bloodlust to realize what was happening about him. Quietly, Charlie followed her un-named companion down the stairs, peering in after him to witness the disquieting scene between Booker and two of his beloved pets. [i]“Go!”[/i] The noise made her startle from watching the scene with sordid fascination. “Okay.” She mouthed back creeping stealthily behind him and jumping at the deafening sound of the lock snapping out of place. She felt every second that ticked by like the beat of her unsteady heart which pounded mercilessly in her chest. “Hurry up...” Her strained voice was a low whine as she watched him inch the door open little by little until there was just enough room for her to squeeze through and burst into the open air. “Oh my god..” She breathed in deeply, intoxicated from the aftermath of the bite and the way the cool night air felt against her warm flesh. [i]“The closest bus stop is way down that way. Like way, way down. Ok?”[/i] She nodded, licking her lips and looking in the direction that he pointed. “Okay, thank you so much...” She paused and looked at him. “I don’t even know your name.” There was something sad about that, but also something good. It made him seem unreal, like he wasn’t a person and he didn’t live a life like something out of someones nightmares. “Thank you.” Her whisper of gratitude was paired with a tight hug, his thin frame was boney against her own, making her cringe with another round of pity. “Take care of yourself.” She didn’t linger long, and instead made her way hastily down the road. Moving in a half run, half hobble manor that must have appeared very amusing to any of the early risers who could have looked her way. She continued faster and faster as the pain in her stomach slowly increased and the aftermath of the bite slowly faded. It was a gradual thing but after what felt like an eternity of walking, but could only have been half an hour at the most, she started to slow down. Her body shook uncontrollably and an unsettling cold crept under her skin, despite the warm morning sun that beat down on her. She knew she must have looked like a madwoman, limping around the streets at such an early hour. Rubbing her arms fiercely as she muttered profanities under her breath. She was so tired and she knew that at any given moment she would pass out from fatigue. That’s the moment her weary eyes caught sight of the quaint hotel. She wasn’t going to make it home, even if she knew what direction home would be in! Her hand instantly went to her back pocket and the small wallet she had stuck there. She’d have enough for a room and maybe some hot food and that way she could regroup and try and figure out a way out of all this. Booker would come looking for her, as would Mila, and despite the fact that she wouldn’t entirely mind the latter she didn’t want to have anything to do with this anymore. [i]You could go home... Back to Mom and Dad[/i] That wasn’t the best idea in the world, but it was something. A tear rolled down her cheek slowly as she shoved her way into the hotel and briskly walked towards the teenage boy who barely glanced up from his phone as he gave her a room key and murmured a quick. “Enjoy your stay.” With an appreciative noise she hobbled away, thoughts of her parents dancing wildly through her mind as she stuck the key into the chipped wooden door and entering the musty hotel bedroom, completely unaware that her problems were still just next door.