"Hilary, she told us it was bad circulation and we don't need to know anymore than that!" RJ said and I wanted to hug her for it. Hilary was losing her audience but I don't think she even cared anymore, she wanted the glory of it, even if the reaction would not be to the full extent.

"Don't be naive. Isn't it obvious to you all, she... tried... to... kill... herself!" She said each word slowly for that extra bit of drama.

Most of them gasped...all except Jack.

"Stop this right now!" Jack shouted out and it was always an odd thing to hear Jack getting angry, like it was going against nature.

"Oh, shut up Jack! Of course you're going to believe all her lies, you're still in love with the silly cow. What did she tell you, some sappy little story about her being kidnapped...oh please, I thought you were smarter than that! She is a manipulating little b.i.t.c.h that tried to kill herself after a man that didn't love her had s.e.x with her and left! A poor teacher that got his life ruined because she couldn't take rejection, so she came up with this idea that he kidnapped her and raped her. Of course, he gets to spend the rest of his days rotting in jail thanks to a girl you all call friend!" And there it was, my life in her eyes...suddenly I didn't feel so sorry for her, oh no, now I just wanted to rip her head off!

I stepped into view just as Jack was fighting my corner, the rest saw me but Jack still had his back to me.

"That's not true, you spiteful b.i.t.c.h! I was told what really happened and it was proven to be true!" Bless him, but he'd obviously done his research, it was of course all over the internet...if you knew where to look that was. Any other time this news would have mortified me but right now it seemed it was in my favor. Hilary hadn't been expecting that I had told anyone, let alone they would have found out the truth themselves. Considering all options she was looking pretty stumped for someone that had been so confidant just seconds ago.

It was at this moment that Hilary looked past Jack and spotted me. The rage must have shown on my face because for a moment she looked frightened. Jack noticed her reaction and turned to face me. He was red faced and p.i.s.sed off as h.e.l.l but when he saw my face it turned quickly to one emotion.

G.o.d I hated pity.

That's when I didn't say anything, I just let action take over. I walked past Jack calmly and stood motionless in front of my cousin looking at her with G.o.d only knows what expression. I was feeling so many emotions it was hard to pin point just one.

"What, what are you going to do b.i.t.c.h?" She spat out down at me with her arms held out. I wiped the spray very calmly from my face before reacting. I turned my body back which must have looked to everyone that I was turning to leave...which I wasn't.

I pulled my fisted hand back making sure my thumb was tucked over my fingers, my arm held back like a sling shot ready to fire. I remember seeing her sn.i.g.g.e.ring face as I turned back, quickly turn to shock before my fist came in to contact with her face. I could feel her nose crumble beneath my knuckles and then her body fell backwards and crashed to the floor.

"That, you bitter b.i.t.c.h!" I shouted down at her. She covered her nose with her hands and it wasn't long before I noticed the blood pumping from between her fingers. I looked at my hand that was still fisted and yep, it too had blood on it.

"You broke my nose you wh.o.r.e!" She shouted back with a gargle as some of the blood must have been dripping in her mouth. I wrinkled my nose at her in disgust and shook my head.

"You're pathetic! You really are. I have had to put up with your s.h.i.t for far too long, so count yourself lucky I didn't break more than your G.o.d d.a.m.n nose!" I fumed at her as she tried to get back up.

"You see, this is what she does! This is the real her! She's a destructive little parasite that craves attention!" Man what did she want me to do...kill her! She had regained her legs and was waving her hands to make her point. This just made more blood flow freely from a nasty gash I had given her on the bridge of her nose.

"You won't ever stop will you? You won't until you take everything from me, fine if that's what it takes!" I had lost all control now and I yanked up my sleeves and was ripping my gloves down my arms. I heard every single person staring at me gasp at the sight of my butchered arms. I threw my gloves at her and she flinched at them like they would sting her. It was the first time she had seen the result of my past and I think it caused her pain to see, to really see.

"Right, well this is what you wanted, isn't it! You wanted to see me humiliated, then we might as well go all the way! Come on Hilary, join in, add your part of the story, tell them how I did this to myself to DIE! Oh no, we can't let them know the truth, that I did this to save myself from a mad man who was not only going to kill me but also my family! THIS IS WHAT YOU WANTED, ISN'T IT?" I was screaming now and thankfully my friends had circled us to hide us both from view of the club.

"SAY IT!" I screamed in her face when she didn't respond.

"Y...yes." She whispered like a frightened child. She was also now crying and couldn't stop looking at my arms. Well if it was. .h.i.tting home it didn't register, I was too far gone for that.

"WHAT?" I held my hand up to my ear and turned my head.

"Come on Hilary, WE CAN'T HEAR YOU!"I shouted.

"YES!" She shouted back and that is when I lost all control. I launched myself at her like a bear. I think Leivic would have been proud. My mind was a red mist of twisted pain that made no sense of anything, no action my body made was coming from reason. We were on the ground and I had hold of fists full of her hair that I was pulling back. She wasn't exactly defenseless and she fought back with everything she had. I felt the contact her knee made in my face and felt my lip burst against my teeth. But the strange thing was is that it wasn't pain I was feeling, it was pure, raw adrenaline. Her hand was on my face and as someone was trying to part us her nail scratched down my cheek and neck.

I was like a possessed wild cat and I bent over double trying to get free from somebody's strong arms wrapped around me to get back at her.

"LET ME GO!" I screamed at my back but I still couldn't see who it was, although I a.s.sumed it was Jack, man he was strong. I looked up to see the damage I had done to Hilary's face and I was glad to report it looked worse than mine felt. She had blood covering the lower half of her face and a nasty red lump under one eye. Her hair was stuck up on one side and her top was torn at the shoulder, there was also a scratch there that I didn't even remember doing. It was only then that I noticed Jack had her in a locked hold at the wrists that were crossed over her torso. Ok, so if Jack was holding her then who was holding me?

"Stop struggling Keira and I will let you go." Vincent's cool calm voice floated down my neck making me shiver. There was something about Vincent that made you realize very quickly he had an "I might be calm but don't f.u.c.k with me" type voice. I relaxed in his arms and in turn, he relaxed his.

"This is over between us Hilary, do you understand? No more!" I said turning to walk off but she wasn't satisfied with the beating we both just had.

"The h.e.l.l it is b.i.t.c.h! I won't be happy until I have taken everything from you, like you have done to me, including me f.u.c.king your rich a.r.s.e boyfriend!" I actually laughed before I ran back to her and hit her one last time, which knocked her for ten, she was out cold in Jack's arms and I felt absolutely no remorse. Vincent grabbed my arms back just in case I decided to take it a step too far, although I think I already did that.

"Enough!" He shouted at me and I nodded in agreement. Jack bent slightly to hold all her weight as she had slumped backwards.

"Can you take care of her?" Vincent asked Jack in a way of taking full control of the matter and for once I was just glad it was an Angel watching my back, seeing as he was blessed with more patience than either of his siblings.

"Yes, but who are you?" Jack was watching the position of Vincent's hands with wary interest. I think his look prompted his grip to tighten in a protective reflex.

"She is safe with me. I am Vincent Draven." He announced this in a way that matched his brother's authority head on. It sounded strange and out of character for Vincent to act so coldly but I guessed he didn't like being questioned by a mere mortal boy. I also wondered if he knew me and Jack kind of had history of sorts and if this was the reason for his distaste. I also found it strange to think of him as a Draven. To me he had always been Vincent or the more playful Vinnie when I was drunk! Either way it was weird to hear it said aloud.

I pulled myself out of my absurd thinking and noticed how all of my friends were sort of frozen in shock at seeing him for the first time. RJ looked as though she was about to throw herself down in front of him as a self sacrificing 'wanna be' virgin and everyone else just looked scared of both of us. I suppose for such a shy girl they hadn't expected me to turn into a demented lunatic, "one flew over the cuckoo's nest" style.

Any other time and I would had turned scarlet and fled from the room. I wasn't one for centre of attention at the best of times but right now, right at this second, I just didn't give a d.a.m.n. Everyone was waiting for me to speak, I knew that, but I didn't want to explain and from what everyone had just witnessed, I knew I certainly didn't have to justify my actions. So I said the only thing that came to mind.

"Jack can you take her home?" I asked quietly and he agreed by way of a sympathetic look.

"Thanks," I muttered as I then let Vincent walk me away. It was like he knew I had enough but he still had hold of the top of my arm like he was scared if he let me go I would go back there and kill her. My voice was devoid of emotion which wasn't like me but I was tired. I was tired of feeling a shame I didn't deserve. A fault that wasn't my own and a guilt that just wasn't warranted. I was just very, very tired.

"You can let go now." I said in an exasperated voice.

"I don't think so, I tried that before and now someone's unconscious." His voice could only be described as controlled calm.

"Yes, but the right person!" I pointed out, c.o.c.king my head to the side out of habit. He didn't reply to that one, instead he just directed me to the door that led to the VIP. I really didn't want Draven to see me like this and it made me wonder if he knew anything about what had happened...more importantly why was Vincent down here?

I didn't ask but that was mostly because we were right next to the stage so hearing any answer he gave me was just not going to happen. The doormen eyed me like it was the first time they had ever seen me. I suppose I wasn't looking too hot right now. Once through the solid wooden door the music changed to a background hum and Vincent's hand dropped from holding my arm to smooth its way down the length to take my hand in his. I held my breath all the way down.

He was now walking in front of me with our bodies linked by entwined fingers. I was led upstairs but when faced with the two doors I knew which one I wanted to take and he knew it too. One led into the VIP area and the other onto a long outside corridor which bypa.s.sed the VIP to get into the home part of the nightclub.

"You don't want to go in there do you?" Vincent stopped before opening door number one.

"Not yet, no!" I answered simply.

"I can feel that. Come with me." He turned around me brushing against my body and I followed his movements because he still had my hand tightly encased in his. I don't know why but it was only at this moment that I realized that my sleeves were still pushed up my arms and my gloves weren't concealing them like they usually were. That's when my shame actually hit me. I knew the numbness wouldn't last long and when it finally came, it would slam into me like the sea does a body from falling from the cliff top. How could I face anyone again?

"Are you in pain?" Vincent's soft voice broke through my personal desolation and when I looked up from the scars I only just focused on, I realized we were outside of sorts. I was stood on the open hallway and the winter air hit me making me shiver. I was sure Vincent asked me something about pain and I looked up to find him stood very close, looking down at me with an odd expression.

"Yes...No, I.." Was that even an answer I had given, I wasn't sure.

"I can feel your pain Keira, but I don't know that it's physical." I thought about that for a moment. He could feel me? I also took this moment to a.s.sess myself. I flexed my hands and my right one hurt when doing so. A sharp pain across my knuckles but I didn't need any guessing as to why that was.

I must have sucked in air because Vincent noted my movements and the sound of pain I had expressed. He took my right hand in his and examined it with a great deal of care. He frowned and before I could ask, the hallway illuminated from the moonlit glow to a warm, flaming orange. The wrought iron lamps on the walls were aflame from just a nod of his head. I almost gasped at how beautiful he was. Like a living statue of the Archangel Michael.

He reminded me of a fountain I had seen once in Paris as a child. The statue stood at the top of the fountain in the Place Saint-Michel, the Boulevard Saint-Michel is one of the two major streets in the Latin Quarter of Paris, as far as I remembered from one of my many educational trips my parents took us on. Our family vacations always had some historical learning factor to play, not that I minded of course but Libby did tend to get a bit bored.

"Keira what are you staring at?" He asked me softly and yep, I was staring at him like he was some ancient oil painting created by the masters of his time. I looked down quickly and muttered a barely audible, "Nothing."

"I think you have cracked a knuckle but I can't be sure, bend it this way." He was holding my hand like a breakable antique and he moved my fingers individually, when I felt the pain in my middle finger I yelped and he groaned.

"Dom is not going to be happy about this, what were you thinking?" He accused me and I yanked my hand from his despite the pain in doing so.

"I have pride Vincent, just like any other!" I snapped at him without daring to meet his crystal blue eyes.

"Was it worth it?" He asked me, keeping his voice so neutral it was close to being without feeling.

"Without a doubt!" I answered honestly. d.a.m.n right it had been worth it!

"It still affects you greatly doesn't it?" It wasn't really a question, more of a statement that I wanted to play dumb too.

"I don't know what you're talking about," I said moving away from him but as I started to walk the other way I was blocked by a pale arm coated in solid ripples of muscle. They tensed under the flames that cast shadows along the stone wall his palm was pressed against.

"I think you do and I think you're afraid when you no longer need to be." This time I did face him, as if to prove him wrong about that fear. In his face I found my lies. I was afraid.

"Your brother can't protect me from everything."

"I...We can and we will." He looked like he had wanted to say something else but stopped himself. I started to shake my head and without thinking, rub my arms that were still on show.

"You can't protect me from myself... no one can." At this a single tear rolled down my cheek and stung my skin as it touched on the scratch my cousin had given me. Vincent took a deep breath and took hold of my hands that had started to scratch away at my scars. He moved them away and replaced them with long pale fingers that touched each scarred line as gentle as a b.u.t.terfly.

"You have to let go of your past Keira. These scars you hold are only skin deep, they do not connect to your heart or your soul. These scars do not define you, you define them. They do not represent death and destruction like you think, they represent life, the life you chose to want to live...So...make it worth it." His voice was like someone wrapping a warm blanket around me when I was standing in the snow. I was still looking down at my feet and when I saw my hair blowing around my waist I realized Hilary must have pulled it down earlier.

I felt Vincent's finger curl under my chin and raise my face up to his. He was stood so close now that he was mere inches away. Our chests rose and fell in sync with each other as our eyes met. When his hands came up to hold my face my breath hitched. My G.o.d, he made me nervous.

"No tears," he whispered and he smoothed his thumbs under my eyes and down my cheeks to take the tears away.

"What are we going to do with you my girl?" He said smiling down at me. Vincent wasn't as tall as his brother but he was still a head above me. Actually there wasn't anything about the two brothers that was remotely similar. Vincent looked like the Angel he was. Pale luminous skin that was framed with a halo of golden blonde short curls that looked almost childlike. His features were strong like a white knight, with high cheek bones and a long straight nose. His chin wasn't as square as his brother's which gave him more of an oval face. And the most striking aspect were those lips, being a dark contrast to his face with a natural red pigment, tinting them, reminding me of an apple you just wanted to bite.

"I guess I'm a mess," I admitted.

"Don't worry, it takes more than a bruised eye and a few scratches to keep the beauty from you but I can't account for my brother's reactions at seeing you less than perfect, he is...very possessive when it comes to what belongs to him." He said this last part in a confusingly sad way which I didn't understand. Of course I blushed at the compliment.

"Blushing won't help my dear." He said in a very sultry way that made me shudder.

"Are you cold?" Before I could even answer he pulled me into his arms and started rubbing my back that quickly created warmth from his actions.

"I'm ok." I said timidly at being so close.

"I'm going to have to heal you...is that alright?" He pulled me back a little to judge my expression but still kept me held to him.

"I thought that was against the rules?" I asked.

"Deep wounds need our essence, sometimes our blood to heal them but superficial wounds can be healed by just the right touch." He had moved me so my back was flush against the wall and speaking while examining the damage. His fingers stroked the column of my neck before his other hand joined it by holding the whole of my neck steady. He could feel me gulp down my anxiety at being held by the throat so he c.o.c.ked his head and winked at me.

"Relax, I won't hurt you." His words invaded my mind like a black cloud coating all my fears in the darkness so that I couldn't see them, couldn't feel them. I decided to close my eyes to add to the effect.

"Just breathe, beautiful." I could hear the smile in his comfort. So I did as I was told. I took a deep breath and relaxed as I exhaled it. That's when I felt it. The tingling cool air that began to caress the skin on my neck. I could feel his fingers grip my top and pull it to one side to reveal more of the mark Hilary had left there. His head leaned in so close until his lips hung over the mark, almost like he was about to take a bite out of me. I felt the cool air come from him and enter my pores. It reminded me of the time that Ragnar had healed the cut on my knee from my fall on the stairs. If anyone were to walk in on us now it would look like Vincent was trying to give me a love bite.

It didn't take long until my neck went a little numb and Vincent let go of his hold. I opened my eyes to find him now casually brushing off the dried blood from my skin. It felt like someone had just sprayed me with liquid nitrogen.

"Was it good for you?" He laughed at himself making me follow suit. I couldn't help but smile at his kindness and warmth.

"Behave!" I said, as one of the most unserious warnings possible but it made him laugh harder.

"Around you, that will be difficult." I couldn't believe how openly he was flirting with me.

"I thought there was only one bad boy in the family," I teased.

"You thought wrong." He winked again and his eyes flashed a bright blue that was startling to witness. It was like I was watching the waves of the ocean through his eyes.

"Let's see what we can do about this lip of yours." I couldn't help but take a step back but I quickly found I had nowhere to go. I couldn't help my reaction. I mean, having Vincent so close to my neck was one thing, but my lips! My mind kept going back to that night when we had kissed and my heart thundered in my chest.

"I think it will be fine." I said quickly causing a bad boy grin to invade his lips...ok so I take it back, they obviously did have a few things in common.

"Normally, I would agree with you, but considering how much you bite your lip when nervous I don't think it would last the night. And from what I have gathered for myself, I do believe my brother is fond of those lips of yours." Ok, so now I was beetroot red.

"You shouldn't be flirting with me." I bravely said and he raised one blonde, amused eyebrow at me.

"Me flirting? I am shocked you think this, I was merely stating facts that's all. Besides....Angels don't flirt." He was now teasing me and I tried not to smile at his playfulness.

"Oh no? I guess they don't bulls.h.i.t either." I was now sporting a full on smirk after that come back and he was trying very hard not to do the same.

"But of course not, that wouldn't be very angelic of me now, would it? Of course my father is a Demon so I am bound to have a streak or two." He winked again and took a deciding step closer.

"Now stop stalling and let's fix you up before Dom gets anxious about your whereabouts." He sounded both seriously demanding and vivacious at the same time. Whichever he meant, I did as I was told.

"Close your eyes," he ordered gently and as soon as I did so, his palm covered my left eye which I gathered was the bruised one. He didn't apply much pressure but I could feel the heat building, making little beads of sweat form on my forehead. It was stranger than the sensation had been on my neck, like some deep heated therapy was being used. Then I noticed his head had moved very close to mine as I could feel his breath on my cheek. This time we weren't inches away but millimeters. One small action from either of us and we would be touching.

I started to see red spots behind my eyes and as if I had told him so, the feeling of heat stopped and his hand moved away allowing my skin to breathe in the cool night air again. He might have moved his hand away but his lips were now directly over my own and I was terrified if I moved, even one tiny muscle, there would be contact. The tension of our situation was building like a tightly wound mechanical toy and any second one of us would let go and allow it's in built reaction to be released.

"Don't move. Hold very still for a moment as this might feel strange." Strange! This whole night couldn't get any stranger! Here I was, after just beating the c.r.a.p out of my cousin, outside on a magically lit hallway with my boyfriend's brother who is so close to kissing me, it felt strangely right amongst a night full of so wrong.

NO! I couldn't think like that, what was I thinking? It was just from the effect of all this craziness in the air, that's all, nothing to it!

I was still mentally scolding myself when I felt the same cold air hit my lips with the force that felt like the pressure of his lips. I flinched when it happened and Vincent's hands whipped out faster than my action and grabbed the tops of my arms to hold me still. His lips hung over mine like a tempting well to a dying man that just wanted to drown in its cool liquid. I could smell them and almost taste the air that pa.s.sed over them. It was sweet like honey and cold like an ice cube had just been held to my mouth to suck. I even had to resist the urge to do so. Minutes seemed frozen and it felt like I was lost in a labyrinth of time.

"There, all better... although a little fl.u.s.tered." I opened my eyes to find a safer distance between us and Vincent's features could only be described as c.o.c.ky.

"Umm...thanks," I said reverting back to shy, safe Keira."

"Oh you're welcome, it was an honor to almost kiss you, one I doubt I will forget as soon as I should do." He looked away to the sky when he spoke and just before I could say anything that might comfort the regret in his voice he turned to me suddenly and took my hand.

"Come, I need to get you back to my brother. I can feel him waiting and his impatience is growing." I didn't doubt that for a second knowing Draven but I still wanted to say something to Vincent but I didn't know how, so instead I showed him.

I pulled back on his arm, making him stop and look at me. I didn't give him chance to protest. I threw myself into him and wrapped my arms around his body which made his every muscle tense. I didn't care, I just wanted to explain, but this was the only way that felt right. I then lifted myself up on my tiptoes and put my lips to his cheek to kiss him lightly. Once there I whispered in his ear....

"Thank you Vincent, it was great for me!"