Harlan
He woke up again, in the middle of the night, covered in a cold sweat. The figures in his nightmares were still visible despite his open eyes.
He sat on the edge of the bed, running his hands through his moist hair. That wasn't real. He was safe. He kept repeating that to himself over and over again, turning it into a mantra.
Once he was able to ground himself, he thanked the goddess Maya hadn't heard him this time. He'd have to lie to her again. It wasn't like he wanted to. He just couldn't talk about it yet.
But he was better. He was trying because he wanted to be better for her. Because maybe he'd deserve her. He shook his head, eliminating those thoughts from his mind.
She wanted to be friends. Only friends. She'd made that clear.
He needed a shower. It would help him relax.
He walked into the bathroom only to feel a presence.
He spotted her seconds before she spoke in her London accent.
"Why so broody?" Violette said from the empty marble tub, still fully clothed in a red mini skirt and a black long-sleeve blouse.
It was hard to tell when a vampire was near. They had no natural scent. The only thing she smelled like was an expensive perfume. It had undertones of amber and some exotic sweet flowers.
"Why are you here?" He couldn't even pretend to be nice to her right now. Or ever. Not when he knew she was faking it too.
"The new moon's tomorrow. Thought you might need my help," she said, getting out of the tub, her black heels clicking against the cold surface.
"Why are you in my room?" Harlan specified.
"You were having a nightmare," she declared. "I can control dreams. Thought I could help." Her red mouth curled into an innocent smile.
"I didn't need your help."
"Hence why I decided to wait in the tub while you woke up on your own." She swished her hair back.
He pushed his annoyance down and reminded himself this woman was here to help. And most importantly, that they needed her help.
"Did you need to say something to me?" he said after taking a deep breath.
"The rebels are already on their way. No vampires this time. Not that you'd be intimidated," she said knowingly.
A werewolf could kill every supernatural creature. Especially witches and demons. Those died almost instantly.
"But just in case, I brought you this." She moved her hand, and from the shadows manifested a little pouch. "It's wild rose. You can dip your weapons into it," she thought about it for a moment, "or your teeth, I guess.."
"Anything else?" He grabbed it.
Her smile disappeared, and her eyes became vacant for a moment before she turned around.
"You will regret keeping a part of you from her. I know I did," was all she said before she dissolved into shadows.
Harlan wondered about what Violette said for the rest of the night. And he had so many questions he couldn't stop staring at her during breakfast.
He was glad to see he wasn't the only one.
"Didn't know vampires ate food," Maya said, surprisingly, from her seat next to Harlan.
"Well, we don't have to. We could survive without it," she said as she daintily took a bite out of her toast.
"I'm surprised you're here. Aren't you supposed to be out snatching children in the woods and eating old people?" Blaze said with a smirk.
She only smiled sadistically. "Already done, or else I wouldn't be here."
He growled, and Maya analyzed her.
"It is a joke. I don't eat people. Neither do I snatch children in the woods or anywhere," she clarified for her.
"Where do you get your blood then?" Maya asked.
"Mostly from consenting adults," was all she volunteered.
Elowen added, "There are crazy vamp fans that worship them like gods and would let them do anything to them."
Maya nodded.
"Kinky," Harlan said, and they all laughed.
"Also blood bags. Some even get their supply from dead bodies. But you have to be too good or too desperate," she said calmly as she ate another bite of her toast.
"I must say you are very unlike your father," Elowen mused. "He is quite famous for his harem of innocent victims."
Selene furrowed her brows.
"I've been meaning to ask you how you know him," Violette said.
"We crossed paths once after a coven attacked a human town seven years ago," Elowen fixed her black and blue hair. "We learned all we could about your kind. But before we could get our revenge, your father intervened and killed the vampires. He called it an offering of peace."
"Sounds like him," Violette confirmed.
"So you're like.. staying?" Blaze said after a couple of seconds of comfortable silence.
"For tonight. I'm leaving as soon as the ceremony is over," she announced with a smile. "Why? Want me to stay a little longer?" she teased, and he rolled his eyes.
Harlan made a mental note to ask Blaze what that baseless hatred was about. The woman was certainly polite and well-educated. She was obviously beautiful and was a somewhat decent creature. Or that is what she seemed at least. Of course, he didn't know her, but he trusted Callum's judgment.
He understood her in some ways. Understood her pain most of all. She just wanted to do some good before she died.
He'd been living on that principle ever since he killed Everest.
Blaze snorted and glanced toward Maya. "Ready for training?"
She'd barely touched her breakfast, lost in the thickness of the yogurt and the crunchy texture of the toast.
"I'll take care of it today, Blaze," Harlan said. Maybe he could take her to Miracle. Distract her in some way.
Blaze nodded. But he could have sworn he looked disappointed.
Did he want to spend time with her? Why would he want to be around her?
Whatever reason it was, it had to stop. She was his..