Volume 11

DISCLAIMER: This story contains adult content.

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Salvaging Monsters

"Are you sure this is where he lives now?" Roxanne asked David.

"Caesarian gave me the place. I'm not going to fuck this up Roxy. This is the place. He lives on the third floor of the condo."

The condo was normal, probably smaller than the one that I used to live with Carter before. We had traveled back to New York. David, Roxanne, Arie, Giovanni and I had returned to the place we had known. Caesarian had stayed behind. He said he didn't feel comfortable leaving Boston, whatever that meant. I didn't get why he would want to be around all those depressed vampires who were choking and gagging in their own self-pity. He stayed there however, in his subtle attempts to nurse back some sort of dignity into what made the vampires great.

Here we were standing outside the condo and my stomach turned with knots. I didn't want to go in but I knew I had to. I was the face that would make a reaction to Carter. He wouldn't just help them if they wanted to.

"Adam, you'll have to go in alone, you know that?" Roxanne stated.

"Hell no, he's not going in alone," Arie stated.

Roxanne immediately raised out her fangs, "Damn it. I am in charge now. You understand. None of you would have questioned Decadence."

"Well you aren't Decadence," Giovanni stated, "And Arie is right. We've hidden long enough. That is what got us into trouble. Fuck talking. We go in there and we demand his assistance in exchange for his life."

Giovanni scared me with his boldness. I looked at him. Yes, he was most like the vampires you would hear about in children books. The rest of them didn't seem so aggressive. They had been tamed, but Giovanni was still...wild.

"It's best I talk to him," I stated.

I started to walk toward the building but just as I did so I saw that shadow cover me. It was the same creep that the vampires did when I first turned. I smashed into Arie before I could go any further.

"You have 15 minutes."

I nodded.

I crossed the street. I was wearing some of the clothing that Caesarian had given me. They were definitely more elaborate clothing than people would normally wear. I felt out of my time. I felt ancient...even though I wasn't. However that feeling wasn't the worst in the world. I entered the building and looked at the security.

"Excuse me sir, who are you here to see?"

He was an older man. I didn't know I would run into this problem. He had been eyeing me all along as I walked to the door. It was like he was waiting to say something. I wondered how others would deal with the situation. I was sure Giovanni would probably just kill him. How would Arie deal with it though? Arie probably wouldn't have gotten caught just walking up to the front desk in the first place. They had a way of sneaking around that I still hadn't mastered.

"I'm lost...I'm looking for a friend. Maybe you could help me."

"Looking for a friend at midnight? Don't you suppose it's kind of late?"

Then I saw it.

My eyes were very sharp. I looked behind the desk at the mailbox and saw Carter's name and the numbers. 314.

"Yes...it's far too late...we have a lot of catching up to do."

"Sir you can't go up there."

I ignored him. He did follow behind me but I put my arm out. I hadn't noticed my strength until I saw him rolling down the stairs and falling hard onto the floor moaning in pain. I turned back around looking back at the steps.

The building was definitely different. It wasn't extra and sporty like I remembered it. No...it was different. It was calm and serene. It was so very different.

My stomach was twitched as I walked to 314. The door was locked and I didn't think to knock. I ripped the knob of the door before I knew what I was doing. It fell to the floor and I walked into the apartment.

The apartment was quiet and pitch black.

He was there though. I could smell him. He had a very distinct smell. It was faint when I was human but now that I was undead, it was so much stronger. It was very strong as a matter of fact. It spread from the front room into the kitchen and finally into the bathroom.

There was a soft rustling though. I could hear that he was waking up, probably because of the sound of the knob coming off the hinges. Carter was always a light sleeper.

I looked on the refrigerator to see some pictures. There were several people I saw that had been at the party that night. Lilith had killed them all. There was a picture of me right in the center of them all. It was the last picture we took. The last picture of Carter and I at the party.

"I'll call the cops if you don't leave RIGHT NOW!"

I smiled. It was so beautiful to hear his voice regardless of he was scared and shocked. I still didn't turn around. I continued to look at the pictures. There was another picture but this time it was to me alone. I picked it off the fridge.

There was something written on the back.

"Put the broom down Carter," I stated.

I had heard he picked up a broom. My ears were so sensitive to something like that. I knew he recognized my voice. It hadn't changed. The broom dropped hard out of his hands as I had said it.

I turned around to see that Carter was in tears.

"You came to haunt me?" he was saying as he looked at me in my face, his mouth wide open, "You came to haunt me haven't you? Jesus Christ, I knew you would. The way you died. You had no one but me."

He felt like he was being haunted. A part of me found this amusing while another part of me just felt so sad. Carter and I was always so close. I had wondered how he was dealing with my death but now I could see it. I could see it as tears poured from his face worse than a widow at her husband's funeral. They rained down his face to the point that the things he tried to say afterwards didn't make much sense at all.

I didn't walk close to him. I wanted to though. I wanted to run to him and just comfort him but things don't work that way in a position like me. He was a human and I scared myself with the thoughts I was having about him. It would be so easy to snap his neck and feed off of him. Even knowing that I wouldn't, the thought entered me because I still had a body of a predator regardless of what my memories were based in.

"Get a hold of yourself Carter," I told him, "I'm not you're a ghost."

He didn't believe me. He was still crying. He hadn't taken his eyes off of mine. He was sinking though. He sunk to the floor and sat there in the middle of the floor looking at me weakly.

"It can't be..."

"It is."

"God. I had dreams that you weren't really dead. You know. Jesus, Adam. When they said they had misplaced your body, I felt that you had woken up from the dead. I know it sounds crazy. But deep down I knew...I knew you weren't dead..."

He was struggling to talk over tears. He was chocking in his emotion. I was surprised I was able to remain so calm. I felt it all. I did feel it all deep inside however. Maybe I even had more emotion then him, but they weren't pouring out. It must have been this body. It must have been the fact that I was no longer human.

"Stop talking Carter. It's ok."

"No Arie. Are you real, this isn't some fucked up joke?"

"Remember how we crossed our hearts and hoped to die when we were kids?"

"Yeah?"

"Well I cross my heart and hope to die, double time."

Double time. He started to cry even more. I took a deep breath. He knew it was me. He wouldn't forget how we used to say double time for everything. There were two of us. Flashes of the past entered my mind. For a moment I felt so human again. I felt like I hadn't changed into the monster. I felt him and I were still part of that whole like before.

"Jesus, Adam, I missed you," he told me still crying and then smiling all of a sudden, "Oh god. I'm so glad you're back. I missed you so fucking much man. I probably look like the biggest punk right now."
"You don't look like a punk Carter."

"I look like a punk, Adam. You know it just admit it."

I laughed, "Ok you are crying a lot."

He started to wipe the tears off of his face quickly. I slid onto the floor the kitchen floor with him. We sat side by side with our backs leaning against the sink counter. We didn't say anything for a minute. He just laughed about how soft he was being and I was laughing at how sad this all was.

"You didn't die...they said they announced you dead. I knew you weren't dead. How the hell did you survive...what happened?"

I looked down on the floor.

I had to change the subject, "It doesn't matter. I'm here now. Tell me about you. How have you been holding up since I've been gone."

I would have to tell him but I didn't want to ruin the moment. I didn't want to drop the bad news. He didn't seem to notice how I changed the subject. I could tell he was still trying to convince himself that he wasn't still dreaming.

He touched me, "I just had to make sure you were real. I had to enter myself you know. I didn't think I'd be ever be so alone. I missed everyone that died that day so much, but it you and I, there was a connection that no one else had. I more than missed you. I searched myself. I stopped my music career completely. I escaped the public scene. I felt like...Job...you know from the bible? I asked God why he took everything from me."

"Did he answer?"

"No...not yet."

"He will," I said smiling back at him, "I have a good feeling that you will be able to talk to God soon enough."

"No point now. I see that he hasn't taken everything from me."

"Well, Carter..."

"Oh my god, in the morning, I'll have to take you to church with me. I've been spending so much time in church you k now. I want you to meet my pastor. I've been telling him stories about you. He'd be glad to meet you."

"That probably isn't going to happen Carter."

He looked so excited.

"Oh yeah, you're right. That can wait. We have all the time in the world. Tomorrow let's just go get some ice cream like we used to do. We'll eat ice cream for breakfast and make up raps. Remember how we did that? You'd play your violin and I'd rap to your violin."

He laughed.

I laughed as well," I don't play the violin much anymore."

"Seriously? Well I guess I have the nerve to talk. I don't sing much anymore. But what about it. Adam why do you look so sad. We are together again. This is the best day ever..."

"There's something I need to tell you Carter."
"What?"

"Um..."

Suddenly I heard a scream. It was the security guard downstairs. It sounded like his last scream ever. I didn't hear much footsteps but I felt them coming. I looked over at Carter. I wish I had more time. I wish I had more time to warn him of what he was about to see.

I wasn't surprised to see the first people that had come into the room were Arie and Giovanni. I could see Arie shooting Carter these devastating looks. Arie could be very intimidating if he wanted to be and this was definitely one of those times. Giovanni's face looked purely satanical. His eyes were beaded up and his fangs were dripping of blood. He didn't even have the sensibility to wipe the security guard's blood off of his fangs before coming up here.

After them David and Roxanne floated easily into the room, much like ghosts would. I could see David and Roxanne's lack of presence seeming fearful to Carter. He grabbed onto his chest and stood out before me.

"What the hell is going on?"

"What the hell?" I asked, "I needed more time."

"15 minutes were up," Arie defended himself.

"What the hell is going on?" Carter stated again.

"I NEEDED MORE TIME!"

David quickly added his smart remark into the chaotic juxtaposition, "He's so handsome. Arie I would be worried if I were you. You aren't the only hunk around anymore."

"I'm not intimidated by a human," Arie growled back.

I grabbed Carter pulling him away from them. I pulled him into the room. He seemed like he would have lost his mind completely if he had stayed there for much longer. First seeing that I was alive and then having to deal with those people that have lost all their humanity.

I closed the door behind Carter.

We sat there for almost an hour before Carter would even look back at up at me. It was a strange silence while we sat there. His hands had been crossed the entire time. He had been praying. It hadn't helped that Giovanni was pacing back and forth at hour door. He kept repeating, "We don't have time for this. You guys know we don't have time for this."

His voice was inhuman in a way. I couldn't describe it, but I knew Carter could hear the monster by how clasped his hands harder when he heard Giovanni. I didn't expect him to fully speak anytime soon. I was actually surprised after he finally opened his mouth.

"Are you one of those things?"

He knew they were different. The complexities of these creatures were clear if they wished to expose themselves. Funny how it was Arie and Giovanni acting as the most aggressive in the group.

His eyes rolled up at me with wonder. Could he really comprehend the mysteries behind these vampires? I wasn't one of them. I was evolved from them. I was better than them, but telling him this probably wouldn't have been wise.

"Yes. I've changed."
"You look the same," he stated, shaking his head, "I don't get it Adam. Talk to me. You and I could always talk. What happened to you?"

"The darkness came for me," I told him, "And you know the darkness is coming back and it's coming back to take me away again."

"The darkness..."

"You wouldn't understand. I don't know why we came here. Carter, I did need help but I don't want you involved with this. I think it's best if we find another way."

I had meant it with all my heart.

I walked away from him. He didn't understand what was going on and I didn't know if I wanted to tell him. These monsters were just that and I had seen them. I had seen the violence. I had seen what they were. Why should he want to save us?

"You are not leaving me again," Carter stated.

I looked back at him. His eyes looked back at me. I could tell he was serious. I wondered if he saw it now. I had pulled back my lips on purpose for him to see how long my fangs were.

"Carter, I am a vampire..."

I watched him looking at me.

He took a step forward, "No, listen to me. You aren't. It's just a bad dream. All of it is a bad dream. Come over here brother. We'll pray about it."

"Carter, I'm not a human anymore. All those people out there aren't humans."

"I don't care what they are, but you aren't like them...you know."

"NO CARTER!"

I screamed as loud as I could. It startled him. He jumped back and wrapped his arms around himself. My mouth parted a little bit so my fangs could show. The sharp things that could rip into him if I chose to. I was a monster.

I continued talking, "Carter, you never accepted it. You never accepted that I was different...even when I was human. I was gay and you knew this all along...didn't you. But you wouldn't admit it."

He didn't look back at me.

"Brother..."

"I'm not your brother, Carter," I stated shaking my head, "Don't you understand? I loved you Carter. Why couldn't you ever get that? Why even in death am I so afraid to look at you? I loved you..."

He looked at me shaking. His heart barely moved.

"Adam, you never told until the end and..."

"But I told you, Carter. And you shut me down! You don't see me...you've never fucking seen me. And now I suppose it's too late because if you didn't like the faggot you saw then, you definitely won't like what I've become now."

"I never told you I disliked you being gay. I just needed time, you understand? I needed time to get it through my head. Sure, I thought. Ok? I'll admit that. Yeah, I thought. Who doesn't think? But it's hard to know for sure. I hate change. You know that..."

"You are scared of change."

"Yes. Adam let's just go back to how it used to be. We can start over."

"No, I can't. I'm not who I was, Carter. I'm different. And I am under attack. Someone is coming to take me away Carter."

"You aren't leaving me again. WHY DO YOU KEEP SAYING THAT!"

"Because I may not have that much time."

"Who is trying to hurt you?"

"The same person who made me into what I was today."

"Jesus Christ. How can we stop them?"

"We can't."'

"Adam," he stated smoothly, "You came here to ask me for my help. For some reason, I feel like you would've. It feels like you have before."

There was a knock on the door.

"We aren't done yet!" I called out to the door.

I knew it was Giovanni. He was still angry Giovanni. He was still unruly Giovanni but it was seemingly becoming worse.

He didn't listen. I heard him immediately break through the door. He bust it off it's hinges. It almost hit me if I hadn't jumped out of the way. I didn't know how it had managed to miss me. My instincts were definitely faster now. He wasn't able to surprise me like had done once before.

I could see him going for Carter and immediately my instincts came into place. I found myself stopping him, thrusting my hand against his chest, but it was David who held me back, pushing me against the floor. I thought about jumping up but David stood over me.

I couldn't take on both of them. I knew that for damn sure.

I looked back out, "Arie! Help me."

I looked over at Arie. He was standing there, but he didn't come to my aid. He had WATCHED David pushing me on the floor. He hadn't done anything at all. Now he was looking at the floor, pretending like he was somewhere else. He was IGNORING me.

"Where is Eden!" Giovanni stated.

He hadn't given Carter any time at all to talk before he slapped Carter hard against the room. I could feel him about to jump up and land right on Carter as Carter fell onto the floor.

He was stopped only by Roxanne.

She grabbed him quickly and did what I had expected Arie to do. She restrained him. David didn't challenge her as he had done me, even if it was at the aid of his beloved boyfriend.

Roxanne quickly went to Carter after the fact and picked him off the floor. She was gentle different. I could see Carter looking at her confused.

"Oh my god, a little girl," he stated, "Are you ok? How did you get here?"

He hadn't noticed her outside. I expected Roxanne to be offended, but instead she smiled kindly to him. You would think she was a little girl if she didn't speak. This false innocence was painted all over her face. He probably wouldn't have been able to comprehend the fact that she was older than the rest of us.

She used her young features to her benefit, "Sir. I don't know how far Adam has went. I apologize for my friend's inappropriate behavior. You see, we are very afraid. We are in search of a place and we think you may help us find it. That's all."

He looked confused, "Adam is this what you were trying to tell me?"

I nodded, "Yes."

"Well, sir, we need to find this place. Maybe you have seen it. It's a matter of the upmost importance. You know. I'm sure you have a lot of feelings for Adam. I can tell you both have a history."

"I can't tell a fucking thing," Arie stated.

"We do have a history," Carter replied, surprising both Arie and I.

I heard David make his little snide laugh as though amused by how awkward the comment had sounded. I'm sure Carter didn't even mean it in that way, but I could tell Arie had a sore embarrassment by the way everyone was insinuating it.

"Can we get to the point? Where is Eden?" Giovanni asked looking like he would go for Carter again at any moment if Roxanne gave him the slightest chance.

"Eden?"

"Yes...Eden," Roxanne stated, "Are you a religious man, Carter?"

"Yeah I am."

"Of course you are," Roxanne continued and smile, "Well we are looking for the Eden in Genesis."
Carter started to laugh. It was an uncomfortable laugh. It was not a secret that he was uncomfortable here. I could see it written all over his face. The discomfort was a high level. He didn't understand what was going and it reminded me of when I first came.

He shouldn't have been bullied by Giovanni. I should have had time to talk to him alone.

"I know I'm dreaming now."

"No...it exists," Roxanne stated, "And you know where it is. I believe you do. You may not know you know, but you do? I've heard stories of how God talks to his prophets. He gives them visions through dreams. Have you had any dreams of beautiful places."

"Who doesn't dream of beautiful places?"

"I don't," David added, smartly.

Roxanne held out her hand to shut David up before leaning into Carter, "No Carter. We are looking for the most beautiful place imaginable. I know you've seen it. You think of it. We need to find this sanctuary..."

"A sanctuary...that word...you know...no..."

"What is it?"

"I've been. No it sounds stupid..."

I looked over at Arie and then looked over at Carter. I had to save Arie...no matter what. I probably wasn't putting Carter in danger...at least not with Lilith. What would she want with a human. It's the others that scared me however. It was Giovanni, David and even maybe Arie and Roxanne. I couldn't trust any of them with Carter.

"Carter, it's just you and me remember. You can tell me?"

"I did have an idea of such a place. I drew some sketches back in the day. I have them at my office. Maybe I can get it."

I was confused, "Your office?"

"Ever since you died or I mean I thought you died... I haven't been singing. I've been doing a lot more writing. I don't know where it's leading me," he stated.

"Can you bring it here tomorrow evening?"

"Do you want me to, Adam?"

"Yes."

"Cause you know I'll do whatever I can to help you right? Do you really know that?"

"Yes, Carter. I know..."

The warehouse was a complete wreck when we got back to it. It hadn't had the same beautiful darkness to it as when I came. It was still dark, of course, but the problem was that the beauty had gone. The place was in shambles. It had to have been Ceasarion trying to make taking us in look very authentic.

Seeing the old warehouse in condition seemed to bring moods down even more. We walked into the circular middle of the warehouse. I could see Giovanni had been grumbling the entire way back. I could just see the impatience in his face.

He quickly announced to us out of no where, "Did we just trust Carter, our only hope, to meet us back at his apartment tomorrow evening? That is a human? He's going to be scared shitless!"

David seemed to just want to support him, "Like why would he come back?"

Roxanne smiled, "We all know why?"

Arie immediately stepped up as though slightly offended, "No...we all don't know why, Roxy. Tell us what you mean by that?"

"Arie, it's the obvious. I don't want to seem too much, but that boy has a clear and distinct attraction to our Adam."

"I bet he does."

With that Arie was walking away again. He was dramatic. I remembered when Giovanni had explained to me that vampires were either very emotional with their lover or very nonchalant. There was never a middle ground.

I could see the presence of him leaving and the anger that followed behind him. I took a step forward to go after him but I could see Giovanni watching me from the dark passageway.

"How many times you going to run after him?"

It stopped me in the path for some reason. I did want to go after Arie. I did with all my heart, but I realized I hadn't done anything wrong. Arie had this deep resentment that I couldn't understand. Carter and I were not together. We hadn't done anything together. Why apologize for something that didn't exist.

Giovanni continued to look at me. He had a long gazing stare that penetrated like the first day he met me.

I walked out of the room trying to avoid his eyes. I should have known he was going to follow me. I had managed to make it all the way to Arie's old attic apartment. The place still looked the same. Caesarion and his men hadn't torn it apart for anything in particular. I could feel Giovanni's presence though.

"You know back then I wouldn't be able to feel you watching me," I stated.

I didn't have to look to see him coming up from the ladder. His steps were once invisible to me, but now I could hear everything so loudly. I didn't know when it had begun happening, but I could feel myself...transforming.

"She really did a job on you. It would take vampires forever to build up those type of skills..."

"Well, a monster is a monster...regardless the name."

"Is that what you think we are? Monsters?"

I could feel him behind me. He had managed to walk so close to me that I could feel his breath up against the back of my neck. He breathed heavy though. I wondered if it was on purpose.

All I remember thinking was that I felt so uncomfortable around him...

"No...vampires...of course." I stated.

Giovanni looked at me hard. I could feel his presence all over me. I saw in the corner of my eyes that he was staring down. He was looking at my butt. He was real focused on it too.

I turned around quickly, almost catching him. He managed to turn his eyes up now though, staring me in my face. His darkness was so clear.

"You know David is petrified of you. He doesn't say it...but I know he is. You want to know why?"

I shook my head, "No..."

"I'll tell you anyway. It was Roxanne that found us back then. Did you know I was a slave? Yes, back in Trinidad. I used to work the sugar crop and David was there as well. David didn't do any work of course. He was the slave master's bitch. The master loved David. He never admitted it, especially not to any of the other slaves, but we all knew it. I would sit there watching how the slave master yearned for David and do you know how that made me feel. It made me feel like David was worth something, you understand? He used to walk around with his clean hands. His feet were clean too. The master never made him lift a thing. He used to wear these pants and he'd cut holes in them. David didn't wear anything underneath. His ass wasn't as big as yours, but at that time, I wanted it nonetheless. That tight ass...that hole was so tight I'm sure. I'm sure the master's dick was small. He wouldn't be able to stretch David out the way I'd stretch David out..."

All of a sudden I felt him against the back of me.

Giovanni's dick was hard. It was very hard and he was very big. The imprint pressed against the very back of my ass cheek. He didn't move. I didn't move away either. Hell I wanted to, but I didn't.

"What happened next?"

I asked the question weakly, only half listening and half hoping that I'd have the strength to move away from Giovanni before my hormones went out of control.

"I got him. I got what I wanted. It didn't take long for David to fall for me. Before long, I had him between the high sugar canes. I would fuck him...over and over...harder and harder. The harder I fucked him the more he fell in love with me. Soon, all I owned him. You see...my power has always been in my dick. My dick opened up a whole world for him. It showed him better things. Do you know what kind of worlds I can take someone to?"

He was moving now, grinding up against me.

I could feel my own dick getting hard and I knew he could tell as well because he started to bend down to grab my dick, but I quickly moved away.

"Nice story. I'm kind of sleepy though," I immediately stated.

He shook his head, "Bullshit...you want to hear the rest of it don't you."

"No I don't."

He laughed steadily, "Oh no? That precum says otherwise. Let me take you back, Adam. I want to take you back before my time."

He took a step closer to me. God. What the hell was I doing? Why wasn't I walking away? I could have went and found Arie. I could have found a better place to sleep then here. I SHOULD have went, but I didn't.

It's hard to explain the influence Giovanni had over you, when he was at his most convincing. You'd have to be there...

"Did the slave master ever find out?"

"Of course," he said laughing, "Ha. When his dick couldn't fit in that whole, he knew what was going on. It wasn't long before he had both David and I tied naked on bowls. He had our bodies peppered and laid in the hot sun. We were made a spectacle. The other slaves just watched...could you imagine the pain of cayenne pepper mixed in every crevice of your body under the heat of sun?"

"I could only imagine..."

"You'd be right. It wasn't until she came...Roxanne that is. It was so strange to see a little girl there of all places. She said she was wondering around...lost. She came and she offered us a gift we couldn't refuse. She gave us the dark gift. She made us eternal. Don't you know that very night the three of us drained very single man, woman and child on that plantation. No one survived."

"Jesus Christ..."

My body shook.

"Whose he? No I don't know him. Didn't even know him as a human. I was a slave. No, I am a monster, no... WE are the monsters. You were right the first time when you said it. You should have never taken it back."

"Not all vampires..."

"Who isn't a monster? Roxanne? I told you she was a part of it. Or maybe you think Arie. Would you like me to tell you the horrible things that Arie has done?"

"What is the point of this? Enough, Giovanni!"

I pushed him aside. The typical intimidation. He didn't take kindly to me trying to push him aside though. He grabbed me up and even though his strength wasn't as solid as he was when I had first turned to a vampire, it was still overwhelming me somehow. He kept a grasp onto my arm.

"The point is that David is scared of you because it is all happening again," Giovanni sneered wickedly squeezing on my arm tighter, "I see something I want...and I've been watching Arie running around here `pretending' like he's pleasing you...but he isn't pleasing you is he?"

I looked at Giovanni with a weird face. I wanted to ask him if he was serious, but I could see it in his eyes that he was. The way he was looking at me was just like how I had caught him looking at me before. The way he was saying what he was saying now seemed...I don't know...obsessive in a way. I didn't know how else to describe it really that would make sense for you to understand. Giovanni seemed to have lost it.

"Giovanni, I love Arie...and you love David..."

"But I WANT you..."

He leaned into me kissing me. His lips pressed hard against mine. His tongue entered my mouth before I had a chance to stop him. He wasn't just trying to kiss me. He was trying to take me somewhere that I wasn't sure I was supposed to be going.

I could see the person coming up the ladder but Giovanni was far too into the kiss to realize what was going on.

I tried to push him away, continuously, pushing him until I finally could get him off.

"What the fuck is going on?"

David was standing there. His eyes were enraged.

"It's not what it looks like," I stated.

I don't know why I said it. I wonder now if it is because I wanted him to believe it or I wanted myself to believe it. It was so long ago that it all happened. Remembering your memories is rather difficult.

"NO FUCK THAT..."

"It isn't what it looks like David," Giovanni stated.

Just like that he calmed right down. He looked over at us. His eyes seemed to get off me for just a moment and the resentment went away. Would he believe anything that Giovanni told him? He really was a fool in love and those fools were the most dangerous .

"She has come for Arie..." David stated, looking at Giovanni then at me, "She's followed us to New York. I believe she's flown."

"She?"

"The darkest has come to claim your love," David continued.